Chapter 8
Obi-Wan stood in the Petranaki Arena, bound to a pole, and asked himself how he had landed in this situation again. He was still trying to get a grip on his emotional turmoil. At least, now that he had the Force back, he could see clearly that this wasn't a simple repetition of his former life. The setting was different. Above of him, on the gallery stood Komari Vosa, and beside her sat Qui-Gon – Qui-Gon, who had been dead the last time Obi-Wan had been on Geonosis – Qui-Gon, who always was his anchor in the here and now.
His former Master seemed to be free of Force-suppressants but was still bound with stun cuffs. He shot Obi-Wan a concerned look when the young man didn't react to his attempts to communicate over their bond. However, Obi-Wan was still reeling from the intense flashback he had lived through moments ago and couldn't muster the energy to accomplish any mind-communication just yet.
Suddenly Obi-Wan's head shot around to the entrance when he felt a presence that definitely shouldn't be there. A cart with two figures on it was wheeled into the arena. 'Anakin,' Obi-Wan thought with exasperation. At least Padmé wasn't here, but his former Padawan had brought another surprise instead. Obi-Wan watched with shock in his eyes how the young man and his Togruta companion were led to the posts beside him and bound to them. Ahsoka? How did she end up here?
"I was beginning to wonder if you already arrived," Obi-Wan said to Anakin, who was led to the pole next to him, his arms rudely pulled up by the Geonosian guards.
"Master Windu sent us down here to get a sense of the terrain. When we approached the droid factory, I felt your distress. Then we decided to come and rescue you," Anakin replied with a flicker of embarrassment.
'Too similar. . . .' Obi-Wan's inner alarm bells began to ring. Mace and the Clones should be with the Padawans. Where were they?
"I might have defied Master Windu's order and rushed into this without thinking it over," Anakin sent over their bond with a subdued expression, and Obi-Wan cringed at the sudden intrusion. He really was not ready for mind speech yet. His head began to ache, and he took a deep breath, seeing Anakin's horrified look at his reaction.
His eyes moved up to his shackles, and sarcastically he said, "Good job!" He regretted it instantly when he saw his former Padawan practically shrinking on the spot at the flippant comment.
Before he could soften his reply, Dooku moved onto the gallery with Nute Gunray and Poggle, the Geonosian leader, following him. Poggle ordered the guards to open the gates, and Obi-Wan winced when he was face to face with an acklay, a giant spider-like animal, again. He centered himself in the present, carefully avoiding to let the memories overwhelm him again when he heard Anakin say, "I've got a bad feeling about this!"
Remembering his duty as the young man's former Master, Obi-Wan looked at him, with all of his belief in Anakin's abilities written on his face. "Just relax, concentrate!"
"What about Ahsoka?" the Padawan asked with real fear in his gaze.
Obi-Wan couldn't suppress a smile when he saw that the Togruta girl had already managed to work one hand free of her shackles and was currently climbing up the pole. "She seems to be on top of things," he said and pushed back the wave of memories. 'This seems similar, but it's not,' he repeated in his mind like a mantra and waited for the acklay to attack him. Like the last time, the acklay was provoked by the Geonosian guards and began to strike at him with its legs, severing the chain but keeping his hands still shackled. He dodged the fast blows from the animal and tried to remember how this had played out the last time. If he had to cope with permanent flashbacks, he might as well use them to get out of here again.
When Anakin jolted himself into the air in a roll and landed on the massive reek that was assaulting him, Obi-Wan had to fight the sudden feeling of displacement again. 'I need to stay in the present,' he admonished himself, and at that moment, he stumbled and fell to the ground, giving the acklay the chance to toss the massive pole down on him. He struggled to move away and cursed himself for the moment of distraction. He had to get a grip on this. His attempt to fight against the flashback obviously didn't work, so he let the memories just flood in and decided that surviving was more important than assuring himself that this was another life.
Ahsoka had succeeded in crushing the nexus that tried to attack her onto the pole. Searching for a way down, she looked around, with her hands now free of the shackles. Meanwhile, Anakin was roughly pulled through the sand by the reek that had unseated him. Obi-Wan had confidence that Anakin would manage to free himself and that he and Ahsoka would be okay. It was time Obi-Wan dealt with the annoying acklay. He looked around and decided he needed a weapon. When a guard crossed his path, the young General tossed the Geonosian to the ground, and with a wave of his arm, the guard's spear landed in Obi-Wan's hand. The acklay didn't bother with the obstacle on the floor and just stepped onto the guard while being focused on its price, which was Obi-Wan.
He stabbed the animal with the spear but realized immediately that this hadn't worked the last time, and as if confirming his thoughts, the acklay grabbed the weapon with its mouth and just bit it through. Obi-Wan frowned, slowly running out of tricks but decided that running would be the better option.
In his haze, he heard Anakin shout "Jump!" to Ahsoka and knew that his former Padawan must have succeeded in taming the reek. The next moment, they were beside him, and he could escape the acklay by hopping onto the animal, too. With a brief sigh, he let the adrenaline pass through him and gave Ahsoka's shoulder a squeeze, assuring himself that she was all right. She was way too young for this, but she proved to be more than capable. He hadn't expected anything less from her.
After a moment, Obi-Wan's gaze shifted up, focusing on Dooku, and he narrowed his eyes when he noticed his Sith friend repeatedly stroking over his breast while Nute Gunray was permanently shouting at him. Realizing what Dooku was trying to tell him, Obi-Wan called to Anakin, "Try to get us near the gallery!"
