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.
43. "Holocron Heist"
"Changed, something has, between Master Skywalker and Master Kenobi," Yoda commented to Windu.
The two Masters stood alone in the Council Chamber, which glowed with a cool, soft light. They stood at one of the windows, gazing across the ecumenopolis in easy quietude. It had been mere hours since Elara had been called before the Council, and the sun had since dropped below the horizon. Now the cityscape beyond and below the Temple was dotted with flickering and flashing speeder lights. It had been a peaceful evening, punctuated by a beautiful sunset. It was the kind of night that almost made one forget there was a war on. It made one hope that, one day soon, peace could be enjoyed freely again, without the fear it would be shattered in an instant.
"I sensed it too," Windu agreed evenly. Both arms folded over his chest, and his fingers drummed against his biceps thoughtfully.
Yoda hummed, head slowly bobbing in a nod. It was no secret how well Elara and Obi-Wan got along. They were a formidable team when they worked with one another. On the battlefield, they worked perfectly in sync. As strategists, they could see what the other could not. They were master negotiators on their own, with unique tactics to talk their way out of a tight spot. But together, they were remarkable; they had even managed to convince the Esteemed Council of Gleann to stay allied to the Republic. If there were ever a pair to get something done quickly and efficiently, with little fuss––it was them. The Council would have been remiss if they refused to pair them together. Off the battlefield, they were still quite a pair, their bond just as unique as it was on the battlefield. The Knight and the Master could be found in courtyards enjoying good weather, the library researching the locale of their next mission, or late in the canteen for tea.
They complimented each other well. Even their signatures in the Force intermingled in a gently complimentary way. And it was that intermingling that clued Yoda in that something was wrong. For the moment that Elara had stepped through the doors to the Chamber, there was a pinched twinge in both her Force signature, and that of Master Kenobi's. No longer did their energies meet and dance as they usually did. There was no gentle, harmonious hum. Instead, they squeaked past each other tenuously, so tense it felt as though they might snap. Something had changed, and it had changed drastically. Obi-Wan had not spoken a word while she was in the room. Elara had not looked at him. And when their eyes did meet––the strained tremble of the Force between pulled so taught it nearly became suffocating. And once she was out of the room––it all dissipated.
"When I arrived on Ryloth it was clear something was wrong," Windu continued. His eyes narrowed at the recollection of his arrival on the planet. "It was dismissed as their being drained, which I found perplexing. I've never known either Master Kenobi or Master Skywalker to openly admit their exhaustion. What do you think happened?"
There was a shuffling as Yoda turned his back on the window. He started to wobble towards his small seat, the click of his walking stick feeling the quiet chamber. His wrinkled face was pinched as thoughts tumbled over and over in his head. Possibilities. Probabilities. Once he was at his chair, he sat himself down with a sigh.
"Recall, do you, what I said upon their return from Gleann?" he asked.
"Yes, I do." Windu came to stand behind his own Council seat and braced his hands on its rounded back. "You said that Elara harbored a type of attraction towards Obi-Wan. You think this has something to do with that?"
It had been evident to Yoda for quite some time that his now former Padawan had harbored a secret attraction for Master Kenobi. It had become clear to him after their mission to Gleann. Time and distance had done something to quell the intensity of these feelings, but it had not snuffed them out entirely. If anything, it had been festering quietly for years. He did not suspect that it was evident to many; Elara had become quite good at donning the impartial mask of the Jedi. But the mask was just that––a mask. It hid things. Allowed her a place to tuck things away, keep them quietly close to her chest for no one else to see or sense. But Yoda had been her Master. He was in-tune with the Force like no one else. He'd caught the little slips––the glances, the touches, the soft words. The warmth that had grown between the Jedi.
It had not escaped his notice that Elara wasn't the only one whose footing had slipped a little; Obi-Wan's had, too. Master Kenobi smiled more easily around the elder Skywalker. He was always one of the first to praise her methods and successes; ensured that the correct credit was deferred to her in his mission reports. There was a subtlety to his affections. They could be dismissed as friendliness. And for a time, that was what Yoda had believed them to be. And then Geonosis happened. He'd witnessed Obi-Wan assist Elara in fixing her robes, watched as his fingers gently tugged the shoulder of her tabard into place. How his fingertips skimmed softly, how his eyes had caressed the slope of her neck. That was when Yoda knew that this situation wasn't one-sided.
"Something to do with it, it does, yes."
"You suspect a falling out, then," Windu concluded.
"Of sorts," Yoda agreed. His hands tightened atop the head of his walking stick. Fingers tapped slowly, thoughtfully. "Grown things have between them. Happened, something has."
Windu's expression tightened a little. Lips pursed and drew into a thin line. His brows furrowed and his forehead wrinkled. After a quiet moment, he came around to the front of his chair and sat himself on the edge of it. He angled his body to better face the ancient Jedi beside him, hands clasped and hanging between his knees.
"Is this a matter of affection or attraction? If it's the latter then there's not much we can do but let it run its course. Disagreements happen, and many a Jedi has overcome such things. And they're both good Jedi, dedicated Jedi. They'd not allow a fleeting attraction to one another disrupt their paths," Windu said.
"Truthful, I must be. It is not one or the other. Simply attraction it is not, and simply affection it also is not. A matter of both, this is," Yoda revealed.
Windu sighed, a hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"Then what should we do?"
The answer to the posed question was a complicated one. For there was no straightforward answer, as Yoda may have once believed. The war had made him see something he had been blind to before––how impersonal the Jedi had become. How cold they had become. The war had worsened it, certainly, but for it to worsen would mean that it had to have been aggravated in the first place. And what caused that coldness was the absence of love. Love of all sorts––for the galaxy, for their fellow Jedi, of peace and justice. The Code dictated that attachment of any sort, affection of any sort was to be squashed immediately under foot. It could not stand. It could not be allowed to grow. Love, after all, was a danger. But love, he had come to find, was just as complicated as war was. It was not as black-and-white as they'd all been told. There were shades of grey, positives and negatives. It was a point of view very unpopular amongst the Jedi Order; it was one of the things that had caused Qui-Gon to be so looked down upon, despite his prowess.
And it was something that Elara was predisposed to. To love and care and be affectionate. Thus far, in her nearly eleven years in the Order, it had not steered her wrong. Driven her to overexertion, yes, but not once had her foot plod down on the path to Darkness. It was what set her aside from many of her Jedi brethren. Her softness, her warmth, her understanding, her empathy. These were things that were meant to be discouraged. And yet––Yoda sensed she'd be worser off completely closing herself off from these things. The war had changed and was changing much. It was all Yoda could do to wonder if, perhaps, Qui-Gon had been right all those years ago. If there were necessary changes that should be made; and that if this was one of them.
"Rectify the situation we must encourage them to do," Yoda said decidedly.
One of Windu's eyebrows arched slowly. "Are you suggesting we allow this to run its course? Let them…" he paused, struggling to find the correct words, "work it out of their systems?"
"Our interference this does not yet require. Possible, it is, that its course will be run, and over it will be."
