Thank you to the 13 people who reviewed the last chapter. Here is the chapter that shall cover the events of "Deception", the first in the Deception arc, with a surprise for Siri at the very beginning. Also, Obi-Wan already knew about Eval because Mace and Yoda told him before the attack, which is a change from the episode but oh well. I hope that you like it and reviews, as always, are much appreciated.
Chapter 42
Siri Tachi's life was about to take a turn, a drastic, life-changing turn that neither she nor her husband Obi-Wan could have ever expected. This turn would affect Obi-Wan just as it would affect her but she didn't know that right away. All she knew was that for the past couple of weeks, she was feeling really ill to where the Jedi Council had to replace her on the mission she was supposed to go on with her former master Adi Gallia.
She thought the illness was just a bug that would go away eventually and she was nearly as stubborn as Obi-Wan when it came to getting medical attention. That was partially because, there was a two day period between the last time she was sick and the next time and then the sickness lasted all day every day for the next week. That was what prompted her to seek medical attention.
What she learned while in the Hall of Healing was, to say the least, shocking.
It was actually Obi-Wan who first insisted that Siri go see a healer but she stubbornly refused until that week where she was sick constantly. She knew that Obi-Wan was concerned and she would be lying if she said she wasn't concerned herself. So she finally agreed to see a healer.
"I'll go with you," Obi-Wan said concern glittering in his eyes.
"No, I'll be fine," Siri said. "The Council wants to talk to you remember?"
Obi-Wan grimaced a little; it was so slight that Siri barely noticed it but she sensed that her husband was a little reluctant through their bond. Why he was reluctant, Siri did not know but she wasn't going to question him. She just kissed him on the lips. "Go," she said. "I'll be fine. I know my own way to the Hall of Healing." She said the last part a little defensively.
Obi-Wan smiled and kissed her back. "I know," he murmured before he left Siri's apartment.
She followed him before heading toward the Hall of Healing. A wave of nausea went over her but she did her best to fight it off. She quickened her pace and managed to enter the Hall of Healing before the nausea overcame her.
"Siri!" Barriss Offee gasped as Siri fell to her knees trembling as she retched. Once she was finished, Barriss gently helped her to her feet.
"Come on," she said. "I hear you've been sick the past week. Why didn't you come sooner? Master Che won't be happy."
"I just...thought it was a bug and would go away," said Siri.
Barriss smiled faintly. "No, you are just as stubborn as Obi-Wan when it comes to seeking medical attention," she said.
Siri smiled. "Obi-Wan's worse," she said trying to keep the fondness from her voice.
Barriss chuckled.
A wave of nausea came over Siri again and she groaned. Barriss gently guided her into one of the rooms before sitting her down and handing her a pail that she could throw up in if she needed to.
"I don't think it's a bug," Barriss said after Siri finished throwing up for the second time. "How long has this been going on?"
Siri thought. "About two weeks ago," she admitted.
"I see." Barriss's eyes were contemplating. "I have a suspicion. I don't know if it's true but I would like to see if it is. When was your last period?"
Siri thought. "Four weeks ago, why?" she asked.
"Ah, I see. I think you're late, which leads me to my suspicion. Would you mind if I checked?"
"Check what?"
"Siri, I think you might be pregnant."
Siri's eyes shot wide with shock at the Mirilian's words. "Pregnant?" she repeated.
"Yes," Barriss said. "If I am right then I should be able to sense whether you are pregnant or not. The fact that you haven't is what originally made me think you weren't but the signs seem to say you are. Would you mind if I checked?"
Siri was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she might be pregnant but she wanted a confirmation. "Yes," she said. "I would like to know."
Barriss nodded before she stretched out her hands and Siri felt her begin scanning her with the Force. It wasn't long before she drew back, a faint smile on her face. "It would appear my suspicions were right. The Force is telling me that you are pregnant, Siri," she said.
Siri's eyes went wide again; she was pregnant? Pregnant with Obi-Wan's child? Never in her wildest dreams did she think her love for Obi-Wan would bring about children. Never did she think she would actually become a mother and the love of her life a father. It was so surreal like a scene out of a Holonet drama.
"I know this isn't any of my business," Barriss said as Siri gently rested her hand on her abdomen her baby was growing still trying to wrap her mind around the revelation. "But who is the father?"
Siri looked up at the Mirilian but didn't answer.
Barriss was silent observing her. "I see," she said quietly. "I will not tell anyone, Siri. I may be a Jedi but I'm also a healer and healers are sworn to maintain patient confidentiality and even if that is not my primary profession, I still obey that oath."
Siri smiled. "Luminara must be very proud of you," she said.
Barriss smiled.
Siri was silent for a long moment. "The father's another Jedi but I don't know when to tell him," she said.
"I wouldn't wait too long. What do you plan on doing when the baby's born?"
Siri glanced at her abdomen and then at Barriss eyes conflicted. "I don't know," she whispered. "I never expected this to happen but I don't want the Jedi Council to figure it out."
"So you're going to keep it a secret from them?"
