Chapter 15
Eta class Shuttle
Heading for Savareen
Rubbing the last remnant of sleep from his eyes, Obi Wan carefully took each step as he ambled into the cockpit. As the grogginess lifted, he felt his awareness returning with the refreshing effects of a good night's sleep in a comfortable bed, which rejuvenated his spirits. A bit startled, he expected to walk into an empty cockpit set on autopilot. Instead, he found Anakin's relaxed body molded into the contours of his chair, his legs draped across the control panel again, but this time with his head gently rolled to the side, snoring softly as he was fast asleep.
A small, endearing smile crept over the older man's face as memories of a young Padawan Anakin flashed through his mind. How many times had he caught the young man in a similar position in the past?
Hesitantly, he gently laid a hand on his fellow brother's shoulder, slightly rocking him to stir awake.
With a snort and a soft, surprised grunt, Anakin's heavy eyelids reluctantly squinted open and adjusted on the figure in front of him.
Giving Anakin a moment to collect his whereabouts, Obi Wan's body nicely loosened by the welcomed respite, he made his way across to the co-pilot seat before suggesting to the waking young man, "There's a bed available if you want to lie down. It'll be at least another hour before we arrive."
"No, no, this is fine." Anakin quickly declined as he stretched out his arms above his head, the gears in his cybernetic arm taking a moment to realign. He let out a lazy wide mouth yawn before adding, "besides, I'm getting soft sleeping in a comfortable bed for the last two years." He flashed Obi Wan a playful, relaxed look.
Obi Wan chuckled, settling into their usual mirthful banter, "Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One. Living a life of luxury married to former Queen and now Royal advisor of Naboo."
"You forgot former Senator." Anakin pointed out.
"Ah, yes. How could I forget that." The grey in the old man's beard exaggerated under the bright cockpit lights as he lounged comfortably into the co-pilot seat with a relaxed smile on his face. "You seem to keep in the constant company of politicians. Something I could never understand."
"What can I say? They attract themselves to me." Anakin dramatically admitted as he shook his head helplessly earning an eye roll from Obi Wan. A small smile played across his lips, thinking about the comforts his current life afforded him compared to life as a Jedi during the war. It sparked a random memory and the side of his mouth twitched as he asked, "remember when we were stuck on Felucia?"
"You mean when you crashed our ship and we had to figure out a way to send for help?" Obi Wan clarified.
"Whatever," Anakin quickly stated as he casually brushed off the minor detail with a wave of his hand. "You remember sleeping on the ground." Amusingly, he chuckled at the memory with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "You kept getting up to brush the bugs off of you."
"That was a poor campsite location," Obi Wan retorted. "There were bugs everywhere!"
"I swear you got up every 30 minutes. I couldn't sleep with you loudly complaining every time! Just because you couldn't make peace with the bugs didn't mean we couldn't sleep too," Anakin stated, aggrieved.
"I don't know how you could fall asleep!" Obi Wan exclaimed emphatically as the unsavory memory stirred up unpleasant sentiments of the past.
"There weren't that many bugs!" Anakin countered, not sharing Obi Wan's perspective.
"I had bug bites the next day to prove it!" Obi Wan insisted ruefully while they traveled down memory lane.
"That's from you scratching!" Anakin concluded as he smiled smugly. "Then there's the straw beds the locals offered for us to sleep on."
Obi Wan groaned at the memory, remembering how little sleep was begotten on the trip, "I don't know what was worse. As kind of an offer for the locals to give us a place to rest was, the smell from the straw was probably worse than the bugs."
"And itchy." As Anakin goaded him on.
Obi Wan grimaced and shivered at the thought. "There were bugs in that straw too, you know."
"I'm sure there was." Anakin obliged him and they shared a lighthearted, jovial look despite the unpleasant memory.
Anakin kindly and mercifully acknowledged Obi Wan's discomfort even if he disagreed with him. Through their shared camaraderie, they both laughed heartily while reminiscing on the hard times they went through together. It was more entertaining to think of the past now than during the thick of it.
It felt good.
"Things were tough back then. Weren't they?" Anakin's smile faltered as he reflected mostly with relief but laced with a touch of regret and sadness. He glanced over to Obi Wan, who listened intently to his dear friend. "There were times I didn't think we would make it through the war alive."
