And we are back, baby! I hope everyone had a great new year!
Reminder that the schedule is going back to normal, so Fives Effect will be updated today and then every other week on Monday.
Bard: Um. I can't do that...but also is slightly more hopeful maybe?
It's an Obi Wan chapter, but there is plenty of clone content.
Mando'a translations at the end!
Obi Wan slashed upward, catching his opponent right where the wrist met hand, and where no beskar protected them. The red armored warrior let out a surprised gasp of pain as both their hand and their blaster fell to the earth. Obi Wan easily Force pushed over the disarmed opponent.
"I would suggest you remain where you are." Obi Wan said mildly. "You have fought valiantly. You will be treated well."
"Ne'johaa, aruetii!" The Mando spat.
Obi Wan sighed, eased the man's helmet off with the Force, and whacked him across the head with the hilt of his lightsaber.
Once the Mando was out, Obi Wan turned his attention back to his forces. They were about to breach Sundari's dome and he wanted to be there. Maul's forces were thinning and to Obi Wan's relief, many were retreating. Bo Katan's forces had cleared a path to the sheer dark wall of the dome. Obi Wan approached it. They had to move quickly, before Maul's reinforcements arrived.
"Demolition team, move in!" Obi Wan said into his comm.
A pair of clones marked with red pauldrons hurried forward.
"Got the dentons, Denton?" One of them called cheerily.
"Shut up, Crosswire." The other said. "I don't forget our ordnance."
"Clear the area!" Obi Wan called as Denton and Crosswire began attaching the flat discs in an arc on the wall.
Clones and Mandalorians alike began retreating to the line of A-7s a hundred meters away. They kept up the coverfire, and Denton and Crosswire finished their task in peace.
"Would you like the honor, sir?" Crosswire asked as they jogged up to him.
"Certainly, Crosswire." Obi Wan said, making a point to use the trooper's name.
The demo clone handed Obi Wan the cylindrical remote.
"Just wait until we're out of the blast zone, please." He said.
There were shouts and Obi Wan cursed. More of Maul's forces were coming in from both sides. They needed this detonated now.
Obi Wan deftly picked up the two demo troopers with the Force and hurled them towards the rest of the army. He followed with an enormous leap, and activated the detonator.
The explosion threw Obi Wan forward. He lost control of his descent and crashed painfully into the ground. He felt a jag of pain in his nose and heard a sharp crack.
"Not again." He mumbled through a mouthful of blood and sand.
He hated breaking his nose. There was always a chance it wouldn't be set straight, and well, Obi Wan had a reputation to uphold.
"Sir!"
Kix had reached him.
"No neck pain, Kix." Obi Wan said wearily. "But I do believe my nose is broken."
Kix helped Obi Wan flip over and sit up.
"Could have been worse." Kix looked over at the dome. "Looks like we've got it breached."
"Excellent." Obi Wan said. "I suppose I must head the next section of the assault."
Obi Wan blinked as a blue clad Mando approached them. Kor.
"I will lead the assault, sir." Kor said.
Obi Wan glanced at the young man. He had removed his helmet and was looking at Obi Wan with determination. He was so young, but then, so had been Ahsoka and she had been one of the best Commanders in the GAR. Kor had already proven himself adept at leading both Mandalorians and clones. And Obi Wan very much did not feel like leading the next section of the assault.
"Very well." Obi Wan said. "Inform me if you require assistance."
He felt like he was sending Anakin on his first solo mission. And there was an odd sort of pride in his chest as Kor nodded, replaced his helmet, and began giving orders into his comm.
"Commander Vaughn, what squads are ready to move out?" Kor asked as he moved away.
"Come on, sir." Kix said. "Let's get that nose patched up."
Obi Wan wearily got to his feet and followed Kix to the line of A-7s, past them, and to the medical tent beyond.
The tent was mostly empty. Obi Wan guessed most of the medics were out with the assault. Only a few were tending some early casualties.
"Looks like a doozy, sir." Kix said as he gestured for Obi Wan to take a sit. "I'll have to manually realign it."