Anakin obeyed on instinct because he had done so for years, and when they were at a distance Obi-Wan could work with, he closed his eyes and reached out with the Force. He called the three lightsabers which Dooku had stashed in his coat toward him and briefly noticed the shocked gaze of Komari Vosa before freeing Anakin and Ahsoka from the shackles. He gave Ahsoka her weapon and wondered where Anakin's was. Then he decided that the Padawan had to use Qui-Gon's instead. Free and armed, they sighed when droidekas rolled into the arena and surrounded them.
Obi-Wan felt Anakin move and said, "Wait for it!" preventing both Padawans from springing into action. He closed his eyes and just hoped that this worked, and as if Mace Windu had heard his call, gunships were suddenly descending from the sky.
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan heard Mace Windu yell, and the young man swallowed at the severe tone of his Master.
"Go!" Obi-Wan commanded, and the two Padawans followed him jumping down, their lightsaber igniting the moment they landed on the sand. Mace Windu ran over to them, and without needing a command, the 501st under their Captain formed a perimeter around them, fighting off the droids.
"Where is Qui-Gon?" Mace asked with concern when he placed himself back to back with Obi-Wan. The young man moved his head upward, and Mace followed his gaze. "Oh," he let out and then used the Force to jump onto the gallery. "This party's over!" he said firmly and engaged Komari Vosa in a fight, giving Dooku a nod. However, the former Jedi could still not free Qui-Gon because Nute Gunray was eying him with suspicion.
It didn't take long for Komari to use Mace's unstable hold on the gallery balustrade and push him back down. With a glare, he watched as the Sith pulled Qui-Gon up and took a few steps back.
"We will get him later," Obi-Wan tried to reassure the Korun-Master, and they both focused on fighting the battle droids, who attempted to advance on them.
The reek, meanwhile, was attacking the troops, and Ahsoka jumped over to help them. However, she didn't have to bother because the Clone Captain calmly took out his blaster and shot the animal in the head with precise aim. The acklay was another matter, though, and Obi-Wan ran toward the soldiers struggling with it. He cut off two of its legs with an almost sinister look and finished it with a stab of his saber into the back. He had to admit that killing it a second time gave him the worst kind of satisfaction.
'This battle is different,' he assured himself when he saw that they could deal with the droids better than the last time. There were no Jedi here, who could die in the hundreds, and the Clones had arrived much sooner. The only problem was that merely two battalions had been available. But he was sure they would at least get them off this planet because there also were fewer droids.
Anakin had taken the cart from the dead guard and was driving around the circle of droids, fighting with the vigor Obi-Wan expected of him. Mace was dealing blow after blow as if he was used to fighting droids, and Ahsoka was valiantly fighting and at the same time warning the Clone soldiers whenever they were in danger. 'But this isn't enough,' Obi-Wan thought, knowing that the Separatists had reinforcements.
As if Dooku had shared his thoughts, the Sith ordered the droids to cease their shooting, assuming that the Republic forces were about to lose. But Obi-Wan knew that the 212th was still out there and should arrive soon.
"Master Windu," Dooku shouted. "You fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the archives of the Jedi Order. Now it is finished."
Obi-Wan glared at him, and suddenly his perception shifted again. Dooku was their enemy, was he not? And what was the apparition of Qui-Gon's Force ghost doing up there? Was he trying to tell him something? He breathed against the headache, which began to build up, and released his trepidation into the Force. Able to fight off the flashback again, he realized that this was not the battle he knew. 'Qui-Gon is alive,' he reassured himself and grounded his presence in the here and now.
"Surrender, and your lives will be spared," Dooku continued, and Obi-Wan shook himself at the words. Distinguishing his past from the present was becoming exhausting, and hearing quotes from another life didn't help.
"We will not be hostages to be bartered, Dooku," Mace yelled, and Obi-Wan shifted into an attack position, knowing that Dooku would give the order to shoot.
"Then I'm sorry old friend," Dooku said with a sad expression, and the droids moved into position.
Before the fighting resumed, though, they heard Ahsoka exclaim, "Look!" and finally, more gunships flew over them and began to open fire on the droids while Mace pushed Obi-Wan onto one of the shuttles. Anakin and Ahsoka followed them, and they lifted up into the sky. When they had left the arena behind, their views were opened to the extent of the battlefield, and Obi-Wan's heart clenched. This was a far cry from the all-out war that had started here in his former life, but there were still more droids than he had ever wished to see again.
Mace was concerned. They were in the middle of a battle, and Obi-Wan was regularly spacing out. The young man looked down at the planet and seemed frozen in shock. He must have seen this before. And. . . he had been prepared. What was happening to him? The Korun-Master drew his gaze away from Obi-Wan and decided that other things were more important. He could get to the bottom of this later.
"We need to find Qui-Gon!" Mace called to the Commander, and CC-2224 nodded, activating the scanner.
Mace looked over the massive force the Separatists had amassed and said, "We do not have the firepower to win this battle. We need to make an escape but not without Qui-Gon!"
"He will be with Dooku and Komari Vosa, Master!" Anakin called out, and Mace saw Obi-Wan giving Anakin a look that seemed to doubt the Padawan's sanity.
Then the General closed his eyes briefly, and Mace felt him releasing his emotions into the Force. A moment later, Obi-Wan's gaze shifted forward, and he was his usual self again. He shouted, "Look over there!"
"It's Dooku!" Anakin exclaimed. "Follow him!"