Siri was silent for a long moment. "I'll see what the father has to say about it before I make my decision," she decided finally.
"That would be a good idea," Barriss agreed. "I would suggest that you tell the father as soon as you possibly can."
"Right now, the Council probably sent him on another mission," Siri said. "I'll tell him when he gets back." Naturally, she didn't know of what was about to happen.
The Mirilian Jedi nodded. "I suggest that you come to the Hall of Healing at least once a week for the duration of the pregnancy. I'll keep it on a down low from Master Che for you, Siri."
"Thank you, Barriss," Siri replied.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes; he already knew of what it was he was going to change about what was coming up but that didn't mean he liked what was going to happen. He already went through it once; he was not looking forward to going through it again.
"Determine we have that best suited for this you are, Obi-Wan," Master Yoda had said and Obi-Wan was pretty sure Yoda wasn't just referring to the traits that would come in handy during the mission. He was likely referring to the fact that Obi-Wan went through it before. Nevertheless, Obi-Wan still had a bad feeling about it.
He did his best to keep his expression neutral as he walked alongside Anakin and Ahsoka in the lower levels of Coruscant. Anakin turned to look at him. "So, what's the big rush?" he asked.
"The Jedi Council has called an emergency meeting," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin sighed. "I can see it now. A long, boring debate," he said.
Obi-Wan smiled inwardly at his brother's words.
"Would you rather they call you in to train younglings?" Ahsoka asked while Obi-Wan sensed the danger; Rako Hardeen was nearby just as the Jedi council had anticipated and Obi-Wan already knew.
Anakin smiled at his apprentice. "Are you crazy?" he asked.
That was when the blaster bolts came. Obi-Wan easily dodged the ones that were aimed at him, which were all of them, and ducked behind the safety of the crates while Anakin and Ahsoka ducked behind the crates across from him.
"I see someone," Ahsoka said pointing. "A sniper on that building."
Obi-Wan took a deep, inward breath as he prepared for what was going to happen next. "We need to catch him," he said. "Anakin, flank him on the right, Ahsoka, go to the lower levels. I'm going after him."
He unclipped his lightsaber from his belt and noticed Anakin and Ahsoka doing the same thing. He wanted so much to tell Anakin the truth right then and there rather than risk losing his brother's trust forever but he knew he couldn't. Anakin wasn't that great an actor when it came to his emotions and Obi-Wan knew that if anyone was going to believe what happened then Anakin's reaction was the key. That did not mean Anakin was going to remain in the dark for as long as he was the first time around.
Obi-Wan made that mistake the first time and he was not going to make it again.
The three of them dashed toward the building where Hardeen was running away. Obi-Wan and Anakin leapt upward while Ahsoka dashed between the buildings on the lower level. They moved more cautiously when they reached the top as they were fired at but when the stream of blasterfire came to a stop, they dashed after the sniper again.
They came to the edge of the building when Hardeen disappeared. Obi-Wan already knew of where it is he was and a bad feeling went through him again. He had to do it, it was for the safety of the Republic, but that didn't mean he wasn't reluctant to get shot and fall off a building again.
He hid himself waiting for Anakin's call since he knew it would come at around that time.
"I lost him. Obi-Wan, do you have anything?" Anakin's voice sounded over the comlink.
Obi-Wan took a deep breath and centered himself in the Force. I am sorry, brother, but this time I will not deceive you for as long as I did last time, he thought moving out of hiding.
The shot came just as Obi-Wan knew it would, then he was falling and then there was nothing but darkness.
"Obi-Wan!" Anakin shouted from on top of the building staring wide-eyed with shock, fear and anger, the latter two of which he tried hard to release into the Force.
"I've got him, go," Ahsoka called.
Anakin gritted his teeth as he glared after the sniper before he leapt across the gap and immediately ran after the sniper. Unfortunately, the sniper managed to get away by tossing a smoke detonator that momentarily blinded again.
He glared after the speeder before he turned around and dashed back the way he had come hoping that his brother was all right but fearing the worst. He dashed to the edge of the building before leaping down and running over to join Ahsoka past the guards hoping that his brother was all right.
Ahsoka was holding Obi-Wan in her arms.
"How is he?" Anakin asked even though he feared he already knew the truth. This can't be happening, he thought. Please let Ahsoka say he is all right. Please.
Ahsoka lifted her head to look at him and just that look in his apprentice's eyes told Anakin everything he needed to know. His hopes were crushed and tears filled his eyes as he hurried to his brother's side. No, this is not happening. This can't be happening. Not to Obi-Wan. Not to the man I consider to be my brother. No, Anakin thought as he cried out in grief and denial for the man who was his brother.
Siri was grateful that Anakin was the one that told her of what happened to Obi-Wan, despite the fact that his eyes were grief-filled and filled with barely suppressed fury, but she was devastated by the news. Her husband, the father of her baby, was dead. How could this have happened? She thought tears falling from her eyes before she wiped them away angrily.
Anakin placed a hand on Siri's shoulder and she suddenly found herself burying her face into her husband's best friend's chest crying her eyes out. Anakin seemed startled but he put an arm around her shoulders and held her as she cried.
