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It was a rare moment indeed when all the forces of Sidious gathered.
Even Ventress had shown up, motivated by credits to help the group with their task. None of them are sure exactly why, but Sidious had very suddenly decided that Obi-Wan Kenobi was finally too much of a pain in his side, and he needed to go.
Maul sulks in the shadows of the room, not too happy about having to work with others for this. Asajj heard that Sidious personally came to deal with him and killed Savage in the process. He doesn’t seem so cocky now.
Pre Vizsla perched himself up high, seated on a large cargo container so he can keep an eye on everything. Distrust shows in every glance he sends towards Maul, who betrayed him and nearly killed him.
At the forefront of the room are Dooku and Grievous. It takes a lot for Asajj to restrain her urge to attempt an assassination on the Sith Lord. He and Sidious are paying her a lot to be here; they believe her complicated relationship with Kenobi could prove useful.
The holopad in the center of their group suddenly flickers to life, putting Darth Sidious in his small, unassuming hooded form on display for them all. Ventress can never quite shake the feeling that he seems familiar, like she should recognize who he is other than Sidous… but she’s long since given up on trying to figure it out.
“Greetings,” the oily voice speaks, quiet and dangerous like a snake. “You all are here because you have one thing in common. You despise Kenobi. Up until now, I hoped I could use him to my advantage, but I know that is no longer possible… so your job is very simple. Kill him, and bring me his head.”
The Sith Lord doesn’t wait for any response, cutting the transmission.
Dooku looks like he ate something sour.
Asajj is sure her face looks the same. Capturing Kenobi, she expected. But killing him…? She may have been his enemy at one point, but she doesn’t hate him to that degree anymore. Against all reason, he’s helped her-- and more than once. She knows he would help her again, if she only asked him.
She would leave now, but maybe if she stays she can keep Kenobi alive. It’d be nice to have him be the one owing her.
Grievous, for his part, laughs roughly. “Finally, we will defeat my arch nemesis.”
“Your nemesis?” Maul hisses from the shadows. He walks forward with a slight limp. “Kenobi is my rival.”
Vizsla rolls his eyes at the two of them. “He made me an outcast on my own planet. He is the bane of my existence.”
“I think you forget who leads the war he opposes,” Dooku rumbles. “If he considers any of us his greatest enemy, it would be me.” He doesn’t sound happy about the fact.
Asajj watches all this play out with amusement. It may be easier to keep them distracted than she thought. “Maybe at one point I’d argue, but I’m not sure ‘enemies’ is the right label for what Kenobi and I have.”
Maul graces her with a low snarl. “Indeed. I don’t know why you’re here. You helped him escape me.”
“There was a price on Savage’s head,” the Dathomiran assassin shrugs. “Now there’s a price on Kenobi’s. What is there to understand?”
“Look how far you have fallen, my apprentice,” Dooku states with a disappointed sigh. “You could be so much more than a hired blade.”
The ashen-skinned woman fights the urge to growl at him. “I would be, had you not been a coward, Dooku.” She can feel the annoyance tinged with guilt over the remains of their old, broken master-apprentice bond. “Tell me, was it your idea to rid yourself of me, or your Master’s? Was I too weak, or too powerful?”
“Too powerful.” Dooku sighs, shaking his head. “It was not my idea. If I am honest, assassin, I am glad you survived, and I am proud of your near successes in defeating me. Do not misunderstand me, I had only hoped you would find a better way to utilize your talents than as a bounty hunter.”
“Cease this squabbling.” Maul gives an unimpressed grunt. “… If we were not tasked with killing Kenobi together, I would be making you both pay for your transgressions against my brother. Neither of you deserved him.”
Grievous coughs.
Pre Vizsla lets loose a bored sigh. “Do we know where to start looking for Kenobi?”
“Sidious’ intelligence states that he is on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan,” Grievous states, stalking towards his personal ship. “We will ambush his ship when he leaves the atmosphere. It is a diplomatic vessel… taking it will be child’s play.”
“All the trouble Kenobi has caused… and his defeat will be so effortless?” Maul muses, following Grievous, as he has no ship of his own. “I am almost… disappointed. Will we be merely destroying his ship?”
“No,” Dooku answers sharply. “Sidious wants proof of his death; he wants a body to send the Republic. That is why he sent all of us.” The older man heads to his own ship. “Follow the coordinates I send each of you. My ship will capture his, you will be responsible for taking out any guard ships, and then together we will board his ship and eliminate any guards. The senators he is guarding are to be taken prisoner for ransom.”
“Good,” Maul states with an undertone of glee. “I am sure Sidious won’t mind too much if I take a moment to make him suffer before he dies.”
Dooku doesn’t comment, though there’s a reason he’s bringing Obi-Wan aboard his ship. If he has his way, the Jedi won’t be dying.
Ventress stays quiet as well, just watching with narrowed eyes as she enters her ship.
Pre rolls his eyes, gesturing for his two Death Watch companions to return to his vessel with him. “Just be sure you don’t become distracted again, Maul. You failed before, focusing too much on his suffering rather than the true goal.”
