16. Just Another Day
"Obi-Wan!" Anakin bounced over to where Obi-Wan was elbows deep in his starfighter's engine. "What are you doing?"
"That last mission was a bit rough on the compressor. I'm hoping to tweak it a bit, fix the damage, and hopefully prevent it from happening again."
"You know we have technicians to deal with these kinds of problems," Anakin said, catching Rex's eye over Obi-Wan's shoulder.
Hidden behind a stack of shipping crates, Rex waited with a contingent of troops, composed of members from both the 501st and 212th.
"I may not be a mechanical genius," Obi-Wan gave Anakin a pointed look, "but I know my way around an engine."
"So you know engines. Do you also know what today is?" Anakin segued smoothly.
Obi-Wan paused. "If you have something to say, please just say it."
"It's your birthday, isn't it?" Anakin nodded at Rex.
Rex and the others started walking toward the pair, loaded down with balloons, confetti poppers, noisemakers, gifts wrapped in sparkling paper, and a towering cake.
"I suppose so." Obi-Wan resumed his work. "And you know what my greatest wish would be?"
"What?"
"Some peace and quiet."
Anakin winced and drew a finger across his throat furiously. The clones paused, confused. Anakin waved them away with short shooing motions. They backed up slowly. Obi-Wan looked up and Anakin quickly hid his hands behind his back.
"I really don't see the point in making a big fuss out of a birthday."
"It's a chance to celebrate someone and show them how much they mean to you," Anakin argued.
"A noble sentiment," Obi-Wan admitted, glancing back down at his ship.
Pleased, Anakin gestured for the clones to come forward again.
"All the same, I would feel terribly uncomfortable if I were to be made the center of attention."
Rex's expression changed to one of irritation when Anakin halted them once more. The Jedi gave him an apologetic shrug, then held up one finger.
"But you wouldn't say no to a piece of jogan fruit cake, right?" Anakin cajoled.
Catching on, Rex signaled to Waxer and Boil. Between them, the pair balanced the enormous dessert on a platter. They nodded and moved forward, mindful of their fragile cargo.
Obi-Wan wiped the back of his wrist across his forehead, leaving a smear of grease. "Anakin, I'm in the middle of this. I'm filthy and all I can smell is fuel."
"Sounds like it's time for a break." Anakin subtly waved his hand at Rex.
Rex wordlessly ordered the men forward once more. They nearly reached Obi-Wan.
"It sounds like you're trying to surprise me with a celebration of some sort."
Anakin's jaw dropped. Rex hurried to stop his men but it was too late. Fives eagerly opened a confetti popper, spraying glitter across a three foot radius and whooping excitedly. The noise startled one of the other troopers. He tripped over his own feet and knocked into Waxer. As if he could see it happening in slow motion, Anakin only gaped as Waxer lost his grip on the dessert tray. The cake lurched forward. Boil grabbed for it but only succeeded in throwing it further off the platter. It landed with a wet smack. Right on top of Obi-Wan.
The hangar went completely silent, aside from the wheeze of a balloon that had come untied during the commotion. Rex facepalmed. Boil looked close to tears. Anakin froze.
"Well." Obi-Wan slowly, deliberately, smoothed smashed cake from his hair. "I have to say, I was not expecting to end up wearing the cake."
His good-natured comment broke the tension. The troops laughed, relieved their blunder hadn't angered the general. Anakin joined in, happy to see Obi-Wan chuckling quietly as well. After a moment, Rex organized a cleaning crew.
"Since I find myself in need of a shower, I trust you can finish what I started here." Obi-Wan tossed Anakin the tool he'd been working with.
"Of course, Master. Consider it my gift to you." He dipped his head in a faux bow.
Obi-Wan hummed and crossed the hangar, leaving a trail of dripping jogan juice as he went. "Oh and Anakin?"
Anakin looked up.
"No modifications."
"But Master-"
Obi-Wan pointed a severe finger at him. Anakin swallowed his protests.
"Yes, Master."
17. Grass Cuttings
"Alright, boys. It's getting to be that time again. I expect to see all of you in my chair within the next three rotations. If you don't come, you don't ship out."
Echo leaned back on the mess hall bench, watching the other clone march away. "Who was that?"
Hardcase stopped shoveling food into his mouth long enough to answer. "That's Buzz. He's the fastest clipper in the entire GAR!"
"And an artist in his own right," Kix added, proudly running a hand over the pattern shaved into his hair.
"He'll set you boys to rights." Finished with his meal, Rex stood from the table. "You're starting to look a bit rough there, Fives."
