Chapter 2 - Cato Neimoida

It takes a couple weeks to clean up the battle. It also takes about that long for it to truly sink in that his former master is basically gone. Anakin can't stop thinking about it now. He's alive but he remembers nothing of him and he's practically a different person now. Obi-Wan's younger than him. Their relationship could never be the same.

Maybe it's ridiculous to feel a sudden, desperate, aching sense of loss, but he does.

He wants to talk to the real Obi-Wan.

Wants to at least know he's going to be able to talk to the Obi-Wan he remembers again.

He can't deny still finding the situation a little amusing but he's feeling heavy inside as he goes back to the Temple with Ahsoka and goes to find Obi-Wan.

But he doesn't have to go far to find him because Obi-Wan comes to meet him in the hall, face lighting up. "I heard you were back!"

"We are," Anakin agrees, smiling, ignoring the sharp pang in his heart. He still finds little Obi-Wan kind of cute but...

"Caught up in classes yet, grandmaster/" Ahsoka snips.

Obi-Wan huffs grumpily.

It's such a parallel to his older self it's both amusing and makes his heart ache. "I am quite ahead on classes. And I'm more than ready for a mission."

"I asked Master Yoda specifically already and he agreed," Anakin tells him.

Obi-Wan perks up instantly. "Really? I finally get to go?"

"Yes. We have a mission to Cato Neimoida." He'll try not to think about the last time they were there. That was the first mission after Anakin was Knighted. Finally having the chance to not constantly have his mater hovering had been relieving but he also realized on that mission that there was a certain freeness in both of them being Knights that feels like it made them closer. He doesn't want that to be gone forever.

**w**

Ahsoka doesn't think she'll ever get used to how weird this is. She's starting to think of this version of Obi-Wan as simply another padawan rather than her grandmaster who she always respected, even if they never spent much time together. Her and Anakin show him around the ship and introduce him to the top-ranking clones – he absorbs it all without much comment but she can tell he's about as overwhelmed as she was when she first became a padawan. She was excited to be on her first mission, yes, but it quickly became... a lot. Especially when it truly sunk in that all the clones around were her responsibility to protect and it felt like every death was because she hadn't done enough.

And she's pretty sure Obi-Wan's about to realize the same – he doesn't know what he's in for. It's so weird to think of him as being this young and inexperienced. He's seen far less of the galaxy than she has at this point, even though they're the same age.

Anakin suggests meditating once they've finished getting him introduced and Obi-Wan deflates like a popped balloon though he doesn't object.

Ahsoka wants a moment to get her thoughts in order anyway, though meditating isn't usually how she does that. She doesn't object, though, joining Anakin and Obi-Wan on the floor.

Anakin's brilliant Force presence is always grounding and the one thing that she really likes about meditating is getting to focus on feeling it. It fills her with a hyper rush of energy she can't really describe, probably because it's so bright. It's so bright that it wraps around her own easily.

It's relaxing more than anything else ever is and it's also a reminder that Anakin is always going to be there for her, no matter what. She's always going to be the center of his attention as much as she can be during the war, and it's far more than she's ever gotten from anyone before, as a Jedi.

Obi-Wan doesn't seem to be having the same luck, though.

He's shifting back and forth and keeps crossing and recrossing his legs. He's very clearly not meditating.

"Is there a problem?" Anakin asks finally, and Ahsoka opens her eyes to see him eyeing Obi-Wan.

"No!" he insists, much too quickly.

"You're upset," he replies, his Force presence flickering with that intensity she finds as addicting as she does overwhelming at times. "If something is troubling you, you can talk to me about it."

Obi-Wan squirms. "I'm fine. But – can we do something else?"

"Is meditating that annoying?" Ahsoka can't help asking, a little amused.

She's never seen Obi-Wan this uncomfortable about himself. "That's all I've ever done with Master Qui-Gon. I mean, he was good teacher but I don't – "

"It's okay," Anakin assures, standing, "You had me meditate a lot but I don't think you ever enjoyed it much even when you were older." He cracks a faint smile. "What about a spar?"

Obi-Wan's face lights up. "Can we?"

Ahsoka perks up a bit herself.

"Come on, then," Anakin tells them, grinning a bit, "See if you can win this time."

Ahsoka rolls her eyes. "We're going to stand more of a chance if both of us fight you, Skyguy."

He smirks. "We'll see."

They go to the general training room on the ship. "I hope you're ready," Ahsoka says cheerily.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Obi-Wan asks, a touch warily.

"I guess you'll see," she snips, igniting her lightsabers. Obi-Wan follows suit and they jump Anakin together.

The duel is fast and, and Ahsoka tries to modify her fighting slightly to give Obi-Wan some actual room to join. It's certainly helping her at doing a little better against Anakin but he's still wining.

