10. Don't Look Back
It was Master Skywalker who found Obi-Wan and Pi-Lippa in the kitchens, not long after their separation, pushing open the door and marching in with little fanfare.
"Obi-Wan," his master called, "let's go, we're leaving."
Pi-Lippa straightened up from where she had just finished drilling the back panel of Bix's chassis into place. "And Shmi?"
"She's coming with us, of course," Master Skywalker said sharply, turning to eye Pi-Lippa with barely-concealed derision. "Do you have the control to her transmitter chip?"
"I do," Pi-Lippa said, setting her drill aside. "I shall retrieve it, along with her documentation."
"Thank you," Obi-Wan forced himself to say, before his master could reply with something less than polite.
"I will meet you all in the front hall," Pi-Lippa murmured and made a swift exit, satin robes billowing at her feet.
"Where is Shmi?" Obi-Wan asked, jumping to his feet and trotting to his master's side, following him out of the kitchens.
"She's packing her things," Master Skywalker said, briskly making his way back towards the entrance hall. "She will meet us by the front doors soon. Wait for her there."
"What about you?" Obi-Wan demanded.
"I have to go take care of one more thing," his master said evasively, all sharp focus and constrained impatience. "And do not go anywhere until we have that transmitter control."
Obi-Wan carefully pushed aside his own discomfort at the reminder that there was currently a bomb implanted in Shmi's spine. "Yes, Anakin."
"Thank you, Obi-Wan," Master Skywalker said, voice softening by the slightest degree, before he split away from Obi-Wan and disappeared into an offshoot corridor with purposeful strides.
Obi-Wan continued on until he reached the front hall, pausing near the grand staircase to await Shmi's return. Everything was happening much more quickly and smoothly than he'd anticipated, but he was glad for it. The Force had lead them to Shmi, and Force willing, they would shortly be able to take her back.
Soon, Obi-Wan caught sight of Shmi and Pi-Lippa descending the staircase, arms locked together. If one did not know the truth, they could have easily been mistaken for friends, rather than slave and master. But Obi-Wan was relieved to see that Shmi appeared ready for travel, her previous dress and apron exchanged for trousers, a tunic, and a jacket, a utility belt strapped to her waist and a light rucksack slung over her shoulder. They paused briefly at the second landing to exchange words, and though Obi-Wan could not hear, he could neither sense any malice emanating from Pi-Lippa.
When they had both made their way down the rest of the stairs, they paused before Obi-Wan and Pi-Lippa asked, "Where is your companion?"
"He had to step away for a second," Obi-Wan eluded. "Do you have the controller?"
"Yes," she said, and unfolded her long, scaly fingers in his direction, exposing the small device.
With all the caution expected of someone handling an explosive, Obi-Wan gently plucked the transmitter chip control from her hand and observed it with wary eyes. It was unexpectedly simplistic in design, a small, blinking green light indicating that Shmi was within range of the homing beacon, and a single switch meant to detonate the chip at will.
Obi-Wan carefully lifted the controller in his hand and displayed it for Shmi to see. "This is the control to your chip?" While he sensed no deceit from Pi-Lippa, he also knew his master would leave no stone unturned; not when it came to Shmi.
Shmi appeared startled to be addressed by him, eyes widening and something distinctly vulnerable shimmering to life. But she quickly regained her composure, and after looking the device over, she offered a small nod in response. "Yes, it is the same one my previous master owned."
Satisfied by her answer, Obi-Wan carefully adjusted his grip on the controller and offered it to Shmi.
Once again, Shmi was taken aback, a sense of alarm cutting through her. "You are…giving it to me?"
"Of course," Obi-Wan answered easily, painstakingly reining in his own surge of emotions. "You're free now, aren't you?"
A breathtaking smile slowly lit up her face as she cautiously accepted the controller from him. "I suppose I am. Thank you."
A lump lodged in his throat and Obi-Wan was only able to nod in response as he was washed over with the flood of Shmi's pained relief.
"These are Shmi's documents," Pi-Lippa quietly cut in, indicating the datapad in her other hand.