Fives slunk down in his seat self-consciously.
"Don't worry about it," Hardcase said. "He'll have you in and out before you can say 'Su's an aiwha'."
"I heard he once did a whole squad at the same time," Jesse said.
Kix shook his head. "I heard he did a full platoon in less than five minutes."
"That's nothing compared to what I heard," Hardcase interrupted. "I heard he was doing an entire battalion on a cruiser, all while it was taking fire. And after it crashed? He did the survivors too!"
"So he's a bit of a legend?" Fives hazarded.
The others laughed.
"Buzz has a reputation for a reason. It's like...well, you'll find out for yourselves soon enough." Jesse winked.
Fives and Echo exchanged apprehensive glances.
"I'm telling you, no one cuts hair better than Buzz. We're lucky to have him," Hardcase insisted. "Never a cut, nick, scrape, or mistake!"
18. Her Husband
"J'Alouse appears to have grown rather fond of Anakin," Obi-Wan began, watching Padme's face carefully. He had a bad feeling about this party and it only intensified whenever he came close to the Nabooian senator.
Padme lifted a shoulder with cool indifference, sending the fabric of her dress rustling. Obi-Wan shifted to face her more fully, putting his back to the room in order to create a bit of privacy for what he was going to say next.
"I know I'm not the only one to have noticed. And to be quite frank, I'm surprised you invited her."
Padme's face remained impassive. "J'Alouse is a prominent figure in the entertainment business. She's enjoyed success in every step of her career, which is extensive. The Festival of Light, the Installation of Rulers, Promenade Square. There hasn't been a function or celebration she hasn't performed the entire year."
"Impressive." Obi-Wan glanced over his shoulder.
Across the room, the Twi'lek singer laid her hand on Anakin's arm, leaning toward him and giggling at something he had said.
"That doesn't bother you?" he asked, looking back to Padme.
"As I understand it, the Jedi are forbidden from love." She tilted her head, an odd smile twisting the corners of her mouth. "I have no claim on Anakin."
The Force rippled, an undercurrent of warning. Obi-Wan frowned. "Padme…"
"I hold no animosity toward J'Alouse. In fact," she motioned one of the servers over and took the pair of glass flutes from her tray, "I'll show you."
Obi-Wan crossed his arms and tracked Padme's progress across the room. The senator planted herself between the singer and the Jedi. They exchanged words, though Obi-Wan was too far away to hear what was said. Padme handed her one of the drinks and they both took a sip. One of the other guests called for another song and J'Alouse gracefully took the stage again. The band played the opening chords. But the Twi'lek missed her cue. The music gradually trailed off. All eyes in the room drifted to the stage. J'Alouse stumbled, clutching at the microphone stand to keep herself upright. Her pretty face crumpled into an expression of pain before she collapsed. Concerned gasps filled the room.
Obi-Wan leaped onto the stage. He gently rolled J'Alouse over. She was dead. The anxious guests were now crowding around, asking questions and calling for medical help. Through the chaos, Obi-Wan caught a glimpse of Padme. Her palm was pressed to Anakin's chest and she was smirking.
19. Rules Change
Rex jabbed the spear into his opponent's leg. The wookie roared and grabbed the shaft, breaking it in half. Rex jumped back and the wookie limped a few steps away, clutching his thigh and baring his teeth. Shifting the broken piece of wood in his hand, Rex watched warily for an opening. Throwing his head back, the wookie let out a bellow before charging at Rex. Easily sidestepping the sloppy attack, Rex spun around and launched his weapon at the enemy. The jagged piece of wood punched through the wookie's fur and bit into the flesh under his shoulder. With a growl, the wookie stumbled forward. Right onto Cody's sword. Cody shoved the blade into his chest at an upward angle, splitting through the fur and skin right into the thoracic cavity. The wookie's momentum impaled him further on the sword, sliding down to the hilt. With a grunt, Cody kicked the body off. It collapsed into the dust, leaving a spurt of blood on Cody's arm.
Around them, the arena burst into applause. Spectators on every level of the stands cheered and whooped, stamping their feet and beating their fists on the railings. The noise was deafening. Rex wiped his wrist across his forehead. Above the open amphitheater, the sun burned unrelentingly. Sweat rolled down his bare chest, soaking into the waistband of his woolen trousers. Various scratches on both his front and back leaked blood sluggishly, while bruises blossomed.