Mace narrowed his eyes and gave Obi-Wan a piercing glance. Was he having a flashback? He hadn't once struggled with those during the Naboo mission. He always seemed to be capable of separating the here and now from his past. The Korun-Master shook himself out of his thoughts when they were attacked by Dooku's fighters, and the gunship swerved.
Then he heard Ahsoka cry out. The girl stumbled and fell off the ship, and Anakin moved to the side shouting, "Ahsoka!" The Padawan turned to the pilot and called, "Put the ship down!"
Before Obi-Wan could rush to Anakin's side, Mace stopped him. Anakin was his Padawan, and he somehow knew that Obi-Wan needed the reassurance that things were different. Sternly he addressed the young man. "Anakin, Qui-Gon is still their prisoner. We have to free him first." His voice seemed to settle Anakin's fear instantly, and he gave his Master a complying nod while Obi-Wan staggered a bit, and Mace reached out to him, holding his upper arm in a firm grip. "What's going on with you?" he asked with exasperation.
The young General rubbed his face and gave the Korun-Master an embarrassed look. "Just struggling with things repeating themselves, Mace," he explained. "It's worse than ever before, but I can cope. I promise you!"
They really were flashbacks, and they came at the most inopportune time, Mace thought. He was well aware that he wouldn't be able to fight Dooku and Komari Vosa without Obi-Wan's help. Before he could react, Anakin moved to his former Master's side and placed his arm around the now kneeling man. He squeezed his frame toward himself and said softly, "Master, you can do this. We will need your help to free Qui-Gon."
"I know Anakin. . . . I just have to. . . . It's difficult to stay in the present right now." Obi-Wan stuttered.
"But we did this multiple times," Anakin replied, and Mace wondered how often this had happened while they had been on missions. Anakin knew too well how to deal with this to not that have any prior experience. "You just have to concentrate on me, Master," Anakin continued his efforts.
Despite being on a gunship racing after Dooku and his entourage, Mace suddenly felt peaceful, and he knew that Anakin was filling the Force around them with his Light. He swallowed at the power that was palpable in the Force. Sometimes he almost forgot that his Padawan was supposed to be the Chosen One, but in moments like this, it was so evident that he asked himself how the Jedi Order in Obi-Wan's former life had ever doubted it.
Anakin's actions had an immediate effect on Obi-Wan, who looked up at his former Padawan with wonder. Then a blush formed on his face, and he turned to Mace. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.
"You are so going to see a soul healer when this is finished," Mace grumbled and pulled the General up from the floor. "Are you up to a lightsaber duel?" he asked. "Or are you still feeling displaced?" If Obi-Wan wasn't sure where, or better when he was, there was no way he would rely on him in a battle.
"I haven't lost it completely, Mace," Obi-Wan assured him. "I can still see the truth, even if it's slightly mixed up with former experiences."
The Korun-Master gave him an accepting nod. If Obi-Wan told them he was up to confronting two Sith Lords, there was no reason to doubt it. But when he looked at Anakin, he couldn't fight the feeling that his Padawan was not so sure.
When they arrived at the hangar where Dooku and Komari Vosa tried to board their ship, Anakin threw another inquiring glance at his former Master. It hadn't surprised him that Obi-Wan was struggling with flashbacks. All of his had to be disconcerting, and he had experienced a few flashbacks before on missions. Obi-Wan had consistently downplayed them, and it had never been as bad as it seemed to be now. But with everything going on, no one could blame the former Jedi for struggling with them. Anakin had never believed that the flashbacks had happened because of Sidious and his mind occupation as Obi-Wan had often claimed. It was only natural that his former Master would sometimes be caught between his two lives, and Tahl had warned them multiple times that such things were bound to happen. He just hoped that Obi-Wan would be focused enough to function now that they were about to fight two Sith.
Anakin wasn't sure about Dooku's allegiances. It was apparent that the Sith was trying to make a name for himself in the Separatist Alliance, which practically forced him into a battle with them when they wanted to free Qui-Gon. He just prayed that Dooku wouldn't use his full potential because he vividly remembered what that could mean from Obi-Wan's dreams. He gave Master Windu an insecure look, not quite sure how to handle the situation and the Korun-Master, understanding without words, patted him on his back encouragingly. "We have to assume that Dooku turned, Padawan. And even if he didn't, it wouldn't help our cause if Komari Vosa learned of his true allegiance."
They had to expect a fierce fight then, Anakin concluded and assured himself that Qui-Gon's lightsaber was still clipped to his belt.
Obi-Wan gave them a nod and added, "I am sure that Dooku is on our side, but his position is still fragile. We have to treat him like the Sith he actually is. He can't help us free Qui-Gon."
Anakin was relieved to hear the steadiness in his former Master's voice. He seemed to have dealt with the flashbacks for now. Instinctively, he moved a bit toward him, and Mace smiled slightly. Fortunately, his current Master wasn't struggling with his authority. Mace Windu hadn't begrudged Anakin once when the young man had sought out Obi-Wan instead of him. And at the moment, Anakin felt that his support was crucial for his former Master.
Obi-Wan, noticing what Anakin was doing, gave the Padawan a grateful smile, and the sincerity behind it made the young man cringe. His former Master was struggling, but as always, the situation demanded him to remain balanced, leaving no room for him to just sit down and sort himself out. He could smoothly maintain the outer appearance of the General, but Anakin asked himself how Obi-Wan would fare in a lightsaber duel that was far too similar to one he had already lived through.