"I never even got the chance to tell him the good news," she sobbed.
"Good news?" Anakin echoed.
Siri stepped back suddenly embarrassed that she had started crying in front of Anakin and actually cried into his chest. "I'm so…" she began.
"Don't be sorry, Siri," Anakin said quietly. "You have the right to cry. We lost a great man today. I lost my master, someone I consider to be my brother, and you lost your husband."
Tears fell from Anakin's eyes and Siri found that tears were falling from her eyes again as well. She wiped them away. "I wanted to tell Obi-Wan as soon as he got back from whatever mission the Council sent him on but since…" she broke off, took a deep breath and went on, "I just want someone else other than Barriss to know. And since I know Obi-Wan sees you like a brother and he won't be able to know then I think you should know."
"Know what?" Anakin sounded confused.
Siri hesitated before deciding to come right out and say it. "I'm pregnant," she said.
Anakin looked surprised before he smiled a sad smile. "Then at least Obi-Wan will live on in his son or daughter," he said.
Siri smiled. "You've matured a lot in the time I've known you, Anakin," she said. "You aren't the same as you where when we first met, well not entirely anyway. There are some things about you that haven't changed at all."
Anakin sighed sadly. "Obi-Wan was the greatest master I could ask for and I am who I am today because of him." His eyes hardened as he added, "And when I find the man that killed Obi-Wan, he will pay for what he did to my brother."
The days leading to Obi-Wan's funeral seemed to drag onward. Anakin was having a lot of trouble releasing his grief into the Force; his anger as well. Even though Obi-Wan was gone, Anakin still didn't want to disappoint him by feeling such anger.
The funeral took place a couple of days following Obi-Wan's death. Everyone who was close to Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, Jenica, Satine, Siri, Padmé and the members of the Jedi Council, were closest. Siri and Satine were crying, Jenica was still in shock and Anakin was trying, to no avail, to release his anger into the Force.
He could hear Ahsoka talking with Plo Koon nearby. "I'm worried about Anakin," Ahsoka whispered quietly. "He hasn't said a word since it happened. I'm also a little worried about Jenica. She has been in shock since it happened too."
Anakin hadn't spoken to anyone but Siri since it happened but who could blame him? He did just lose his brother after all. He could also understand why Jenica was in shock; she had just lost her master after all. Anakin closed his eyes and again fought to push the rising anger away as Obi-Wan was lowered down.
Obi-Wan lifted his head as Mace Windu and Yoda walked into the cubicle as the medical droid finished to work on him. "So how was the funeral?" he asked with a faint smile.
"A better performance than you your corpse gave," Yoda said.
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows. "I did fall from the top of a building remember?" he said.
"Survived worse you have. Young Skywalker knows this," Yoda said.
That neatly brought up what Obi-Wan wanted to talk to Yoda about. "Speaking of Anakin," he said, "I do not think we should keep Anakin on the outside anymore."
Yoda frowned. "Mean what do you?" he asked.
"Anakin's reaction was what was needed to sell the sniper story. We no longer need him to be on the outside. I feel he should know the truth," Obi-Wan said.
"Feel strongly about this do you?" Yoda asked.
"I trust Anakin to keep what we are doing a secret. I feel he will understand better if I tell him now rather than if I tell him later," Obi-Wan replied.
Yoda was silent for a long moment eyes thoughtful. "What say you, Master Windu?" he asked.
Mace was silent. "If you feel so strongly about this, Obi-Wan, then I agree," he said. "I will contact him and ask him to meet with me." Without another word, the Korun Jedi Master left the medical cubicle.
Yoda walked closer. "Sense I do that an ulterior motive for doing this you have," he said.
Obi-Wan sighed. "I have no desire to lose Anakin's trust like I did the first time," he said. "He felt I didn't trust him enough with the truth and I want him to understand that I do trust him enough with it."
"More than that it is, hmmm?"
"Yes." Obi-Wan didn't elaborate because the Force was forbidding him from saying more.
"Speak more on this you cannot, I see."
"The Force is forbidding me from saying more, yes," Obi-Wan admitted.
"Hmmm," Yoda said before falling silent.
"Master, are you all right?" Ahsoka asked sitting down beside Anakin in the living area of the apartment they shared within the Jedi Temple.
Anakin glanced at him. "No, I'm not all right, Ahsoka," he said deciding against the retort that had risen to his lips. It wasn't Ahsoka's fault Obi-Wan had been shot and killed.
Ahsoka didn't look convinced but she apparently decided not to push. "I'm a little worried about Jenica. I think I'm going to go talk to her," she said.
Anakin nodded. "I'm sure she could use a friend right about now," he said quietly.
"Will you be all right?"
Anakin nodded but Ahsoka didn't look convinced. She didn't comment though as she got to her feet and walked out of the room. Almost as soon as she left, Anakin's comlink beeped and he glanced at it. "What now?" he muttered to himself since he was the only one in the room before he turned it on. "Skywalker."