In the ornate box set into the northwest face of the arena, his captors sat in luxury. The pavilion provided them with shade while an endless parade of servants brought wine, fruit, meats, and nuts on silver platters. Rex marched to stand in front of them, passing by the bodies laying on the ground: beasts of all sizes, trained soldiers, hired mercenaries, professional fighters, and indescribable monsters oozed blood and guts onto the sand.
For days, he and Cody had been forced to defend themselves against various opponents. At the end of every round, they were returned to their cells for a brief rest period while the bet takers made their way through the stands, calling the odds and payouts to a feverish crowd. Once the bets had been placed, he and Cody were stripped of yet another layer of armor, given more crude weapons and pushed back into the arena at gunpoint.
Rex came to a stop in front of the luxury box. Cody joined him, arm wrapped around his ribs, favoring his right leg. Panting heavily, Rex crossed his arms and stared directly at the leader. Noticing the tension, the crowd fell silent.
"We have defeated your fighters." The natural acoustics lent Rex's voice an impressive echo. "Honor your deal. Give us our freedom!"
Immediately, the bloodthirsty masses protested, booing loudly and shaking their fists. The man in charge rose from his chair, lifting his hand to signal for quiet. Grudgingly, the spectators settled down.
"You have fought well," the man said.
Rex glanced at Cody, relieved. Cody's expression was guarded.
"However, there is one final opponent you must face." The leader paused for effect. "Each other."
"What?" Rex exploded. "You can't do that! You said if we fought your champions, we would be free!"
"The deal has changed."
"No. We refuse!"
The leader's face darkened. "If you do not fight, you will both be executed."
"Rex. Rex!" Cody's hand closed around his arm, pulling at him. Finally Rex turned to him. "We have to do this."
Rex's jaw dropped. "You can't be serious. I won't fight you, Cody. They can't make me."
"You will. You have to. One of us has to make it out of here. We have to get the information back to the Republic. If we don't…" Cody trailed off but Rex already knew the importance of their mission, and what would happen should they fail.
The leader snapped his fingers and two guards stepped forward. One took Cody's sword and the other held out a knife to each clone. Cody accepted it. Rex hesitated before he too picked up his knife. The guards returned to their posts. The leader called for the match to begin. Excited shouts burst from the stands. Rex looked from his knife to his friend, then up at the leader. A cruel gleam was in his eye as he settled back in his seat.
"Cody, we don't have to go along with what they want," Rex murmured, watching as the guards posted along the edges of the arena leveled blasters at the two prisoners. "We'll find another way." He turned back to Cody just in time to block his first strike. "What the hell are you doing?!"
In place of answering, Cody flipped his knife to his other hand and punched Rex in the face. The hit made Rex stumble back. Cody pressed his advantage, reaching out and snatching left Rex's arm. He drew the blade across his bicep, releasing a trickle of blood. Grunting in surprise more than pain, Rex brought the butt of his knife crashing into Cody's temple. Cody released him and took a few steps back, posture tense and ready.
"Cody, stop! I don't want to hurt you."
"Shit, Rex," Cody huffed. "Don't you get it? It doesn't matter if we want to or not. We don't have a kriffing choice." He lunged.
Rex retreated. Cody pursued, blade glinting menacingly in the sunlight. He darted in and sliced a shallow cut just above the waistline of Rex's pants with such accuracy that Rex was reminded of Cody's proficiency with a vibroblade. Knowing it was a dirty move, Rex grimaced and kicked Cody's injured leg. Cody went down. He took Rex by surprise when he seized his ankle and pulled him down too. Before Rex could recover, Cody mounted him and hit him across the face again. Angry now, Rex slashed at Cody. Intended as a distraction, it went wide but Cody reflexively moved out of the way, shifting his center of gravity. Taking the opportunity, Rex bucked, successfully tossing Cody off. Rex scrambled to his feet and put some distance between himself and the commander. Cody struggled up, his right leg obviously hampering him. He ground his teeth and pushed through the pain, stalking toward Rex. A Trandoshan arm, separated from its body during one of their earlier bouts, lay in his path and he callously kicked it aside. The crowd shouted encouragingly, stamping their feet and chanting in their native language.
Rex cast his eyes around furtively, searching for a way out. He spotted a servant girl running through the rows of onlookers to the luxury box. She offered a hurried bow to the leader before whispering something in his ear. Rex didn't have the chance to see his reaction. Cody rushed him, knife in hand. The two collided. Cody slammed into his chest. Rex staggered but stayed upright, taking Cody's weight as the commander went slack.
