Fifty-thousand colonists - gone.
Obi-Wan scrubbed his face. The discovery of the Separatists' collusion with the Zygerrian slavers hit Anakin the hardest. Even hours later, fury simmered beneath his calm exterior. Obi-Wan couldn't blame him. He was angry, too.
"I just got confirmation," Anakin announced as he entered the briefing room. "The plan is a go."
Adrina burst in, hot on Anakin's heels, with a sheepish Ahsoka in tow. "Tell me you're not."
Obi-Wan and Anakin glanced at each other. Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "Not what, exactly?"
Adrina's eyes narrowed. "Ahsoka tells me you're going to Zygerria, the three of you. Alone. And Ahsoka is posing as your slave."
"We're not," Anakin answered easily.
Adrina relaxed. "Good."
"Rex is coming with us."
Adrina's relieved smile vanished. She muttered a string of curses that made Obi-Wan raise an eyebrow. So that was where Cody had picked up that colorful phrase he'd started muttering whenever Anakin did something particularly reckless. "I strongly protest this, Anakin."
"I couldn't tell." Anakin rolled his eyes. He spread his arms wide. "It's a foolproof plan."
In the corner, Obi-Wan smothered a snort with his hand. Adrina ignored him.
"It'll be fine," Ahsoka said, glancing between Adrina and Anakin. "I'll be perfectly safe. No need to worry on my account."
"There is no such thing as 'perfectly safe' around Zygerrians. They would sell their own mother if it turned a profit." Adrina ran a hand over her hair. "Take me instead." Obi-Wan gripped the edge of the holoprojector. He battled every instinct that roared against placing her in harm's way. Unencumbered by the same compunction, Anakin and Ahsoka protested loudly.
"Absolutely not," Anakin snapped.
"You're needed here," Obi-Wan said, focusing on facts rather than his emotions. "I believe Ahsoka can handle it. She behaved admirably on Lola Sayu." Though he knew Adrina had not approved of Ahsoka's presence on Lola Sayu, either.
Ahsoka put her hands on her hips. "Yeah!"
More gently he added, knowing it would be her eternal internal struggle, "You cannot take every unpleasant thing upon yourself." Adrina opened her mouth to argue, but Obi-Wan silenced her with a soft, "Addy…"
Adrina's hands disappeared behind the folds of her skirt, a sure sign of her disapproval and frustration. "Fine." Her gaze swung to Ahsoka. A thousand memories haunted Adrina's eyes, but she held them in.
Ahsoka mustered a smile. "I'll be fine ."
Adrina closed her eyes. Obi-Wan's hands itched to pull her into his chest and hold her tightly. He managed to refrain, barely. "How are you even going to get to the planet?"
"D'Nar generously lent us his ship and a few uniforms. Ahsoka scrounged up an outfit from one of the colonist's homes." Anakin's grin turned feral. "They won't even know what hit them."
Adrina rubbed her temple in a vain attempt to ward off the headache she felt coming. "The four of you…" She exhaled loudly through her nose. "The four of you plan to sneak onto the planet and liberate fifty-thousand colonists ."
"We are going to locate them," Obi-Wan clarified. "Before calling in the fleet." Adrina met his eyes, allowing her pain to shine through.
Anakin's eyes flicked between his sister and former master. "Come on, Ahsoka," Anakin said abruptly. He beckoned his former apprentice to follow him. "Let's go brief the men."
Ahsoka grumbled under her breath, but she followed.
"I heard that," Anakin tossed over his shoulder. "I let you give the last briefing, didn't I?" Their bickering voices faded around the corner.
After a brief moment of silence, Obi-Wan softly commented, "I sense your distress."
Adrina crossed her arms. She pursed her lips. "I don't see how I couldn't be. Zygerria is pure evil. I once saw a slave skinned alive for sneezing. Sneezing ." Adrina shook her head. "One of Jabba's courtiers once cut a woman's babe from her belly and forced it down her throat. And you know what Jabba did to me. I could go on, account after account, horror after horror. Of course I want to spare Ahsoka from that."
Obi-Wan closed his eyes. He crossed his arms to keep them from reaching out.
Adrina held herself tightly. She stared down at her feet. "I know where you are going, and I'm-" Her voice broke. Tears shimmered in her eyes. His heart squeezed. "Obi-Wan, I'm terrified that I'm going to lose you. Both of you."
Obi-Wan's resolve crumbled. His fingers trailed down her arm, gently pulling her hands free. He squeezed her fingers. Her head tilted as she stared at their intertwined fingers. The strangest, strong desire to leave a trail of kisses from her calloused fingertips to her exposed neck and soft lips welled within Obi-Wan. Perhaps that would chase the shadows from her eyes. He shut that thought down and tried to calm his hammering heart. But he couldn't release her hands and she made no move to pull away.
