And That's What it's All About

Title: And That's What it's All About

Chapter: Outer Space

Rating: K – Just talk of death and mentions of war. Since I saw kids younger than the younglings in the last film watching said film, well… I'm certain anyone can read this.

Genre: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Star Wars exploding drabble-turned-crossover.

Summary: On Cato Nemoidia, anything can happen… and usually does. But space is cold and deadly, too.

Disclaimer: I own neither genre. Joss Whedon owns Buffy the Vampire Slayer. George Lucas owns the Star Wars franchise. I'm just a poor post-college graduate working in a dangerous field. I just have my radar.

Spoilers: There are minor spoilers from both stories, especially Star Wars.

Timeline: This takes place after 'The Gift'. In Star Wars verse, it's set between films two and three.

Dedication: Grace, I heart you. I really do. You made my crappy week so much better! You are my inspiration. Well, you're half of my inspiration. The other half belongs to a certain individual a few hundred miles away.

Notes: Well, once again I'm struck with illness. I will never not take a flu shot again! This is the third time I've gotten sick in two months. This time it's the deadly Influenza. After spending a week doing almost nothing but sleeping, staring blankly at the television screen and struggling through work just because I feel too guilty for letting it pile up, well… it was a relief to turn my computer on again. This is my half-attempt at actually writing something more than a criminal report. That and I was watching an obscure 80s film ("Stripes") while doing final edits to this chapter.

x-o-x

Outer Space

I don't remember how long we were flying. All I know is I spent every iota of whatever being I was to make sure I wasn't going to fly half a parsec (whatever that is) behind the ship because Obi-Wan drives too damned fast. Everything was one big blur of color and objects in varying shapes and sizes whizzed by at speeds I could only imagine where in the hundreds of thousands of miles per hour.

"Couldn't you slow it down?"

"Not if we want to reach our destination this year," came his dry reply.

"And I don't want to float behind this death trap," I shrieked.

"It'd be welcome!"

"What?"

"It would be… unfortunate?"

"I heard you the first time!" I closed my eyes as the ship shuddered around me, something near my navel vibrating. "Oh, if I had a nickel every time someone complained about my driving."

"You want to drive?"

"Did I say that? Did those words just come out of my mouth?"

Okay, so I'm cranky. Only because I've been shook, shattered and vibrated around for the past God-knows-how-many hours. My only company was a smart ass Jedi who kept offering calm suggestions that I somehow mind-meld with the engine to make it go faster, or else slip behind the ship and push it. Since I was crammed rather uncomfortably behind him, for once I was glad that I was a ghost. Otherwise it would have been unbearable.

"No," he replied quietly. "I suppose not."

The astro droid about fifteen feet from my left elbow started twittering again. The vibration in my abdomen stopped. Had I been able to communicate with it, I would have told it off for being such a tease. "I think I'd rather be driving."

"I thought you said you could not drive." He sounded smug. Well… I'll show him.

"I thought you said you could."

He cocked his head, as though he couldn't believe the words coming out of my mouth. I believed them. I got snippy when I've had no sleep. Or a shower, a hot meal, a change of clothes or even a brush. My poor hair must be like wire right now. If only I could feel it!

"Master… Buffy… how are you two faring?"

Dear Anakin, I thought with pride. He always butted in at exactly the right moments… sort of.

"We would do a lot better if we reached the planet in tact," Obi-Wan said, pressing his mouthpiece closer to his lips. His beard twitched slightly as he heard my aggravated sigh behind him. "I thought when I said communications silence you understood those orders, Anakin."

"I'm sorry, Master," Anakin sounded as though he was trying not to laugh. "I thought by now she would have irritated you to no end."

"She's trying."

"Am not."

"You've been obliquely insulting me since we first left dock," Obi-Wan shot back. "That was quite a few hours ago."

"Well, you made yourself a very easy target."

"Hmm… I imagine I did. Nevertheless, I thought that someone in your position would have accumulated some tact by now."

"Tact?"

"Master? What is going on?"

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan sounded testy now. "Communications silence! You do understand that, do you not?"

"Right, Master. I'm sorry. Just… don't let her get to you."

Obi-Wan gritted his teeth as I stuck my tongue out towards the back of his head. "Trying here."

A few more long, boring moments went by. It could have been hours, but I was preoccupied with examining every single bit of technology poking out of me. If I had to swing my body through Obi-Wan's a few times to read labels I couldn't understand because they were written in gibberish. I tried for casual conversation but received the same snappish answers in reply. After my fourth failed attempt to get him to explain why he had to make the one part spin through my midsection so readily, I finally snapped.

"Who do you think you are?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm stuck here as a ghost and you just sit there like some smug, arrogant little bastard ignoring me because you can."

"If you haven't noticed, we have a job to do."