Mace gestured with his head when they reached a corner, indicating that Komari and Dooku were behind that wall. "I am going to free Qui-Gon," he whispered to Obi-Wan, and the General gave him an accepting nod. Anakin swallowed against his sudden unease. That left Dooku to him and his former Master, which wouldn't make the situation any easier. But it made sense because Obi-Wan was the one who still trusted Dooku, and if they didn't want to kill the Sith, they had to treat cautiously.
"We have to get to Coruscant fast, Tyranus!" They heard Komari shouting commands at the other Sith, and Anakin couldn't help wondering how the proud Master was coping with his former apprentice playing the boss here.
"They have already found us, Komari," Dooku grumbled. "Do you think Kenobi is an idiot?"
"Well said," Obi-Wan called out when he turned around the corner, Anakin on his trail.
Komari's gaze turned toward them, and she chuckled. "And you think you can beat us with the help of your little Padawan, whom you abandoned years ago? I don't think so!" Without awaiting a response, she drew her lightsaber and sprang forward.
Obi-Wan gave her a smile and said, "I see you are learning, Komari. There wasn't even any idle talk this time. . . ." He simply held up his blade and shielded Anakin and him from her attack with ease. "But your abilities with a lightsaber haven't improved that much." He held up his free hand and pushed.
She cringed at the Force wave that threw her of balance. "What are you waiting for?" she yelled at Dooku, and the other Sith ignited his blade.
"You can't defeat us both, General Kenobi," he said with a disdainful voice.
"But with me, he can," Mace Windu stepped out from behind the wall and walked over to Komari, who had collected herself and was about to attack again.
Meanwhile, Qui-Gon seemed to have dealt with his bindings and descended from the ship. However, Anakin still had his lightsaber, and he was forced to watch.
Anakin and Obi-Wan slowly circled Dooku, and the Padawan shot out first, trying to breach the Sith's defense, but the older man just pushed him back with the Force. The moment of distraction had allowed Obi-Wan to jump forward and charge his adversary from the side. Their blades clashed together, and both were thrown back a few steps at the power behind it.
Having returned to the fight, Anakin launched himself forward but was met with Force-Lightning from the Sith, which he easily deflected with his lightsaber, but it slowed him down. He looked toward Obi-Wan and saw a haunted look in his eyes. 'He can't have a flashback now,' Anakin pleaded with the Force.
Under the endless onslaught of Lightning, Obi-Wan moved forward, catching it with his blade. But Dooku wasn't a Sith for nothing, and when his eyes turned into the distinctive yellow color, his Lightning attack intensified, making it impossible to dodge it. When the first stroke went directly toward Obi-Wan's unprotected side, the young General suddenly put up his hand and caught the blow, forming a knot of energy in his hand. Anakin's eyes widened, and he felt Qui-Gon's shock at seeing it. The Lightning's color slowly changed from cold silver into warm gold, and Anakin swallowed against the lump forming in his throat.
Dooku was frozen in place, unable to act and Obi-Wan closed his eyes, beginning to murmur. That seemed to spur the Sith into action. His gaze desperate, he held up his blade, preparing for the counterattack. But whatever he had expected wasn't coming as the strands of Light began to move from Obi-Wan's hand toward him. They whirled in a pattern around the Sith, and he cried out, "No!" just to be cut off when the strands had built up into bindings which entwined themselves around Dooku, rendering him immobile.
Obi-Wan let go of the energy he had gathered around himself, and he knelt down with a relieved sigh, his head hanging down.
Komari had stopped in her tracks at Kenobi's move, and when she noticed that the Jedi were also frozen in shock, she hurried up the ramp, closing it behind her. Before Mace was able to prevent it, the shuttle took off.
But no one in the hangar could look after it. Their gazes were all fixed on the young General who had just done the impossible. Anakin was the first to act, and he rushed over to his former Master, placing a hand on his shoulder, sending soothing energy into his body. Obi-Wan was panting heavily from his exhaustion, but he seemed to be all right. Anakin even felt him being more grounded in the present than before, and he let out a relieved breath. What Obi-Wan had done was something they had to discuss if he interpreted the still petrified expressions on Master Windu's and Qui-Gon's faces correctly, but the flashbacks seemed to be dealt with for now.
Ahsoka liked the Captain of the 501st very much, even if he had claimed that his name was CT-7567, which was ridiculous. These soldiers needed names and soon, but it wasn't her place to say so. She just hoped that General Kenobi would agree with her on this. The Captain found her when she was trying to get back to the troops after falling from the gunship. Now they were sitting in the star destroyer's command center, where Master Koon had been during the battle. Ahsoka was still waiting for her Master to scold her for her actions. But for the moment, the relief of having her back seemed to outweigh his annoyance.
The Clone Captain was looking toward the entrance repeatedly, and Ahsoka felt his anxiety in the Force. She gave him a worried glance and said, "General Kenobi just needs some rest." She had felt the disturbance in the Force when she had arrived at the hangar with the Captain. But he shouldn't have been bothered that much by it because he wasn't even Force-sensitive. Something had happened there, something out of the ordinary. The weird bindings around Dooku's body were proof enough of that. She had never seen anything like it.
Mace Windu had ordered them all to retreat and had pushed General Kenobi, Master Jinn, Anakin, and her onto the gunship with the Captain. He had commanded her to watch their prisoner and had left with the other ship to oversee the troops' withdrawal.
Kenobi seemed exhausted, and he had barely been able to mount the gunship. Anakin was attached to his side, preventing Master Jinn from asking any questions. It just told Ahsoka that the General must have been the one who had created the bindings Dooku was held with. She had heard rumors that Kenobi was an exceptionally powerful Jedi once, but she couldn't imagine how someone could accomplish something like that.
