Hello, Lovelies.
I'm still plugging away at this one between things. I hope if you have taken the time to read it you're enjoying it.
"You've been on this planet for how long, and you haven't ridden an Eopie?" Zelena was usually the antagonist, teasing him whenever the opportunity arose; today it was Obi-Wan's turn to poke fun at her.
"I don't spend half my time as a sand hermit," she groused carefully approaching them.
Akkani seemed skeptical of the newcomer he'd brought to the stable at the edge of Mos Eisley; despite this, the Eopie remained still as Zelena neared. "Don't worry, she's not as much of a pain as she pretends to be." The words were whispered loudly enough that Zelena could still hear them.
"I could go back home, you know." She closed her eyes, stretching out a hand to stroke Akkani's nose, and speaking softly to him. The Eopie relaxed with the rhythmic cadence of her words. Obi-Wan recognized the language as the same he'd overheard while recovering in her home — Dathomirian, he was certain of it now. Opening her eyes, Zelena gave the Eopie a final pat before climbing into the saddle. "This had better be good Ben."
"Would I disappoint you?" After checking that the saddlebags were in place, he climbed up behind her. This was it, the moment he needed to make a decision about her once and for all. Despite the doubts that nagged at his conscience, he still couldn't let go of his assumptions even though he'd identified his own yearning for a righteous purpose as a factor in all this. Far more concerning was his acknowledgment that whatever else Zelena was, she was also the only small bit of companionship he'd had in so long — by design. Attachments couldn't be afforded, not even loose acquaintances. If she was not a threat, then there was no cause to be around her.
Slowly, he urged Akkani forward, allowing both the Eopie and Zelena to get used to one another. The twin setting suns filled the sky with brilliant hues, a thing of desperate beauty that far too often went unnoticed on the harsh planet. Soon, darkness would be upon them. With any luck, they would be safe and undisturbed out in the sands, and Zelena would let her guard down. The marvelous phenomenon that was about to occur should help things along. "So, where exactly is it that we're going?" She questioned, stirring him from his thoughts. Curls escaped from her hairpins as she pulled back the hood of her cloak, "you didn't exactly make that clear."
"It's a surprise Zel, that was kind of the point." The space on the saddle was sparse and her back rested against his chest; she radiated enough warmth to leave him feeling like he was running through the dunes at midday. "Don't you trust me?"
There was an exaggerated sigh before she answered, though her tone remained light. "I suppose more than most."
"That's no real great amount though." Despite her obvious attempt at being playful, the words still felt accusing. He did, however, feel compelled to remind himself that he was constantly lying to her, so it could be argued that her trust was very much misplaced.
Eventually, the full dark of the night descended around them and the stars began to emerge; gems glittering in a current of blackness. They were miles from the city, far enough that its lights no longer left their mark on the sky above them. Reaching a familiar rock formation jutting up from the sands he signaled to Akkani to slow. "We're here."
Zelena dismounted first, descending from the saddle with smooth dexterity; Akkani lowered himself to ease the process, with much more confidence than when they'd started. There were once stories that the Nightsisters had tamed and ridden nearly every wild beast that inhabited Dathomir, including the fiercest of them, the Rancor. Perhaps, like himself, her skills lay dormant awaiting a time they would be useful. "Doesn't look like anything out of the ordinary." A questioning look was thrown his way as he followed onto the shifting ground.
"Patience." A word he must've used a million times in his former life, especially where his former apprentice was concerned, it wasn't shocking he'd fallen in with yet another person who needed to hear it.
Rummaging through the supplies Akkani had been laden with, he removed a blanket, settling it on the sand before detaching the lantern that had helped guide them to this spot. The light was just enough to keep them from tripping over themselves in the dark. Passing Zelena a bottle of Rishi Spiced Red, one of her favorites he'd noted, he used her moment of excitement at it to conceal the blaster pistol he also pulled from the bags. The potential for danger this far from the city was very real, from Sand People to Spice runners. It was best to be prepared, just in case.
"I admit, my curiosity is growing." Settling on the blanket, she looked up at him expectantly.