And Obi-Wan isn't doing quite as well as she is – though he did just become a padawan so that's probably why. She was able to reasonably fight against him before even if he was better than her, after all.

The duel takes longer than usual but Anakin sending their lightsabers flying was pretty much a foregone conclusion.

"I see what you mean," Obi-Wan huffs, trying to catch his breath.

Ahsoka laughs, going to collect her lightsabers. She hasn't had this much fun in a while.

"Everyone alright?" Anakin asks dryly.

She snorts. "Of course."

"Well, time for some water and then you both need to be rested for the battle. That's going to be a lot harder than this was."

**w**

"Are you able to handle a fighter?" Anakin inquiries, as they go to the hanger together. Cato Neimoida will be another air assault, one of many Ahsoka's fought in.

"Of course I can," Obi-Wan says, perking up.

"Since when did you like flying?" Anakin asks, tone some mix of incredulous amusement.

"What?" Obi-Wan demands, head whipping toward him, "Why wouldn't I?"

"Uhh... you never seemed fond of it before," Ahsoka supplies.

Anakin always teased him incessantly about it.

"This older-me sounds weird," Obi-Wan grumbles, and Anakin and Ahsoka both laugh.

"His loathing for flying is never something I understood either," Anakin replies, still amused, "But... this is going to be a tough battle and you've never fought in one before, you said."

"They had me practice simulations at the Temple," Obi-Wan replies.

Ahsoka hadn't flown her own fighter for months into fighting but she'd been years younger. It had been nerve wracking at first. But at least as Jedi, once they're through the atmosphere they're pretty likely to survive a fighter crash unless they're knocked unconscious.

"Stay close until you know you have the hang of it.," Anakin adds.

"Know not just think you know," Ahsoka adds a bit snippily but really, she remembers how overconfident she'd been at fist too, though it was more just wanting to prove that she could do it.

Obi-Wan nods and they move for their fighters.

**w**

The fighting over the city is heavy but Ahsoka's dealt with worse.

Some vulture droids attack them and Anakin shoots them down easily, except then a group of buzz droids go flying. Ahsoka jerks her fighter up purely on instinct, breathing out a sigh of relief when she sees that her ship is clear.

"I've got a couple," Anakin calls, "How bad did you two get hit?"

"I have – a lot," Obi-Wan says, sounding panicked.

"I'm all clear," Ahsoka adds.

"You always have it easy, Snips," Anakin deadpans. Artoo zaps the few buzz droids Anakin has and he brings his fighter in closer to Obi-Wan's. "Keep it steady. I'll see what I can do."

"I'm trying!" Obi-Wan yells back, "But they're shutting down the controls."

Anakin fires, and the laser blast would have pinged the droids off the top except Obi-Wan moves the same moment and it rips off part of his wing at the same time.

"Hey!" Obi-Wan yelps, "You're not helping!"

"Sorry," Anakin supplies, "Just hold on and I'll – "

Something rattles his ship suddenly. Smoke is trailing out the bottom of it and well – That's not looking good.

"Obi-Wan?" Anakin calls, alarm creeping into his voice.

No response.

Uh oh.

"I think someone's gonna have to pull him out. I can handle it. You better get the rest of the droids, Master," Ahsoka says. He's the best at it, after all.

"Alright," Anakin agrees, even if he seems hesitant. He swerves his fighter upward into the sky, shooting at the other incoming fighters, and Ahsoka circles her fighter in closer, pushing the top open and jumping to Obi-Wan's rapidly crashing ship. Without a wing, it's hardly even gliding at all. She nearly falls when she lands on the wing and swings out with one hand, slashing open the top of it with one of her lightsabers. The top snaps open and she yanks out a n unconscious Obi-Wan, jumping out of the fighter to the ground below. The ship crashes into the rocks only few meters away, exploding.

Flames lick across the metal fiercely and she turns away, struggling to catch her breath.

She'll never get over how weird it is see her grandmaster like this. And it really is beginning to feel like he's someone else entirely. She hasn't had the opportunity to work with any padawan other than Barriss for an extended period of time throughout the war, so this is almost nice.

Obi-Wan stirs after a few moments, slowly opening his eyes.

"What's – wait! Where am I?" he demands, before his gaze zeroes in on the burning fighter.

"You crashed, and Anakin and I saved the day," Ahsoka snips.

"Is getting hit by buzz droids a lot normal?" Obi-Wan asks grumpily, standing.

"It happens. Artoo seems to be the only kind of droid who can take them out quickly."

He nods, following her gaze up to the sky as Anakin's fighter comes flying in. It lands on the ground a short distance off and Ahsoka runs up to him.

"Took out the droids that fast already?"

"Not all of them." Anakin glances around, expression tight. "Are you two alright?"

