"Oh so now you remember us?" Haki snarked, lowering his hands in the same fashion that Anakin had lowered his weapon.
Oh great, Anakin thought. First my Padawan hates me and now I gotta deal with this piece of bantha fodder again. Had he still been a Padawan, he would've let rip a string of huttese curses. The Great Jedi General had had enough of snarky Togruta teens judging him for his every action.
"You jumped out of nowhere, you could've been anyone!" Anakin huffed, back on the offensive as Rhok strolled up to greet Vance.
He saw Obi Wan and Ahsoka exchange a sigh, expelling the copious amounts of adrenaline coursing through their systems. It was probably a good sign that they were so on edge. If they stayed alert, they stayed alive and Anakin Skywalker refused to let them slack off.
"Ah, finally. The sensible ones," Vance called over as soon as she spotted his friends. Haki tried to contain fits of laughter as the fumes rolled off of him.
Obi Wan approached with more caution than his counterpart had obviously done. Anakin bristled as Ahsoka followed to stand next to his old master rather than himself. Apart of him accepted it was his own fault, after attempting to use General Rhok as their mediator. Apparently, apologising through someone else wasn't the same as doing it yourself. Adding to the fact that the words "I'm sorry" hadn't played a role in the interactions since leaving Kohma's probably didn't help his case. Although, after leaving Kohma's he was occupied thinking about other things entirely.
"Vance. What a welcome surprise," Obi Wan continued, hands clasped behind his back, embodying the quintessential Jedi master that he was.
She cocked an eyebrow at him, folding her arms and unimpressed. "Yes, we didn't expect to be back here so soon either."
Ahsoka leaned forward, finding her place within the conversation. "How did you manage to get back here so soon after leaving for Numia?"
Anakin's annoyance swirled around him but he caught the briefest feeling of Haki stiffening at the question. Before he could assume the worst, Vance cleared it up.
"We didn't even take off last night. I was too tired and I wouldn't trust him to pilot a go cart," she said, tilting her head in Haki's direction. This time, it was Anakin's turn to lap up the young man's annoyance.
"By the time it was dawn, the Seperatist forces were too organised for us to even try. General Rhok sent out the call on local emergency channels saying you guys had a plan to get off world. You have the plan, we have the ship. It's simple math."
His padawan smirked sceptically, having grown used to reading between the lines when it came to subtextual sentiment. "It wasn't at all because you wanted to help?" Her wry yet pointed remark was met with a nervous chuckle from Haki.
"Eh, that was just a bonus."
Vance sent him a stern look and he immediately shrunk, reminding him of a similar scathing look he used to receive from Obi Wan Kenobi whenever he used to talk out of turn during council meetings. Yes, that particular glare was far too familiar to him.
"So, whenever you three are ready, we can get going," Vance hustled along, gesturing to the ship.
Obi Wan turned to Anakin, the two sensing the intense atmosphere around their reunited companions. "I assume General Rhok didn't tell you the actual plan then?" Anakin said, folding his arms.
Vance's breath hitched in her chest. It was subtle but being a Jedi, he could sense her agitatation to leave the planet. Perhaps, it was annoyance at not having left sooner. He often forgot that other beings were allowed to feel things in a different way to him; so bare, so open.
"For good reason! They wouldn't have come otherwise!" General Rhok called from the other side of the ship, marching back around to meet with them.
Vance threw an even colder glare at Rhok and Anakin watched as the burly Togrutan bore the full weight of it, doubling his respect for the Shilli General.
"Am I wrong?" He asked, a hint of Kohma's trademark mischief bleeding through his tone.
Vance clenched her jaw. Haki started tapping his fingers against his thigh. "No, I suppose not," she conceded. "So what exactly is the plan?"
Obi Wan stood forward. Although it had been Anakin and Rhok's idea, Obi Wan's people skills were sorely needed in their current situation. Anakin refrained from petty grumbles as his master cleared his throat.
"Currently, our troops are being marched through the outer villages. Anakin and I will to attempt to free them by ambushing them at the next one -"
"Most likely, General Grevious, will be close behind..." Anakin interjected. From his peripheral sense, he caught a flicker of amusement from Ahsoka through their bond. He let a spark of relief echo in response. Obi Wan, peeved at the interruption, continued on with twice the resolve.
"Ahsoka will stay with the ship for our escape. Should the mission be a success, we'll either meet you back here before sundown, or send up a green flare to pick us up from the second tunnel's entrance."
"Our communications have been too unreliable - I reckoned the old fashion way would work just as well, especially with Ahsoka as a look out." Anakin chimed in once again, pointing up into the tree tops. Rhok nodded, patting the collection of flares stuffed into his satchel. Vance's top lip tightened its hold on her bottom lip as her eyes bore into the ground.
