Chapter Three
Obi-Wan watched the bustle of the city below from high above in the Jedi Temple. At contrast with the movement outside, he was perfectly still, hands clasped behind his back. On the inside though, his attempts to quell his impatience were falling short.
Master Qui-Gon had been meeting with the council for hours now to report their findings in the Industrial Zone. Normally, the time taken for bureaucratic procedure was tolerated without complaint, but this time he couldn't get the Slayer out of his mind.
She spent her days just helping people…
It made all of this formality seem so… useless. A waste of time.
He stomped that thought down immediately. Thinking such things in a building full of Jedi was foolhardy.
Things were done this way because they needed to be. They all couldn't just run around doing as they pleased without guidance. The council was there for a reason.
The opening of the door behind him distracted him from his own disturbingly hollow reassurances.
Qui-Gon gave him a long look from the doorway, which he returned by focusing on feelings of innocence and peace. After a flash of amusement, Qui-Gon nodded toward the hall and walked away, leaving Obi-Wan to catch up.
"What did they say? When do we go back?" He asked, falling in step beside him.
"We don't. We have a new assignment."
Obi-Wan stopped, forcing Qui-Gon to stop and look at him or leave him behind.
"Not going- But we haven't done anything."
"The Council has received word that the Black Sun are moving on Greely – they've apparently decided the Industrial Zone has proved itself too profitable to leave to another syndicate. We've been ordered to stay out of the fray."
"That's ridiculous! There are women and children there! We could-"
"Having Jedi show up in the middle of their war would only up the chaos and casualties," Qui-Gon said, his eyes softening. "A group will be sent in after the syndicates weaken each other. The families there will have the assistance they've been lacking thus far."
But will it be too late… Obi-Wan wondered.
In response to this, he heard Master Yoda in his Qui-Gon's mind, "Young Kenobi… Cloudy his future has become…"
The remembered spike of alarm he felt was echoed in himself as Qui-Gon continued down the corridor.
"We leave at first light tomorrow."
Obi-Wan let the matter drop.
Master Yoda's words to Qui-Gon stuck with Obi-Wan for the rest of the day – but it didn't stop him from going to Dex's as soon as dark settled over the city. Maybe he couldn't be involved directly, but he'd made a promise. The "hammer" falling might not be of his doing, but the Slayer deserved a warning all the same.
The inside of Dex's was busier than usual and Obi-Wan had to dodge a few patrons on their way out before he caught sight of his friend at the kitchen window. Not really wanting to draw too much attention to himself, he stuck to the fringes of the restaurant and slipped in the back.
Caught in the edge of Dex's vision, he turned with a bellowed "OBI-WAN!"
So much for stealth…
"Hello, Dex," he said with a smile. Seeing his friend was about to abandon his cooking for a hug, Obi-Wan waved him off. "No, no, don't let me interrupt your work. From the look of things out there, you've got your hands full keeping up with that crowd."
Of course his insistence was for naught, and he found himself embraced briefly but forcefully.
"You're obviously not here for the food," Dex said, getting back to work. "So what is it I can do for you?"
"I need to borrow a ship."
Dex did a double-take. "You have a whole fleet at that fancy Jedi temple of yours. You can't use one of those?"
"Not for this."
Dex gave him another look before focusing on the food again. "When would you have it back?"
"Before first light."
"Before first light in how many pieces?"
Obi-Wan laughed. "Ideally, in one piece."
"Ideally…" Dex said doubtfully. "See that it is my friend, see that it is."
Obi-Wan landed his borrowed ship on the roof of an abandoned building in the industrial zone - its scrubby exterior blending well with the surroundings. Now that he was here though, overlooking the vast rotting city below, he realized he may have overestimated his ability to find the Slayer, warn her, be back in time to return the ship to Dex and meet Qui-Gon for their new assignment. He might be cutting it a bit close…
Pushing away any doubt, he closed his eyes and let his mind settle and focus. He knew he couldn't sense her (which was another curiosity he needed to explore further), but her effect on those around her had been noticeable, maybe he could-
His eyes snapped back open at the wave of anger he located almost immediately. And at the forefront of the minds of these angry individuals was one face…
Concerned, he scaled down the side of the building by way of a crumbling stairway – leaping from landing to landing. He'd just reached the ground when a body came bursting from a broken window in the next building over, landing in a roll and springing to her feet in a show of incredible agility. The Slayer blinked at him blankly for a second before her face lit up in a look of surprised pleasure.
"Mace! Long time no see," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "Thought you'd left town."
"I did. I just came back to see you," he said, distractedly looking behind her where two men were yelling obscenities as they carefully tried to climb through the window she'd come through. "Expecting company?"
"Let's focus on the important thing here – you came back to see me?"
Just then, a group of about ten varying species came tearing around the corner.