The stars that had only begun to emerge a short time ago, blazed to full life above them. "We're a bit early, you'll have to wait." He joined her on the blanket, intentionally leaving a gap between them to avoid any chance she would misread his intentions.
Popping the bottle open, she took a sip and passed it to him. "This is all still highly suspicious, you know."
The bottle was warm where her lips had touched, and the wine inside made his stomach quiver. "I thought we just had a conversation about trust?" It was supposed to be a light joke, but it came out entirely too melancholy.
"You really have doubts about that, don't you?" Zelena's demeanor changed, reflecting the sudden mood shift in their conversation.
Pointedly looking away, he steered them back from delving any deeper. "I suppose I shouldn't, I seem to be the only person besides Kyrsta you really let get close to you." Looking back up, he offered her a tentative smile.
"It's that cute face of yours." Playfully, she stuck her tongue out at him, before resuming her sober expression. "Really though, are you alright? You've been acting incredibly tense since you came back."
Taking a breath, he grounded himself, preparing to continue his long line of subterfuge with her. Zelena was not the type to let things be, honest and confoundingly forthright, she was sure to bring this up again if she didn't find his answer satisfactory. All the more reason to end this as soon as he was able. "I'm fine, just a few things on my mind lately."
Crossing his carefully laid boundary, she delicately placed her hand over his; the tenderness of the gesture startled him, and he could instantly hear his pulse in his ears. Around them, the mantle night brought a stillness, and the air began to cool. Sounds of life echoed in the distance; bantha herds, the chanting of Sand People, and the low hum of a Jawa Sandcrawler that carried from who knows how far away. The rough blanket itched his palm which felt sweltering under Zelena's touch. "If you need to talk about it, I'm here."
Too soft, too kind, a gesture that he was currently in no way deserving of. His nerve was cracking, no longer could he see the darkness in her that he was once so sure of. There was still a duty to fulfill though, and he would never forgive himself for being lax if he turned out to be wrong. There were already so many sins he was holding against his conscience, another might be his end. Plunging forward was the only route left to him. "Just thinking about the past." Still, her hand remained on his and he didn't pull away.
"Anything in particular that sent you down this path, if you don't mind me asking," speaking gently, she lightly squeezed his hand for a moment.
"Well…" Breath held, he set his will to it, despite the now distracting sensation of absence where Zelena's fingers had been applying pressure. "There were rumors of a Jedi being spotted here. I fought alongside them back home on Corellia."
"Ha," she scoffed a vicious little laugh. "Jedi. I'm sure they were a grand help." Disdain dripped from every word and he felt his muscles go rigid, tense with anticipation of what would be revealed. "Oh." Her tone softened as she noticed his reaction, mistaking it for something else. "Did you know some of them well?'
The world spun at her question, and he fought to center himself. Now was not the time to fall into that fog of memory, despair, and regret. Desperately he wished there was another way to get to the truth without dredging this up. "A few. They were familiar faces and good allies." Perhaps someday he wouldn't always feel an intense pang when he spoke of them.
"I am sorry you mourn for them." The words were brisk and he realized she was withdrawing, cutting off her opinions. The opposite of what he needed.
"But your opinion differs. Say what's on your mind. Please, I'd rather you were honest with me." Turning his hand so his palm now touched hers, he accented his words with his thumb brushing along her knuckles.
"They were so lauded as protectors, yet they refused to help when the Separatists came for my world. Everywhere else they were willing to fight, but we were left to be slaughtered." Though she'd held tight to his hand while speaking, she finally let go to draw her knees to her chest and lean her head against them. Glancing at her, he was rocked; she seemed so small sitting there pouring out the griefs of yesterday, a description that would normally never fit her.
"The family that you spoke of before, the Separatists attacked your home directly?" Too well he remembered her tears the night of that conversation.
"Yes, my sisters and mother were all killed, and those who were my extended family. And not a single Jedi cared about our fate. I despise them for it." Despite her rising agitation, the little lie came quick and easy, she must have said it a thousand times. "I've been a nomad since then really, Kyrsta and I fell in together along the way. All I want is to find someplace that feels like home again, to be at peace."
