Chapter 6 - The Lies We Tell

As Ben left, he whispered to Appo and Cody, "Stand as if you are escorting me forcibly from the building."

They exchanged a look before bracketing him.

Cody gave his shoulder a light shove as they passed the reporters and Ben stumbled forward as if Cody had used real force. Ben rounded his shoulders slightly, letting sorrow and humiliation take over his features.

Palpatine wasn't the only one who could act.

"General Kenobi," a press member said, stepping in front of them. Cody and Appo caught Ben by the upper arm as if holding him in place, as if warning him not to engage.

Force bless the clones.

"General Kenobi, are you alright?" asked the reporter with a concerned tone and a hungry look.

Ben shook his head, and said softly, "No longer a general, not anymore."

"I'm sorry what was that?" the reporter asked as others swarmed around them.

"I am no longer a general in the GAR," he said louder but bowing his head, almost but not quite, slumping into the hands that held him.

"Master Kenobi-" I reporter began.

He looked up sharply, right into the recording face of a holocamera. "I'm not that either," he let his voice tremble a tad, letting the sorrow of the years of his life fill him, "the Chancellor has expelled me from the Jedi Order."

There was a pause then the questions exploded around them, like entering a rowdy cantina.

One question was repeated over and over again.

"But why?"

Ben answered in a robotic tone, as if too shocked to answer with real emotion, but he let the sorrow remain on his face. "I disagreed with Palpatine in prolonging the war and voiced my concerns that forcing the Jedi onto the field of battle was unjust. We were meant to rebuild not destroy in times of war. The final straw seemed to be over the troopers' citizen status. As it stands, the clones are not people of the Republic they are dying for."

And just like that, the cards were played.

Palpatine thought himself a genius, an unstoppable force, but power wasn't everything.

Cody ordered everyone back, "Move, the Chancellor has exiled this man from the Republic."

Ben raised his head, but kept his eyes downcast, a leader of the Republic, now a political exile because he dared to challenge the Chancellor in a private meeting.

The media was going to eat Palpatine alive.

Padme adored Obi-Wan's son.

Luke was by far the kindest person she had ever met from Tatooine. Not that Anakin and his mother hadn't been generous, not that the Lars had been unkind to them, but Luke was just…

He was sunshine, radiant. He reminded her of Anakin if Anakin had been spared every hardship in his life.

She had a hard time not smirking at Ahsoka who was clearly noticing Luke's charms. The boy was just so…

Was it possible to be innocent and noble in the same breath, self assured yet humble?

Either way, she saw the inner peace he had, perhaps not as polished as Obi-Wan, but it was an aspect of Luke's and Obi-Wan's personality that Anakin had never been able to replicate.

Not that she would have her husband any other way, but she thought that if she had a son, she would like him to be like Luke.

And Obi-Wan would be just as good an uncle as a father.

But she did have to wonder what Satine would think about Obi-Wan's having a son. Ever since Anakin had joked with her that Obi-Wan had a girlfriend, Padme had sought Satine out.

One thing had to had led to another, and Duchess Satine Kryze was the only person who now knew that she and Anakin were married. Padme hadn't told Anakin that she had shared their secret, because Padme had needed someone to confide in but she didn't want to stress Anakin out more than he already was. And not only was Satine trustworthy, but she truly empathized.

"So Padme, when did you become the Senator of Naboo?" Luke asked with great interest.

She smiled at him, "Before the start of the war, I was actually the queen of Naboo and my successor asked me to replace Senator Palpatine when he was elected Chancellor."

"You were a queen?" he asked, astonished, before he made a face, "Palpatine is from Naboo too?"

She laughed, "Yes, he is, he was a much beloved Senator. His were big shoes to fill."

Luke scowled, "I'm sure you are a thousand times better than he could ever hope to be."

Padme was a bit startled by his tone.

Ahsoka asked, "You don't like Chancellor Palpatine?"

Luke shook his head, "Of course not! I mean…" he faltered. "Things aren't exactly great for the planets out of the Republic currently, and I don't really believe in this war."

Padme felt her brows shoot up, because while Obi-Wan was typically quiet on the politics of the war, Anakin certainly had strong views.

Strong views that entirely supported the Republic, even while her own were more sympathetic to the planets siding with the Separatists.

Views that had led her to have doubts about Palpatine, doubts that had been growing for years, but she had yet to meet a Jedi who might agree with her.

Bail leaned back, but his eyes were sharp and intent on Luke's every motion, "What about Palpatine don't you like?"

Luke looked uncertain but said, "He's a dictator right? He's the one who signed the bill for the clones and this war is forcing systems to join a government. The Outer Rim can take care of itself, and if a government comes in that's going to allow slave and illegal trade to continue, well the Core worlds can keep their politics."

"Yet you are fighting in this war," Bail said carefully, letting the dictator remark pass, but she knew Bail wouldn't forget it.