"Skywalker," Windu's voice sounded. "Meet me at the Hall of Healing in five minutes. Windu out." Before Anakin could reply, Windu disconnected the transmission
Anakin sighed standing up before he left the room without another word. He walked down the walkways of the temple in silence not noticing anyone as he passed by them.
He reached the Hall of Healing with a minute to spare to find Master Windu standing outside the door leading into one of the medical rooms. "You wanted to see me, Master Windu?" Anakin said.
"Not me," Windu said. "There is someone who wants to see you though. Come." He turned around and walked to the door leading into the medical room and Anakin, frowning, followed him. They walked into the room before coming to a stop at one of the doors that Windu opened with the Force.
What Anakin saw in the room shocked him to the core.
Sitting on the medical bed looking as though he hadn't been shot and fallen off a building a couple of days earlier was Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Obi-Wan's eyebrows rose. "You know, I believe this is the first time you have ever been speechless, Anakin," he said.
Anakin blinked unsure of whether he was seeing things or not. Finally, when it was obvious what was in front of him was real, he dashed forward. "Master, you're alive," he gasped coming to a stop beside Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan grimaced. "Alive but you don't fall off a building and not get a couple of bruises," he said.
"But your vitals, I…you were dead, what…?" Anakin broke off unable to form a coherent statement. He took a deep breath before asking, "Why did you make everyone, even me and Siri and Ahsoka, all think you were dead?"
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said patiently, "I do not have much time to explain but will you let me explain please?"
Anakin was about to protest but he trusted his brother; his brother would explain why he made Anakin believe that he was dead and he would let him. He nodded once.
"Good. You know about what happened with Moralo Eval, yes?"
Anakin nodded; it was all over the Holonet about how Eval was responsible for a plan that, the council believed, was to abduct Chancellor Palpatine.
"Well, the Council doesn't believe that Eval's arrest put a stop to the plan. That being said, the Council decided on a rather daring move; they decided to send someone undercover to get close to Eval and find out what he is planning. I agreed to be that person."
"Why…?"
Obi-Wan held up a hand to forestall Anakin's questions as he went on. "The Council hired Rako Hardeen, the sniper that shot me, to shoot me. I faked my own death making it seem as though Hardeen killed me. That way, Hardeen would have some credentials that would allow him to get close to Eval and discover his plan. We have planned that we would capture the real Hardeen and I would take his place. Then we would send someone to arrest me and lock me in the same prison as Eval. That way, I can get in close with Eval and figure out what he is planning."
Anakin was silent for a long moment. "But why deceive me?" he asked.
"Your reaction to my death was what was needed to sell the sniper story," said Obi-Wan. "Especially because of how close we are."
"So you decided to tell me now after my reaction sold the story?" Anakin asked.
Obi-Wan nodded. "I wanted to tell you sooner but you aren't that great an actor when it comes to your emotions. Your emotional reaction was what we needed and you can't act."
"Thanks." Anakin was silent for a long moment. "Are you going to tell anyone else?"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "I would, Anakin, but the more people who know, the more likely the mission will not succeed. No, it is best if we keep it just between the four of us. I trust you to keep this from everyone including your Padawan and my Padawan."
"You can trust me, Master," Anakin said before he stretched out a hand and gently squeezed his brother's shoulder. "And thank you for trusting me enough with this." He said nothing more but a single tear did slide down his face and he quickly wiped it away as he remembered Obi-Wan's death.
Obi-Wan squeezed his arm in response.
"We need to get the transformation underway," Windu said. "Skywalker, you do not have to stay for this."
"I think I will," Anakin replied.
Obi-Wan sighed. "Let's get this over with," he said with a barely noticeable grimace.
Anakin moved away to allow the medical droid to work still reeling from the truth that his brother was alive. He could only hope his brother would be safe on the undercover mission he was going on. Be safe, brother, he sent through the Force. May the Force be with you.
I will, brother. May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan sent back through the Force as the transformation began.
"All right, you already told me about Eval earlier," Obi-Wan said as the medical droid began to shave him. "So what else do you have to tell me?"
"Eval works directly for Count Dooku, as we told you earlier," Windu said bringing up the hologram of a Phindian. "Rumor is their plot will be hatched in three revolutions at the festival on Naboo. We tried to make a deal with Moralo for more detail but he was uncooperative."
Anakin snorted. "That's criminals for you," he said.
"Any details that'll help me gain his trust while I'm in the prison?" Obi-Wan asked. His head was now shaved, which made him look a little odd to Anakin.
"Eval killed his mother when he was only a boy. Told the authorities he did it because he was bored," Windu said.
"Hmm, I won't bore him then."
"Just don't lecture him and you won't bore him," Anakin said grinning.
"Do you mind, Anakin?'
"Sorry, it was too tempting to resist."
"This is serious."
"Yes I know, Obi-Wan. I'll try to keep the rest of my comments to myself."
Obi-Wan snorted as the medical droid finished shaving off his beard.
"You look weird without hair and a beard," Anakin couldn't help but say.
