"No. Absolutely not." Kate says firmly, holding a shot of Master Yoda's homemade beverage.
"Oh, come on." Wist argues playfully. "It's going to be delicious." His sarcastic tone contradicts the excited look on his face as he stares down at his own thick green drink. The homecoming party is loud around them despite the small amount of people gathered in the Jedi Temple quarter. Other than the squadron, all now in casual clothing, only Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Anakin, and Padme are present, talking amongst themselves in the living room, leaving Wist and room alone at the bar.
"I will not be a pawn in your game, commander." Kate says playfully but after a pleading look from the commander, she sighs. "Fine, but if I get sick from this, I am placing the blame fully on you." Wist laughs and holds his glass up.
"Cheers." They clink their glasses together and Kate takes a deep breath before both choke down the bubbling liquid. Struggling to keep it in, Wist covers his mouth with a fist and Kate holds her stomach. After slamming the glasses down on the bar top beside the bottle, both back away from the liquid and turn to each other.
"I knew we would regret it." Kate says through her disgust. After a moment, both laugh, their mutual need to vomit amusing them, and they walk over to the others, situating themselves on the couch seated in front of a large floor-to-ceiling window overlooking Coruscant. At their arrival, Giv, Rider, Ten, and Ahsoka stand up in unison and replace them at the bar. Kate glares at them accusingly as they walk away laughing. Kate realizes that she is sitting extremely close to Wist despite the empty space on the couch beside her. Anakin and Padme share a curious glance but Obi-Wan stares at them suspiciously.
"What was that about?" Padme asks first, always anxious to know anything and everything about what is going on. Kate smiles and turns to her.
"Nothing you need to worry about. They're just being troublemakers." Kate raises her voice to makes sure they can hear her, and she hears several giggles from Ahsoka. She feels bad for lying but technically it is a half-truth. Seeming to sense this, Obi-Wan squints and raises a brow at her. Ignoring him, Padme, Anakin, Kate, and Wist begin talking, Obi-Wan staying out of both conversations, watching them intently.
"Thanks for coming Padme." Kate grasps her hand tightly and realizes how much she missed the feeling of comfort she got whenever she was near.
"Of course. How could I miss my best friend's welcome home party?" Kate's smile spreads to Padme and Kate watches her friends laugh at the bar, downing drinks left and right.
"It's so good to be home after all this time." Kate looks out the window to the always crowded traffic-filled skies and relaxes immensely. The orderly rows of speeders zooming around town has always comforted her. "It's been way too long."
"It was nearly seven months, right? Isn't that a record?" Kate nods and senses Obi-Wan watching her closely. Used to his gaze, she ignores him.
"By a long shot. Usually I at least see Anakin or Ahsoka but since the war escalated, I did not even get that pleasure for nearly three months." Padme smiles and glances at Anakin, knowing her words are at slightly sarcastic: Anakin is not exactly an angel to be around.
"Well, at least you are home now." Kate's smile grows and Giv, Rider, Ten, and Ahsoka return to them.
"Well, this has been amazing but I'm afraid we have to get going." Ten says sadly, obviously enjoying the endless beverage choices at the bar, courtesy of the council. Kate's smile quickly disappears.
"Already? It isn't even eleven yet. You always make these last until at least two in the morning." Anakin and Wist stop talking and turn toward the others, sensing the sadness enveloping the room.
"Come on, let's just stay for one more drink." Giv pleads to his friends."
"Ten is right." Wist adds, rising and moving to stand beside Kate. "Unfortunately, we have to report to the High General in the morning." Kate shudders, the memory of her squad being put on janitorial duty for a month after they arrived hungover to a meeting after a late night with her in town coming to the front of her mind. Ahsoka walks up beside her, a reflection of the trooper's expressions on her face.
"I… I should go too. The council is sending me on my first solo mission tomorrow." Kate tries to keep a smile on her face and be proud of her friend but fails to hide her disappointment.
"Of course. You need extra rest for the task ahead. I understand." Kate nods sadly and silently receives hugs from her squad and Ahsoka before they disappear out the door. Only Padme, Anakin, and Obi-Wan remain.
"Well," Kate's heart sinks at Padme's voice, "we should follow. We have many details to go over regarding tomorrow's vote in the Senate."
"Still waiting on a decision from the Jedi Council?" I ask solemnly. Padme nods and she and Anakin walk out before waiting for a reply, knowing it would be the same as what was said to the others. After the door closes, she turns to Obi-Wan, she sighs expectantly, assuming he is going to leave too.