Perhaps it was their physical proximity, or the possibility that she was more open to him than ever — or even the will of the Force — but that which he was trying to sense in her all along was finally blazingly evident for a brief moment. And horror consumed him as the surety of it was felt in his very soul. Zelena spoke the truth, whatever her former life, she had wandered here to start anew; only obscuring her heritage for a yet unknown reason. Burning guilt followed that horror, all the lies and deception of the last few months already weighing on him. Lastly, a deep sorrow settled over him. This was the end of it, he couldn't continue to see her. It was supposed to be easy to keep his distance, to play a part, to walk away, but the thought of losing that presence which relieved his loneliness and brightened his empty hours, left him feeling hollow. This whole thing had been a mistake on so many levels, and he found himself wishing he'd never been there that day she arrived.
Problems for tomorrow, he told himself as the first shooting star appeared in the sky. "Ah, there it is."
Zelena turned her eyes up from a very introspective bit of fiddling with the material of her cloak, nails worrying it until it seemed she'd tear through it. A soft gasp emanated from her as several more lights flashed through the sky. The meteor shower that appeared once a cycle on Tatooine had begun with perfect timing. "It's beautiful."
"I hope you find that place one day, Zel." He offered, stealing a glance at her while she focused raptly on the glittering sky above them.
"Maybe it's closer than I believed." That statement was filed with so much bold hope that the guilt in him burned even harder. The friendship between them — part of that hope for a life to come — was swiftly ending. Zelena laid back, tucking her arms behind her head, and stretching out on the blanket as the stars continued to fall. "Thank you for this, it is really amazing. And I suppose I can consider you officially forgiven, for this time at least."
"I'm glad you're enjoying it." Laying back next to her, he kept his gaze on the heavens, afraid to look at her lest his expression betray him. "We're you able to see the stars like this where you came from?
"Often the skies were filled with fog, but we were far from cities. When we were in the mountains, then you could see them." They were indeed very far from any city, he thought but kept silent "So, I suppose the answer is sometimes. And you?"
"Not really, I was raised in a large city." The thought had been to say something about Coronet City, Corellia's capital, but the feeling of her hand slipping into his chased away any coherent words.
"Perhaps we're both lucky to be here then." If she noticed his sudden rigidity, she said nothing.
His stillness stretched a moment too long. "Perhaps," he acknowledged. Thankfully, the single word seemed to satisfy her and they fell into a comfortable silence as meteors glimmered and died in the darkness.
Rannack's Outpost was a dim little place that barely held onto the illusion of being some general goods shop. Dusty, mostly bare shelves and one rundown labor droid were all that occupied the bleak space; aside from a bored Duros at the counter eying them with distrust. Obi-Wan maintained a respectful distance while his unwilling help sidled up to the Duros with unflinching intent. "I've got someone here with a shipment."
The Duros shifted his attention from the young man, distrust permeating the Force around him. "You sure about that?" He glared at Obi-Wan, the unspoken threat obvious as he scrutinized the Jedi. "Yeah," his companion answered without hesitation, "he's legit."
"Fine, get out of here and let me handle it." The Duros dismissed the young man, turning to Obi-Wan before the door was even shut in his wake. "I'll send for a contact but you better not be wasting our time." Turning to the labor droid he snarled, "keep an eye on the place you rusty waste of space." The response it beeped was rather sad sounding to Obi-Wan as it continued inventorying shelves that would likely never really be restocked. Was it a relic from a time when there was a legitimate owner, he wondered idly, and if so, had they been forcefully displaced by the Black Sun? There wasn't much time to stop and pity the poor droid; he was being ushered into a backroom behind a door that blended too well with the wall.
"I assure you that you don't have to be so suspicious. I'm a businessman, and this is just another deal to me." One fundamental truth he'd learned over the years was that speaking with confidence was often just as good as a mind trick.
Not with this particular being though, as he simply shoved him toward the backroom in reply. "Yeah, yeah, save it for someone who cares."
