Chapter Twelve

New Faces and Past Soldiers

Hana was pleased to see that plague was still virulent. Most of the Yuuzhan Vong and the Peace Brigade were now sick or overworked. This made sneaking about easier. Now that that was accomplished they were offloading some of the fighters that were going to help liberate the Naboo.

"WHEN CAN I KILL THE MEAT-BAGS?" Like this one named Mr. Bones, a modified B-1 battle droid painted red with various sharpened instruments on him with a disturbing propensity for killing people. He and the other counterpart were waiting with Hana for a patrol to go by so they could get with Black One aka Poe Dameron.

"Not yet," Temmin "Snap" Wexley shook his head. "And remember it's the Yuuzhan Vong you're aiming for."

"WHY NOT THE OTHERS?"

"Because Fulcrum is doing that. Besides the Yuuzhan Vong hate droids."

"YOU ARE NO FUN. BUT I WILL OBEY. ROGER ROGER."

"He's um enthusiastic," Snap apologized to Hana rubbing the back of his head. Hana raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

"I really don't care so long as he does his job then I'm fine with him. I've dealt with Mandos and they're worse."

"Worse?"

"Clearly you've never met Belok Rhal. He's worse. Much worse even more so then normal Mandos...well in terms of cruelty. Skirata clan is the worst in the terms of sanctimonious."

"Oh," Snap looked unnerved. "That's disturbing."

"I CAN ELIMINATE THEM IF YOU WISH MASTER."

"Um no. They're not an issue...yet."

"ROGER ROGER."

Hana snorted. If this was going to be her allies then at the very least she wasn't wanting when it came to entertainment.

"Where are the others landing?"

"They'll head to Otoh Gunga and make contact with the Resistance down there," Snap said. "Once they've done this they'll join us in the battle once it's started."

"Time line?"

"A few days we'll launch the attack," Snap said grimly. "We'll push them out and free the Naboo."

It was several days later that Obi-Wan made the conclusion that he was right on the money. He was in a parallel world. It was similar enough to his that he could mistake it for his world but there were quite a few subtle differences, Empire not withstanding, that he could pick out. Such as no mention of Senator Amidala's contributions. The fact that several worlds deemed important in his world were not only non-existent but also there were several events in history that didn't match up. A big one was well the Sith. They were far too numerous.

If there were that many Sith running around they would've honestly destroyed each other. Therefore they weren't Sith but pretenders rather like how these Jedi were running around pretending to be...well Jedi. He could forgive the missing knowledge but their attitude was what worried him...and actually it made him rethink quite a few things. He would admit that his Order was guilty of arrogance the sheer the guile displayed by this one was what made him worry.

He really wished he could have well his archives in this world so he could get Master Nu to compare and contrast them. As it was he was no scholar so he only had what he knew go on...and unfortunately the prophecies of here didn't match those of his home. That he could say with confidence since his Master had drilled him on that extensively due to his fascination and later gift of prophecy.

"Master Jedi?" A Gungan called to him as he stared out into the depths of the lake in which Otoh Gunga was in. "Yousa being called by the Boss and the Queen theysa receiving some back up for the fight."

"Alright, I'm coming," Obi-Wan said with a polite nod. He abandoned his thoughts and followed his escort down the hallway. It was there that Obi-Wan again reflected on how sorry a state the Gungan's capital city looked. It wasn't ramshackle place but it was run down and worn. Had this New Republic abandoned them in their need? From what little he'd heard from whispers around the place it would be the case since everyone had a particularly sour view of the place.

Once they'd reached entrance he sensed two powerful presences in the Force. As he came in he saw an older Togruta dressed in trouser and a tight armored top surrounded by men that were armored up in what looked like modified clone trooper outfits according the historical records accompanied by a Dathomiri woman dressed in a battle dress with something that looked suspiciously like a lightsaber at her sides. He wasn't sure if she was in a coven or not...or wait wasn't there a species called the Rattataki that looked just like that Dathomiri in his reality? Okay this was confusing and he really needed to get his species straight. It wouldn't do to be xenophobic here or anywhere for that matter. He didn't like speciesism.