"There she is!"
With a glance behind her, the Slayer grabbed his sleeve and yanked him into a run with her.
"Run, Forest, run!" She practically cackled.
"I do believe you've gotten even more strange since the last time we met."
"And you still came back for more. What's that say about you?"
"Excellent point," he said, unable to hold back a smile as they rounded a corner and leapt the remains of a deteriorating droid. "Would you like to tell me why we're running?"
"Just separating the idiots that need taught a lesson from the rest of the pack."
"Taught what lesson exactly?"
She shot him a feral grin. "That it's a terrible idea to chase me."
"And what started this chasing?"
"Just a friendly game of pazaak," she said with so much fake innocence that he had to laugh.
"So they need 'taught a lesson' about not getting mad when you cheat them?"
"It sounds really bad when you say it like that…" She pouted before brightening as she pulled him to a stop in a relatively clear area. "Thank you for traveling with Buffy's Adventure Travel. We've arrived at our destination. Please disembark in an orderly fashion."
He could still feel the angry swarm – closing in now that they'd stopped. Were they-
Wait… What was a Buffy?
He turned to find her much closer than before – but not unpleasantly so.
"Are… you Buffy?"
"Told 'ya I'd give you my name on our next date," she said, putting a hand on his chest and pushing him steadily backwards.
"Next- um, what-," he stuttered out, unusually flustered.
Then he was stepping through a doorway of a nearby building and a crude door, looking to be made of scraps formed into bars, was closed on him.
"Just hang out here for now. I'll be done in a minute," she said giving a little wave and walking back to the middle of the clearing.
"Slay- Buffy? What are you doing?"
"What kind of host would I be if I dragged you into the middle of my fight on your second visit here?"
He held back from pointing out that that was exactly what she'd done.
"I don't mind, honestly," he said, glancing toward an alley where he could sense the group closing in. "Now open this and- You can open this, right?"
There was no handle on his side and he rattled the door again experimentally. It was nothing a bit of Force couldn't handle, but revealing he was a Jedi was something he should absolutely avoid.
"Of course I can," she said in an offended tone.
"Let me help."
"Uh, no. Seriously, that would kind of defeat the purpose of the lesson if I had some guy here fighting my battles for me."
"You can't fight them all! And what about weapons?"
"Sure I can. And you have to check all your weapons in to join the game – they didn't have time to collect them if they wanted to catch me. Not that it would make much of a difference…"
Before he could argue any more, the group came barreling out of the alley, straight for the Slayer. She just stood there with her hands on her hips, waiting patiently. Just as he was about to break down the door, damn the consequences, she fell into a low fighting stance and proved exactly why she'd earned that name (Slayer, not Buffy – he still wasn't sure what he thought about the latter).
The display in front of him had his grip loosening and hands dropping from the makeshift bars as he leaned forward, eyes taking in every detail. Buffy moved like… well, like a Jedi. An experienced Jedi. She fought with a fluidity and strength that only someone with years and years of hands-on experience could get. And she showed mercy. Even though the blows aimed at her were obviously meant to be lethal, she pulled punches, dodged when she could have retaliated. She used her speed and skill to injure instead of kill, even though the opportunity presented itself time and time again and she obviously had the know-how to implement such techniques.
He smiled slightly as her voice drifted to him, taunting and light – she truly was teaching them a lesson. Given the reactions he'd seen when he first saw her, it was one that she'd taught before and probably taught often. On the other hand, it was hard to believe that none of these individuals wouldn't return at another time with a blaster or some other weapon to get revenge for the sheer humiliation she was doling out…
One by one, her pursuers gave up – scurrying into the darkness as swiftly as they could with their injuries – until she stood alone once again in the center of the clearing. She brushed her hands against each other briskly and gave a satisfied nod before coming back over. After giving the door an odd little jiggle, it sprang open and she stood back with a little bow. He stepped out and just stared, unsure what exactly to say. Or maybe it was that he had too much to say, too much to ask – he didn't know where to begin.
"Sorry about that, I just don't get visitors, well, ever…" She said, starting to look a little sheepish at his silence. "Kidnapping them and locking them up while I commit acts of violence might not be the best thing to do… I was just glad to see you and- Yeah, okay, I can see why I don't get any visitors…"
Her voice tapered off and she shuffled her feet a little while she awkwardly looked off to the side. Such a complete turnaround from the confident force of nature he'd seen moments before that he couldn't help putting a hand on her shoulder and giving a comforting smile.
"It's fine," he said, ducking his head to catch her eyes. "Quite enjoyable, actually."
"Really?" Then her nose scrunched up playfully. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised that a guy that goes poking around Greely's has got a thing for danger."
Obi-Wan's hand dropped away as he was reminded of his reason for being there.
