The crystal sun of Alderaan rose high in the morning, casting a pearly light that reflected off the translucent glass walls and towering white spires of the Royal Palace. Although by now the temperatures on Tatooine and Mustafar would have been too hot to wear anything long, the cold lake city of Aldera remained placid and chilly all day. Here, everyone was forced to don thick white robes as provided by Bail Organa. There was also no lava or burning desert sand; instead, they found themselves surrounded by snow-capped mountains that formed a protective boundary between the Palace and the rest of the exterior world. If they were to walk outside the confines of the palace grounds, they would also find themselves within a lush green forest full of tall swaying trees and tiny delicate starflowers as far as the eye could see.
"They're resilient," Kaeden noted, staring at the blue hoarfrost-covered blossoms lining their window. Ahsoka rolled over and rubbed her eyes. "Strong enough to survive the cold weather. I wonder if we could grow some of them back home?"
"What time is it?" Ahsoka groaned, shielding her eyes from the bright light.
"Time to wake up," Kaeden teased. Just then, they heard two polite knocks at their door. "Oh, sounds like it's time for breakfast," she said, sitting up immediately. "Come on," she teased. "Get up, we're gonna be late."
After rousing themselves from the comfort of their big fluffy white bed, Kaeden and Ahsoka followed the royal handmaidens to a white dining hall with a tall ceiling that echoed loudly. After being told where to sit down, they then were served a combination of steamed blue ruica roots, Chandrilan tea, and and freshly cut Starblossom fruit. Just as they started to eat, the sound of footsteps alerted them to the presence of other guests.
"Well, well," Ahsoka smirked as Reva glared at her. "Look who decided to join us."
"Ugh," Reva shuddered, drawing her cloak tighter around her shoulders. "I don't know how they put up with this cold. I feel like I'm being frozen to death."
"Try and look at it this way," Obi-Wan suggested. "Look how lovely it is outside...I do believe it is snowing!" he exclaimed.
Reva quietly stood up and walked over to where he was sitting so they could both look out the same window. Just as he had said, there was a soft flurry of white snowflakes falling upon them from outside. Reva breathed out and accepted a cup of steaming Mocoa from a service droid.
"Wow," Kaeden said, blinking in surprise. "I don't think I've seen snow in...ages," she confessed.
"I like it," Leia said. "I'm a snow person," she said brightly.
Kaeden smiled wryly. "So am I," she said. "Not much of a cold person, though."
True to her word, Kaeden seemed to be shivering constantly and was constantly covering herself with a heavy fleuréline weave cape. Ahsoka, however, continued to baffle everyone by continually refusing to wear anything with sleeves. Thus, everyone else watched with awe as she paced around the infinite labyrinth of winding hallways without even thinking to put on a coat.
Over time, Leia helped them to navigate themselves better so they could find where everything was. "Mom says she likes to think of the Palace as a collection of seashells," she informed them. "They started off as one, and they continued to spring up until now there is a ton of them. She says that they have been here since before she was born, and they will only continue to grow even after I am old enough to take the throne."
Every few hours or so, Obi-Wan's prosthetic legs required some checking-on. It was a similar process to what Ahsoka had undergone when rehealing her own legs, only much more intensive and Kaeden insisted on doing more physickotherapy. "It'll be better for him in the long run," she pointed out. "He needs to adjust to using them gradually." Thus, Obi-Wan was put under strict orders to spend most of his time in the repulsorlift chair until Kaeden and Cody took him out for brief walking practice sessions.
This didn't stop him from rebelling, however. It did not stop Leia from following him around constantly either. By the time they had finished their dinner, Ahsoka noticed that Leia had started to sit in Obi-Wan's lap while Cody pushed both of them around. Part of her felt obligated to point out that the repulsorlift chair was a transport, not a toy, but a younger part of her could not stop smiling and decided to let them be.
One night, Breha arranged for everyone to come sit together in a wide, oval-shaped room that had plenty of couches to sit on comfortably. Given how cold that it usually became at night, every room in the palace had its own designated fireplace that they lit at night. Two handmaidens stocked the hearth with fresh wood and lit a small blaze. Everyone immediately shuffled in and picked their seats close to the fire, eager to warm themselves up after experiencing the cool breeze of Alderaan's night cycle. Bail Organa excused himself as well, though not before fondly patting Leia on the head and ruffling her hair.
