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.

Foreword: Please excuse my mid-section shift of POV in this first section; I had a lot of fun writing from Hondo's POV before I realized I needed to then write in Turk's pov without a scene shift.


37. "The Gungan General" (pt. 1)

"I told you kidnapping the Sith Lord was a stroke of brilliance!" Hondo Ohnaka proclaimed. He smiled, very pleased with himself for what he had orchestrated. Not only would they be receiving one million credits worth of spice, but they'd surely get more for the three captured Jedi. From what he could tell, they'd sent three of their best! And three of their best meant a high price to get them back. What a payday this would be. And it was all because of him and his brilliance.

His right hand man Turk chuckled throatily, grinning at the thought of it all. "I can almost smell that spice now," he agreed. "It'll be worth twice as much to us on the black market. But I think we could've gotten a bigger ransom from the Separatists."

Hondo sighed, shaking his head as he peered out at the desolate landscape of Florrum. It wasn't a particularly hospitable place––but he also wasn't the most hospitable person. He was better than most in his profession, but he wasn't all warm and snuggly either. He didn't much mind the smell of sulfur; but he was glad the window before him kept out the stench.

"Oh, you fool. Sometimes I wonder why I bother to keep you around. If we tried to ransom Count Dooku off to the Separatists, they would simply send their droid armies here to wipe us out." Hondo turned away from the window, swung his hands behind his back, and clasped them there. He started to stroll down along the corridor, which was lined with holding cells. Nicer holding cells than the one the Count had previously been kept in. There were cells for important prisoners. They were nicer, better ventilated. If he cared to put furniture in them, they might even be considered comfortable. "Now, as my sweet mother always said–'Son! If one hostage is good, two are better.' And three? Well! That's just good business! And four… we are enterprising!"

Turk bobbed his head, though his lips were twisted a little at the corners. A peculiar expression, but not one of import. Turk often frowned, the miserable man.

"How much do you think… they'll fetch?" Turk asked.

Hondo wheeled around and surged into the other pirate's space. He leveled a finger at his face. "Don't you worry about how much!" That hand unfurled and reached out to pat his cheek. "You'll get your cut."

"Right, but what I'm sayin' is… that one Jedi, the lady…" Turk huffed and folded his arms over his chest. He threw a glance up and down the hall, like he was worried someone might overhear them. He leaned forward a little. "I did some digging last night, and she's got a bounty on 'er. Five-thousand credits for 'er capture! Not as much as we're gettin' for the spice, but think of it. We ransom 'em off to the Jedi, get our pay, ship the lady off and get some more."

The word 'bounty' had Hondo rearing back a little. He rocked back on the heels of his boots, face scrunching at the thought. The Pretty Jedi had a bounty on her head? How peculiar. Jedi were a well-to-do type, and she didn't appear to be an exception. If anything, she was more respectful than her accompanying companions.

"A bounty? Surely that can't be right."

"It's in the database clear as day––half a million credits for the capture of one Elara Skywalker. Someone wants her, and wants her bad. They don' even care if she arrives half dead." Turk chuckled and smirked a little darkly. "Must wanna finish the job themselves."

"She really must've pissed someone off, eh?" Hondo chuckled. But he was quick to shake his arm, re-clasping his hands behind his back. "As tempting as the offer may be, we cannot act upon it."

Turk sputtered incredulously, leathery face going slack at the pirate captain's words. "We what?"

"Do you not remember who we are allied to? The Hutts. And do you know who the Hutts are allied to? The Jedi. If we were to cart off that Jedi for a little pocket change, we would be up to our necks in bantha shit. I do not wish to incur the wrath of Jabba, do you?" Hondo started to walk away, leveling one last commanding finger at his man as he walked away. "Just see to it that the Republic's ransom gets here. Once we get the ransom for the Sith, then we'll get the ransom for the Jedi! No bounties needed!" He chuckled, then, and pressed his fingers to his lips before gesturing up to the sky. "Thank you, Mom!"

The unspoken command of 'leave the Jedi alone' hung heavy in the air as Hondo strolled off. Turk watched him go, rooted to the spot he stood, the muscles in his jaw tensing. His hands curled into fists at his sides, nails biting into his calloused palms. With a huff, Turk marched back the way they had come, shaking his head to himself. Had Hondo lost it? He wanted to turn down more money because of some high-falutin treaty? They were pirates. Pirates didn't abide by treaties, they were as good as laws! And they broke laws, that was their job, it was what they did. Turk had been Hondo's right-hand-man for years. He did the dirty work while Hondo lounged around, laughing and drinking and flirting. He was a man that, at one time, Turk had admired. But as time wore on… that opinion was changing.

He was guileless.

He was aging.

He was losing his touch.

