Sorry it's been so long. My life has been hella busy. But I'm glad to be back for a bit more! Enjoy!
Last time: Maul placed his demands.
Now: The Jedi Council help Obi-Wan come up with a plan.
Chapter 15- The Council's Plan
"What do we do?" Anakin asked, breaking the long, painful silence that had filled the communications center.
After the message from Maul, where they all witnessed him torture and harm Sasha, the room had fallen silent. No one had the words to speak up immediately after. Minutes passed before Anakin even asked his question. Obi-Wan, who was still not facing the holoprojector table, remained where he was, still smoothing down his beard as he listened closely. But no one answered Anakin.
"We can't just let him kill her or get his hands on Obi-Wan," Anakin groused. "So what do we do? What's the plan?"
"Patience, young Skywaker," Master Yoda said, being the first Council member to speak up.
"Patience?" Anakin gasped before scowling. "We have less than twenty-four hours before he kills her. We don't have time to be patient."
"We are well aware of the circumstances, Anakin," Mace responded, sternly. "Now stand down."
Anakin went silent at that, realizing he let his anger take him too far before the Masters. And being the only non-Master in the room didn't help his case either. So he closed his mouth and stood there, frustrated. Obi-Wan glanced over at Anakin on that. While he didn't agree with Anakin's tone, he did agree with his sentiment.
"Master Kenobi, what are your thoughts on this?" Ki Adi Mundi asked, breaking the tension in the room.
All eyes shifted towards Obi-Wan. Releasing an uneasy breath, Obi-Wan slowly turned back to face the rest of the room.
"Maul will continue to go after me for as long as I am alive," Obi-Wan started rather bluntly. "But I will not let him take another innocent life because of me. I'm going to do what he asks and surrender myself to save Sasha."
"Obi-Wan, please tell me you are not serious," Anakin almost begged as he didn't like this idea. "Please tell me you at least have a plan."
"I don't have one. Not this time," Obi-Wan said, solemnly.
Anakin ran his hands down his face at that as he started anxiously pacing.
"I agree with young Skywalker on this," Ki Adi Mundi said, quietly. "I do not think it is best for you to surrender yourself without at least having a plan in mind."
Obi-Wan sighed. "I'm open to suggestions. But Masters, I have lost too many people I care about to Maul. I can't let anyone else die because of me. And I'm not planning to go down without a fight, but I need to make sure Sasha is safe first. She is ready to become a Jedi Knight and I want to make sure she has that chance," he said wholeheartedly.
The Council members and Anakin stared at him for a moment before exchanging glances with each other. Then a lightbulb went off in Anakin's head. He moved over to the holoprojector table and started frantically typing away.
"Skywalker, what are you doing?" Plo Koon asked, curiously.
"Playing back Maul's message. If I am correct about something, then I think I'll have a plan that will work," he explained as he pulled the recording back up.
Just like before Maul and Sasha appeared before them. Then Anakin started the message again. Obi-Wan was curious what his former padawan was trying to do, but when the recording reappeared, he had to glance away.
"Kenobi, I know you are listening," Maul started again.
"I'm just going to skip through this part," Anakin mumbled as he pressed a couple buttons. "Here."
"If you ever want to see her again, you are to surrender yourself to me in the next twenty-four hours. If you don't, I will make sure you bare witness to her demise as I slowly take your padawan's life. Just like when you witnessed your Master and your precious Duchess die by my hand. Except, unlike like them, you have a chance to spare her life. Surrender and she will be kept alive. That is all you have to do Kenobi."
Anakin smiled as he clapped his hands. "I knew it!" He exclaimed.
"Knew what?" Eath Koth asked.
"Maul's deal. What did he forget to mention?" Anakin asked the room.
Everyone was silent for a moment as they thought about it. Then Mace responded. "He didn't mention to come alone." He said, realizing what Anakin was getting at.
The other Masters suddenly realized that too.
"Exactly," Anakin said. "Maul never specified if Obi-Wan had to come alone. Is it implied? Most likely. But because that detail was never mentioned, Obi-Wan could actually show up with back up in tow."
"But if I do show up with support, Maul might kill Sasha before we have a chance to rescue her," Obi-Wan explained, concerned.