Commander Cody stared into the flames with both eyes watering, transfixed. It was the first time he had felt the warmth of a fire in several years. After so many years spent avoiding the sun and traveling in the dark expanse of space, his eyes required some time to adjust. Rex found a chair and sat down. Ahsoka and Kaeden helped Obi-Wan out of his repulsorlift chair so he could sit on a more comfortable couch, and Kaeden also removed his prosthetic legs for his comfort. Obi-Wan seemed a bit self-conscious without them but Kaeden made sure to lay them within arm's reach. She assured him that he could put them back on anytime he wished. After this, he seemed to relax and even accepted Breha's offer of a cup of steaming hot Mocoa.
Leia sat back and laid her head in her mother's lap. She watched through barely-open eyelids as Kaeden and Ahsoka chatted with each other, Rex shared anecdotes with Cody, and Reva sulked silently in a corner by herself. Obi-Wan watched Cody closely as he alternatively stared blankly or laughed at all of Rex's stories.
"Look," Breha said, pulling out a small collection of holodiscs that she had taken of Leia as a baby. Ahsoka pressed her hands to her mouth, hiding a wide grin. "Isn't she so adorable?" Breha said excitedly. "The first thing we thought was, she's so pretty! Isn't that right, dear?" she called out to Bail as he passed by them.
Bail Organa's eyes flickered over towards the album and his face softened, losing some of its weariness. Clearly, he had both of his hands full...whether with Senate or Rebel business, it was anyone's guess. "Yes," he smiled. "Of course, we weren't concerned at all about how she would look. But we both thought she was overwhelmingly beautiful."
Breha swapped the discs for a new projection and Ahsoka giggled, watching a short clip of Leia trying to walk for the first time. "She was always so smart, too. Look, she fell down. But she didn't cry at all! And then she immediately got back up, and remember to brace herself against the wall this time. See?"
Ahsoka smiled. Having trained many Younglings herself, she was quite familiar with other children who had been Leia's age or younger. Her face darkened slightly as she remembered the faces she had forgotten, the ones that she had hoped would grow up to become the next generation of Padawans but had died at such a young age. She quickly disguised her expression behind a cough. "Yes," she nodded.
Just then, she felt the weight of someone sitting sinking into the couch cushions beside her while a warm, strong arm wrapped around her waist. Ahsoka blushed and allowed Kaeden to entangle her their hands together. "Ooh, baby pictures," Kaeden said excitedly. "Are these Leia's? Oh my god, she is too cute."
Breha beamed excitedly at the opportunity to show off Leia even more, and launched into another deep explanation of every holorecording and the event at which they had been taken. Kaeden listened closely, occasionally laughing and cooing in adoration.
Ahsoka smiled. She wished she could still summon the joy to react properly, the way Kaeden could. Of course, she still felt happiness over seeing these reminders of happier times...and she was not incapable of smiling, far from it. However, ever since her trials, something in her had changed. Perhaps one might say it was a coming of age, but she had found herself no longer able to smile as wide or laugh as loud as she used to with Anakin. This distance between her former and current self had only continued to grow ever since Order 66, and she foresaw it continuing to deepen indefinitely. That was, until she met Kaeden and Miara. They were the ones who had successfully tugged her out of her endless sluggish nothingness.
"Aw, these are so cute. I wish I still had me and Miara's baby pictures," Kaeden mused out loud. "Wonder if I could try digging them up on the Holonet, someday? They'd have to be buried real deep, though."
Bored, Leia stood up and walked over to where Captain Rex was sitting. He blinked and looked down at her, meeting her eyes.
"Hello, Princess," he said politely. "How can I help you?"
"I want to hear a story," Leia said bluntly. "Tell me a story."
Rex shrugged. "Alright," he said. "What sort of story would you like to hear?"
"Anything."
Rex nodded. "Very well. I can tell you the story that us clones share with one another. However, I'm afraid it might not meet your expectations."
"That sounds fine to me. I don't want to sleep anyways."
"Very well, then." Rex sighed and leaned back, beginning to recite his story in a serious voice.
Rex raised an eyebrow, but he complied nonetheless. "Alright, this is the story of a terrifying Sith Lord," he began to say. "His name was Nihilus, and he was the most feared Sith because-"
"He was not alone," Obi-Wan interrupted, "He had a Master. And a fellow Apprentice. This was during the days of the Sith Triumvirate, before they began restricting themselves to only two Sith Lords per generation."
"Yes," Rex said gruffly, "His power was horrifying and strange. The words he spoke could inflict agony on all those who heard them. Those who did not die immediately would become entranced and lose their freedom of will. But what set him apart from the others was really his hunger; he was not just hungry for food or power, but for worlds. Legends say he could devour entire planets, just the same way you or I could eat a jogan fruit. His greed was so great and all-consuming that nothing could satisfy it. Soon, he began to devour entire moons...stars...planets...solar systems...once he set his mind on consuming a world, nothing could stop him. From the Inner Worlds to the Outer Regions, all those who heard his name trembled because they knew that they could be next..."
