OBI-WAN
When Obi-Wan had heard about the attack on Thalia, he'd made straight for the Senate building. He hadn't expected to find her wandering the corridors. When she'd turned to face him, the look on her face had him more worried than the attack itself. He'd never seen her look so lost before.
"Thalia, I heard what happened. Are you alright?" He asked for the third time, this time grabbing her un-hurt arm just above her elbow, his fingers squeezing gently. She looked down at his hand and finally seemed to see him.
"Yes, I'm fine." She said quietly and then looked down at something she held in her hand. He followed her gaze and pried the grenade from her fingers.
"They sent an assassin." He surmised and Thalia nodded.
"Palpatine knows the Separatists are involved." She said suddenly and his eyes flew up to meet hers. Her face was completely expressionless. She seemed numb.
"Come on, some fresh air will do you good." He decided and Thalia didn't protest to being dragged out of the Senate building and onto one of the balconies overlooking the steady flow of Coruscant traffic. They were sheltered from the majority of the wind, but a strong breeze still whipped Obi-Wan's robes against his side. He watched as Thalia walked to the edge of the balcony and placed her hands on the railing. Her gown matched the sunset, it's dusty rose-coloured material billowing out behind her as the wind caught the heavy velvet.
"Do you think I should just give up?" She asked suddenly. She kept her eyes plastered on the skyline as she spoke.
"You don't mean that. Not completely." Obi-Wan replied almost immediately.
"I'm sure there's a planet out there where I'll never be found. I could start a new life, become a farmer, let the galaxy do whatever it wants." She mused.
"You'd be a terrible farmer. You're a pacifist, how would you sell meat?" He asked and was relieved to her a breathy laugh pass through her lips.
"Vegetables, then." She suggested and then sighed, letting her head drop to look down at her hands. "If the Senate knows the Separatists are involved, what hope do I have of convincing them to stay away?"
Thalia laughed then. It would have sounded hysterical if it wasn't filled with so much sadness. It had Obi-Wan striding over to her immediately to place his hands on her shoulders and gently turn her towards him.
"The Separatists want me dead; the Republic is trying to invade my home; I'm trying to protect people from this war and the Chancellor…Walking into the Senate tomorrow will be like an animal willingly going to the slaughterhouse." She said, her breath coming in frantic bursts. Tears began to well in her eyes, which Obi-Wan knew would only make her more upset. "I'm…afraid." Thalia finished; her voice strained like it was the most difficult thing she'd ever had to say.
His lips pulled into a thin line and, careful not to jar her injured arm, pulled Thalia against him. He kept one arm wrapped around her with his hand splayed flat against her back and the other cradled the back of her head as she pressed her face into his shoulder. Obi-Wan felt her relax into his embrace. Her free arm wrapped around his waist, her fingers latching onto the edge of his armour. He held her, close and tight. He wanted her to know that he would always protect her, and she didn't need to be afraid.
"I'm not going to pretend that you're wrong about anything you've said but… know you're not alone." He said, his lips brushing the top of her head. He felt Thalia take a deep breath and exhale slowly, her grip around him tightening slightly.
"Neither are you." He heard her mumble against his shoulder.
. . .
Obi-Wan left Thalia in the capable hands of Padme that evening and made his way back to the Jedi Temple. He was angry. Angry that Thalia had to face all of this alone, angry that she couldn't have what she wanted, angry that she was unhappy. But most of all, he was angry that there was nothing he could do about any of it.
His mood didn't improve when he saw Anakin waiting for him in the foyer, his foot kicked up casually on the wall he was leaning against.
"How is she?" He asked and Obi-Wan felt his mouth drop open before quickly closing it again. "Oh, come on, Master. They announced the attempt of the Queen's life and the next moment you're sprinting out of the Temple like a gundark with it's rear end on fire."
"That is neither an accurate nor flattering description." Obi-Wan replied, quickly recovering himself from his surprise. "But she's alright, physically anyway."
"Well, I'm sure she appreciated you coming to check on her." Anakin said profoundly, joining his Master as they ascended the stairs to the inner temple.
It was silent as they reached the landing and then Anakin decided to break Obi-Wan's train of thought yet again. "I know this may not be the best time to ask, but where you and Thalia ever a thing?"
Obi-Wan nearly tripped up the top step, but he managed to turn to his fellow Jedi as every bit the refined Master. "I don't know where you get your ideas, my young apprentice. Perhaps you took a knock to the head at training today."
"So, that's a 'maybe'? It's definitely not a 'no'." Anakin grinned.
"Good night, Anakin." Obi-Wan finished and turned on his heal, leaving his Apprentice grinning his Master's retreating back.
. . .
The next morning, Obi-Wan woke with the feeling of dread already taking up a permanent residence in his stomach. That feeling only grew as he marched towards the Senate chamber with Master Windu. Thalia had to appear in Senate, there was no doubt about that, but what would meet her when she took her place was unknown.
"If the Senate votes in favour of Republic intervention, we'll have to be prepared to move out immediately. Once the Separatists get word of their decision, they won't waste their time in making a move for the Kyber caves." Master Windu was saying but Obi-Wan was only partially listening.