Luke shrugged, "The Separatists aren't better, but that doesn't mean I have to like the Chancellor just because I don't like the opposing side."

"Some would call him a very fair man," Padme said, testing the waters.

Luke frowned, "Do you trust him?"

She smiled, "I'm a politician, Luke, trust is a tenuous thing. But I agree with you, the nature of this war… I would rather the fighting stop."

Ahsoka chewed her lip, and said softly, "I wish it would end too, there's been a lot of needless death."

"I heard you saved your homeworld, Ahsoka, you must have made your people very proud," Padme told her.

Ahsoka straightened, and then enthused, "It was Obi-Wan, we got there before anyone was in danger at all! Dooku ran away from us, the coward."

Luke was grinning, "Your aim is scary good."

Ashoka smiled back at him, "Says the guy who kept up with my Master." She turned to Padme, "Luke flew an ARC-170 with Appo and Fives, and flew as well Anakin. I mean honestly, it was insane. I don't know which of them would win in a podrace."

Padme raised her brows, "Quite the compliment, Luke. Anakin won the Boonta Eve Classic when he was nine years old."

Luke gaped at her, "No way, no way! That was him? The first human to ever win it?"

Ahsoka elbowed him, "Save the praise for Skyguy, he'll tell you all about in painful detail."

"Painful?" Luke exclaimed, "Are you kidding? I would feel cheated if he left anything out. I just mean… wow. I wanted to race it but my uncle would have actually killed me."

Padme laughed, "I don't imagine your father would have been too impressed either, Obi-Wan hates flying."

Luke shook his head, "I guess he had to have some faults, huh?"

It was so something Ani would say that it made her laugh again.

Ahsoka grinned, "Padme was elected queen when she was fourteen."

Awe filled Luke's blue eyes, and Padme was struck, almost jarringly when she realized that his eyes were the exact same shade of blue and even the same shape as Ani's. She almost didn't hear him say, "That's completely incredible, I cannot imagine the work that you would have had to do for that."

Bail smiled, "Padme is quite exceptional, her people saw it first, and then she showed the entire galaxy."

Padme couldn't not flush, such a compliment coming from Bail was no small thing.

Bail's fond smile fell, however, when a ping sounded on his datapad. It was the type of ping that usually heralded a news break that involved an assassination attempt.

She and Ahsoka instantly went on alert even as Luke looked on with interest.

Padme watched Bail's face as he read over the article.

His brows shot up, and his mouth made a little 'o' before he appeared to reread the article.

He looked up at Luke, and signalled with a hand for the bill.

"Luke, you aren't a ranking officer in the army you said, correct? You're just Obi-Wan's Padawan?" Bail asked.

"Yes," Luke said frowning, "but what-"

"We need to get you to Obi-Wan's side, now."

"What's happened?" Ahsoka asked, "Is everyone alright, is Master Kenobi-"

"He's been exiled from the Jedi Order and the Republic by the Chancellor."

Ahsoka incomprehension mirrored Padme's.

"That's- that's not possible," Ahsoka said, "The Chancellor can't do that. He- the Jedi have their own court."

"But the Chancellor outranks everyone in the Order," Bail said, frowning at the screen, "Not that I've ever heard of this done before. Certainly not without the Senate's approval."

"But why?" Padme asked, "He's a Council member, a Master Jedi, he's the single best High General in the entire GAR! What could he have possibly done to get exiled?"

Padme was furious, she couldn't imagine Ani was going through right now.

"According to the press, he accused Palpatine of prolonging the war for his own gain while forcing the Jedi to fight despite their reservations to the war's goals. Furthermore, he also said that the Chancellor was denying the troops citizenship despite their dying for the Galactic Republic."

Padme blinked, "He…"

Knowing Obi-Wan, he hadn't phrased it like that.

By the stars…

"Luke, come on, this could get ugly fast," she said, standing, the waiter barely having time to swipe Bail's account code before they were hailing their escort. The good thing about terrace dining was its easy escape routes.

Ahsoka was shaking her head, "This isn't good, this isn't good. We can't lose General Kenobi."

"We aren't losing him," Bail said firmly, "the Chancellor does not have the power to do this, not without the support of the Senate."

"It could take months to undo this edict," Padme said regretfully, picking up her skirts in a fist as she took Luke's hand that he offered to steady her as she stepped onto the hovercraft.

He caught her as Bail urged their driver to hurry and the driver took it as a license to speed.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Padme nodded.

While Ahsoka noted, "Luke, you don't seem at all shocked by this."

Luke shrugged, "He's Crazy Old Ben, his being a Jedi and General at all is more surprising to me than his calling out the Chancellor on corruption."

Bail looked at him, "You were saying you didn't like Palpatine, was this because of what your father told you?"

Luke shook his head, "No, it's because-"

"Luke!"

They all turned to see a speeder bike following underneath them.

"Luke, jump," Obi-Wan called to his son.

Luke turned to her and Bail, bowing his head to them, he said, "It was really nice to meet you both."