Leia yawned, stretching slightly. She found herself drifting in an out of consciousness for a few minutes until Rex's voice became clear again.
"...Then, one day," Rex murmured, "He vanished entirely, leaving nothing of himself but a mask and his armor. However, legends say that he was able to preserve his consciousness by tying his soul to the armor itself...thus, he was never truly gone..."
"Do we know what caused him to become this way?" Cody asked.
"We are not sure," Obi-Wan said. "The Jedi Archives state that he was a survivor of a horrific superweapon. It is possible that after the traumatic incident, he became so emotionally devastated that his emotions manifested as an uncontrollable hunger. Others say that was already part of his true nature. Regardless, all the scholars versed in this subject seem to agree that his hunger was a form of parasitism. His Master believed that he would consume everything around him and then himself, but she was thwarted when he used this very power against her. It's quite sad, thinking about what his existence must have been like. Unable to touch, to become close to those around him...only capable of consuming and possessing. I wonder if he might have learned to control this hunger, had he decided to let go of the Dark Side..."
Obi-Wan stroked his beard thoughtfully in silence. Leia straightened back up and turned towards Rex.
"Tell me another one," she insisted. "I wanna hear more."
"Another one?" Rex raised his eyebrow. "That was my best story already."
"More," Leia insisted. He sighed, giving in.
"Alright, alright. This story takes place many, many years ago...back when the light of the furthest star that you can possibly think of was still real...there was an ancient society of builders who reigned the Galaxy. They were strong and many in number, which allowed them to create an infinite empire. This was home to their mighty civilization. They started off far away in the Unknown Regions and then they slowly worked their way into the known territories. All those who opposed them were bent to the will of their regime, and any who attempted to flee were never seen again."
Leia closed her eyes and covered her mouth, yawning.
"Now, this was a very long time ago. Back when the Unknown Regions were called by a different name. We do not know how exactly they managed to travel through them, although many speculate that they used holochrons. Regardless, this civilization was extremely powerful, and this was because of their tendency to destroy entire worlds."
"How did they do it?"
"There are legends," Rex said. "Myths that say they used a different form of travel. Before the creation of warp drive engines, there existed an infinite gate...a network of connected worlds that allowed them to move quickly between them. Others say that they also had a sort of infinite engine, but a different kind. One that allowed them to construct as many ships and weapons as they wished. But these are all old folk stories."
Leia frowned and rested her chin on her hands. Her head felt too heavy to hold up by herself anymore. "Then what happened to them?"
"They succeeded," Rex replied. "One by one, the worlds in the Outer Rim fell under their tyranny. Tatooine. Coruscant. Dathomir. Kashyyyk. Everything they saw, they devoured. The Kaminoans tell tales of the unending chaos, the sheer terror on their ancestors' faces as they saw the ships arrive. It has become so deeply ingrained into their culture that they swore never to become victims of empirical rule again. It is both the story of their survival and humiliation."
Leia frowned. "With a military presence that powerful, I don't see how they could ever be defeated."
"That is what you would think," Rex replied. "But you would be wrong. Any enemy can defeated. Any great civilization can fall. Despite how tall the wroshyr trees of Kashyyyk stand, every wookie knows that they will someday come back down to the very earth that they rose up from. And that is what also happened to the builders," Rex nodded. "The countless worlds that they had enslaved finally rose up against them, unleashing a disease that their systems were not prepared to handle. They eventually recovered but they were never the same. If you visit Tatooine or Kashyyk, you will hear different versions of this story from what we were told on Coruscant...but the basic elements are the same."
Leia blinked. "What happened to them after the Empire collapsed?" she asked. "Are they still here?"
"We do not know," Rex said. "That is where the story ends."
Just then, Obi-Wan piped up from his place beside the fire. "Actually," he said, "On my homeworld we were told that the builders survived, but they lost most of their powers and became disconnected from the Force. Instead, they gathered what was left of their people and moved underground. Many years later, a Sith Lord found the infinite engine and tried to continue their legacy. He used his power to mold the Force so that he could gain information from the sand people about the builders. However, he unexpectedly had a change of heart and returned to the Light...and he ended up renouncing his conquest completely. But that is another story."
Leia frowned. "That's stupid," she said. "They put the entire Galaxy through all that trouble, just to run away and hide somewhere?"