There were a handful of possible outcomes for this situation. One of which involved the pair indulging in their attraction––as was not forbidden by the Code––and, for lack of better phrasing, work it out of their systems. That it would amount to nothing more than physicality, and the issue would work itself out. This possibility could not be ruled out, could not be dismissed. It had happened before, and sometimes it had been for the best. It could be just what needed to happen; but it was not something that could be encouraged. Not something that they could interfere in.
"And what if that leads to further complications? What if things worsen? We cannot have them distracted, especially not now," Windu pointed out. His other eyebrow lifted to join the other. It was clear that he was wary about this situation, this decision. "This is something we typically discourage. Are you sure this is the right course of action?"
"Work together, they must, to overcome this. Need them, we do, if we are to continue making progress in this war. An excellent team they are. Affect their work this cannot," he agreed. With a low, grim hum, he tapped his walking stick against the floor pointedly. "But if worse the situation becomes, separate them we will."
Windu, with a still wary shine glowing in his eyes, slowly dipped his chin in a nod. There had always been a deep sense of trust between them. If one believed that something would work, then they had faith that it would. He shifted his gaze to the doors on the opposite side of the room. Quiet settled over them again, leaving them to soak in the odd situation they were faced with. One that they must silently oversee, monitor with attentive eyes. If anything was going to tip severely in any direction, the Force would surely telegraph it, it always did. If they had to, they could stop it. They'd done it before… but never with two members of the Order who were so invested. So loyal.
"They are strong Jedi," Windu said quietly. "I have faith that they will do the right thing."
Yoda hummed. "Strong they are… and strength they will need if they are to traverse this terrain."
OOOO
The lightsaber was something highly honored by the Jedi; everything from its construction to the keeping of it was taken on reverently. It was a very particular weapon, graceful yet deadly, beautiful and poised. One was instructed to care for it as though it was one's very life force. For, in some instances, it was. It was an extension of the body, used to preserve one's life, as well as the lives of others. If treated poorly, if disrespected, it would not work as was intended. It would fail or betray. Lightsabers were as unique as those that wielded them, and to behold a Jedi's lightsaber was to behold the inner life of the Jedi themselves. Every hilt told a story. Every color of blade was an insight. It was never uncommon to see Padawans and Masters alike setting time aside to care for their sabers. To buff and polish the hilts, disassemble it to get some grit out of its components. It, just like the traditional layered robes, was a part of normal Jedi life.
And now, in the throes of war, it was more important than ever to see that one's lightsaber was in tip-top condition. But it was hard to do regular maintenance when one mission carried you into another, and one battle led to three more. Such was why, as she basked in the Council mandated recuperation period, Elara saw to properly giving hers a good clean. Sat on her meditation dias, she buffed a soft cloth over the hilt of her lightsaber. It was scuffed and scraped and scratched, now; but such was to be expected from the hilt of something nearly eleven years old. It was the same one she'd constructed on Illum all those years ago as a Padawan. For, unlike Anakin, she did well at ensuring her saber wasn't destroyed or lost every other month. Though, despite all its beauty marks, its hilt still shone. The grips had been worn down with use, but they still fit comfortably in Elara's hand. It, in a way, showcased her journey from Padawan to Master. It was very, very special to her.
With a concentrated pinch between her eyebrows, Elara pressed the cloth into a thin metal seam with one of her nails. She dragged it along the seam's length, which smoothly removed the dust and dirt caked into it. Rylothian dirt, most likely. That dirt was swiftly wiped from the hilt, which Elara then lifted to eye level. She tipped it this-way-and-that, inspecting it for anything else that might need cleaning or fixing. Once it was determined there wasn't, the cloth in her hand was shaken out, then dipped into a pot of polish balanced on her knee. She began to rub the stuff into the metal with practiced ease. Two fingers scrubbed the paste in small, spiralling circles, working down along the hilt, over scrapes and scratches and dull patches. This was something she'd always been good at. Watto had always put her in charge of buffing scrap at the junkyard. So it was no surprise that her lightsaber had always been well looked after, glinting softly at her hip whenever the light caught it.
Just as Elara was wiping the polish off the hilt with a clean cloth, there was a soft chime at the door. She set the pot, rag, and lightsaber aside and pad over to the door in bare feet. With a push of a button on the panel beside her door, it slid open.
"Master Skywalker," greeted the familiar, gravely voice of Yoda.
Elara's eyes dropped to see her former Master stood at the threshold of her room. She inclined her head to him respectfully. "Master Yoda."
"Came to see you how feel, I did," he told her. He leaned forward on his walking stick, and peered up at her wide big, inquisitive eyes.
The several days of rest she'd received saw Elara feeling markedly better than she'd been upon returning from Ryloth. She'd gotten more sleep than she had in weeks––good, restful sleep, uninterrupted by anything. No blaster fire rattling her awake, no strategy meetings that needed attending. Even her intrusive thoughts couldn't manage to distract her. The heaviness in her limbs had disappeared and the bruises on her knees were starting to heal. Exhaustion gave way to energy and the haziness started to clear from her head. There was still a lingering ache in her muscles, but it no longer made her wince or groan every time she got out of bed. For as difficult as it always was to be side-lined, this period of rest was much needed. That was something, four days in, that she could finally admit.
"Much better, thank you, Master."
Yoda nodded in his sage-like way, and hummed. "Good, good. Strong enough, do you feel, to be given an assignment?"
The mention of such a thing already had her standing a little straighter than before. A little more attentively. The restfulness of the past few days had been lovely; but part of her had been continuously itching to launch back into the fray and do her part.
"Yes, I believe I do feel strong enough," she assured evenly. "What is it you need me to do?"
Yoda cast a furtive glance up and down the corridor outside her room, as though he was checking to ensure no-one was around to overhear them. Turning back to her, he lifted his walking stick and gestured into her room. His expression furrowed some, lips thinning out and browline crinkling. "Inside we will speak."
Elara, with a nod, stepped aside to allow him in. Her own expression started to pinch, a smarting sense of worry shooting through her chest. While she watched Yoda waddle into her living space, she reached out and pressed the button that would close the door again. Once it whooshed shut, her former master came to a stop at one of the windows.
"Intruders, there will be, in the Temple," he revealed. The news was startling. It had Elara's head rearing back with the shock of it. The Jedi Temple was well defended, well guarded; its defenses were unlike that of any building on the planet. Not even the Senate building was as well fortified as the Temple was.
"When? she asked. Nearly immediately she was on guard. All lingering thoughts of leisure flew from her mind, once more replaced with that acute mind of a Jedi on the job. Elara sat herself on the edge of her bed and reached for her boots. It was a good thing that her armor and battle attire was easy enough to get on in a rush.
"Soon. Very soon."
"What kind of intruders?"
"Know we do not. But here they are." Yoda shuffled around, back now to the window. He eyed Elara evenly. "Returned from Felucia your brother and Master Kenobi have; assist them, you shall in discovering the whereabouts of these infiltrators."