"Lovely." Obi Wan said. "Well, let's get it over-"
There was a commotion outside the tent and a knot of people burst in. The medics all jumped and Obi Wan stared at the sight. Two Mandalorians in blue armor were holding a limp figure in their arms. A clone. They were holding a clone. Another clone was only a step or two behind them. The entire group radiated fear.
"We need a damn medic!" The taller of the Mandalorians shouted in a deep male voice.
Kix was immediately gone from Obi Wan's side and was helping the Mandalorians lift their burden onto the nearest cot.
"What happened?" Kix demanded as he began to remove the trooper's helmet and armor.
"He took a few slugs to the stomach." The shorter of the Mandalorians said in a calm, but taut female voice.
Obi Wan didn't need to see Kix's expression when he peeled back the trooper's blacks to know that the clone was dying. His presence in the Force wavered in a way that Obi Wan had felt too many times before.
The woman had removed her helmet, revealing short cropped grey hair and light brown skin. Her face told Obi Wan that she knew what Kix's diagnosis would be. She reached out and ran a hand through the injured trooper's hair.
"What can you do to ease his pain?" She asked.
Kix sighed, the tired noise of a nearly defeated medic.
"There are a few shots I can give him." He said. "But- it won't be long now."
"What?" The man asked. "Eni, what is he talking about?"
"Trev, you've seen wounds like this." Eni said. "You know what it means."
She continued to stroke the trooper's head. Trev stared at her. The second trooper stood behind them, stony faced. Kix began administering several shots to the barely moving trooper.
"Not him." Trev said. "Dammit, we were so close!"
The dying trooper jerked at the man's sharp voice. Eni shot her partner an angry look.
"Udesii, Tal." She soothed the trooper.
Trev had moved in closer to the clone.
"Ni ceta, ad'ika." The man mumbled. "We should have taken you both away when we had the chance."
The other trooper had slipped next to Eni, who put her unoccupied arm around his shoulder.
"If he's going to hear it, we should do it now." She said.
Trev nodded.
Obi Wan watched as two Mandalorians spoke the words of the gai bal manda to a clone, a being rejected by most of their kind. Then they turned to the second trooper and spoke the words again.
Moments later, Tal stopped moving, and the small group lowered their heads. Trev moved over to embrace the still living trooper, their son.
"We're not waiting anymore, Wing." He said. "I'm sorry I didn't do it before. We're getting the hell out of here."
Wing nodded numbly.
Kix had moved back to Obi Wan after covering Tal's face with a sheet.
"I-I'm sorry, sir." He said.
Obi Wan shrugged as Kix administered a numbing agent to his nose.
"It's quite all right, Kix." He said.
Kix kept glancing back at the little family as he prepared to realign Obi Wan's nose. He was just as shocked by the event as Obi Wan.
"I didn't know-" He muttered to himself. "I had no idea-"
"It seems the Mandalorians are warming up to the clones." Obi Wan said.
An understatement, it seemed. For a Mandalorian couple to adopt two clones- Obi Wan did not think it possible.
A painful jerk later and Obi Wan's nose was presumably straight. He trusted Kix, anyway. He kept stealing glances at the family as Kix packed his nose in bacta.
"You're good to go, sir." Kix said. "Though you may want to change robes."
Obi Wan glanced down at his blood covered front.
"I think you're right. Thank you, Kix."
"Of course, sir." Kix paused, and leaned forward. "It's a shame that both Tal and Wing died so quickly, one after another."
"A terrible shame." Obi Wan agreed.
It would make things easier when Wing disappeared, alongside two Mandalorians.
Obi Wan remembered that he had no extra clothes with him. He cursed to himself and was attempting to clean the blood off of the tunic with water from his canteen when he heard his name.
"General Kenobi!"
Obi Wan turned to see Eon dashing towards him. The young trooper looked more flustered than Obi Wan had seen him since they'd removed him from command. Obi Wan was even more surprised to see that he was not with Ventress. Eon had been practically glued to Ventress' side since she helped him recover from his chip removal. Second only to Ventress was Kix.
"Sir!" Eon said as he reached Obi Wan. "Come quickly- Lady Ventress and General Kryze are fighting!"
