Title: Strength over fear
Author: ewan's girl
*Author's note: ok bear with this chapter, it's shorter than I wanted it, but I wanted to get another chapter out before I am without a computer for a couple of weeks. I might add more to it later, we'll see. I hope you all enjoy it, and I will be back to all my stories once I'm done moving. Thank you for all the reviews!
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Chapter 3:
The rain came down in sheets, the waves crashed against the metal stilts holding up the entire city. Obi Wan Kenobi stared out one of the large windows watching transport after transport dropping off troops in Tipoca City. He wondered if the clones felt as if they were protecting their home, when he remembered how silly a thought that was. He had in the last many months spent time with the clones and it was eerie how unhuman like they really were, yet they had all the physical frailties of a human being.
He glanced around the room to make sure he was indeed by himself. He then leaned his head on the cool glass, his breath leaving a cloud of fog on the window. He let out a long sigh and closed his sleep deprived eyes. He called upon his only companion on this mission, he always was thankful for the warm embrace that the Force provided. He wondered what it would be like to be a non Force user, to live a life with such a void. He then thought about what he would be doing if he wasn't a Jedi. He thought back to a dream he had long ago where he had a wife and twin children, a boy and a girl. He remembered asking his master Qui Gon Jinn about the meaning of the dream, but it was never very helpful to ask Qui Gon about visions.
/ "What does it mean master?" The 15 year old asked as they entered the transport, heading to their mission.
"Dreams don't always mean anything Padawan, sometimes they are just dreams." Qui Gon answered his young charge. "They always pass in time."
"But it seemed so real, do you think it was a prophecy?" Obi Wan asked, sitting down in the pilots seat.
"Obi Wan, keep your concentration here and now." Qui Gon admonished. "Besides young one, personal attachments like a family is dangerous." He noticed the confused look on Obi Wan's face. "Love is a wonderful emotion, but it can also lead to jealousy, anger, fear." Qui Gon reminded him.
Obi Wan set the coordinates and didn't look at his master when he spoke next. "I know master, it's just." He struggled on how to word the next phrase. "I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be a father someday."
Qui Gon smiled. "You will be a father someday Obi Wan." He said and Obi Wan looked at him, cocking an eyebrow. "When you have a Padawan of your own, you'll know what it's like to be a father."/
Obi Wan opened his eyes and stared at his reflection in the glass. 'I don't feel like much of a father.' He thought to himself. 'A father wouldn't have left his son in the condition Anakin is in.' He loved the boy that much was true, but he and Anakin could feel a rift growing between them. The look on his apprentice's face kept flashing through his mind, the look of disappointment, anger, resentment, even jealousy. He was worried about Anakin, but was at a loss of what to do. 'Maybe Master Windu will have better luck reaching him right now.' He changed his vision from his reflection back to the turbulent sea. 'Maybe it's just that the boy and I have spent way too much time together.'
He kept his thoughts on the young man that he had pledged his life to raise as a Jedi. Anakin was getting very close to knighthood, but something kept tugging on Obi Wan's self conscious to not let him take the trials yet. 'There isn't anything more he can learn from me.' Obi Wan thought to himself. 'Am I holding him back? Why would I do that?' He knew the Force was telling him something, he just didn't know what. 'I will talk to Master Yoda about it later.' Obi Wan resolved.
He felt another presence in the room and he reluctantly brought his thoughts back to the task at hand. He turned and faced an equally tired looking individual. "Viceroy Organa." Obi Wan said with a bow. "I was surprised to hear you would be here as well."
Bail Organa walked further into the room and shook Obi Wan's hand. "I was pleasantly surprised to hear I'd be working with you General Kenobi."
Obi Wan smiled, returning the handshake. "You know Bail, for a man who is so opposed to this war, you certainly seem very invested in it." Obi Wan commented, unlike most politicians Organa didn't bother Obi Wan.
"They same could be said for you friend." Organa said with a smile of his own.
Obi Wan chuckled at the comment. Then returned to his all too familiar serious demeanor. "How dire is the situation?" He asked.
Bail let out a long breath. "Well about 3 weeks ago we evacuated all the Kaminoians, we've set up a base camp here in Tipoca City, we are trying to keep a fortress around the cloning facility." Bail informed.
"Aren't there other cloning facilities around the galaxy that the Republic is using?" Obi Wan asked.
"There are small ones yes, but they are owned by the commerce guilds." Bail shook his head. "I don't know about you, but I really don't trust the commerce guilds." Obi Wan nodded in agreement. "Besides, the Republic has an order of 1 million clones being made here as we speak."
Obi Wan nodded, he understood the situation. "Any word on the Separatists army?"