"A job that you decided not to tell me hardly anything about!"

He paused. "You know everything you need to know. We're here to find the Viceroy."

"Well. Yeah, that explains a lot… if you're a droid! For crying out loud, give me something!"

"Between us and the Viceroy are thousands of assorted droids that could blast us out of the stars if they know we're coming," Obi-Wan replied grimly. "This is a surprise attack, meaning we have to be ready to go in guns blazing if we have to."

"I thought you said Jedi weren't soldiers."

Obi-Wan glanced down as he manned his controls. "I never said we weren't. I just said we lead our troops into battle."

"As far as I can see, you're the troops."

"They'll come. They always have. Cody hasn't let me down, yet."

"About him… I mean, it's so creepy. How can you tell Cody from the next guy? I mean, they all look alike."

"He has a different personality," Obi-Wan replied softly. "He was from a different breed. He knows how to lead. He'll do his job."

"Okay."

He glanced up. "Okay? You won't argue? No more questions?"

"Not off the top of my head, no. I think you just spelled it out pretty clearly." I glared down as that something vibrated again. "We're on a suicide mission to pick up one alien from a thousand droids and there's only the two of you to do the job."

"That was pretty good."

"Thank you."

For some reason, my words seemed to confuse him. He just shook his head slightly. The droid bleeped. Anakin, for once, remained silent. And we drove onward in peace. I glanced up. The colors were back, shimmering in shades of blues and purples I couldn't even name. They were beautiful.

It then struck me… I was traveling in space, outer space. I was in a space ship. I was traveling on a space ship in outer space to the tune of 'here we come to save the day'.

This was definitely a moment to savor.

"We're coming out of hyperspace."

I braced myself for the sudden stop. The parts behind me creaked and shuddered as the lights seemed to expand and with a sudden jolt we fell from whatever hyperspace was. A few seconds later a bright yellow ship appeared somewhere to our right. "Anakin," I breathed.

"Trouble."

"What?"

I glanced forward and nearly gasped. This was Cato Nemoidia? It looked like Earth… if Earth was surrounded by large things that looked like thick, hollowed-out Frisbees with a golf ball in the center. Even though it was so far away, the ships seemed so close.

"Cutting power to main drive."

"Why are you telling me for?" I breathed as my eyes stared, transfixed, at the ships hovering before us. "Do they know we're here?"

"We haven't been scanned yet."

There was even more to look at now. There seemed to be some sort of odd mist rising from the planet. Our ship careened easily through the first two ships. Anakin's ship was following behind us at a different angle.

"This system is controlled by the Separatists," Obi-Wan explained calmly as I stared out. "We had to dock far enough way so that our entrance into the system wouldn't be detected."

"So they won't notice two ships controlled by Jedi just happening to fly to their planet."

"They are droids."

"But I thought they were as smart as humans."

He snorted under his breath. "If that's what you've been observing, you're not as smart as you think you are."

What?

"What?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Was that an insult?"

"I think we'd both benefit if you just kept your mouth closed."

"Three minutes ago, you were complaining that you were being ignored."

"I changed my mind."

He didn't reply. For a moment I considered a smartass comment that would throw him off his game. I had no idea he could be so… personable, especially in that moment. But then I followed his line of sight.

If I had a heart, it would have stopped beating. If I had a stomach, it would have dropped. If I had any feeling in my skin, it would have been crawling.

Between us and what turned out to be three planets were enough ships to circle around our ship and probably the three planets a good three or four times. There were also large black and red bulbs hanging in a circle in front of them.

"Mines."

I mimicked swallowing hard and received a sharp jab in my left shoulder blade. "Gulp?"

"Can you even do that?"

I glanced at him. "No…" My voice trailed off as I saw his body tense. If I could only see his face… would I see fear? Anxiety? Apprehension?

Dear God, I was only twenty. I'm way too young to die. Again.

Crap.

I'm a ghost. I can't die again, can I?

But he can.

"What… what are you doing? You're going to fly into the mines?"

"The only reason we haven't been attacked is because those mines are between us and that planet."

"Which one?"

He didn't even notice my voice was trembling.

"The one in the middle. We have to get through this minefield first. And then we have about four dozen ships between us and that planet. If all goes well, we should get to the main docking ring unscathed."

"If all goes well?"

Was that a whisper?

"Just think positive thoughts."

"Thinking now."

Our ship entered the minefield. I held my breath, which was easy since I didn't have to take a breath to begin with. "They know we're here, don't they?"

"I think they have a pretty good idea."

I looked around. "Where's Anakin?"

Obi-Wan frowned at his sensors. "He's there. He's just not… are you sure you can't see him?"

"Do you want me to stick my head out of the back of this ship?" I retorted.

"It'd give you something else to do for a change."