"There are texts in the Jedi Archives that would support this theory," Obi-Wan replied. "Besides...most creation myths begin or end with a katabasis. Going underground can mean many things...death, rebirth, creation, destruction. All civilizations come from the ground, and so our stories are heavily tied to the underworlds. And why shouldn't it be? Death is an integral part of life," he nodded. "It is something we cannot exist without. And so there are many stories of a princess going underground to sleep for a hundred years, or an angel descending below the earth to eat a pomegranate..."
"You never told me stories like this," Ahsoka frowned.
Obi-Wan shrugged. "You were more interested in hearing about all of Anakin's embarrassing childhood memories," he pointed out.
Ahsoka grinned briefly. "That's true," she said. "I remember what you told me about the first time he ate a bug in front of Master Windu."
"I wish I knew more stuff like this," Cody mumbled. "I don't remember anything from growing up on Kamino."
Rex looked over at him wistfully. "I could take you back there, if you like."
Cody stared at him. "Us? Going back to Kamino?" he asked, speechless.
Rex nodded. "Sure," he nodded. "The trip will take a few weeks...but it'll be worth it."
Cody went silent. Rex waited, holding his breath. Finally, after a few seconds Cody looked back at him and mumbled "Sure, I don't see why not."
After a while, Leia's eyelids grew heavier. Although she still wanted to stay awake and listen to the conversations that everyone was having, she found herself dozing off anyway. Too tired to keep her head up, she laid down in Breha's lap and allowed her to stroke her hair as she drifted off to sleep.
Suddenly, her mother patted her head twice and made her sit back up.
"Come on," Breha said firmly. "Time to go to bed."
It seemed a bit redundant to get ready for bed when she hadn't slept in ages. Leia groaned and protested as Breha insisted on making her take a bath, spent an hour brushing her hair dry, then made her drink some hot water infused with malla petals.
"I don't want to go," Leia complained. "I want to stay up and talk to Ben."
"Ben is an old man who needs his rest," her mother replied. "Why don't you want to? You haven't slept in days, Leia...if you don't go now, I'm afraid you will fall asleep standing up."
Leia shrugged and yawned. "I don't need sleep, not anymore," she said. "I haven't done it in a month and a half."
The brush in her hair stopped moving. "What do you mean, you haven't?" Breha asked, her voice suddenly very low and soft. It reminded her of how her father's tone had changed when she told him that Vader almost killed her.
"It's nothing," Leia said crossly. "Just, I don't like sleeping. All my dreams are bad."
That was somewhat of a truth. The last time she had fallen asleep was when she had spoken to Ani. But before that nearly all of her dreams revolved around Vader or returning home to find out that her father had adopted a new daughter. Or that he had forgotten about her. Or that he couldn't see her and that no matter how hard she begged him, he would act as if she did not exist. As a result Leia had gotten used to brief moments where she temporarily let herself fall out of consciousness. But they were very few and far in between.
"Besides," Leia said. "We have to be up by six clicks after sunrise, anyway. So why bother falling asleep now? I'm just going to have to wake up anyway."
There was a pause, then Leia felt a gentle hand smooth the baby hairs on her forehead before the brush started to pick up its movements again. "What if we didn't have to?" Breha said cautiously.
Leia blinked, confused. "But we always wake up at six clicks," she argued. "It's what a queen is supposed to do."
Breha chuckled at hearing her own lessons being repeated to her. "Yes, that is true," she sighed. Gently, she finished brushing Leia's hair and let it fall down to her shoulders softly. "I will tell the Captain Rex to come wake up tomorrow, how about that? He will tell you when to rise and that way, you won't have to worry about not waking up on time."
"Okay," Leia said softly.
"Alright, my little starflower," Breha murmured, gently cupping her cheek with her left hand. Leia stared back up at her and leaned into her touch. "Get some sleep. I will see you again tomorrow."
Leia nodded and allowed herself to be tucked in. By the time Breha turned off the lights and shut the door, Leia had already closed her eyes. Everything around her felt peaceful, quiet...all she could hear was a fan softly blowing in the background, keeping her cool. It was a welcome change from the constantly hot dry air of Mustafar.
Leia breathed in the cool scent of the small, unassuming flowers that her father had planted in honor of her at the alcove of her window.
For the first time in what felt like ages, she allowed herself to relax.
By the time she opened her eyes again it was already early afternoon. Rubbing the drowsiness from her eyes, she slowly sat up and noticed a figure standing with his arms crossed in her doorway.
Captain Rex turned his head and smiled at her politely. "Ready for breakfast, Princess?" he asked conversationally.
