Precipice by shadowsong26

Part 4: Commander

Commander: Chapter 16

It was still dark out when Leia woke all the way up. She'd sort of woke up a couple times before that, maybe-or, at least, she kind of remembered when Uncle Obi-Wan came in, and she still had his cloak so that had probably happened; and she kind of remembered Aunt Beru coming in and getting Daddy to sit up and swallow something a little bit after that.

Other than that, she'd mostly been dreaming about the silver planet again. In her dreams, she'd been worried about-something, she couldn't tell what. And she'd been planning something, maybe, but it was all slipping away now that she was awake and she couldn't remember.

It had been important, too, she was pretty sure. She'd been trying to-to go somewhere, to help someone, only…

Nope. It was all gone, like sand slipping through her fingers. Which was really, really annoying.

Well. Like it or not, she was all the way awake now, and the silver planet dream wasn't coming back. If it really was that important, she'd probably have the dream again and then she'd go help whoever it was. She couldn't do anything else about it right now, so she might as well just get up and find something she could do right here.

She made a face and wriggled out from under Uncle Obi-Wan's cloak. He was still there, slouched and sleeping in the other chair next to Daddy's bed. She collected the cloak from the chair, bunching it up careful so she wouldn't trip over it, and tiptoed across the room to give it back without waking either of them up.

Daddy did move a little bit when she got close, face crinkling like he was hurting or maybe having a bad dream. She went very still and held her breath for a minute, but he settled after a couple seconds.

Once she was sure he was all the way back asleep, she crept out of the room, heading for the kitchen. Probably Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru were still asleep, but she could at least get herself some milk and then figure out what she should do next. When she got a little closer, she could hear soft voices drifting down the hall. One was Uncle Rex, who sounded a lot less sad and scared than he had been last night (good). The other-

She didn't recognize the other. A woman's voice, but not Aunt Beru.

Leia paused for a second. Uncle Rex wasn't upset, and the stranger lady sounded-nice. Dangerous, but the good kind of dangerous, like Daddy and Uncle Obi-Wan. Dangerous that was hers, on her side.

So, this wasn't a bad thing. Just surprised her a little, 'cause it was kind of weird. Strange people didn't come over much, and when they did, they didn't usually sit and talk with one of her uncles at the kitchen table before dawn.

She shook her head and kept going, still moving quiet so she wouldn't wake anyone else up.

The two of them stopped talking when Leia came into the kitchen. She sighed inside her head. She really, really didn't like it when grown ups did that. But she'd learned a long, long time ago there wasn't really a lot she could do about it, other than get mad at them and maybe go sulk for a while. And she did that sometimes, 'cause sometimes it made her feel better, but it was a bad idea right now. It was way too early and fighting might wake Uncle Owen or Aunt Beru-or Daddy.

Plus, if she got mad and sulked, she wouldn't find out who this new person is, or why Uncle Obi-Wan trusted her enough to bring her here. Leia figured she'd probably gotten here with him, since she hadn't been with Daddy and Uncle Rex and no one else had come last night.

The stranger turned out to be a tall, pretty alien lady with orange skin. She had headtails, sort of like a Twi'lek, but not exactly. Plus, Twi'lek didn't have cones on top of their heads like she did. Leia was pretty sure she was a Togruta, but she'd never met one in person before.

More important, though, the stranger had lightsabers, like Daddy and Uncle Obi-Wan, only she had two of them. Which meant she was probably-

"Morning, ad'ika," Uncle Rex said softly, interrupting Leia's thoughts.

"Hi," she said, weaving past him and dragging a chair over to the counter so she could reach it and get her milk.

Uncle Rex watched her, ready to help if she needed it or catch her if she fell off, but let her pour for herself. Once he was satisfied she had everything under control, he glanced over at the stranger, and said, "I'm not sure you two met last night."

Leia shook her head.

"I think you were already asleep when Obi-Wan and I got in," she said. "I'm Ahsoka Tano, I'm an old friend of your dad's. And you're Leia, right?"

Just like she'd guessed, which made her happy. Leia liked being right. Plus, it made sense, 'cause who else would Uncle Obi-Wan bring here?

She nodded. "Hi," she said. "Daddy talks about you lots."

"Oh, yeah?" she said, and grinned, showing pointy teeth. "Only the good parts, I hope. The ones that make me look cool."

Leia rolled her eyes, but she kind of thought he did. Because Daddy mostly told stories about Miss Ahsoka when he was happy and wanted to stay that way. It was especially fun when Uncle Obi-Wan was there and he'd get that look on his face, and interrupt to say Daddy was wrong about something, or exaggerating, and then they'd start arguing about how it had really happened.

She sort of wondered how Miss Ahsoka would talk about some of their adventures. If she'd think Daddy was right, or Uncle Obi-Wan. Or if they were both wrong.

