Join Obi-Wan and Satine on a Coruscant tour. The emotionally repressed duo finally gets to open up and talk.
In between weird fish, Sith artifacts, decadent gardens, annoying ex Padawans and unusual dinner houses, will Satine and Obi-Wan manage to express themselves fully?
Climactic ending.
The awareness of having a limited amount of time had the effect of making them live everything to the fullest. Precious minutes and hours that would never come back, etched in their memories forever.
Obi-Wan took on his role as "guide" with enthusiasm. Finally, he got to show her the places he'd ached to show her for a long time. Places that had - often not totally consciously - made him think of her when he had visited them in the past. He knew that there was no way he could've brought her everywhere he wanted to, but tried to combine a few different elements in their tour. They avoided taking unnecessary transports when they could, preferring to walk side by side, getting to take in visual details and comment at their own pace
Their first stop was Royal Icqui Aquaria in the Hirkenglade Prefecture, or, more precisely, its main panoramic tunnel, a breath-taking architectural chef d'oeuvre extending far beyond the horizon.
To reach the Aquaria, they took a train operating on Skyroute D25D, then walked along an avenue lined up with centuries-old white-plastered residences, home to some of Coruscant's greatest lawyers and judges.
As they strolled inside the tunnel, Satine was more smart-alecky than usual, comparing a Riome seasnake to Prime Minister Almec, much to Obi-Wan's hilarity, who didn't stop chuckling even when she observed that a bubble-eyed pufferfish bore an extraordinary resemblance to Master Yoda.
In a particularly coral-rich section of the tank, a Sith-like red reflection was cast upon them, prompting Obi-Wan to comment how much it added to her persona, seeing how "evil" she was. She became brave, replying in a low, sexy tone that it wasn't her fault if he was enticing her to the "dark side". At this, he blushed violently, glad that the light effects prevented her from noticing his reaction.
What actually did unsettle him, was a hooded figure* that he'd exchanged, at first, for Asajj Ventress, a sort of Circe who seemed to be summoning countless sea creatures to her. It was as if every barbel, spinefish, cetian or septapus was unable to resist the alluring tune she was chanting. Suddenly drawn to her, Obi-Wan and Satine modestly moved closer to where she was standing. Sensing their presence, the intriguing Zabrak lady raised her voice, and sang with reverent and gracious manners:
"In my sack, show you I will, of all fish a thousand different sorts: the scaly, the flaccid, the hairy; in here more will be than the galaxy can hold of stars. Yet of one creature the cries sufficient are to unleash the storm. Meet thy Siren magnificient knight, for the seas' rage sated will be"
The pair stood in silence, made slightly uncomfortable by the woman's insistent glare, by her fearless hints.
On closer inspection, the Zabrak didn't look as young as they'd been tricked to imagine. Rather, she was quite ancient, with hair as thin as windswept horsehair. She must've been a clairvoyant, or astrologist of some kind, as it was common to find in the darkened corners of the aquaria, still, when the Duchess and the Jedi left, they were privately shaken.
From that moment on, they inwardly resolved not to touch anything that might "brush" against their wounded sensibilities, as to not compromise their current state of happiness.
After the Aquaria, a visit to the Galactic Museum was in order. They were only able to see a few sections, but even considering their time constraints Satine couldn't help but marvel at Obi-Wan's surprising aesthetic sensibility, at his sense of harmony; and Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel drawn to the wide breadth of her knowledge. She had so many interests, something that paradoxically could easily be overlooked when she acted as head of Galactic Sector.
While looking for the exit from the Old Republic Ancient History section, they found themselves in a dark, deserted corridor. Playfully bickering about the other's lacking sense of direction, they found an elevator and descended, believing it to lead to the exit, until, stepping outside, they entered a columned hall. Despite the chamber's unquestionable beauty, Obi-Wan felt strangely cold, as if the walls emanated cool air. It didn't take long to realize why this was the case: the hall was featuring a Sith exhibit.
Although Obi-Wan would've gladly skipped this section altogether, he eventually pulled it together and went in, seeing how curious Satine was. Once inside, he felt a bit stupid for having hesitated, it was just an exhibit in the end, Sith artifacts and all.
"I didn't know the Sith were the first to establish Hyperspace travel" Satine commented after a while.
