Chapter Six: The Martyr
"Well now that all of you know - and Skywalker - "
"Hey!" Anakin exclaimed from the center of the Jedi council chamber.
Mace pressed his lips together for a moment, trying not to snort at the young man's indignant huff. Their relationship had certainly improved over the past few weeks.
"Maul is indeed back, why we do not know. And despite what you claim Obi-Wan, you need someone to help you tracking them. Preferably someone from the Jedi Council - I do not want this getting out to the rest of the Order. Not yet."
The hologram of Obi-Wan folded his arms together. "Anakin? Would you be willing too - "
"I'll do it." Everyone in the chamber glanced at the hologram of Adi Gallia. She gave a shrug. "Do not think you are the only one who wants to see the end of Maul, Obi-Wan. He destroyed your life and one of the Order's best."
Obi-Wan opened his mouth to object, then nodded his head. "Very well. How soon can I expect you to arrive to my coordinates?"
"About eight hours?"
"You two need to investigate the distress signal from the Meridian sector before you chase after Maul." Mace waited for both of them to nod before forcing a smile and moving on to a different matter.
"You've seen better days," Adi quipped when her surrogate son slumped into the co-pilot's seat. She only received a groan in response. Shaking her head, she reached over and patted his knee before beginning the take-off procedures. "Did you at least manage a meal and an hour of quiet? This space station doesn't look like much."
Her only response was a grumble. Chuckling, Adi took off from the landing dock.
To the Meridian sector.
She plugged in the coordinates once they were out of the atmosphere, sitting back with a sigh of relief when she went to hyperspace.
Obi-Wan cracked his eyes open when they jolted into hyperspace. He rubbed his eyes, heaving a sigh. "How many hours until we reach the coordinates?"
"About ten...maybe you can get some sleep?"
"I will - in a bit." Obi-Wan glanced at her, raising his eyebrows. "Can't resist mothering me can you?"
"Mmm - just remember I remember every embarrassing detail of your teenage years."
Obi-Wan snorted, thinking of several, several things that he had gotten up too that no motherly figure needed to know about. He received a small smack to his knee. A laugh escaped him - it was kind of surprising to him.
Adi gave a smile, turning back to the controls for a moment. She double-checked everything before glancing back at him. "You've come a long way Obi-Wan. I can't tell you how proud I am of you."
"...even when I'm heading on a revenge mission then heading home to my Mandalorian girlfriend?"
"Even then Obi-Wan. Even then."
Satine rubbed at her eyes when she heard her comlink chirping. Pushing away the blankets, she pulled the cloak that she had long ago stolen from Obi-Wan over her body and picked up the comlink. Very few had her private comlink frequency.
"Hello - Master Windu? It's the middle of the night."
Mace Windu bowed his head. "My apologies Your Grace - but the circumstances begged a midnight holo call."
Fear climbed in her throat, though she swallowed it down. "Is Obi-Wan okay?"
"Physically? Mostly. Mentally? ...he'll explain I'm sure. He left for Sundari about an hour ago."
"Oh? Then why - " Satine didn't ask why he hadn't contacted her. Knowing her partner, Obi-Wan put the ship on auto-pilot and was fast asleep. "Should I be worried for the state that he is coming home in Master Jedi?"
"...that I do not know the answer too Duchess. But...Master Gallia did die on this mission. He's...not great. The funeral will be in a few weeks, once her family makes travel arrangements."
"That's...awful." Adi is practically his mother. Nevertheless, Satine bowed her head. "You can expect to have us present at the funeral Master Windu - my condolences."
"Thank you." With a nod Master Windu cut the transmission.
Satine barely noticed the knock at the door, tapping the stylus against her lips while she stared at the bill proposal in front of her. The Council of Clans was meeting tomorrow and she had so much to read and not enough of time to do anything.
The fact that Obi-Wan was supposed to become the watchman for the system was the last thing on her mind.