"Well, are you going?" Kate's voice is quiet as she looks up at the Jedi Master's .
"No. I want to talk to you about something before I go." Sensing his serious manner, Kate sits next to Obi-Wan on the couch and prepares herself. Seeming to struggle for the right words, Obi-Wan takes several deep breaths before speaking.
"I noticed the bond between you and Wist has grown stronger." Kate stares at him startled: this is not what she was expecting.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She tries her best to hide it, but he notices the flicker of fear in her eyes. Obi-Wan's anger is clear and Kate projects confidence into her posture.
"You know it is not allowed by the Council. If they find out that you still have feelings for Wist…" Kate interrupts before he can continue.
"I know exactly what they would do to me, Obi-Wan. I have seen firsthand what happens to people the council deems traitors to the Jedi Order." Her mind flashes back to her first year as Obi-Wan's Padawan. A close friend of her master had been accused of treachery. While the punishment is usually banishment, the council deemed it high enough to cut their lightsaber in half and leave them on a deserted planet, something that has never happened in recorded history.
"You have to stop this. I know what he means to you, but he is not worth being banished." Kate's anger starts to bubble, and she knows she is dangerously close to saying something she will regret.
"Don't pretend to know what he is to me!" Kate can tell Obi-Wan's rage is growing and the reserved anger in his eyes is enough to make anyone back down. But Kate had spent plenty of years under its gaze.
"I know more about this than you give me credit for, young Kate." Obi-Wan's calm tone and use of 'young' only increases Kate's rage.
"Why do you have to be so protective!" Tears line Kate's eyes as she argues with the person she only ever wanted to please.
"I am protective because I am your master and masters look over their Padawans." His anger comes to the surface, but Kate still refuses to back down.
"Why can't you be more than that?" Obi-Wan sighs and looks away, unable to make eye contact, the anger fading from him altogether and being replaced with something that she cannot quite place.
"My duty to the Jedi Order comes first, Kate." Kate scoffs, her anger boiling inside of her.
"So, since you're not my actual father the promise you made my parents all those years ago was half-hearted? Is the Order more important than the promises you made?" Obi-Wan turns back to her and Kate is flooded with guilt but refuses to let it show.
"Don't think that. I keep my vows. You are like a daughter to me but you and I both know the sacrifices we make for the Order." Kate sighs and looks at the ground, pretending to be interested in the bland white tile that covers most of her quarter.
"Look, Wist knows how I feel about him, but we made the decision long ago to not let that get in the way of our work. We hid those feelings along with any thoughts we once had about the future we could have shared. We are both invested in winning this war and protecting the galaxy and we cannot do that if we have a connection more than a commander does for her general." Obi-Wan turns away again. "Happy now?"
"I did not want this conversation to go the way it did." Kate sighs and nods knowingly.
"I know." They sit silently for several moments, neither sure of what to say next.
"You should know … I had a similar relationship with Satine as you do to Wist." Kate smiles at the confession of something Anakin had told her on her first day as Obi-Wan's apprentice nearly five years ago.
"I know." There is no surprise in Obi-Wan's expression as she turns back to him, only sadness. He has not mentioned Satine since she died several years ago during the Mandalorian Civil War. "Anakin is not very good at keeping secrets." She adds.
"I'm sure he would do better if he actually tried." Both Kate and Obi-Wan laugh and he reaches out to take her hand. Kate lets him, all anger far from thought. Kate looks down at the couch and Obi-Wan senses her sadness.
"What is it?" Kate looks back up at him and he notices the tears in her eyes. She tries her best to hide them, but the pain is so strong.
"Is the Order worth being pulled from everyone we love?" Obi-Wan does not have an answer for her and knows that even if he did, it would not be the one she was hoping for.
"I don't know." He says, pushing the sadness from his voice. "Kate, I have not forgotten the promise that I made to your parents. I have every intention of upholding my end of the bargain." Obi-Wan pauses and looks Kate in the eye. "I will protect you with my life. You misinterpret my actions as not caring but this is the way that the Jedi Order gives protection. Giving you a life in the Order is my way of caring." Kate nods, realizing that these words have been said before but not remembering when. Kate looks down at her lap and sighs.
"I should go." Obi-Wan stands and Kate nods. He walks out without another word and Kate is left alone.