Leia blinked and looked down. Rex walked over and helped her jump safely down from her bed. She began to wonder where Reva was but was quickly reminded that Reva had only become her caretaker out of obligation. Surely now that Leia was back home with her parents, she had better things to do.
As Rex escorted her to the dining hall, Leia finally saw what had been prepared for her.
There in front of her was a heaping platter of starblossom fruit, denta bean bread, and Chandrila tea.
Although she was relieved to see that there was no Mintea, some part of her felt guilty for thinking that way. She swallowed and sat down, allowing Rex to pour her some tea. She instantly knew that Breha must have been the one to prepare it for her. Only she would have keenly noticed that, ever since leaving Vader's castle, Leia had lost the desire to drink her favorite tea. And so she had sneakily prepared a substitute that she knew Leia would also enjoy with no bad memories associated with it.
Leia instantly felt grateful and closed her eyes, thanking the Force for bringing her back home. After saying her prayer, she reached for some of the denta bean bread and broke it in half. The steaming hot bread fell apart easily in her hands, warm and comforting and smelling vaguely sweet. Leia quietly placed a small piece in her mouth and chewed slowly. Rex stood by her side, remaining close enough so that she wouldn't feel lonely but also looking away so she would not feel uneasy. After spending a month trying to get used to Vader's oppressive presence, she greatly appreciated his respect for her comfort.
"Your parents both notified me that they will be back in time for dinner," Rex said casually. "The Queen wished to have lunch with you, but she told me not to wake you up in case you would like to sleep in a bit." Leia nodded silently.
Just then, they heard the sound of soft whispers and giggles coming from nearby. Leia turned her head around just in time to see the door open.
Ahsoka and Kaeden both walked in as Commander Cody and Reva tailed after them. Commander Cody seemed a bit dazed and nervous, as if he was still getting used to the sound of other people talking around him. Reva, on the other hand, was unusually sour-faced. Or at least, a bit more than usual. She did not seem to be in a good mood.
"Leia!" Ahsoka exclaimed. "You're awake!"
"How are you feeling, kiddo?" Kaeden asked. Leia smiled at her tentatively.
Kaeden is nice. I'm glad Ahsoka has someone like her, she thought to herself. She hoped that Ben could someday find someone to treat him as nice as Kaeden and Ahsoka were to each other. Or at least, some person who liked him enough to not want to kill him the way Vader did. He seemed like he could use one.
"Good morning, Princess," Commander Cody said hesitantly, bowing his head quickly. Leia nodded back, feeling sorry for him. It seemed as if ten years of wandering in a spaceship by himself had not been greatly beneficial to his mental health. However he still tried his best for her sake out of politeness, and for that she appreciated him.
Ahsoka and Kaeden went back to chatting with one another, completely forgetting the presence of everyone else. Rex watched and raised his eyebrows with interest, listening closely to their conversation. Commander Cody rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at his hands, as if he wished that he was on a distant battlefield or somewhere else where he did not need to be reminded of his own existence.
"What do you think, Reva?" Kaeden asked, turning to face Reva. Leia felt somewhat bad for her. Kaeden seemed very interested in trying to get to know Reva, but it clearly was not working.
Some people are just not interested in being your friends, she remembered her mother telling her. Do not hold it against them. It is merely a matter of life that we must all be accustomed to.
Well what if I want to be mad at them instead? Leia remembered asking.
Then you shall carry yourself like a queen would, Breha replied. With dignity.
"Please excuse me," Reva said suddenly, turning away and stomping off crossly. Kaeden blinked, a bit surprised but not terribly upset. Ahsoka frowned, a bit offended on Kaeden's part.
"I'm sorry," Ahsoka said. "She can be a bit...hard to get sometimes. I'm sure she'll warm up to you eventually."
Kaeden shrugged. "Oh, well. Can't win them all, I guess..." Just then, her face lit up again. "Oh! I think it's time we checked in on General Kenobi. He'll be needing someone to help him with his legs," she said suddenly. Cody flinched as if the words had triggered a memory for him. "Hey! What do you think, Cody? Are you up for the job?" Kaeden asked eagerly.
Cody's face turned slightly pale and sweat began to bead on his forehead. He seemed a bit uncomfortable with having so many people this close to him, especially with Kaeden addressing him by name. Leia was about to interject and point out that he did not seem interested in seeing Ben when he opened his mouth and responded for himself. "I-I suppose so," he said nervously. "Yes, I think we should."
