Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its associated characters; they all belong to their respective owners. I only own any characters or plotlines that you do not recognize.

20. The Battle of Geonosis

Seeing Anakin get wheeled across the Geonosian execution arena shouldn't have been a surprise to Elara. He had been a stubborn little boy, who'd grown into a head-strong young man. With an order always came a question of 'why,' and following the response, there would always be a valiantly defended opinion. It was just always part of who he had been; and it would forever be a part of who he'd become. But, somehow, there was still a sinking disappointment that gathered in the pit of Elara's stomach. If her shoulders had been allowed to slouch, they would have. In this instance, it bothered her more that he hadn't listened to her––for a moment, it didn't matter that the Council had asked him to stay on Tatooine. She had, too. And she had wanted him to stay because he had been in no fit state to fight. Anakin needed time to decompress. He was an excellent padawan; but he was still young. He felt things so deeply, so personally. It was no secret that, oftentimes, emotion dictated the decisions he made.

And this, very much, felt like a decision dictated by heightened emotion.

Both Elara and Obi-Wan shot Anakin a reprimanding look as he was prodded out of the chariot.

"I thought you agreed to obey Master Windu and stay on Tatooine," Elara said as Anakin was led to the pillar beside hers. The underlying 'I asked you to stay' was heavily palpable. Anakin had the grace to look sheepish as he turned to press his back against the stone.

"We did as Master Windu requested and stayed." There was a pause where he cast his sister a side-glance. Elara arched a stern eyebrow. "And then we decided to come and help you rescue Obi-Wan," Anakin defended softly.

Elara pursed her lips and hummed. She rolled her attention towards Obi-Wan , who gave his shackled hands a pointed look. When he looked back down, he craned his head forward to meet his padawan's eyes.

"Good job," he sarcastically commended before turning his gaze away.

A sigh passed through Anakin's lips, and he winced as a Geonosian raised his arms over his head. As the chain was secured, he glanced Elara's way again. "I… couldn't let you go alone. I can't lose you, Lari. I can't lose Obi-Wan."

The admission, the reason, pulled on her heartstrings. Her throat tightened up and the pit of her stomach twisted. The tense sternness in her face melted away in a heartbeat, and was replaced by something gentler.

"And I can't lose you." She met Anakin's eyes pointedly. "That's why I'd have preferred you have stayed put."

"You're just as distraught as I am, Lari. Mom wouldn't have wanted us split up. Especially now. We're strong, remember? But we're stronger together."

Before Elara could register the way her heart simultaneously swelled and broke, before she could say anything––the crowd became uproarious. It was impossible to comprehensively speak or think over the noise. Everyone in the stands had turned towards an ornate balcony, which jutted out over the arena. It had a prime view of the killing field, which meant it must have been an area reserved for outstanding Geonosian figures and the like. Sure enough, the Archduke of the Geonosians appeared alongside Count Dooku, Jango and Boba Fett, Rune Haako, and Nute Gunray. The shattered remains of Elara's heart sank sharply into the pit of her stomach. This was it. This was the beginning of their execution. No matter how much they could rely on the Force to guide them––this was meant to be their end, and she could feel the weight of that.

"Settle down, settle down!" clicked and groaned the Archduke in Geonosian. As the roaring started to quiet, the anticipation started to rapidly build. The Archduke peered down at them and swept a hand through the air. "Let the executions begin!"

The sounds of gates opening rattled across the arena. One by one, creatures were prodded into view. The first was a reek. The next a nexus. Then an acklay. And, finally, a gundark. All hissed, snarled, growled, and grunted. They were being shocked and poked, made to be more vicious than they already were. The nexus, in particular, leapt up and took down the Geonosian that had been zapping it. That was the first blood spilled––and the crowd roared in pleasure.

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Anakin muttered.

The creatures began to be herded towards them, urged along by Geonosians with spears, which crackled with electricity. Their execution wouldn't be a fair fight or a firing squad. It was meant to be a bloody massacre, where their bodies would only remain standing because of the taut chain over their heads.

"A gundark…" Obi-Wan muttered in distaste.

"Not a fan?" Elara questioned. The mentioned creature was being urged forward––towards her. It was snorting and snapping its teeth. Its muscular arms helped support its disproportionate body, keeping it upright and balanced on its legs. It flashed claws on the hands attached to two smaller, thinner arms that protruded from its sides. It was easy to see why one wouldn't be a fan of such a thing. Elara pursed her lips and rotated her wrists uncomfortably. It had been years since she'd been so defenseless, and it made her skin itch.