"We have reports that they have many underwater vessels and other large boats headed toward the city. We are preparing for them now." Bail explained, rubbing the back of his neck. We are preparing to head out and meet them before they get anywhere near the city."
Obi Wan thought for a moment. "Open war in the middle of the sea? Excuse me for asking Viceroy, but isn't that somewhat risky?" he asked, almost appalled by the command.
Bail Organa glanced out to the water. "Yes, but it is better than risking a thermal detonator or some other weapon being thrown on the cloning facility." He turned and faced Obi Wan who was stroking his beard in contemplation. "You don't agree?"
"No offense Viceroy, but I'm afraid you are walking straight into a trap if you go out to sea." Obi Wan stated, never taking his eyes off the crashing waves. "They want us to leave the city, they know if we leave our base camp then we will be strung out and our supplies will diminish." Obi Wan moved his gaze to Organa who was deep in thought. "And droid armies don't need to return to base for supplies."
"So you're suggesting we risk war on the city?" Bail asked, appalled.
"I'm telling you between the inklings of the Force and the many battles I have been through already that our only chance to win this battle is to bring them to Tipoca city." Obi Wan returned his gaze to the rain.
"Yes sir." Bail exclaimed, although his voice not very convincing.
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Mace Windu stepped off the transport right into a puddle of mud. He raised the hood of his cloak and took in his surroundings. He wondered what in his life had prepared him for something like this as he watched a platoon of clones run past him, carrying large blasters. He hadn't spent much time on the front lines since the war broke out, he and Yoda had stayed on Courascant to help the Chancellor strategize. He suddenly felt sorry for all the Jedi who had been in the field of battle, and decided he wouldn't leave them at the front until the war was over.
He was approached by a clone trooper that was apparently a leader, the only way one could tell him apart was by the yellow line on his armor. He saluted the Jedi master. Mace gave a nod of acknowledgement.
"Master Windu." The clone greeted as he dropped his hand back to his side. "I am Alpha, I will be your Captain for your duration here."
"Alright Alpha." Mace bowed to the clone, much to the clone's surprise. "Why don't you lead me to headquarters and fill me in on what General Kenobi was doing before he left."
"Yes sir."
Mace followed the clone to one of the various tents, he took careful note of his surroundings as they trudged through the mud. He noticed they were coming to a small reflective building, he marveled at the technology of the Republic and how from the sky the headquarters would look like nothing more than rocks. He ducked through the doorways and came to face several maps and holopics decorating the room. Mace looked in awe at the thoroughness of his predecessor. Obi Wan had obviously spent many long nights going over the maps, trying to find the Confederacy's base. Mace continued to stare at the various pieces of information the Jedi Knight had collected. 'He's trying to figure where Dooku is heading next.' Mace realized, he was very impressed by Obi Wan's strategy. He suddenly wondered if it was a good idea to send him to Kamino.
"When was the last time anyone has come in contact with the Confederacy Army?" Mace finally asked Alpha.
"Squad 1256 saw some scouts out over the kazim crater a few nights back, but nothing since then." Alpha answered. "It's been strangely quiet."
Mace nodded, and stared at one of the maps. "What was General Kenobi planning to do next?" He turned to Alpha. "Do you know?"
"General Kenobi was in the process of recruiting a team to infiltrate the base, to try to find an antidote for their chemical weapon." Alpha answered. "He was then given orders off planet."
Mace remembered the look on Kenobi's face when he ordered him to leave. "Our first priority will be finding that antidote." Mace told Alpha. "Round up the special unit that General Kenobi had recruited, I want to meet with them."
Alpha saluted and exited the tent, leaving the council member to his thoughts. 'How does Obi Wan know that the Confederacy has an antidote?' He thought to himself, looking at a map of the surrounding area. 'Why would the Confederacy have an antidote? That's a better question.' He felt uneasy about the answer to his question when he felt a strange disturbance in the Force. He couldn't quite pinpoint the source, but he knew it involved a Jedi. He closed his eyes and listened to the Force, trying to sense what was causing such a disturbance.
He suddenly felt intense fear, a fear he had never felt before. He then felt pain, a white hot pain ran through his subconscious. He held onto his head as he tried to find the source of the pain. He was able to briefly touch the owner of the pain along the bond he shared with all the Jedi. "Siri." He opened his eyes, and suddenly the disturbance was gone, and the Force was back to normal.
He tried to cast his anxiety to the Force when he heard his comlink beeping. He knew exactly who it was before he even answered it. "I sensed it too." Mace said into his comlink.
"Such suffering I sensed." Yoda's voice stated. Mace knew Yoda was more in tune with the Force and therefore felt more of the disturbance that he had. "Terrible pain I fear for Master Tachi. Find her we must." Yoda collected his thoughts before continuing. "Join the search I will."