Gunfire erupted somewhere beyond him, panicked cries filling the air. He ignored it all. Carefully, he went to his knees, dropping his weapon to maintain a hold on Cody's shoulders. He held him out at arm's length, revealing the knife stuck in Cody's stomach. Shocked, Rex gently lowered Cody to the ground, hands fluttering over the wound.
"No. No. Cody, you bastard!"
Cody blinked lethargically. "Looks like you won."
"Kriffing idiot!"
The chaos around them grew. People were stampeding, even running into the arena as they fled.
Cody offered Rex a pained smirk. "You said you didn't want to hurt me. So I did it for you."
"Damn it, Cody!" Rex barked, helplessness twisting his insides.
"M-mission first," Cody panted. "Al-ways."
Several figures with guns formed a circle around the two. Rex startled, snatching up his knife and brandishing it at the intruders.
"Easy, captain. It's us."
Rex squinted, head reeling. "Jesse?"
"Yes, sir."
The knife clattered into the sand. Rex bowed his head. "Thank the gods."
"What happened here, sir?" Tup asked hesitantly.
"It's a long story," Rex said. "Where's Kix? I need Kix."
Jesse tipped his head over his shoulder. "He's coming with General Skywalker. They'll be along shortly."
"You couldn't have gotten here any sooner?" Cody grunted.
"It's a miracle we found you at all," Appo cut in. "Do you know how long it took to get your mission declassified? If General Skywalker hadn't been able to get an emergency audience with the chancellor, we would never even have known where to begin our search."
At that moment, Skywalker joined them. The troops parted to let him in. He stopped short when he saw Cody.
"Rex, what happened?"
"It's a long story," Rex repeated. "Kix?"
"Here, sir." The medic shouldered his way through the gathered troopers. He let out a long string of curses as he assessed Cody. Retrieving his pack, he started muttering to himself as he worked. "You've definitely picked up Kenobi's flair for the dramatic. Please don't let anything vital be punctured. I really don't feel like dealing with intestinal seepage today."
Rex stood and went to stand at Anakin's side. "Did you find him?"
"Find who?"
"The karking owner of this hell pit."
Anakin nodded. "Ahsoka's got him. He'll face trial on Coruscant."
Rex narrowed his eyes. "I'm not sure that's going to be enough to shut this place down."
"What are you thinking?"
Rex tilted his head to the side. "I'm not sure what kind of firepower you brought with you but an airstrike from a bomber or two ought to do the trick."
Anakin grinned. "I think I can arrange that."
The GAR forces had nearly cleared out the entire arena. The sounds of battle died down. Kix finished his initial treatment and ordered the other troopers to make themselves useful and flag down the medical team when they landed. It wasn't long before the gunships arrived and the troops were able to load back up. Once on board, Anakin turned to Rex.
"You look like you could use a couple days in the bacta tank."
Rex shrugged. "I'll live."
Anakin's expression changed to one of uncharacteristic tentativeness. "All those bodies down there...that was you?"
"Cody helped. A little."
Anakin shook his head in wonder. "Wow, that's..." he struggled to find the right word.
"Yeah," Rex interrupted darkly. "We did what we had to do." He crossed his arms. "For the mission," he added bitterly.
20. Hello
"Hold on, Boil. I think I saw something."
Boil groaned. "Not again. If you make us late one more time, I swear I'm requesting a transfer."
"This will only take a minute," Waxer promised, voice muffled by the bush he was crawling under.
"Come on. We've got to get to the rendezvous point."
Waxer disappeared entirely, swallowed by the large fronds. Boil tapped his foot impatiently.
"Are you trying to get us on latrine duty again?"
There came a scuffling sound from within the bush. The fronds shook, Waxer cursed lightly, and there was a screeching noise that made Boil wince. A moment later, Waxer shuffled backwards out of the bush, cupped hands held close to his chest.
"Okay, can we go now?"
"Don't you even want to know what I found?" Waxer thrust his hands toward his friend.
Boil knocked his hands aside. "I want to get back to Ghost Company before Commander Cody marks us as tardy."
Waxer gasped. "Be careful! You could have hurt her."
"Hang on. Her?"
"Yes. Her. Say hello to Viranica." Waxer opened his hands to reveal a hairless rodent.
It hissed and gnashed its buck teeth at Boil. The trooper jumped back.
"What is that thing?!"
"Not sure exactly. But I figure we can keep her! At least, until we leave this planet."
Boil shuddered. "You are not bringing that thing with us."
"Aw, c'mon, Boil. Just give her a chance!" Waxer pleaded.
