Chapter Two: Departures

It was an hour or so before dawn when Kalinda woke. The first thing that she was aware of was Stonewall beside her, his arm around her back as she was pressed into his side at the crook of his shoulder – right where she'd fallen asleep. He was always so warm; something about the clone's fast metabolism made their body temperatures a little higher than that of non-clones. Eyes closed, she inhaled his familiar scent before she glanced up at him to see if he was still sleeping. Honey-brown eyes looked down at her and she smiled. "Good morning."

He bent to kiss her forehead. "Morning."

"Last night wasn't a dream, was it?" she asked, sitting up and regarding him. At his raised brow she laughed and felt her cheeks flush. "No...that was real, I know...I mean the dinner. It was perfect." She took his hand. "I meant what I said, Stone. I've never had anyone –" she met his gaze. " – cook for me like that." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, again."

"You're welcome," he replied as he sat up as well. "It was nice, wasn't it?" When he glanced at the chrono on her wall the previous evening's mission came back to her in a flood. "You said we're leaving at 1500?"

"That's the plan, though I'd like to meet up with you and the others a few minutes earlier." Kali paused. "Are you okay? You still seem like you have something on your mind..." His almost-golden eyes met hers and for a moment she could almost see something there, some flicker of apprehension that she could not name. Nervousness pinged her and she put a hand on his cheek. "Stone?" She had never looked into his mind without his permission and resisted the urge now. He's always honest with me...but something's up. I know it.

The feeling was gone in the next moment and he smiled at her. "Just thinking about the mission." He put his hand over hers and kissed her palm. "And I know I've been neglecting the others. Hopefully they won't be too cross with me."

"Do you have to get back right away, or can you stay for a little while longer?" She moved back to lie against him and began kissing the planes of his chest as she spoke. "I'd prefer the latter, in case you can't tell."

The hairs on his arms rose as he gave a quiet shudder at her touch and she felt his arm tighten around her. "Now that's not fair," he said softly as he ducked his head to kiss her again.

"I've got a whole arsenal of 'not fair,' Captain," she replied with a grin as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Besides, it's early yet. Just a little while longer?"

Stonewall's hands gripped her waist as he kissed her neck; she could feel him grinning as he spoke next. "As you wish...General."

Several hours later Stonewall found himself at the outskirts of the Jedi Temple, Kalinda beside him as they made their goodbyes. "I'll contact you this afternoon," he said as he hefted his pack – considerably lighter now – and saluted her while a group of Padawans walked by, their expressions curious though they pretended not to take an interest in the interaction. Dressed in her traditional robes again, Kali looked every inch the image of a proper Jedi Knight. He was wearing his armor, brought along for the sake of propriety though it felt strange to wear it when only twenty minutes ago she'd been doing a very thorough job of distracting him as he was trying to get suited up.

"That sounds good," she said, keeping her voice quiet as she held his gaze, though he could still see that her thoughts were elsewhere. They looked at one another for a moment before he nodded and turned to go, stopping only when she spoke again. "Stonewall, thank you for everything," she said. "I mean it...thank you."

Stone nodded. The sun was creeping across the sky in earnest now, the light condensing on the edges of her dark hair as he watched her. Some small part of his mind seemed to give way and he cleared his throat. "General...?"

"Captain?"

His mouth opened; his brain formed the words, but as he was about to vocalize them, one of the Padawans separated from the group and made her way to Kalinda, casting a puzzled look at Stonewall, who shut his mouth and gave the Jedi another crisp salute before turning to leave.

It was always difficult to walk away from her but he knew that it was necessary.

For now.

Since the war had begun, there was a shuttle service that ran between the Jedi Temple, the Senate, the barracks, and any other place where military personnel might need to travel, so it was no trouble for him to slip on one of the vehicles that was headed for his destination. As he watched the sunlight filtering between the massive buildings, his thoughts turned speculative. It wasn't the first time.

If we weren't at war; if she weren't a Jedi Knight and I weren't just a clone, would we be able to be together? Beneath his feet he felt a shudder as the shuttle begin to move. What could 'together' even mean for us?

The shuttle slid out of the Temple district and headed for the curved dome of the Senate building, stopping once to let a few more passengers on, none of whom gave him more than a passing glance. The longer that the wars lasted, clone soldiers became a more common sight on the planet, though Stone knew that it was not the same everywhere. The doors closed with a hiss and as his body tilted back with the acceleration of the vehicle, he turned to look at the Temple behind him, watching as the distinctive ziggurat receded into the distance. It was one of the most recognizable sights on Coruscant, though he found it to serve only as reminder of just how big the distinction was between his and Kali's places in society.

The thought made his hand tighten around the strap of his pack. Maybe it's all in my head. Maybe what I want from her is something that can never happen. This made him wince. As if it matters what I want. I should just be thankful for what I have.

Finally the shuttle paused at his destination; he slipped off alone and made his way to the inner barracks, nodding to the brother who scanned the ID chip in his armor before waving him through. As he walked, he activated the comm in his helmet. "Weave? Where are you guys?"