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Author: ewan's girl
*Author's note: ok bear with this chapter, it's shorter than I wanted it, but I wanted to get another chapter out before I am without a computer for a couple of weeks. I might add more to it later, we'll see. I hope you all enjoy it, and I will be back to all my stories once I'm done moving. Thank you for all the reviews!
***************************************************
Chapter 3:
The rain came down in sheets, the waves crashed against the metal stilts holding up the entire city. Obi Wan Kenobi stared out one of the large windows watching transport after transport dropping off troops in Tipoca City. He wondered if the clones felt as if they were protecting their home, when he remembered how silly a thought that was. He had in the last many months spent time with the clones and it was eerie how unhuman like they really were, yet they had all the physical frailties of a human being.
He glanced around the room to make sure he was indeed by himself. He then leaned his head on the cool glass, his breath leaving a cloud of fog on the window. He let out a long sigh and closed his sleep deprived eyes. He called upon his only companion on this mission, he always was thankful for the warm embrace that the Force provided. He wondered what it would be like to be a non Force user, to live a life with such a void. He then thought about what he would be doing if he wasn't a Jedi. He thought back to a dream he had long ago where he had a wife and twin children, a boy and a girl. He remembered asking his master Qui Gon Jinn about the meaning of the dream, but it was never very helpful to ask Qui Gon about visions.
/ "What does it mean master?" The 15 year old asked as they entered the transport, heading to their mission.
"Dreams don't always mean anything Padawan, sometimes they are just dreams." Qui Gon answered his young charge. "They always pass in time."
"But it seemed so real, do you think it was a prophecy?" Obi Wan asked, sitting down in the pilots seat.
"Obi Wan, keep your concentration here and now." Qui Gon admonished. "Besides young one, personal attachments like a family is dangerous." He noticed the confused look on Obi Wan's face. "Love is a wonderful emotion, but it can also lead to jealousy, anger, fear." Qui Gon reminded him.
Obi Wan set the coordinates and didn't look at his master when he spoke next. "I know master, it's just." He struggled on how to word the next phrase. "I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be a father someday."
Qui Gon smiled. "You will be a father someday Obi Wan." He said and Obi Wan looked at him, cocking an eyebrow. "When you have a Padawan of your own, you'll know what it's like to be a father."/
Obi Wan opened his eyes and stared at his reflection in the glass. 'I don't feel like much of a father.' He thought to himself. 'A father wouldn't have left his son in the condition Anakin is in.' He loved the boy that much was true, but he and Anakin could feel a rift growing between them. The look on his apprentice's face kept flashing through his mind, the look of disappointment, anger, resentment, even jealousy. He was worried about Anakin, but was at a loss of what to do. 'Maybe Master Windu will have better luck reaching him right now.' He changed his vision from his reflection back to the turbulent sea. 'Maybe it's just that the boy and I have spent way too much time together.'
He kept his thoughts on the young man that he had pledged his life to raise as a Jedi. Anakin was getting very close to knighthood, but something kept tugging on Obi Wan's self conscious to not let him take the trials yet. 'There isn't anything more he can learn from me.' Obi Wan thought to himself. 'Am I holding him back? Why would I do that?' He knew the Force was telling him something, he just didn't know what. 'I will talk to Master Yoda about it later.' Obi Wan resolved.
He felt another presence in the room and he reluctantly brought his thoughts back to the task at hand. He turned and faced an equally tired looking individual. "Viceroy Organa." Obi Wan said with a bow. "I was surprised to hear you would be here as well."
Bail Organa walked further into the room and shook Obi Wan's hand. "I was pleasantly surprised to hear I'd be working with you General Kenobi."
Obi Wan smiled, returning the handshake. "You know Bail, for a man who is so opposed to this war, you certainly seem very invested in it." Obi Wan commented, unlike most politicians Organa didn't bother Obi Wan.
"They same could be said for you friend." Organa said with a smile of his own.
Obi Wan chuckled at the comment. Then returned to his all too familiar serious demeanor. "How dire is the situation?" He asked.
Bail let out a long breath. "Well about 3 weeks ago we evacuated all the Kaminoians, we've set up a base camp here in Tipoca City, we are trying to keep a fortress around the cloning facility." Bail informed.
"Aren't there other cloning facilities around the galaxy that the Republic is using?" Obi Wan asked.
"There are small ones yes, but they are owned by the commerce guilds." Bail shook his head. "I don't know about you, but I really don't trust the commerce guilds." Obi Wan nodded in agreement. "Besides, the Republic has an order of 1 million clones being made here as we speak."
Obi Wan nodded, he understood the situation. "Any word on the Separatists army?"