Obi-Wan tossed him a withering look. "Anakin…" he began warningly.
"Okay, okay, I'll shut up now," Anakin said quickly.
"Not a game this is, Obi-Wan, Skywalker," Yoda said, "the risks, great they are."
"Yes but the rewards are too," Obi-Wan replied touching his hairless chin and head and Anakin had to fight back the urge to chuckle since Obi-Wan did not look like himself without the hair. "Besides preventing Eval from abducting the Chancellor, he could lead us to Grievous and possibly Dooku himself."
"That'll definitely help us end this war quicker," Anakin said.
"Facial transform program loaded," the medical droid said.
Obi-Wan shifted to lie down on the bed. "There's no way to pull the Chancellor out of the festival, right?" he asked.
"No see it as a sign of weakness he would," Yoda said.
"A sign of weakness, wouldn't want that."
Anakin frowned at the slight scorn he heard in his brother's voice but it was so faint that Anakin began to wonder if he heard it at all.
The transformation was quick but Anakin winced when he heard his brother cry out a few times in pain. It wasn't long before he looked exactly like the picture depicted on the screen above his head; the sniper Rako Hardeen.
Obi-Wan touched his face as if making sure everything was all right before looking up at the Jedi. "Well, how'd it go?" he asked.
"It went well," Windu said. "Skywalker, you may go now. We need to head out to the Trueping's and meet with Hardeen. Skywalker, you and Ahsoka will be in charge of arresting Hardeen after they are switched. Try not to blow Obi-Wan's cover."
"I won't, Master Windu, trust me," Anakin replied before inclining his head. "Let me know when I have to head over to Trueping's."
Windu nodded and Anakin looked at Obi-Wan. "May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan," he said before he left the cubicle.
Obi-Wan waited for Hardeen to arrive while Mace was standing nearby. He grimaced at the thought of swallowing the vocal modulator. He watched as the door slide open and Rako Hardeen, the real one, walked into the room.
"Well done," Obi-Wan said calmly. "You did exactly what we hired you for. We have your credits right here but first, there is something else we need. We need your clothes."
Hardeen looked surprised and he backed up a step. "What the…?" he began starting to back up more but Mace stopped him.
Anakin guided the speeder through the lower levels of Coruscant having been given the go-ahead by Yoda. He invited Ahsoka to go along since her presence would help to keep the act going. He would have invited Jenica but Ahsoka said that she wasn't in any shape to go with them to arrest Hardeen. Apparently, when she was with Ahsoka, it finally hit her and she became hysterical so Ahsoka had to take her to the Hall of Healing.
As he flew onward, Anakin was already going how he was going to react when he finds Hardeen in order to keep Obi-Wan's cover.
"I still don't understand," Ahsoka said in her speeder. "Did Master Yoda say how they found the sniper?"
"Who cares?" Anakin said; honestly, it didn't matter since he already knew of where the sniper was going to be but, of course, Ahsoka didn't. "All that matters is that they did."
He guided the speeder into a nosedive into the deeper levels of Coruscant and Ahsoka followed him.
"…So I took off in my speeder and got a ride here," Hardeen was saying while Obi-Wan changed into his clothing. "That's it."
"Keep talking into this," Mace said holding out the voice emulator.
"This is stupid. Confessing to a murder I didn't even do," Hardeen protested.
"You did technically. For all intents and purposes, Obi-Wan Kenobi is dead and that was your intention," Obi-Wan said doing what he could to make the clothing more comfortable before turning to look at Mace. "How do I look?"
Mace glanced at him. "Like a criminal. Should buy you all the credibility you need in prison," he said before he held out the voice emulator.
"Look, I don't know what you guys are up to but…" Hardeen began.
"Do we have enough recording?" Obi-Wan interrupted the sniper.
"I believe so," Mace replied before he looked at Hardeen and waved his hand, invoking the power of the Force and adding, "Which means, you can go to sleep now."
Hardeen fell asleep in the chair he was sitting in.
Obi-Wan held out a hand to the voice emulator without another word. Mace handed him the voice emulator and it activated before crawling up his arm. Obi-Wan grimaced and picked it up before swallowing it. He disliked doing that the first time around and that feeling had not changed the second time around.
"This will definitely take some getting used to," Obi-Wan said his voice identical to Hardeen's. It did the first time, he thought.
"That's a luxury you don't have," Mace said.
Obi-Wan sighed. "I hope this works," he said.
As Anakin headed to the entrance to the Trueping's, he decided that the intimidating, angry Jedi would probably be the best approach considering everyone knew how close he and Obi-Wan were and he was sure that was the way he would have actually felt had Obi-Wan not told him the truth. He walked through the entrance to the bar with Ahsoka just behind him before he unclipped his lightsaber and ignited it to get everyone's attention.
"Where's Rako Hardeen?" Anakin demanded.
"Back room," the snake-like bartender said.
Anakin kept his lightsaber ignited as he walked through the people in the bar to the hallway and down the hallway to the back room. Ahsoka walked after him in silence.