"Torrent Company," the Queen bowed to the woman. "Welcome to Otoh Gunga, I trust that your trip was..uneventful?"

"Moderately," the Dathomiri rasped her presence in the Force rippled with power which made him realize that's who he'd felt and the Togruta was the second one. She looked over to Obi-Wan with an appraising look while the Togruta looked confused. They clearly sensed him in the Force...well that and his now visible reconstructed lightsaber was a good indication of what he was.

"Who are you?" She said crossing her arms in a manner that looked similar to Anakin when he thought he was being intimidating.

"Ben Kryze," he bowed to them. "I'm a Guardian of the Whills."

"Guardian of the Whills?" The Togruta looked interested. "I think I've heard about the legends of that...when I was still a Padawan."

"You were a Jedi?" Obi-Wan looked at her warily. Was she a member of the New Order? "I take it you're a part of the Praxeum?"

"Old Order Jedi," the Togruta corrected looking a little exasperated. "I escaped the Purge because I left before the Empire formed."

"I...see. And you?" The Dathomiri or was Rattataki looked very interested blinked before giving a rather dangerous smile.

"I used to be a Dark Jedi," she said with predatory look. "But over time thanks to Tano I turned back. Now I'm a free agent."

"And you turned back to the Light and renounced the Dark?" Obi-Wan asked. "I'm given to understand that once you've gone down the Dark Path forever does it dominate your destiny."

"I believed it was a bit of a impossibility too once," the Togruta, Tano evidentially, said. "But I learned that you can turn back to the Light and keep away from the Dark. It takes great courage and kindness and sometimes love be it romantic or platonic but it can be done."

So...It can be done, Obi-Wan thought as he felt a great weight coming off of his shoulders. He'd been worried about that ever since he'd heard that Anakin had fallen. He'd poured over his exploits as Vader and found himself thinking more and more that man couldn't have been the caring and brave young man that he'd known. It was impossible to think that he was capable of such cruelty and malice...And he still wasn't sure why he felt a mixture of shame and a huge burst of affection in the Force every time he thought that. But aside from the odd feeling it was gratifying to know that it was possible to change. He felt relieved.

I'm sorry I wasn't there to stop you Anakin, Obi-Wan thought. In the Force he felt a wave of affection and love that made all three stiffen at the sheer of force (no pun intended) slamming into them.

"I'm sorry to interrupt the philosophical chitchat but I'm afraid we've got work to do here," the Queen said.

"Yes," the Dathomiri said giving him a hard look now. "Tano you take care of that. I want to talk more with Kryze."

"I will," Tano nodded. "And I want a word with him as well once you're done."

"Oh don't worry he'll be intact when you get back..."

"Ventress."

"Relax little one," She assured her compatriot. "I won't bite...much."

Now Obi-Wan was little unnerved. But the Queen on the other hand took as a cue to leave with Tano who left with the troops save one that in the Force felt like he was looking at a ghost. The trooper stepped forward and removed his helmet as if to get a better look. He was dressed in battered yellow striped armor and was a bald headed fully bearded tanned man with chestnut brown eyes. His old eyes looked at Obi-Wan with something approaching awe.

"It can't...General Kenobi?!" The man breathed sounding shocked. Obi-Wan's eyes shot up with surprise. How had the clone recognized him? The man had shorter hair and rather full beard and mustache. Good grief this wasn't good.

"General? I'm afraid you're mistaken. I'm a keeper of the peace not a soldier...well not yet. I've yet to decide if I'm going to hang up my lightsaber and take up a commission," Obi-Wan defected.

"Can it Kenobi, Gregor is right," Ventress hissed looking satisfied as if she'd suspected it all along. "You're clone right?"

