Adrift: PART IX
In the end, they settled on a straightforward plan: Anakin would land on a suitable place, pick Obi-Wan up, and they would be on their way, all without drawing the attention of the Separatists. Simple, right? No doubt, knowing their luck, sooner rather than later the scheme would go to druk and they would be farkled, but if – when – that happened, they would just do what they did best – improvise. There really was no point in waiting for a better plan or a better opportunity; every moment increased the risk of being discovered.
At least there was a decent place for Anakin to try to land in secret. Obi-Wan had spotted the area few days ago, noting its strategic value. The spot was a sheltered clearing, large enough for an ETA-class shuttle to land on safely, but small enough to not be so easily detected from above. It was far from any Kushibans' settlements, and – Obi-Wan hoped fervently – from any Separatist troops hunting him. Without anything delaying him, it would take Obi-Wan the better part of the day to get to. It meant he would reach the rendezvous point just after dark, which suited their plan perfectly. Anakin would time his landing to coincide with Obi-Wan's arrival; it would be safer for him to wait hidden in the debris field than to attempt to land in daylight and wait for Obi-Wan in the clearing.
AZI-2 following immediately after him, Obi-Wan moved swiftly but cautiously towards the meeting place. The med droid was exited about their upcoming rescue, and Obi-Wan had had to sternly command it to cease its nervous chattering more than once. Silence was essential for success, but more than that, AZI-2's anxiousness served to remind Obi-Wan of his own lurking apprehension. It was not only the bare-bones plan that bothered him, but the fact that he still didn't know what to do with Anakin and his devastating secrets.
For well over a week, Obi-Wan had wanted to see Anakin again with a desperation that was most unbecoming, had wished nothing more than to mend the rift that had opened between them and banish their last painful parting from haunting them both. The relief he had felt at sensing and hearing Anakin through their bond, and knowing he was near and – at least for the time being – alright, had been profound. Nothing would keep him from his Padawan, the entire Separatist army included, but still the anxiety and uncertainty of the coming encounter gnawed at his mind.
He had had more than enough time to ponder Anakin's revealed secrets, their implications and consequences, and the difficulties Anakin and others affected faced because of them. However, death's many near-miss opportunities to claim Obi-Wan since the attack on the Refuge had offered him a different perspective to the dilemma. Simply put: nothing was worse than a final parting with things left unresolved, unsaid, broken. Whatever he decided to do with the knowledge of Anakin's marriage, with the horrible crime towards the Sand People, the most urgent, important thing for Obi-Wan was to fix his relationship with Anakin. His Padawan had to know that Obi-Wan had forgiven him, and that Obi-Wan still believed in him, wanted to help him.
Although resolute in his will to support Anakin, Obi-Wan knew very well it would not be so easy to put into practise. He had never been an overly open person, and talking with Anakin of anything that held emotional weight had always been difficult. That was surely one of the main reasons why Anakin had confined in him only under duress. Suppressing his regret over his own lack of action that had facilitated Anakin's secretive behaviour, Obi-Wan vowed to do better – be better – in the future.
Whatever happened, whatever Anakin had done and would do, Obi-Wan would never abandon him, nor lose faith in their friendship.
-o-
The distant planet gleamed like a green-blue jewel among the darkness, framed by the slowly drifting debris of mangled steel and crushed weaponry. For the moment, the usually insignificant planet had become Anakin's guiding star, the fixed point he hardly dared take his eyes off. The frenzied, half-mad search had finally ended, but still Anakin could not breathe freely. Not until Obi-Wan was back in the shuttle with him, and Anakin could see his Master with his own eyes, reach out and touch him.
And yet, even that would hardly be enough: not if Obi-Wan wasn't truly back with him, but still stuck behind the formidable wall of cold judgement and unwillingness to understand. Behind the barrier that had been erected between them after Anakin's ill-advised confession. What if their stilted and sour last meeting was the new norm, indicative of how things would from then on forever be?
Anakin had been so focused on finding Obi-Wan, of rescuing him from whatever danger had befallen him, that there had been hardly any time to think of something else but the search. The painful state of his relationships with both Padmé and Obi-Wan, whatever was left of their once so solid and strong foundations, had simply been too hurtful to contemplate beyond a few uncontrollable stray thoughts. Any deeper inspection, and Anakin would have been lost, unable to function as efficiently and tirelessly as he had to in order to find Obi-Wan.