When they reached the room, Anakin opened it to find Hardeen, or rather Obi-Wan in disguise as Hardeen, fast asleep on the bed at the other end of the room.
Ahsoka stepped into the room behind him. "Is he dead?" she asked.
"Doubt it," Anakin said walking forward before shaking Hardeen's shoulder and rolling him onto his back.
"Uh, a Jedi? I already killed a Jedi today. Let me sleep," Hardeen muttered before rolling over again.
You're a pretty good actor, Master, Anakin thought before he narrowed his eyes since it was obvious the fake Hardeen was drunk. He had to admit that was a good addition to Obi-Wan's cover. "He's drunk," he said with feigned anger in his voice. And Obi-Wan said he wasn't a good actor when it came to emotions. He, mentally reminding himself to apologize to Obi-Wan when this was all over, grabbed Hardeen, he was just going to refer to Obi-Wan in disguise as Hardeen from now on, and slammed him into the wall.
"You know, you are extremely lucky the man you murdered would rather you rot in jail," Anakin growled. "Now let's go, coward." He pinned Hardeen's arm to his back before guiding him away with Ahsoka just behind him.
You didn't need to be so rough, Anakin, Obi-Wan's voice said in his mind.
Sorry, just keeping up the act, Anakin sent back.
Well, that was rather convincing of you. You know this will be the last time we will be able to commune this way until after the mission is over, right?
I know, Master. Again, may the Force be with you and be careful.
You worry too much, Anakin, I will be fine.
Anakin smiled inwardly keeping the angry, intimidating look on his face; and Obi-Wan seriously thought he wasn't a good actor? He proved his master wrong.
Obi-Wan had to admit Anakin was a better actor than he gave him credit for. He certainly was making everyone else believe he was angry and yet Obi-Wan could feel little anger in Anakin. That was also a good thing; lack of anger in Anakin meant Anakin had more control over his anger which meant that Obi-Wan was making progress. But then, Qui-Gon had told him that he was making progress, more progress than Obi-Wan seemed to realize.
He decided not to worry about that as he was thrust into the hands of the clones soon after they reached the prison.
"I'm sure you were expecting this scum," Anakin said.
"Yes sir," the clone said before he guided Obi-Wan away.
The following day, Obi-Wan got his tray and filled it with food listening to the people speak around him. Someone called him Kenobi's killer, which was a little ironic, while others talked about how he didn't look so tough, how he killed a Jedi. Pretty much everything Obi-Wan heard the first time around.
He sat down at the table and examined the food; the food tasted revolting the last time he tasted it and he really wasn't looking forward to eating it again. But he wasn't supposed to know it tasted bad so he took a small bite spitting it out for good measure.
The prison food was by far the think I disliked the most about being in prison, he thought.
"That's him? That's the Jedi killer?" a Karkarodon said walking up, picking up Obi-Wan's drink and drinking it. "He doesn't look so tough."
He put the drink down before poking Obi-Wan in the chest. "You don't look so tough to me," he said.
Obi-Wan lowered his fork but waited for a moment. "This food is horrible," he said and stabbed the Karkarodon in the hand causing it to roar in pain. He then grabbed Karkarodon and pulled him close. "Maybe you taste better."
The inmates all glanced toward Obi-Wan while the clones looked down. "Hey, what's going on down there?" the clone demanded.
"Sorry, just playing with my food," Obi-Wan said.
The Karkarodon pulled the fork free from his hand. "You're crazy," he said before he took off with the Lutrillian that had come with him just behind him.
Not the first time someone's called me crazy, Obi-Wan thought.
He picked up his drink before sipping at it as he waited for Eval to join him.
Eval did a moment later sitting across from him. "Rako Hardeen," he said, "your reputation precedes you."
Obi-Wan waited sipping at his drink since he knew Eval wasn't done yet.
"I'm curious," Eval said, "why'd you kill that Jedi? Was it for money or revenge?"
Obi-Wan remembered what he said the first time around and decided to stick with that. It didn't have any repercussions the first time after all. "I don't know. I guess I was just bored," he said.
Eval chuckled before picking up the bottle of the sauce he recommended the first time around. "Try the sauce," he said. "It makes that slop almost tolerable. I'll be seeing you, Mr. Hardeen." Eval stood up before walking away.
Well, things seem to be going as they did last time, Obi-Wan thought before he looked at the food. I could do without garbage disguised as food though.
Later that day, the clones escorted Obi-Wan to the cell that contained Eval and Bane. The clones deactivated the ray shield at the entrance to the cell before looking at Obi-Wan. "There you go, Hardeen, home sweet home," he said.
Obi-Wan stepped into the cell not at all surprised to find Eval there. Eval looked at him as Obi-Wan came to a stop near him. "Well, what a coincidence," he said.
"No coincidence," Eval said, "I am Moralo Eval and I have great influence here."
The ray shield was turned on behind Obi-Wan as he walked forward a little. "What do you want from me?" he asked.
Eval sat down. "A man like you needs bigger game than Jedi if you've got the guts," he said.
Obi-Wan sat down as well. "I'm listening," he said.