"We're fine," Obi-Wan assures.

"Is something wrong?" Ahsoka queries, frowning.

Anakin nods. "I just got a transmission from Master Yoda. Evidently, the Jedi Temple has been bombed and he's calling us back to investigate."

Ahsoka freezes, the full meaning of the words settling over her. "Someone attacked the Jedi Temple?" she demands, heart pounding.

Anakin nods again. "I don't know how bad it was but it was smoking in the hologram I saw."

"Who would do that?" Obi-Wan demands, no less appalled.

"There's many who would, in this time of war," Anakin points out grimly, "Come on. We have to go."

They follow him without question.

What Ahsoka can't believe is that someone was able to get into the Temple to attack. Nowhere's safe in the war but the one place she always thought was, is the Temple itself. But apparently she was wrong and she has no idea what to think of that.

**w**

Obi-Wan doesn't think the true meaning of the Jedi being at war really sunk in until he came back to the Temple to see the state it was in. And people are outside, protesting against the Jedi, as though it wasn't the Jedi who were attacked in the first place.

He thought the Jedi were always worshiped everywhere in the world he remembers. And he knows he never saw much of it but it feels like everything about that is different now.

"The opinions of the public have changed significantly since Dooku," Anakin had explained to him, "Some say the war itself is a Jedi conspiracy." Something Obi-Wan's still outraged about but most of all, it's hard to imagine that another Jedi is doing all this to their own Order. It's a betrayal of the highest level that he can't even imagine.

He helps Anakin and Ahsoka throughout the investigation and that really feels like the first mission he's on. Cato Neimoida had been as scary as it was fun and he's not feeling too keen on flying in a space battle again anytime soon but at least he finally got to get out of the Temple. And then get another important mission.

But he's been a bit distracted with what the missions are to think about that aspect of things very much. The investigation is concluded with the information that it wasn't a Jedi who attacked them which makes him feel a little better but he still can't believe that any of this is happening.

With the whole mess behind them now, he's standing next to Anakin and Ahsoka in a meeting room with other Jedi, listening to reports on another attack when a hologram of Admiral Tarkin appears. It's a name Obi-Wan only remembers because Anakin was talking to him briefly after the funeral.

"Excuse me, Master Jedi," he says.

"Yes Admiral?" someone asks.

"Padawan Kenobi's presence has been requested by prisoner Letta Turmound."

"The one who bombed the Temple?" Obi-Wan asks, startled. Why would she want to see him of all people?

"Why is she asking for Obi-Wan?" Anakin inquires, frowning. It's weird to see him knowing this is someone Obi-Wan supposedly trained when he feels a little more like an older brother or something. But then there's moments where he feels protective of him which is – about the most bizarre feeling towards anyone he's ever had.

"Not exactly sure," Tarkin replies, "But Padawan Kenobi is the only person the prisoner will speak to."

Obi-Wan looks to Anakin uncertainly. He hasn't been a padawan near long enough to even know what to do in these circumstances. "I'll... talk to her?" he says finally.

Anakin nods. "Let us know what she says."

Obi-Wan nods, leaving the room.

This is the first mission he's ever done alone. Which feels ridiculous considering how many missions Ahsoka's said she led. And there's nothing hard about going to interrogate someone or whatever, so he doesn't know why he's suddenly nervous as he flies to the prison alone.

Letta's sitting in the corner of her cell when he enters.

"What do you want?" he demands, crossing his arms. This is the woman who bombed the Temple and killed so many for no reason, so yes he's angry at her.

"I was told if I ever needed help, you were the Jedi to contact," she replies.

He frowns. "Needed help? If you needed help, you could have contacted me before blowing up the Temple." Honestly the logic. He is so confused.

She throws a glance at the clone in the doorway, the pointedness of the glance clear enough. She doesn't want to talk when he's there.

"Can we have a moment?" Obi-Wan queries.

The clone nods, stepping back out the door.

"The idea of feeding Jackar the nano-droids was not mine," she says after a pause, glancing around fearfully.

"Then why didn't you say so from the start?!" Assuming she's not lying anyway. Trying to come up with some excuse that can get her out of prison.

"Because my life is in danger!" she exclaims, "The person behind this will be able to get to me unless you know the truth."

"Then what's the truth?" he asks, though he only half follows her meaning. Her life is in danger anyway since people who commit treason are usually executed. Something's not right here. He kind of wishes Anakin or Qui-Gon were here but – No, he can prove he's capable of handling these responsibilities alone. He doesn't want to get stuck behind at the Temple again. And he's a Jedi. He's supposed to know what to do.

"A Jedi," Letta responds, "A Jedi showed me how to create the bomb and how to put the nano-droids in it."

What?

No way.

"You're lying," Obi-Wan accuses, because he can't believe that.