And now the search was over and there was nothing to do but think.
It would be hours yet, before Obi-Wan reached their meeting place, and Anakin could do nothing but stare at the small planet and wait. A proper Jedi would have used the time sensibly for their own advantage; for meditation, for the restoration of both body and spirit. Even a non-Jedi would have rested and checked that everything was in order with the ship. Anakin did neither. He sat in the dark cockpit, looking at Kushibah, impatiently waiting for the time to pass. Somewhere deep inside himself, in that small place that was hidden and afraid, he harboured an irrational fear that should he look away, the planet would disappear and he would wake up in the blackness of empty space, no closer to finding his Master than he had been yesterday.
It was uncommonly hard to banish that mad thought, although Anakin knew it was untrue: he could still feel Obi-Wan's presence. Their bond, previously so cold and inactive, was there; a warm hum of contentment at the back of his mind. At any time, Anakin could reach out and Obi-Wan would answer. He could seek out his Master and find him with a mere thought, and see what Obi-Wan saw, feel what Obi-Wan felt. The desire to do just that was almost overwhelming, but Anakin resisted it. He could not distract his Master, could not let his need for reassurance be another hindrance for Obi-Wan.
Anakin could only wait – wait and hope that when they finally saw each other again, their meeting would not repeat the beats of their cutting parting. He knew things would never go back to the way they had been, not without unwinding time itself, but perhaps there could be understanding between him and his Master. With understanding would come acceptance, and with acceptance Anakin could perhaps recover Obi-Wan's regard and faith in him. He felt greedy for even wanting that much; anything more would surely be as unattainable as always. Still, he wanted.
The planet firmly in his sight, the centre of his unwavering attention, Anakin promised himself that he would do whatever it took to regain what he had so carelessly lost.
-o-
Obi-Wan stood at the edge of the clearing, readying himself for whatever came next: flight or fight. Only the small moon illuminated his surroundings with pale light, feebly permeating the inky blackness. All was silent, even AZI-2, who hovered behind him. The closer they had come to the appointed time and place, the quieter the med droid had become.
Some time ago Anakin had signalled through their bond that he had begun approaching the planet; so far everything had miraculously seemed to go according to their plan. Obi-Wan could feel Anakin's ironclad concentration as he expertly avoided detection and started the descent. Although he couldn't focus on his Padawan's progress, having to keep his attention firmly on his own surroundings, still Obi-Wan couldn't help but check on Anakin at steady intervals.
He had known that the hardest part of the whole plan would be the last anxious, grinding moments waiting for Anakin to arrive. Obi-Wan didn't fear that he himself would be discovered; he had managed to both evade and fight the troops hunting him, and he was confident he could continue to do so as long as necessary. However, if Anakin's shuttle was spotted, his Padawan would have to engage or flee alone whatever remained of the Separatist fleet around Kushibah's orbit. Knowing Anakin, he would refuse to leave the system if Obi-Wan was still down on the planet – and top pilot in the galaxy or not, even Anakin Skywalker could be bested. The rescue attempt could be over before the shuttle even reached the clearing.
Please, if we are to be discovered, let it be when I'm with him. Any fate had always been easier to face, when they had faced it together.
As if conjured by that thought, a tug at their bond grabbed Obi-Wan's attention. Get ready Master – I'm almost there.
He peered up at the dark sky but could see nothing. Soon however, the tell-tale sign of increasing airflow revealed the oncoming ship. The trees started to move, swaying and shaking in the rising wind. The earth shuddered as the completely dark shuttle was deftly settled on the makeshift landing zone with a hard thud. The howling sound of the engines sounded unbearably loud in the previously so silent night.
Obi-Wan was already leaving the cover of the trees and moving towards the ship, knowing that the quicker he got on board, the sooner they could leave. Trusting that AZI-2 would follow, he dashed into the open, heading for the lowering ramp. As the entrance into the shuttle opened, reddish light spilled into the clearing.
At the top of the boarding ramp he was met with R2; the small astromech droid peeped excitedly as Obi-Wan entered the ship, and he found himself smiling widely at Anakin's odd almost-sentient friend. "Good to see you too, R2."