"It's a brilliant plan if I do say so and it involves the Chancellor," Eval said.
Cad Bane coughed at that moment reminding Eval that he was there and Eval glanced at him as he sat up on his bed. "If this goon is going along with us then it will cost you double my rate," he said.
"Rako Hardeen meet Cad Bane," Eval said with a slight gesture.
Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. "Who're you calling a goon?" he asked.
"Any imbecile can kill a Jedi with a lousy sniper blast," Bane said. "You want my respect then you do it face to face." He leapt down from his bed and stood in front of Obi-Wan as he stood up to face Bane head on.
"Who said I wanted your respect?" Obi-Wan asked.
Bane's eyes flashed a little. "Make that triple my rate," he said to Eval.
Eval laughed causing Bane and Obi-Wan to look at him. "What a shame, it seems this cell isn't big enough for the three of us," he said before he gestured and added, "guard?"
A moment later, the clones on the repulsorpad guided it over to the cell as Eval and Obi-Wan walked back to the ray shield. "It's been a pleasure chatting with you, Hardeen," Eval added. "But you will forget everything you heard in here or Moralo Eval will have you slaughtered."
Obi-Wan stepped onto the repulsorpad and it flew away from the cell.
A few days later, Obi-Wan was walking around the exercise room seeking a spot where he could contact the Council without it being obvious. When he reached one of the weight sets, he coughed and the inmates looked at him and got up. "We were just leaving," one of them said before they left.
Obi-Wan sat down and stretched before reaching down and removing the comlink that had been hidden there earlier. He finished stretching as he slipped the earpiece into his ear and activated the comlink. "This is Ben," he murmured into it. Funny how the codename he used was the same name he went by while on Tatooine what seemed like a lifetime ago. "I found the transmitter but I shall have to make this short."
He gazed around to make sure no one was within earshot before going on. "We have a problem. I made contact with Moralo Eval. He nearly divulged the kidnapping plot but Cad Bane interrupted him and stopped him from doing so."
"Cad Bane? We had no intel they were in league together," Mace said.
"I am positive Eval hired Bane to break him out of prison," Obi-Wan said. "And, based on the way they were talking, it's going to happen soon."
"Foolish we were to believe Bane's capture was without purpose," Yoda said.
I had even forgotten that until now, Obi-Wan thought. "Yes but we can make this work for us," he said. "If they do try to escape then I will not let them out of my sight. I am sure he'll lead us to answers about the plot and possibly to his superiors."
"Good idea, Obi-Wan, just don't blow your cover," Mace said. "It could take a while to extract you from prison."
Obi-Wan chuckled slightly. "Not to worry, I'm starting to enjoy playing the villain," he said before he quickly told Mace and Yoda that he had to go and disconnected the transmission before hiding it just as the clone guard walked by.
That night, while Obi-Wan was carrying his tray toward the table, was when Bane and Eval decided to initiate their breakout by having Obi-Wan and Boba Fett fight to give them enough time to escape. He wasn't going to let them out of his sight as he told Mace; it was a good thing he knew of where it was they were going.
"Hey Hardeen, you owe me something," Fett said walking forward.
"Do I?" Obi-Wan echoed.
"You don't remember me?" Fett demanded walking forward to stand face to chest with Obi-Wan. "That's very insulting."
"Kid, I don't want any trouble," Obi-Wan said.
Fett slapped his tray down. "You stole a bounty from me and I want an apology," he snapped.
Everyone began shouting out what Obi-Wan should do but he ignored them as he studied Fett. "You don't want to do this," he said.
"Oh yes I do," Fett said and went to attack Obi-Wan but, already knowing that was how he was going to start the fight, Obi-Wan dodged, grabbed Fett's arm and pinned it behind his back.
"I warned you," he said.
"All right, all right, that's it, fight's over," one of the clone guards shouted pointing electrorods at the two of them just as another inmate stood up and knocked the guards unconscious.
"No it isn't. You've got a problem with Boba, you've got a problem with me," the Trandoshan said and proceeded to toss Obi-Wan over the table to crash into the wall.
The riot began almost instantly after that.
"We need reinforcements in here now," one clone guard shouted.
Obi-Wan pulled himself to his feet before narrowing his eyes as he waited for Bane and Eval to make their move. More clone guards hurried into the cafeteria, which provided the inmates with the perfect opportunity to escape. They attacked the guards, stole the stun guns and began firing it at clones.
When Bane and Eval dashed toward the opening, Obi-Wan immediately dashed after them. Even in the confusion, he was able to find where Eval and Bane had went; the fact that he already knew of where they were going helped immensely. Avoiding the rioters and the clone guards was tedious though but he managed to do it and managed to catch up with Bane and Eval too.
"Hey, wait for me," he said causing Eval and Bane to stop and turn to look at him.
"No one invited you," Bane said.
"He killed a Jedi. He could be helpful," Eval said.
"Fine, we're wasting time," Bane growled; it was obvious he didn't like it though.