"Anakin and I fell into a nest of them not too long ago. Nasty business," Obi-Wan explained, almost too casually for the situation.

One of Elara's brows quirked skyward. "Good news for you, then––it appears to be approaching me. Any tricks I should know about for evading it?"

"It's not done easily, I fear. And…" he shot Elara an uncomfortable look, "we were only successful in the endeavor by using our lightsabers."

Elara rolled her steadily stiffening shoulders, eyes shifting back towards the gundark. It lumbered towards her, now less interested in who was prodding it, and more interested in who lay before it.

"Wonderful," she muttered.

"Just relax. Concentrate," Obi-Wan urged.

"What about Padmé?" asked Anakin.

Elara turned towards the mentioned senator––and found that she had removed one hand from her restraints, and was now scaling the pillar. It was an impressive maneuver; Padmé scrambled up the cracked stone with ease. It was as though she'd been in this situation before, or one similar to it.

"She seems to be on top of things," came the almost cavalier response.

It was then that the gundark roared. Elara's head whipped around just in time to see one of its large, red hand swiping towards her. Just as she registered what was happening, she was moving––and she had the Force to thank for that. Claws scraped into stone, gashing chunks of it away in a spray of dust. Just where Elara's head had been. Her fingers stretched up to curl around the chain, which rattled and snapped against the stone. That sound, the scrape of metal against rock, drew the gundark's attention. And, with a snarl, it leaned up to grab the pillar with its smaller hands––and the chain with its larger ones. A swift yank broke the chain, which was now firmly in the gundark's hands. And before Elara could blink, the gundark took off running.

Elara's arms were wrenched forward with painful force, and the joints in her wrists and shoulders stung sharply. Her front hit the sandy ground, which she was promptly dragged across. The din of the crowd's cheers was drowned out by the sound of her own body bumping across the ground. Both Elara's eyes and her mouth were clamped shut, as they would be in a sandstorm. The gritty sediment bit at her face and hissed past her ears. It wormed its way into her boots and down her tunic. Rocks that were inconsequential under foot felt like blaster bolts as her body hit them at top speed.

And then, suddenly, she stopped dead.

Upon looking up, hair flopped into her face and sand sticking to her skin, Elara found that the gundark was still running. It had just dropped the chain. Confusion boiled in her stomach, and she started to push herself up onto her forearms. The pinch of confusion between her brows started to fade away, replaced by stark realization. It was turning around to charge her. She pushed off her forearms, scrambled to her feet, and gathered up as much of the chain as she could. She stood, legs braced apart, chain in hand, as the gundark charged at her. As it encroached on Elara, her heart beat faster and faster; but she had to wait for the opportune moment to leap out of the way. Otherwise, it would change direction and she'd be crushed under foot. And just as the gundark got too close for comfort, Elara leapt to the side, ducking into a shoulder roll to lessen the impact.

Sand sprayed up around her as she rose back into a crouch. The gundark barreled past and lumbered to a stop. It whipped its head around to narrow its gaze at her, teeth bared, spittal dripping from its mouth. It settled back on its haunches, and the muscles in its body visibly coiled in preparation to pounce. Elara started to back away, trying to calculate where the creature would land.

"Elara! Jump!" came Anakin's approaching cry.

The request struck something deep in the pit of her stomach. No sooner had her brother said 'jump,' did Elara briefly crouch before she leapt, propelling herself upwards by way of the Force. She twisted around in the air, legs kicking over her head in a grace that had taken her years to master. Force jumping was hard––and she'd always marveled at those that could make it seem so effortless. Below, she could hear the gundark snarling in frustration. And as she dropped––Elara dropped right onto the back of the reek. The impact was lessened by the Force, but it was still unpleasantly jarring. She rocked forward into Padmé, the back of whose torn, bloody shirt she grabbed for stability. The reek was still moving, its movements controlled by Anakin, who had used his own chain as a bridle of sorts. As they tromped away, Elara cast a look back at the gundark; a Geonosian was prodding it aside, but its eyes remained dutifully locked on the escaping Jedi.