"No, no, no. You're not going to change my mind. Now put that thing back where it came from or so help me…" Boil pointed sternly at the bush.
"But she's so cute - ow! Little darling bit me!"
"I told you it was dangerous!"
"Oh no, she's getting away! Help me catch her!"
Boil crossed his arms. "Waxer."
"Nevermind, I got her. I got her. You gave me quite a scare, Viranica. Yes, you did, you pretty little...rat creature...Whatever you are, you're beautiful. Who's a beautiful rat creature? You are!"
"Waxer, the rendezvous!"
Waxer's head popped up. "Right, good idea! I bet General Kenobi would love to meet her!"
Boil groaned and slapped his palm to his forehead. This was not going to end well.
21. You, Again
Obi-Wan looked up from his datapad, frowning. He set aside his cup of tea and answered the door. A Coruscant police officer stood in the hallway, an iron grip around the bicep of a sulking Anakin. Obi-Wan sighed.
"Good evening, Sergeant Boliska."
The officer acknowledged the greeting with a nod, tugging Anakin forward. "Caught him speeding."
"I didn't know I was speeding!" the preteen protested.
"Didn't you see the posted neons?" Boliska asked.
Anakin pulled away and the officer let him go. "Course I saw 'em." He looked down, scuffing his boot against the carpet. "I was just going too fast to read them."
"Thank you, sergeant." Obi-Wan drew Anakin into the apartment. "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."
The officer cleared his throat. Suppressing an eyeroll, Obi-Wan reached into the pocket of his robe and dropped a credit into the officer's outstretched hand.
"Pleasant night to you, Master Kenobi. I'm sure I'll be seeing you again real soon."
Obi-Wan's polite smile melted into a grimace as soon as the door closed. "Anakin…"
His padawan froze, cheeks packed full of snacks. He quickly set the package of food aside and came to stand in front of his master.
"You were supposed to be studying with Madame Jocasta tonight. What happened?"
Anakin shrugged. "I got bored."
"So you snuck out of the archives without telling anyone, left the Temple without telling anyone, stole a speeder without telling anyone, and then proceeded to break basic traffic laws?" Obi-Wan crossed his arms.
"I guess next time I should just tell someone, huh." Anakin smirked.
"That's not the point!" Obi-Wan barked. "What if something had happened, hm? What if you had gotten into an accident? What if you were seriously injured?"
Anakin wilted under Obi-Wan's harsh tone. "I'm sorry, master. I just wanted to have a little bit of fun. I did a lot of podracing back on Tatooine and when I go fast, it reminds me of home. And my mother."
Exhaling, Obi-Wan crouched down to the boy's level. "Anakin, I am not trying to be cruel or to limit your fun. But you have to understand, the rules I have in place are for your safety and well-being. The crowded traffic lanes of Coruscant are far more dangerous than a podracing track."
Anakin ducked his head.
"And I know you don't enjoy your classwork but you have much to learn in a short amount of time to catch up with your agemates."
"Yeah, but it's getting late. Can't I just stay here with you for tonight and work on it tomorrow?" Anakin pleaded, staring at him with big eyes.
Obi-Wan took a moment to consider. Anakin's weekly tutoring sessions with Madame Jocasta were Obi-Wan's only break from the constant task of training his apprentice. He cared for Anakin, and knew that being a master wasn't easy, but the boy was draining and he had begun looking forward to the three hours of peace and quiet the extra class afforded him.
"I suppose so."
"Yipee!" Anakin cheered, bounding over to the couch and jumping on it. "Master Obi-Wan, you're the best!"
Obi-Wan reached for his commlink. He needed to let Madame Jocasta know what had happened to her wayward student. After conveying his message, Obi-Wan resigned himself to a much different evening than the one he had expected. But he couldn't stop the fond smile from sneaking onto his face as he watched Anakin's boisterous antics.
22. Distorted Sounds
The door wasn't locked. Cody stepped inside. The room itself was dark, though the light was on in the fresher, spilling pale illumination in a slant across the desk and the man slumped over it. Welts, gashes, and burns stood out on his bare back, disappearing into the waistline of his pants, evidence of his time on Kadavo. Hissing a breath between his teeth, Cody gently shook the Jedi's shoulder. Kenobi's eyes flew open and fixed on him. They widened and flooded with terror. Kenobi bolted to his feet, sending the chair crashing to the floor.
"Sorry to startle you, General," Cody immediately apologized.