Anakin, Kenobi, and Master Jinn had walked with them to the command center, the Master levitating Dooku in front of them. When Master Koon saw how tired Kenobi was, he had ordered them to the officers' quarters, claiming that he still had to collect all the soldiers who were currently returning to the Resolute. Two Clones had brought Dooku into the detention center, and Ahsoka and the Captain were left with nothing to do.
CT-7567 rubbed his face and gave the Togruta girl an incredulous look. "Did you see that?" he asked. "We've been taught on Kamino what the Jedi were able to do, and I have expected some surprises. But that. . . ."
"It's not something the Jedi can normally do," she tried to ease his concern.
"What does that mean?" he asked, his voice even more worried. "That the High General of the Republic is even more powerful than a Jedi?"
She swallowed and thought about a suitable response when Master Koon approached them. "All the soldiers are back," he informed them. "The Commander of the 212th will take over when he arrives." His hidden eyes fixed on the Captain, and he said with a calm voice, "General Kenobi is a former Jedi. You have to expect him to behave like one and. . . . he always was especially strong in the Force. I have to admit that I've never seen bindings like the ones Dooku was brought in with, but I am not surprised that Kenobi can do things we can't. To answer your question, Captain: he is not more powerful than any Jedi, but his unique position allowed him to study things the Jedi Order forgot a long time ago."
It seemed to be enough of an explanation for the Clone, and he stood up. "I am going to see if Co. . . uhm CC-2224 needs some help then." With a short bow toward the Jedi Master, he left.
Ahsoka gave Master Koon an inquiring look. "Things the Jedi have forgotten? Sounds like dabbling in the Dark Side to me," she said.
"Little, 'Soka," Plo Koon answered and pulled her up from her sitting position. "You will learn that there are many things between Light and Dark we Jedi do not understand. Master Kenobi always had a knack for the more unorthodox methods. And. . . . I didn't feel any Darkness except the one emanating from Dooku."
She closed her eyes in concentration, trying to recall the feeling in the Force when she had entered the hangar, but she couldn't see clearly. She sighed with acceptance. If her Master told her that there was no Darkness, then it had to be true.
"Now, my Padawan, let's talk about you defying a strict order, instead," Plo Koon said after a while, and Ahsoka looked to the floor uncomfortably. She had known that this would come. He had every right to scold her, and she would take the punishment gladly. She was just happy to still be alive.
Obi-Wan was sitting on the bunk in the officers' quarters, his legs drawn up and his head leaning back on the wall while Qui-Gon and Anakin were making tea. It had been apparent that the young General wouldn't follow their advice to get some sleep, but it seemed helpful to just leave him be for the moment. Qui-Gon knew that throwing any kind of Force-Lightning was exhausting even more so if doing what Obi-Wan seemed to have done. He was a bit worried that the move had been learned from the young man's Sith Magic studies, but he didn't want to approach the subject yet. Mace would do so anyway the moment he had an opportunity.
Obi-Wan shook himself out of the utterly still posture the moment Qui-Gon handed him a cup with tea and gave his former Master a grateful smile. Anakin had opted for a glass of java juice and sat down at the small table in the quarters, his gaze fixed on Obi-Wan. "How are you feeling, Master?" he asked, and Qui-Gon smiled. When Anakin was worried about Obi-Wan, he always went back to addressing him as Master, and it just showed how close they had been. To care for his former Master was second nature for Anakin, and no matter how long they were separated, his concern had never lessened.
"I'm much better, Anakin," Obi-Wan replied softly, apparently thinking the same thing as Qui-Gon. His eyes shimmered warmly, and his gratefulness at Anakin's actions radiated in the Force.
However, Qui-Gon narrowed his eyes when he felt nothing aside from that. Obi-Wan should be agitated after what he'd done, or he should at least be worried about how to explain his actions to Mace. But there was nothing. The young man was emotionally so exhausted that the only thing he felt from him was indifference. Qui-Gon didn't voice his thoughts, deciding that giving Obi-Wan a pause was justified after what had happened.
But Anakin wasn't as diplomatic. "Are you sure? I can't feel anything from you. That's. . . . uhm. . . . weird."
Obi-Wan couldn't fight a chuckle at the Padawan's words. "Haven't you felt enough already, Anakin? It must have been tiring to sense my struggle earlier."
Anakin made a dismissive gesture with his hand and replied, "While it was worse than what I am used to, it wasn't that bad." He bit his lip when he realized what he had said, and Obi-Wan heaved a deep sigh.
Qui-Gon's eyes widened, and he turned to Obi-Wan. "What? You've already had flashbacks before?" When Obi-Wan looked at his teacup uncomfortably, he shook his head with exasperation. "How many times has Tahl asked you if that were the case? You always denied it. We could have helped you much sooner. . . ."
"You think so?" Obi-Wan shrugged. "With a soul healer, who would have rummaged around in my memories, talking them through with me?"
"It's a valid method to treat posttraumatic stress symptoms. And flashbacks are only one part of it. However, they are one of the more dangerous things that can happen. You've seen so yourself. What would have happened if you had been lost in your memories. Would you have been able to stop yourself from killing Dooku?" the Jedi Master asked with a scolding look.
"No, I wouldn't have been," Obi-Wan replied flatly. "That's why I did what I did. You should trust me enough to know that I wouldn't have gone into that fight if I hadn't known that I had a plan B."
Qui-Gon didn't like Obi-Wan's emotionless voice. This subject would typically lead to an actual argument with raised voices. However, Obi-Wan was just pushing his feelings away. He had to talk to Tahl to check if that was also a symptom he hadn't noticed before. "Well, good luck in explaining your plan B to Mace. . . ." he said, trying to provoke a reaction.
