Two starfighters cruised through the dark vacuum of space, seemingly unfettered by the chaos surrounding them. Spinning, twirling, and dodging the cacophony of debris, blasts, and fighters friendly and foe alike, they sped as if propelled by the hand of destiny itself towards the icy surface of Sern Prime.
"Force, that was a close one," Obi-Wan said as his fighter rocked with turbulence, having been clipped by the explosion of the droid fighter he had just blasted into oblivion.
"Running behind, Master Jedi?"
He swore he could hear the smirk on the young man's face. "Just dealing with a few more obstacles than you. Don't mind me."
"Kept waiting by a Master Jedi," Anakin remarked smartly, swerving and simultaneously blasting three more enemy fighters out of the sky. "Do I have to teach you that the art of avoiding obstacles is not merely luck, but skill? Even the Force, perchance, though not all of us are lucky enough to be able to wield whatever that is on command."
"I'll show you a Force," Obi-Wan mumbled, careful not to finish his sentence with a word he had not used since a particularly nasty argument with Bruck Chun well before he became a Padawan. Instead, he jammed his accelerators, determined not to let some former Senator's boytoy beat him to the punch. Sensing his approach, Anakin's fighter seemed to careen even further into the distance.
"Master Tachi," the boy said in an infuriatingly respectful tone, "how goes the search for the control center?"
"I think Ferus and I are closing in," they heard over the comm.
It would have made sense if, after Anakin's accidental dismantling of the Control Ship over the Battle of Naboo, for the Trade Federation to decentralize their control centers, scattering them across several regions of a contested area, but Gunray and his puppet successor, the new Viceroy Rune Haako were clearly too cheap, opting instead to try and hide it somewhere on an occupied planet, often in plain sight and surrounded by civilian population centers. It was despicable and recognition of the need for a careful and precise battle plan was one of the many reasons Obi-Wan had opted to participate in the liberation of Sern Prime from its own Supreme Chancellor.
"Where are you Siri," Obi-Wan asked anxiously. He was not the only Jedi who had chosen to help the Alliance, as Amidala and her cadre were now known as, on a case by case basis, but it made him a bit nervous that his old childhood friend had chosen to accompany Anakin as well. Anakin Skywalker, a nineteen year old kid who was clearly way to young to have been appointed by the Triumvirate to lead such a precarious operation, a decision that clearly signaled to the galaxy which of the supposedly equal Tri-Consulars: Amidala, Organa and Mothma, was actually running the show.
"We think it's somewhere in Currant City here," Siri yelled, obviously running alongside her Padawan somewhere on the planet below. "We're checking a number of hospices...heard rumors from some of the injured refugees we've run across."
"Keep us informed please," Anakin said, surprisingly diplomatic as he asserted his authority. While the the Clone army and any Alliance volunteer officers answered to him, the Jedi acted in the sector as independent agents, a situation that his wife would have certainly briefed him on. "Think it's worth it for us to take a closer look?"
They heard blasts in the background and Obi-Wan frozen momentarily, unable to hide his relief in the Force when he heard her voice again.
"I have a good feeling about this one."
"We'll trust it. Anakin, take care with your fire when we approach the city."
"Of course, Master Jedi. We're here to save lives, not to cause more casualties. Rex, instruct the vanguard to set weapons to stun. We can't afford to be trigger happy until we've assessed the situation."
"Roger that, General."
Dodging another volley of blasts, Obi-Wan shook his head at the absurdity of that title on a teenager. True, many Jedi in history had held similar titles at similar ages, but Anakin, while a most gifted pilot and a decent shot to boot, most definitely lacked the qualifications of even a junior Padawan learner.
Setting their coordinates, they swooped down into the small city located at the edge of one of the planets many permafrost glaciers. Landing his craft, Obi-Wan couldn't help but execute a quadruple somersault with the Force out of his fighter, taking a running start as he activated his lightsaber and began deflecting instantly the barrage of fire coming from a nearby droid battalion.
"Show off," Anakin muttered, but Obi-Wan noticed the smile on his face. The boy actually seemed to be enjoying this!