Turk wound his way to a common space often used by crewmates when they were terra-bound. It was there he found one of his closest confidants huddled at a holotable. With a huff, he sat himself down.

"The spice is on it's way," he revealed in a grumble. "Hondo's asked me to go out and meet the Republic Senators and bring them here with the ransom."

"What about the lady Jedi?" the other pirate asked.

A rude snort rattled through Turk's nasal passages. "Wants 'er to be left alone. The Hutts have a treaty with the Jedi, it seems." He tapped his fingers against the edge of the holotable, lips thinning out. "But I've got a plan. What I want you to do… is intercept that ship and force it down. Be careful. I want that spice intact… and once we've got it… we grab the Jedi, put her on the ship… and the payday's ours."

The pirate choked on air, and he leaned forward over the table, his one visible eye wide. The other was hidden by an eyepatch, but it, too, was likely widened. "It's too risky! What about Hondo?"

"That nitwit couldn't kill a nuna!" Turk spat. "He depends on me for that. I'll tell him the ship was destroyed with everyone on it, including the spice. Then, once you're back, I grab the Jedi under the pretense of Hondo wantin' to see 'er… and by the time he finds out the truth, we'll be long gone."

It was a crazy plan, but crazy plans did work. Turk was confident that this would work. Hondo had gotten slow on the draw––watching him schmooze with the Jedi had made him nauseous––so he wouldn't be able to sniff out the lie until it hit him square in the face. They'd be halfway to Nevarro before he realized what had happened. And Turk would happily laugh at the old pirate from atop his pile of credits.

That was, afterall, what a pirate did best.

OOOO

Obi-Wan's head was in a tizzy. He couldn't concentrate. His thoughts were jumbled. No one thought could enter his head before it was garbled up and tromped down. It was something he hadn't experienced in years, not since his days as a padawan. Not since the time he'd been charged with the Duchess Satine's safety; not since then had the thundering of his heart overtaken his head. It left him reeling quietly, relying on sly quips to hide the fact that he couldn't think. And that was bad, very bad, especially given that they were trying to escape.

And tried they had.

And failed they did.

And it was all because Obi-Wan couldn't straighten his thoughts out enough to come up with a half-decent plan. Because, apparently, jailbreaking was hard when one didn't have the upper hand. And though Dooku's ingenuity of shorting out the lock by way of a knife had worked, they had not counted on encountering seven pirates behind the first passageway door they'd opened. All of them had been armed, all of them had been highly unamused that they'd made an escape attempt. So they were all hustled back into their cell, and were watched intently until Hondo could arrive to have a little talk with them. Their plan couldn't really have been called a plan at all, and despite that fact, everything about its execution and their subsequent recapturing felt a little humiliating.

Or, at least, that was the kind of mood Obi-Wan felt himself in, now.

"Kriffing pirates…" he heard Elara grumble beside him. When they'd been all but shoved back into the cell, they'd been instructed to stay put and stay standing. That left her squished between Obi-Wan and Dooku in their small huddle in the middle of the room. She was close enough he could almost feel her body heat… and some part of him wished to lean closer so he could.

"I'd watch your tongue, my dear," Dooku quipped. "If you don't, you'll lose sight of your charming wit and start to sound like your brother."

"Hey," Anakin bit out from Obi-Wan's right. The single word was followed by a restrained grunt; it would seem he was choosing to 'control his insolence' as Dooku had previously requested. But his burning hatred, his blistering displeasure was clear in his clipped tone. Then, after a moment, he scoffed coldly. "What were we thinking? Following a Sith Lord…"

Right in Obi-Wan's ear, he heard the restrained, slow breath that hissed from Elara's nose. He felt the rush of air against the back of his neck. Unwittingly, it caused a shiver to shudder down his spine. It sent that garbled rush of static whooshing through his head. It was this that had been disrupting his thoughts, it was her. And all because she was so close

Because she had been so close.

Obi-Wan had awoken with Elara sprawled across his chest, and her head tucked into his neck, and that seemed to have set the tone for the rest of his day. He'd roused to the sensation of something gently skimming along his throat, not knowing it was her nose and her lips. It was almost ticklish in nature, but it was pleasant. He had smelled something floral and heady, something familiar. It had stirred something in his chest, caused his heart to flutter despite not being able to pin-point what it was. What it had been was Elara. It was the smell of her hair and those soaps that Padmé brought back for her every time she returned to Naboo. It was the smell of her. The smell of flowers and spring, interrupted by the slight, inoffensive tang of sweat. It was something so uniquely her that even in his state of waking, it had him turning into it in want of more.