"A...what? No." Obi-Wan blinked at the accusation. "I'm not a clone. I'd know if I was."

"Could be a Spaarti clone like that rumored mad Jedi," Gregor suggested still staring at him.

"A what?" Now he was confused...again. He had a feeling that this universe would continually confuse him for quite some time.

"Well he's clearly not Kaminoan make that's for sure."

"Kaminoan? What or who is that?"

"Wait Gregor," Ventress held up a hand before turning back to Obi-Wan. "You honestly don't know what those are?"

"Should I? I've never heard of a Kamino before. Was it in the Republic?"

Ventress stared at him with derision before her derision became shock and then horror as she felt his confusion grow.

"You honestly don't know. I...how?" She looked at him like he'd suddenly turned into a Wookiee. "How's that possible?!"

"To be honest I don't know save for one thing."

"That is?"

"I'm a lookalike," Obi-Wan said with a soft smile. "I'm not Obi-Wan Kenobi. I'm Ben Kryze I was studying a Force Convergence when I landed here." Truthful if a bit inaccurate in the details. But he wasn't going to divulge that he was from another reality. He had a feeling that would be stretching the limits of their disbelief.

"What even is that?"

"A sort of a gathering of the Force energies like say Onthoto or Jedha or Ahch-To."

"I've never heard of those places," Ventress's eyes narrowed as if sniffing for a deception. There was but not in the way she was thinking.

"That's because they're in the Unknown Realms," Obi-Wan said...well it was plausible enough since they were largely unexplored so she couldn't contradict him. Also it was true from a certain point of view since Ahch-To technically was in the Unknown Realms.

"I see so you come from a Force user group like the Jensaarai then," She said probing. Gregor went silent and instead watching the exchange.

"In a manner of speaking yes," Obi-Wan said. True again from a point of view. "My resemblance to this General Kenobi is a pure coincidence I assure you. Besides from what I've read up on him he sounds rather uncivilized."

Ventress stared at him for second before laughing long and hard about this. Gregor looked like someone had told him Chancellor Palpatine was secretly obsessed with comedies with how stunned he looked.

"Uncivilized him?" She gasped. "He was the Negotiator. One of the best generals in the war and superb warrior. I've fought him many a time and I can say that you're a fool if you think him to be a ruffian."

"He was a great general that cared for us clones," Gregor agreed. "Despite what others thought."

"I take it you weren't treated well?"

"Most Jedi save for a handful treated us well," Gregor said. "Special Forces were the local nerfherders that thought otherwise mainly because they got the rejects who couldn't lead troops and the one that did I heard rumor had it she was sent to low level missions because everyone thought she was incompetent. To be honest she kinda was. So self fulfilling prophecy there."

"The second guy...can't remember his name was total utter murglak. Cody couldn't stand him neither could Rex and Wolffe wanted to punch him for the tripe he said about the Jedi. I remember I and several others of the 212th and the 501st getting into a bar fight with one Special Forces guy over the general 'cause he said he was a glory hound and a waster of the lives of his men . That was good day."

"...A glory hound?"

"Never said they were the brightest," Gregor shrugged. "They were self centered kind of guys. They were the clones that no one really liked not even vod'e. And we called the Guards the Eternal Shinies since they never saw battle but for the Special Forces we called the P. O. D.s."

"P. O. D.s?"

"Proud Oblivious Di'kute."

"Ah I see."

"So we're talking about P. O. Ds?" Tano asked as she approached them. "So were we...?"

"No," Ventress said looking at Obi-Wan with a suspicious eye. "It wasn't what we thought. Do they need us Tano?"

"Yup they do," she said. "They also request Guardian Kryze."

"What for?"

"They didn't say and I didn't think it was a bad idea. As to why I think we'll find out there."

"Well then come Kryze," Ventress beckoned as they began walking off. "Best we don't keep the Queen waiting."

"Yes," Obi-Wan agreed. "Let's."