"I bet you could tell me lots of stories about him," she offered. "And Uncle Obi-Wan."

Miss Ahsoka laughed. "Yep. All kinds of stories."

And, based on the look on her face, they were really really good ones, too.

She smiled back and climbed down off the chair, joining Miss Ahsoka and Uncle Rex at the table instead. "Like what?"

Uncle Rex nudged Miss Ahsoka a little. "Remember that she's six, Commander," he said.

Which meant cutting out all the really scary parts, probably. Daddy did that, too; he would stop in the middle of a sentence, like he just realized it, and awkwardly skip ahead. She'd be mad about it if he didn't add those bits back in when he told her the stories again sometimes. Little by little.

"Yeah, I know," Miss Ahsoka said. "I'll be good." She pondered for a minute. "...I could tell you about Christophsis, where we all first met-" She paused, glancing briefly up at the chrono on the wall, and frowned. "Except that one's kind of long. Have you heard it before?"

"No." Daddy actually had told her that story, but she still wanted to hear Miss Ahsoka's version. "We probably have time?" Because they might get interrupted when other people came in, but that didn't really matter. Did it? ...what exactly did Daddy leave out?

Miss Ahsoka shook her head. "I think we're heading out pretty soon. Once Obi-Wan's up. But I'll make it up to you soon, I promise. I'll be around a lot from now on. We'll have plenty of time for me to tell you all those stories."

Well, that last part was good, at least-even if Leia mostly only knew Miss Ahsoka from Daddy's stories and about five minutes this morning, she was really cool. Leia had already decided she liked her.

But they just got here. And Uncle Obi-Wan wouldn't leave Daddy when he was hurt like this, especially not that quick. So maybe it was just Uncle Rex and Miss Ahsoka going somewhere, and they wanted to say goodbye to him first, but…

"Where are you going?" she asked.

Uncle Rex and Miss Ahsoka exchanged a quick look, and then he answered for her. "We're going to take your dad to the doctor."

"Oh," Leia said. That made sense. And she was extra glad she'd decided to be nice and not get mad or sulk about them getting all quiet around her and keeping secrets, 'cause she was pretty sure she was gonna have to argue really hard now to make them take her with them. It would be a lot easier if they thought she was acting like a grownup and weren't mad at her. "Okay. Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru will prob'ly be up soon, so I can tell 'em so they won't worry."

The two grownups exchanged another long, long look. Miss Ahsoka shrugged a little, and Uncle Rex sighed.

"We'll...have to check with General Kenobi about that, ad'ika," he said.

Be smart, she told herself. You can do this. "Why?" she asked. "I won't be in the way. The doctor's way, I mean. And I can help keep Daddy busy so he doesn't do anything dumb or try to get up again."

Miss Ahsoka choked a little on her caf. Uncle Rex looked a little pained.

"I'm sure you could," he said. "But it's safer for you here."

"Except you're not going to go shoot at bad guys this time," she said. "You're not going someplace scary." 'Cause Daddy was hurt bad, and he had a fever, and he didn't have-he didn't have a leg, so they couldn't go somewhere not safe with him.

"No," he admitted. "But they're more likely to find us there, or on the way there, or on the way back, than here. And right now, they don't know anything about you, or how to find you. But once we start taking you with us, they might find out. And I think your dad doesn't want that to happen for another couple of years."

Which she'd heard a million times before. Because she was too little, and she couldn't help them fight yet, and the bad guys might want to hurt her if they found her, 'cause that was a good way to hurt Daddy.

But she didn't care about that right now. "But-" she started, then took a deep breath so she wouldn't sound whiny and make them say no. "But this time I can help. And I'm really good at hiding. I'll be real careful, I promise. And-and if you really thought it was gonna be bad like that, you wouldn't take Daddy there." That was her real issue, because it was true. They'd figure out a way to bring the doctor here, or someplace else that was safe, instead.

Rex and Miss Ahsoka looked at one another again.

"You're not totally wrong," Miss Ahsoka said, after a minute. "It's not a big risk." Leia brightened and started to answer, but she held up a hand to stop her. "But- it is still a risk, enough that I don't think your dad will want us to take it. Because something bad could happen. You staying here isn't the only way to prevent it, but it is the easiest, and the most sure. Does that make sense?"

"I guess," she said. Uncle Owen had said something like that before, that sometimes you plan for the worst thing that could happen; for the harvest not coming in or the farm getting attacked or something. Even if it probably won't happen, 'cause if it does, and you are ready, then you don't lose everything. And most of the time, you don't lose anything except time by Being Ready.

Except...except this time she did lose something.

"But…" she tried, "but if it's not a big risk…I wanna come. I wanna help. And..." And I wanna be sure Daddy's okay.