Then he jumped, landing behind Obi-Wan clutching the man's shoulders to keep from falling.

"Bye Ahsoka!" Luke called up to her.

"Master Kenobi!" Ahsoka shouted.

Obi-Wan rose the bike up, "Take care of your Master, Padawan Tano, we will meet again." He caught Padme's gaze, "I told Anakin he's under your personal command, my lady, do hold him to it. You're the sensible one of the pair." He soluted Bail then zipped off into traffic.

"Where are they going?" Ahsoka asked.

"Somewhere where they won't get arrested," Bail answered.

They stayed on course to the Senate building. The media was in a frenzy, demanding to speak with the Chancellor and members of the Jedi Council.

"Enough!" a familiar voice rose over the crowd at the entrance, "For now, the Order takes its orders from the Senate, we are not permitted an opinion on Master Kenobi's exile." Mace's glower cleared a path as much as he did his tone.

Oh, but his word choice, not permitted.

Padme didn't honestly want to see Palpatine's career go down in flames, but she was grateful that the mummers about the Jedi provoking this war would end.

It was now all on the Chancellor and the Senate. No more of this waffling on what 'the Jedi thought was best' because the Jedi had never actually had a vote on this war, only how the troops were dispersed, and even then, that was mainly up to the Senate too. But the Chancellor's office had been hiding behind the 'Jedi's wisdom' to get away from difficult questions over the years.

Yet as this war was becoming more unpopular by the day, Padme had truly begun to worry that people would start blaming the Jedi.

But General Obi-Wan Kenobi had drawn a line in the sand, and the rest of the Council's silence would be backing up his words.

The Jedi, as powerful and illustrious as they were, were still pawns.

The true power sat in the Senate's hands, and Palpatine had been slowly stripping the Senate of their influence making decision after decision without them because the war justified it all, his so called, 'Emergency Powers.'

But there was nothing justified in demoting General Kenobi, and there was no precedent for removing a Jedi from the Order.

The Jedi, as Ahsoka said, had their own Court. Jedi had testified before the Senate in the past, but no Jedi had ever been tried by anyone outside the Order.

Anakin appeared from behind Mace with Mon Mothma at his side.

Mon nearly ran to Padme, "We need a plan! I was there for the whole thing, I have a recording. General Kenobi spoke treason, but Padme, oh my friend, there was a shred of truth to it."

The two troopers, Rex and Jesse, stood guard around them, giving them their backs as they kept back the crowd.

Mace shook his head, and spoke in a low tone as Master Plo Koon, stood to obscure people's view of them as they, Mace, Mon, Ani, Bail, Ahsoka, and herself all but huddled together, "Be careful, Senator Mothma, what you release to the public. Releasing accusations about the Count making the clone army could turn the public against our troops."

"What!?" Padme and Ahsoka squeaked together.

Bail just went ashen.

"Shh," Anakin hushed them.

Mon continued in a rush, "I'm much more interested in what he said about the Naboo Crisis being used to get him elected and his trying to prolong this war. Master Kenobi said that the Chancellor stopped the Jedi from fully investigating the terrorist attack on the Senate when we were voting for peace. What if Palpatine was behind Senator Mina Bonteri's assassination?"

Padme felt her world shift, but she kept both her feet and her head, "We will never find proof, it's been too long now."

Mon shook her head, face resolute, "Master Kenobi said the only one benefiting from this war is Palpatine, and Padme, he's right! He's so right! No one is winning this war, the Republic breaks a little more each hour and Dooku builds an empire on quick sand, meanwhile, the Chancellor gains more and more power. Where did the clones come from? Why was someone growing an army a decade ago?"

Bail frowned, and lowered his voice, "What are you saying, Mon?"

"Is it a coincidence that the clone army began production the same year he ascended to the chancellorship?"

This time Padme did feel truly weak, and Ahsoka steadied her, supporting her by the elbow as all the implications began to rise in her mind.

"Are you alright?" Ahsoka and Ani asked her together.

Padme lowered her gaze, "I was the one who helped him get elected."

"His actions are not yours," Anakin said hotly.

"What if there is a connection between Palpatine and the Trade Federation?" Mon asked.

Bail looked thoughtful, "Are you suggesting that he played Padme and engineered the Naboo Crisis… I mean there is taking advantage of circumstance and…"

Anakin cut him off, "This is not the place for this discussion."

"Senators," Mace said face dark, "Am I to assume the three of you are going to be investigating the Chancellor?"

Padme just met his dark gaze with her own.

Master Koon chuckled, "That would be a yes."

Mace glanced around, the crowd was still distracted, and theirs wasn't the only group talking conspiracy and treason, but the Jedi Master seemed to come to a snap decision, "Skywalker, Tano, protect the Senators, the Chancellor may have radical supporters and I am sure whatever Senator Mothma publishes isn't going to do much in the way of avoiding the collection of more enemies."

"Are we allowed to help them investigate?" Ahsoka asked.