Lacking a lightsaber, he watched the young general wait impatiently for their clone reinforcements as Obi-Wan finished off the first wave of droids, artfully deflecting each blast back to its origin. With the arrival of the first gunship, Anakin jumped out of the protection of his fighter as well, managing to execute one and a half somersaults before landing awkwardly on his feet next to his Captain. Hitting the ground running as well, the boy pulled out his blaster and started mowing down a line of droids in the rear defenses of the city.
As they continued to advance into the perimeter of the city, it was apparent that the droid army, stationed irregularly and shooting from the windows and alcoves of the civilian huts and apartments, was most keen to use the population of the city as a shield against the liberating army.
"I think I see it," they heard Siri whisper through their comms. "The droid activity by the old academy is extraordinarily heavy. I believe they have stationed the controls in an old gymnasium at the center of campus."
"Which is located in the center of the city," Ferus Olin added dourly.
"Can the two of you make a safe retreat," Obi-Wan asked.
"Affirmative," Siri answered. "They think we're locals. We'll be fine to make it back to the caves. Hopefully they can connect to the outside of town."
"Good luck," Obi-Wan said, his voice softer than usual. He then added, "may the Force be with both of you."
"Form a perimeter around the outer ring road," Anakin ordered, pacing next to Rex and surveying their holo-map of the town. "Keep the enemy surrounded. Captain Rex, order the rear to form a defensive perimeter around us to preempt any counterattacks."
"We won't have much time, General," Rex replied back. Obi-Wan noticed that the clone commander seemed perfectly comfortable talking frankly with his young general. And the boy seemed not to mind at all. "The clankers will notice the concentration of Alliance troops and know we've found the control center."
"We'll be surrounded quickly," Obi-Wan added. "This may very well be a trap."
"Then we'll spring it," Anakin said, too boldly for Obi-Wan's taste. He approached the Jedi. "How long before your reinforcements?"
"Sooner than you think," Obi-Wan replied, just as they heard the approach of several other gunships down onto the planet's surface. Out of one of them jumped Aayla Secura, a young twi'lek knight. From another one emerged Kit Fisto, whom Anakin recognized as a member of the Jedi Council, along with a small Togruta girl who looked more youngling than Padawan. His mood clearly cheered, Obi-Wan ran to greet them.
"Masters Fisto, Secura," he nodded, acknowledging his compatriots. He then turned to the young Togruta. "I'm sorry, I do not we've been properly introduced."
"This is my Padawan...," Kit began.
"Ahsoka Tano," the Togruta interrupted, ignoring a dirty look from her master. "A pleasure to meet you, Master Kenobi. I've listened to many a lecture about your missions."
"All interesting ones, I hope. The pleasure's all mine..." Obi-Wan started before he was interrupted by Anakin's arrival.
"I trust we've enjoyed all our pleasantries," Anakin interrupted. Despite the urgency of his words, he tone was meeker than usual, as if he was trying to show that he did not mean to be rude. "The situation is critical. We must disable the droid control center before we are outnumbered."
"...and that would be General Skywalker," Obi-Wan said, formally introducing the young man to the newly arrived Jedi. He couldn't help but hear a light scoff from the young Togruta.
"Kinda young to be a General, Master," she said to Kit, not bothering to whisper.
"Ahsoka..."
"You're a snippy one there for a Jedi," Anakin said, clearly surprised by the young Jedi's impudence. He looked indignantly at Obi-Wan and then Rex, who had both just arrived on scene as well. Both seemed to be trying very hard not to laugh at him.
"Ahsoka," Kit admonished again, then turning to Anakin. "I'm sorry for my Padawan's...rather immature notions of protocol..."
"Protocol? This is a war zone, master!"
"...which I will make a note correct to ensure she learns her lessons in the future."
"No worries, Master Jedi," Anakin said, clearly not too bothered by the Padawan's remark. "But we better move fast for there to be any sort of a future for snippy here."
"Hey! I don't appreciate that name!"
"Okay. Snips then."
The Togruta rolled her eyes. "Whatever, little General Skyguy. Let's get a move on."
Anakin, Rex and Obi-Wan all exchanged a look at each other.
"And I thought all Jedi were boring stiffs like Obi-Wan..."
"Captain Cody, how goes the blockade?" Quickly putting away his comm, Rex pulled out two blasters to obliterate several droids before switching one of them back to the comm.