Leia blinked. She had not expected that from him. During all their time at the palace, Cody had spent most of it looking down at the floor, mumbling things under his breath when he thought no one was listening (sorts of phrases like "I didn't!" and "I wish I could" and "I don't!" which she mostly considered nonsense) while furtively looking at Ben's back. Whenever Ben turned around to stare at him, however, he would immediately turn away and nervously fidget with his hands while muttering to himself. She assumed they must have had some sort of falling out or argument. Perhaps Ben got mad at him and told him to not speak to him again. She remembered seeing a young couple that had done the same thing once.
Why would he still be afraid of Ben, though? Leia thought, confused. I thought Ben already said he wasn't mad at him.
Regardless, Cody followed behind Kaeden and Ahsoka as they went to visit Ben. Rex, too, came along with them. Leia had not asked him about his relationship to Ben, but he seemed to hold a sort of quiet respect for him. She began to wonder what Ben must have been like when he served as a general. It was strange to think of her old man as a strong and valiant young soldier facing off multiple battles...but then again, she had no trouble picturing him as brave. He had always been willing to go through anything for her. Even when she begged him not to.
"Hello, Ben," Kaeden grinned. "How are you feeling? Enjoying your mandated bedrest?"
"Fine, thank you," Obi-Wan replied in an exasperated tone. "I may be old, but I am not dying."
For his sake, Kaeden had instructed him to stay off his legs for a few days. Ben had initially objected, stating that he was perfectly fine. In response, both Rex and Bail Organa grabbed him by the arms and unceremoniously shoved him into the repulsorchair where they proceeded to strap him up as tightly as possible.
It would seem that after years of fighting numerous battles, the General had no sense of the correct way to recuperate from a grievous injury. Worse, the years had transformed him into a stubborn old man. All of these things made him a rather awful patient, but fortunately Kaeden had plenty of experience with such people.
"Alright," Kaeden said, "I'm going to help you put the prosthetic legs back on, and then I'm going to walk you through the basic process of putting on and taking care of them. Sound good?"
"Yes," Obi-Wan nodded, eager to get back to handling things on his own. "That sounds splendid."
"Great!" Kaeden clapped her hands together. "Cody, will you help me?" she called over her shoulder. "The General needs to sit up for this."
Both Cody and Obi-Wan's faces turned bright red. Cody spluttered incoherently, as if he was deeply shocked and scandalized by the idea of touching the General. Leia began to wonder if the two of them could even survive in the same room together for the duration of his recovery.
"Cody doesn't have to do anything," Obi-Wan argued with the stubbornness of a man who had consistently been disobeying doctors' orders against all common sense for over a week. "I already did everything you asked me to, and everything turned out perfectly fine. I can use the Force," he lifted his hand and demonstrated, lifting the prosthetic leg. It levitated a few inches into the air before falling onto the bed.
Leia and Rex looked at each other.
"Is he always like this?" she asked.
"Well, I think he may be a bit tired," Rex said. "He's usually a lot more capable than this."
"I know that," Leia said pointedly. She knew Ben could lift and probably smash much, much heavier objects using the Force already. "Is he always this stupid and stubborn?" she asked loudly enough so that he could hear. From his bed, Obi-Wan winced.
"Perhaps," Rex replied with a slight smile on his face.
"Well," Kaeden said, "I'm more than positive that you can take care of yourself, General Kenobi. However, someone has to help you out with the more difficult tasks when I'm not around. I like to say, some things are just a two-person job and there's no shame in that. I promised the others that I'd be back at Yavin in a few days, but I'm sure that one of your friends is more than willing to help out. So, who's up for it? Are you game, Rex?" she asked, turning around to face the bemused Captain.
Rex opened his mouth, probably to accept the task, but Cody suddenly interrupted and cut him off.
"I'll do it," he said loudly.
Ben's eyes widened. "Are you sure?" he asked, surprised. "Cody, you don't have to do this," he argued. "I don't want to burden you-"
"It's not a burden," Cody said firmly. "It's...a favor," he said slowly. "For a friend."
Obi-Wan blushed again, but this time he nodded silently and allowed Cody to reach behind his back so that he could support his waist as he sat up. Once he was in the proper position, Kaeden brought out his prosthetic legs which had been wiped down with some sort of bright blue antiseptic.
"Alright," Kaeden said. "I'm going to show you once, and then I'll have you do the same process yourself. Got it?"
Cody nodded enthusiastically. Kaeden walked him through each step of the process, sometimes repeating them while looking pointedly at Obi-Wan. Eventually, Cody got the hang of things and was able to attach Obi-Wan's prosthetics in little under a minute. Kaeden beamed proudly, satisfied. Obi-Wan begrudgingly admitted that the whole process was a bit easier when done together with a second pair of hands.