The young man shrugged again and just said, "I am no longer part of the Jedi Order, which makes me independent enough to decide what I do without having to justify myself."
Realizing that his former Padawan wouldn't rise to the challenge, Qui-Gon sighed and focused on his tea instead. Anakin shared a glance with him, and Qui-Gon knew that the Padawan was concerned, too.
After some time, the ship entered into hyperspace, which was somehow the signal for Obi-Wan to push himself up. "Let's go see our prisoner then. I imagine he won't be happy with the situation."
Qui-Gon opened his mouth to protest, but a look at the General told him it would be useless, so he followed Obi-Wan to the detention center, Anakin walking behind them deep in thoughts.
When they entered the prison cell, Qui-Gon had to suppress his horror at seeing Dooku still bound, lying on the floor, not able to even move his head to greet them. What Obi-Wan had done was something he had never seen before, and he was unsettled when thinking what that meant not only for his former Padawan but for the Jedi who should know what this was.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes and reached out with his hand, gently freeing Dooku, who gave him a glare and slowly picked himself up from the floor.
"I didn't teach you that so that you can use it against me in a fight," Dooku said through gritted teeth when he had moved onto the bunk in the cell.
Obi-Wan shrugged indifferently, which made Qui-Gon wince. As glad as he was that Obi-Wan seemed to have overcome his flashbacks, he didn't like the lack of emotion his former Padawan was displaying. He could deal with Obi-Wan being agitated and tense because he knew what the young man was going through. He could not deal with Obi-Wan being clinical and calculating.
"It was the only way to defeat you without doing you any harm," Obi-Wan said flatly. "I was having the worst kind of flashback when you turned your Force-Lightning on Anakin, and I don't think you would have survived a fight if I had continued while assuming you are my enemy."
Dooku swallowed thickly and gave the young man an accepting nod which surprised Qui-Gon. His former Master didn't admit to being inferior in a lightsaber duel lightly. He gave the Sith an incredulous glance, and his former Master shifted uncomfortably. "Obi-Wan beat me often enough. . . ." he said softly.
"When?" Qui-Gon asked, and his gaze turned on Obi-Wan.
The young man gave his former Master an unreadable look and said, "Now is hardly the time to exchange stories. Let's talk about what happened on Geonosis. Did Komari believe you?"
"Well, she seemed to have been ordered to do so. However, she gave me conditions. . . ." the Sith shook his head. "But she also gave me valuable information."
"About this Darth Ianus, you were talking about?" Qui-Gon inquired, his gaze not leaving his former Padawan, who frowned at his question.
Dooku nodded and rubbed his face. "He must be someone high up the food chain. She was not stopping to babble on and on about his influence on the Senate. I mean, we all know that Bail Organa couldn't possibly be a Sith, don't we?"
"We do," Obi-Wan said firmly before anyone could doubt Bail's integrity. "But I stand by what I said. If there really were a Sith in Bail's entourage, I would have sensed him."
"Like you detected Sidious?" Dooku asked with raised eyebrows. Qui-Gon noticed with satisfaction that Obi-Wan's tone of voice seemed to grate on his former Master's senses, too.
Obi-Wan gave him a glare and rubbed his chin thoughtfully when Anakin stepped in, "Are you sure she didn't lie?"
Dooku seemed to consider the possibility, but after a moment, he said, "Yes, I am. I know Komari well enough to spot a lie. She was reluctant to tell me, but this Darth Ianus must have forced her to do so. She was just playing his game. But she really went out of her way to defend him when I tried to provoke her."
"It doesn't mean that he really is close to the Chancellor," Obi-Wan insisted.
"Yeah, Obi-Wan, denying it will help tremendously," Dooku shot back and straightened himself. "I know that Organa is your friend, but we always assumed that this Sith would try to gain political influence sometime. He had to follow in Sidious' footsteps. He must be a known quantity in the Senate."
The General nodded and crossed his arms in front of his chests. "I swore that I will take your information seriously this time. You told me about Sidious in my former life, and I discarded it as a plot to sow discord. While that could still be the case, I promise you to investigate it."
"Our conversation. . . ." Dooku hesitated to voice his question.
"Played out much the same as in my former life. That and the Force-suppressant threw me deeply into a flashback," Obi-Wan shared willingly, but his account was free of emotion. "It took me some time to get over it, and you assaulting Anakin much the same way as you have done in my former life sent me back into my state of confusion. If I had fought you with my lightsaber, I would have killed you, Dooku."
Slowly Qui-Gon began to understand his former Padawan's current state of indifference. He must have shut off his emotions because he couldn't be sure if the flashback was truly over. He didn't trust himself.
Dooku swallowed thickly, having spotted the hidden message in Obi-Wan's words, too. If he had continued to use his lightsaber, he would have turned. Because killing Dooku would not have been necessary to beat him. The older man had been prepared to surrender to them. Killing him would have been a result of Obi-Wan's anger. . . .
The Sith rubbed his face with exhaustion and said, "You really should reconsider your attitude toward consulting a soul healer, Obi-Wan. This war will bring up the worst memories. You have to brace yourself for it."
Qui-Gon saw the flicker of annoyance in the General's eyes and was relieved to feel it over their bond. It was the first sign of a genuine emotion ever since they had come back from Geonosis.
"I am going to talk with Master Windu, how to stage a possibility for you to escape," the young man said after a while.