Face haggard and bloodless, Kenobi slowly retreated until his back hit the wall. He gave a soundless gasp, body arching. Cody rushed forward to help him. Kenobi raised his hand. Something flew through the air an inch away from Cody's head. Kenobi caught his summoned saber, igniting the weapon. He swiped at Cody. The clone dodged.
"Sir! It's me, Cody!"
Kenobi made a sloppy thrust forward. Cody sidestepped and ducked under his arm. Acting on instinct, he punched the Jedi in the face. The direct hit caught Kenobi square on the jaw. He stumbled back, reeling. Cody lifted his fist, poised for another blow if needed. Kenobi blinked, hand coming up to rub his jaw. He shook his head and blinked rapidly a few times before his gaze settled on Cody.
"Cody? What…?" He trailed off, suddenly noticing the lightsaber in his hand. "Oh no." He powered it down, head whipping up. "I am sorry, commander. I do hope I didn't hurt you?"
Cody dropped his fist. "No, sir. I'm the one who should be apologizing. I never should have hit you, especially considering..." He hesitated.
Obi-Wan waved his words aside. "No, no. It's alright. I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"Sir, if I may, shouldn't you be in the med center right now?"
The Jedi shook his head.
"You clearly need treatment. If not med bay, another Jedi perhaps? I could comm Skywalker or Koon," Cody offered.
Kenobi grimaced, setting his saber on the desk and righting the chair.
"I can't leave you like this, sir. Your injuries are substantial."
"They're far from life-threatening."
Cody gestured to the chair. "I can at least get the healing started." He pulled a tube of bacta from his belt. "As long as you don't swing at me again, yeah?"
The faintest blush of embarrassment tinted Kenobi's cheeks as he took a seat, leaning forward to expose his back. "I do apologize for that, it's just..." He flinched when Cody began dabbing bacta along the worst of the wounds. "I...had a bad dream."
Cody paused, thoughts turning dark. "I understand." Shaking himself, he resumed his task. "I know a thing or two about bad dreams," he muttered.
23. Whispers
"Master, help me!"
Anakin whipped around. "Ahsoka?"
His reflection stared back at him, the ice wall polished to the likeness of a mirror. His breath clouded like mist in front of his face as he crept forward cautiously. The tunnel ended in a three way junction. Reaching out with the Force offered no answers. Something here dampened his ability to connect with the Force, leaving him off-balance. He felt blind.
A sharp cry cut through the tomblike stillness. "Anakin!"
"Obi-Wan!" He whirled in the direction of his former master's voice.
He carried his lightsaber in his hand, the only illumination in this wretched place. Eerie shadows tilted and jolted beside him as he took a few halting steps.
"Ani, please."
Heart pounding, Anakin froze. "Padme," he whispered.
Certain of where her voice was coming from, he selected the center tunnel. He hadn't set more than a foot inside when Ahsoka's pleas came again.
"Help, Master!"
She sounded terrified. Torn, Anakin paused.
"Please, Ani." Padme's tone held great sorrow.
Anakin started off again, determined to find his wife.
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan's voice was at a desperate pitch Anakin couldn't remember the older Jedi ever using.
Unable to ignore him, Anakin came back to stand in the crossroads of the tunnel branches.
"Which way?" he muttered, pointing his saber down each path and watching the light get pushed back by the darkness. "Which way? Which way?"
Ahsoka's fear. Obi-Wan's pain. Padme's grief.
The darkness loomed closer.
24. Something Was Off
"We will discuss the matter further in private. Thank you for your report, Captain." Mace Windu inclined his head.
Rex bowed and exited the council room. Leaned against the wall, arms crossed, Cody was waiting for him. Rex let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"I think that's the closest I've come to crapping my pants since my first battle," he admitted. "I mean, it's one thing to meet the generals in the field. But to be here, in the actual Temple, surrounded by a dozen of the Order's finest, and have them all staring at you while you try and explain exactly why one of their own ended up dead on your watch? I tell you that's a whole new level of nerves." His pent up stress released in a giddy chuckle.
For how unreadable his face was, Cody might as well have been wearing his helmet. Rex calmed himself, laughter tapering off.
"Now that that's behind us, what do you say we swing by 79s while we're planetside, eh?" He smacked the back of his hand against Cody's upper arm and started down the hallway.
"This never should have happened."
Rex paused and looked back. "What?"
"The Carnage of Umbara!" Cody snapped, launching away from the wall. "Brothers killing brothers. It's all wrong!"
Caught unawares by the vehemence of the commander's outburst, Rex lifted his palms placatingly. "I know. Believe me, I know. I was there. But this is war. Shit like this happens."