"We have reports that they have many underwater vessels and other large boats headed toward the city. We are preparing for them now." Bail explained, rubbing the back of his neck. We are preparing to head out and meet them before they get anywhere near the city."
Obi Wan thought for a moment. "Open war in the middle of the sea? Excuse me for asking Viceroy, but isn't that somewhat risky?" he asked, almost appalled by the command.
Bail Organa glanced out to the water. "Yes, but it is better than risking a thermal detonator or some other weapon being thrown on the cloning facility." He turned and faced Obi Wan who was stroking his beard in contemplation. "You don't agree?"
"No offense Viceroy, but I'm afraid you are walking straight into a trap if you go out to sea." Obi Wan stated, never taking his eyes off the crashing waves. "They want us to leave the city, they know if we leave our base camp then we will be strung out and our supplies will diminish." Obi Wan moved his gaze to Organa who was deep in thought. "And droid armies don't need to return to base for supplies."
"So you're suggesting we risk war on the city?" Bail asked, appalled.
"I'm telling you between the inklings of the Force and the many battles I have been through already that our only chance to win this battle is to bring them to Tipoca city." Obi Wan returned his gaze to the rain.
"Yes sir." Bail exclaimed, although his voice not very convincing.
***********************************
Mace Windu stepped off the transport right into a puddle of mud. He raised the hood of his cloak and took in his surroundings. He wondered what in his life had prepared him for something like this as he watched a platoon of clones run past him, carrying large blasters. He hadn't spent much time on the front lines since the war broke out, he and Yoda had stayed on Courascant to help the Chancellor strategize. He suddenly felt sorry for all the Jedi who had been in the field of battle, and decided he wouldn't leave them at the front until the war was over.
He was approached by a clone trooper that was apparently a leader, the only way one could tell him apart was by the yellow line on his armor. He saluted the Jedi master. Mace gave a nod of acknowledgement.
"Master Windu." The clone greeted as he dropped his hand back to his side. "I am Alpha, I will be your Captain for your duration here."
"Alright Alpha." Mace bowed to the clone, much to the clone's surprise. "Why don't you lead me to headquarters and fill me in on what General Kenobi was doing before he left."
"Yes sir."
Mace followed the clone to one of the various tents, he took careful note of his surroundings as they trudged through the mud. He noticed they were coming to a small reflective building, he marveled at the technology of the Republic and how from the sky the headquarters would look like nothing more than rocks. He ducked through the doorways and came to face several maps and holopics decorating the room. Mace looked in awe at the thoroughness of his predecessor. Obi Wan had obviously spent many long nights going over the maps, trying to find the Confederacy's base. Mace continued to stare at the various pieces of information the Jedi Knight had collected. 'He's trying to figure where Dooku is heading next.' Mace realized, he was very impressed by Obi Wan's strategy. He suddenly wondered if it was a good idea to send him to Kamino.
"When was the last time anyone has come in contact with the Confederacy Army?" Mace finally asked Alpha.
"Squad 1256 saw some scouts out over the kazim crater a few nights back, but nothing since then." Alpha answered. "It's been strangely quiet."
Mace nodded, and stared at one of the maps. "What was General Kenobi planning to do next?" He turned to Alpha. "Do you know?"
"General Kenobi was in the process of recruiting a team to infiltrate the base, to try to find an antidote for their chemical weapon." Alpha answered. "He was then given orders off planet."
Mace remembered the look on Kenobi's face when he ordered him to leave. "Our first priority will be finding that antidote." Mace told Alpha. "Round up the special unit that General Kenobi had recruited, I want to meet with them."
Alpha saluted and exited the tent, leaving the council member to his thoughts. 'How does Obi Wan know that the Confederacy has an antidote?' He thought to himself, looking at a map of the surrounding area. 'Why would the Confederacy have an antidote? That's a better question.' He felt uneasy about the answer to his question when he felt a strange disturbance in the Force. He couldn't quite pinpoint the source, but he knew it involved a Jedi. He closed his eyes and listened to the Force, trying to sense what was causing such a disturbance.
He suddenly felt intense fear, a fear he had never felt before. He then felt pain, a white hot pain ran through his subconscious. He held onto his head as he tried to find the source of the pain. He was able to briefly touch the owner of the pain along the bond he shared with all the Jedi. "Siri." He opened his eyes, and suddenly the disturbance was gone, and the Force was back to normal.
He tried to cast his anxiety to the Force when he heard his comlink beeping. He knew exactly who it was before he even answered it. "I sensed it too." Mace said into his comlink.
"Such suffering I sensed." Yoda's voice stated. Mace knew Yoda was more in tune with the Force and therefore felt more of the disturbance that he had. "Terrible pain I fear for Master Tachi. Find her we must." Yoda collected his thoughts before continuing. "Join the search I will."
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