"Wonderful," Kaeden patted Cody on the back in a congratulatory motion and a shy smile briefly flashed across his face. "Now, make sure they get oiled once a week and remember to sanitize the area of contact after each use. Okay? Don't wanna catch any infections!" Cody nodded eagerly again, seemingly encouraged by their minute success. "Alright, well I'm going to head out. But you guys can stay and chat! Thank you for being such a good patient, Mr. General."
With that, Kaeden turned around and marched out. Just as she passed Leia and Rex she winked silently.
What is that supposed to mean? Leia wondered.
"Alright," Rex said, taking her hand again. "I think the General would like to be left alone. We should let him rest." Leia nodded and allowed him to escort her out. Cody fidgeted and paced around nervously, then after some time he also left without so much as a goodbye. Obi-Wan sighed and leaned further back, sinking into the pillows that Kaeden had propped up under his back. They certainly helped a lot with the crick in his neck. Still, there was the lingering ache from the uncomfortable transition between sleeping in a soft bed and years of lying on flat rock floors. He wondered if this experience might have ruined him for Tatooine cave life and began to wish he had requested a bed with less pillows.
Just then, a small knock sounded at the door. Obi-Wan sat back up abruptly and propped himself up on his elbows.
"Yes?" he called out.
The door opened. Reva entered the room and stared at him, her eyes hollow and sunken. Her hair was slightly frizzy and unruly curls had started to escape her braids. Obi-Wan watched as she walked over to his bedside. As she sat down, she glanced quickly over him and pulled the bedsheets slightly higher to cover his chest. Obi-Wan just sighed gratefully as she absentmindedly patted it down to smooth out any wrinkles.
"I came to talk to you about something," she said, crossing her arms. "I have some thoughts on my mind I'd really like to get out."
Obi-Wan nodded. "What would you like to talk about, Reva?" he asked.
Reva fidgeted with her hands nervously. He noticed that she had pulled off one of her black gloves. Breha had offered everyone new sets of clothes upon their arrival, but Reva was still wearing most of the pieces from her old Inquisitor outfit.
"I wanted to apologize," Reva said, swallowing thickly.
Obi-Wan frowned, trying to understand what she might be referring to. Perhaps she had snapped at him over breakfast or something else that he did not remember. "For what?" he asked blankly, hoping to clarify the confusion.
Reva sighed and her fingers twitched slightly as she fumbled with her hands in her lap. "You know," she said. "For my role in you and Leia's capture. I cannot remove myself from it, no matter how hard I try. You have every right to hate me."
Obi-Wan stared back at her.
A shadow passed over both of their faces. A moment later, Obi-Wan replied "It is in the past. Allow yourself to let go of it, as I already have."
"I cannot."
"Why not?"
"I don't want to let go of it," Reva shivered. "I'm afraid it will make me careless."
"Careless, how?"
"Careless...of how I treat others," Reva breathed out shakily. "I know that I have already turned to the Dark Side. But I am more afraid of doing something unforgiveable."
Obi-Wan closed his eyes as visions of Anakin permeated his mind.
Anakin, bowing to the Chancellor and declaring him his Master.
Anakin using one hand to strangle him as he held his saber with the other, raised high to strike.
Anakin in the recordings of the Jedi Temple.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "You are not him."
"You don't know that," Reva said bitterly. "Look at what I am," she said, stretching out her hands so that Obi-Wan could see them. "How many lives I have taken, how much suffering I have caused at my own hands. How much is too much? Have I become him?"
Obi-Wan looked over at her, watching as she raised one hand to the light and then dropped it. "You are not him, Reva," he said calmly. "Because you have chosen to save a child's life, not kill it. The princess still breathes. This is proof of your divergence from his Path."
"But I am still capable of taking that life," Reva gasped, "I was seconds away from doing it myself...subjecting her to what I went through. If it were not for the circumstances, she could have ended up in the same situation as me. At the hands of her own father. Because of me." She looked down, her face sullen.
Obi-Wan sighed.
In all honesty, Reva's transgressions had more or less slipped his mind. He could not speak for Leia, certainly. But whatever pain Reva had caused him was long past. The wounds from Anakin and Maul still smarted far stronger and more biting than anything she had ever done to him. He propped himself back on his elbow and leaned in closer so he could get a better look at her face.