The door shut firmly behind him, leaving him in a windowless room that was empty, save a worn-out bench shoved into a corner. "No sense of hospitality," he muttered and made himself as comfortable as possible.
Falling into a meditative state, his senses opened to the world around him allowing him to monitor the shop through the Force. The Duros paced the store, nervous energy pulsing from him. Obi-Wan waited, minutes passing as he sat patient and impassive until two new presences drew near. One was someone who carried themselves with a sense of authority and the other…smoky incense, a whisper in the dark, soft caresses on his skin. Her. As his heart began to ache, he fought to rein in his emotions, eyes opening as his calm dissipated. The situation couldn't be allowed to spiral out of control like that, he wasn't here to relive old history with her. Zelena and he had chosen their paths a decade ago.
The door slid open and his resolve rocked for a second. A Falleen male entered first, his posture full of confidence, and just behind, Zelena trailed. To him, she seemed so much like that last glimpse he'd had of her. Her hair was still bound up tightly out of the way, though silver now streaked through its brilliant red, and her sharp features showed the lines of time's passage. Her eyes remained a brilliant gold which warily observed their surroundings. The cloak was gone, replaced by a worn, red leather jacket; sheathed at her back was a vibrosword, while a blaster was holstered at her hip.
For a second, they gazed at one another. A smile quirked one side of her lips before she quickly banished it, returning to a cool, passive expression. In response, Obi-Wan diverted his attention back to the Falleen. He was dressed in a much less war-like manner. Flowing fabrics embraced his form, nothing protective about them; only a small blaster belied his nature. Rising in greeting, Obi-Wan inclined his head in deference.
"No need for pomp, you can reserve that for anyone we meet who might outrank me. I'm just a humble fixer, here to see if you're worthwhile and arrange the details." Waving his hand, as though dismissing his own part to play in all this, the Falleen took a seat on the unforgiving bench Obi-Wan followed suit. "Vinox," he said by way of an introduction, "and that is Zee, my… associate." The last word was said with obvious disdain.
"Ben, Ben Hardeen. I suppose we should get right to it." His pulse had been wrestled back under control and he made a concerted effort to avoid looking at Zelena. He was certain she was doing the same, having taken up post at the door, as though guarding it, despite being in a Black Sun safe house. "I have cargo I need moved."
"It must be some type of cargo if you're looking for such discreet help." Straight to the point, as if he were ready to get this over with. Which suited Obi-Wan well enough. "So what is it? Drugs, weapons, illicitly gained credits?"
"People." He answered dryly and firmly, cutting off Vinox before he could throw out any more speculation, and causing Zelena to sharply inhale at his cover story.
"Slaver?" Came the reply, without a bit of hesitation, a fact that made Obi-Wan's skin crawl.
"More like, political refugees. Many of them are quite happy to pay handsomely to be relocated somewhere a little more remote from the Core." The words came out smooth and even, having been rehearsed several times on the journey to Ord Mantell.
Vinox smiled at the prospect of a relatively easy bit of profit. "Sounds like a good bit of business, if you're legit. Now if you could just offer me some proof, we could get started."
So, he wasn't to be taken in by talk alone, he'd have to take a risk. It didn't seem like another mind trick would work in this case. "How about a small taste of the profits? Call it a downpayment." He removed the pouch at his waist and passed it over. Inside were numerous high-value credit chips he'd been given at the time Bail provided him with false identification, another contingency effort.
Excitedly the Falleen studied them, before closing the pouch and affixing it to his own belt. "I like where this is headed. Zee, we're going back to the headquarters, look sharp."
She turned, visibly annoyed at the demanding tone. One thing about the situation that gave him pause, more so than the rest; Zelena had arrived with only one other gang member, she should be able to deal with him on her own and escape. Why was she allowing herself to be held captive? There was some piece that was still missing, he could sense it. "Fine, if you think he's really worth the bother." Opening the door, she signaled for him to get up. "Follow me, Ben."