Elara had been on the back of the reek for all of thirty seconds when Obi-Wan––who'd been set upon by the acklay––came sprinting towards them. Their speed slowed, allowing him time to reach them. Just as he reached up, Elara leaned sidewise to allow him to take hold of her arm. She squeezed her legs around the leathery skinned creature's middle, gripping tight as Obi-Wan grasped her bicep. As he hoisted himself up, she listed to the other side, helping him clamour onto the back of the creature. Once he was astride the reek, they were moving quickly again. The four were together again. They presented a united––if not wounded, restrained, and sandy––front. Together they could figure out how to handle the situation; for there was still an acklay and a gundark circling them. They were together, but they still weren't out of the woods yet. Together, there was hope.

But that hope was threatened nearly immediately. There was only a moment before the situation worsened significantly. A number of droidekas rolled into the arena, kicking up sand in their wake. Elara's shoulders stiffened as she twisted her head around to get a full view at what they were up against. They were surrounded––by droidekas, an acklay, a gundark, and the Geonosians that prodded them. She believed in her little group's skills, in their ability to fight, and their resilience; but this was too much without the assistance of weapons. Elara threw a glance over her shoulder at Obi-Wan, and when their eyes met, it was easy to tell that he, too, was thinking the same thing. His lips had thinned out and quirked down at the corners. There was a worried gleam in his eyes. But there was also a resoluteness to his expression, one that promised that none of them were going to go down without a fight. And to that, Elara nodded.

Then, suddenly, Elara felt an unbidden wave of calm wash over her. An exhale passed between her lips as she started to spot bursts of colored light appear in the crows––lightsabers. The rescue effort had finally arrived, and just in the nick of time. The Geonosians gathered in the stands started to take flight, fleeing the arena as quickly as possible. But then, overhead, streaks of red blaster bolts cut through the air. The sound of rhythmic marching shuffled closer; that marching belonged to the metallic feet of a force of battle droids, which poured into the arena. From the other side of the arena, a crowd of Jedi appeared. It was truly a sight to behold, and something that Elara had never seen before. A whole battalion of Jedi, lightsabers drawn, rushing into the fray.

A few helpful Jedi tossed lightsabers to their comrades atop the reek. A great deal of relief flooded Elara's system upon having a weapon in hand again. But she did grimace a little at the unfamiliar feel of the hilt; but a lightsaber was a lightsaber at this point, and she was happy to have one. Anakin's saber ignited, a vivid green blade bursting to life. Elara lifted her cuffed hands as he reached back to touch the blade to the restraints. There was a zapping sound as the metal cuffs split apart. She was quick to ignite her own saber––which glowed a familiar blue––and returned the favor for Obi-Wan.

All around them, the sounds of battle reigned. Blaster fire, the sizzle of bolt meeting saber, cries of effort and pain. Elara was calculating how to enter the fray––where to jump, who needed the most help, where the most concentrated force of droids were. But any planning she'd pieced together in her head was immediately made null. A nearby explosion caused the reek to rear up, and knock its passengers off. Elara managed to land in half a crouch, feet skidding through the dirt and sand. She was on her feet in a matter of moments, saber swinging on instinct.

There was something about the heat of battle that sent a flush of adrenaline through Elara. The last time that she'd been in a legitimate battle, she hadn't even been a confirmed padawan. She'd never held a blaster before, let alone a lightsaber. Her connection with the Force had been shoddy at best, and she wasn't versed in how to listen to it, use it to her advantage. But now, with ten years of training under her belt, everything felt different. The blade of her lightsaber cut through the air in a flurry of graceful movement. It streaked in flashes of blue light, deflecting blaster bolts intended to kill. The blade crackled as it rended droids in two. Elara could feel the Force around her, guiding her movements in just the right ways, in just the right moments. And in one of those moments, her back was brought to press flush against Obi-Wan's.

The two of them, unspokenly, fell into a dance of movement. They each deflected the onslaught of blaster fire coming towards them; but, every so often, one of them would lunge or stretch to prevent an errant bolt from striking the other. Elara's blade had just slashed down across a battle droid when, from the corner of her eye, she saw a vicious streak of red come hurtling towards her. Before she could even think to react, Obi-Wan leaned his weight against her shoulder, rotated her out of the way, and deflected the bolt instead. Simultaneously, her lightsaber arked outwards, slicing another droid in half. There were no verbal thanks given, no nods exchanged––this was just how they fought, a symbiotic push-and-pull of offense and defense. An ebb and flow of their combined energies.