If he wasn't aware of the fact that Jedi don't dream, he would've thought it was one. If it were some kind of vision given by way of the Force, it was terribly vivid and it was cruel. Tempting him with what he knew he could not have, but found himself desiring more and more. Desired stronger than anything he could ever remember desiring––and there hadn't been much. The cruelty of the moment had peaked upon the opening of his eyes. To be greeted with a sight more beautiful than that of the sunrise over Gleann's mountain tops. Elara had been so close. Nose nuzzled against his, body bowed against his, her lips so very close to his own, but so torturously far away. She had been peering at him with the softest gaze, unguarded after a week of it being obscured by an impressively impenetrable wall. And, stars, could he lose himself in her eyes…

And then, just as he had felt the slightest brush of her lips against his, felt the heat of her skin and her breath––and he realized it was real.

That was when he froze, panicked. Because there was, quite suddenly, a great war raging inside him. Part of it raged for the upholding of logic and procedure––that he should pull away, turn his head to prevent this thing from happening. It would surely ruin him, but it would also ruin her. Stars would it ruin her; after everything she'd been through to become a Jedi, the life that she had survived to be free. He couldn't do that to her. Another part of him urged him to give in to it. That if Elara was craning her head forward, towards him, then this couldn't be so bad. That there at least some part of her that wanted to give in, too… and how blissful it would be to do so. To give in together. That part of him was hopelessly romantic. The other part was hopelessly logical.

But Obi-Wan ended up not having to make that choice. No sooner did his throat choke up with the anxiety of his options did Elara's eyes fly open wide. She, too, froze. He read the shock in her eyes. He realized that she had also thought that this moment had been a falsity, a cruel conjuration of the mind. And just like that, the intoxicating glimpse at what could be disappeared, firmly shoved back behind the walls both Obi-Wan and Elara had created for themselves. And then they were thrust back into the precarious, cold, tenuous situation that had landed them both embracing one another on the floor of a prison cell.

Had this happened some time ago, Obi-Wan would have mortified. He would have immediately resigned himself to an hour-longs meditation once the mission had concluded. But he wasn't mortified––he was shaken, and he knew that meditation would not push these feelings aside. Because even when he'd been protecting the Duchess, it hadn't felt like this. Back then, Qui-Gon had instructed him to be wary of what he felt, and that had been the end of it. Obi-Wan had built a wall between him and his emotions, and that was that. But now––now if he was asked to do the same, he feared that he wouldn't be able to. Each brick he'd have to lay would be too painful. The distance would be too cold, and stars had he enjoyed all that warmth. Building that wall was a necessary step for him to take as a Jedi; but as a man, the very thought of it turned his stomach.

It had been a long time since Obi-Wan didn't know what to do. And this was a very inconvenient time to feel such a way.

The reverie––the painful reverie––he'd fallen into was interrupted by the entrance of Hondo, who wore the expression of someone who was highly disappointed. He shook his head slowly, hands clasped at the small of his back. With him came two armed guards, who stood at either side of the door, blasters ready and aimed until the doors slid shut. Then, they pointed the barrels down at the floor; but their fingers never left the triggers.

"Oh, what to do? What to do, what to do…" he muttered. To his credit, he truly did sound disappointed in the turn of events. Almost as though they were members of his crew and they had attempted a mutiny. He started to pace a circle around them in a slow, contemplative stroll. He came to a stop just in front of Elara and frowned at them. "I don't want to kill you, per se. In fact, you seem like decent fellows! Even you, Count. And you, My Lady, even more decent than the rest. This is just business, and once I get my money, we can go back to being friends! It's very simple."

"If we were truly friends," Elara piped up, "then we would not have been drugged and locked in a cell."

With a hearty chuckle, Hondo waggled a finger at her. "We run in very different circles, you and I. Not killing you was a sign of friendship!"

"I'm from Tatooine, and even there drugging and capturing someone isn't considered friendly."

"Tatooine, eh? I knew I felt a kindred spirit in you," Hondo grinned. He went so far as to wink at her, and Obi-Wan felt his stomach burn acridly. The pirate then jauntily turned on his heel and walked towards the door. "Now, try not to complicate things by breaking out again."

Once Hondo exited, Obi-Wan took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and attempted to calm his erratic, frazzled nerves. It had easily been an hour since they'd awoken on the floor, and they were still alight, bringing forth a ghostly reminder of the way Elara's lips had felt against his throat.

"We have to get out of here before the Republic arrives with the ransom," he said firmly.

"For once," Dooku intoned on a sigh, "I agree with you."

"Then let us agree to agree just this once, and then never do it again," Elara quipped.

"I like the sound of that," Anakin deadpanned.

"A perfectly reasonable plan," Dooku agreed. "Perhaps you could come up with another, preferably one that would allow us to escape this cesspit."