"Maybe if we restrict the supply of opals we could," she found herself muttering and writing in the margins of the flimsi as a suggestion. Restricting the precious gem Mandalore mined would at least allow -
The door swooshed open.
"Locked me out again? I thought we were past that."
"I didn't lock you out." Satine rolled her eyes while she dropped the stylus and stood to face her riddur. Her anger at him was equal to her relief that he was alive. "You know the passcode."
Obi-Wan gave a tired smile and she realized he supported a black eye. She moved forward, smoothing her fingers over his scratched, red face and frowned. There were specks of dirt and blood in his face. "What happened Obi?"
"I...you don't need to concern yourself with it. It's in the hands of the Jedi now." Obi-Wan clasped the hand touching his cheek and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "How are - "
"Hands of the Jedi? Meaning you? You promised that the Hardeen mess was the last mission! I haven't heard from you in days and then you come home all beat up and bruised and telling me not to worry? Of course I'm worried!"
There was a tap at the door. Satine looked over, then strode to the door and opened it. She was met with a servant and a lunch tray. Forcing a smile, she took the tray and nodded her head in thanks. The soup smelled delightful while she placed on a clear area of her desk, letting the door close by itself.
She sat back at her desk, tossing the pear at Obi-Wan when he opened his mouth. A rough snort came from her while he caught it neatly and bit into it. Taking the bowl in her hands, she sipped at the broth for a moment before setting it down. "Is this what it's gonna be like when we have children? You leaving for days at a time without contact and I have to wonder if you're alive? I might have to explain to our babies why their father is dead because he couldn't leave his duty for his family?"
"What?" Obi-Wan swallowed a too large chunk of pear and grimaced, allowing himself to cough while he stood in the middle of her office awkwardly.
Satine glanced away, then took a sip of her soup.
Obi-Wan froze, brow furrowed a moment before he stepped forward hesitantly. A note of hopefulness crept into his voice. He set the pear on her filing cabinet. "Wait - are you pregnant?'
But before he even finished the sentence Satine was shaking her head and wiping her eyes. "At this point I don't know if I want to be - not if you keep choosing the Order over me, over our future, over - over everything I try to build with you!"
"You can't possibly mean that - "
"I don't know. Two years ago I thought I was finally over you and then you waltzed into my throne room demanding information about Jango Fett and leading an army made of the man that raped my sisters and caused the death of half my clan!"
"Satine - "
"You even slept with one of those - those clones Ben!"
"... they're people Tina. And Cody - "
Satine heaved a sigh. She knew that this conversation was inevitable. "I know you cheated on me Ben - with Cody. I know you did it, just like you used to when we were dating in our twenties. I don't like the clone army for a number of reasons - for what they represent...I appreciate the fact Cody has prevented a sophomoric end to your life a number of times."
The words hit like a brick. Obi-Wan opened his mouth, closed it, then shook his head. He didn't dare reach out and try to touch her.
"...I don't care who you sleep with Ben... just come back to my bed every night without too many scrapes...and when the time comes, be home to read our child a bedtime story."
"I've…" Obi-Wan swallowed, scratching his chin. He stepped backwards and eventually hit the wall of her office. "That's how low I've set the bar?"
"My faith in you was broken a long time ago Obi-Wan." Satine stared at her soup, suddenly not hungry. "But somehow I can't stop loving you - in some ways you're worse than Bel. At least if he promised something he meant it."
Obi-Wan scoffed, his voice lowering and his eyes narrowing. "Don't compare me to that abuser - he beat you within an inch of your life Satine!"
"Oh, I'm well aware of that." Satine dug her fingers into her temples, screwing her eyes shut. Damn it, she could feel a panic attack bubbling close to the surface. Her breathing proved it. Swallowing hard, she shook her head when she heard Obi-Wan came closer.
"What do you want me to do?" Obi-Wan whispered, kneeling by her chair.
"For once can you do something for yourself?" Satine begged, pushing back her hair and dropping her head in her hands. A pained grimace escaped her.