Haki waltzed over to Obi Wan.
"And should you fail?" He inquired cautiously.
Obi Wan huffed, relaying the information as pragmatically as he had always done.
"You'll see a red flare. Then..."
"We leave the system and I send for back up..." Ahsoka spoke up, a certain determined grit to her voice.
Surprised, Anakin looked over at her, properly meeting her gaze for the first time since they'd left the hut. For as much of a compromise as it was, it had still taken a fair amount of convincing to get her on board with their plan. Perhaps the trek had given her some clarity on the matter, for which he was grateful for.
"But, we've gotta hope it doesn't come to that," she added.
"It won't," he said, finding the inner certainty that arose from being a Master.
The sharpened edge of doubt in her expression faded. She nodded.
Although she had found her independence, he knew that maintaining his composure helped to ease her concerns. It shocked him to admit how much he relished being that pillar of wisdom and knowledge for someone else. Prior to Ahsoka, all of his closest relationships were with people who were far more academic and traditionally "educated" than he was (although competing with a senator and the great Jedi negotiator had it difficulties in that regard.) Having her around, he got to be that person he had always looked up to and for as inappropriate as it was for a Jedi, he liked it.
"Well... it seems like we get out of here either way, so that's fine by us," Haki was slow to say, glancing back at Vance for confirmation.
She finally looked back to them, having made up her mind. "Alright. Haki and I will prep the ship. We'll see you before sundown to get out of here."
The two broke off from the group and headed for the ship. Vance's straight back and crisp greying hair perfectly contrasted the relaxed gait and vibrant colours of her young friend. When it was safe to resume, General Rhok gave them a stoic thumbs up at their conduct.
"You'll need these," he said, handing over two sets of flares to Obi Wan and Anakin. The Jedi took them, stuffing the small batons into their poncho pockets.
"I'll lead you through the tunnels to the next village. I believe General Skywalker has an idea for sneaking you in."
Obi Wan raised an eyebrow in mock concern as Anakin puffed out his chest, chuffed that his newfound scheming buddy had his back.
"Once we get there, you'll be on your own. I'll make sure to wait for you back here with Commander Tano," he continued. His Padawan brightened at the General acknowledging her rank and title.
Obi Wan stroked his beard. "Good. Our friends seem a little too eager to get going."
Anakin stepped forward, his voice lowered. "Eager?" He clarified, concerned about the implication.
"These people weren't even supposed to be down here and I'm fairly sure this is their first experience dealing with a planetary invasion," General Rhok assured them. "I'm not surprised that they're worried. But just in case they try to run, I'll be here to talk them down."
"Thanks General," Ahsoka beamed up at him and the togrutan man seemed to swell with pride under her gaze. It was a funny dynamic to witness, but Anakin could understand it to an extent. A warmth emanated from them and he could do little else but observe.
"Well," Obi Wan broke the moment, being the only one willing to state the obvious. "If there's nothing more to discuss, we best get going."
Anakin had almost forgotten that this plan involved yet another farewell. His last one with Kohma had already filtered him into a state of equal parts denial and confusion about her advice. Of course he hadn't been thinking about his next goodbye so soon after the revelations she had imparted onto him. But the mission came first and if Anakin Skywalker was good at anything, it was stuffing down his emotions to confront them in a burst of angst at a later date.
Obi Wan bowed to Ahsoka. "May the force be with you," he said, starting towards the tunnel, lead by General Rhok. Anakin unconsciously turned to follow them, unsure what he could say to Ahsoka that wouldn't sound somber or stale. Even with his back turned, he sensed her deflate and begin towards the tree line to ready her post.
Strangely, he didn't feel Obi Wan nagging him to do something this time. In fact, he felt a voice from deep within himself rise up and address him with the fondest chiding he had ever heard.
Ani...
Whether it was his continence or a trick of the force, he could tell it was Padme's voice. It was the part of him that listened and kept him honest. It was the part of him that loved without the burden of the Code. It was the part of him that he held close by when he held Padmé in his arms. And right now, it was the part of him telling him to say something, you idiot.
In a flurry of movement, Anakin gently caught his Padawan's arm. She halted her stride at the sudden contact and sat with it as she turned to face him again. The afternoon sun beat down on them, bleeding through the reds and yellows of the tree leaves. The warmth and the colours reminded him only of the good parts of where he grew up.
The young man spoke as softly as he could. "I'm sorry, Ahsoka. I promise, we'll talk about it later, okay?"
Her hesitation was brief but her voice was gentle in return. "Okay. See you soon, Skyguy."
The nickname called forth a mild smirk that softened out into a genuine smile.
"See you soon, Snips."