"I know," she said, and glanced over at Uncle Rex and shrugged again. Leia got the feeling that she, at least, was more on Leia's side, but didn't think it was her choice to really make.

"We can ask General Kenobi, see what he says," he said, after a moment.

"Ask me what?"

Leia blinked and turned-she hadn't heard Uncle Obi-Wan getting up. "Hi," she said.

He smiled briefly at her. "Good morning, little one." He ruffled her hair as he passed, on his way across the room to get some caf from Miss Ahsoka.

"Leia wants to come with us," she said, passing him a cup.

"Ah." He considered for a moment. "I'm sure Ahsoka and Rex have already told you all the reasons why it's a bad idea."

Which could mean anything. She couldn't tell at all what he was thinking, so she just nodded. "I'll be good. I'll do exactly what you say, I'll hide, I'll run. Please?"

He was quiet for another moment, thinking. Leia held her breath and crossed her fingers. He hadn't said no right away, so maybe…

"All right. I will run it by your father, and see how he reacts. If he agrees, you can come."

She could hardly believe it, but she could feel herself brightening already anyway. "Really?"

"If your father agrees," he reminded her. "And he might not. Not because he doesn't want you there, but…"

"Because he thinks it's too dangerous," she said.

"Exactly. And if he says no, that's the end of it, all right?"

"Okay." Because it wasn't a good idea to upset him if they didn't have to right now. Until he was feeling better.

"All right. Good." He looked down into his cup, frowning a little, then sighed. "We should wake him before we move, anyway. So he knows what's going on and doesn't get any more...disoriented. I'll ask him then. How are we looking for time?"

"We're in the window," Miss Ahsoka said.

He nodded and stood up. "Right. Leia, I'll come get you once I get an answer from him, all right?"

So she could either get her things and tell Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru she was going or...or say goodbye. "Yeah." She hesitated a minute. "And...if Daddy says no, you'll come back soon, right?"

"Yes," he said. "I promise. As soon as the doctor releases him, I will make sure he comes right back here."

"Okay," she said again, and hopped down off her chair to hug him, tight.

He hugged her back briefly. "Why don't you go get dressed, and see if Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru are up? And make sure they agree to you coming along as well."

"I will," she said, and let go. That part wouldn't be hard, at least. Well, Uncle Owen probably wouldn't be happy about it, but she sort of thought Aunt Beru would expect something like that. And if Aunt Beru was on her side, Uncle Owen would say yes, too. And then she'd be doing something. She'd be helping. And she could make it up to Uncle Owen once Daddy was okay and she came home.

So as long as Uncle Obi-Wan got Daddy to agree, everything was gonna be okay.

Anakin came back to consciousness slowly, dragging himself up out of red-tinged, shadowy dreams of caves and crevices, of being off-balance and in pain. It took a minute for him to realize he was actually awake; but Obi-Wan's hand was resting on his, warm and solid and there, even if his brain and the room were still fuzzy and indistinct.

"Mmm…?"

"Good morning," Obi-Wan said quietly. "Feeling any better?"

"Sure," he said. "Time's it?"

"Almost dawn. We're leaving soon, that'll put us back at Dr. Naar's after local dark."

"Okay." He blinked a couple times to try and push aside the grogginess. Didn't much help, but he was tracking the conversation a little better. "Is...s'Leia up? I wanna say goodbye."

"She is." He paused. "She wants to come with us."

He felt his heartbeat jerk faster, and the world around him became much sharper and clearer. Adrenaline did a nice job of pushing away that fog. "No. Not safe."

Beru had suggested the same thing, he remembered. As a better option than him coming to the farm like he had, sure, but she'd still said. He hadn't liked it then, either, and-

"It should be," he said. "Or, not significantly less safe than her staying here, I don't think. Otherwise, we wouldn't risk moving you right now, either. And I think being left waiting, not knowing anything, would upset her. She...she needs to be sure you're all right."

He wasn't sure he could argue with that. Especially since-Beru had been right, turning up on Leia's doorstep like this had been...had been selfish, had only upset her.

He squeezed his eyes shut to squelch the guilt again. This might fix that, except-except it was dangerous.

"I don't-I don't know," he said. "It's...what if...she could be seen, she could…"

"Perhaps," Obi-Wan said. "And it is your decision. But I think we can keep the risk to an acceptable level, and it will do both of you good to stay together right now."

He wasn't sure about that. But the idea was coming from Obi-Wan this time, and he had a better idea of the risks than Beru did. And he would never risk Leia's safety if he didn't have to. And-okay, Anakin knew wasn't exactly at his sharpest right now-the disorientation from the fever came and went in waves, but he was foggy even when it was at its lowest-so Obi-Wan's judgment was probably better than his right now.

To be fair, it almost always is, anyway.