Windu came and joined the fray beside them, the three all shoulder-to-shoulder. Elara's eyes moved restlessly, pinpointing each new attack as it came at her. Her heartbeat was thrumming, buzzing through every inch of her body. As she deflected a bolt back on the droid that had fired it, the words of Count Dooku rattled in her head:

"Do you think your training has prepared you for war?"

This was what war was. This dizzying feeling of adrenaline. The near nauseating thrum of her heartbeat. The disadvantage of never being able to stop moving. A day prior, the prospect of war had been a looming threat lingering on the horizon. But now, as Elara decapitated a battle droid, she realized that war was, indeed, already here. And that sickening realization, which pinched up her expression, was interrupted by the reek plowing its way between Windu, Obi-Wan, and herself.

It was with a grunt that Elara hit the ground for what felt like the hundredth time. She swore under her breath and coughed at the ache in her ribcage. There was going to be a nasty bit of mottled bruising across her body come the end of the day. She rolled into a crouch just in time to see that Jango Fett had entered the battlefield––and was currently being charged by the reek. A single bolt fired from his blaster met its mark, which sent the beast skidding across the ground, dead. As Elara rose from her crouch, she noted Windu heading full-force towards the bounty hunter, sleeves flapping. He blocked bolt after bolt that Jango was firing at him, and then heaved his purple bladed lightsaber high in the air. It careened downwards and straight through the bounty hunter's neck. There was a sickening thud as Jango's head, still encased in his helmet, hit the ground, soon followed by his lifeless body.

There was a painful pulse through the Force, which sent Elara's head whipping up towards the balcony––where Jango had once stood with his son. A sinking feeling briefly settled in her stomach. Death could be a swift thing; but its repercussions could be drawn-out and painful. And in the instant of Jango Fett's death, Elara knew that something was enacted that none of them had the power to stop.

It was then, with her head turned partially skyward, that she saw something big and red come rushing towards her. The ground trembled beneath her with thunderous footfalls. Elara leapt out of the gundark's path just in time; its feet trampled the spot she'd been crouched moments before. It spun around and swept a hand across the ground, roaring as it did so. That hand kicked up a wall of dirt and sand that sprayed directly into Elara's eyes. It stung something awful, and caused her to yelp. A hand flew up to her eyes as she tried to blink them open; that only succeeded in allowing more sediment to fall into them. For the moment, she was effectively blinded.

Panic had not overtaken Elara once since the battle again. But now, blinded and up against a gundark, a spark of it burned in the pit of her stomach. With eyes watering and scrunched shut, she reached out into the Force, willing it to guide her movements while she could not see. There was, suddenly, a pull in her gut as she heard the gundark huff. Reflexively, Elara twirled and swung the lightsaber forward. She felt it briefly meet resistance as it struck, and then cut through something. A pained roar pierced the air, accompanied with a thud, and sent Elara skittering back a few tactful steps. She swung her lightsaber around her back and heard the telltale zapping of blaster bolts being deflected. And then, as the saber swung back around, Elara thrust it forward and upwards. There was another shriek of pain, cut short as she ripped the lightsaber back towards herself. She stepped to the side as she did so, the body of the gundark falling past her. The ground shook as the gundark, whose head she'd just skewered and then split, fell to the ground, dead.

With a rush of air whooshing past Elara's lips, she hunkered back into a defensive position. She'd been swept up in enough sand-laden winds to know better than to rub at her eyes. So she stood, with fluttering eyelids and blurred vision, as tears worked the sand away. She remained wholly dependant on the Force to protect herself, allowing it to guide her arms to deflect bolts and sweep to cut down droids. Through all that noise, Elara caught ear of the sound of feet skidding to a stop beside her. And through her blurred vision, she could make out the shape of a fellow Jedi.

"Elara," Obi-Wan breathed. She could barely make out the shape of him twirling his saber to deflect a bolt, but the ensuing zapping sound confirmed the action. She tipped her head in a nod, eyelids fluttering as her vision cleared a little more.

"Obi-Wan," she greeted, face pulled in a concentrated grimace.

She felt him grasp her left hand and pry it away from the hilt of her saber. She made a confused sound as he placed it on his back. "Keep your hand on me and keep close," he instructed.

