Okay people, here's chapter 23. I have homework to do which I've only been bothered to do now despite the week left I have off school, but I did loads on the first day of the holidays for hours and severely did NOT want to do anymore; but I have to make myself do it... UGH! So before homework, school and my dreaded final GCSE's, I have written and posted chapter 23. I was going to put more in, but I got bored and it would be just too long, and I need my school stuff out of the way. Life is hard. Anyway, enough of my rant! Here is chapter 23. Enjoy dudes, and if your a girl... dudettes! Yes, I have really just said that.
Chapter 23. Reunion.
"Keep up, Snips!" Anakin's laboured yet still omnipresent powerful voice yelled out to Ahsoka's ears as she dashed after the blur that was her Master.
He was like a whirlwind through the streets and roof tops. The two had left without any warning of the other's after Anakin's premonition. He was too stricken with horror to even so much as give an explanation. When he had gained control of himself, he had pushed himself hastily on his feet and burst silently for the swinging open door, Ahsoka on his heels.
Now she was panting; could feel the sweat beads forming across her brow and dripping at the back of her neck, trickling down her bare back.
Being the padawan of the Chosen One was indeed a blessing among many Jedi padawans who envied Ahsoka, yet it was no picnic. It was demanding enough to keep up with him.
"Master, you realise you will have royally angered the duchess if she finds out about our discretion."
"I know that, Ahsoka," Anakin commented, flicking his padawan, who had now just managed to keep pace next to him a wary glance. "So it's better that we get this done quick."
"You know Master Obi-Wan. He tends to get caught up in a heap of trouble."
"Hmm, yes, considering what trouble he walked into before we came." And a flicker of anger welled up deep inside of him as he thought back to the moment his eyes had lain upon Obi-Wan's beaten and weary form slumped against the wall, head hanging loosely as if only suspended on a flexible thin piece of steel.
Anakin chose not to comment any further on the turn his thoughts were beginning to take in which his anger sent them to. Visions of him slicing Vizsla in two was satisfactory for him, but they were no images that needed to be shared with his padawan who still had much to learn. He vividly remembered Luminara Unduli's comments on her use of 'aggressive negotiations' upon Nute Gunray.
"Let's just forget about that predicament and focus on the here and now," he finished, vaulting over a pipe line that stretched across the roof, Ahsoka hot on his heels as she slid under it.
A tug at the back of both Jedi's mind, however, told them that it was unwise to leave the duchess and rebels alone…
Cody stood erect at the right side of the gunship, near the blast doors, his hand grasping the railing above him tightly, fingers loosening and locking slowly in agitation.
Behind his blank helmet, his brow creased in worry. 'General you'd better be alright.'
The ship flew high in the clouds, yet through the door to the cockpit, the palace was visible through the fluffy white pillows of water and air.
"Drop us in low, pilot." Cody ordered, his eyes never leaving the slits of light through the blast doors of the shuttle once he turned back.
"Yes Sir," the affirmative response reached his ears, and Cody felt the difference in the weight of his feet as the gunship began to descend towards the ground.
Obi-Wan paused at the edge of the last roof covering the spacious gap between him and the palace wall. His chest heaved as he sought to catch his breath and his eyes scanned the area, picking up every second a sentry of Death Watch guards.
He sought to just push on and dare the leap and danger ahead, but his better judgement fought against it, and he slowly lowered himself to the floor, crossing his legs and lightly laying his hands on his knees, allowing his eyes to slowly drift shut and his breathing to become slow and deep, the feeling of his heart rate slowing to its original pace relaxing him as the Force flowed through him.
Relying on the Force through his minds eyes, the mystical energy painted a picture of pure energy before him; that of a vivid dark blue, any adversary a lurid black, the aura of darkness and evil stretching out of their forms like tentacles. Any spaces the Force pointed to him that were clear were a bright white, and the abyss before him was just endless black.
He pulled in a deep breath through his nose, letting the air tunnel through him to his lungs, feeding them the food they craved.
He pinpointed the spots that he could disguise himself in and was about to set off when he heard the familiar hum of an engine in the sky rumbling near.
Slowly opening his eyes, his azure gaze drifted upwards and centred on a familiar gunship looming closer.
'Cody,' he thought, irritation creeping in him. 'What do you think you are doing here?'
He stood up and, willing himself to be quiet, he began waving his arms about, hoping the pilot would spot him and land.
Cody waited as the gunship continued its descent, dark almond eyes scanning below him for his general. All he was greeted with was the Death Watch patrols. Even from his height he could make out the small, shiny blue blips as the mercenary's.
'What happened here?'
"Commander," the pilot's voice drifted to Cody's attention. "You might want to take a look at this."
'What is it?' He thought irritably as he unsteadily stumbled his way to the cockpit. "Yes?" He snapped as he leant over the right end of the pilot's seat, squinting his eyes to what was spanned out below them through the transparent windshield.
The pilot's masked gaze never left the view. "I believe I've found General Kenobi."
Cody craned his neck, the taut muscles revealing themselves as he stretched forwards to gain a better view of things. His eyes, like that of a hawk's oculus were true to the pilot's words. There, down below their soaring metallic body was the great general; the striking auburn hair, cream tabard, and his arms flailing frantically, hailing the gunship in as he sought to acquire their attention.
"Take us down," Cody said tiredly, acquiescing to the request of the general and running a hand slowly across his face, the deep lines in his hands scraping against the skin on his face.
The pilot obeyed with no objection and with a tilt of the flight controls, Cody felt the gunship shift beneath his feet as the metallic monster's body groaned with the shuttles boosters as it began it swift descent.