"True, he might. But we won't let him. You have control if you show up with back-up. Why?" Anakin asked then continued before the others had a chance to respond. "Because all you have to say is that your 'back-up' is there to make sure Sasha gets home safely. Nothing more. Especially with her being injured, she maybe in no condition to fly herself back to Coruscant. Maul will have to take that bait in order to let whoever goes with you to appear with you at all."
"Maul isn't stupid, Anakin," Obi-Wan tried to explain. "He will figure it out."
"By that point, he might. But it's better than nothing. Plus that means if we bring a droid like Artoo along then that means that we can get a scan of where he is holding her and figure out an alternate way in to save you," Anakin added. He then looked directly at Obi-Wan. "Besides, I'm not letting you waltz in there and surrender your life away if I know there is a chance for you to make it out of this alive. You and Sasha. And maybe even have Maul in chains as a bonus… or dead. Either way, I can't just stand here and let you give in like this."
"As brash as young Skywalker may be. Agree with him, I do. Lose you we cannot. The best plan this may be. And no time do we have to waste," Yoda said after a moment. "Move quickly we must."
Anakin made a face at the brash comment, but shook his head and looked at Obi-Wan. "What do you think?"
Obi-Wan looked between Anakin, Yoda, and the others before letting out a sigh. "Did Maul include his location?" He asked.
"Yes, we got the coordinates of where he wants you to meet him," Mace said, nodding. "It's about ten hours away, near the Vestora system."
He then glanced at the chrono on the wall. Already an hour had passed in his time window. And calculating the time it would take to get everything ready, he wouldn't be leaving for another hour anyway. Or possibly three if he decided to use Anakin's plan. Which meant by the time they would arrive they would have roughly ten hours left in their window. That actually wasn't that bad, but it was still the middle of the night and his body was screaming for some form of rest.
Yoda must have sensed this as he slowly waddled over to him. "Rest, Obi-Wan. Time you will have to save your padawan. And go with you, young Skywalker will. So rest too you should. At first light, leave you will to save Sasha," he advised.
"Alright, Master. It appears I am not winning this argument," Obi-Wan gave in as his shoulders slumped, tired. "I'll go rest for a few hours."
"I'll contact Commander Cody and Captain Rex, and see if they can spare any clones for this mission. Including a medic," Mace said. "I'll have them meet you in the hangar to take a shuttle first thing in the morning."
"Thank you," Obi-Wan said as he turned and headed for the door.
"Watch after him, Anakin," Yoda voiced quietly to Anakin once Obi-Wan was out of earshot. "Needs you he does. Give him strength you must."
"I will, Master," Anakin said with a nod. "And I'll bring both of them back. Alive."
"We know you will," Mace said.
Anakin nodded and turned to follow Obi-Wan. Escorting his friend back to his quarters before going to get rest himself.
Scamp snored soundly in his bunk aboard the Negotiator as it sat docked in the docks on Coruscant. He shared a bunk room with three other clones: Boil, Gear, and Bow. All four of them were on leave for the time being and enjoying their much needed shut eye before whatever new mission might come their way.
Suddenly the doors to their quarters slid open and the lights were automatically flicked on. All four men groaned loudly as they were all instantly blinded. Scamp sat up and looked around with a squinting glare to see who had woken them up. After a second of his eyes adjusting, he spotted Commander Cody and Captain Rex from the 501st standing in the doorway with four other clones behind them.
"Commander on deck," Scamp ordered formally as he shot out of his bunk and stood as straight as possible. His bunk mates followed in suit.
"At ease," Cody said as he entered the room and removed his bucket from his head.
"What's the deal, Commander? We were enjoying out dreams," Gear groused as he relaxed, rubbing his eyes to help himself wake up more.
"Sorry to disturb you, boys, but we got a mission," Cody said.
"What's the mission, sir?" Bow asked as he leaned against his shared bunk with Scamp.
"Commander Monroe has been kidnapped by Maul and General Kenobi is going in to rescue her," Rex explained as he remained in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest. Scamp felt his heart thud at that information. "The Council has asked us to put together a squad with medics," he gestured to the two medics behind him, one of them being Basha, "to go in rescue the Commander and then the General while also, hopefully, capturing Maul in the process."