Whatever plan they came up with, it had to work this time. If it didn't, their likelihood of making a third escape was terribly slim. And there would be no focusing on making plans until the tingling of Obi-Wan's skin and the fuzziness in his head dissipated. In order to rectify both issues, he allowed his eyes to fall closed. Meditation had proven not to be a long term fix for the situation, but it would at least provide temporary peace of mind for the time being. This––the calming of his mind––was something that he'd been practicing for as long as he could remember. But willing that calm into being was more difficult this time around. It was harder to tune out the back-and-forth between the Skywalkers, and the occasional wry commentary from Dooku. So as they quipped and bickered through possible plans, Obi-Wan silently began to recite the Jedi Code precepts.

There is no emotion, there is peace.

The aching of his chest contested it.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

Despite initial confusions, there was no more ignorance regarding his current emotional state. And that acknowledgement, though dangerous in its own way, settled his heart rate slightly.

There is no passion, there is serenity.

This drew forth the invasive, fresh memory of Elara's lips against his skin, and the fire it had sparked deep in his belly.

There is no chaos, there is harmony.

This mission had dissolved into chaos so quickly. If they continued to allow themselves to be caught in the push-and-pull of its hazardous waves, they would be forever lost. Harmony was something they must reach if they were to survive this.

There is no death, there is the Force.

Obi-Wan's eyes snapped open upon feeling something ping through the Force––the presence of the guard outside their door. A slow smirk curled at the corner of his mouth. A kind of crashed over him, cool and refreshing. It didn't rid him of all his present ailments––his skin continued to tingle and his stomach still felt cramped––but it cleared his head enough to get him operational once more.

"I say we have a little chat with our guard," he suggested.

"A… a chat?" Anakin questioned. His face crumpled at the thought, and he stared at his former teacher like he sprouted a second head. "What's he going to do, let us out if we ask nicely."

With a borderline blithe expression, Obi-Wan bobbed his head. "Yes, I think he will."

There was a quiet, breathy laugh from Elara, and again it caught his attention with an unexpected sharpness. He twisted his head around and immediately found that his gaze locked with hers. She was smiling. It was small, almost cautious, but it was a smile nonetheless. Her expression had not lightened out of furrowed brows and twisted lips since they'd awoken. For as much relief as his brief stint of meditation had brought, seeing the lifting of Elara's expression relieved him all the more.

"Yes," she said. "I think a chat sounds perfectly reasonable."

The corner of Obi-Wan's mouth rose slightly. There was a faint twinkle in her eyes, one that he often noted before a sudden bout of battlefield diplomacy. The kind of look she'd shared with him on Christophsis as they sat down for tea with General Loathsome. She understood what he was suggesting; and she supported the idea.

It was then that he turned to the cell doors and stepped forward, in turn making the other two Jedi and the Sith Lord follow suit. Obi-Wan craned his head to the side till he caught sight of the pirate's profile. He was leaned up against the wall beside the door, arms folded over his chest, a mean glower scrawled across his face. With a gentlemanly clearing of his throat, Obi-Wan wrapped his knuckles against the door primply.

"You there, excuse me," he said. The guard grunted and spared him only a sideways glance. Obi-Wan schooled his expression into something light and innocent. "Might I have a word?"

"No."

"Just a word. It'll be brief, I promise; you have my word as a Jedi."

With a groan, the guard pushed off the wall and slouched his way over to stand in front of the door. Under his breath he huffed something about Jedi 'swearing their word too often.' Once he was stood before the door he tossed his arms out, annoyed, and then let them slap back down against his legs. "Whaddyou want, huh?"

Casually, Obi-Wan raised his hands, wedged them through a slat in the door, and raised his pointer and second fingers. He tilted them slightly to the left, drawing the pirate's eyes with them. The air trembled as the Force shifted at the Jedi's will. His eyes bored into those of the pirate's with a stark intensity. "You do not want to stand guard," Obi-Wan informed, voice steady and warm.

A haziness glazed over the pirate's eyes, and his pinched expression relaxed some.

"I do not want to stand guard," he repeated, almost sleepily.

"You want to deactivate the cell bars and go out drinking."

"I want to deactivate the cell bars…" his face started to brighten, "and go out drinking!"

And then, without a second thought, he turned, pushed a button on the control panel, and let the doors slide open. He then walked away without a care, chuckling under his breath, likely at the thought of the drinks he was about to go ingest.

Behind him, Anakin chuckled. "Not bad," he said as they all quickly made their exit.

"Oh, yes, most impressive, Master Kenobi," Dooku deadpanned.

"See, Anakin, sometimes it's best to talk first, and fight second," Elara pointed out lightly. There was a clucked tongue from the younger Skywalker.

"Is now really the best time for this conversation?"

"I hope not," Dooku interjected.