There was the briefest pause before he heard his brother reply. "Captain; we're in the mess. I take it you're back?"

Before Stone could reply, the ordnance man sounded over the comlink. "How's the general?" Crest asked, a grin in his voice. "Well rested, I hope."

Stonewall shook his head, though he couldn't keep a slight smile from his face. "She sends her greetings. I'm sorry to say that our leave is being cut short, but you'll all be pleased to know that we have a new mission. I'll meet you in the mess in a few."

"Nice of you to rejoin us at last," the weapons expert, Traxis said, though his tone was sharper than normal. "We were starting to wonder if you were ever coming back around. I'm about to lose my mind sitting around here."

"About to?"

"No one asked you, Crest."

Weave spoke again, his tone wry. "As you can tell, we're doing about the same. See you in a moment, Captain."

Stonewall signed off and headed for his quarters in the barracks. Though officers were afforded a bit more privacy than regular troops it was not a spacious room, holding only a bed, desk, and locker for his kit. He set down his pack and looked around; everything was flat and dull and he was seized with a longing to be back with Kali in her own apartment, which, though far from luxurious, was at least more pleasant than this. It was starting to feel like a home, he thought as he made to leave. This seems so...empty. More so than it ever did before. Frowning, he pushed the maudlin thoughts from his mind.

I need to focus on the task at hand, nothing else.

For now.

Obi-Wan was trying to meditate.

Seated in one of the chambers build especially for that purpose, legs crossed, arms relaxed, back straight, he inhaled deeply and counted to ten in his head. Once the count ended he exhaled, taking just as long to release the breath and letting his mind empty as he did so. However, he found that he couldn't shake some of the uncertainty that kept tugging at the edges of his thoughts, as well as the face of a certain dark-haired woman who had never quite vanished from the deepest places of his consciousness.

He inhaled again. I'd hoped that one day we could maybe pick up where we left off – at least go back to being friends – but she hardly looked at me once she found out about the mission. After Basrah he'd discovered that she had cut herself off from him through the Force and it had taken quite a bit of adjustment on his part to get used to the feeling – or lack thereof. I've always been aware of her, at least in the back of my mind. But now...nothing. Empty space; a blank wall. The breath was released, slowly. At the time the realization had been painful. Later on, after further reflection he came to recognize the necessity of closing oneself off from certain emotions. It was a coping mechanism that he himself had often made use of, though he ultimately tried to make peace with the darker thoughts.

But still. In all the years we've known each other, I can't remember a time when she ever shut me out so completely.

His chest lifted with another breath, though he let it out in a rush as his comlink chirruped. Opening his eyes, he activated the transmission and blinked in surprise as a familiar form appeared before him. "Duchess Satine."

Hands clasped before her, she gave a slight incline of her head in acknowledgment. "Obi-Wan." She paused for a moment before she spoke again. "Am I interrupting?"

"Not at all," he replied. "Nothing productive, at any rate. Is everything well?"

The Duchess of Mandalore nodded, her horn-shaped earrings swaying with the motion. "For now, I suppose. Things have been quiet since our last encounter. But this is not a social call," she added, raising her chin. "I have heard rumors that Aruna is thinking of seceding from the Republic."

Obi-Wan nodded. "You've heard correctly, I'm afraid. I'm scheduled to journey there today and convince Queen Sita not to do just that." He uncrossed his legs and rose to walk around the chamber, his footsteps echoing in the empty room.

"That is troubling news, indeed," she replied with a frown. "Though I've never personally met the queen, I have heard only good things about her and the deceased king. You were sent on a mission there, if I recall correctly?"

"Some years ago," he said, pausing at one of the slotted windows. "Myself and...another Jedi were dispatched to bless the union of King Badal and Queen Sita; it turned out to be quite an eventful trip. Uncovering terrorist plots, saving the life of the bride-to-be..."

"The usual, then?"

Obi-Wan chuckled and looked back at her. "Quite." He paused before speaking again. "I take it that you have a particular interest in the outcome of this mission? I know that Mandalore and Aruna have been allies in the past, especially since you have both chosen to remain neutral in the wars."

At this she nodded, though the movement was slow, cautious. "That's true," she said, glancing at him. "There have been...rumors of dissent among the lowest caste – which is not unusual, given their treatment – but I fear that they will be blamed for the troubles taking place on that world." She frowned as she continued. "If Aruna joins the Separatists, it will be massive blow to the Republic, but I do not think that those more unfortunate members of its society should suffer the brunt of your investigation because of this fact."

"Satine," he said. "I have no intention of pointing fingers before I have evidence." His brow lifted as he regarded her. "Surely you know me that well, at least."

"As you say," she nodded. There was a moment of silence before she took a deep breath. "I also...that is, I wanted to wish you well before you left," she said at last. Her eyes met his and she gave a small smile. "I know that you have been stretched very thin of late and I just wanted to say good luck, Obi-Wan."