There was a great lurch of Elara's heart at the mention of Obi-Wan. She hated how hard it thumped, how it slammed against her ribcage insistently. It was all she could hope that it wouldn't register on her face––or in the Force. Especially not in the Force, seeing as Yoda was in the room with her. In a bid not to focus on the fluttering of her heart, both physically and emotionally, Elara nodded her assent. She shoved one of her feet into her boots, still under her former Master's gaze.
"Yes, of course, Master," she agreed.
The other boot was pulled on, and she rose from her bed in order to retrieve her armor from where it sat atop her desk. The day prior she'd sat down with Gunney to clean their armor, while Strafer happily touched-up the symbol of the Republic on her pauldron. It was emblazoned brightly, now, on the slate grey plastoid, the red of it no longer dulled by scrapes and scuffs. The gloves, however, were the first things snatched up.
"Meet them, you will, in the Grand Hall. From there, decide, you will, how to proceed."
Elara nodded and tugged on a glove with practiced quickness. "Yes, Master."
Yoda started to sway towards the door, the tip of his walking stick padding softly against the carpeted floor. Once at the door, he stopped and turned back to her. He fixed her with a look one might discern as stern; but years under his tutelage had taught her all the nuances of his expressions. Beneath that sternness, there was something caring.
"Careful, you must be. Push yourself, you should not," he warned.
The tiniest of smiles lifted the corners of Elara's mouth. She nodded softly, reassuringly as she fitted the second glove onto her other hand. Yoda inclined his head in response before he turned back to the door, and waved his hand at it. There was a faint beep as the button on the panel engaged and the door slid open. Once he'd wandered through it and started to shuffle away, his hand waved again, and the door closed.
Elara turned back to her desk, smile still lingering. Though, just as her hand reached for her left bracer, her eyes fell on something more eye-catching. There was a clear resin cube that sat on the corner of her desk, inside of which a flower had been preserved. The light pouring in through the window caught the cube just-so, and the delicate snow blossom inside it seemed to glow. It was the selfsame one that Obi-Wan had picked for her all those years ago back on Gleann. The one that he'd tucked into her hair with nimble fingers, the one that had made them betrothed in the eyes of the locals. It had kept well, survived the trip from Gleann to Coruscant; and something in her had felt the need to see it preserved. That it would pain her too much to watch it wither and wilt. So the small cube had sat on her desk for many years, the almost translucent blueish-white bloom forever preserved.
Again, Elara's heart lurched. Memories of Gleann brought reminders of what it had felt like to wake up in Obi-Wan's arms. The warmth of them around her waist, the solid press of his chest against her back… which now stirred memories of how they'd awoken on Florrum. Chest-to-chest, legs tangled; the languid brush of her nose across his throat, the warmth of their breath intermingling. Which, in turn, brought forth memories of Ryloth. They were vivid and… palpable, almost. It had been nearly a week and she could still feel the burning sensuousness of his lips drawing against hers. The drag of his beard against her skin. The way their Force signatures met and started to mould together. All of these memories had toppled to the forefront of her mind more than once in the past several days. Because what she'd been able to most in that time was think.
With time and distance, Elara's head had cleared. She no longer felt overwhelmed by everything; instead, it had all settled into a frazzled buzz in the pit of her stomach. Ever present and unignorable, but not overpowering. It was inevitable that she'd have to see Obi-Wan again. That they'd have to work together again. That they would have to speak about what happened on Gleann and Florrum and Ryloth––they couldn't speak about one without acknowledging the others. But before that talk could happen, Elara knew she had to reach her own conclusions. Be assured in where she stood and what she would say. The past several days had been a good start to it; tentative conclusions had been reached. It would be beneficial for them to speak sooner rather than later, but she wouldn't mind more time to feel more assured.
With a little huff and a shake of her head, Elara snatched the vambrace off of her desk. She went about fixing it to her forearm, quietly running over the mantra of the Guardians of the Whills. I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me… And I fear nothing, because all is as the Force wills it. For if she was about to plunge feet-first into what would possibly be the most difficult balancing act of her life––she was going to need all the strength and willpower she could get.
OOOO
Upon entering the Grand Hall, Elara was struck by two familiar presences. That of the low, staticky thrum of her brother, and the sudden slap of warmth that was Obi-Wan's. The latter had her inhaling sharply. Ever since the kiss, her awareness of his Force signature had heightened. So much so that, at the moment, it nearly overwhelmed her awareness of Anakin's; which was a little boggling considering she and him shared a fully fledged Force Bond. As she approached both men, who stood at the top of the great marble stairs, Elara once again repeated the Guardian's mantra. She breathed deep and slow, and desperately bid her heart to beat normally. For her thoughts to remain rooted in the present. Because no matter what came of this tricky situation, one thing was for certain––it could not, under any circumstances, disrupt the way that she did her job. That they did their jobs.
"Lari!" Anakin called upon spotting her. He threw a hand up in the air in greeting, and Obi-Wan's head snapped round so fast that one errant strand of hair flopped against his forehead.
With one final deep breath, which tensed her shoulders up just a little, Elara pulled a smile across her face as she approached. She stopped before her brother and gave him a sisterly once-over, checking for bruises, scrapes, and missing appendages.
"Glad to see that you made it back in one piece," she commented lightly, focused on Anakin. And then something pulled deep in the pit of her stomach; a reminder that this could not affect anything. No matter how devastating it would be to meet Obi-Wan's eyes, she simply couldn't ignore him. Because, truly––it was good to know that he, too, was not hurt. So Elara let her eyes cut towards Obi-Wan, only to find that his gaze was ready to meet hers. It had her breath catching, almost arrested by the guardedness that shone there. "Both of you."
Obi-Wan inclined his head in thanks, and dropped his gaze to the floor. With the severing of their eye-contact, she once more felt as though she could breathe.
"We hit a bit of a snag on Felucia, so it is quite remarkable that we returned in one piece," Obi-Wan admitted measuredly, evenly. A hair more formal than she'd grown used to; in fact, the tone hurled her back to the early days of their meeting, where they were practically strangers. He, a cocky Padawan, and she, a newly liberated slave.
With a quiet hum, Elara turned back to Anakin––who was darting a curious gaze between his sister and his friend. She cleared her throat gently and recaptured his attention. "How did Ahsoka fair? She made it back alright?"
Something in his expression fell. But not so severely that she was struck with worry for the Padawan's well-being. It was the long-suffering look of a Master whose Padawan had done something unfavorable. The look that she'd seen tiredly tear across Obi-Wan's face many times before, as a hand rose to cover his eyes in hopes of blocking out whatever stupid thing Anakin had done.
"She was a little… over zealous, shall we say," he revealed. "Long story short, we were outnumbered, she wanted to keep fighting, and the Council has put her on guard duty at the Archives for her lack of foresight."
"Master like Padawan, hm?" Elara managed to joke, much to Anakin's obvious chagrin. And, to her great surprise and relief, Obi-Wan's amusement. The corner of his mouth ticked up into a partial smile, which was quickly hidden by one of his hands. The hint of a smile caused her heart to swell with a small burst of hope. Hope that, perhaps, not all would be lost.