Without a word, Obi-Wan retrieved the datapad from her and activated the screen with a quick swipe. Methodically, Obi-Wan scrolled through every file saved to the device―history of ownership and monetary transactions, medical records, legal status, a title deed naming Pi-Lippa as the current owner of Shmi, and a thousand more records chronicling nearly the entirety of her life, starting from the day she'd been taken and sold as a slave when she was just a little girl. And every bit of legal jargon, even records of previous medical conditions, treated Shmi as a piece of property rather than a sentient being, making Obi-Wan's stomach turn with every swipe of his finger. But he carefully maintained a peaceful air and a clear head, unwilling to miss anything that could serve to discredit Shmi's pending freedom.
This was how Obi-Wan discovered that Shmi was not Master Skywalker's twin, like he had initially suspected. Despite their uncanny resemblance, she was several cycles older than him, with an entirely different birth date.
"The deed of transfer is stored in the last folder," Pi-Lippa revealed at one point, while Obi-Wan was neck-deep in a backlog of registration documents. "I have already signed it. All that is left is for Shmi to sign the agreement."
Obi-Wan navigated to the folder indicated by Pi-Lippa until he found the correct document. He was no expert in legalese, but the language was simple enough, declaring Shmi a free sentient being at the signing of Pi-Lippa, her current owner. Realistically, that and the current title deed were all that was needed to prove Shmi's freedom if they got caught up with any Huttese authority, but Obi-Wan was sure that the healers back at the temple would appreciate a detailed medical history, especially before the surgery to remove the transmitter chip would be performed.
After one last cursory glance over, Obi-Wan shifted the datapad over towards Shmi.
Shmi prudently tucked the transmitter chip control still in hand into the pocket of her utility belt, before retrieving the datapad from Obi-Wan. Similarly, she read through the document, though unlike Obi-Wan, she did not seek out any trickery. Instead, her brown eyes shone with unshed tears as she silently mouthed the words of her liberation.
With shaking fingers, Shmi plucked the stylus clipped to the side of the datapad, and signed her name.
It was in that same moment that Master Skywalker finally made his return via the front doors, looking vaguely harassed. He approached them with quick steps, eyes sweeping briefly over Obi-Wan, before he focused his gaze solely upon Shmi. Despite this, he addressed Obi-Wan as he said, "Are we ready to go?"
"Yes," Obi-Wan responded promptly, biting back a 'Master' just in time. "Shmi has both the controller and her documentation."
To Obi-Wan's surprise, Master Skywalker did not demand to see any of it for himself, merely taking Obi-Wan at his word.
"Then let's get out of here," he simply responded, extending his arm forward and offering a hand to Shmi.
"Farewell, milady," Shmi said to her former mistress one last time, before she tucked away her datapad and accepted Master Skywalker's proffered hand.
Together, they made their way across the opulent entry hall, comfortable with one another in a way that should've taken many cycles to establish. But the Force sang brightly around them; binary lights reunited at last.
Blinking back the emotion building in his eyes, Obi-Wan moved to take the rear as they exited the grand doors. Pi-Lippa did not speak another word, but she paused by the threshold, looking after them with a shameful melancholy as they descended the stairway and crossed the gardens.
But not once, did Shmi look back.
They followed the path, until they reached the cover of the forest, sweeping branches casting long shadows around them. It was there that Obi-Wan spotted the groundskeeper once again, standing near the buzzing red wall of the gate, a heavy container tucked underneath one of his arms.
"You got it?" Master Skywalker asked sharply, dropping Shmi's hand to stalk forward towards the old man.
"I said I would, didn't I?" the groundskeeper snapped back, a deep scowl marring his weathered face.
Master Skywalker's shoulders relaxed and he reached into his trouser pocket, pulling out a generous handful of credits. "Thank you."
The groundskeeper muttered something unintelligible, taking the payment with a sudden swipe of his hand, and thrusting the container into his master's arms, before marching off without so much as a by your leave.
"Obi-Wan," Master Skywalker said as he levitated the container over the gate, guiding it gently to the other side. "Go ahead and refuel the speeder."