"We have nothing to fear in death," he said finally. "It is a path we all must take."
"I know," she sighed. "But I…" She swallowed her words and raised her head with a too bright smile. "I will have faith."
Obi-Wan's body acted on its own volition, tugging her closer. Her head tipped up. It would be nothing to lean oh so slightly closer and press his body, his lips to hers. "I cannot promise our safety, but as much as it is in my power, I will always come back to you." His voice was low and warm, full of emotions he didn't dare dwell upon. His gaze dropped to her lips. The air between them hummed and tingled, heavy and warm and full of promise.
Did Adrina feel the tension between their bodies? Her shallow breathing and wide eyes indicated something , and he could almost swear she was leaning closer, too.
He should move. He needed to move. He needed to fight the desire urging and pulling him closer and closer to heavenly demise.
He felt her warm breath on his skin and the utter rightness of it all terrified and alarmed him.
Obi-Wan gathered the scraps of his good sense. He averted his eyes and stumbled backwards. The spell snapped. His arms were cold and empty, his lips aching for the kiss that never happened.
She stepped further away. "See that you do." And she vanished.
Obi-Wan slumped against the wall when the door hissed closed behind her. He could no longer ignore the attraction he felt towards Adrina. He had very nearly succumbed to desire and kissed her soundly, passionately.
Did Adrina feel the same desire for him? Had she felt the siren's call?
Or had she stepped away because she felt nothing but platonic friendship?
The answer did not matter, he supposed, beyond the salvaging of their friendship. He could not jeopardize that precious relationship any more than he could break the vow he held so dear.
He sighed heavily. Nothing could come of the attraction. They were Jedi. They had each made a commitment not easily broken. He should apologize, beg her forgiveness.
And he would need to get his head and heart in check.
But confronting the uncomfortable situation could wait - and wait a long time. He would simply ensure that it never happened again.
Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose. "What a mess."
0
Adrina scrubbed her face as she strode down the hallway. She had no destination in mind, only as far away from Obi-Wan as possible.
Her heart still pounded from the heady sensation of Obi-Wan's nearness. She'd almost ruined everything by kissing him. He was merely being a good friend offering comfort in her distress, and she had nearly kissed him. What was wrong with her? She had imagined their bodies pressed together, her hands plunging into his hair the way she did in her dreams. She had imagined…
Work. That's what she needed. Hard work to ground her solidly in reality. Hard work to drive all thoughts from her mind.
0
Obi-Wan eyed the gold mask with disdain. The clothes were comfortable enough, but he had felt cleaner after tumbling through mud than he did after donning the Zygerrian uniform. And the smell… Obi-Wan grimaced.
Anakin and Rex were waiting when Obi-Wan arrived at D'Nar's ship. Anakin lifted his chin to Obi-Wan in greeting, then flicked his eyes to the corner. Obi-Wan's brow drew together. Adrina stood in the corner, hand on Ahsoka's shoulder; both appeared grave, deep in conversation. Ahsoka nodded at whatever Adrina was murmuring quietly. With her back to him, Obi-Wan could only guess at Adrina's words.
Finally, Ahsoka threw her arms around Adrina in a tight hug that Adrina did not hesitate to reciprocate. Adrina left Ahsoka with a sad smile that vanished when she turned away. She squeezed Rex's shoulder with a whispered wish for safety and then wrapped her arms around her brother. Tears shimmered in her eyes when she pulled away.
Adrina halted, startled, when she saw him standing at the entrance. Would she offer him the same hug she offered her brother? His body desired it, though his mind warned against the danger.
Adrina did not offer an embrace, only a weary sigh.
"Keep the men in line," Obi-Wan said with a smirk, hoping to tease a smile out of her.
Adrina scoffed and rolled her eyes, but he caught the faintest of smiles. "Come back in one piece," she murmured.
Her hand brushed against his as she slipped off the ship and he told himself it was an accident and his body's response was ridiculous.
Ahsoka's blue silk gown whispered on the hard metal as she moved beside Obi-Wan, watching her return to MedBay.
"What did Adrina have to say?" Obi-Wan inquired.
Ahsoka chewed on her inner cheek for a moment before answering. "She told me that the role of the slave is not easy. That I have to pretend to be broken and weak. That they will demean me, and that I will witness atrocities I can't imagine, but that I can't fight back. She said I need to keep my eyes down and not draw attention to myself."
"She's right," Anakin agreed, having dropped any pretense of not eavesdropping. "Except, of course, when I need you to be yourself."
Obi-Wan tilted his head. "There's more."