Mace looked at Anakin, "It's your call, General Skywalker, I know you have a good working relationship with the Chancellor."

"Not if he used Senator Amidala and her planet for a political stunt, not if he is purposely prolonging this war, not now that he exiled my Master because Obi-Wan offended him. No, I'll help any way I can."

"Then take as many as the troops as you need from the 501st. The rest of your battalion send to the Temple, they can help the Temple guard. The Jedi stand with the clones, no matter what story is spun out of this mess we will not be turned against the men who are giving not just their lives but everything they are or might be for the Republic," Mace nearly growled, before muttering, "I hate politics."

"Careful, Mace," Master Koon warned, "Hate leads to the Dark Side."

"The Force as my ally, I will throw my own name in for Chancellor if this war turns out to be a farce. I thought the Jedi obeying the Senate was the best we could be, democracy is the will of the people, but if the Republic is too corrupt that even the Chancellor…" he shook his head and sighed, "It is hard to imagine the Jedi could do worse than this."

Anakin was staring at Mace in amazement.

Padme hid a smile, Ani had said for years now that they should go back to the way things had been in the High Republic, when the Jedi led.

Not that the Jedi were so incorruptible, just look at Dooku, but maybe someone who was accountable to a people who could gain nothing from the likes of the Trade Federation or the Banking Clan, maybe someone who was beholden to not just the people of the Republic, but a Force that literally encompassed all life in the galaxy might have a shot at being more trustworthy than what they had now.

But Bail was right too when he warned, "Don't let anyone hear you say that, Master, let the heat stay on the Chancellor, if he is innocent this will blow over, and even if it doesn't, he's beyond his term."

Mace nodded, "May the Force be with you all."

"And with you," they chorused back as Master Koon and Mace left them.

As they loaded back onto the transport, headed to her apartments as she was the one who had guest rooms, she asked Ani in a low voice, "I thought you might leave with Obi-Wan."

They were behind everyone but Rex who was looking out at the city for possible threats.

Ani bent to whisper into the shell of her, "But I couldn't leave the Republic, because I could never leave you."

She looked up at him, and wished more than anything that she could pull him into a kiss.

He gave her that self-assured smile as if he knew exactly what she was thinking, and was thinking of doing much to her in turn than a simple kiss.

She loved him so much that she felt as if her heart might burst.

His hand brushed her back ever so gently, ever so briefly, it should have been nothing, but in that small gesture, she felt more loved and cherished than any woman in the entire galaxy.

Mace stood before a broadcaster, in one of the larger halls of the Temple with a few hundred troops present. It had been more than a day and the Senate was in an uproar and there were picketers outside the Senate offices demanding an end to the war.

Meanwhile, the Chancellor had sent them a formal question about the status of the 212th Battalion that had left with Obi-Wan.

Mace knew this message would get back to the Chancellor in some fashion or another, but though the likelihood of having the clones rebel against the Jedi was really slim, he still wasn't going to let this put doubt into the army.

Only Dooku would benefit there.

"By now, I'm sure everyone has had some word of the Chancellor's dismissal of General Kenobi and subsequently the 212th leaving orbit of Coruscant. It remains true that the Jedi Order and this army are under command of the Republic and it's representing body," he took a breath.

"But no Chancellor has ever had the audacity to bypass the High Council to dismiss a Jedi from the Order. Until the full Senate approves or dismisses this sentence, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi is still seen as a member of this Order, and the 212th Battalion that joined their General is being temporarily given to the command of Padawan Luke Kenobi who is with them. Your brothers are not deserters. Your brothers will not be punished in any way nor will they be branded as traitors."

The clones physically present for this announcement let out a sigh of relief that Mace felt in the Force, "So while the Chancellor soothes his ego, our priority will remain focused on combating the Separatist forces. May the Force be with you all."

"And with you, Sir," came a chorus from the troops, complete with a solute and heel snap.

Mace spoke grimly to the Council Members at his side, "Even if we are scattered across the galaxy we shall not be divided."

Sidious was going to murder Kenobi.

He wanted to do it personally, but he knew he could not afford it now, not with every eye on him, not with the entire Senate after him.

Yes, he still held the majority. But the popularity he had been cultivating had begun to waver.

So far, no one had found proof.

And so far, no one had found evidence to firmly counter any evidence.

How had Kenobi figured it all out?

The call he had been waiting for clicked over, and Dooku drawled, "Was antagonizing one of the most beloved Generals of the Republic a part of the plan that I was unaware of? Or was your spectacular fall in public opinion and taking on the ignorance of the Jedi a simple lapse of judgement?"

Palpatine snarled, "Apprentice, watch your tone."

But the hologram wasn't afraid of him, "I must say, I am pleased with the lessons Qui-Gon was able to pass down to his own apprentice even if he never quite mastered them himself. I hear Kenobi played you like a bandfill, he never raised a hand just-"

"He knows!" Palpatine cut him off, "Somehow, he knows it all. About your involvement with the clones, the purpose of the war, the Zillo Beast. About our lunches before you permanently settled in Serreno. He knew it all."