The ship landed mere seconds afterwards, Cody practically darting with the speed of a blaster bolt towards the blast doors and standing behind them, his impatience boiling inside of him as time seemed to deliberately slow in opening the doors just to stir his agitation.
Finally the doors slid open and much too slow for the clone commander as he started to step out of the door only to halt as Kenobi stood awaiting him right outside them.
"General," he gasped, relief washing over him as his dark eyes drank in the sight of him.
His face was battered with fading purple bruises and a deep, now slowly healing gash across his nose which was still crusted with the brown, jagged line of healing skin tissue.
"Cody," he said, a sharp and tantalizing slow edge to his voice as his steely eyes locked onto his second in command. "what are you doing here?"
Cody was rather stunned at the Jedi's tone. He'd never really spoken to him in a near harsh tone before. Ever.
"You were supposed to reform with awaiting reinforcements at the Negotiator," he continued, his voice dropping to a lower tone, almost hissing at him. The tone held a dangerous and menacing set of words that looked to be that Cody was going to be the victim of. "So explain to me why you are here."
Cody gazed silently at Kenobi, who folded his arms across his chest and fixated him with a silent stare, nothing menacing, but it certainly held a dangerous gleam, and Cody realised that something was stirring with his General's mind and emotions.
"Sir-" he began, voice in that same authoritative tone.
"So do you just disobey orders now?" Kenobi interrupted, a single eloquent ginger eyebrow raising quizzically. "My orders."
Cody felt a small lump lodging it's self in his throat, choking any chance of a voice coming forth from him, but he forced himself to swallow it down. "No, Sir. But I had the feeling you needed my assistance." What was he supposed to do? Lie? Certainly not to him. Not Kenobi; the Jedi, man who trusted him with his life.
"You had a feeling…" Kenobi replied tersely, however his tone had lightened, and whatever malicious look was in his eyes or voice had suddenly evaporated from him like steaming water. 'Have I somehow established a connection with Cody?' Was it possible? He wasn't Force sensitive, and the only bond he could fathom to have with Cody was a professional relationship of friendship between that of a General and Commander. Although he couldn't deny that over the year and a half he had known him they had built a foundation of friendship, and if he had created a bond with Cody then it was a deep and strong running friendship.
Tapping into the Force, he searched through Cody's Force signature and definitely located a connection, the tethers that bonded them together in the form of trust was thick, running down to entrusting their well-being into each other. Their very own lives.
He smiled, a mere twitch of the corners of his lips before forcing it into a convincing grin to break out across his face, his azure eyes sparkling slightly. "Well, I'm glad you had that feeling, Cody, because it looks as if I need you here for this particular task." Then, the Force decided to be cruel and wash him with yet another vision. His eyes misted over and his mind was forcefully yanked into the currents of the Force.
Through the misty haze around him, the centre of it swirled into a small, whirling tornado and began to show him the battle all over again. 'No. Oh please no…'And there was Cody and his troopers, numerous men being gunned down. Cody had dived behind some debris from the roof, the top of his head bobbing over the top as he flung his arm up, wrist twisting over the debris and finger pulling on the trigger like a mad man as he fired stray shots towards the sea of droids and Death Watch mercenaries.
And there was that sickening sound of a lone blaster bolt and the gasp and involuntary moan of pain that shattered his heart to a million pieces every time he heard it. Satine falling to the ground, her body completely motionless with the exception of her shallow breathing; and he was kneeling by her side again, tears streaming down his face like a raging waterfall as he reached out a shaking hand to brush her cheek tenderly with his finger. This time he heard the words she and himself uttered to each other.
"Please don't die. Don't leave me, Satine. I can't bear it."
"I'm so sorry, Obi."
"What will I do without you?"
"You'll go on, Obi. You'll go on being the Jedi you were meant to be. The one I always knew you would become."
"Satine, don't say your goodbyes. You're not dying!"
"I'm sorry."
"No! Satine! Don't!"
"I love you. Hold onto that. I love you…"
"No. Satine… No. No, no, no, no. NO!"
And white blinded him temporarily before thrusting him back into reality. Cody stood before him, a look of concern etched onto his features. "General Kenobi, sir?"
He shook his head. "Cody, I need some troops to go to the warehouse on the far side of the city. Go through the side entrance. Announce yourselves as the squad under the command of General Kenobi. Duchess Satine is among rebels, those who still believe in her, and she will recognize you immediately. Am I clear?"
"Yes, sir!" He began to turn and step into the gunship when Obi-Wan stopped him by laying a hand on his arm.
"I need you with me, Cody," his azure eyes were pleading.
Cody nodded, feeling the wash of duty and dedication to lay his life on the line for the man before him flood his core.
"Waxer, Boil! You two are with me as well!"
The two clones hopped out of the ship excitedly and stood beside Cody, eyeing Kenobi with their ready responses to any orders given.
Kenobi then called out the various names of other clones from his regime. "Coates, Jax, Sonny, you're with me too. Six should do. The rest of you go to the warehouse." He barked the instructions to the pilot who affirmed his obligation with a, "Yes, Sir."
The blast doors slid shut and the gunship hovered in the air for a few seconds before soaring high into the sky, leaving the Jedi general and six clones standing on the roof top in solitary silence as they connived a way of getting across their next barrier and to the siege.
Yeah, Coates, Jax and Sonny are just names I made up for three numerous clones in the regime, in case you wondered about it. And the whole "You'll go on thing." I couldn't help it! I am recently obsessed with Titanic, not only because of the 100th anniversary since she sank, but because I love James Cameron's version of it. No copy right intended on anyhting whatsoever! Hope this chapter was satisfying. More on the way ASAP. ;)