"I…" He pulled the blanket closer. For comfort-he wasn't cold; which was good, because the only way that would happen here would be if his fever was spiking again. And he did feel better when Leia was around, and Obi-Wan was probably right that being kept out of the loop would be awful for her. But...maybe that was being selfish again, just like coming here. And actually risking her safety this time.

Or maybe he was being paranoid. And he knew all too well where that road led.

But if he wasn't, if he was wrong…

But Obi-Wan thought this was a good idea. Or at least not a terrible one. And he trusted Obi-Wan. Always.

"Okay," he said. "Okay, she can-she can come. But...but if things do go wrong, you get her out first. Okay?"

"We'll keep her safe," Obi-Wan promised.

"Okay," he said, and then frowned. "Wait-wait, how long…?" Because if she was coming, if she disappeared from her home for too long...

"You will be there long as you need to be," he said firmly. "Unless something goes terribly wrong and we have to move you. But we'll probably send Leia home after a couple of days, either way."

Right. Because by then, she'd have calmed down, hopefully. She'd be less-less worried about him. Maybe. He hoped. "Okay," he said again, and sank back, letting his eyes slide closed.

Obi-Wan put a hand on his shoulder. "We're going to get moving in a few minutes. Do you want me to try to put you under, or do you want to stay awake?"

Which meant a sleep suggestion, which at least didn't leave him feeling weird like chemical sedatives did, but he still didn't like not being able to wake up on his own. And, sure, there was a chance he'd pass out anyway-a pretty good chance, given the way his leg was burning and the room was spinning even when he was lying still-but he didn't want to lose that control. Or miss any more time with Leia if he could avoid it. Especially since they were only bringing her so she could see that he was okay.

"Stay...stay awake," he decided.

"All right," he said. "Get some rest, gather your strength. Rex and Ahsoka will come and get you when everything else is ready."

"Yeah," he said. Obi-Wan's hand withdrew and he heard him leave the room.

I'm making the right call, he told himself. This isn't-this isn't stupid, or reckless, or selfish, or Obi-Wan wouldn't have suggested it. And Leia will-Leia will be fine.

And then, after the fourth or fifth time he repeated it to himself, a sudden moment of clarity struck him. Leia was very much his daughter, and she had tried to sneak along and follow him off-planet before, with a lot less reason than she had today. And if he'd been in her position right now…

I'm definitely making the right call, he thought. Because if Obi-Wan and Rex and Ahsoka are focused on-are focused on me, they might not notice her following them. Better for us to know where she is.

Now reassured on that, he felt himself relaxing, and fell into a shallow doze while he waited for the others to come.

About two hours after dark, somewhat later than expected, the Jedi turned up at Dr. Naar's back door.

"Come in," he said, quietly; glad he'd decided to wait a little bit longer before figuring they'd been delayed and going home for the night.

"Thank you," Ahsoka said, just as softly. With the help of their other human companion, she eased Skywalker in through the door. Kenobi was half a step behind, still wearing his sling as he was supposed to, and leading along-

Naar blinked. The little girl was entirely unexpected.

"She isn't here," Kenobi said softly.

...I'm fairly sure I don't want to know.

"All right," he said. "Keep her out here while I examine him?" Because small children should, if at all possible, not have to look at badly infected wounds.

"Of course," he said, squeezing the girl's hand to cut off any protest on her end.

Naar nodded, and went after the others.

Skywalker was settled back on the pallet they'd set up the first time, in the back storeroom. He was actually mostly conscious, if not particularly alert. Trembling with fever and fatigue, his breathing coming too rapid and shallow-his pulse would almost certainly match.

But not quite as bad as he'd feared.

At least on the surface. We'll know better when we look a little closer.

He arched an eyebrow at Ahsoka and her friend.

She nodded, and touched his arm. "C'mon, Rex."

"I'll let you know when I've finished here," Naar told them.

"Thanks," she said, and the two of them slipped out, leaving him alone with his patient.

Naar considered for a moment, but decided not to lecture Skywalker on how stupid he'd been. He'd probably been getting that from all sides, and more of it was likely to just make him belligerent and defensive. Not exactly conducive to healing.

He sighed. "Your friends told me you're going to stay put this time," he said instead.

"Yeah," Skywalker said. "Unless they think I have to run."

Which was probably the best he could hope for. He had his doubts as to how well Skywalker would hold to that once he had made significant progress towards recovery, but it would keep him where he belonged for a while, probably. At least until the fever broke, he guessed, maybe a little longer.

He nodded. "I'll trust that, until you give me a reason not to," he said. "But I will sedate you if I have to."

Skywalker sighed, and closed his eyes. "Fine."

"All right, then," he said, and turned to gather his gloves and his tools, then set to carefully unraveling the dressing on Skywalker's stump to see how much damage had been done.