Ahsoka nodded slowly. "She said that we won't be able to save everyone. Life isn't sacred to the Zygerrians." Ahsoka took a deep breath. "And she said that above all, no matter what happens, remember that we are loved. We are not forgotten. We will be found."
A chill ran down Obi-Wan's spine.
"Sounds like she expects us to be captured," Rex remarked.
"She does," Ahsoka whispered. "She expects us to be captured and thousands to be slaughtered to bring us to our knees."
Anakin clapped Ahsoka on the shoulder. "Not if we can help it."
"We will do what we can," Obi-Wan said and sent Anakin a warning look. Nothing good came from making impossible promises.
0
The rich tang of spices carried on the warm breeze nearly masked the odor of unwashed bodies. Vendors lined the streets, hawking a variety of goods, both mundane and exotic - and sentient. He released a calming breath. He glanced to his right and made eye contact with Rex.
Rex gave a short nod, as if to say We will free them, I know .
Upon reaching the market, Anakin had wasted no time in drawing the attention of a palace guard, casually tossing out the bait provided by Republic spies. Anakin had thrown a smugly satisfied smirk over his shoulder as he led Ahsoka towards the Queen's palace: a successful first stage.
Obi-Wan and Rex melted into the crowd. They surveyed their surroundings with sharp eyes, but found no sign of the colonists as they pushed further into the slave market. Rex has hypothesized that they would be kept hidden, perhaps not even on Zygerria proper, and it was beginning to look like he may have been correct. With any luck, the colonists had not been separated, though fifty thousand beings required a massive amount of space.
"Put this one with the others for auction."
Obi-Wan and Rex exchanged a glance at the barked order from the slaver in the stall opposite them. They discreetly followed the Zygerrian and the captive Bith down three more crowded streets and through an ornate archway into a labyrinth of underground pits. Guards stationed at the entrance narrowed their eyes at them, but allowed them to pass without question.
The Zygerrian disappeared down a stairwell with the Bith. Obi-Wan and Rex continued along the walkways overlooking the slave pits, edging past wealthy buyers perusing their potential purchases. Shadows masked the captives chained and cowering in the pits. He sensed their despair and terror.
Pit after pit, the muffled sobs pierced his soul. With each step, each cry, Obi-Wan fought against every instinct in his body. He forced one foot in front of the other, on and on.
A whip cracked. Obi-Wan froze.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes. With carefully moderated breaths, he worked to calm his rage. To be forced to witness such atrocities, yet be powerless to intervene….. It was no wonder Adrina and Anakin's hearts bled so fiercely and freely. No wonder they detested injustice more than most.
No wonder Adrina battled anger and bitterness and terror when they rescued Jabba's son, but did nothing for the slaves.
Yet here he was, fighting to free the colonists - a good work, to be sure, but when had political considerations trumped moral obligations? The Jedi once collapsed the Zygerrian empire, yet now did nothing to stand against Jabba.
Because the slaves on Tatooine had nothing to offer the Republic, unlike the Togrutan colonists on Kiros. Because the Republic couldn't afford to alienate the Hutts.
Obi-Wan's stomach turned.
And once these colonists were rescued, the Jedi's attention would shift elsewhere, never again to the countless slaves left behind or the countless others who would fall into Zygerrian clutches. Where was the justice in that?
The Jedi served at the pleasure of the Senate, but when had that become so utterly twisted? What was the infernal war doing to the Order? More and more Obi-Wan sensed the Order being herded, cornered, into decisions, but was that the truth of the matter? Or was the Order - the Council - merely refusing to stand for its ideals and damn the consequences? The Council spoke as if they had no choice, but Obi-Wan began to doubt the truth of it.
There was always a choice - regardless of the outcomes.
And for the first time in his life, Obi-Wan felt ashamed of the Jedi Order.
Rex caught Obi-Wan's attention. "Sir, take a look." Rex pointed to a huddled figure in the pit below.
Obi-Wan frowned. "Stand watch. I'll take a closer look." He jumped down into the pit. The stench of human waste punched his olfactory senses. He crept closer to the captive, trying to not think about what squished and crunched under his boots. Obi-Wan's eyes acclimated to the dark. He gasped. "Governor Roshti!"
"No, no!" Roshti scrambled away.
Obi-Wan held up his hands. "I'm a friend." He removed his helmet. Roshti eyed him warily. Obi-Wan could only imagine the horrors he had endured. "I'm a Jedi, here to help. Where are your people?"
"They're-" Roshti gasped for breath. "They're-"
Obi-Wan caught Roshti as he slumped forward, passed out cold. If only Roshti had been able to tell him what he knew. Obi-Wan foisted him over his shoulder and, deciding he had no other moral alternative, lept from the pit. Rex dashed to his side.