Dooku stroked his beard, "Perhaps he guessed."

"Guessed!?" Palpatine roared, fighting to keep his presence in the Force diminished lest the entire Jedi Order come swarming down on him. "How could he possibly-"

"We weren't so careful in the beginning, Darth Sidious," Dooku said, "or at least I wasn't. I was not so wholly turned in the beginning that I was overly conscious of erasing my tracks. If Obi-Wan was investigating me, though I don't know when he would have had the time to, he could have discovered our involvement with each other. He could have connected the threads. The press seems to have adaptly honed in on the fact that you are the only one benefitting from the war."

"That is not the narrative we had invented."

"No, you've made the Separatists evil for evil's sake. Attractive if you are looking for a scapegoat, but not nearly so interesting as a single powerful politician gaming the system. Not after years of this endless warfare with that same boring narrative. And who doesn't like to watch the mighty fall?"

"Yes, but the discontent was supposed to fall on the Jedi."

"Well, that was working until you showed yourself as the Jedi Order's puppeteer."

Palpatine paced in his private office, "How did Kenobi know to even try to attempt to connect the dots?"

Dooku stared at him wordlessly.

Palpatine paused, "What, what have I missed, Apprentice? What did Kenobi stumble over?"

Dooku shook his head slightly, "Perhaps you forget, Master, that you commanded me to taunt Kenobi when he was in my custody on Geonosis. You told me to reveal to him that 'hundreds of senators are now under the influence of a Dark Lord called Darth Sidious.'"

Kriff.

Sidious shook his head, "He shouldn't have ever believed that, the Jedi are blind."

"He didn't then, but I am not so surprised that he believes me now. I warned you that such a move was inviting trouble."

"We can still spin this to our advantage, if Kenobi dies by Separatist hands then his rumours will die with him."

"I am not so certai-"

Sidious spoke over him, "The 212th Battalion left with him, the public will begin to doubt the armour, the public will-"

Dooku laughed.

Sidious paused, "How dare you?"

Dooku shook his head, "Have you truly not heard?"

"Heard what?"

"The 212th is no longer under command of General Kenobi. It is no longer the Master, but the younger who commands."

Sidious gritted his teeth, "What are you talking about?"

"You need better spies."

"Speak, Apprentice mine, or next time we meet, I will reintroduce you to the obedience an Apprentice shows his Sith Lord."

Even through the hologram, Sidious could still see the mirth in the Count's eyes, "Of course, forgive me. But a new initiate was accepted by the Temple at the tender age of nineteen."

Sidious frowned, "Why would they do that?"

"Because he is Obi-Wan Kenobi's son. Padawan Luke Kenobi, Commander Kenobi now leads the 212th."

Sidious went very still, "Obi-Wan Kenobi has a son?"

Oh, Anakin would feel so betrayed. How delicious.

But he couldn't savour the potential of such a tool because Dooku continued, "The 212th might be harbouring a fugitive, but your exiling of Obi-Wan was rather vague. By your word alone, he is no longer affiliated with the Order, but one could interpret your word as prohibiting him from Coruscant rather than any territory within the Republic. It isn't as if you put it into writing, it's all hearsay."

Sidious gritted his teeth, he couldn't release an official report without it immediately being brought before a Senate assembly. Nor did he have any wish to put Kenobi's words into data.

Not that Mon Mothma and her friends weren't causing him grief anyway, but at least they hadn't been stupid enough to try and expose his relationship with Dooku.

On one hand, if they did, he could easily deflect it on the Jedi, but on the other, that rumour would destroy him in the Senate, he would never be reelected if that rumour became widely known.

He could recover from being accused of prolonging the war, but even he wasn't clever enough to skate being blamed for inventing the war with Dooku.

"Break him," Sidious said.

"Pardon?" Dooku asked.

"Capture Kenobi's son and torture him into insanity. If the Jedi Master wants to play with fire, then we will burn his world down around him."

Dooku smiled, "Of course, M'Lord."

When Dooku had signed off, Sidious worried that Dooku might be after a new apprentice.

Not that it mattered, among the Jedi, no one equalled Anakin Skywalker, and without his Master around to protect him, Little Ani was easier prey than ever.

Abandoned by his Master, lied to about Kenobi's personal attachment while he had berated Anakin for years about his feelings.

No, Kenobi had just gifted him with both his first apprentice and his first born.

Sidious smiled to himself as he sat down, maybe some good had come of this after all. Sidious had gained new toys, and the Order had lost one of its brightest leaders.

The Force had not sided with the Jedi yet.

Cody was somewhat jittery.

He had just left the Republic.

He had just deserted.

He and his brothers of the 212th had left the Republic.

And they had stolen a Star Destroyer, not that it wasn't their Star Destroyer but still…

He was sitting on a bench beside General Kenobi, and Cody was only sitting because his General had ordered it.