The banter died off quickly, as the precariousness of the situation took precedence. They began to sneak their way along the corridor they'd previously been caught in, the one Dooku insisted he'd been taken down when he was transferred. This time, they bypassed the door that had proved to be their undoing and continued through the unfamiliar maze of passages. No words passed between them. They moved in silence, trying to ensure the heels of their boots didn't clang off the metal flooring too loudly. Every so often they'd halt at a corner a bit suddenly, and that left the four jostling into one another. Obi-Wan shuddered every time he felt Elara's hands pressed against his back. His breath caught every time her nails scraped against the fabric of his tunic.

It was funny how much one could be affected by a simple touch. How he had come to be affected by such a simple touch. Perhaps it was because, until of late, Elara was quite forthcoming with it. It was in her nature to press a friendly hand to one's arm, pat their back, embrace them. That was how she expressed affection and camaraderie. Obi-Wan had become so used to her clutching his shoulder as she laughed riotously at something her brother had said. He'd come to expect her hand at his arm or elbow, or even––on the rare occasion––his face as she dashed hair off his forehead. But then something changed. The touches were few and far between. The space between them wider, only by miniscule inches, but enough that he noted the absence of her body heat.

Whatever had changed between them happened with a wicked swiftness. Over the span of a night's rest, nothing was as it had been. The easy back-and-forth became stilted and short. The time they spent alone was shorter, and they no longer seemed to find themselves happening upon one another in conveniently quiet places. And, of course, the absence of physicality. Obi-Wan would be remiss, however, if he did not acknowledge that he, too, had started to pull away. In part it was because he'd noticed Elara was; but it was also because he thought it might do some necessary good. It might quell what had been building between them. Perhaps she, too, realized that their familiarity with one another was dangerous. Perhaps they were both on the same page without ever having to explicitly state it.

But if their waking up in an affectionate embrace was any indication, nothing at all had been quelled. If anything, it might have been made worse.

Obi-Wan let out a little grunt as he felt a pull around his waist. He glanced over his shoulder as they darted across an open corridor, to see Elara's face grimaced with effort. She was pitched forward slightly, the toes of her boots the only part of her footwear on the floor. Behind her, Dooku very nearly seemed like he was strolling, his head turned to gaze down the passage they were trying to sneak past. He was dragging behind, which left Elara trying to pull him along; and that, in turn, was slowing Obi-Wan down. Briefly, he caught her eyes, and she rolled them in heavy annoyance.

He watched as she turned around, fisted her still manacled hands in the front of Dooku's tunic, and pulled.

"C'mon, Count, we've got places to be," she muttered. After he tripped a step and picked up the pace, she let him go.

"How very unladylike of you," he grumbled as they both finally stepped out of view of the corridor's junction.

Up ahead, there was the tromp of approaching footsteps. Anakin was quick to duck behind a stack of supply crates, and Obi-Wan was quick to follow suit. He reached up and grabbed Elara's wrist, and with a gentle pull urged her to do the same. She followed suit, and dragged Dooku down with her. They remained silent and waited for the pirate to pass them by. All four persons behind the crates were cramped together, trying to make themselves as small as possible. And once the footfalls faded, they were darting out from behind the crates and continuing on their way.

"You should be more patient, Lari. After all, the Count is an elderly gentleman and doesn't move like he used to," Anakin snipped brattily. If it had been the time or place, Obi-Wan might have lectured him on the importance of not antagonizing an enemy that was attached to you––or, rather, your sister.

"I suppose you're right," Obi-Wan agreed.

"I would kill you all right now if I did not have to drag your bodies," the Sith Lord responded flatly.

"How very considerate of you, Count. I think it's the kindest thing that you've ever said to us," Elara muttered.

For the next several minutes they continued on in much a similar manner. Darting through junctions, ducking around corners, hiding behind rates. But their stealthy advantage was ruined when a piercing whine began to wail through the air––an alarm. The pirates knew that they had escaped. That was when they started running, which proved to be a difficult feat. As they were all still attached to one another with the tether, they had to regulate how fast they went, as not to trip anyone up. Because for as much as Dooku's dead weight comment had been abrasive, it was true. None of them would be able to run if one of the others went down.

Behind them, the thunderous sounds of pounding feet filled the air. Accompanying that were angry shouts, griping and swearing. They were being pursued by dozens of angry pirates, who surely wouldn't hesitate to shoot this time around.

"I think it's time to choose a door and go through it!" Elara yelled.

"Okay!" Anakin called from up front.

Without warning, Anakin barreled straight into a door on their right, crashing through them with all the grace of a dying krayt dragon. The force with which he'd hit the door with––which broke it right out of its framing––had every single member of the group of four sprawling to the ground. But upon hitting the ground, Obi-Wan realized the air was warm and sulfurous. They were outside. His head snapped up, and he quickly took note of the wall on the far side of the platform they'd crashed onto. It was tall, but their only way of escape was over it.