Famina's had become a familiar sight throughout his association with Zelena, and it was possibly the last night he would see the inside of the casino. Tonight he'd say goodbye to Zelena, tell her he was leaving for Mos Espa and wouldn't be back for a while, and hope she would just forget him in time. Now that he was convinced she didn't need monitoring, it needed to be ended as quickly as possible. Still, it stung. Years of solitude, of nothing but memories of failures and regrets, of ghosts, and a charge to keep one boy safe, had nearly caused him to forget what companionship and caring felt like. The culmination was an urge to turn and run, to continue as they were, and never let her know any of the truth as she would despise him for it.
It wasn't the first time he'd visited while she was still on shift, so he found an empty stool to pass the time. Malk grunted at him instead of a proper greeting. The Devaronian had never truly accepted his presence, referring to him as a miserly distraction who needed to order more than one drink if he wanted to be tolerated. "Hope you're having a lovely evening, Malk." In response, his usual ale of choice was slammed on the counter before Malk stalked off. That was fine enough, he really didn't need to exchange false pleasantries in a terse conversation while expecting a devastating one later.
Turning on the stool, he searched for Zelena in a sea of faces. There wasn't much of a wait until she appeared coming through the sabacc tables, a pale specter lit by pulsing neon. The surreal glamor of it held his attention rapt for a moment until the trance was broken as she spotted him. She waved, before stopping at a crowded table not far from him. The rambunctious group shouted at her and gave a round of orders before they beckoned her to lean in; her expression darkening as they spoke. Laughter engulfed the table as she stalked back to the bar and relayed their order to Malk. "Everything alright?" He asked before he could stop himself, wariness of the group overriding his other thoughts.
"Fine, rowdy customers. Nothing I can't handle, Ben." Her tone was clipped as she turned her agitation on him.
"If you're sure." He muttered in response, reminding himself that it wasn't his place, she wasn't his to be concerned for.
Her expression softened as she loaded the drink tray. "We can talk more later," she promised, giving his shoulder a light squeeze. Hefting the tray to her shoulder, she returned to the boisterous group.
With growing unease, he continued to watch the situation unfold. Several undignified noises issued from them upon her return. Unease turned to agitation as their leader, a fair-haired human male, caught her hand and refused to relinquish his hold despite her attempts to withdraw it. Turn away, he told himself, this happens here and she can take care of it. Still, he kept his eyes focused on the unfolding events, unable to obey his own good advice.
Pulling her arm back with a tense smile, she spoke words he couldn't hear. One gestured to his lap and more howling laughter followed. The leader stood and instinctively, Obi-Wan did as well. As he closed the distance to the table, their words became clear to him as the leader reached out again for her. "Have some fun with us."
"I've got to get back to work, I'm sure there are other ladies around." Despite her calm words, her eyes were wide and her posture defensive. Agitation erupted into searing anger within him. They had no right to torment her like this.
The leader quickly shifted, grabbing her wrist. "Don't be shy."
It looked as though he intended to pull her toward him when Obi-Wan caught his forearm in a vice-like grip, years of martial training resurrected in an instant. "She said no."
"Who the kriff are you? '' He released Zelena's wrist and turned his attention to Obi-Wan.
"Ben, what are you doing?" The warning tone in her voice passed by him unheeded.
"Yeah, back off." The briefest movement signaled the man's intention to strike. Before he could, Obi-Wan had stepped forward, keeping control of his arm, and rammed a shoulder into his chest. It sent him sprawling across the table and shouts came from all around as the group collectively rose from the table.
"That's enough!" Zelena pulled his attention away from the imminent brawl and he turned to find her glaring at him.
Harsk, one of the Trandoshans, rushed onto the scene. "Is there a problem here?" He asked taking in the lot of them with palpable menace.
"No, Ben was just leaving." That look of fury didn't let up and he gaped, trying to think of a way to reason with her. Stinging pain was spreading across his chest. Even if he could form words, she wasn't interested in hearing them. "Just go." The foolishness of the stunt was beginning to dawn on him, despite his noble intentions, though her reaction seemed to him out of scale to the situation. Not that it mattered. The confrontation had left him without words, so he obeyed her order and began to walk away. "Let me get you a round on the house to make up for that."