Dooku looked up and gave the man a grateful nod. Then he cleared his throat before Obi-Wan could leave. "Komari gave me conditions, and I will need your help to meet them if we want to keep up pretenses."
Obi-Wan lifted his eyebrows inquisitively, and the Sith explained, "Darth Ianus wants the Holocron."
Qui-Gon hissed in a breath. "You can't possibly think. . . ."
He was interrupted before he could voice his outrage when Obi-Wan said, "We will see what we can do with this request. I am sure we will find a solution. You surely told her that you would need some time."
Dooku nodded. "I did. But I have to report on some progress. . . ."
"I am aware," Obi-Wan replied. "Let me think about it." With that, he turned around and left Anakin and Qui-Gon alone with the Sith prisoner.
Obi-Wan staggered a bit when making his way back to the officers' quarters and held on to the Resolute's walls to keep himself upright. Force-Lightning always depleted his energy reserves, and he needed to rest. It hadn't helped that he had used it after having fought against the flashback. He took a deep breath and tried to center himself when he suddenly was pulled upright by a steady arm.
"General," the man said with worry in his voice. "Are you all right?"
He looked up and had to fight against a gasp when he saw Cody standing there, keeping him stable, as the Clone had done so many times before. 'Not another flashback,' was his only thought when his legs gave out under him.
He came to a few moments later, or at least that was his assumption because they were still in the hallway at the same place. He was leaning against the wall, and Cody was checking his pulse. He instantly scolded himself. He shouldn't think about the man as Cody. This was CC-2224, his Commander who had been Cody in another life.
"Are you back with me?" the Clone asked and patted his shoulder. "Your heart rate is steady. I don't think that anything is wrong besides you being really exhausted."
Obi-Wan gave him a faint nod and struggled to stand up. "I am sorry, Commander," he said. "But I think I am going to need your help to return to the officers' quarters."
The other man heaved him up and placed his arm around his waist to stabilize him. Obi-Wan closed his eyes briefly at the familiar gesture. Then they made their way back slowly.
When Obi-Wan tried to enter the quarters he had been in before, CC-2224 shook his head and pointed to another door. "These are your quarters, Sir," he stated and led Obi-Wan into them. He sat him down on the bunk and hurried to give the former Jedi a glass of water. "Let me see if I can find something to eat," he said and disappeared into the small kitchen, which was behind one of the doors, as far as Obi-Wan remembered.
The General sipped at his water and tried to get a grip on the sudden influx of emotions. Shutting them out had worked perfectly until Cody, no CC-2224, had found him. This encounter had been so familiar that it had ended his indifference instantly. His eyes filled with tears when he thought about the faithful Commander who had cared for him so often after a battle. He had not only been a fellow soldier to Obi-Wan but a precious friend – a friend who had been forced to shoot him in the end.
The Clone returned and gave Obi-Wan a ration bar which the General took and opened, not arguing against it. He knew that putting up resistance would be futile anyway. Co. . . CC-2224 would insist. The soldier sat down on the chair at the small table situated across from the bunk and watched him eat the whole bar. He said, "I am going to fetch you proper food in a moment, Sir. But I think this will help for the time being."
"You are not my babysitter, Commander," Obi-Wan said with a wan smile. But if he was honest, he enjoyed this moment of reminiscence. It was reassuring that the people in this life showed the same character traits as those in his former life.
CC-2224 snorted at his comment. "We are in hyperspace, Sir. I do not have any duties to perform at the moment. What would be more important than making sure that our General is all right?"
'Our General,' Obi-Wan thought wistfully and gave the Commander a grateful smile.
"Do you want to take some rest, Sir?" the Clone asked after a while, but Obi-Wan shook his head.
"I'd really like to talk to you for a moment, Commander, if it's not an imposition."
The soldier inclined his head and leaned back a bit. "May I ask you a question then, Sir?" he said after a moment, his voice hesitant.
Obi-Wan looked up, sensing an unusual amount of emotion from the Commander, and gave him a silent nod.
"Master Windu informed us that we are free to leave if we want," the Clone said with puzzlement in his voice. "He also explained that this was thanks to an amendment to the Military Creation Act that gave us civil rights within the Republic. He. . . uhm. . . he said it was you who insisted on this amendment. . . ."
Obi-Wan looked at the other man and waited for the question. However, CC-2224 was sitting there, his gaze lost. Then the Clone shook himself and continued, "My brothers and I, we were surprised that you would do this. We could have laid down our weapons, and you would have lost your army. It doesn't seem logical to me because the Republic needs this army, and we were made for it. . . ."
"You shouldn't have been made for it," Obi-Wan replied with a thick voice. "It's an abomination to give life to human beings and not leave them a choice. It would reduce you to being slaves of the Republic, and that's not what we stand for."
"But why wasn't this considered when the production started?" the Commander countered. "We were led to believe that we didn't have another choice, that we were only made to serve."
"I wasn't responsible for the decision to produce," Obi-Wan snorted at the word, "this army. But the moment it was clear that I would be the one to lead it, I insisted on the amendment. I wouldn't have taken on the position if the Senate hadn't given you civil rights."
CC-2224's eyes widened at that, and he said, "But the Republic needs this army. What would the Senate have done?"
Obi-Wan shrugged. "I really don't know. But I have to admit, that wasn't my priority. I'd rather fight side by side with men who choose to serve. I mean, Master Windu told me that no one decided to leave. Sometimes we just have to trust in the Force. The urge to determine another human being's actions mostly originates from fear. I do not believe that fear will help us in this war."