"We're holding on, but more clankers are swerving in every second."
"Keep up your fire, Captain," Anakin said, his shooting giving Obi-Wan and his Jedi the opening to advance further in towards the city center, their advance led surprisingly by the impudent Togruta girl. Even while Anakin wished he could join them, swinging his lightsabers rather than fire dumbly with his blaster, he did not envy their mission. While he and Clones were still firing stun shots, which did not matter as he had made custom adjustments to the frequency for each shot to be enough to short circuit the droids, the Jedi were dealing with live fire, with little room for error as they had to either deflect the enemy shots back directly into the droids, or harmlessly onto the ground.
"Way too close, Padawan." Kit Fisto yelled at Ahsoka after another one of her deflections rang too close to one of the fleeing bystanders.
"No harm no foul, master!"
Anakin watched the Nautolan exchange a weary look at Obi-Wan, who shot him a sympathetic look, and couldn't help but wonder what kind of Padawan he would have made if Padmé hadn't rescued him from the Jedi. Probably not too different from this girl, whose master seemed to already be entirely overwhelmed by her. He wondered how much patience Obi-Wan would have had for him. Surprisingly a decent amount thus far since they had been reacquainted, though he and Padmé had driven him close to his limits on Ryloth almost a year ago. Certainly there was no way Obi-Wan could have been as patient as Padmé though. Nor would the training incentives he could have dangled been more...inviting...than what Padmé had to offer.
Unconsciously worked up by both the battle and thoughts of his beloved wife, stuck playing the helpless politician back on Naboo, Anakin found himself running ahead towards the Jedi.
"General," Rex yelled, catching up with Anakin, "careful sir."
"Thanks for the concern, Captain," Anakin yelled back, kneeling and shooting behind a durasteel barrier, "but I'll be fine. Just keep up."
"You sure? You don't have all those fancy Jedi abilities up there. Better to wait for us to clear the sector first."
"I serve as the Jedi serve. As you and all your brothers serve, Captain."
The Clone captain merely grunted, a gesture of both respect and frustration at his superior's stubbornness.
"I swear General, next time before we deploy I'll need you to sign an affidavit that I tried my best. Else Consular Amidala will have me skinned alive."
Anakin laughed, the Clone not knowing how eerily accurate his words were. "Agreed, Captain. Though she'll skin what's left of me first, dead or alive, so you may have a few minutes to make your escape."
As they surveyed the wreckage of the droid control room, even Obi-Wan seemed to emanate a sense of satisfaction as all the frenetic activity on Sern Prime came to a close, thank the Force. He walked over to the young General, who along with Rex were already studying the final tallies of the battle.
"Congrats on your first victory, General Skywalker."
"A remarkable feat for someone so young," Kit Fisto added behind. Anakin did not fail to catch the eyeroll from his Padawan.
"Not too shabby, General Skyguy."
"Thanks Masters Jedi...Snips." Anakin walked over to Siri Tachi and her Padawan, who had emerged from hiding once they reached the inner city to help them dispatch the last of the droid battalions. "I couldn't have done it without your assistance, nor the tremendous bravery and satisfaction from your men, Captains." He gestured to Rex and Cody, the latter of whom had arrived from the upper battlezones after the droid fighters lost power, tens of thousands still floating harmlessly in the planet's atmosphere, waiting for collection from the Alliance's scavenger fleet. "Even Ferus here, he wasn't a complete liability."
Obi-Wan sighed. Anakin and the older Padawan had seemed to clash immediately during the initial mission briefings. Ferus Olin seemed to chafe at the idea of answering to someone younger than he, though Siri had reminded him repeatedly that the Alliance general held no actual authority over the Jedi. And Anakin seemed not to take it so well when the young man did not take kindly to his friendly ribbings, which Obi-Wan assumed were actually his attempts to try and mollify the tension. He was about to speak when he felt a tug in the Force from Siri, whose facial expressions indicated that she would take care of things.
"We all worked together very well. This was a true team effort, but we should be most grateful for the fact that the people of Sern Prime will finally know peace and freedom after months of suffering."
"I couldn't have said it better babe."