I drove my foot up through his rear end before turning around and pushing my body through the back of the ship. Aside from the few blasts of poisonous fumes in my face, I got several close views of his thrusters. I realized I was about to go headfirst through the back of the ship. My body trembled and yet, after I pushed through the engines and the dangerous space dust, I was met by one of the most unpleasant views. There was a yellow ship, but there were a few more behind it. Bright yellow and red bolts were being exchanged between the two. I snuck out a bit further. Just then, Obi-Wan's ship jolted and I pitched forward, finding my body completely outside the ship. Screaming my head off did nothing. I just felt absolutely terrified in that moment. I kicked back, finding the ship. Even with its vibrating parts, it was much better than being stuck in outer space on my lonesome.

"Uh, Master?"

Obi-Wan glanced up. "Anakin, do you remember our—"

"Master, she's hanging off the back of your ship."

"What? Anakin, I do not have time for this. If you haven't noticed, those droid control ships are launching fighters. Where is Commander Cody?"

"He's obviously late," Anakin's tone was irritated as a panel above his head exploding, showering him in sparks. "I'm sort of under attack now. But I do know that Buffy Summers is hanging by her heels out of the back of your ship. I didn't think you despised her that much."

"I don't." Obi-Wan sounded concerned on his end. "Where in blazes is Cody? He said he'd be here!"

"He's late!" Anakin grunted through clenched teeth.

"Well, we have to do something!"

"Master… the only thing keeping her near your ship is the fact she's bound to you. She's hovering near your thrusters."

"Would you give me good news?"

"You're not getting fired on?" Anakin asked, glaring at the two ships he was trying to avoid. "That's the last time I'll take your back."

"And you said you were much more capable than me."

"I know what I said!" Anakin replied. So he was testy. Obi-Wan was almost through the minefield. And then they had the rest of the Trade Federation ships to worry about. Every single defense the Viceroy could think of would be employed against them. Without their Clone backup, well… they were as good as dead. There was no way two Jedi could take out dozens of droid control ships as well as their full attack craft compliments as well as take on the thousands of assorted droids on the surface. There was also the threat of Count Dooku, as well.

For me, well… blasting my way through outer space was one thing. Doing so with mines less than a foot from my wiggling feet was another thing entirely.

Right now, one thing was for certain. I was in deep trouble. Next time, I was going to ignore Obi-Wan Kenobi when he told me to do something.

"Could use a little help here," I groaned, managing to stick my fingers through a wing and kick towards the droid. "Please, for the love of God, someone help me."

Use the Force.

"Use the Force?" I gasped in disbelief as a mine exploded a few paces beneath me. I felt the heat and fragments of the explosion ripple through me as two sharp chunks pierced the hull of Obi-Wan's cruiser and the ship jolted. I nearly lost the grip on the ship. "What the hell does that mean?"

Let go.

"No freakin' way."

If you wish to live, you must trust me.

"As if."

Close your eyes and just let go.

"How can you ask me to do that?" I screamed out, twisting this way and that as more mines exploded. I could feel the hull stressing under the heat and felt it shift as it collided with even more metallic fragments.

"Master."

"Anakin, I'm a little busy here."

"Master, she's going to fall off."

"And do what… die? She can't die if she's already dead, Anakin. She's a part of the Living Force."

"It doesn't necessarily mean she knows what to do, either. She is bound to you. And right now she's using all of her energy to hold on."

Obi-Wan glanced up. He reached out with the Force, feeling for the source of the anguish. He felt it on his left wing. She was terrified. He felt that as a Jedi terror was a path to anger and hate and all things to the Dark Side. He reached out with his mind, trying to console hers. He felt his essence tap into her terror. His grip tightened on his steering column. He had never felt this fear before. He felt the ship shudder as more fighters approached from the front, sweeping gracefully over them as their ship exited the minefield. The only way to avoid them was to go back; he didn't want to sacrifice his life, but he didn't have much of a choice.

It was nearly impossible to accomplish both tasks at once.

Luckily, Obi-Wan had help.

Just let go.

"Not until you tell me what the hell I'm letting go to," I responded, my voice little more than a gasp of breath. I was absolutely exhausted from holding on. I felt something in my mind, something that didn't belong there and fighting against it was draining me of everything.

It was beyond terror I felt. It was the absolution of sinking away into nothingness that felt like the greatest cold drop. I was in outer space. I was as good as dead.

Feel the Force. Release your hand. Let your mind do the rest.

"My mind doesn't work that way," I hissed. I was losing my grip on the wing now. The ship twisted back towards the minefields. Something over my head exploded as one of the droid fighters shot at the craft. "What… what the hell are you doing? You're going back in the mines? That's suicide!"

He's doing his duty. Now it is time for yours.

"Just tell me what to do, please," I replied, watching as the droid fighters broke off pursuit. It was probably because there was a cascading explosion from several mines at once. It looked like orange fireworks going off over my head. Watching them did absolutely nothing to settle my nerves.