"The blame lies with the kriffing Jedi," Cody snarled, face twisting in rage and hands curling into fists at his sides.
Rex glanced around furtively. "Quit it with talk like that, will you? Don't you realize where we are?"
As quickly as he had expressed it, Cody shoved down his anger. He buried it under an expression of detached apathy. "Sorry, Rex. You're right. We should stop by 79s. Who knows how long it will be before we get another chance, right?" He strode forward purposefully, knocking past Rex as he went.
Bewildered by Cody's behavior, Rex stood motionless. Cody stopped halfway down the corridor. He turned and spread his arms out wide.
"Aren't you coming? I mean, it was your idea."
Frowning slightly, Rex jogged to catch up with him.
25. Smoke
"Don't you think it's time you gave those up?"
Cody flicked the butt of his cigarra to the ground. "Can't seem to break the habit."
"Those'll end up killing you, you know."
He crushed it into ash beneath his heel. "If it's a cig that kills me, then I must be doing something right out in the field."
"What do you mean?"
"Always figured I'd eat laser before the war was over."
"Don't say that."
"Sorry. 'S just the ugly truth."
26. Liar
Ahsoka swung her legs under her chair and pulled them to the front again. Back and forth. Back and forth. A healer approached and she straightened. But the man kept walking without even glancing in her direction. Huffing out a breath, Ahsoka sank back in her seat. Beside her, Anakin was a dark thundercloud.
"How much longer, Master?"
The only response she received was a grunt.
"Have you ever been in the transformation chamber?" Ahsoka asked, doing her best to strike up a conversation with the marble statue Anakin had become.
This time, he actually turned to address her. "No, Ahsoka, I haven't. You want to know why? Because I've never faked my own death and then lied to my friends about it!"
Okay, so maybe the silence was better. Ahsoka's shoulders hunched and she dropped her head. Anakin shifted beside her.
"Sorry, Snips. I didn't mean to yell at you."
She perked up.
"You're not the one I'm angry with," he added darkly.
Before Ahsoka could reply, the doors at the end of the hall were opened.
"Master Obi-Wan!" Ahsoka leapt from her chair and embraced the older man. "It's good to have you back."
"It's good to be back," he chuckled, returning the hug briefly.
She stepped back, taking a moment to assess him, relieved to see his familiar features smiling back at her. "So you're okay?"
"Just a few bumps and bruises. All things considered, I was very fortunate."
"See, Master? I told you he'd be-" Ahsoka turned around with a grin, only to find Anakin's chair empty and her teacher nowhere in sight, "-fine." Her smile dropped, spirits sinking.
Obi-Wan's hand touched her shoulder. "He just needs some time."
She faced him with a frown. "I don't know. He seemed really upset, angry."
A cloud passed over Obi-Wan's face before his expression smoothed into one of reassurance. "He'll come around."
Not quite convinced, but more than willing to accept his platitude, Ahsoka pushed aside her worry for Anakin and focused on Master Kenobi. "I think this calls for a celebration. What do you say to heading over to Dex's for lunch? I'll buy."
"I say that sounds wonderful. I've had nothing but prison food and fueling station grub these last few days."
Ahsoka wrinkled her nose. "How did you survive?"
"It was a miracle of the Force." Obi-Wan winked.
27. I Have Plans
"There you are, Anakin." Obi-Wan hurried his steps to match Anakin's rapid ones. "I'm glad I caught you. Ahsoka and I were just about to head to the dojos for some friendly sparring. Care to join us?"
"Oh, um. That sounds like fun, Master. But unfortunately, I can't make it. Maybe next time." Anakin scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "You're turning down a chance to spar?"
Anakin spread his hands. "Sorry, I have other plans."
"And what might those plans be?" Obi-Wan stopped and crossed his arms.
Anakin kept going, down the stairs to the hangar. "I'm really sorry. I'll make it up to you, okay? Next time!"
"Indeed," Obi-Wan muttered.
28. I Turn the Page
Cody wasn't a mean-spirited man. He wasn't one for gossip either. But it was hard not to be jealous when the records showed the 501st receiving funding and supplies the other legions didn't. He didn't want to say it was favoritism...but with senators such as Amidala and Organa, and even Chancellor Palpatine himself all on Skywalker's side, it certainly looked that way.
29. In the Fridge
"Commander Fox? What seems to be the trouble?" Obi-Wan entered the security office with a perplexed frown.