"Well..." he paused before he smiled back. "Thank you, Satine. I appreciate it." Though she opened her mouth as if to speak again, she said nothing else and signed off. After the transmission ended, Obi-Wan ran a hand through his beard in thought before he glanced around the meditation chamber once more and resumed his position on one of the seats.

At precisely 1440 hours Kalinda made her way to the Temple's shuttle bay, where she and Stone had agreed that they would meet prior to the start of the journey. Of course he and the rest of Shadow Squad were already there and she smiled inwardly at the idea of her "family" of clones. We do make a good team; I'd forgotten how much I missed them. As soon as he noted her arrival, Stonewall turned to approach her and Kali glanced at the Padawan she'd enlisted to help her carry the instrument cases. "Thank you, Averi," she said to the young Rodian male, who nodded and passed the cases to Stone.

As the youngling walked away she looked into Stone's visor. "Hello, again. It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

By now he had grown accustomed to her gentle teasing. "Too long," he replied, reaching for her pack as well. "Far too long." They approached the others, who all stood at attention as soon as she got close.

Kalinda couldn't help but laugh. "At ease, for goodness sake. And take off your helmets, please." She smiled as their faces became visible. "Much better." There was silence for a moment before she sighed. "Are you all okay? You didn't get reconditioned during our time apart, did you?"

"No way," the bald clone replied, an easy grin spreading across his face as he stepped forward and embraced her in a tight hug that nearly lifted her feet off the ground. "General...it's good to see you again."

"Thanks, Crest," she said, the words forced out with a breath of air. "I was starting to wonder if you recognized me." At this they all shared a laugh.

After their brother's exuberant display each of the other clones greeted her in his own fashion: Weave shook her hand with a light touch; Milo saluted her again and managed to look startled when she reached for his gloved hand; Traxis merely gave her a curt nod before reaching for the instrument cases to help Stone bring them inside the modest freighter that they were to take on their mission.

Weave ran his hands across the twin patches of hair on the top of his head. "Thank you for bringing the instruments," he said. "I have a few new songs I was hoping to learn."

"I told you that you could hang on to the dulcimer, Weave," she said as Traxis and Stonewall emerged from the ship, the latter coming to stand at his usual place at her side while his brother stood a little ways off from the group, arms crossed before him. "The same went for the rest of you as well."

Crest gave a wry grin. "As much fun as it would be, I'm not sure that our other brothers would want to hear our musical...efforts while they're trying to rest."

"I missed the drum, though," Milo added, glancing at the ship. "It'll be good to play it again."

Kalinda opened her mouth to reply, but at that moment she noticed Stonewall go tense; she looked up and saw Obi-Wan approaching the ship, robes rippling in his wake. He looked every inch the Master and Council member that he was, so she didn't blame the clones for snapping to attention and moving to stand in a line before the ship. After the briefest hesitation Stonewall stood before his brothers, his back arrow-straight. No one spoke. Kali took a deep breath and gave Obi-Wan a polite smile as he walked up to them.

An eyebrow lifted as he glanced at the clones before nodding to her. "I take it this is the squad I've heard so much about, General Halcyon?"

Nodding, she couldn't help but smile at his wry tone as she gestured to the troops. "General Kenobi, this is Shadow Squad." They saluted him in one fluid motion – reminding her of the first time she'd met them – and she moved through their ranks as she made the introductions. Obi-Wan nodded politely as he followed Kali down the line. When they reached Stonewall the clone hesitated for a fraction of a second before he saluted Obi-Wan, who reached forward.

"I never got to congratulate you personally on your promotion, Captain," he said, shaking the clone's hand. "Though I realize the sentiment is long overdue at this point."

"I appreciate it, in any case," Stone replied. "Thank you, General Kenobi."

Obi-Wan cleared his throat and looked back at Kali. "I have the transmission from Queen Sita," he said. "Shall we go over it once we get underway?"

"Sounds good. I'll met you inside." As Obi-Wan entered the ship she glanced at Milo and Crest. "Why don't you guys take the helm at first? You can swap after a few hours, as usual." They nodded and slipped aboard the ship, Traxis and Weave following behind them. Kali looked at Stonewall and stepped towards him, but it was he who spoke first.

"Do you need me to...I don't know. Is there anything I can do?" His voice was quiet.

She tried to cast her awareness out around them, but found that it was a little harder than it should have been at the moment so she looked about the hangar instead. It was empty. Another step put her directly in front of him. "You already do so much," she said, keeping her pitch low. "You really do." A glow of happiness emanated from him at her words, though it was streaked with concern. The captain nodded and extended his hand, as if to help her step onto the ship though they both knew she needed no such assistance; but it was good to feel the reassuring press of his skin beneath his glove as he offered her a measure of support.

A/N: Thank you to my reviewers! You guys rock: Just A Crazy-Man, Queen, sacariah, SerendipityAEY & XxMusicAddictxX!