"Right, uh…" Anakin cleared his throat, clearly still squirming at Elara's comment. He arched his eyebrows pointedly. "I take it Master Yoda has informed you of the situation?"
He gestured for them to proceed into the next corridor, which glowed warmly in the afternoon sunlight. The trio began to walk, but they did not fall into their usual formation. Typically, Elara walked between both men, Obi-Wan on her left and Anakin on her right. This time, however, she'd fallen into step on Anakin's left, which left him in the middle. She could only hope that the tense pull that she felt between herself and Obi-Wan was something that her brother could not sense.
Though judging by the side-eye he shot her, that hope was wasted.
With her demeanor sobered, Elara nodded. "Yes, he has. Have we any idea where to start looking?" she asked.
"If we can guess what they're after, we might be able to pin-point a potential location," Anakin suggested.
"I doubt they've come to hijack starfighters," Obi-Wan drawled.
"What can they get here that they can't get anywhere else?"
"The entire Temple is cordoned off to the public," Elara reminded. "It's entirely possible they think we have something that we do not; but it's also entirely possible that we do. Remember that we have an entire archive of information only we can access."
"Yes," Obi-Wan agreed with a surprising amount of ease. Outwardly, if no one knew that their relationship had become strained, this would have seemed like a normal conversation. "They're after information."
Anakin's expression pinched up in realization. "The Jedi transmitter codes."
They all came to a stop in the middle of the corridor, the trio suddenly stood in a pool of warm light cast through one of the windows. Obi-Wan's lips thinned grimly as he further developed the potential plot.
"Every piece of troop information in one place," he pointed out.
That speculation had Elara's stomach cramping up. Whoever these intruders were, if they wanted their troop information, they were even more hostile than she might've initially thought. This was no longer just a threat to the Temple; it was a threat to the Grand Army of the Republic. To the countless clone troopers that were deployed across the galaxy. To the men that Elara had come to consider family, whose loyalty knew no bounds. It had her lips twisting in a displeased frown.
"If that information falls into the wrong hands, innumerable lives will be put in danger. Not just those of the troopers––their Jedi commanders and citizens across the galaxy, too," Elara pointed out.
"And it's all in the East Tower," Anakin said.
"The East Tower communications center," Obi-Wan clarified.
Anakin nodded, expression sternly determined. "I'll head there right away."
"I'll monitor the perimeter defenses from the central security station."
In the half second that it took for both men to look to Elara, she'd already made her decision of where to go. She nodded at Anakin and nudged his arm with the back of her hand.
"I'll go with you," she determined.
Briefly, Anakin's eyes darted towards Obi-Wan before they returned to his sister. He nodded his assent. Just as they turned to go their separate ways, Elara couldn't help but steal a look at Obi-Wan. As now seemed common, their eyes only briefly met. In that instance of meeting, she noted the composed mask of professionalism on his face; the same one she was attempting to keep glued on. And, just as quickly as their eyes met, they shot away. As though burned, almost. Or, perhaps more accurately, like they were looking at something they should not be laying their eyes upon. With a barely perceptible frown pulling at the corner of her mouth, Elara jogged after Anakin.
The East Tower was located on the opposite side of the Temple, and up a number of floors. With the situation being as potential dire as they predicted it might be, the Skywalkers kept up a steady jog all the way to the turbolifts. It wasn't an uncommon sight to see one or both of the Skywalker siblings bolting through the Temple. In fact, it had become increasingly common in the almost eleven years it had been their home. More often than not, it meant they were rushing off on another mission; though, in earlier days, Elara had found herself chasing after a snickering Anakin, who'd managed to evade one of Obi-Wan's lessons. So to any passers by, the sight was not alarming or strange. But there weren't many people in the halls. Most were still called off on missions. By the time they got to the turbo lift, their heart rates were up, but they were barely winded. They then stood wordlessly as they waited for it to arrive. The lift would get them where they needed to be with more expediency. And given the situation, expediency was key. If they could locate and identify the intruders, all of this could be over before it had really even begun.
"You feeling any better?" Anakin asked as the lift doors smoothly glided open.
"I am, yes," Elara confirmed. She and her brother stepped into the lift's pod and turned to face front as the doors slipped shut again.
"That's good" he nudged her arm with his elbow. "I was getting worried about you." He smiled over at her sweetly, a look that managed to melt through her careful composed countenance. Elara returned the smile as well as the fond nudge of the arm. But then Anakin arched his eyebrows pointedly, boyishly––brotherly. "Now you've just gotta make up with Obi-Wan. He's stuffier than usual, and I don't like it."
The smile fell off her face immediately and her eyes slumped shut on a sigh. "Anakin…"
"I'm just saying! You two usually talk out disagreements like their diplomatic negotiations. For your sakes––but mostly for mine––just… talk it out. It was a little misunderstanding, right? Shouldn't take long to sort out." There was a pause. "It… is just a little misunderstanding, right?"
An acrid burn began to develop low in her belly. Once again, Elara wished it was as simple as that. The complexity of it was still boggling, and she still didn't quite know how to go about addressing it to herself, let alone Obi-Wan. It wasn't at all simple; but for Anakin's sake it had to be.
"Rest assured, it is something that we will talk about. We have to," she promised. She then shot him a look, brows arched. "But there are more pressing matters at the moment."
Anakin threw his hands up as the lift started to slow to a stop. With an expression of displayed innocence, he rolled his shoulders into a shrug. "All I'm saying is if you need me to step out of a room so you can chat, just say the word."
Elara rolled her eyes at his cheek, her lips once more quirking into a fond smile.
The two continued to proceed to the East Tower––only to find it operating as was typical. There were no intruders. No malfunctions. Everything was operating as smoothly as it should be. But they'd been at war for seven months; they knew that even the most placid moment could erupt into chaos. That it could be deceptive, hide malintent behind a seeming peace. So it was there that they stayed and waited for Obi-Wan to get in contact with them. Both Skywalkers monitored the various scanners, which rapidly searched for incoming communications to accept or reroute. Mere moments after they entered the center, however, something strange happened. The scanners went haywire. They blipped strange, nonsensical readings, the screens flickered, and then the power briefly shut off. When it came back on, everything was back to normal.
Elara, now standing stock still, stared up at the lights that had just flickered back on. "That was… odd," she commented.
"Power recycle?" Anakin suggested, though his tone matched his expression of uneasiness. Elara shook her head, eyes jumping between all the now normally functioning monitors.
"I don't think so. Get Obi-Wan on the holoproj."
With a nod, Anakin pressed a button that activated the communication center's holoprojector. Above it appeared Obi-Wan's blue, faintly rippling image. His brows were creased sharply and a frown played across his lips.
"Master, we're in the tower. No intruders, but something just happened," Anakin said. "All the scanners were behaving strangely for a moment."
"Yes, something happened to the system down here, too. It cannot be a coincidence," Obi-Wan replied.