Obi Wan nodded slowly at the sobering thought, pulling at his beard, as he shared his own sorrows. "I must admit, there were times I felt that way too. Those days were very bleak."
"But we made it, didn't we?" Anakin added a hopeful note as he pulled himself out of his reflections and planted himself back in the present with a steady, unwavering composure.
"Now, look at my life. I wake up in the same bed every-single-day next to the most beautiful, wonderful Royal advisor in the history of Naboo," as he grinned wildly to himself. "In a giant house on Theed with two crazy children that have way too much energy for their own good! Who would have ever thought this would be my life?" Anakin chuckled softly to himself before turning to Obi Wan with hopeful eyes.
Smiling kindly, the creases in the corner of his eyes seemed to smile too as Obi Wan regarded Anakin with a brotherly yet whimsical look. His heart warmed, not knowing how much it affected him to see Anakin so happy. In truth, the older man really only wanted Anakin to be happy. It was enough for him. And yet, he was reminded of their earlier conversation.
"Soft. You've gone soft," Obi Wan jested lightly.
"Yeah," Anakin grunted in agreement as he brought his legs down and pulled himself closer to the console. "I'm definitely soft now." He chucked with his old friend. There's a quietness of his current situation that he surprisingly enjoyed even if it lacked the excitement of his Jedi days.
Obi Wan inquired, the big brother in him or maybe even that fatherly aspect, he never wholly achieved or emulated, needed to know one thing. "Do you sleep better now?"
Anakin knew what he was asking and in the 10 years plus, the two men spent together, he never slept well.
Ever.
If it wasn't nightmares about his mother, it was the worry and concerns about his men, Ahsoka, and even Obi Wan during the Clone Wars that kept him up. He had to admit that he was pretty good at having horrible, terrifying nightmares and that eventually accumulated to the disastrous nightmares about Padmé's death. Needless to say, he resolved himself to never really sleeping well.
The only time he really did was when he slept beside Padmé.
With his eyes somber, Anakin slowly shook his head in agreement, "Yeah, much better now." Not completely the truth, he took a second, given his level of trust with the present company and quietly admitted, "for the most part."
"Me too," Obi Wan responded quickly, taking advantage of the opening Anakin rarely offered. Cautiously, he proceeded forward as he tucked his arms inside the pockets of his jacket. "Sometimes, I get dreams." He emphasized the last part.
Anakin whirled his head surprised. "You too?"
There are some nights Anakin would wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air. They were few and far between, but they happened. It wasn't anything like the nightmares of the past. These were different, new, not premonitions of the future but reflections of the past. The only thing he could do afterward was to silently get up and walk it off.
These dreams never allowed him to go back to sleep.
Obi Wan nodded slowly as he studied Anakin's expression, opening the floor for his former Padawan, hoping he'll accept the offer, "Yes, I do. You want to talk about them?"
Anakin's head snapped back as the window of opportunity slammed shut. "No." He waved his hand in the air dismissively. "They're nothing. I stopped caring so much about my dreams."
Disappointed but more so concerned, his words were unsettling to Obi Wan. Opening his mouth, he moved to divulge further but stopped when Ahsoka came bubbling in.
"We definitely need to thank Master Plo for this ship! I haven't slept that well in a long time!" She cheerfully stopped and stood in the doorframe, letting out a cat like stretch.
With some relief for the distraction and amusement with his former Padawan's antics, Anakin took a moment to admire Ahsoka's lightsabers, both strapped to her sides at the moment. Thinking back fondly, he had continually tinkered with them when she left the Order, keeping her memory alive and close to him, hoping one day to see her again.
He remembered giving them to her.
The joy present in her eyes, as she tried to hold her well honed demeanor resisting falling back into the young, energetic Padawan she once was to him but no more. Setting off on her own, she became engrossed with Mandalore's military coup and first appeared to Obi Wan and Anakin as a hardened, matured young woman. It didn't matter to Anakin as he was just excited to see her again and to make up for the lost time. Symbolically, he presented the modified lightsabers to her, proving to her that he thought about her even when she was gone and how important she was to him. Unable to resist his earnestness, Ahsoka's facade cracked as a radiant, honest smile spread across her face at the sight of the lightsabers.
Old friends reunited.
Anakin gestured to the lightsabers attempting to hide his pride, "How are you liking the adjustments I made?"