"Sounds like a dangerous mission," Boil observed wryly. "When do we leave?"
"In less than an hour," Cody answered. "So gear up and meet in the hangar. We'll take a ship to meet up with the Generals." He then turned and exited the room.
"Alright, you heard them, boys," Scamp said as he immediately started to pull out his armor to gear up. "Get ready. We have no time to waste."
The others nodded and started to gear up.
"You alright, sir?" Bow asked him quietly as he stopped next to him.
"I'm fine, Bow," Scamp said, glancing at him. "Now get ready."
Bow nodded and walked over to his locker to start getting himself ready. Scamp watched him for a moment before looking back into his own locker. He stared at his helmet in deep thought for a moment. Sasha was like his best friend. They had been through thick and thin together for the past couple years. She helped him become a better soldier and person, and he helped her become a better fighter and strategist. They were like a perfect pair, just her master was with Cody and General Skywalker is with Rex. Hell, she even made the promise to him that when she would get knighted, she would request him to be apart of her regiment of clones. And now she was in danger, serious danger.
He recalled how he had found her after their last encounter with Maul. She was shaken and terrified even if she didn't show it. He could just tell after knowing her for so long. And then she had confessed to him in private that she had been present when the Duchess of Mandalore was murdered by Maul. She nearly broken down when she confessed that to him that he had to comfort her as a friend instead of his commanding officer. He had promised to keep that secret for her.
But now hearing that she was in the maniacs clutches made him sick with worry. Dawning his armor, a deathly serious expression came to his face that became hidden once his bucket was slipped on over his head.
Obi-Wan and Anakin stood on the platform that extended out from the Temple, awaiting their ride. Anakin looked energized and ready to take on the galaxy even though he had been restless all night. Obi-Wan, on the other hand, looked like he hadn't slept a wink last night for the couple hours they had to get any rest. And he hadn't. He was up all night with that dreadful nightmare and with the constant worry for what Maul could be doing to his Padawan right now. He still couldn't sense her in the Force, but what little he could sense was shrouded in the dark side which only made him more anxious.
They stood there waiting in silence as they watched the ship arrive and land on the platform.
"Ready?" Anakin asked, quietly after a moment, finally breaking their silence.
"Yes," Obi-Wan stated curtly as he made his way up the ramp once it lowered.
They entered into the passenger compartment where their squad of ten clones sat waiting for their orders.
"Rex, tell the pilots to get us under way," Anakin ordered. "We don't have much time."
"On it, General," Rex said with a quick salute before rushing up to the cockpit to inform the pilots.
After a moment, they felt the ship lift off and leave. Obi-Wan looked at all of the expecting Clones, not really sure what to say. Anakin glanced at him then them. Anakin cleared his throat and spoke up on Obi-Wan's behalf.
"Alright, men, we thank you for being apart of this mission," Anakin started. "This is a very important mission that if we make one wrong step anywhere it could be consequential. So I need your undivided attention." Rex returned to the room at that moment. "Maul has killed enough during his life and with Commander Monroe in his grasp right now, he will likely do it again if we are not fast enough. Our mission is to over see the exchange of General Kenobi for Commander Monroe."
"Wait what?" Cody asked, taken aback. He then realized what he did. "Apologies, General. Please continue."
"No, it's fine, Cody," Obi-Wan spoke up, speaking evenly. "The deal is that Maul will only release my padawan alive if I give my life in her place. I just need to see to it that you all are able to get her out of her safely. However, General Skywalker has a plan to rescue me in return."
"That's right," Anakin nodded, looking from Obi-Wan to the Clones. "We are not leaving General Kenobi behind. We are going to bust him out too. And hopefully also capture or kill Maul in the process."
"Sasha is our main goal," Obi-Wan said, breaking formalities for a moment. "I cannot risk her life being lost to Maul. So please, wait until she is safe before coming to rescue me. Her life means more than mine in this mission. Thank you." He then turned and headed for the cockpit, leaving the Clones staring at him shocked silence. Anakin furrowed his brow with obvious worry as he disappeared from their line of sight.
Oh boy. Review! Things are to get spicy in the next few chapters!