Just then, Yoda's small form waddled into existence behind Obi-Wan. "Arrived, the intruders have," he revealed.
"But if they're not in the tower, what are they after?"
"The communications center, perhaps, their target is."
"They must be in the central ventilation system," Anakin theorized.
Elara clucked her tongue, realizing that her brother must be right. "The ventilation systems would allow them to sneak through the Temple undetected," she agreed. "The only question is, what entry point did they gain access to?"
"Let me check the system," offered Obi-Wan. They watched as he leaned forward and pressed at what must have been a few buttons on a control panel. His face simultaneously fell and tightened. "You're right. There has been a disturbance. It's near the top of the South Tower."
Anakin and Elara both simultaneously nodded.
"We'll meet you up there."
OOOO
The ventilation system of the Jedi Temple was massive and expansive. Seeing as it created a complex set of passages through the entire building, many points of it were blocked or protected by various shielding methods. Laser grids, energy shields; even the massive fans, used for air flow, provided a kind of defense. Any access points at the exterior of the Temple were guarded by glowing aqua colored energy fields, which prevented anything from entering without a proper access code. It would seem, however, that someone had managed to bypass both the access code and the shield. For one of the circular ventilation grates towards the top of the South Tower had been removed. The shield was still active, and it was through it that the three Jedi stared at the dislodged grate.
"Well, looks like this is where they broke in," Anakin commented.
"How did they manage to get past the shield?" Elara wondered in a murmur. "It must have been very difficult." Difficult it would have been––many of the access panels across the Temple could only be activated by way of the Force. A way to safeguard from any ill intended intruders from breaking in. How they managed to slip past the shields was a conundrum yet to be solved.
"Fortunately, we'll have a less troublesome time," Obi-Wan commented. With a wave of his hand over the control panel beside the energy shield, it deactivated with a low whirring.
The three Jedi then proceeded to hop into the ventilation shaft, which was just tall enough to let them walk upright. Though, shoulders were hunched and heads were ducked as not to cause any unnecessary injuries. The space was still considerably tight, especially given that three individuals were creeping their way through it. Their footsteps echoed oddly in the tubular space, making it seem like there were people both walking ahead of them and behind them. The air was cool and moved with a gentle, consistent breeze. By the time they reached the end of the tube, they were greeted with a massive drop. Down below there was a massive fan, which was completely motionless.
"Looks like the only way is down," Elara commented. She reached into her belt and extracted a rappelling device. She leaned out of the tube and peered upwards, happy to see that the ceiling wasn't too far above them. "At least the fan is shut off."
"Yeah, I don't really feel like getting chopped up today," Anakin agreed under his breath. He, too, pulled out a similar device. With it, he gestured to the massive space before them. "Far side or center?"
"I'll take the far side."
"Getting adventurous are we?"
With a roll of her eyes, Elara stretched her arm out and pressed a button on the device. A heavy-duty cord attached to a grappling spike shot upwards, where it lodged itself in the ceiling. The device was then attached to her belt and, once it was properly secured, Elara grabbed hold of the cable and jumped. She swung out into the open, straight across the distance of the wide ventilation shaft. The other wall approached swiftly, but with one hand flung outwards, she used a Force cushion to prevent herself from hitting it. Once she stopped swinging through the air, Elara began her rapid, though steady, descent. Strands of hair, which always refused to clipped back with the rest of it, fluttered around her face. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan weren't far behind her, but she was the first to touch down on the edge of the halted fan. In the walls of the ventilation shaft were six different entry points. Six different potential paths.
"Great," Anakin deadpanned as he touched down beside Elara. The both of them yanked at the cords attached to their belts, promptly freeing themselves. "Which way do you think they went?"
Obi-Wan landed next and scanned the access points with a critical gaze. He ripped the cord from his belt as he honed in on one particular opening. He gestured to one just to their left.
"The communication center is this way," he pointed out. "We'd better hurry if we're going to catch them."
Elara shuffled along the edge of the fan until she reached the mentioned vent. She hoisted herself up into it––and discovered that it was sloped. She allowed herself to slide through the tube, at the bottom of which was a new set of vents. They were cramped and hexagonal, but just big enough to allow her to remain crouched. The vent branched off both to the left and right, though the path to the right appeared to be a shallow allowance that led to a dead end. It was to that side that Elara shuffled, making room for her companions to join her. Anakin dropped down next, glanced back up, then shifted over to the left. Obi-Wan was quick to appear next, dropping into a graceful, near immediate crouch.
"Left is the only way to go," Elara revealed.
"Left it is," Anakin said. He jerked his head to the side in a 'follow me' sort of gesture.
They all continued to creep through the ventilation system, which clanged and groaned around them as they moved. It was more than a little claustrophobic, more so than that first tube they'd entered through. Now every sound was amplified due to the tightly enclosed space. Every heavy exhale seemed louder than necessary. It was hotter than was comfortable. Eventually, after many twisting turns, they reached a junction which branched off to either side. Anakin cast his eyes both left and right, then sighed. He shook his head. "I don't think they came this way."
There was a quiet huff from Obi-Wan as he lifted his comm to his mouth.
"Master Yoda, are you picking up any other life signs in this quadrant?" he asked.
"Deep in the Temple the intruders are," Yoda's voice informed.
"How are they managing to stay out of our way?"
"Hmm… possible it is, receiving assistance they are, from inside."
Obi-Wan's expression fell and a quiet sigh pulled through his nose. "Wonderful," he borderline griped.
There was an underlying frustration building in the cramped vents. Elara shifted down onto her knees, momentarily giving her ankles a rest, and scrubbed a hand over her face. This was turning into a wild goose chase. They'd seen hide nor hair of the intruders. The only evidence that there even were any was the displaced ventilation grate. It was starting to feel like they'd been had, and she didn't appreciate the sensation. Neither did Obi-Wan, it would seem, judging by the uncharacteristic, irritated curl to his lips. It wasn't like him to get frustrated so easily, not without the right prompting that is. The situation was less than ideal, yes; but for it to inspire such a reaction out of him seemed odd. There was likely an underlying irritator. And Elara wondered if it was the same thing that was making her nerves crawl on end.
And that irritator was this––his Force signature. She could feel it all around her, like it was attempting to devour her, consume her totally and completely. It tingled across her skin, hummed in her ears. It felt like she swallowed it every time she breathed. Like every slight breeze was it combing itself through her hair, or caressing her cheek. Perhaps it was because the space was so tightly enclosed. Or because they were so close together. Either way, it was almost painfully distracting. It was frustrating. Because she had vowed that this situation would not inhibit her ability to do her job, and it felt like that was all it was trying to do. So Elara had to wonder if Obi-Wan also felt the same. If he could sense her Force signature so potently. If it was overwhelming his senses, if he was struggling with ignoring the way it swam around him.
If that was the case, then she felt for him––because it was distressingly distracting.
"I guess we… pick a direction and go with it," Anakin sighed.
"Which way would lead us to the communication center?" Elara asked..
"Right, I believe," Obi-Wan half-sighed.
She bobbed her head and gestured forward. "Then we'll go to the right."