Ahsoka put her hands on her hips as she tilted her head, regarding Anakin with slightly skeptical eyes. He always had to make his mark on everything. Luckily, as his former student, she had learned to do the same. "It's ok. A bit off balanced, so I had to adjust them. The intensity was too high, so I adapted them to my liking."
Igniting them, her lightsabers flashed a brilliant white instead of the blue blade he initially presented to her.
Anakin flashed her a mock hurt expression though he couldn't help feel a brotherly pride as she showed off her individualism. A white lightsaber was rare and yet fitting for the togruta in every way possible.
Ahsoka smirked, enjoying Anakin's reaction, as Obi Wan watched them like a father would his children.
Powering down her lightsabers, she remembered why she came over and shifted into a more serious tone. "So what's the game plan once we land?"
Obi Wan answered her. "For the first order of business, we should deliver the spice as promised, seeing that we are smugglers." He grinned wryly; even as a spice smuggler, he was dutiful.
This didn't go over well with Anakin as a hard line appeared on his forehead; he furrowed his eyebrows. "I would prefer to not add to their inventory."
The Captain of NRSF's point wasn't lost on Obi Wan, as he explained. "It may be a necessary evil for us to access the facility. Once we have gained the information we need, we might be able to shut down the facility from future exploits."
"I get that we're here to get information on Maul but I'd like to put a dent into Crimson's Dawn's drug ring, especially since it involves Naboo," Anakin reasoned. "I don't see why we can't accomplish both."
Obi Wan scratched his beard thoughtfully, his mind turning over possible scenarios, taking his request seriously. "I know this is important to you, Anakin. We will do our best to honor that."
"That's all I'm asking." Anakin replied in appreciation.
That didn't seem to appease Ahsoka as her anxieties increased. "And what if we don't find anything leading to Maul? What then?" Ahsoka peppered her concerns. They've invested so much into this mission and she didn't want to it to be all for nothing. Most importantly, she wanted her hands on Maul.
Obi Wan assured her with a comforting tone. "We'll find something there. I have a feeling we won't leave empty handed." He wasn't sure if it was something he sensed in the Force or just out of hopefulness.
Anakin offered a more detailed response. "We can search for their systems. They might have logs to help us understand how they speak amongst each other within their network. Maybe we can track it and see if it'll lead us to Dryden Vos. I have a feeling if we find him, we'll find Maul."
Ahsoka appreciated his expertise in these matters. It was one of the many reasons she was so glad he decided to join them. She added, "There has to be a central communication system there that we can break into and find more information on Dryden Vos and Maul."
Always the cautious one, Obi Wan was usually the unfortunate voice of vigilance amongst the three of them. He warned, "We'll need to be careful. We have no idea how heavily guarded this facility is. If it's anything like the Pykes we have to be prepared. Or else our mission will be over before we get started."
Turning his chair around to the navigation, Obi Wan surveyed the proximity of their destination. The flight map estimated another twenty minutes before their arrival. They'll need to make preparations soon.
"We should be approaching Savareen soon. I suppose we should make contact with them." Obi Wan thought out loud.
Ahsoka added, "They'll probably expect us to announce our arrival before entering the atmosphere."
Obi Wan and Ahsoka looked at each other. They fell into a comfortable routine since they started this adventure. Still dressed as smugglers, they lost themselves in their roles as they discussed this, except there was this nagging afterthought. Like, something was something a miss.
Both looked at Anakin.
It took a couple seconds before he got the clue.
"Oh, you need me to hide since there's only suppose to be two of you on this delivery." Dramatically, Anakin heaves himself up from the seat, "I'll just go cram myself in one of those-oh so comfortable-cargo holds. You know where to find me if you need me."
Sympathizing with Anakin's plight, Obi Wan rose from the co-pilot seat to give the young man a hefty pat on the back as Anakin reluctantly made his way out of the cockpit. "We'll come to get you the moment we're done. I promise."
Though the seriousness of the situation couldn't be understated if Anakin was found on board, it would severely compromise their mission. Regardless, an amused smile pulled on the older man's face as Anakin grunted in a lackluster and slightly cantankerous response, unable to summon up a grateful reply before disappearing down the hallway.
Shaking his head ruefully as some things never change, Obi Wan slipped into the pilot seat and gestured for Ahsoka to join him in the co-pilot chair next to him.