They started moving again down the winding corridors of the prison until they reached the morgue. "This is our way out of here," Bane said as the clones left the morgue with the gunnery in their hands.
"This is your brilliant plan?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Not the first time I've broken out of this stinkhole," Bane said.
That explains how he escaped prison after he held the senators in the Senate building hostage and was arrested, Obi-Wan thought following Bane as he led the way forward.
Bane came to the control panel outside the morgue before punching in the lock code but it didn't work. He tried it again but it still didn't work. "The lock has changed," he said.
"Your plan has failed," Eval said moving to Bane's side.
"Shut up, let me think," Bane snapped.
Obi-Wan moved over to the control panel. "I can get us inside. I'll just rewire the access port. It'll take some time. Warn me if anyone comes."
"Make it quick," Bane said before he and Eval separated to both ends of the hallway. Once they were no longer looking his way, Obi-Wan used the Force to access the morgue.
"We're in," he called replacing the panel and the three of them made their way into the morgue.
"All riot causalities are sent to the morgue," Bane said moving forward. "It's an easy escape."
The sounds of someone making their way into the morgue came to Obi-Wan and he grimaced inwardly. "The guards are coming back," he said before he dashed toward one of the pods and climbed into it ignoring the dead body to the best of his ability before closing it over him.
"After what just happened up there, we're going to need more room in here," said one of the clone guards as they walked in most likely with another body. Obi-Wan grimaced but remained still.
"You can say that again," another clone guard said. "I'll send these to the cremation center."
The pods the criminals, and Obi-Wan, were in were sent downward to the incineration facility and Obi-Wan thought quickly about how to do what would happen next. He wouldn't kill the guards even if it meant making Bane suspicious of him; he didn't want to kill anyone in cold blood. It was one of the things that made Bane suspicious of him the first time around though but it couldn't be help.
"Hey, wait, looks like a couple of them are still showing vital signs," one guard said.
"All right, I'll check it out," another guard said.
Obi-Wan thought quickly of what to do as the pods opened up. Bane kicked one down before putting him between him and another guard causing the other guard to shoot his partner. Obi-Wan tackled another guard before bending his arm backwards and then, on a split second decision, tossed the guard into Bane.
Bane leapt backwards and proceeded to shoot the guard before glaring at Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan snorted. "You got in my way," he said.
Bane glared at him before moving toward the entrance to the incineration facility. "Let's go," he said to Eval who was beating up another of the guards.
They left the facility, Bane shooting every guard that came their way, before they headed toward the outside of the prison where they would steal a freighter and escape Coruscant. When they reached the landing pad, Bane knocked out one of the guards with a kick to the head before shooting the other two. Then he leapt onto the speeder; Obi-Wan and Eval joined him and the speeder blasted away from the prison.
They kept flying onward to the platform where a freighter was parked several klicks from the prison. When they reached the platform, Bane parked it before the three of them leapt out of the speeder. "As soon as we're off Coruscant, we're safe," he said. They dashed over to the freighter as the freighter's captain walked away typing some stuff in his datapad.
Once they reached the cockpit, Eval immediately went to the pilot's seat and began charging up the systems while Bane, eyeing Obi-Wan with suspicion in his eyes, sat in the co-pilot's seat and Obi-Wan sat down between them. Eval started the systems up and guided the ship toward the atmosphere of Coruscant before putting the ship on autopilot. He turned around to face Obi-Wan.
"You did well back there, Hardeen," he said. "Maybe there's a place for you in my plans after all."
"I'm listening," Obi-Wan replied thankful that he got Eval's trust like the first time around.
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: and that was the first part of the Deception trilogy
Darth: trilogy?
Blaze: I'm combining "Friends and Enemies" and "The Box" into one chapter since the first one will not be nearly as long as the latter one. In fact, I'm probably only going to use a few select scenes
Anakin: what can we expect from the next chapter?
Blaze: some Siri drama (she is pregnant and pregnant people do have mood swings sometimes all the time throughout the pregnancy), both Siri and Jenica discover something, some Ahsoka/Anakin bonding, and the events of "The Box"
Anakin: wow, it's going to be a long chapter
Blaze: probably
Bane: hi
Maul: hi
Eval: hi
Palpypie: hi
Obi-Wan: (drops burning boulder on Bane, pours hot oil on Eval, slices Maul in half then in thirds then in fourths, pushes Palpypie into a pit of lava and walks off to Starbucks)
Darth: STARBUCKS! (Joins Obi-Wan)
Anakin: (takes Blaze's remote, makes Palpypie alive and teleports him to Mustafar and tosses him back into the lava)
Palpypie's Ghost: HEEEEEY
Obi-Wan: (put cappuccino down and pulls out Ice, Blaze's ghost stabbing sword)
Palpypie: (quickly tries to run, realizes he's a ghost and floats off)
Blaze: (chuckles) please review and I will post the next chapter, which will cover a very different version of "Friends and Enemies" naturally and the events of "The Box" as soon as I possibly can but I doubt it'll be anytime soon. I will try to get it up by Thursday but by Sunday at the latest if all things go as planned.