Chapter Fifteen: What Else
"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Satine asked, coming into the living space near their chambers on the Coronet. It had been two weeks since the devastating news about Maul being in the Mandalorian system, and a stressful two weeks constantly being on edge while they finished their tour of Mandalore.
...a stressful two weeks of sleeping in beds on foreign planets and moons, trying to make love and not think that it was probably a horrible, no good, absolutely awful plan to think about bringing a child into the Galaxy with Sith running amok.
...and with a war waging. With targets on both their backs.
...preparing for a week on Coruscant, with a funeral and who knew what else.
Korkie glanced upwards at his aunt and uncle, then continued to bounce his leg and stare at the screen. He could feel his ears pop while the ship began to leave the atmosphere of the last planet in the tour. "I can't sleep knowing that my thesis proposal is getting approved tonight."
Obi-Wan nodded, sitting down beside him and smiling at the weird look he received. "What? I want to support you, if you don't mind?"
"How was the ball?" Korkie asked when his aunt sat across from him, taking off her heels with a relieved sigh. He then glanced at the clock and frowned. "Wait, you guys are here early. What happened?"
Satine huffed, tugging her legs close to her while she leaned into the couch of the small couch. "At this rate the moons of this planet will turn to Death Watch."
"Darling, you don't know that."
"They had their blasters drawn at you!"
"Arguing over values that you have repeatedly explained that you uphold - that we both uphold. Over basic sentient decency. I'm sure everything will work out - "
"There's always cause for concern that it could start a civil war...and we don't need another faction in Mandalore. Or another war in this Galaxy."
Refreshing the email page, Korkie quirked an eyebrow at his aunt. "What did you two do that could have caused such an outcry?"
Obi-Wan rubbed the back of his neck while his fiancee gestured broadly at him. "A debate between a nobleman and I became a bit...heated while we discussed the Clone Army - apparently, the army belongs to Mandalore and the Fett clan even though Jango Fett willingly gave his DNA to the Kamonians. Living, breathing men are properties," he muttered in disgust under his breath. "Despicable."
"You offered them to shoot you so they know how it feels to hurt a living being," Satine said in exasperation. "They would have too, Obi - and the ball was televised! It was only because the governor and I stopped everyone that everything worked out! They had the opportunity to hurt a man, to hurt me, and they - "
"I had everything under - "
Satine shook her head in disbelief, though her eyes were bemused as well. "You're too noble for your own good, Obi. It's gonna get you killed one day."
"Oh death has tried, my dear."
Korkie rolled his eyes at the pair of them, refreshing the page -
- and then let out an ungodly shriek, grinning like mad while he read the email that came in. "My thesis topic was approved!"
"Oh Korkie that's excellent!" Satine exclaimed, rising and meeting his excited embrace. She pressed a fierce kiss to his head, squishing his cheeks before kissing his brow.
Korkie laughed, turning around and basically launching himself at a half-risen Obi-Wan, embracing him tightly. "Thanks for helping me - oh, I need start drafting this!"
"Go to bed first - and he's gone." Satine shook her head, chuckling while he dashed to his room. "Hopefully he goes to sleep soon...from the planetary position we're in right now, we'll be on Coruscant in three days."
Obi-Wan loosened his tire and sighed, leaning on his elbows. "He's never been on Coruscant has he?"
"...no, no he hasn't. I'm worried."
"What, he'll be swept into the nightclub scene?"
"That he'll want to become senator of Mandalore. It's still a vacant position."
"Mmm…"
"How are you feeling? Have you talked to Anakin or Ahsoka lately?"
Obi-Wan pressed his lips together, then stood and with three of his long strides he leaned down and kissed her gently. "I'm going to bed...I love you."
"Ahsoka! Are you okay, are you hurt, did anything - "
Ahsoka rolled her eyes, glancing at Commander Cody before looking at the Hologram of her master. "I'm fine Anakin - it was just a trip to Ilium with some younglings."
Anakin scowled, crossing his arms. "You were captured by Hondo."
"Ehhh - he's friends with Master Kenobi. It would have worked out. I trust in the Force."
With a heavy sigh, Anakin shook his head and looked at the commander of the Third Systems Army. "Thank you, Cody, for being there for Ashoka and the younglings when they were stranded."
"I could have handled myself."
"You're both welcome." Cody gave a tense smile while General Skywalker signed off, and set his helmet down on the comm table. He was quiet while the padawan waved the lights on, then glanced at her. "You were terrified during that mission, weren't you?"
"I went from dealing with a coup on Onderon and public outcry that the Jedi were involved to being captured by Hondo with a bunch of younglings in two weeks. It was hell."
Cody gave a small smirk, knowing that the General probably had a full blown panic attack when he heard that Ahsoka had been captured by Hondo. He didn't pity Rex, having to call off a massive, army wide search party for a very capable padawan -
Oh my God, I'm talking about a child.
"Cody?"
"Hmm?"
"You coming to Master Gallia's funeral? I mean, we are heading to Coruscant for that…" Ahsoka's shoulders slumped while she thought about it, and she rubbed at her eyes.
Cody opened his mouth, then shut it while he thought about an answer. He had never really worked with Adi Gallia - usually, he did if General Kenobi was doing a mission with her...or sometimes if she happened to be at the same briefing as he was in…
...he knew how important this woman was to his Jedi - all of his Jedi - even though he barely knew her.
"I'm invited?"
Ahsoka cracked a small smile, looking at him with bemusement. "I think last time I asked there were eight-thousand invited to her wake and counting. Her funeral is much smaller though…a few hundred...why wouldn't you be invited Cody?"
"Oh...umm…" Cody then put a hand on the padawan's shoulder and smiled. "That would be great - wait, not great, it's a funeral - "
Ashoka, who hadn't laughed in awhile, giggled at his mistake and covered her mouth in a poor attempt to contain them.
Satine woke to find him sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hand and shoulders shaking. She grimaced, knowing that in just three days - or two and a half days really, given it was nearing morning - they would be setting foot on Coruscant. Without a word she pushed the covers away and shifted beside him, putting a hand on his knee and squeezing gently.
It took him some time to stop sobbing, fingers trembling while he twined their fingers together and looked at her in the dim light of the bedroom. His eyes were bloodshot.
"I miss her...so much."
She didn't say anything while he leaned his head against her shoulders, just wrapping her arms around him.
"...you're quiet," Obi-Wan murmured.
"This is probably the healthiest thing we've done in our relationship ever."
"Attend a funeral?"
"Comfort each other without expecting anything in return."
Obi-Wan pulled away some, wiping at his face and taking in a deep breath. He stared at the floor while processing her words, then shook his head. "First Tahl...Qui-Gon...Siri...now Adi? I...it's awful Satine...how did you deal with losing your parents at a public execution and function?"
Satine ran her fingers through his hair, wondering if their future children would have his auburn hair. Anger burned in her belly "You were with me at their execution Obi...and then we were on the run. I didn't have time to process it until years later. There was too much to do."
Obi-Wan nodded sadly in remembrance, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. He had to smile when she cupped his cheek and kissed his chapped lips.
"Do you want to keep talking about her?" Satine whispered, pressing their brows together. "I know she meant a lot to you."
He was about to say no, that it wasn't necessary, that she really didn't need to focus on him, it was okay…
"Can we just lay down?" Obi-Wan whispered, hearing his voice sound so weak.
She nodded, kissing him again.
A / N: hi.