"Uh-oh, you just got Serious-Business face…"
"Is there somewhere we can talk?"
Her eyes met his and stayed there, all hints of playfulness, teasing and embarrassment falling away until her solemnity was a match for his.
"Sure, this way."
She led him out of the clearing into an alley. He had to wonder if her ability to navigate the streets here was due to familiarity or something more. The more time he spent with her, the more questions he had. Who exactly was she? Where was she from? What was the "accident" that brought her here? How'd she learn to fight like that? And why couldn't he read anything from her? Just to name a few…
Maybe one day he'd get the time to find out. In the meantime…
"Do things like this happen a lot?"
She gave a burst of jaded laughter that he didn't like at all – it didn't sound right coming from her for some reason.
"If by 'a lot' you mean daily. Or hourly. Or minute-ly. Then, yeah, it happens a lot."
Before he could reply she held up her hand and froze at the mouth of alley. Following her lead, he fell still and silent. A moment later he spotted the droid, which disappeared around a building in almost complete silence. So, she really could see that well... One question answered and another takes its place.
"I have to keep a certain level of fear up," she said, continuing on their way as if nothing had happened. "Their memories here are freakishly short and if I don't kick someone's ass on a regular basis they start getting out of hand."
"Yet, you hold back. Knowing they'd kill you given the first opportunity, you still offer them mercy."
She gave a light snort. "You're giving me too much credit. It's more for me than them."
"For you?"
Silence settled between them for so long that he thought that she'd decided to ignore the question. When she finally did speak, her voice was quiet and sad.
"No one here would care, really. It'd be so easy to just… slip. They'd be gone and that'd be one less bad guy for me to worry about. But, if I started killing them, what would I be? What would I become? I don't know… Maybe I'm being stupid. I let some guy go and he just lives to terrorize someone another day. But I need that line…"
She shook her head a little and glanced at him before quickly looking away – obviously not having meant to give so much away.
"Plus, I can't really blame most of them for being how they are," she said. "It's this place. It makes you a little crazy after a while."
Their winding path through countless alleys had deposited them at a heavy door to a large nondescript building at this point. Buffy's hand reached for the handle and he quickly laid his on top of hers before she could pull it open. She looked up at him questioningly and the words he'd been thinking tumbled from his mouth before he could stop them.
"You're amazing."
Her eyes widened as she stared back, her mouth forming a little "o" of surprise. He internally started to panic at his bold confession, but before he could say anything else the door pushed open from the other side.
Big brown eyes blinked up at him from around the door. Surprise, quickly followed by fear, are what Obi-Wan felt from the small boy – until he saw Buffy. The relief was evident on his face, but was quickly replaced with a pout.
"You're back too early!"
"Too early for what?" Buffy asked, ruffling the child's hair.
"I wanted to have your picture done before you came home! I just needed one more color and there's this stuff leaking out of this droid by the-"
The horrified look on Buffy's face had Obi-Wan choking on a laugh.
"You can't just go out collecting bodily fluids from dead droids to paint with!" Buffy burst out. "That's the kind of stuff serial killers in the making do!"
"It's fine," he argued. "I do it all the time. They're just layin' around anyway…"
Buffy's mouth opened and closed a few times before she just shook her head.
"We'll talk about this later. And you know I don't like you running around at night by yourself."
The child scowled and let his eyes wander back to Obi-Wan.
"I know to be careful. Who's that?"
"Alec, this is my friend Mace. Mace, this is my friend, Alec," Alec's glower at Obi-Wan being introduced as a 'friend' was quickly replaced by preening pleasure at being similarly identified. "He and his mom Bria live down the hall from me."
"It's very nice to meet you, Alec."
"You, too," Alec said with such obvious insincerity that Buffy tugged on a piece of the child's hair.
"Manners, kiddo," she chided. "Nice people are in short supply here, let's try not to chase him off just yet."
"Alec? What are you doing?"
The tired, feminine voice had Alec cringing in guilt as the door opened fully and a woman with dark hair and weary eyes appeared.
"You should be sleeping, mom," he said.
"And I would be if my wayward son didn't disappear every time I turn my back or close my eyes," she scolded before looking up at Buffy. "Thanks for watching out for him."
"No big," Buffy smiled. "Bria, this is Mace. Mace, this is Alec's mom, Bria."
After exchanging polite greetings, Bria snagged the back of Alec's collar and tugged him back inside.
"Aw, mom, come on! I promise I'll be right back!"
"Absolutely not, Alec. And no sneaking out either. You know you're not allowed out while it's dark."
"I have to talk to Mace about some stuff," Buffy said, stepping through the door after them. "But I can come by later to hang with Alec so you can get some worry free rest."