"Now we just have to get beyond that wall!" he prompted, pushing himself off his stomach.

Anakin grunted as he dragged himself to his feet. "Let's go!" He grabbed hold of a long, metal pole that had been cast aside, likely during some form of construction. It was heaved into the young man's hands, and once everyone was on their feet, they were running again.

"Anakin, do not tell me you're about to use that as a vaulting stick!" Elara warned.

"Any other suggestions!?"

The question was met by hard breathing and silence, so they kept on running. Obi-Wan felt his face instinctively scrunch up as Anakin let the bottom of the pole slide across the ground before it caught on the raised lip of the platform's edge. Simultaneously, as though they were all prompted by the same instinct, the three Jedi and one Sith Lord propelled themselves forward with the Force. They sailed through the air weightlessly, blaster fire nipping at their feet and zapping past their arms. Soon enough they were descending in an arc, plummeting towards the top of the wall––and the fifty some foot drop beneath them.

But instead of every single one of them being able to land on or grab ahold of the wall––Anakin was the only one who succeeded in doing so. Obi-Wan grunted as their movement was suddenly arrested. In fact, everyone was groaning or yelping.

"This is not going well…" Anakin choked out, voice strained. He had the weight of three other people hanging off of him. Obi-Wan bore the weight of two. And though Elara only served as an anchor to one, Dooku was as formidable in stature as he was in attitude.

There was a sudden cramping in Obi-Wan's stomach––and it wasn't because the tether was yanking against it. He scrambled to get his feet pressed against the wall, and with all his might––and some assistance from the Force––he tried to push himself a few steps to the left. Beneath him, Elara had done the same, but Dooku was left to swing with their actions. A hail of blaster fire bit into the wall where they'd previously been hanging. And as they swung back to where they'd been––there was a snapping sound, and Obi-Wan suddenly felt markedly lighter.

One of the bolts had severed the tether between himself and Elara.

Quicker than he felt he'd ever moved before, Obi-Wan flipped himself upside down and flung his arms out. He splayed his fingers wide, palms bared to open air. The minute he felt Elara's wrists graze against his hands, Obi-Wan clamped his fingers down around them. There was another sharp jostle as both Elara and Dooku's weight pulled at his shoulder joints. A grunt of effort growled from between his teeth, which very nearly obscured the little yelp Elara gave.

"Drop. Dooku!" Anakin grunted from up above.

"I… can't!" Obi-Wan shouted. "I'd have to drop Elara!" He felt her gloved fingers tighten around his wrists. His eyes, which had been scrunched shut in desperate concentration, opened. They found hers through the mess of his own hair; her eyes were wide, her feet kicking in an instinctive attempt to find some kind of purchase. Obi-Wan squeezed her wrists tighter. "I won't let you go…"

Elara had a sound of distress, though it was likely because of Dooku's weight dangling off her body, and not because she believed she was in any particular danger. Obi-wan's chest tightened as she inhaled a choked sounding breath. "I know you won't…" She grimaced and her fingers shifted around his wrists.

Obi-Wan wouldn't let her go, he was adamant about that. There'd be no letting her hands slip from his fingers, no watching her plummet to the ground below. For her injury––or stars forbid, her death––was not something that he could have on his hands.

Though, despite this promise, it was entirely possible that they would all fall; for Anakin was not strong enough to keep them all hanging. And just as Obi-Wan could feel themselves slipping lower, due to the failure of the strength of Anakin's fingers, he heard what was both the most disheartening and most relieving thing––Hondo's voice from above.

"I guess this means we won't be friends."


Afterword: This chapter is a little shorter than normal, but I wanted to get this chapter out today. I intended to write more, but my brain is short circuiting with everything that's happening today, so we'll start fresh next chapter.

Review Replies!

DCDGojira: Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

the7horcrux: Thank you so much, I'm glad that you enjoyed the last chapter! I hope you enjoyed the update, too. Thanks again!

ZabuzasGirl: Hondo has been a favorite character of mine, and I've had such a blast writing him. There's still more of him to come! Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

weasleylover10: My intent for this chapter was to get to a point where I could address whether or not Dooku saw… but that'll be how we start the next one ;) Because if we know Dooku, we know he'll hoard and use whatever he can against his enemies. Episode III is going to be very, very interesting. I hope your New Year is treating you well so far, too! Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Duchess of Lantern Waste: I hope you enjoyed Obi-Wan's POV! It was very interesting to write in it for so long, and I think there are aspects of it that are still a little wanting. But it could also be that this is such an emotional chapter it was a little more difficult. Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

