Author's Note: This one originated with a prompt from Story Shack that I liked but could not seem to follow. The prompt card read:
Word Count: 200
Genre: Adventure
Character: a truck driver
Material: a sword
Sentence: "Maybe we should just kiss to break the tension."
I started out with good intentions (only planning to make a few Star Wars appropriate adjustments such as changing truck driver to transport droid and sword to lightsaber). But I found I could not contain myself to a mere 200 words on this one. It was just too much fun. So, this is inspired by a Story Shack prompt even if it does not strictly adhere to said prompt's rules.
** Blissful Escape **
The transport droid is fried, and Obi-Wan only has time to shove it aside as he takes the controls of the careening vessel. Sparks fly as the ship barrels through the Coruscant traffic lanes, set on a collision course for a nearby building that juts into the sky.
"I hate flying," he mutters as he fights to keep the transport from slamming into the various speeders that scatter in an effort to avoid a crash.
"Perhaps you should get more practice," Satine yells at him over the screaming of the dying ship. She is fighting her way to the copilot seat, avoiding the debris that is currently being thrown about the interior.
"Maybe I should just avoid any further Mandalorian entanglements!" Obi-Wan's fingers race across the control panel. He's trusting the Force, letting it guide his movements, as the looming structure ahead draws ever closer.
"I'm not to blame!" Satine manages to climb into the seat beside him and digs her fingertips into the arms of the chair. "You insisted on coming along!" The vessel turns, scraping its side against the building's edge, but avoiding a head-on collision, and Obi-Wan manages to aim the transport at an abandoned warehouse below.
"You were meeting with pirates!"
"To track down a lead!"
Obi-Wan swears vigorously. Then the stabilizers go out, leaving him only one course of action.
"Satine!" He grabs her by the hand and heads for the nearest door. Using the Force, he slides it open before pulling her flush against his chest and somersaulting out of the vessel. She's screaming in his ear as they fall, but Obi-Wan manages to pull his lightsaber. He ignites it, slamming the blade into the wall of the nearest building, using it as a makeshift grappling hook to stop their descent. Satine clings to him, gasping for breath, as they watch the transport ship plow into the warehouse below. An explosion follows that nearly knocks them from their precarious perch. With one hand clamped about his lightsaber and the other arm locked about Satine, Obi-Wan angles his body so that his feet keep them anchored to the wall.
"Well, this is a fine situation, my dear," he caustically remarks. "I hope your lead was worth it."
"I had everything under control until you deflected that energy bolt that fried the pilot droid," she huffs in response.
"Oh, you mean the one coming from the blaster that was aimed at you." His tone is clipped but the strain of holding them aloft - or perhaps it is the woman herself - keeps him from reverting to his usual calm. "Forgive me, Duchess, for feeling I should protect you from enemy fire!"
"Ha! You could have simply pulled me aside with the Force you Jedi are so fond of using. But, no! You had to brandish a weapon!"
"By the Force, Woman! If I were not currently occupied with keeping you from falling to your death…"
"Maybe you two should just kiss to break the tension," a new voice chimes in. They turn to find a Ugnaught hovering nearby in a construction skiff. He maneuvers the small vessel in alongside them and offers, "Need a lift?"
It's small, with only two seats - one of which is occupied by the Ugnaught - but it beats hanging onto the side of the building by a lightsaber. Carefully, Obi-Wan lowers Satine down to stand on the hood of the vessel before deactivating his blade and joining her. Eventually, they get settled with Obi-Wan seated next to the construction worker and Satine huddled in his lap. Then the skiff takes off, zipping to the nearest loading platform, where they disembark after thanking the Ugnaught.
They are heading back towards the public transports when Satine glances about before pushing Obi-Wan toward a vacant alley. He turns on her the moment they are off the street, intent on demanding an explanation, when she shoves him back against the wall and leans into his personal space. Instinctively, he wraps his arms about her to steady them both and looks down to find himself captured by her sparkling blue eyes.
"I forgive you," she states. Well, that is nowhere close to what he expects to hear.
"You forgive me?" He echoes in disbelief.
"For resorting to violence," she informs him. "And drawing your weapon." It's on the tip of his tongue to let loose one of the more colorful curses he's picked up from his men, when she adds, "But you did so to save me, and therefore you should be rewarded."
"Well, I -" he starts to argue but is cut off when Satine mutters, "Hush Obi!" Then, suddenly her lips are on his, and he nearly forgets his own name, much less what he was going to say. He even momentarily forgets that he is a Jedi - or rather, forgets to care - as he draws her in closer. Eventually, he will have to release her, and they will return to being a general and a duchess. But, for now, they are just a man and a woman, hidden in the shadows of an alley, lost in one another's embrace, as the bustle of Coruscant continues on about them, oblivious to their moment of blissful escape.
Endnote: Thanks for reading and reviews are welcome!