"Yes, they were. They actually pushed forward for lots of innovations during their Imperial rule. The Jedi, though, don't like to be reminded of this" he looked at his feet, admitting the truth.
"It's because of the historical antagonism between the two groups, isn't it? Sometimes, our preconceptions blind us. Dogmas can make us become stagnant."
Obi-Wan sighed "I guess the dark side is a natural aspect of the Force. It's part of the harmony, like the night and the day"
Satine stared at him for a long moment, astounded by his admission. He must've really been contemplative to say something like that.
They strolled along a few spooky cabinets, then stopped to look at an inscription on an old rock.
"Look, this is a fragment of the original Code of the Sith, the Qotsisajak" Obi-Wan said, his own interest aroused.
"What does it recite?" Satine inquired, unfamiliar with the ancient script.
"Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory…then I can't read clearly, but if I recall correctly, it ends with an exaltation of the Force as the ultimate tool to personal freedom. My dear, I would propose you adopt this as hymn of the New Mandalorian Government, it sounds perfect for you." He joked.
But Satine wasn't laughing. She swallowed. "It sounds familiar"
Obi-Wan turned to look at her "What do you mean?"
Satine spoke gravely "To me, it sounds like a description of this war…and now, Obi, I know you won't like to hear this, but I'm not referring only to the Separatists"
Obi-Wan sighed again "Why must the Republic look so hawkish to you?"
Satine frowned slightly, searching for the right words "It's not the Republic per se…at least not in theory. I'm just saying that most of the resolutions put in place lately are undemocratic, often outrageous. The decision-makers are proving to be…questionable in the very least"
"Like corrupted Senators entangled in Trade Federation scandals, for instance?" Obi-Wan tried, set on maintaining the conversation civilized.
Satine walked ahead, then, without turning, she murmured:
"Like the Chancellor and his Vizier, for instance."
Obi-Wan smiled, missing, perhaps out of benevolence, that Satine was being dead serious.
It was way past lunchtime, but they decided to get something to eat at an all-natural street food stand, and what better place to enjoy their Dilga-nut and oi-oi salad with quin-berry juice than the large, decadent Reflection Gardens?
Reflection Gardens were so romantic that Obi-Wan had thought of Satine literally every single time he'd been there. Having the opportunity to finally have her there, with him, was surreal.
Weirdly enough, considering the easy connection with nature which made it apt for meditation, Reflection Gardens was not a place the Jedi frequented much, favoring the more easily reachable Room of a Thousand Fountains instead. Obi-Wan was selfishly grateful that at least, due to this, he needed not worry about being seen with the Duchess.
After crossing centuries-old tree-lined gravel boulevards, they reached a quiet "enchanted forest" spot overlooking a Renaissance-style fountain. They sat on the soft moss, enjoying the late afternoon's sun and the chirping of birds above their heads.
The comfort they found in each other's presence was indescribable. Satine's eyes lingered on Obi-Wan's lean, strong body as he lied on his side. She already felt so much warmth from his closeness she dared not fantasize what it would be like to be in his arms again, yet…she soon realized she couldn't help her imagination.
They took their sweet time eating, reveling in the park's restoring atmosphere. Slowly, people started gathering in front of the fountain, not far from them, setting up a bookrest and a few garlands. Shortly afterwards, a small band of Bith joined them. Satine and Obi-Wan observed, intrigued, from their position on the side. Clearly, a ceremony was to take place. Soon enough, an officiant arrived, closely followed by a couple. It was a wedding. Obi-Wan toyed with a strand of grass, suddenly uncomfortable. The bride and the groom appeared to be more or less his and Satine's age, and in the way the groom was holding his soon-to-be-wife's hands, Obi-Wan saw a reflection of his own repressed desires toward Satine. Was he supposed to say something? Break the silence that had formed between them since the wedding celebration had started? Was this silence something really meaningful, or was he over-analyzing the situation? Perhaps Satine was not perturbed as he was. On the outside, she looked unaffected. Still, he had no clue what to say, not when they themselves had once gone so close to starting a life together.
Inside the Reflection Gardens, Obi-Wan and Satine got very reflective.