She tucked her lightsabers away, behind her back, underneath her smuggler's outfit. She couldn't wait to get out of these itchy clothing and back into something she can move more easily in. The thought soothed her mind as she willed herself to endure the outfit for just a little longer as she sat down and watched Obi Wan turn off the autopilot.
"Are you sure you don't want me to pilot, Obi Wan?" She questioned.
"That's quite alright. Unlike what Anakin believes, I can manage to pilot a ship without crashing it." He insisted, cheekily.
"Technically, we both crashed the last one, so you only earned half a crash credit," Ahsoka pointed out.
"Does it count if we didn't land the ship?" Obi Wan murmured thoughtfully.
Mulling over his words, Ahsoka thought for a moment at the implications as she made a startling realization. "You're right! We didn't land the ship, did we?"
"Master Plo Koon landed the ship for us." Obi Wan proudly proclaimed as he wittingly and gleefully found a loophole. He continued with a glint in his eye, "therefore, it doesn't count."
Ahsoka responded with a broad, toothy grin appreciating the finer intricacies of the man's sharp intellect. "Totally doesn't count!"
Both let out a deep bellied laugh satisfied with their conclusion.
The laughter eased the unsettled feeling inside Obi Wan. Not able to let the thought go, something had been bothering him since yesterday. In truth, it took him a long time to fall asleep as his conscience nagged him.
Testing the waters, Obi Wan turned to gauge Ahsoka's demeanor looking for hints of her thoughts. She was calmly flipping through the different prompts on the control panel as the Force around her was calm. From his past experience with Ahsoka, if she was to hold a grudge, it would be palpable through the Force. Perhaps he was overthinking yesterday's conversation as he attempted to reason his way out of it. Deciding otherwise, he felt the need to rectify the situation either way, as uncomfortable as the discussion may be.
"Ahsoka," he started hesitantly. "About yesterday's conversation. I was wrong to bring up Lux Bonteri. It was not my place to do such a thing and I apologize for the uncomfortable situation I placed you and Anakin in."
Ahsoka's face was calm and unreadable as she looked down at her hands, gathering her thoughts. She spent a lot of time thinking about yesterday's conversation. "It's ok. Anakin had to find out at some point." She stated softly with no accusation in her tone.
Frowning, this only made Obi Wan feel more guilty as he expected and maybe even preferred that she berate him for such a callous action, so he continued to push further. "No, he shouldn't have found out that way. Not from me, anyway." An unsettling emotion flickered across him, causing his frown to deepen. "Honestly, I'm not sure why I did that."
Vocalizing those words made him realize how disturbingly true it was. It was uncharacteristic of him to lash out in such a way and it pulled out deep emotions trapped inside him he had repressed for so long. It was very unsettling for the usually calm and collected former Jedi. A vision of Satine flooded his mind and his senses as he felt his grieving heart heavy in his chest, only to be jolted back onto the ship as Ahsoka spoke.
"Anakin's right, though." Her eyes were full of acceptance and sorrow as Obi Wan watched her carefully. "Now isn't a good time for me to think about a relationship. I'm still figuring things out."
Obi Wan rubbed his face in frustration, wishing he could say something more helpful. "I don't know if I agree with his assessment. His judgment with you is a bit clouded. I'm afraid I'm unable to offer much guidance in this area. I have very little experience in it and unfortunately, it is one of the areas Anakin is better equipped to discuss this with." Somewhat cynically but tempered by a touch of humility, he replied, "but don't ever tell him I said that. Force only knows how much he'll rant about being some love expert and we don't need that."
"No," Ahsoka giggled as she rolled her eyes in agreement. Not surprisingly, Anakin was never really humble about anything in all honestly. "We don't need that at all."
Ahsoka chewed her lip in hesitation, as Obi Wan's quirked a curious eyebrow at her action, his confession encouraged her own. "I want to apologize for yesterday too. I meant it as a joke and I know that's no excuse for it. but…" She paused as she pushed a stray dustball across the control panel, willing herself to speak humbly. "I was insensitive by calling you a drunk and, um, a vagabond."
A burst of unnerving laughter erupted from the older gentleman as Ahsoka shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Oh no. It is. It's very funny but not in the way you think." He glanced at her with humbled, haunted eyes as he confessed. "Anakin has seen me entertain one too many Corellian whiskeys in the past. What you said was true-from a certain point of view. I may have indulged more frequently in intoxicating beverages during my time on Coruscant."