The sooner they were done with this mission, the better.
Over the next handful of minutes, they crept through the winding vents in relative quiet. There wasn't much to discuss, other than whether they should make another right or take a left instead. Whether Obi-Wan was sure that he knew where they were going––he was, he insisted. It was all starting to feel horrifically monotonous. Like they were trapped in some kind of torturous maze. So it was only natural to feel a massive rush of relief when they came across evidence of the intruders––another misplaced grate.
"Looks like you were right," Anakin told Obi-Wan.
"Master Skywalker," Ahoska's voice brightly chirped through Anakin's comm link. "I've captured the imposter disguised as a Jedi. She says the intruder's in the holocron vault."
Elara's eyebrows furrowed upon hearing the word 'holocron.' They were devices that Jedi used to store vital information. They were kept in a highly guarded vault in the Archives, and were only accessible to Jedi Masters, those that sat on the Council. She'd glimpsed the vault, once, in passing as someone accessed it. Many of the holocrons contained highly classified information; but it would be useless for anyone to try and steal one because––
"A holocron is no good without a Jedi to open it," Obi-Wan pointed out. His lips pursed and his eyes narrowed. "What are they up to?"
"They must be trying to gain access to the communication's center from the vault," Anakin posed.
"Let's go, then," Elara urged. We can't be far behind, now."
They moved quicker, now, taking corners quick enough to clip shoulders against the metal edges. The metallic pounding of their feet drummed loudly in their ears. At this point, no one asked what direction to take; the Force guided them along the path they needed to take. It drove them forward, down the right vents until––there was a loud boom and a flash of orange light. Elara stumbled as everything shook and caught herself on the vent wall. Smoke started to billow up through yet another misplaced grate. Only this one dropped downwards into a rounded passageway. It was through that opening all three Jedi jumped, landing in the passage that led to the holocron vault.
A haze of smoke still hung in the air, which smelled acrid and sharp. Elara waved a hand in front of her face to try and rid both the smoke and the smell, without much luck. To their left, the door to the vault was partially ajar, revealing a room kept reverently low-lit, inside of which a number of glowing blue cubes could be seen. The access panel beside it was sparking weakly. It was clear that the intruder had just been there, just set off an explosion to blow the vault doors open. But equally as concerning was the hole that had been carved low in the wall, into yet another vent that branched sloped down and then off to the left.
"Quick! The communications center! Let's go!" Obi-Wan cried. He then leapt into the hole, with Anakin not far behind him.
Elara paused, however, eyes lingering on the partially ajar entrance to the vault. Whoever the intruder was, they couldn't access any of the holocrons in that room. No Jedi would ever assist them in doing so, either. But it was strange that the door would be blasted open. It could be a distraction, perhaps; something to throw them off the scent. But the hole in the wall was so obvious. Nothing about this operation made any sense. Like everything else that had happened in Elara's life recently, it left her head reeling.
"Lari, come on!" called Anakin from below.
"Right, sorry," she muttered to herself, before she, too, dove into the vent.
Luckily––thankfully––the space they'd dropped into was tall enough for them to stand perfectly upright. No ducking or crouching or hunching, which the pinched muscle in Elara's back appreciated very much. There also appeared to be a lack of offshoots, which was also much appreciated; it meant there was one path to follow, and nowhere else to go. They remained dutifully quiet, well aware that they could come up on this intruder at any given moment. They trod carefully, attempting to keep their footsteps as light as possible. And then they heard a voice. Surprised and shaking, light as though it were trying to be casual. Obi-Wan lifted a hand to signal the trio to stop. Elara, behind both men, peered over their shoulders to see what he'd spotted.
There was a dull swath of warm light bleeding into the vent from what appeared to be an open grate. It seemed that they had finally made it to the communications center. That light, however, was interrupted by the shadow of what appeared to be a small droid.
"I was just…" tittered the voice of a techno-service droid. "Um… testing the access hatch! Works great!"
There was a sudden, sharp, shrill beeping.
"Bomb!" proclaimed the muffled voice of Mace Windu.
"Bomb? What bomb? Is there something going to blow up!?"
Suddenly, the droid was flung back into the vent, and the light disappeared as the access hatch closed behind it. There was a rapidly flickering red light in its back, and the beeping had gotten louder. There was, indeed, a bomb––and it was with a sinking heart that Elara realized it was the droid.
"Bomb!" Obi-Wan reiterated frantically.
Elara wheeled around on her heels as the three of them scrambled to duck around the last corner they had taken. They had just barely cleared it when a concussive boom rattled the vents around them. She felt herself get slammed against the nearest possible wall, but it wasn't from the force of the explosion. No, someone had shoved her against it. Someone had flung their own body against and over hers, protecting her from the flash of heat, flame, and smoke that licked around the corner. Elara pried her eyes open, which very quickly started to burn because of the sooty air. The first thing she saw, though, was the arm braced against the wall by her head. That was Obi-Wan's armor around that arm; she'd recognize that white plastoid alloy anywhere.
They'd been mere feet away from being engulfed in flames. From being torn apart by an explosion. And all Elara could focus on was how close he was. On the feel of his front pushed flush against her back. How his head had ducked into her neck on the side of the explosion to further protect her. With a shaky breath and a stuttering heart, Elara pressed her hands against the wall and pushed. Her back pressed further into Obi-Wan's chest. His head lifted away from her neck, and his arms dropped away from the wall. He shuffled back far enough to let her turn back around. They were close again, far too close. The tenuous, tentative buzz of their Force signatures crackled around them in an overwhelming buzz. The tension that had snapped on Ryloth had returned, but there was a different aspect to it. It felt more aching this time. It pulled less from the gut and more from the chest. Painful, but in a melancholic way, like it would draw tears to their eyes if given the chance. And, just like previously, Elara had a feeling that it would not go away until they did something about it. The problem was… she didn't know what it was that they needed to do.
"Thank you," Elara managed to get out in a whisper.
Obi-Wan's chin tipped in a jerky little nod. His eyelids fluttered as, briefly, his eyes dropped towards her mouth. They sharply lifted to pierce her own again. This time, he inclined his head in acknowledgement. "It was the necessary course of action."
The necessary course of action. Those words had something in Elara's gut sinking a little. It was an impersonal 'you're welcome.' A defensive, professional response. Spoken with the voice of a Jedi Master, the voice of a man who sat on the Council. The man stood before her, cool and calculating and removed, was not who she knew Obi-Wan to be. Because the Obi-Wan Kenobi that she knew let amusement curl at the corners of his mouth, let his eyes roll skyward as sarcasm dripped from his mouth. He was a man that cared fiercely and passionately, whose eyes spoke volumes as emotions flickered through them. That was not the man standing before her. This was a caricature of himself. A cruel, shallow imitation of the man that she'd come to care for so much. This was Obi-Wan without the emotion, without the feeling; and it was a frightening, saddening thing to observe.
And then, as though to deal one final maddening blow, Obi-Wan turned, eyes breaking away from hers… and he walked away.