Obi Wan was about to comment that they often did so before Eon's harried face stopped him. The boy's expression told him that they were exchanging more than vicious words this time.
"Where are they?" Obi Wan asked.
Eon took off again and Obi Wan followed. It wasn't long before the sound of a scuffle reached Obi Wan's ears. It came from one of the command tents.
Obi Wan burst into the tent to find Ventress pinning Bo Katan to the ground, snarling in the Mandalorian's ear.
"Ventress!" Obi Wan cried, moving to intercept. "What's going on?"
"Ask this bitch!" Ventress said, digging an elbow deeper into Bo Katan's back.
"Let her go!" Obi Wan said.
To his relief, Ventress got off of the violently swearing Bo Katan.
"I knew we shouldn't have brought her!" Bo Katan said between heaving breaths.
"Tell him!" Ventress ordered. "Or I'll give the Mandalorians another reason to hate Force-users!"
"Bo Katan?" Obi Wan asked.
She coolly met his gaze.
"It doesn't concern our mission here." She said flatly.
"You scum!" Ventress hissed. "Kenobi, the clones are free and she's known for days."
Ventress' words didn't make sense to Obi Wan. Free? The clones were free?
Then it clicked.
"They're free?" Obi Wan said. "They don't belong to the Kaminoans any longer?"
Ventress nodded.
"The Republic Senate passed the law a week ago." Ventress said. "And she knew."
Obi Wan reeled. His men were free. They didn't have to fight any more. They didn't have to be here.
And Bo Katan had known. She had managed to get through Maul's communication blackout and she had known.
Obi Wan turned to Bo Katan.
"Why didn't you tell us?" He tried to keep his voice level.
"We're so close, Kenobi!" Bo Katan said. "What difference does a few more weeks make?"
Obi Wan thought of the grieving family in the med tent.
"It makes all the difference in the galaxy." He said through gritted teeth. "Hundreds of men have died in the last week alone!"
Bo Katan didn't quite meet his eyes.
"It's better that they die in the place of my people."
"Then you should go die in place of them!" Ventress said. "Even I can see a coward like you is not a true Mandalorian!"
Obi Wan was satisfied with Ventress' rebuke.
"Ventress." He said, ignoring Bo Katan. "Contact Master Ti and Gilamar. We must prepare to extract."
"Those clones aren't going anywhere until Mandalore is ours again!" Bo Katan protested.
Ventress sneered at Bo Katan.
"Your contract with the Kaminoans is null and void." She said. "And I doubt you have one with the clones themselves. They can leave whenever they want."
"And I think they will want to leave immediately." Obi Wan said.
He turned and made to push through the tent flap.
"You're disgracing Satine's memory!" Bo Katan shouted after him.
"I disgrace her memory every time I ignite my lightsaber." He said tiredly. "You can't use her to control me any more."
"Sir, is it true what she said?" Eon asked as Obi Wan and Ventress exited the tent.
Obi Wan glanced to Ventress.
"I confirmed it, Kenobi." She said.
"Then it is, Eon." Obi Wan said.
Instead of being excited, Eon looked scared.
"What's going to happen to us?" He asked.
"Darling," Ventress took Eon by the shoulders and looked him in the eye. She had called Obi Wan 'darling' many times, but never did she sound as sincere as she did now. "Don't worry. We will make sure that you are taken care of."
Eon stared at her. Ventress glanced at Obi Wan.
"All of you." She added.
Eon gave a small nod. Obi Wan then pulled out his commlink.
"If you could contact Gilamar and Master Ti, Asajj."
Ventress nodded and pulled out a comm of her own.
"Come in, Kor." Obi Wan spoke into his comm. "I have urgent orders."
There was no response. Obi Wan frowned. Kor was always easy to get a hold of, unlike Anakin, or Vos.
"Kor?" Obi Wan repeated. "Please respond."
Still nothing.
"What the blazes?" Obi Wan muttered to himself before switching frequencies. "Commander Vaughn, come in!"
"Vaughn here." The clone's response was nearly immediate. Obi Wan thought he could detect strain in his voice.