Thankfully, it was her, eventually, who broke the ice: "I love this music" she commented, leaning on her back. "I wish we could do this more often…it feels so incredible that there are parts of the galaxy where life still goes on normally, without the plague of war, doesn't it, Obi-Wan?"
Obi-Wan smiled a little, rolling closer to her "Oh, you have no idea"
At that point, he got a message from Anakin "master where were you running to this morning" he had asked without inserting a question mark. Obi-Wan groaned. Never a moment of peace. He gave a vague answer and jumped on the opportunity to ask whether he'd helped Ahsoka with her homework. "sure shes right here with me wondering where you are. shall we start making assumptions :-P". Obi-Wan must've been looking at the screen with a seriously funny expression, because Satine chortled: "What's up?"
Obi-Wan put his device away, slightly embarrassed. "It was just Anakin…being Anakin, as usual"
She chuckled even more, then scolded him "Don't be too hard on him. He adores you"
This time it was Obi-Wan's turn to chuckle "He's never listened to anything I say!"
"Maybe, but he's definitely appreciated someone listening by his side."
Obi-Wan's expression darkened, surprising himself for admitting something so private to her. But she was Satine, she would always be that special person to him: "I'm afraid I haven't done a good job with him. You see, Satine, Anakin wanted a father. Due to his upbringing, he needed a parental figure, something Qui-Gon could've given him. I was more like…his older brother, and couldn't do anything to change it. Being the Chosen One, he was exposed to countless dangers, and to some extent, he still is. I'm not sure I was good enough to "protect" him."
Satine sat up "You are correct, you're not his father. So what? He's never known a father. But he's known you. And this makes all the difference"
Obi-Wan smiled, her words were like caresses from the Force.
"Besides, as Anakin himself seemed to agree on during dinner, there's no need to put everything in boxes!"
While speaking, Satine made an effort to conceal her own pain. Her own pain regarding some past actions which had an effect on a person who could've been to her what Anakin was to Obi-Wan. But she wasn't ready to voice this. Not today. Today she deserved her happiness.
"You became great friends, didn't you?" Obi-Wan faked exasperation.
"We're a team already" she provoked.
Obi-Wan snorted "You two will be my undoing"
Satine smirked "Perhaps…let's move"
They continued the tour by walking across lively streets in the Commercial District, passing by boutiques owned by different species, taking in all the vast array of colours, scents, smells and sensorial stimuli such an experience had to offer. Satine voiced her appreciation for Coruscant's cosmopolitan life, so much livelier than Sundari's.
Inexorably, the orange-reddish lights of sunset tinged the sky.
Obi-Wan quickly scanned his mental map in search of a location to bring her to for dinner.
They were now in a culturally-vibrant area that he only randomly frequented, as its characteristic propensity to vice and loudness did not befit the frugal lifestyle of a Jedi. But this didn't mean that he couldn't appreciate what best it had to offer. After all, that area was, too, an expression of the Force.
They were fairly distant from his friend Dex's, but even if they'd been closer, he wasn't sure that was the sort of place he wanted to bring her to that night. Sure, he was inclined to opt for something discreet and pretty casual, but at the same time he wanted it to be peculiar and sophisticated. Somewhere she would not normally go. He wanted to surprise her.
An idea crossed his mind. At first, he rejected it, fearing it might be too risqué, but then reconsidered it, reasoning that they were two full-fledged adults now. Why not? He was sure she would not misinterpret his intentions. Speaking of which, what were his intentions, exactly?
Before he got a headache, Obi-Wan walked them to his place of choice, smiling at Satine and helping her climb the high stone steps. Although perfectly capable of completing this task herself, she accepted his help, not missing a chance to touch his skin. He wasn't wearing his General gloves, so the contact of his bare hand on hers gave her goosebumps.
Once inside, Satine twirled around in wonder, while her knight found delight in observing her reaction.
At her feet, the floor was completely covered with splendid mosaics. The baked clay walls were frescoed with scenes representing bucolic life, as well as more licentious depictions. Although very explicit, these scenes weren't vulgar. On the contrary, they appeared quite natural.
The only lighting was provided by genie-shaped lamps and torches.