Afterword: Gotta say, I'm not so sure how I feel about this chapter. I don't mind the first half of it, but everything from entering the vents onward I feel kinda if-y about. This episode was tricky for me. 'Cause there's only so much about a ventilation system without feeling repetitive; it was also not the focus of the episode, so trying to connect all the 45 second scenes was a challenge. But I hope it reads well, and was at least enjoyable! The continuation of this arc should go much more smoothly!
Review Replies:
MsRosePetal: Last chapter was definitely the band-aid rip. After finally crashing into what had been so long awaited––to just get punched with angst is hard. They're living in a liminality. Caught in a transition, unsure of where they're going to end up. There's no silent treatment per se… just… awkward pause treatment. I think at this point, there's no pretending that something didn't happen. Anakin will definitely, at some point, have a chat with Obi-Wan… especially if things don't get resolved quickly. Because, as he said in this chapter… he's in the middle of it all. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
sarah0406: They're drowning in all kinds of emotions, and I do not envy them that! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Princess Jaquline Chess: I'm sorry that your day was anything but ideal; but I'm happy that the last chapter (angsty as it was) inspired a smile! I find that art, of all kinds, can be therapeutic, be it as you create it or consume it. So it can be a comfort to see things similar to what you've experienced portrayed in one way or another. It feels nice. Healing, sometimes. And I thought it was important for Obi-Wan and Elara to be separated for a time. Not only is it what they'd naturally do, it's what they need. If they'd been forced into one another's space again so soon after, they'd probably have imploded. Also, lets get #LetObiLaraSleep2k21 started. They deserve it! I so love writing Anakin and Elara having tender moments. Because amongst all the bickering and joking around, they really do love each other so much. Episode III, no matter what is going to hurt… all the more reason to cherish these soft moments as they come. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again! And I hope that you've been doing well since your bad day 3
Sammiemoosam: I adore Merlin; once upon a time I entertained writing a Merlin fic, which has been sitting in my drafts for many, many moons. Such a good show, truly! So, I actually drafted the kiss many times over the years I've been writing it. The situations changed and the wording never seemed right. And then the most recent draft I had hand-written in a notebook and really liked it… only to have it disappear off the face of the earth. I think it was serendipitous. Because what I ended up writing was much, much better than anything I'd previously written. Letting it all come to me as a result of everything that happened was certainly the way to go. And I will completely agree with you––Obi-Wan is an incredibly difficult character to write and to understand. I, very often, have to sit back and really question what he would or wouldn't do/say, how he'd behave, what he'd think about a certain situation. Because he's beautifully complex. He's, as I keep saying, a man of beautiful contradictions. He enjoys being alone, but he adores the company of his friends. A terrific warrior that would rather not fight. A man who is, at his heart, a lover, not a fighter… but is not allowed to be a lover. A man who sacrificed love to continue down the Jedi path. I, genuinely, cannot tell you how much it means that you enjoy my characterization of him, and that you find it believable to the character. The last chapter was the aftermath chapter. Obi-Wan and Elara both feel so tightly wound up that they could very well snap again. It's been interesting to figure out the path that they're both going to have to take in order to eventually reach the same footing again. I also really, truly adore writing Anakin. I think his character is easy to misunderstand and brush-off as kinda 2D, but he's so much more than 'the kid that becomes Vader.' He loves wholly and passionately, as you say. And he's gonna shovel all that love onto his sister, for sure. We're definitely seeing more of him getting chances to take care of her; which, honestly, she kinda needs. She's always going out of her way for other people, so it's nice when someone steps in to make sure she's okay. And, oh, all of the subtle shovel-talks… I'm so ready for them, too! Thank you, so much, for your lovely review! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter just as much as the last one; thanks again!
Pinney: Angst kicked the door in without fear of repercussion. Like Aragorn throwing open the doors at Helms Deep. It's settling in for a comfortable stay. And, ahh, thank you so much! I usually find when I write Obi's POV, things become a lot more detailed. His thought process just always ends up being a lot more… poetic. He's a man of language, and that always works its way into any of his POVs. Obi-Wan and Elara have to struggle along for just a liiiiittle bit longer… and then they can reap the rewards of the difficult times. They will be… oh so sweet. Oh so pleasurable. And, yes, I've got many plans for Order 66! It's something I'm continuously developing, as there are many logistics and possibilities… but there are potentials for some of our boys to survive it… and even if they don't necessarily shake the Order… they'll still be kickin' after the fact. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
DCDGojira: Ahh, thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Nerdette92: I do love writing angst, but I'm really itching to get to some fluffy stuff! And to really get into the romantic stuff. And, yes, poor Obi-Wan very much feels like he's being pulled in two different directions. A man split between duty and love. A man who already knows what it is to sacrifice love for duty… And poor Elara, who simply does not know what to do with herself other than put on a brave face and keep charging forward. They just need to kiss and make up. And then kiss again. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
bambam411: The angst is setting itself up in a comfy chair and some popcorn––it's ready to stay for a bit. I love writing a good chunk of Obi POV, and it was a real treat for it to cover the aftermath of the kiss. And I figured that it was a good time for Elara and Ani to get some alone time. And that poem TRULY saved me from writer's block! I cannot tell you how many ways I started off that section… and then, suddenly, I was like 'wait I've got it.' And talking things out is always much better than internalizing (which Elara has a habit of doing)... but, alas… the only person she could talk about it with is Obi-Wan (RIP). They do need a good rest in each other's arms! God it's going to be satisfying when they finally just… climb over that obstacle, collapse into bed and sleep. They deserve it! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter, too; thanks again!
Duchess of Lantern Waste: Well, you were right––Windu and Yoda have clocked that something is up. But they already knew that there was something going on there… I thought it was the right time to address that those two are still in the know and still monitoring. And we'll definitely be seeing Yoda stepping forward to have another chat with Elara… and with Obi-Wan, too. Because his views are changing, ever so slightly (and I thank Filoni for giving an interview on Yoda's views of attachment for giving me a reason to delve into all this). I've always believed that Anakin would be more than willing to step-up and take care of Elara when she feels like she's crumbling. He did it after Shmi died. He's done it more often than I've written him doing it, but it just feels right. And Elara and Obi's situation will definitely give way to a kind of understanding about Ani and Padmé… I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Isabelnecessaryonabicycle: Distance does, indeed, make the heart grow fonder… and it's going to be so, so wonderful when they finally kick distance to the curb and just cling to one another. 'Cause I have such sweet things planned for them… ugh, I cannot wait! Anakin catching wind of what's going on between his sister and his friend is gonna be… a time and a half for that poor boy. Blinker, if he ever finds out, will buy a round of drinks for anyone and everyone in whatever cantina he waltzes into. He's their biggest fan xD I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
lolistarkiller: The palpable relief that I––and everyone in the story––will feel when they start flirtatiously bantering again is going to be so good. If Elara were to divulge anything to Padmé, it would definitely put her between a rock and a hard place. 'Cause Anakin would definitely be mentioning that Elara and Obi-Wan are acting weird, and that it's really strange, and that he's worried. This is definitely the season of angst for this story! It was kind of a low-key angst in this chapter, but it's still there and it's still thriving. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
amidtheflowers: I love a good introspective! Obi-Wan and Elara finally getting to speak with one another is going to be such a relief… but one can only wonder how easy that conversation will go. 'Cause with them… it might take more than one talk to sort things through. Things might get worse before they get better. Both of the Skywalkers certainly are getting eaten up inside while they keep these secrets from the other. And if they ever divulge them to the other/should they be revealed… the weight that lifts off their shoulders is going to be wonderful. And I'm genuinely so impressed you read all 42 chapters in a day! That's amazing! I also hope you enjoyed the newest chapter; thanks again!