"Commander, where is Sergeant Kor?" Obi Wan asked.
"We lost contact with him five minutes ago." Vaughn said. "His position is unknown."
Obi Wan felt a strange jolt at Vaughn's report. Not Kor. Obi Wan was fond of the boy and he would never forgive himself if he let anything happen to Satine's beloved nephew.
The order he had to give seemed to stick in his throat.
"Have all troops fall back. We're evacuating, effective immediately." Obi Wan said.
He waited a moment to let Vaughn relay the order before continuing.
"Are there any men willing to stay and look for Sergeant Kor?"
"There are plenty who'd want to look for him." Vaughn said, though his voice betrayed his confusion. "Including myself."
"Find a few others and sweep for Sergeant Kor." Obi Wan ordered. "The rest of you must retreat to the city walls. Things have changed."
"Yes, sir." Vaughn said.
"Vaughn." Obi Wan said before the Commander could click off. "Do not risk your men out there. Be extremely cautious"
"Yes, sir." Vaughn repeated, but with a little more confusion.
The comm clicked off.
"Kenobi." Ventress said. "Tell me why I shouldn't just let Kryze get murdered by Ti? I told her, and she seems up for the sport."
"I still wish to aid Bo Katan in her goal." Obi Wan said. "Maul must be dealt with."
"And you're just going to hand over Mandalore to her?" Ventress asked.
Obi Wan cocked an eyebrow at Ventress.
"Do you think the Mandalorians would follow her?" He asked.
"They follow Maul." Ventress pointed out.
"I believe someone that is currently on her side will rise up and challenge her." Obi Wan said. "Besides, it really isn't our place to meddle."
Ventress snorted.
"Kenobi, if you weren't already known as the Negotiator, they'd call you the Meddler."
"Fine. I do not wish to meddle." Obi Wan said. "I am here to deal with Maul and save the kidnapped younglings. Not get involved with Mandalorian power struggles. Come, we must meet with Gilamar and Master Ti."
"Eon, go stay with your medic friend." Ventress said.
It was an unspoken rule that Eon was not to be alone. Even after he'd mostly overcome the initial trauma of his chip being removed, Kix and Ventress considered him fragile. It was one of the main reasons they hadn't removed any more chips. That, and Eon's own recommendation that they did not.
"Lady Ventress, I would prefer to stay with you at the moment." Eon said.
"Eon, you're not part of an army anymore." Ventress said. "I'm Asajj."
Eon blinked at her.
"But doesn't that mean I don't have to follow your orders anymore?" He asked.
Ventress sighed.
"They're not orders. They're a suggestion that you're going to follow because I know best."
Eon frowned, brow creasing.
"You'll keep me updated?" He asked.
"Of course." Ventress said.
Eon nodded and scurried off towards the med tent.
"What is your plan for him?" Obi Wan asked as he and Ventress began to make their way to the back of the camp.
"A bounty hunter can always use an apprentice." Ventress said airily.
Obi Wan frowned.
"I would think you would want to keep him out of danger."
"I do." Ventress said. "I can do that by teaching him how to better defend himself."
"He's a soldier." Obi Wan said.
"An incredibly naive soldier." Ventress said. "Trust me, Kenobi. He'll be safe."
"Kenobi!" Gilamar's angry voice rang out.
The Mandalorian doctor looked murderous.
"Where is she?" He demanded. "Where is that hu'tuun?"
"Bo Katan is the least of our worries right now." Obi Wan said. "We need to get these men out of here."
Master Ti had arrived as well. Her normally gentle eyes sparked with fury.
"Is it true, Kenobi?" She demanded. "The clones have been fighting for nothing for the past week?"
"It is." Obi Wan said. "But, please, we must focus on returning the men to Coruscant."
"I can contact Kal." Gilamar said. "He can let the sheb'urcyin alor know."
"I will contact Master Plo." Master Ti said. Obi Wan did not miss that she did not say the Jedi Council. "I must stay here, but he will be able to help when they return to Coruscant."