Stunned, Ahsoka's eyes raised at his confession. While what she said was in jest, she didn't realize how difficult things had been on Obi Wan. Never an easy task, he was hard to read and Ahsoka surmised that he preferred things that way, always holding his cards close to his chest. But there was a part of her sensed, with the fall of the order, how much it affected him. Now, she knew. She moved to say something sympathetic to him.
Before she could say anything, Obi Wan raised his hand up, "It's a good thing you showed up when you did." He offered a warm but shielded smile before he continued, "I was just in a bad spot. Things are better now and you don't have to worry about me."
Scanning his eyes, Ahsoka understood what he meant, she nodded quietly and looked away. She respected the space he requested and allowed him to open up to her when he was ready if he would ever be ready to open up to her. Thinking back, there was only one person he might be willing to share with. She decided to keep a mental log of this.
First Light Yacht
Some where in the Outer Rim
Sailing elegantly across the pitch black abyss of space was a beautiful Kalevalan yacht known as the First Light. The dark silhouettes of two tall men stood against the lavish backdrop of Dryden's office.
On an open palm, Dryden held out a round holocomm. The eerie blue haze converged together into the form of Choira's head. "I gave them the coordinates as you asked. They didn't seem to suspect a thing."
The near human male broke into a devilish grin as he eased into his charm. "Ah, Choira. Such an outstanding Bith! You are a valuable asset amongst the Crimson Dawn family and you shall be rewarded for your actions." His eyes grew stern, "make sure to notify me if they contact you again."
The Bith's black eyes twitched excitedly at the praise before he disappeared from the holocomm. "As you wish."
With his back turned, the thick muscles of the zabrek's shoulders flexed in unrestrained anticipation listening intently yet with his eyes fixed forward looking out the viewport into the ocean of black and white expanse of space.
Dryden pocketed the device and made his way over to his boss, not pleased having to relinquish his office on his beloved yacht to Maul. As much as he hated it, it was better to be second in command instead of dead, which he knew Maul wouldn't hesitate to make a reality. Once his boss's business was done with this obsession, he hoped the tight leash he had around his neck would loosen again, as he did before Maul was captured, allowing him the freedom to enjoy the spoils of Crimson Dawn's empire. He had carved out a little section of Maul's empire and hoped to indulge in that again away from the prying eyes of his Master. Even if he wasn't in charge, he would find a way to find his success. It was one of his highlighting traits. He always ended up back on his feet. He was a winner.
Treading carefully, he approached the dark lord, stopping when Maul slowly turned his head to acknowledge Dryden's presence while his back turned.
"The trap has been set but your target doesn't seem to be alone. Will this be a problem?"
Maul's lip curled into a blood chilling smile that could be mistaken for a snarl, "So we will have an audience! The more, the merrier. I will feed off their sorrow as they mourn his eventual death. My glorious victory will not be denied this time!"
A chill crept up Dryden's spine and he shivered against his will.
A/N: Anakin's and Obi Wan's conversation at the start of the chapter hinted at them both having flashbacks of the Clone Wars in their dreams. They're war vets and I plan to tease this out later. Just a little teaser for you guys if you caught it. I have a 2nd book planned that will dive into issues of PTSD. I have a personal history of PTSD and have been in therapy for it (If you are suffering, please seek help!) so I hope to bring that experience into their story. It's my way of making what happened to me be something positive. If you have questions about therapy, definitely message me. I'll be happy to talk about my experience. I've been doing research specifically on war veterans and PTSD.
I also gave Obi Wan some adult level conflict. I wouldn't say he's an alcoholic but I've hinted he's hitting the bottle a couple of times more often than usual. His life changed dramatically and he's struggling a bit. I think Anakin and Obi Wan will end up helping each other through their individual struggles. It does make me wonder what the Kenobi series will address; since Obi Wan will have major guilt and PTSD issues. Will he drown out his sorrows in alcohol as well? Even if it's for a brief period of time.
I had Ahsoka tweak her lightsabers to be white as a homage to her Rebel's lightsabers. I know that her lightsabers were white for a different reason in Rebels but it's more of a reflection of her current galaxy views.
The trip Anakin mentions is based loosely on TCW S2E17 Bounty Hunters where they crashed on Felucia.