ObiWanWinchester: Well, I hope that you managed to breathe through this chapter a little more than the last! It's a huge compliment to hear that the last chapter affected you in such a way. That's the kind of reaction any artist (visual, performance, writer etc.) dreams of receiving. Thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the last!
thenerdnextdoor: I feel that while both Elara and Obi-Wan are both going through it, both in a major turmoil––he's really, really going through it. Because he's so firmly locked all these emotions away, so now that they're attacking him on the regular, he's on the verge of spiraling out of control. I'm so glad it's reading as him trying to desperately grasp hold of something! 'Cause that's what I've been going for. He's trying to regain control of a situation he's got no sway over, so he's just clinging to the vestiges of what he knows used to make everything alright. And oh, Elara… that poor, poor girl :( Where Obi-Wan is erratically spiraling out of control, she's just trapped in this slow plummet. And I'm so glad that these introspective bits read as intentional, and not rambly; I often worry if I start to kinda wax poetic, things ramble on. And there was now way on earth (Coruscant? Tatooine? What planet should I use for this xD) that Ani was leaving without checking in on his sister. I think he'd kick himself if he just up and left. And, again, thank you so much––I've tried to strike a particular balance (heheh) with Elara as a character. Strong, but still vulnerable. Her humbleness and empathy being both attributes and flaws. Forming her opinions and behaviors has been a trip as long as this story is; and it continues ever forward! Again, I cannot thank you enough for your lovely, thoughtful words! It's always wonderful to hear from you! Thanks again; I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
PrettyRecklessLaura: Thank you! And Anakin's definitely gonna catch wind of something, eventually… just as Elara's gonna catch a wind of her own. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
MotherAiya: The last chapter was certainly an emotional rollercoaster. Obi-Wan is definitely, certainly, still trying to wring out that rag; and it's still very much not going to help him any. He knows it's not going to help any, but he's still doing it in the desperate hope that something will change. The tap-dancing around ignoring everything between them has certainly come to an end… and addressing it is nigh. Also, Elara holding Anakin's metal hand warms my heart, too 3 I hope you enjoyed the chapter (and a peep into Yoda's POV); thanks again!
PotatosGonnaPotate: Ahh, thank you so much! It was a fun challenge to figure out how to navigate Obi-Wan's thought process and emotional state post-Ryloth. I also miss writing Ani and Elara! The war makes it so hard for them to catch a moment alone together, so it was great to get that scene in. Their discussion is coming… it is nigh! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again! And I'm glad that this was a suitable distraction while you waited (hope the results were favorable!)
LoveFiction2021: Thank you so much! I hope that you enjoyed the chapter!
M S Hackett: I'm so glad that you've enjoyed the story so far! I've had so much fun developing characters and perfecting POVs, so it's always great to hear that it's enjoyable to read! It's also always a compliment and a relief to hear that the characters read as believable. And I'm so glad that you've fallen in love with Elara! And her having "Legends" energy? Another huge compliment, that means so much! We're in the throes of her sorting out the romance stuff, but we'll definitely be getting more of her going on missions (gotta figure out that bounty still!), and hanging out with her lads! The kiss was so much fun to figure out, and it really, truly, was a gut-wrenching thing to write; because knowing the aftermath to come, I was like 'ahhh, why can't it just stay this way?' I'm so very excited for the Satine episodes; I recently rewatched them 'cause they're coming up soon, and I got excited all over again! Because Elara and Satine together in the same space as Obi-Wan? With the two of them probably still a little ticked with him? That makes for some goood shit. I am so, so glad that you've enjoyed Balance so much! I have such a blast writing it. And I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
camelotprincess1: The last chapter was PEAK Regency angst-pining. I figured that Obi-Wan, after realizing that he kiiiiinda broke the code would result in him feeling like an imposter. He's a very self-assured man, but there's a vulnerability to him that he tries to hide away. That was rubbed raw on Ryloth, that he can feel begging to be bared (to Elara)... that he's desperately fighting against. Obi-Wan returning to the precepts as a last ditch effort… little does he know that's not gonna work. Or maybe he knows that it won't… he's just searching for the comfort of it. And Elara is absolutely reeling after that kiss––her first kiss, the kiss that wasn't supposed to happen. And she's desperately trying to find her footing so she can figure out how to go about addressing it. Any time I can find a moment for Elara and Ani to have a quiet moment, I will seize it. Because they're gonna go through so much hell that they deserve the quiet little moments. And a talk between Obi-Wan and Elara is nigh… and what an interesting conversation it's going to be. And Elara's going to be finding ways to exercise her connection with the Force! Gotta be ready for the future… whatever it may hold. I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
Shadow Wolf 15846: A resolution creeps ever closer… a talk is nigh… a COUPLE talks are nigh… And I'm glad you enjoyed the kiss! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again!
MalirBly: Thank you so much! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
RJNorth: I think it's important to get a little reprieve from the angst and anxiety; even if it's fleeting. And, oh, Elara would so much have rather been out fighting than left alone with her thoughts. But the rest did her good––'cause she needed it. She really, really needed it. And I kept the Windu and Yoda stuff in here! It was an interesting POV to start out with… I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again, and may the Force be with you!
Elizabeth: Hi! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the last two chapters! I will say, it was at times a sweet, sweet torture to wait for that kiss to happen. There were so many times where I was like 'am I waiting too long?' And then when I wrote it, I knew that I'd done the right thing. 'Cause it just worked out so well! I didn't want to rush them into it, especially because they're Jedi, especially because it's Obi-Wan. I'm incredibly flattered that you love this romance so much! I'm also very, very happy you enjoyed that quote. I was very happy with it once I wrote it and was like 'yes… yes, this is here now and I love it.' I thought it was a nice descriptor of Obi-Wan's state of mind in that moment. (also, the thought of that being a tattoo, imaginary or otherwise, made my heart soar!) Thank you so much for your lovely review, it's great to hear from you! I hope you enjoyed the chapter; thanks again, and may the Force be with you!
And thank you to those that added this to their follows/favorites; thanks again!
Up next the Holocron Heist arc continues! Obi-Wan and Elara will be forced to go on the hunt for Cad Bane across the seedier parts of Coruscant… let's see how that goes for 'em!
Thank you all, again, for your lovely reviews and your never ending support! Y'all rock!
~Mary