"There's something else." Ventress said. "The clones we have with us are free, but the Kaminoans are refusing to release the clones currently on Kamino."
"What?" Obi Wan hissed.
"The Republic has no way of enforcing the new law." Ventress said. "But the Kaminoans have no power to retrieve currently deployed clones.
"The Jedi-" Obi Wan started.
"Are refusing to get involved." Ventress said.
Even as anger flooded Obi Wan, he was not surprised. Shaak Ti looked resigned rather than shocked as well.
"General Kenobi!"
That was Kix's voice. He was jogging alongside Eon to Obi Wan and the others.
"General Kenobi," Kix said again. "Is what Eon says true?"
"Yes." Obi Wan said. "The 104th is free."
"Just the 104th?" Kix repeated. "Why-"
Obi Wan gave the same reason that Ventress had. Kix gritted his teeth for a moment and looked down. He took a deep breath before meeting Obi Wan's eyes again.
"Eon says you're extracting us." He said.
"Of course we are." Obi Wan said. "You don't have to fight this battle anymore."
Obi Wan was confused by the conflicted look of Kix's face. Wouldn't he want to leave?
"Sir, I don't know if we all want to." He said.
"Son, you don't know what you're talking about." Gilamar said. "You've been trained to want to finish the mission. It's what you know."
"I- talked to that Mandalorian couple." Kix said quietly. "The ones that adopted those two clones."
Ventress raised an eyebrow and Master Ti's eyes widened. Gilamar seemed unimpressed.
"Sirs, from what they've said, a lot of the Mandalorians have gained respect for the clones." Kix said. "And, well, you know that many of us consider ourselves Mandalorian. This has become our fight."
"Kix-" Obi Wan said. "Kix, you don't have to fight anymore."
"I know that." Kix said. "But I'd be willing to fight one last battle if it got many of us a home."
"Coruscant-" Obi Wan started.
"Wasn't much of a home for some of us, sir." Kix said. "The 501st, 212th, 104th, and a couple other legions did mostly okay, but you've seen the statistics, sir. A lot of us were lost there. This could be an opportunity for many of us."
Gilamar was nodding.
"I can guarantee that most of the Mandalorians would accept the clones if they stayed of their own free will to help reclaim Mandalore." He said.
"What about the chipped clones?" General Ti asked.
"Eon suggested we wait to remove their chips until the end of the campaign." Ventress said. "The campaign is over. They won't be staying behind."
Eon nodded in agreement.
Obi Wan looked at Kix, who had the typical Fett determination flashing in his eyes.
"You're one of the oldest clones here, correct?" Obi Wan asked. "Do you feel comfortable speaking for most of the men?"
Kix gave a short nod.
"Then come with me." Obi Wan said. "We must negotiate with Bo Katan."
Bo Katan was speaking urgently into a comm when Obi Wan and Kix returned to the command tent.
"What do you mean you lost him?" She snapped. "You do not leave that battlefield until you find him!"
She noticed Obi Wan and Kix and clicked the comm off. She sneered at them, fury and worry sparking off of her.
"Kor is missing." She said shortly. "And your hu'tuun'la clone army is retreating. What do you want, Kenobi?"
"It's not what I want." Obi Wan said. "The clones are willing to negotiate with you."
Kix stepped forward, eyes steely and determined.
"You rented us from the Kaminoans to fight for you. " He said. "We're offering the same thing, except you'll be compensating us directly."
Bo Katan gave a bitter laugh.
"What do you want, our beskar? the Darksaber? The planet?"
"It depends on the clone." Kix said calmly. "Some of us want to be paid in credits."
Bo Katan snorted.
"That can't be it."
"It is, at least for some of us." Kix said. "I'll even give you a deal: half of what you paid per head to the Kaminoans."
"You don't even know what I paid." Bo Katan said.
"True." Kix said. "But I know it was expensive. I'd say I'm offering you a pretty good bargain."
Bo Katan's brow furrowed, but Obi Wan was relieved to see her expression was more thoughtful than angry.
"You said some. What do the rest of you want?"
"We want a place among the Mandalorians." Kix said.
"No." Bo Katan said immediately.