"There is no soul that does not feel the lure of Dark Side," he told her. "It is easy to pretend that to be a good person means to have a lack of Darkness, to have no temptations...but that is not true. Everyone, every person has those urges that they wish they could turn away from. The way that I choose to see it, we are not made stronger by a lack of Darkness but by our conscious decisions to resist against it. I cannot tell you for certain whether you, or I, or anyone is good enough. That is not the point and it has never been. Rather, it is our burden - and our Way - to devote whatever energy we can to fighting it. That is what it means, at least in my understanding, to be a Jedi."
Reva finally looked up at him. There were now two wet trails on her face. Obi-Wan reached up and gently wiped each of her tearstained cheeks with his thick, callused fingers. Despite the dark circles under her eyes where the years had worn away at her spirit, the skin was still soft.
"I am so angry," she whispered. "I don't know what to do with it. I feel like it's consuming me."
"To be angry is human," Obi-Wan replied. "To control it is our duty."
Reva sighed and tilted her head forwards. Gently, Obi-Wan reached out and placed his hand on her forehead.
"There is no emotion," he said, closing his eyes. "There is peace."
Reva silently bowed her head, leaning further into his hand.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
With each word, Obi-Wan became conscious of a second Force presence swirling around him. It engulfed his own energy, and the two began to mix with one another. It was just the same as when Anakin and him used to meditate together. Only, this time the presence had a light of its own. Although it was somewhat difficult to see, he could sense it among the darkness clouding it.
As she spoke, the light continued to grow brighter within her.
"There is no chaos," Reva whispered, her lips moving on their own without noticing that Obi-Wan had stopped talking. "There is harmony."
Obi-Wan nodded and slowly lifted his hand from her head. Reva opened her eyes and looked up at him. The two of them stared at each other, now perceiving one another completely differently.
"I have been trying to control my feelings," Reva said. "I thought that I had grown used to suppressing them. And I thought that things would get better after I made a new...friend," she swallowed embarrassedly. "But ever since we have left the Fortress, there has been something else inside of me. Something that I don't understand. I want things I shouldn't have...things that I am afraid of saying out loud."
Obi-Wan nodded silently.
"Is it possible that you might be confused by your own feelings towards this friend of yours?"
Reva's eyes widened and she jumped back as if horrified by this revelation. "No!" she said immediately, her voice shaky and frantic. "I wouldn't...I don't even..." She gasped, trying to collect herself. "She's not...she..."
Obi-Wan watched her closely, prepared for whatever answer might come out of her. He waited patiently as she struggled with her thoughts, trying to wrest herself away from them. All of the tension left her body and she slumped forward miserably as if the fight had finally gone out of her.
"Perhaps," Reva finally mumbled in a defeated tone. "I hope not. I wish I didn't have to feel."
"You are allowed to have feelings, Reva. Everyone does."
"I know that," she said slowly. "I just...don't know if I am supposed to." She turned away and stared out into the distance. "Not this way."
Ahsoka closed her eyes, raising her hands as she crossed her legs and willed her spirit to be light.
"There is no death," she whispered to herself. "There is the Force."
Please, come back to me.
I am ready.
It had been many, many years since she last spoke the words she needed to say. She was afraid that she might not remember them anymore. But she pushed herself to continue onwards.
Speaking a language is like swimming, she reminded herself. Once you learn how to do it, you never really forget. Trust in the Force.
As she breathed and repeated the words to herself, she could feel the energy in the room starting to change. After some time she became aware of a presence other than hers. Opening her eyes, she gazed once more upon the remnants of a face she had loved.
"Hello, Little Soka," a familiar rumbling voice answered her in Kel Dor.
"Master Plo," she whispered joyfully, a tear running down her face. "Welcome back."
The words felt strange in her mouth. She had lost a bit of her accent, and now they sounded slightly wrong to her ears. As if someone else's voice had spoken them for her.
But Master Plo did not seem to mind.
"I told you that we would meet again," Master Plo said. She bowed her head, too ecstatic to speak. "Do you know what you need to do now?"
"I do," Ahsoka replied, the words already forming themselves naturally. Just as she had hoped, the Force shaped her mouth for her, telling her exactly what to say. "I was afraid, but I am no longer going to let my Fear hold me back."
It felt good, talking in the language that she had grown up speaking. The language that was just theirs. She had forgotten it, but now the words were returning to her. Or perhaps it was the will of the Force, simply translating and making them understandable for her.
"I am ready to return to my path again," Ahsoka said firmly.
Master Plo nodded as if he had already known.
"Very well," he replied. "In that case...if you are ready, then I have one last lesson to teach you."
Ahsoka bowed her head. "Thank you, Master Plo."
Master Plo smiled.
"You are most welcome," he replied. "Now rise, Knight, and take what is yours."