RJNorth: Innocently steamy is definitely becoming a hallmark for Obi-Lara isn't it? I had so much fun with it. Finally getting to write a scrap of SOME (kinda steamy) romance stuff for them was so satisfying. It was genuinely inspired by the phone call scene in 'It's A Wonderful Life.' The skimming of lips and noses… the breathiness of it… Ugh, it was so much fun to write. And I plan on writing the real first kiss as well as I possibly can. Because it's going to be an event (see––the actual kiss in the phone scene of 'It's A Wonderful Life,' which was so passionate in real life they had to cut part of it out for the film). Anakin definitely pulled a Dustin, but don't worry… the kiss is nigh… Flirty Hondo is the best Hondo to write. Especially because it inspires such ire from both Anakin and Obi-Wan alike! This is just the first glimpse of jealous Obi-Wan. And it's gonna be so great when Elara starts shutting flirations down, 'cause she'll do it so nicely. And the pirates have knowledge of the bounty… but with how awry their plan went, their initial plan didn't go well. The question is––what will Hondo do now that he thinks he's lost the spice? Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter! May the Force be with you!

bambam411: I… love pirates. I have always loved Pirates of the Caribbean, loved the history of pirates, Treasure Planet was my favorite Disney film (still kinda is)... so space pirates? Absolutely. This atmosphere is my shit, I've been waiting for it! I've loved getting to write Hondo, he's such a delight. And we'll find out next chapter if Dooku saw the Obi-Lara cuddle sesh! Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

09sasha: The moment certainly would've been ruined by Dooku and Ani––and we'll find out if His Sithness saw anything next time. The almost kiss was a tease, yes… but the real thing… is coming. Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Pinnney: I'm so glad that you enjoyed the last chapter! Writing their wake-up cudde/almost kiss was so, so much fun. We're getting to the point where they are so close to doing something… so close that they're struggling not to. Also, couldn't find the spot to address it here, but Obi-Wan does remember her talking about his eyes (and she does too). And poor Elara caught between the man she loves, and a man she hates. And you're absolutely right––the only people that would try hunting a Jedi would be a baddie in some form. We definitely know of one bad-ass Clone Wars Era bounty hunter… but there are plenty of other baddies out there, too. Also, I gave "Hymns for the Weekend" a listen (I do have a TikTok, and my feed is mostly Star Wars ahah!), and I love it. I was picturing a montage of Elara and the 442nd being badass the whole time. If only I could make an edit for it xD Also, don't worry about writing anything too long! You're always more than welcome to chat with me on Tumblr too, though! Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

PotatosGonnaPotate: The fact that your review was prefaced with Michael Scott's 'oh my GOD' brought me such joy! And I'm so happy you enjoyed the Obi-Lara scene from last chapter! They're finally getting to the point where they just have to do something––even if it's unconsciously (literally). I've been very happy to get these chapters up! This story is very dear to me, and it's inspired a lot of ideas. Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Nerdette92: I love building tension, and this story has been an exercise in it; so I'm happy that you've been enjoying watch it grow! Also, I, too, am excited for Elara and Satine to meet… it's going to be so much fun. Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Lady Basara: I have big thumbs, so I feel you on the spellcheck-send thing. So, despite not getting to address it in this chapter, I can promise you that both Obi-Wan and Elara remember that moment before she slipped into unconsciousness. They absolutely do. And Anakin, honestly, has never had to deal with a situation where someone's flirted with his sister (aside from Obi-Wan, whom he presumes is just providing banter at this point). So he's like 'no, don't like this, it must stop.' And we'll see the clones again next chapter! I love them too much to go too long without them. Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

canopusXI: 'Ayy, I teased myself with last chapter, too; but, not to worry, it's all building to something… something that will happen soon. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

lolistarkiller: So, we have Hondo exercising piratical honor… but will it hold up, now that they've betrayed him twice? We shall have to see… Padmé is definitely that friend that knows you have a crush, but only alludes to it through tactful comments. So, look forward to that! Because there's no way in hell that Padmé won't realize what's happening before Anakin. The men of the 442nd will definitely be taking bets, and I have such a wonderful idea of how Acks reacts to that. And the war has certainly prevented Elara from speaking with Yoda about Palps, but she hasn't forgotten about keeping him informed. Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Eomy: I'm so glad that you're loving the Clone Wars so much! It's such a fun series, and I'm excited you're experiencing it for the first time. For ch. 35: Ahh, thank you! I think that early series Ahsoka is difficult because she's still so young, but I think I'm slowly getting ahang of it. And Obi-Wan and Anakin wanting to seem like they weren't in trouble was a blast to write. For ch. 36: I've thought, maybe, for fun writing Obi-Wan's POV/his thoughts when Elara was complimenting him and posting it as a one-shot. 'Cause his brain was definitely just the Dell shut-down sound the whole time. And, again, I literally cannot thank you enough; I, too, am a sucker for details, so it means a lot that you appreciate them so much! Wyle has been a sleeper threat, but he's rearing and ready to play, now. It's going to be fun to write about the lengths he'll go to to get what he wants… And the Mando story slowly progresses! I've got a couple of scene ideas (which is always good), and a solid character concept. Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Happy New Year!