They wove between senators as they filed through the various doorways and corridors, before reaching the viewing platform that looked down into the chambers in their entirety. Pods were filled with senators and their attendants, and the Chancellor had already taken his place in the centre of the room. Master Yoda and Master Plo Koon were already waiting at the viewing platform and greeted the two Jedi as they took their places beside them.
"Members of the Senate." Chancellor Palpatine boomed from his plinth, his voice bouncing off the curved walls of the chamber. "May the proceedings begin. We meet today to vote on the Republic's intervention in the Civil War between the planet of Troska and the rogue group of soldiers, Class Five."
Obi-Wan looked over the edge of the viewing platform, his brow furrowed as he searched the pods for Thalia. When he entered the Senate building, he'd expected to be able to feel the familiar, comforting presence of her, but he'd felt nothing but unease, which could have come from any number of senators.
"Before we begin, the representative for Troska would like to address the Senate." Palpatine declared and raised a hand in front of him. A pod detached from the round wall of the chamber and moved out into the middle of the room. Standing at it's helm was Thalia her pink hair pulled into a knot at the back of her head underneath a thick, black band. It seemed she had dressed for the occasion, wearing a matching black gown with one-shoulder, it's long sleeve covering one of her arms while the other was bare apart from a woven, gold bangle.
"Members of the senate." She began and Obi-Wan heard a twinge to her voice that he'd never heard before. It was low, a little snide and almost dangerous. It had Obi-Wan's jaw clenching as a fresh wave on unease washed over him. "I know you believe my efforts to sway your vote in favour of peace are foolish, so I will not waste our time. I am here to offer the Republic a deal in exchange for time to let Troska deal with Class Five."
A ripple of murmurs spread around the senate and even the Jedi had their full attention trained on Thalia.
"Fifteen years ago, one of my advisors, Perseus Amany, partook in a plot with the Separatists to overthrow Troska and have me killed. To this day, only he knows who ordered this attack. However, he has said this much." Thalia finished and held up a holo-disk to show the senate before placing it into the pod's projector.
A hologram of Thalia's advisor flashed to life in front of every pod and a large version appeared in the centre of the chambers.
"Thus continues the trial of Perxeus Amany, former advisor to the Princess." A voice said off screen. "Did you willingly provide assistance to the Separatists during the plot to have the Princess assassinated?"
"Yes." Perxeus croaked in the hologram.
"Who was your contact?" The interrogator asked.
"The Bounty Hunter, Cad Bane." Perxeus replied.
Obi-Wan glanced down at Thalia, who was watching the recording intently, her fingers wrapped around the railing of the pod, her knuckles white and the muscles in her forearm tight.
"Did you communicate with Count Dooku to orchestrate the attack?" The bodyless voice asked.
"No." Perxeus answered.
"You said previously that you were contacted by the Separatists. Was it Count Dooku?" The voice asked.
Perxeus' stoney expression crumbled suddenly as a laugh escaped his throat. He shook his head in amusement and gave the interrogator a pitying smile. "Troska is home to the only remaining source of Kyber Crystals in the galaxy. Do you really think they would send a subordinate to something as important as this?" He said proudly.
"Not Count Dooku, nor that cyborg General Grevious, no, the leader of the Separatists contacted me themselves. And if you think I'm going to give up that piece of information, my only leverage, then you're more foolish than I thought." Perxeus finished and the hologram ended.
The entire senate chamber was silent as everyone tried to process the information they'd just been privy to.
"Well, this has certainly taken an interesting turn." Master Windu murmured.
Obi-Wan stared round the chamber before returning his gaze to Thalia. He had a bad feeling about where this was going and he was worried that if Thalia went down the path he thought she might be going, it would be hard for her to come back from it.
"Perxeus Amany knows who the leader of the Separatists is, something I know the Republic would very much like to know. He is still alive, and he is currently under lock and key on Troska." Thalia declared, her voice sounding harsh after the crashing silence.
"If you give Troska the time to handle Class Five, I will personally see to it that he is delivered to you to face full Republic interrogation and prosecution." She finished and Obi-Wan's heart sank. Since when did trading lives appear in the pacifist's book of law.
After another few moments of silence, then the senate erupted into roars of protest and opinions. People shouted for the Chancellor to take up the deal while others yelled insults at Thalia for suggesting such a thing.
Finally, Chancellor Palpatine raised his hand in silence.
"I believe the only way to settle this is to vote." He said, his voice sounding strained, like he was generally worried about the outcome. "Those in favour of Republic intervention?"
"Aye." Came a loud chorus from the senators.
"Those in favour of accepting the deal from Troska?"
"Aye!" Roared the remainder of the senators. They were far more interested in Separatist leadership than one planet. Discovering the identity of their leader could bring an end to this war.
"Very well." Palpatine said, his voice wavering slightly. "The Queen and I will discuss how to proceed, but the Republic will not move on Troska. I call this senate meeting to a close."