"Sir, did you find out where the others are?"
"Not yet." Obi-Wan looked around for signs of trouble. "But we have to get him out of here." Roshti's absence would soon be noticed - if it wasn't already. The pending slave auction drew more and more guards to the slave pits.
Movement on the ridge caught Obi-Wan's eye - a mounted sentry. Perfect. With a leap and kick that Anakin would be proud of, Obi-Wan commandeered the blessedly well-trained winged creature.
Rex loaded Roshti onto the creature, taking the reins to allow Obi-Wan to sit behind Roshti and keep the governor upright.
"You there! Where are you taking that slave?" The guard's shout spurred Rex into action.
The creature leapt across the pits, struggling under the weight of three grown males, as guards began to converge.
Suddenly, Obi-Wan was falling, dragging Governor Roshti with him. He'd been shot in the shoulder. He slammed into the ground, grunting at the impact. His shoulder throbbed. But suddenly divested of the majority of its weight, Rex's mount shot into the air. Rex stared over his shoulder, but carried on, following their contingency plan.
A single thought cycled through Obi-Wan's mind as guards surrounded him.
Adrina is going to kill me.
0
Obi-Wan squinted against the bright sunlight. He'd not been kept in the deepest underbelly of the slave pits long, but his eyes struggled to reacclimate. He made a show of limping into the arena, though he did not have to fake the pain that caused him to clutch his arm.
The endless cracks of the whip against his back and legs had not been enough - not near enough - to entice Obi-Wan to spill his secrets, but his face betrayed his identity in the end. Prime Minister Molec had taken one look at his prisoner and recognized him from D'Nar's hologram.
The crowd roared its approval as their most prized captive was led into the arena. Just like Geonosis .
Obi-Wan had expected to meet a gruesome death in that Geonosian arena. Except, Anakin had brought an army to his rescue. There would be no army this time. If he was fortunate, he would be sold and not outright murdered.
During his interrogation, Obi-Wan ran through contingencies. If he was sold to a ranking person, Obi-Wan could use the position to his advantage. Surely a Jedi Council member would fetch a high price. But he remembered Anakin's haunted voice recounting the tracker placed in every slave - the tracker that allowed the slave's owner to literally implode the slave should they attempt to escape. He thought of the vastness of the galaxy.
No, capture was not ideal.
There was still a chance to salvage this disaster. They had planned for this possibility.
He would not be abandoned, no matter how long it took.
Yet what hope did the other captives have? Obi-Wan shoved the thought aside.
Obi-Wan stepped onto the auction block with heavy steps. Governor Roshti sat, slumped on the ground, so defeated that his guard hardly spared Roshti a glance. High above the arena in the presiding box, Obi-Wan sensed Anakin and Ahsoka. At least one part of the plan was on track. Rex lurked hidden in the stands to Obi-Wan's left - the four of them, even separated and without any means of communication, in perfect sync.
The crowd roared louder as Queen Miraj appeared. She raised her hand in a regal wave. "My friends, my dear friends!" Hushed awe fell over the crowd. "Do not fear the Jedi. They are no different from others we have forced into submission, for they have forsaken their ideals to serve a corrupt Senate. Every Jedi has become a slave to the Republic. The Jedi Order is weak and we will help break it ."
Obi-Wan clenched his jaw. There was no shame in serving others, but honor and humility. The Senate was corrupt, it was true - how often had he remarked upon that to Anakin over the years?
But the Jedi Order…. Had he not just been musing the same thing?
"Teach the Jedi his place."
Sensing to whom the Queen gave the order, Obi-Wan kept a smirk from his were not likely to escape this arena - but they would not go down without causing a spectacle worth remembering. The Zygerrian who led Obi-Wan into the arena kicked the back of Obi-Wan's knee, forcing him to the ground. Obi-Wan kept his hands behind his head.
A minute later, Anakin appeared at his side. A guard shoved a whip into Anakin's hand. Anakin turned his eyes to the stands and then the box. He grinned.
The Queen pointed a long finger at Anakin. "Prove to me that you are a slaver. Swing the whip or die beside him."
"Lousy options," Anakin muttered under his breath. But he bowed low. "Your Highness leaves me no choice."
Anakin swung the whip and erupted into a blur of movement. R2 jettisoned their lightsabers with the startling accuracy Obi-Wan had come to expect of the astromech. Though the three guards stationed around the auction block fell with ease, their comrades swarmed the platform from every side. Guard after guard fell under their fists. But for each guard toppled, a whip seized them. Still, they kept fighting the impossible until, at last, darkness swallowed them whole.