Elara curled her fingers into his tabard, gripping the surprisingly soft fabric by a fistful. When he started to move forward, she dutifully followed. She swung her lightsaber occasionally to protect their backs as they fell back. Their retreat was swift, and upon returning to the remaining force of Jedi, Elara could see clearly again. But she hadn't let go of Obi-Wan's tabard, and he'd thrown out an arm to guide her as he turned around. It was then, as they rejoined their comrades, that the blaster fire ceased. All the droids stood down, which left an immediate and eerie silence over the arena. Elara released the back of Obi-Wan's tabard as her eyes, still stinging and half-narrowed, scanned the immediate area. Battle droids and super droids alike had all gone motionless. The bodies of the acklay and gundark––whose hand had been removed, and skull had split in two––lay amongst those of fallen Jedi and droids alike. It was a messy first taste of war, and it turned her stomach.

"Master Windu!" Count Dooku's voice boomed from the balcony. Their eyes all tipped upwards to find him staring down at them imperiously. "You have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the archives of the Jedi Order. Now. It is finished. Surrender and your lives will be spared."

"We will not be hostages to be bartered, Dooku!" Windu called.

"Then… I'm sorry, old friend."

There was whirring and clicking as the super droids all raised their arms, which were affixed with blasters, and leveled them at the remaining Jedi. With a calm exhale, Elara flicked her wrist, spun her lightsaber in an arc, and clasped it before her. If this was to be their execution, she sure as hell wasn't going down without a fight. Beside her, Obi-Wan had shuffled a step closer, hunkering into position. Everything was ominously quiet––until there was a faint rushing sound over head.

"Look!" Padmé cried.

Everyone's attention shot upwards and to the low altitude assault transports that were descending upon them. Stood in wait at the open sides of the craft were a number of clone troopers, their armor brand-new and ready to be scuffed up. Just as quickly as they arrived, the blaster fire started up again. This time, half of the attention was focused on the transports, but half of it was still concentrated on the Jedi survivors. Elara blocked a bolt before quickly side-stepping another, her shocker knocking into Obi-Wan's. Overhead, their saviors laid a spray of covering laser cannon fire. The ground shook as it erupted in explosions, which rended droids into pieces and sent them flying.

The transports landed, creating a kind of perimeter around the remaining Jedi. Clone Troopers flooded onto the battlefield, joining the fray with effortless ease. Elara, alongside her brother and Obi-Wan, fell back to one of the transports. They leapt inside with ease, but remained poised to block any incoming fire. And as the transport took off, Elara twirled her saber to prevent a bolt from striking one of the troopers poised beside her. They sailed up and into the air, leaving the battlefield behind. And, with a little sigh, Elara let her cramping arms relax. She reached up and, with her sleeve, rubbed the remaining sand off her face.

"Are you alright?" Anakin asked, voice elevated over the noise of rushing wind.

Elara scoffed out a little laugh, and dashed away the remaining wetness around her eyes. "Yeah. I forgot how much I hate sand."

Anakin's answering smirk was enough to make her smile, which was such a relief to do. But they weren't out of the woods yet, and the shuddering of the transport was enough to remind them of that. It rocked, which sent everyone wavering on their feet for a moment.

"Hold on!" Obi-Wan requested. He'd grabbed hold of the wall, just beside the opening, legs bracing apart to keep his balance.

Elara's hand shot upwards and grabbed hold of a lattice of cording, which swayed overhead. She leaned forward, and out of the transport slightly, narrowing her eyes into the wind. There were a handful of fuel cells up ahead, which all of the transports were now firing at. The transport rocked again, and she shifted sharply backwards to keep from toppling out.

"Aim right above the fuel cells!" Anakin suggested.

The gunner took heed of his advice and fired just above the cells––which sent them toppling.

"Good call, my young padawan!" Obi-Wan praised with a smile.

It was then that they swept over a certifiable battlefield. Elara couldn't help but gape at the sights below them. A droid army up against a clone army, with just the smallest smattering of Jedi amongst them. Blaster fire was exchanged near constantly, lightsabers flicked and twirled, and explosions kicked debris into the air. Dooku was right––war was upon them, there was no denying it. And soon, Elara realized sadly, there would be scenes like this across the whole galaxy. But, in the approaching near-distance, she spotted something. Ships, round and bulbous, rising from ports in the ground. She grabbed hold of Obi-Wan's arm, and pointed to the sight with her other hand.

"Look!"

"Good eye!" he commended. He then leaned his head back to call out to the pilot and gunners "Attack those Federation starships, quickly!"