Satine realized that most people present in that tavern were clad in togas, or robes. The majority of women were adorned with the most stupefying of jewels. Obi-Wan had brought her to an authentic Ancient Civilization dinner house, a place where the passion for life was exalted.
"Obi-Wan, this is so unexpected!"
He inwardly patted himself on the shoulder as they motioned to find a chaise longue to lie on, like the rest of the people. They would consume dinner together with around ten other guests, while listening to a storyteller narrating the epic feats and tragic loves of legendary characters.
They were served pomegranates, fava beans, lentils, figs, sweet peas, lupines and fish sauce. Pepper, laurel, honey, dates and saffron were used copiously.
The atmosphere at the table was light-hearted and intellectually stimulating. Satine and Obi-Wan noticed that most of the silverware, including jugs and spoons, bore high-reliefs rich in symbolism. This being said, they were somewhat disoriented when a few small, silver skulls were brought to the table.
"It's to remind you of the transience of life" the storyteller explained. "Would you live your day differently, knowing that you have no control over what tomorrow brings?" he asked to the room.
As a reflex, Obi-Wan's eyes fleetingly met with Satine's, but the two soon looked away.
As the evening went on and the atmosphere grew cozier, he caught himself fantasizing about touching her more and more often. The overall context in which this was happening was not helping his state of mind, but he accepted it: it had been his idea to go there.
Eventually, the guests began leaving.
Satine got up, sashaying to the bougainvillea-filled balcony, closely followed by Obi-Wan, who, due to the ambience-creating experience, was quite entranced with her and overall inspired. What he'd felt with the Force and with her that day was positive, and, in defiance of his worst paranoias, it made sense; it didn't clash.
Strangely, they were alone. Satine leaned against the banister, her eyes dreamy, as she watched the city lights. Her attention was caught by a group of racing Thakwaash, one level below them. The equine sentients were measuring themselves in a high-speed challenge. Obi-Wan leaned against the banister as well, maintaining an acceptable distance between them, but incapable of taking his eyes off her. He was struggling between two state of minds, and he was, perhaps, a little scared. A little scared of finally being fearless enough to watch her like that. A little scared of having shed so many of the inhibitions that oppressed him just a few hours earlier. A little scared of realizing that no, there was not a universally "right" choice to make from that point on, there was only her, himself and the Force, and the reality that they had no control over the future.
He watched her longingly. Satine, sensing his burning eyes on her skin, slowly turned her neck to face him. She looked slightly tense. She opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out. Instead, she turned her head back to the race, avoiding his gaze. He wasn't fully aware of it, but she was exerting a considerable amount of self-control to restrain herself.
Finally, she spoke "Look how fast he's running…I've always been fond of Thakwaash races." She smiled.
Obi-Wan gathered all his courage to give voice to his true feelings: "You watch the races, I watch you; we're both watching what pleases us"
Oh Force. What had he just said? It was too late to go back now.
Satine's gaze met his own. The wait for her to say something was excruciating.
She smiled a little "Thank you, Obi-Wan. It was a day I will always cherish. I never dared hoping we could be together like this, again"
They weren't realizing it, but they had moved closer to each other. Now, Satine could feel her Jedi knight's manly breath on her skin. She was tempted. Tempted to get lost in his embrace, revel in his warmth, as she'd longed to for a long time. But she couldn't.
"But today was an exception. We've espoused two incompatible lifestyles. It was our choice, remember?"
This being said, she moved a bit, widening the gap between them.
Obi-Wan didn't know if it was her sad expression that prompted him to say what he said next, or if it was his need to get to the bottom of the matter: "I do, indeed. Although, Satine, all these years I couldn't help but wonder, why didn't you say anything when we parted ways? I was confused, and I must confess that I struggled"
Satine looked at him with such intensity that a chill ran up his spine. They were both shaking.
"I loved you, Obi-Wan, never doubt it for a second. I had no problems showing it to you when we had no time for caution. I loved you so much I was scared of myself."
She looked like she was about to cry. Obi-Wan was frozen, unable to move.
"But you see…that was the problem. I loved you for real. And you were a Jedi, a Force-user. You were born with it and you lived and breathed it every day. I knew you would achieve things far greater than you would ever believe yourself capable of achieving. I couldn't force you to be with me."