The Commander's eyes shimmered with awe at his words, and Obi-Wan blushed at the admiration he felt coming from the other man in waves. At the same time, he had to suppress his anger at the circumstances under which these extraordinary men had come to life. He should have prevented this, but in the end, he was glad that he had remedied the situation and had the opportunity of getting to know them again.
"I am going to fetch your dinner now, Sir," the Clone said after a while and stood up.
"Thank you, CC-2224," Obi-wan said softly. After all, his identification number was as close to a name as it got for the moment.
As if he had sensed Obi-Wan's reluctance to use his number, the Commander turned around and said, "My name is Cody, Sir, and I would be honored if you addressed me with it. I just want to say thank you for what you have done for my brothers and me." With this, he left, and Obi-Wan looked after him, a tear rolling down his cheek.
"Cody," Obi-Wan whispered, letting the name roll over his tongue and opening a pathway to all the memories he had of the faithful Commander.
Padmé and her Jedi entourage had arrived in Sundari the night before, and Satine gave Master Gallia all the information she needed to got to Concordia. She commanded two guards to escort the Jedi to the moon to guide the way, and without delay, the party left on a Mandalorian shuttle and should be arriving on Concordia this morning. Satine made sure that no one besides the guards and her Prime Minister knew about the secret mission. Then she showed Padmé her quarters in the palace, and the Senator went to sleep.
Now Padmé was sitting at the table in her small guest apartment, taking her breakfast and wondering how Adi Gallia and the others were doing. Communications to Concordia were nearly impossible as Satine had told her in the night, and she began to worry that she wouldn't have anything to tell Obi-Wan in case he called. She was also restless because the whole night, she hadn't been able to shake the feeling that something was wrong with Obi-Wan. His confusion had bled through the bond as soon as she had arrived on Mandalore.
She took a deep breath. Sitting here worrying wouldn't help her. She had to get some information. Deciding that her best option was Bail, she typed in the Chancellor's code. It didn't take long for her friend to answer and she felt reassured when his hologram appeared.
"Padmé," he greeted her, and she saw the worry lines on his face. "Are you on Mandalore?"
She nodded. "We arrived in Sundari yesterday night. My Jedi escort is all right," It was the secret code for saying that they were well on their way to Concordia by now. "Do you have any news from Obi-Wan?" she asked, not able to hide her anxiety.
He sighed. "He's safe. Master Koon gave me a report this morning. Apparently, the Separatists gathered on Geonosis, and Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were captured, but our new army could save them both, and they are on route to Coruscant as we speak."
She knew he couldn't share any details over the commlink and tried to fill in his report gaps. So, the war had begun, and Obi-Wan had been captured on Geonosis again. She rubbed her face and didn't know what to say.
"We are currently mobilizing another two battalions that are ready for battle," Bail spared her from commenting. "Jedi Masters Shaak Ti and Kit Fisto left for Kamino to oversee the deployment of more troops. Gradually all of the Clones will be ready."
Which meant they were free of the inhibitor chips soon. Padmé remembered both, Obi-Wan and Bail, making it clear that no Clone would be fighting in this war with the inhibitor chip still in place. Her friend leaned a bit forward and continued to talk, "There are more systems that joined the Separatists, Padmé. Apparently, former Jedi Master Yan Dooku pledged his allegiance to them."
Another hidden message, Padmé thought. No one ever used Dooku's first name, which meant things were not as they seemed. Bail did not yet regard Dooku as a traitor to their cause. She gave him an imperceptible nod and asked, "What is the Senate going to do about this?"
Bail pushed his hair back, and Padmé saw that he was deeply unsettled. "They want to vote on emergency powers this afternoon."
She hissed in a breath. "But we don't know. . . ."
"The Senate rates the battle on Geonosis as an act of war, Padmé. Master Koon reported that the Separatists have amassed a significant army, and Qui-Gon just confirmed to me that they are planning on building even more weapons. The Separatist-leaders are confident that their army is a match against Republic forces." He looked away for a brief moment, then he added, "I fear that without you and Mon Mothma being present, no Senator will even argue against giving me emergency powers in this situation."
She thought this over, already feeling that the Senate would do precisely what Bail expected. However, she wasn't ready to just leave it at that. "Kael could argue against it. If your Vice-Chair puts up resistance, it could turn the tide."
"That's exactly what I thought, but Kael is convinced that emergency powers are the only way to move forward. He doesn't want to hesitate. And I am not sure, Padmé. Maybe he is right. It won't help to let them form a sizable army. Maybe we should deal with them swiftly," he replied, and she saw uncertainty shimmering in his eyes.
"What has Obi-Wan to say about this?" she asked, knowing that Bail would not make any decision without hearing what his High General had to say.
"I don't know," Bail said with a deep sigh. "I wasn't able to get him on the comms yet. I am going to try to reach him after we've finished our call here."
"If you talk to him, please tell him that I am waiting for his call. I am still worried about him. He seemed unusually confused over the last few days."
"We really have to consider what he is going through, Padmé," Bail replied with an encouraging smile. "Considering. . . ." She nodded. Bail would never talk about Obi-Wan's former life over comm. "It has to be disconcerting, to say the least," he finished.
"Yeah, I understand that. But I need to talk to him nevertheless," she said firmly, indicating that something more was going on.
"I will tell him," Bail replied.
"Thank you, Bail. I am going to call again as soon as I have news about our negotiations with the Duchess," she ended the conversation and shut down her commlink.
She was even more worried now. She had to talk with Mon Mothma about the vote, and she had to call Jar Jar later to prevent the Gungan from doing something they would regret.