But I did feel one thing. There was suddenly an overwhelming sense of calm. I blinked and stared at my hand. Explosions were going off around me. Anakin's yellow fighter was sweeping awkwardly through the minefield, a great trail of dark smoke pouring out its rear end. Though both ships were receiving a pounding, I knew there was little I could do about it.

"Master…"

Obi-Wan didn't reply. His gaze was on the mines as he expertly navigated them. His mind, however, was elsewhere.

"So much for a surprise attack," I whispered. All I wanted to do now was sleep. My hand slipped from where it was gripping the wing. My foot released its hold from one of the cracks in the hull. My body was floating like a cloud. Though I felt the sweeping sensation of freefall, it was something completely different.

"She's loose."

"I know," Obi-Wan replied, his gaze steadying. "She'll be fine if she doesn't panic."

"Was she afraid?"

"It was beyond terror," Obi-Wan replied softly. "I have never felt anything like it. It is almost as though she knew that we were in trouble far more than she was."

"She didn't want to leave us?" Anakin's voice sounded astonished.

"No, she didn't. She thinks she had some sort of worth here."

"Well, she does," Anakin replied, steadying his own ship as his astro-droid attempted to repair his craft. "But, on the other hand, she's safe now."

"Can you see her?"

"No."

"That's not very comforting."

"She'll be back, Master," Anakin said reassuringly. "If she is a part of the Living Force, she will be back."

"Have you heard sight or caught wind of Commander Cody? I cannot believe he's late."

"Negative, Master," Anakin replied, concern flashing through his dark eyes. "But they'll be here. I know him. They'll be here exactly when we need them the most."

"That doesn't inspire much confidence."

"I know, Master. But give him time. Maybe he's… maybe he just got delayed."

"Delayed? Do you know how dead we are if he was delayed if only a moment?"

"He's over an hour late, Master."

"Well, I don't know how much longer we can wait."

x-o-x

Meanwhile, I was floating on a cloud. When I looked around, I recognized the place. It was the desert again. But instead of a mountain lion, I saw a man sitting on a rock, staring into the horizon. As I approached him, he turned and smiled at me. "You should learn to trust me," he said gently.

"I don't trust easily."

"You seem to trust Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker and yet you know little of them."

"I trust them because they're doing the thing good guys do. I know you even less."

"I am afraid I may have to dispute that," the man said, standing. He really was much taller than I was. "Come. As Obi-Wan Kenobi has not told you, I find it my responsibility to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"The reason why you have come here," he replied. I glanced at him in surprise. "And what you can do to help them."

"You're telling me now?" I asked, gesturing behind me at the desert. "But why now? They're in danger! They're going to die! They're—"

"What can you offer them other than cutting sarcasm and your bitter remarks?" he asked kindly, staring at me with that solemn gaze. I had no answer for him. Okay, so I'm pretty much useless, but he didn't have to rub it in my face like that. "You could have a purpose again. You could have a reason."

"Are you kidding me?"

"I am not in any position to kid you, Miss Summers," he replied, holding out his arm to gesture to the horizon. "But we have a lot to talk about and there isn't a lot of time. By the time you return, you will find much has changed."

"If you mean I deal with two dead Jedi…"

"They are perfectly capable of taking care of the situation themselves," he said. "They just have one less thing to worry about."

"Me?"

"You. You, my dear, have given them the greatest hint of all that would suggest you are not a Jedi." He paused as they continued walking. "You showed your fear."

"Let me guess… Jedi don't get scared?"

"Oh, we feel fear. We feel terror. But we cannot allow our emotions to get the better of us. We tap into the Force. As you are part of the Living Force, it is harder for you to accomplish, but essential if you wish to accomplish anything in this world. I will show you how, but we do not have much time. In fact, we have almost no time." His gaze clouded over. "Both ships are under attack. They will not survive bottlenecked in a minefield. The droids are willing to collapse it just to flush the Jedi out. This is giving the Viceroy time to prepare an escape. We must not let that happen." He glanced at me. "This, my dear, is where you come in."

I just watched as he continued on, nearly disappearing into the light. The only thing I could think of to say at that moment was…

"Huh?"

x-o-x

Yeah, so things are turning more serious. Buffy will get her inner CIA chick on as well as discover some new powers. As for the never-ending question about Buffy regaining an actual body, I will say that I have no immediate plans to do such a thing. I feel it more pertinent to explore her dead people skills before I tackle on anything else. No one knows what I'm planning for this story, which is the awesome part about going in without a beta. Well, I would have taken a beta, but as Grace is my beta and this story was sort of a gift for her, it didn't make much sense to ask her to edit her own gift. Hence, all plot devices will remain unexposed.