"Oh, thank the Maker," AZI-2 said, almost colliding into Obi-Wan in its haste to get into the ship. Its mechanical voice chords managed to convey deep relief. "Safe at last."
Not yet, Obi-Wan thought as he hit the ramp controls and the ramp closed agonizingly slowly. Let's go. Anakin was already ahead of him on that score; the shuttle was rising before the boarding ramp had even shut completely. Then they were accelerating upwards in such a steep angle that Obi-Wan had to grab hold of the netting on the wall to stay upright. When the ascent had somewhat levelled out, he made for the cockpit, leaving the droids to chatter among themselves. The ship was only lit by faint emergency lighting; clearly Anakin had wanted to make them as invisible as he could.
The circular cockpit was as dark as the rest of the ship, illuminated only by the lights on the piloting console. Still, Anakin's bright smile was easily visible, stretching across his handsome face. Something in Obi-Wan eased; a heavy weight around his chest he hadn't even realized he had been carrying.
"You need a ride?" Anakin asked, the teasing lilt of his speech matching his grin. He had turned away from the controls and was looking at Obi-Wan like they hadn't seen each other in years.
"What took you so long?" Obi-Wan asked cheerfully, settling himself on the co-pilot's seat and strapping himself in.
"I'll tell you later," Anakin said, turning his focus back to the business of flying, much to Obi-Wan's relief. "Let's haul ass before the Seps notice –"
Too late. The abrupt alarm in the Force was all the warning they got; the ship shuddered as Anakin suddenly banked them violently to the right, the energy torpedo streaking past them, just narrowly missing their portside wing.
"I think they have noticed us!" Obi-Wan examined his side of the console, looking for the ship's weapon controls.
"Really, whatever gave you that idea? Kriff!" Anakin swore, dodging another torpedo. "Karking vulture droids!"
"Look! Straight ahead!" Obi-Wan watched in alarm as the Separatist destroyer appeared on their viewport, spewing more droid starfighters from its open maw.
"I see it," Anakin grunted, "the vulture droids are trying to drive us towards it."
"Well, let's not go that way then," Obi-Wan said dryly, suddenly feeling like laughing. They could never – ever – catch a break.
"No? And here I thought you would like to go greet them!"
"Oh, I'll greet them," Obi-Wan remarked caustically, firing the starboard laser cannon at the vulture droid that had swooped towards them from their right, trying to take them by surprise. The droid starfighter exploded with a brilliant flash of bright yellow sparks.
"So uncivilized," Anakin quipped appreciatively, his grin sharp. He piloted the shuttle through a series of hair-raising, nausea-inducing rolls and loops, making Obi-Wan completely lose aim of his next target. "R2, we need more juice!"
For somewhere behind them, the astromech answered with his customary string of peeps and hoots. Obi-Wan could hardly understand R2 at the best of times, but he figured the news were good, for Anakin only hollered, "Right!" in reply.
Anakin executed another one of his this-certainly-should-be-impossible manoeuvres. "Get ready, we are going to ditch this party."
"Yes, let's do that, before it's your flying that kills us and not the droids." Obi-Wan fired another volley of laser cannon fire, hoping to thin the swarm of vulture droids from the incoming destroyer speeding straight towards them.
"I – have – everything – in – control!" Anakin claimed, hard at work with the numerous controls of the ship. The shuttle shuddered as a blaster canon shot from behind found its mark. At least some of the fighters they had managed to lose with the mad manoeuvres were back on their tail.
"Any time now Anakin!"
"Have a little patience Master," Anakin bantered, but he was already reaching for the hyperdrive controls. Just as Obi-Wan caught a glimpse of a flare of yellow, signalling an incoming energy torpedo, the shuttle jumped into hyperspace with a hard rattle and a loud whine. The Separatist ships, whatever remained of the Refuge, the whole Kushibah system was left behind as they shot through space, among the blue streaks of stars.
Obi-Wan exhaled deeply, amazed that they had once again managed to beat the odds. He turned to look at his best friend, Anakin's wide grin drawing forth his own. "Another successful escape."
It felt good to be finally on his way towards home – but no, that was not completely accurate, Obi-Wan thought as he met Anakin's gaze, the familiar blue of his eyes like dark pools of water in the cockpit's dim lighting. The emotion in them was well-known, echoed by Obi-Wan: relief, happiness, hope.
It felt good to be home.