The command was relayed across to the other transports, as well as ground support below. They watched as the ships were fired upon, struck with rockets and laser cannon fire alike. Just as one had gotten well off the ground, it ruptured into flame and plummeted back down. The resulting cloud of dust and smoke billowed into the air, clouding their view as they pushed through it. And, upon coming out the other side, they were greeted with a new sight––two landspeeders and a speeder bike darting away from the battlefield.

"We've got speeders!" Elara called out.

"It's Dooku!" Anakin observed. "Shoot him down!"

"We're out of rockets, sir," came the pilot's response.

"Follow him!"

"We're gonna need some help!" Padmé interjected.

"There isn't time!" Obi-Wan informed regretfully. "Anakin, Elara, and I can handle this!"

As this argument occurred, Elara kept her eyes on the vehicles zipping around below. Dooku, on his bike, continued pressing forward––but the other two speeders peeled away.

"They broke formation, keep an eye on our six!" she cried.

And just as the words left her mouth, bolts of purple energy sprayed past the transport. The ship wove around, avoiding the fire as best it could. Everyone inside was jostled as the ship clipped the top of a sand dune, which left the bottom of their ship exposed. One bolt met its mark, jostling the transport violently. Elara let out a yelp as her balance was thrown; she tipped backwards, arms flailed out to catch her balance. But just as she started to fall, an arm shot out and prevented her from doing so. Obi-Wan curled her in towards him, and Elara reached out to grab his shoulders. From behind them, there was a yell, and they twisted their heads around in time to watch Padmé and a clone trooper toppled out of the ship.

"Padmé!" Anakin shrieked, true horror rasping through his voice. He threw himself to the floor and stuck his head out to try and catch sight of the fallen senator. "Put down the ship!"

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan called. He detangled himself from Elara and launched himself at his padawan. He briefly caught himself on Anakin's shoulder as he straightened up. He fixed him with a teacherly look. "Don't let your personal feelings get in the way!" His eyes drifted to meet Elara's, and she bobbed her head in a quiet, agreeing nod. He then turned his head towards the cockpit. "Follow that speeder!"

"Lower the ship!" Anakin demanded.

"I can't take Dooku alone!"

"Take Elara!"

"He's too powerful, I need you both! I need you! If we catch him, we can end this war right now!" Obi-Wan retorted vehemently. "We have a job to do!"

"I don't care, put the ship down!" Anakin reiterated, voice cracking.

"You will be expelled from the Jedi Order!"

"I can't leave her!"

"Come to your senses!"

Obi-Wan shot a look back over at Elara, gaze pleading. Understanding passed between them, and as the Jedi Knight tensely turned aside, she came to take his place. Anakin stared out the open side of the transport ship with a tensed expression. With eyes gassed over with tears of worry. She placed a hand on his shoulder blade, but it did nothing to garner his whole attention.

"Padmé can handle herself, Anakin, she'll be alright. And she's got a trooper with her, he'll ensure her safety!" Elara twisted around and caught the attention of a clone trooper. "Right?"

"Affirmative, sir," he replied, helmet bobbing. A thankful smile spread across her face, and he tilted his head again in acknowledgement.

Upon returning her gaze to Anakin, Elara found that he'd turned to glance back at the trooper. His lips were frowning, and there was reluctance in his eyes. "See? Have faith in her, Anakin. Just as she'd have faith in you.

It was clear that Anakin was not willing to give any sort of verbal response. But he did nod, nostrils flaring as he shot the speeding sand dunes a look from the corner of his eye. In response, Elara squeezed his shoulder lovingly. She then stepped away, lips pursed. There was an emotional attachment between Anakin and Padmé. It was peculiar, given how short of a time they'd really known one another, but it was ever present. Elara had observed it in the way her brother's eyes followed the Nabooian senator around a room. In the glances that said senator would throw him over her shoulder. It was all evident in the slightest of gestures and movements. And it was something that Elara recognized because she, too, was throwing those same glances, and tracking the same movements––including now, as her eyes darted towards Obi-Wan.

And he had looked right back at her.

With a subtle tilt of his head, Obi-Wan gestured Elara towards him. She took a step and then let herself slide a bit across the floor as it tilted. She stopped herself by grabbing the netting overhead, no less than several inches away from Obi-Wan. He seemed to take little notice of their proximity, or had done well in hiding it. His eyes were focused over her shoulder, likely on the other Skywalker on the transport.