They were currently on course to Ilum.

And they were all pretty sure it would be allowed.

Pretty sure.

His mind was swimming with doubts, but before them stood Padawan Kenobi, smiling and completely oblivious to the treason about him.

"So, Jedi training?" he asked.

General Kenobi smiled up at him, leaning back against the wall more relaxed than Cody had ever seen him.

"We don't have any lightsabers, so I'm afraid it will be endurance training."

"Are you going to place me with another squad?"

The General shook his head, "No, that won't be necessary. Appo still needs to find who he's most comfortable with and your military training will be different than what is required of you to become a Jedi."

Cody glanced at Appo who was the only non-212th brother among them. He had followed their General because of Luke Kenobi. Appo looked more stressed than Cody felt.

He couldn't imagine abandoning General Kenobi to follow General Skywalker if their positions had been reversed.

Or maybe he would have for the General's Padawan, Commander Tano had easily won everyone over. For her, Cody would probably break the rules.

Maybe.

He shook his head, who was he?

Commander Cody, the Rule Breaker.

He winced, he didn't know how his General could be so calm about this.

"So what am I doing then?" Luke asked.

The General smiled, "I want you to learn every troopers' name on this vessel."

Luke blinked at him, "Okay…"

"While running, if anyone stops to talk to you, jog in place, if you come across an officer, do a flip."

"A flip?" Luke repeated, confused.

"Back flip, front flip, cartwheel, if you get really tired, do a tuck and roll," General Kenobi said with a smile.

Cody had to fight to keep his expression even.

Luke looked perturbed, "Did you make Anakin do this?"

"Of course not," General Kenobi said, grinning like a crazy person, "that would have been child-abuse, but you're not a child. So hop to it."

Luke hesitated, and Cody raised his brows expectantly.

No way could the farm boy do the type of flips he had seen Commander Tano do.

But Luke only grinned, "Commander Cody," backflip, "Luitantant Appo," second backflip, before racing off with the enthusiasm of a child.

Jedi were weird.

Cody opened his com to the open frequency, "Padawan Kenobi is coming around to ask for all of your names."

The General leaned in to say, "Feel free to tease him."

Cody swallowed a smile, "That was the General, signing off."

Appo snorted, "He's not going to make it through a third of the ship."

The General closed his eyes, tilting his head back against the wall, "We have a few weeks or more before we reach Ilum."

They were circling the Core worlds to arrive at Ilum from the opposite direction that anyone might expect and that would avoid any conflict zones. It would threaten their rations and fuel supplies but the General seemed confident that the base on Ilum wouldn't leave them without help.

"Still a bit sadistic," Appo remarked. "Even I don't know everyone's names in the 501st. Memorizing thousands of names is no small thing."

Ben shrugged, "It's easy enough to tell a small group of the troops a part, but in order to tell the entire Battalion apart, he'll have to use the Force and remember your lights within it to actually learn everyone's names. Which is the point."

"The running and the flipping?" Appo asked.

Ben smiled, "You should have seen Ahsoka when she was a youngling. Master Ali-Alann had to bring her to the Padawan obstacle courses to even challenge her as she did laps."

Cody smiled at that even as he studied his General's face. He looked exhausted, older, yet seemingly more relaxed.

Or maybe he was just so tired that he didn't have the energy to be stressed.

Without opening his eyes, the General said, "I really must thank you both again for coming with Luke and me, you did not have to."

"We have followed you into certain death before, Sir," Cody said, "What's a little treason?"

Appo chuckled at that, "Careful Commander, you're starting to sound like Rex."

The General's lips quirked up, but he said nothing.

They were quiet for a time, and Cody was almost certain that General Kenobi had fallen asleep, it wouldn't be the first time he had done so while sitting up.

Appo on the other side of the General sat in silence as well, staring out the windows. They were in a small viewing station, the blue lines of hyperspace casting dramatic and eerie shadows over everything.

But then the General mumbled something, as if speaking in his sleep, which was not something he was prone to doing.

"What was that, Sir?" Cody asked.

"You gave me back my lightsaber," he mumbled audibly this time, cracking his eyes open, the blue of his irises a swimming shade that Cody could not have described, "And then you shot me off the cliff. You told your men to kill me."

Cody's heart felt as if it would stop. Had Kenobi had a vision of this?

"Sir, I would never-"

The General closed his eyes and let out a long breath, "But you didn't hunt me down, you didn't stop me from leaving the planet. You knew I could have survived that fall. You knew, even then... even when you had no choices left, you were still my friend."

Cody felt panic race his heart beat, "General Obi-Wan Kenobi, I would never harm you."

The General rested his head on Cody's shoulder, "I'm still here, I'm still here…" and this time Cody knew by the way the tension in his body went slack that he had fallen asleep.

Cody had to focus on his breath to slow it.

Appo was staring at him, and mouthed, "What was that?"