Malk shoved past him, apparently on his way to do damage control, leaving Obi-Wan to realize his error was even greater than he had thought. Zelena was most certainly about to take the blame. "I knew you were trouble sand-trash." He muttered, making his displeasure clear. "You're done for the night Zee, go home."
His shoulders slumped; the situation was now exponentially worse. The only consolation was that he had been here to say goodbye and this should ease that endeavor, even if he had wanted things to end on a less bitter note. Knowing Zelena wasn't far behind, he decided it was best to face it now, as everything had already fallen to pieces. Much the same as his usual track record, he thought sadly.
When she emerged, he was standing outside the back door, staring at the ground, chest still burning. Without thought, he instinctively began trying to right things, forgetting about goodbyes. "Zelena, I'm really-"
"What was that Ben?" She snapped and he felt like he would shatter, thoughts starting to spin out of his control. The last time she'd been mad at him she'd remained visible anger began to stir memories he wanted to avoid the most. "You could've gotten me fired!"
"Please. I really am sorry." The words were strained and he fought to speak them at all. Zelena's response was to silently begin her walk home, leaving him to hurry after, no longer sure if he was still trying to end things or convince her to forgive him.
Realizing he was following, she continued to seethe at him, without looking back. "A mistake? You walked over and started a fight with one of my customers."
He shouldn't be following, he should go, leave her — a clean break. "I know it was out of line." His hands clenched into fists, nails digging into his palms as he tried to calm the swirling mess of emotion overwhelming him.
Finally, she stopped and abruptly turned to face him, still fuming. "Did you think I can't take care of myself? What exactly were you thinking?" Bathed in the light of Tatooine's triple moons, she stole his breath away, a dazzling, mesmeric storm of golden eyes and scarlet curls. When had he started to notice that about her? The matter had him so distracted, he forgot to answer her. "Well? Oh, never mind." Losing patience, she started walking again.
"I care about you!" The answer he finally found to give her was the truth; the truth that he'd been avoiding, at last unobscured for the both of them. Steps instantly halting, she turned back, eyes wide in shock. "I couldn't stand what they were doing. I'm not foolish, I know it happens but I…I just wanted to protect you. You mean so much to me, Zel."
"Ben," all her anger seemed to vanish in an instant, "that's very sweet actually."
The sound of his pulse echoed in his ears, the miserable chest pain abating as she closed the distance between them effectively erasing both the physical and metaphorical barriers they'd constructed to protect themselves. He moved in a daze, hands coming to rest on her waist. He licked his lips, tongue dragging slowly over his suddenly parched mouth. She was lovely. And smart, sharp, kind, and he was about to do something he definitely should not; although he couldn't recall why. She was here now, tangible beneath his palms, unlike the elusive ghosts he desperately clung to.
He wasn't alone anymore.
Leaning in, he caught her lips. Soft kisses quickly gave way to their hunger. Bliss coursed through his soul realizing she wanted him too.
His grip on her waist tightened, pulling her even closer, as their lips parted in fevered exploration. When they, at last, broke away, her head came to rest on his shoulder with a happy little sigh. "That was…unexpected."
The spell of the moment was dissipating, and while the joy of knowing she felt the same was still there, it was being tempered by the reality of just how far off track he'd gone. Still, he couldn't bring himself to move from their embrace. "Really? I thought the whole altercation would've made it obvious."
"You've made it obvious before, I just never thought you'd act on it." Gently, she brushed her lips against his cheek, scrambling his thoughts all over again.
He felt caught. With that one kiss, that moment when his soul was no longer lost in solitude, the drive to do what he should as a Jedi had faded. But where did that leave him? There was a path he could take with Zelena, though he knew not where it would end. Eventually, he'd have to reveal the truth to her as well; a daunting prospect, considering her views on his past life. She may not even want anything to do with him after. Concerns for another time, he told himself kissing the crown of her head and reveling in her closeness. "Were you waiting for me to-"
"Look what we've got here." The voice of the leader from the casino scuffle cut through the air like a blaster bolt, perilous and piercing.