"Do you think it's wise to allow him to continue on this mission?" he asked. His voice was low, it resonated warmly in his chest. Elara couldn't help but feel momentarily entranced by the quality of the sound; but she shook the feeling off by rolling her shoulders in a shrug.

"I fear that the events of the day have been… emotionally straining," Elara murmured, matching his quiet tone. "And we both understand that he has a tendency to be brash when emotionally compromised."

It was then that Obi-Wan's eyes snapped to meet hers. They were devilishly close. Close enough for her to hear his breath pass through his nose. To smell the dirt and sand dusted across his clothes. Watch the way his forehead crinkled as his eyebrows pulled together. See the gradual way his lips parted. But Elara found herself both captivated and pierced by the blues of his eyes. They shone so heavily with curiosity and concern that her stomach twisted at the sight.

"Emotionally compromised?" The question was asked so quietly, it was almost a hum.

It was the question that Elara had dutifully avoided answering in the arena. The one that immediately threatened tears. Her eyes started to sting and her heart cramped when she realized there was no escaping it this time. No way to avoid it. So she lifted her chin bravely, and steeled herself with a breath.

"Our mother, she…" The words stuck in her throat painfully, audibly. So she cleared her throat and willed herself to look away, because confessing what happened to someone, to him––it somehow made everything so much more painful. But she couldn't look away. Obi-Wan's gaze had rooted her firmly to the spot, arrested all movement. And then, on an exhale, she finally spoke. "She died."

Every crease and crinkle on Obi-Wan's face disappeared in a heartbeat. He maintained their gaze silently for a long moment; it only broke when his eyes darted over her shoulder again. To Anakin. Suddenly, Elara felt like she could breathe again. She inhaled deeply, rolled her eyes skyward, and bid the tears to disappear.

"Elara, I'm… I'm so sorry."

The condolence twisted into her chest, hot and sharp. So she dropped her gaze and elected to ignore it. But when she spoke, her voice broke. "It could be a good teaching experience, I suppose. To see how Anakin fares under emotional pressure," she theorized shakily.

"Elara," Obi-Wan stressed. The response was immediate––Elara's eyes shot to meet his. He reached out a hand and clasped it around her own. He squeezed it with a steady pressure, and she had to fight so keep her expression from breaking. A sympathetic furrow had appeared between his brows, which then rose as he spoke again. "I'm sorry."

And he was. He really was. Elara could see it in his eyes. Hear it in the hushed shock of his voice. It made her want to collapse into his chest and break down all over again. Made her want to huddle herself against him and cry. But she couldn't, for so many reasons. But what she could do was squeeze his hand back, as a solitary tear escaped the corner of her eye.

"Thank you." It was barely audible, but it made it past her lips.

"Do you feel fit to continue?" he asked. The inquiry was serious and professional––but the fact that he still held her hand made it personal, too. So she considered the question on both levels. Professionally, she'd already fought a whole battle without the days events impeding her abilities. Personally, her heart hadn't stopped aching and there was a lingering sorrow draped over her shoulders. But she believed that, despite this, she had the ability to push forward. Had the skills to harness the energy the tragedy had left her with, and turn it into something productive.

With that reasoning in mind, Elara tipped her head into a nod.

"Yes. I can."

Obi-Wan's eyes scanned over her face, searching with an intensity that was almost intimate. They traced the path that the tear had taken, and his hand twitched in hers. Then his eyes jumped back up to meet hers, he, too, nodded––and his thumb swept along the side of her hand. A slight quirk arose to the corner of his mouth, and his head ticked to the side gently.

"Then I believe we've got a count to catch."

Afterword: The Battle of Geonosis may not have kicked their asses, but it kicked mine. I never had anything specific planned for the arena battle, unlike the upcoming Dooku fight. So I absolutely agonized over what Elara was going to get up to. I feel pretty alright with what I finally came up with! Sorry for the wait, but next chapter will be up sooner, I swear it––because I know exactly what's happening next!

Review Replies!

WaywardandWanderlust: Thank you so much! I've been having a lot of fun writing Elara's character growth; and we're gonna see a lot more of it as the Clone Wars progress! Thanks again; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

MsRosePetal: Obi-Wan and Elara certainly have that long-suffering look exchange a lot when it comes to Anakin. And come the Clone Wars, there's gonna be a lot of them sitting back, watching him do his thing, making colorful commentary that he can absolutely hear. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!