Cody could only give him the slightest shake of his head.

He would sooner eat his own blaster than ever point a weapon at his General, much less give the order to kill.

Even when you had no choices left, you were still my friend.

Cody shut his eyes too, Don't you ever doubt that, Sir.

Ben tried not to laugh as Luke shivered, his lips blue after fifteen minutes on the surface.

Ben himself was entranced to feel cold like this again. It felt so good, he couldn't remember the last time he breathed in air so crisp and so clean. And where his older body might have protested, his youthful form was still harty enough to adapt.

"How, is it," Luke chittered, "possible to be this cold?"

"There are colder planets in the galaxy."

Luke turned horrified eyes to him, "Not- habitable ones."

Ben smiled, "You would be surprised where life finds a way."

Luke shook his head, "Does Anakin like ice worlds?"

"Like? No, but he prefers them to desert worlds. He hates anything that reminds him of Tatooine."

"Which is why you brought me there, right? Because he wouldn't think to look there or just happen upon me."

"That's right."

"So Anakin was your only Padawan before me?" Luke asked.

"Yes, he was," Ben said, then stopped, turning to look at Luke.

Who had stopped to fold his arms at him.

Bantha-shit.

They were in the caves now so they had removed their goggles.

"Luke, I was-"

"So to be clear, just so we don't have any 'complicated versions of the truth', Anakin Skywalker was destined to become Darth Vader. My father was never actually dead, he was just an evil homicidal enforcer of the tyrannical Empire hellbent on enslaving the galaxy?"

Ben took a breath, then answered, "Yes."

Luke sighed, "Splendid."

Ben frowned, "I thought you would be more upset."

Luke shrugged, "I've met him now, and if you're telling me that General Skywalker who looks at his wife as if she is the entire galaxy, who treats his men like equals, who has kept his Padawan Ahsoka smiling through the horror that is this war- If you are telling that he betrays all of that to become evil, then you were right. He was dead, every part of him that mattered, that was my father and your friend, your brother, then he was dead. Or at least in my book, he would have been dead."

Ben sighed, chest aching, "Once you go down the Dark path you can never return. It eats you up and leaves you a starving thing for power and cruelty."

"Were you afraid I was going to have to face him in our time?"

"Yes."

Luke wrapped his arms around himself, "Would he have recognized me?"

"With the name Luke Skywalker, undoubtedly. But even if you had changed that Vader was the reason your Uncle, Aunt, and I didn't want you to go to the Imperial Academy, despite your academic scores and talent for flying."

Luke said nothing to this, seeming almost lost in his own thoughts.

So Ben continued, "I knew the moment I saw R2-D2 that it had caught up to us. I think Vader would have sent his men, or even come himself to Tatooine, it was no longer safe for you."

Luke frowned, "But you always intended to teach me to be a Jedi, even before we came back in time."

"Luke, a blaster would not have helped you against Darth Vader. Perhaps we could have changed your name… but even then, you weren't like your sister. You may not have realized it, but you have been using the Force to aid your whole life. Those model starfighters I used to leave for you, we all caught you a time or two racing them through the air without ever touching them. Darth Vader and Palpatine would have sensed you."

"Wait, you're the one who gifted me those? Ben, those were the only things I owned that ever meant anything to me."

Ben smiled, glad that he had gotten that right. He had perhaps put an absurd amount of thought into those little things. He always got Imperial models that were more or less accurate to scale, so in order to put them together, one would have to learn the actual pieces of the ship.

"Where would you have trained me, or would we have fought in the Rebellion?" Luke asked.

"Bail seemed to need our help for something specific, after that, we would have gone somewhere remote until your training had been completed," he said.

Luke nodded, "I'm glad we came back to the past, I'm glad it's not too late for the Jedi. Was… was it really everyone?"

"A few survived the first waves, but anyone who survived was hunted and scattered to far reaches of the galaxy. By the time you were ten years old, I doubt even ten fully Knighted Jedi were still alive. The Jedi Order fell with the Republic."

A look of determination came across Luke's features and he straightened out of his cold induced huddle, "Not this time, it won't happen again."

Ben reached out and pulled Luke into a hug, truly afraid to hope.

And Ben let go of that fear as he pulled back, "Go get lost."

Luke frowned up at him, "What?"

Ben gestured to the caves around them, "Finding a kyber crystal is a bit like finding a piece of your soul. The kyber is alive with the Force and the resonance of them will call out to you in a place like this. Listen, answer that call, and you will find your way."

Luke nodded, looked right and then left, shrugged, and went left.

Ben laughed to himself, Luke was such a conundrum of earnestness and free spirit. Ben thanked the Force that they had been given the chance to save the Jedi as opposed to placing the entire legacy of the Jedi on Luke alone.

In order to achieve the latter, Luke would have had to give up too much of himself.

Ben sighed, ready to be off on his own adventure.

Not that he was particularly worried, meditation was to him sometimes more real than waking hours.

Especially since being displaced in time.