thenerdnextdoor: The Obi-Lara of the last chapter was HUGE for them! It's a realization, for them both, that this isn't something they can sleep on anymore. That they both feel the same way oh my god oh my god. And poor Obi-Wan's brain is that dial tone of 'sorry, the number you've dialed is incorrect' this entire chapter! And Anakin is such a little brother! Fiercely protective, but the minute he can tease his sister, he absolutely will. It would seem that your brain being white noise matches the brains of our favorite love birds! If you want the inspo for the cuddling scene, it's the phone call scene from 'It's a Wonderful Life.' It's such an innocently steamy, poignant scene in the film and I was like 'THAT is the energy Obi-Lara has.' And we'll address Dooku next chapter… 'cause boy howdy Obi-Wan and Elara do have a searing connection… and he was there to see it all. Gotta represent Scotland! We've got family over there, and I spent a lovely week there when I lived in the UK for my first year of uni! Thank you again, so, so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Princess Jaquline Chess: No-filter Elara is a treat! If she'd been awake longer, it would have only gotten more embarrassing for her! And, ugh, it's going to be so lovely when she can openly (in private) complement him like that; and vice versa. And yes! They've hit a point where they feel so strongly for one another, they're just like 'didn't happen,' because they don't know how to address it. But address it they must, and address it soon… And Elara wanting it to be a dream is just so heartbreaking. Because romance for her has always seemed far away, so to literally have it within reach and have to deny it? Oof. And I love Hondo, we'll definitely see more of him––'cause he seems like a fan of Elara! Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'm generally doing well, but today I'm kinda 'ehh.' I hope you're doing well!

camelotprincess1: For ch. 35: Yes, it was a perfect chapter for Ahsoka-Elara bonding! Originally Elara was going to be with the boys, but I was like––'no. They deserve to have some bonding time, and then they get to save the boys' sorry asses #girlpower.' I just had to include the hand signals detail! It's such a Clone Wars Era Ani-Obi thing! And the way I picture Elara watching them use it is her standing there, in the background, staring at the camera like Jim in The Office. And I'm glad that the practical use of the Force Bond is working! I was like 'okay, so they don't use Force Facetime, but what about Force Find my Phone (brother)?' And I'm very excited to develop the bond into Ep. III, because some fuuuuun stuff is gonna happen because of it! And the Rako Hardeen arc… boy HOWDY is that going to be a time and a half. Especially because Elara and Obi-Wan definitely have a bond of their own… and you're right, it will come into play! And Regency Era pining is in full affect, and I'm so here for it. For Ch. 36: I dream to one day play a CN character like Hondo. He's perfect, definitely my favorite space pirate! Diplomat Elara is so fun to write! Because she's got enough cheek to have a unique approach, but is diplomatic enough to make things work. The pretty eyes wasn't commented on here, but he will address it, eventually! We've got plenty of Obi-Wan turmoil to come (insert pained laugh here). The almost-kiss was an absolute delight. Obi-Wan and Elara are literally clinging to one another, each with a foot off the edge of a cliff, trying not to fall. But that moment… that almost kiss… it's pushed them disastrously off balance (hehe). And the aftermath of it… the clean up… will hurt so, so good. Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

PhAnToM1212: This is the first time that Anakin has had to stand around and watch someone shamelessly flirt with his sister––and he definitely was not a happy camper! Also, jealous Obi-Wan is a fun Obi-Wan to write because there's such a subtlety to it. And the cell scene was certainly the kind of energy that Obi-Wan and Elara's relationship is going to have… innocently steamy, quietly hot, but bruningly passionate. And that's such a thing that Obi-Wan would say to their kids! And whether or not they end up having them, it's fun to speculate that kind of stuff, I do it too. And I know you're not trying to tell me what to write, you're just having fun, and I like having fun with you! Because Obi-Wan gently ushering their children aside saying 'let her have the last word' is so perfect! Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

MotherAiya: Ahh, that's the thing––there is no lie that Elara can tell herself, she's finally run out of them! I'm really happy you enjoyed the last chapter, the cuddling with the most fun I've had writing a romance for a long time! Thank you so much; I hope you enjoyed the newest chapter!

And thank you to those that added this to their follows/favorites; it means a lot!
Seriously, you're all wonderful. My day kinda went sideways, and getting the chance to read everything you'd written and chat with you all made it better. You all rock so much, and I cannot wait to get the next chapter out to you!

Stay safe everyone!

~Mary