"Got it," Obi-Wan chirped and with a single Force-powered jump, launched himself clear over the gate, landing neatly beside the fuel canister. As he got to work refueling the stolen air taxi, Obi-Wan wondered why his master had bothered bribing the prickly groundskeeper for fuel. With Pi-Lippa's remorseful attitude, surely she wouldn't have minded procuring fuel for them, free of charge―
Then again, a slave master was the last sentient being in the galaxy whom Anakin would ever seek help from, even for something as paltry as speeder fuel.
From his peripheral vision, Obi-Wan observed as Master Skywalker flew over the gate and landed upon the beaten path with softer steps than normal, Shmi held firmly in his arms.
"Thank you, Anakin," Shmi said, as she was set safely down on her feet.
"You're welcome," Master Skywalked said, and Obi-Wan marveled at the way his master's presence shone so gently in the Force, the previous darkness muted to near extinction.
"Anakin, the speeder's ready," Obi-Wan announced as he cut the fuel line.
Master Skywalker nodded his thanks. "Let's go."
This time, Obi-Wan boarded the backseat, tossing the empty fuel canister onto the floor of the cab. As soon as they were all strapped in, Master Skywalker gunned the engine, navigating the stolen air taxi with learned precision, racing out of the trail that lead up to Pi-Lippa's property and turning back into the wide path of the forest. It was clear that, while it was no longer fear that fueled his urgency, his master planned to escape this Force forsaken planet as soon as was physically possible. Obi-Wan was all the more relieved for it. It was as though the planet itself was tainted by the darkness of its inhabitants. His only regret was that they could not do for every slave, what they had done for Shmi.
Obi-Wan leaned back against the cushion of the seat, staring blindly out into the blur of forest walls, steadily releasing the depths of his remorse with every exhale.
"It was Obi-Wan, right?"
Obi-Wan blinked out of his half-meditation and focused his gaze upon Shmi, who had twisted in her seat to face him, arms folded over the length of the backrest.
"Yes, I'm Obi-Wan," he said, straightening up from his slouch as he realized that they had never been properly introduced. "And you're Shmi."
"Yes," she said, mouth curving into a gentle smile. "Thank you for what you did for me back there."
"It was nothing," he assured her. "My―Anakin is the sole reason we're here."
"But it was you who helped me to sign my freedom," she reminded him, moisture building in her eyes.
"Really―"
"Obi-Wan," his master interrupted, and without looking back, said, "I couldn't have done this without you."
"Oh." Warmth flooded his chest, a surge of affection washing through their bond that left Obi-Wan feeling as though he were floating.
"Anakin tells me you are his apprentice?" Shmi asked.
"Yes," Obi-Wan said, face lighting up with pride. "If Anakin had not chosen me, I wouldn't be a Jedi."
"Obi-Wan, you know that's not true," Master Skywalker admonished him.
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. Though they'd had this argument on numerous occasions, Obi-Wan could hardly understand his master's logic. His pack to Bandomeer had been sitting near him and his time of departure had already been set, before Master Skywalker had swooped in with all his righteous fury to save Obi-Wan. Whatever strange circumstances had lead to a different Obi-Wan becoming Anakin's master were surely the results of an entirely alternate galaxy.
"As you say, Ma―Anakin," Obi-Wan responded blandly, not in the mood for another argument.
Master Skywalked sneaked a glare over his shoulder, before turning back to face the pathway, his annoyance at Obi-Wan's blatant dismissal evident.
"Either way, I am glad you are with him," Shmi said, unruffled by the brief tension. "You each have something the other needs."
"Thank you, Shmi," Obi-Wan said, encouraged by her kind words. "But we need you too." Anakin, more so than Obi-Wan. But if Obi-Wan needed Anakin, and Anakin needed Shmi, then by that logic, Obi-Wan needed Shmi as well.
Once more, tears resurfaced over Shmi's warm, brown eyes. "Thank you."
A/N: Hello there! Sorry for the wait, but if y'all are still reading this, thank you! I hope you all liked the chapter. We'll be back at the Jedi Temple next update, but for now, please be sure to review!