Obi-Wan was shocked "But you wouldn't have forced me to do anything against my will! I was ready to leave the Jedi behind" he was about to burst, overwhelmed, and finally freed from all his bottled-up, unspoken emotions.
Satine continued: "The decision was a source of sufferance for you. You would've had to sacrifice a lot. You see, Obi-Wan, love is a connection, it's not a possession. It doesn't impose itself, it is free. Possession can last a lifetime, but one of the two parties will always be a slave. Love, on the other hand, is freedom. I didn't know it, I never realized it, until I met you."
Her expression softened considerably
"I realized that asking you to leave the Jedi for me at that time wouldn't have been loving you. And I couldn't do that" she shook her head.
Satine was unstoppable now: "Moreover, a part of me was too proud to confess my undying love to someone who would leave me and whom I wasn't sure loved me just as much. I foolishly thought that if I kept denying my true feelings, I would suffer less, or the love would fade. It never did. Please, Obi-Wan, forgive me for my stubbornness. Forgive me, if it caused you pain."
Obi-Wan was speechless, a thousand colors and sounds exploding in his head, in his chest, leaving him out-of-breath.
Aching from all her painstaking confession, Satine concluded "Today was more than I could have ever hoped for"
She couldn't bear to look at him anymore.
"Goodbye, Obi-Wan"
She motioned to walk away, but felt a hand grab her arm. She turned around, finding herself face-to-face with the man she loved.
"You're right, love is free. And freely do I walk back to you." He said with a low, deep voice, curling his fingers around her other arm as well.
Her voice was a whisper: "You are a good person, Obi-Wan"
"I'm not good. I walk back to you because I'm willing to. Jedi Code and everything. Your presence causes me happiness, sadness, sometimes it makes me suffer. It keeps me alive. Next to you, I'm braver. Without you, maybe I would not suffer, but I would be less alive. And life is all we've got now." He held her closer.
The tension between them was unmeasurable.
They were breathing heavily, running their hands up each other's arms and resting on their shoulders. Obi-Wan raised a hand to caress the skin of her cheek, jaw and neck. She shivered. Their noses brushed a couple of times. They both had huge lumps forming in their throats. They closed their eyes, resting against the other's forehead, afraid that if they dared progressing any further, they would disappear into thin air. Satine touched his neck with both hands. They opened their eyes and detached their foreheads. The situation was so surreal to them that they were in a trance.
Then it happened. Satine moved forward first, but it was Obi-Wan who crushed his lips against hers. It was the longest kiss. They eventually broke apart, panting for air, running their fingers through each other's hair. Satine touched his face, leaning against his warm, strong body as they kissed again. And again, and again.
As their kisses deepened, they risked to lose all control on the situation. When Obi-Wan passionately lowered his face to nuzzle the soft curve of her neck, causing her to almost collapse on her knees, they understood that this couldn't go on right there and then.
Slowly, they pulled apart. They took their time to reach Satine's apartment. She walked inside through the main entrance while Obi-Wan met her on her balcony, using his Jedi abilities to avoid the guards. This little hide-and-seek game made things all the more exciting. Laughing, they ran toward one another, embracing on her balcony for the longest time, hiding behind the leaves of her perfumed plants.
After a particularly mind-numbing kiss, Obi-Wan murmured "Beautiful". Satine looked at the flowers around them "Yes, they're beautiful". He smiled "You're the most beautiful of them all".
It was close to midnight and the wind was chilly with the night's humidity.
Three minutes to midnight: Obi-Wan observed the Jedi Temple in the distance. Anakin was surely pacing the corridors, trying to find an explanation for his abnormal absence. He was certain the Council had tried to contact him throughout the day, after he switched his comm-link off.
Two minutes to midnight: maybe he should return to the Temple. This was his last chance.
One minute to midnight: Satine wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering her love inside his ear.
Thirty seconds to midnight: a particularly cold gush of wind prompted Obi-Wan to hold Satine tightly against his torso, to shield her.
Ten seconds to midnight: while kissing, they moved towards the door to Satine's bedchamber.
Three seconds to midnight: Satine one-handedly turned the doorknob open.
One second to midnight: they stepped inside.
Midnight, a new day: they shut the door close behind them.
* the Zabrak lady was inspired by a famous literary character.