Dooku's killed so many Jedi, though. Who's to say there aren't others like him, as awful as it is?

"No, I'm not," she argues, looking around anxiously again, "There are some citizens of the Republic, like myself, who believe the Jedi Order is not what it used to be. The Jedi have become warmongers. They've become military weapons and they're killing when they should be keeping the peace. One of these Jedi agreed with us. One of you wanted to make a statement and was willing to attack your own Order to do it."

Obi-Wan has no idea what to say to that either. He doesn't understand why the Jedi are leading armies but the Council knows what it's doing. They wouldn't have made this choice unless there was no other way to restore peace. "Who did it?" he asks, because answers are more important than arguing with Letta about this even if he wants to.

"If you protect me, I will tell you because it is obvious to me that I have been set up."

"Then tell me," he insists, "I can explain the situation to the Council. They'll know what to do. But you need to tell me who it is."

Letta hesitates again. "It's – " She cuts off sharply, eyes widening as she gasps and an unseen force lifts her off the ground.

Obi-Wan freezes, staring.

She – what –

What's happening?!

"Letta?" he asks desperately, panicking, reaching for her except there's nothing he can do and he has no idea what to do and he knows how the Force could be used to do this but there's literally no one else here and she's probably not a secret Jedi and Force choking herself is she and – What does he do –

He hears the sound of bone snapping and Letta falls to the floor.

Obi-Wan darts to her side, heart still pounding. She's not moving he tries to check for life signs but – but –

He's never seen anyone die before even if he's prepared for it as a normal part of his mission as a Jedi. The way the life rips away, leaving a vacant emptiness that was once vibrating with life is beyond unsettling.

What does he do?

The door behind him abruptly opens, several of the clones from earlier appearing in the doorway. One of them goes to check on Letta. "She's dead, sir," he reports.

The commander in the front sighs. "Can't say I blame you, but all the same you're under arrest."

Wait.

What?

"I'm not the one who did this!" Obi-Wan exclaims. But none of them are listening to him. "And you can't arrest me. I'm a Jedi."

Right?

They're literally the ones who normally arrest criminals. They can't be arrested themselves by the Republic, right?

"Sorry, sir but it's a war now," he replies, as they escort him out to another cell and leave him there.

First of all, when did he become a sir anyway when he's barely a padawan? It's so weird.

Secondly, how much of the galaxy has the war changed?

Obi-Wan looks around the darkened prison cell, heart still pounding. This isn't how the first mission alone he ever got to do was how he thought would end. Not like this. What does he do now? He knows the legal process for this but he's supposed to be under jurisdiction of the Jedi and all he has to do is explain this to the Council and then everything should be fine. So – he just has to wait for Anakin to show up. Probably.

That assurance does little to make him any less on edge – and a Jedi isn't supposed to be scared but he can't make it go away. He tries to ignore the whisper in his mind that maybe this is why Qui-Gon never took him on a mission before, because he was never ready in the first place. Because he's failing to be a proper padawan at all.

**w**

The last thing Anakin expected to hear out of nowhere was that Obi-Wan was arrested for allegedly killing Letta. It's downright ridiculous and he takes off for the prison right away, along with Ahsoka.

"I'm here to see Obi-Wan Kenobi," Anakin says, approaching Fox.

"I'm sorry, sir, but the prisoner is not being allowed visitors."

"He's temporarily in my custody," Anakin objects, which is as close to a legal parent is it gets with Jedi. He tries not to think about how bizarre it is that he's saying that about his former master. Who he misses unreasonably right now simply because he has no idea when he'll get to see the real him again and – he misses him even more now because this is a mess Anakin would rather deal with with Obi-Wan, not having to drag him out of it. "It's my responsibility."

"He has been accused of murder. The Admiral ordered no visitors."

"That's insane," Ahsoka speaks up sharply, "He's a Jedi. He's under the jurisdiction of the Jedi. There's no reason we can't be allowed in."

"Orders are orders, sir," Fox replies and he sounds apologetic but that doesn't mean Anakin's any happier about it.

Arguing isn't going to change it, though.

Fox can't rightfully disobey his orders, no matter how upset about it Anakin is. He'll just have to talk to the Council and they should be able to get it cleared up. It'd be ridiculous for anyone to believe that Obi-Wan could have done this.

He just hopes his former master – erm, now teenager – will be alright in the meantime. And this rule also means that it's going to be even harder to find out who really did this because he has no idea what Obi-Wan's side of the story is.

"What are we gonna do?" Ahsoka asks unhappily, as she follows Anakin out.

He sighs. "I don't know. We'll take it to the Council." He doesn't know what else they can do. All he knows is that he senses something dark. Something's wrong. And he doesn't know what but he has a bad feeling about this.

About everything.

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