Obi-Wan could have sworn he saw the young man wink at his childhood friend, and as Ferus bristled visibly and again moved to speak, with a subtle shrug of her shoulders he sank back to her side, letter his master handle the situation.
"Is the husband of a Tri-Consular of the Alliance flirting with me," Siri asked playfully, and even Kit and Aayla seemed shocked that she would speak so boldly before so many.
The smirk never left Anakin's face, who actually had the gall to bow to the older Jedi. "The eternally loyal husband of Consular Amidala only wishes to very diplomatically communicate his gratitude to the Jedi Order on behalf of the Tri-Consul. The eternally loyal husband of Consular Amidala would also wish to very diplomatically convey his wish on behalf of the Tri-Consul that the interests of the Jedi will align once again with the Alliance in the future because, given the opportunity, this dream team reunited is no equal match for any force in the galaxy."
His diplomacy broke the tension, and everyone in the room, even Ferus, chuckled politely, though Ahsoka in her corner pretended to yawn in boredom. Obi-Wan put his arm around the young general's shoulders.
"Be careful what you wish for. Master Dooku should have no problems with the liberation of Mimban, considering the sparse force sent by Viceroy Haako to garrison that planet." Very diplomatically as well he named as the culprit the current Viceroy of the Trade Federation, rather than the former one, now Supreme Chancellor, who would be extremely displeased by the most recent events on Sern Prime, but mostly helpless to do anything more than rant and rave endlessly on the holonets. "Felucia, on the other hand...Felucia could be a problem I see some of us reacquainting ourselves upon."
He looked around the room especially at Siri, gray blue eyes probing her thoughts and whether she may see fit to accompany them on another campaign. On one hand, it was nice working with his old friend, whom he had not seen in years prior to preparations for this battle. On the other hand, it troubled him that the life of someone he cared deeply about would hinge so much upon such a young and inexperienced commander as Anakin Skywalker. True, he had displayed both extreme competence and bravery on Sern Prime, as well as a surprising amount of tact in not overstepping his boundaries with the Jedi save for some harmless barbs between the two younger Padawans present. And Obi-Wan did not worry about his own dependency on the young man. Or that of even Masters Fisto and Secura. Which, he forced himself to admit, brought him to the true crux of his worries...that Siri's continued proximity was stirring within him feelings he had long thought dead.
Fortunately, Anakin spoke before he could dig deeper into his anxieties.
"Must me only meet in war, Master Kenobi?" He motioned at Rex. "Rex and I are off to an undisclosed location for peace talks with some undisclosed parties. I can't say more, of course, unless you explicitly agree to participation as a joint venture, but despite my presence and that of other undisclosed Jedi masters...we may not be enough considering the amount of politicians to protect."
"I'm afraid I must decline," Obi-Wan said, lifting his arm and distancing himself from the young man. "You said the key word there...politics. While my old friends Dooku and Sifo-Dyas may have decided their mandate includes that treacherous landscape, I believe I speak for most of us here that our cooperation will be limited only to purely altruistic ventures."
The boy bowed again. Amidala really taught him to lay it on thick, Obi-Wan thought.
"Very well, then. I believe Consular Amidala did tell me the Duchess was most curious as to the precise number of Jedi protectors who will be present at the undisclosed peace conference. I will sadly let her know not to expect any additional members of your esteemed order."
"I very neutrally wish the best for all parties in the upcoming negotiations," Obi-Wan said, his face an impassive mask. Inside, his blood boiled, as much as a serene Jedi like himself allowed it to, anyhow.
Did he say the word Duchess like I think he said the word Duchess? Does he know? How could he possibly know? Does Amidala know then? Who told her of our connection? Would she be so reckless? Oh, it's been so many years...
The young general, seemingly ignorant of his inner turmoil, went on to bid his farewells to the other Jedi, even deigning to shake the hand of Ferus Olin, who under the watchful eye of his master managed to bite his tongue during the exchange.
I have a bad feeling about this, Obi-Wan thought, wondering if he could plead illness for an immediate retreat back to Coruscant.
Nightshade's sydneylover150: Padmé would wish to replace the Republic with herself. Whether she succeeds...of course, remains to be seen.
ichigo urahara Shihoin: There is certainly friction within the Jedi Order, and for once, Yoda does not seem to have the answers.