Silence.
An uncomfortable cough.
"... that's not how I was raised my dear."
Satine nodded her consent when she felt his hand hovering over her knee. She raised her head when he grasped her other hand, breathing shakily. "That's why I keep loving you. Because you're so damn selfless."
"A selfless man wouldn't hurt the woman he loves over and over again."
Coughing into her elbow, Satine gave a snort. "No he wouldn't. Nor would he continuously break her trust."
"...I never do anything for myself? Really?"
"Besides illegal drugs? No, not really."
Obi-Wan thought for a moment, then leaned his head against her thigh. "Just don't compare me too Bel again. Please."
"Can you stop running off on damn fool-hardy crusades without telling me?" Satine wiped at her eyes while she looked at him, wondering why everything was so damn difficult. "Or at least give me some kind of message or - or just deny a mission. For once just do something for yourself. Please."
Obi-Wan didn't move from his position from a long, long time. He eventually sat back on his heels, hands placed on his knees. In that moment while they stared at each other, she felt so..old. Tired. Of everything.
"Nobody asked me to head off-planet. I did it on my own free will...for revenge."
Satine raised her eyebrows, wondering what he was rambling about. Revenge wasn't the Jedi way.
But then again...Obi-Wan wasn't raised to be a typical Jedi. He was the apprentice of the Order's maverick, master of the Chosen One, master of a frowned upon lightsaber form...in love with the Ice Queen of Mandalore.
"Darth Maul is alive Tina." He stood at her gasp, leaning against her desk and folding his arms tight around himself. "I don't know how, I don't know why - but he's alive, working with a damn Dathomir that somehow knows me! And I went after him because I want to kill him - twice."
Satine had trouble breathing. She barely noticed him beginning to pace, his fists clenching and unclenching. His lightsaber kept thumping against his hip.
"He killed Qui-Gon twelve, nearly thirteen years ago, ruined my future - my future with you! Then Adi went with me the second time and she was killed too - the BASTARD! At this rate he will kill everyone I care about, stopping at nothing - "
"Obi - "
"I've already lost so many Satine! I can't even count anymore! I want it to end - if he's dead maybe we won't have to worry so much! Maybe he's the Sith Lord we've been looking for - but he's not smart enough to pull this off, he just cares about destroying my life since I cut off his legs - the Chancellor doesn't even care - how the fuck did he even survive - either the Dark Side is stronger than we thought it was or - "
"Obi!" Satine stood, a little afraid of the wild look in his eye. It didn't seem natural in any way. She took a deep breath, trying to process everything he had just said.
This was not a time for personal feelings she realized. Obi-Wan had enough for both of them.
"Who do you think Maul will target next?"
Obi-Wan dragged his fingers through his hair, heaving a sigh. His shoulders were incredibly tense. "I don't know - Anakin? You, Padmé? Maybe Dex?"
"Possibly. I doubt Dex - and Anakin would kill even the Chancellor if Padmé was threatened. I don't think we have to worry too much about either of them. What about Ahsoka?
"He doesn't know who she is - "
"Did he know your connection to Adi?" Satine stepped close to him carefully, smoothing her hands over his shoulders. There were tears running down his face. "Well it might be worth it to put some protection on everyone - or even just let them know."
Obi-Wan wiped at his eyes, then looked at her intently. Unceremoniously he tugged her close, propping his chin on her hair. "I won't lose you to Maul. I just can't - it won't happen. I promise."
The vow made her uncomfortable, though she didn't say anything.
Author's note: well... Obi-Wan went a little dark there huh in that conversation huh? Just like in the episode, in my opinion ^.^ I have no regrets
I did have scenes with Adi Gallia and her death but I dunno guys - it just didn't feel right. Enjoy
And all of you, please stay safe and healthy. I know it's a scary time right now but we will all get through it. My thoughts and prayers to anyone that has suffered financial issues or the loss of a loved one.
ii Digestive Reader ii