"Sorry to interrupt your meeting, General, but we have a situation." Fox gestured to the screens playing live footage from the main hangar.
A battered Corona-class frigate lounged on the deck, blocking access in and out of the hangar. Clumped at the end of the lowered loading ramp, a handful of Weequays were visible.
"As you can see, it's imperative that we get that hunk of junk removed. Unfortunately, we don't have the equipment to do that. Not unless we want to take half the building with it," Fox explained. He tilted his head to indicate the door and the two started down the hallway.
"I'm surprised to see a ship like that this far into the interior," Obi-Wan said. "What is it doing on Coruscant?"
"No idea, sir."
"Have you attempted communication with the crew? Have they made any declaration of intention?" Obi-Wan asked.
Fox hesitated before inputting the code to open the hangar access door. "They refused to speak with us unless we brought them-"
"Kenobi!"
Obi-Wan froze.
Hondo emerged from the knot of pirates, swaying and laughing. "I knew I would find you here!"
Fox crossed his arms. "So you two know each other?"
"We are old friends," Hondo said with certainty. "We've known each other for a long, long time."
Obi-Wan raised his hands, palms out. "That's not entirely accurate."
"Just do what you can, sir," Fox said before making a tactical retreat to the other side of the door.
Grimacing, Obi-Wan endured the arm Hondo threw around his shoulder and allowed the pirate to guide him closer to the ship. "So Hondo, what brings you to Coruscant?"
"Fate!"
Obi-Wan sighed. "What do you want?"
Hondo clicked his tongue. "What? I can't just stop by and visit my friend? Always the suspicions with this one."
Up close, the frigate showed signs of damage that hadn't been picked up on the cameras.
"You look to be in need of repairs," Obi-Wan pointed out mildly.
"Ah, yes. A run-in with some competitors. Nothing to worry about. I have already called for my best men to come take care of it."
"And when do you expect them to arrive?"
Hondo rubbed the back of his neck. "As long as the hyperlanes are clear, it shouldn't take longer than two rotations."
"Two rotations!" Obi-Wan repeated incredulously.
"Unless, of course, my friend Kenobi can arrange for a team here in Coruscant to lend a hand?" Hondo grinned.
Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose. "I knew it."
"Bah, a Jedi such as yourself should have no shortage of favors to call!" Hondo clapped him on the back.
With another sigh, Obi-Wan pulled out his commlink and apprised Fox of the situation. The commander was even less thrilled than Obi-Wan was at the development. But he made the necessary preparations.
"Alright, Hondo. You got what you wanted. The repairs will be completed within the next five hours," Obi-Wan said before walking away.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Hondo got ahead of him, blocking his path. "That's not all."
"No?" Obi-Wan pressed. "You're already running up quite a tab. What more could you possibly want?"
"To share a drink!" Hondo steered Obi-Wan back to his ship. "I've got a little something in the conservator. Coincidentally, it's exactly the reason we're in this mess to begin with. But that's how you know it's good, yes? If it's worth fighting over, it must be worth drinking. Come, come!"
"So it's legally your property? I'm not going to be consuming smuggled goods, am I?" Obi-Wan crossed his arms.
"If it's going to affect your decision, let's just go with no." Hondo winked.
Shaking his head, Obi-Wan followed the pirate up the ramp.
30. Her Couch
He knew there was a strong possibility it would cause a scandal. Gossip spread faster than wildfire in the senate. But at the moment, he couldn't bring himself to care. The cushions beneath him were velvet covered and oh so soft. Aside from the ambient gleam of the city visible through the large windows, the room was dark. And it was quiet. And also warm. Best of all, his head was pillowed in Satine's lap. With one hand, she absently carded through his hair while holding a datapad with the other.
"I should go," he muttered drowsily.
"Absolutely not," came Satine's immediate reply, though her tone was light.
He peered up at her. "I don't want to cause any problems for you later."
"Nonsense." She paused in her reading to look down into his eyes.
"What if they publish something in the holotabs?" he protested.
Satine hummed and lifted a brow. "Ever the gentleman. But you forget, my dear Obi, I've been a politician all my life. It wouldn't be the first salacious article to ever be published about me."
Obi-Wan caught her hand and twisted his head to press a kiss to her knuckles.
"Very chaste. Not really the sort of thing that ends up in holotabs, is it?"
Slowly, he sat up and slid his palm to the back of her neck. "Is that an invitation, Duchess?"
She set aside her pad and cupped his jaw. "You already know the answer."
He smirked before leaning forward and capturing her lips with his.