Dally'sTUFF: I can't wait to write the Dooku fight next chapter! We're really getting into the nitty-gritty of stuff that's gonna be affecting everyone's relationships… I'm so here for it. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!

PrettyRecklessLaura: Thank you! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

ZabuzasGirl: I figured that, given her connection to Yoda, Dooku would already have tabs on Elara. And, given her powerful connection with the Force, he'd be interested in having her on his side. I did a lot of heavy contemplation on the Jango front. And my reasoning behind keeping it canon is this––I have two more SW stories planned, one of which takes place during the OG trilogy. I plan on having it connected to this story, so in order for all the Boba Fett stuff to work, I decided that Jango's death would, unfortunately, have to stay. But we will see some contemplation on what his death means from Elara. And thank you for the episode suggestions! A lot of them I'd already had on my list, but there were a couple that I hadn't considered! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!

Vanafindiel: Come the next few chapters, we're gonna start seeing Obi-Wan and Elara's relationship really taking shape. And the Clone Wars will only see their relationship grow. Ventress will more than likely appear! And Elara may, indeed, have a recurring villain that plagues her… and of course we're gonna have so much fun with Maul. Because Elara is the perfect chip to play against him. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!

KatietheEggie: I hope you enjoyed the Battle of Geonosis! It's yet to truly conclude, but we'll get the conclusion of it next time. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!

msbeku1: I'm very happy that you, as someone who doesn't typically enjoy Obi-Wan/OC stories, have been enjoying this one! I agree that Obi-Wan stories are hard to come by, and I imagine it's because he's one of the trickiest characters to write; particularly in a romantic vein. I'm always cross referencing with what source material I have (like how he and Satine interact) to make sure I'm keeping things true to character.

I love Anakin. I love him as a character and I love writing for him. And I work really hard to keep him in character as well; because I think it's easy to make him very 2D. To paint him as a villain. But he's, ultimately, a remarkably tragic character. He loses everything. So I try everything I can to make sure he reads as a real person, and not just a caricature. I want to keep Anakin as real as possible. And writing his relationship with Elara is always a joy. Their dynamic has become so defined, and there's so much to come in how that dynamic grows going forward.

I'm also aiming to make sure that Obi-Wan and Elara's relationship is realistic, too. So I'm happy that you've been enjoying their dynamic as well! It's been fun figuring out how their relationship has grown, and will continue to grow.

Also, since you mentioned enjoying SkywalkerxOC stories––I plan on a sequel to this story, which takes place during the OG trilogy. And it will be a LukexOC!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Next up we've got the fight with Dooku. Thanks again!

Shadow Wolf 15846: Starting next chapter, we're going to see Elara and Obi-Wan getting closer. We can even see the starts of it at the end of this chapter––but there'll be some stuff going down next chapter that'll spark some contemplation and revelation. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!

Amelia831: Ooo, good question! I hadn't thought about what dark!Elara's name or look would be… let's see… I think that, name-wise, it would probably be something to do with love. Something like Darth Carus, which Latin for beloved/costly/high-priced. Because, ultimately, Elara is a lover––she has such a love for her friends, comrades, Anakin, Obi-Wan… that I think her fall to the darkness would be caused by that. It would be for love. It would be a high price to be paid. And in regards to appearance… I think dark browns, blacks, rich oranges. She'd probably grow her hair out again, probably do some cool intricate braiding. And then, of course, the ever famous gold-orange Sith eyes. It's… actually quite interesting to think about the flip-side version of Elara. Thanks for the questions, it was a lot of fun to parse through! I hope you enjoyed the chapter––thanks again!

DCDGojira: Thank you so much! And, there's definitely going to be an increase in Elara scolding Obi-Wan as we go forward; as their feelings come forth and they're working together during the Clone Wars… the scolding will certainly arise. And Anakin will take great pleasure in watching it. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks again!

And thank you to those that have added this story to their follows/favorites; it means a lot!
I really am completely series when I say the next chapter will be up sooner rather than later. I had nothing big pre-planned for the Battle of Geonosis, so I struggled to get through it. But I've had ideas for the Dooku encounter for so long, so it should be a breeze to write.

The Clone Wars is almost here! I've compiled a list of episodes I'm considering writing, but I've still gotta find ones from later seasons to include. I've got a lot of the early stuff. Now I just gotta get into the later bits.

Thanks again, guys! Y'all rock!

~Mary