Alec lit up at this idea, his squirming coming to a halt, but Bria was shaking her head. "You already do too much, Buffy. And you've been out all night, you don't have-"
"I want to. It's nice hanging out with Alec after- Well, you know. It's kind of a relief…"
Alec looked confused, but Bria's eyes softened and she nodded. "I know. Come over whenever you want. Now, you, you little sneak, get back inside."
Alec's whining about needing a special color echoed down the corridor as Obi-Wan stepped inside, the heavy door closing behind them with a series of odd clicks.
"Little something special I had one of the pilots pick up for me," she said with a nod at the door. "I like to know the people here are safe when I'm not around."
The next door she led him to was much less impressive. Dented and cracked, it seemed like opening it one more time would be all it could take before it just fell apart. But it swung open quietly and he stepped in after her.
The room smelled like her – a soft and clean scent that seemed utterly out of place in this city. But that was the only hint that Buffy lived in this space. It was purely functional, nothing more.
"I know it's pretty bleh in here," she said, looking around like she'd never really seen it before. "I don't really spend much time here. But Alec's making me a picture, so maybe that'll help…"
"He likes to draw, I take it. And paint?"
"Oh yeah," Buffy said, sitting on the edge of the grey covered bed. "Subject matter around here kinda sucks though. One of these days..."
Her voice faded off and he took a seat next to her.
"They'll leave?"
"Bria's waiting until they have the money to go somewhere 'beautiful'," she said. "Most families just go somewhere, anywhere, else. Mostly to places where there's industrial work, since that's what they knew, or something similar. But Bria wants more for Alec. Kinda sick that I'll be sad to see them go, huh?"
"There's nothing 'sick' about missing friends once they're gone."
The flinch was visible and he could almost see her locking down.
"So, what's the what?"
"What?"
"The what with why you're here."
"The what with…" He repeated slowly, his mind sussing out a translation. "Ah, yes, well, I'm here to warn you."
The reaction was instantaneous. Open, expressive eyes shuttered and, while she was still frustratingly blank to him, he could feel a hum of dangerous energy in the air.
"Wait, that came out wrong," he hurried to clarify. "I came across some information – another syndicate, the Black Sun, is coming to eradicate Slavis Greely's organization and take over the area for themselves."
She stared at him, green eyes hard and searching.
"'Them'? Not 'our'?"
"I'm sorry?"
"You said 'take over the area for themselves'."
"Well, yes… I'm not a member of the Black Sun," he said.
He tried his best to give her a condensed version of what he knew of the Syndicate. It felt useless though – really, what could he tell her that would actually help? When it came to the two sides tearing each other apart, there was nothing more the people here could do other than stay out of the way. She seemed to feel the same, because she interrupted his description almost immediately.
"So, you show up here, scope the place out and now… someone else is moving in besides you and whoever you work for?"
"The Black Sun is a massive syndicate," he said, choosing his words carefully. He liked Buffy and he trusted her… but only to an extent. "And we're not sure of the scope of Greely's operation yet. If the people I work for were to come in at the same time those two were at war, it would just make things worse."
"Right," she said bitterly. "Worse than a bunch of thugs with a hopped-up sense of self-importance coming in here guns ablazin'."
"I know it- I can't explain everything," he said, that same frustration he felt back in the Jedi Temple coming back. "Please believe that I'd like nothing more than to be here, helping you and these people, but things are… complicated. I just wanted you to know what was coming."
The harshness drained from her face, just leaving her looking tired and sad. Something in him seemed to clench and he fought away the sudden fierce desire to just stay.
"Sorry, I'm outta line. You didn't have to come back, it's not your fight. I really appreciate you giving me a heads up."
The 'It's not your fight' echoed loudly in his mind and the appropriate 'you're welcome' stuck in his throat.
"It was nice seeing you again, Mace," she said, standing and giving him a courteous, but hollow, smile as she opened her door back out into the hall. "But I guess I have some work to do."
He stood, feeling numb, and followed her back to the main door silently. He knew he had to go… but he just wished…
"Obi-Wan."
"Oh be a what?"
She stopped with the outside door half open, her face scrunched up in confusion and that empty politeness disappearing, much to his relief.
"My name, it's Obi-Wan. Second date, remember?"
"I showed you mine so you're showing me yours?" She smirked.
"Absolutely," he said with a smile as he stepped outside. He sobered as he turned back to her. "Be careful, Buffy."
"Of course," she said, waving away his worry in a way that wasn't at all reassuring. She gave him a sly, playful look as she began shutting the door after him. "Have to be here when you come back, after all. Things don't get really interesting until the third date."
His amusement faded as soon as the door closed, leaving him standing in the hazy light of the vast, dilapidated industrial city. Soon, this place would become a war zone. One girl would fight to keep the innocent safe. And he'd be elsewhere. Following orders.
The weight of his duty as a Jedi had never seemed heavier.
And never more burdensome…