But this was Ilum.

And Ben promptly fell down a shaft as he turned a corner and right into the heart of one of the most vivid visions he could ever recall having the misfortune of experiencing.

oOo

"Give it up, brother," Ben growled, feeling equal parts victorious as vindictive.

The Nautolan with skin as blue as his own was back peddling, dodging each saber strike from Ben's duel red sabers.

"Oenash, you came here for a weapon," Ben taunted gleefully, "I will cut you down for your weakness."

The Force writhed in Ben's mental grip, but oh, the power of it, ever building, limitless. This was power, this was freedom!

Oenash fell, but it was a purposeful motion, as his boots came up to kick at Ben's right hand and Oenash's tendrils whirled as he caught that saber.

"Yes, so kind of you to share yours, brother," Oenash said, finding his footing on the cold stone of the caves.

Ben smirked, "You should have joined me, brother, red light compliments your eyes so well."

Oenash's expression twisted, "We were twins, Obeck, we were born with the same eyes, the same skin. Yet your eyes glow the colour of fungus."

Ben tsked, "And here I thought the Jedi had no vanity. Honestly, it is not too late, you need not die this day if you would only join me."

"It's not too late for you," Oenash pleaded, "come back with me, let go of your hate! Brother, there is still light in you!"

"Fool," Ben sneered, "You know not the powe-"

"Power for what!?" Oenash yelled as he brought down his saber on Ben's. The blades locking in a static of sound as he continued, "Kaylin is dead! Our little sister is dead! Nothing you do will bring her back!"

Ben bellowed, "Do not speak her name!" And attacked his twin with the fury of a galaxy behind him, the Force powering his every step, his every slash.

But Oenash kept pace, they had been raised together, trained together, and even with all that Ben had learned, Oenash still knew him too well.

"Obeck! Why are you doing this? Kaylin is gone and she wouldn't have wanted this. Let your suffering pass."

"You never loved her!"

"Her death killed me! But she is with the Force now, and we live, let go of your suffering, you have become it, you bring it wherever you go! What is the purpose!? Tell me when will this end? What will bring you peace?"

Ben roared, "Peace is a lie!" He struck at the stones and Oenash retreated further and further into the caves away from the red hot stones.

Rage and pain filled Ben's gut, there was no escaping it, there was no forgetting Kaylin's last breath leaving her as he held her in his arms, the ocean waves absorbing their tears.

There was no recovery, but there was vengeance, and there was the power to achieve that vengeance.

As if reading his thoughts, Oenash said, "No power in this world or the next can bring her back! Killing the-"

"You stand in my way!" Ben cut him off, beating his brother back through the caves, deeper and deeper into the depths of Ilum they went.

The sound of their blades clashing together felt deafening.

"What would be enough, Obeck! What would be enough?"

"Your death!"

Oenash stumbled back and for a moment, they stood together in the dark, red light stripping the hues from their skin so that red was the only colour between them.

"If that is what you truly desire," Oenash said, raising his blade before him in a sentinel's position.

The Force roared, and Ben brought his blade around in an arch, both expecting Oenash to defend himself and knowing that he wouldn't.

Ben's deactivated saber, dropping it to clatter on the cold ground along with the hilt Oenash had taken from him as he caught his brother's bisected body before he fell.

For a moment, the world went black. Then his vision adjusted and around them, the kyber crystals glimmered like the stars at midnight.

"Was it enough, Obeck?" Oenash asked as his life bleed out from him.

"Why, brother?" Ben asked.

"Because there is still light in you… and I still love you…"

"Brother," Ben said, pressing his forehead to his twin's as he died, leaving Ben alone in this cave, in this life.

Kaylin's death had been beyond his control, but Oenash's death was his fault.

And this time they were not on their homeworld of Glee Anselm so his tears fell freely onto his brother's cheeks.

"I will find my way back to you, Oenash, Kaylin, I swear it," Obeck promised.

oOo

Ben came gasping back to his own self, his own body on his hands and knees in the same kyber strone cave he had been in during his vision.

His own face was streaked with tears and in his hands he held two crystals. He did not need to open his fists to feel their pain, to feel them bleeding.

Red crystals, bled of joy and hope.

"Healing is possible."

Ben's head jerked up to see three Force ghosts, they shimmered in the Light Side of the Force. Ben recognized the speaker as Oenash.

But it was Obeck who Ben gaped at, "That's impossible… that- it can't be done!"

It was the female, Kaylin, a slim Nautolan girl, who knelt to put a ghostly hand on his where he squeezed the Sith kyber so hard Ben thought it might draw blood.

"Where there is life, Light remains," she said, before disappearing back into the Force, her brothers fading with her.

Ben was left to meditate over the injured kyber in his hands, left to wonder if everything he thought he knew about the Light and the Dark was a lie.

Wondering how many ways he was going to discover that he had failed Anakin.

AN: Thoughts, reactions, pretty fish, or feedback, pretty please?