"Bo Katan-" Obi Wan started.
"Sir, I can handle this." Kix said.
His face was impassive as he met Bo Katan's hostile gaze.
"If we fight for Mandalore of our own choice, I'd say that we've earned a place."
"You have no souls." Bo Katan hissed. "The people would never accept you."
"I disagree." Kix said. "Seeing as I witnessed not two hours ago a Mandalorian couple adopting two clones."
Bo Katan's eyes widened.
"What?" She hissed.
"The Mandalorians' opinion of us isn't as bad as you think." Kix said. "And if they have no objection, I think we'll have earned our beskar, so to speak."
Bo Katan clenched her fists, staring at the ground. Then she looked up.
"Every clone that wants to become Mandalorian must be claimed by an existing family or clan." She said.
Kix glanced to Obi Wan, who nodded. It seemed fair enough. Besides, if what Obi Wan suspected was true, Bo Katan would not be in power long enough to enforce it.
"I accept." Kix said. "But you must pay every clone that isn't claimed in credits."
"Fine." Bo Katan said. "You need to hurry and figure out who's staying and leaving. Maul won't let us rest for long. We've already lost a lot of ground."
Kix nodded.
"Sir, with your permission, I'll start seeing who'll volunteer." He said to Obi Wan.
"You don't need my permission, Kix." Obi Wan reminded him.
"Er, right." Kix said.
He ducked from the tent. Obi Wan stayed, looking at Bo Katan.
"I'm sorry about Kor." Obi Wan said.
"Not sorry enough, otherwise you wouldn't have had your clones retreat." She said, not looking at him.
"There is a squad looking." Obi Wan said. "If they haven't found his body, he's most likely been taken prisoner."
"You've seen what Maul does with his prisoners." Bo Katan said.
Obi Wan suppressed a flinch.
"He has no connection with me, besides Satine being his aunt." Obi Wan said. "He's probably being held for information. The danger would be his connection to you."
The look that Bo Katan gave him made Obi Wan doubt his statement.
Mando'a:
Ne'johaa, aruetii!: Shut up outsider!
Udesii: be calm, be still
Ni ceta, ad'ika: I'm sorry, little one. lit: I kneel, a rare, groveling apology
gai bal manda: Mandalorian adoption vows
hu'tuun: coward, worst insult
sheb'urcyin alor: the butt kissing leaders. In reference to the Senate. I made this one up. I feel like the Mandalorians would hold the Senate in contempt.
hu'tuun'la: cowardly
I know that my Obi Wan chapters aren't as popular as my Rex or Ahsoka ones, but it's where the story is right now. I'm sorry that it's a return chapter, but after a chapter or two of the Obi Wan, we gonna get angsty. But I do like this chapter. The clones slowly being accepted and adopted into the Mandalorian society is something that I really like. I know I've said I like Bo Katan, and I do, but geez, I've made her into a villain. That's what you get when working with a morally grey character. And then on the flip side, I've made Ventress into a paragon. She very much loves Eon like a younger brother and has learned to respect the clones. I know I've made the kidnapped younglings basically inconsequential, but it's too late to exclude it. It's mostly for a totally self indulgent fan service later. And maybe to get Shaak Ti there to support Obi Wan.
While I was editing this, my sister/editor asked, 'Why isn't anyone asking who Kor's mother is? There's only three Kryze siblings, right?' and I was like 'Only two in canon and also no one asks in the show so this is totally in line with canon.' CAUSE NO ONE ASKS. And we all know that Jedi are perfectly able to be completely stupid when the Force screams something in their face. *cough Luke on Dagobah cough* So yeah, Obi Wan hasn't figured it out yet, but give it a minute.
Kix being a boss and negotiating for his brothers. He personally doesn't want to be a Mandalorian, but he's willing to fight. And Omega and Echo's efforts weren't in vain! At least these boys get a choice.
Fun fact, the denton explosive is the explosive that Hunter and the Bad Batch try to sell on Pantora!
I'm glad to be back, and I'll see you guys next week for Guilty!
Wear your masks, remember to review, and have a great few weeks!