“If all we do is fight each other,” Asajj grumbles, “Kenobi has as good as won already.”
Only Dooku seems to hear her. She can sense his silent agreement.
As Grievous predicted, taking the ship was child’s play. Dooku catches it in a tractor beam and drags it on board while the rest of the group takes out any Republic and Alderaanian fighters that attempt to stop them. Grievous, Pre Vizsla, and Asajj’s ships, there isn’t much of a fight.
They warp to Hyperspace before any real counteroffensive can be mounted, dropping out at a nearby system so Dooku can land and the others can board his ship in preparation for handling Kenobi.
They find the Count waiting outside the Diplomatic Vessel docked in his bay, in full lockdown. Several droids surround the ship, weapons trained on it in case anyone tries to leave it unexpectedly.
When Ventress comes up to stand beside her old Master, she half-hopes they’ll be misinformed, and that Kenobi isn’t on the ship at all. She’s not sure she can get him out of this one. But sure enough, she can sense his annoyingly bright force presence inside the ship. There’s no mistaking him.
“Kenobi!” Maul shouts, breaking the silence. “Come out here and face us, coward!!” His lightsaber is already in his hand. Ventress notes that it’s double-sided now, rather than single-bladed like she saw him using before.
Dooku releases a sigh of suffering. “He can’t hear you. It’s in lockdown.”
“That is dealt with easily enough.” Ventress stalks forward, igniting her twin sabers and making quick work of the entry ramp. Two precise slashes and the hydraulics sealing it shut are cleanly sliced, dropping the ramp down in front of her. Kenobi is seated cross-legged at the top, a hand on his chin.
He seems only mildly surprised to see her. “Ventress, my dear.”
“Kenobi,” She greets, with a hint of warmth that she only ever shows for him. “Just the pain in the ass I was looking for.” Her lightsabers shut off, seeing as he hasn’t reached for his.
The Jedi’s eyes drift past her for a moment to assess the other enemies, and she thinks she can see a hint of concern in those usually guarded eyes. “Would it be terribly disappointing for you if I surrendered?”
“I think you’d be an idiot not to,” The Dathomiran retorts, looking amused. “But then, I’ve never known you to be a very reasonable man.”
With an infuriatingly calm, bemused smile, Obi-Wan shrugs and raises his hands. “It wouldn’t be my first choice, but alas, I’ve been ordered to surrender and negotiate the Senator’s release, if possible.”
Grievous stalks up onto the ship then, seeing as there’s no conflict to be hand.
Maul is close behind him, looking somewhere between furious and disappointed.
Dooku is the one who responds, staying at the bottom of the ramp and waiting for Kenobi to be brought down. “The senator will be safe, Master Jedi. He is to be ransomed back to the Republic.”
“He was not our target,” Grievous adds with a sickly cough. “You are.” The cyborg takes Kenobi’s lightsaber from him, tucking it away and backing off so Asajj and Maul can bind Kenobi.
“And all of you came to get me?” Obi-Wan asks, brows drawing up in surprise. “I don’t know whether to be flattered or concerned. Who wants me dead so badly?”
“Lord Sidious,” Vizsla answers, finally speaking. “Aside from the obvious of everyone here.”
“If he went to such lengths… I must be doing something right, I suppose.” The Jedi muses, his expression an odd mixture of proud and troubled.
Asajj hums as she locks Obi-Wan’s hands behind his back in cuffs, getting a little closer to him than strictly necessary. She needs to find some way to delay his death…
“I was hoping you could settle something for us before you die, Obi-Wan,” She starts, walking her fingers up his shoulder in a teasing manner. “Maul seems to think he is your sworn enemy. The others seem to think the same. Why don’t you tell these fools that—before I left the Sith, of course—that title belonged to me.”
Obi-Wan, clever man that he is, recognizes the stalling tactic and gives her an apologetic smile. “And here I thought all of us were more like… frienemies.”
Maul’s eyes narrow on the ginger, gripping his shoulder painfully tight as he drags him down the ramp. Vizsla’s two Death Watch guards go up to secure the ship’s exit.
“Do not be coy, Kenobi,” the Zabrak hisses. “You know there is only one here who you can call your greatest rival, and it is I.”
Not to be outdone, Grievous gives an oddly mechanical growl. “And yet, who here has dueled him as often as I, horned brat?”
Maul returns the growl. “The fact that he is still here means you have lost to him an equal number of times, four-armed freak.”
“That isn’t very nice,” Obi-Wan comments, about to point out that many races have four arms.
Both of them round on him, telling him to shut up.
He raises his cuffed hands in surrender.
Dooku Watches with proud eyes as Kenobi and Ventress divide the Jedi’s enemies against one another. He decides to help, certain that if he plays his cards right, he can take Asajj back as his Apprentice, and perhaps win Kenobi over with her. The three of them can certainly overthrow Sidious together.
“Quiet down, both of you.” The older man rumbles. “It is obvious, if anyone is General Kenobi’s sworn enemy, it is the leader of the Army he has sworn to war against— going contrary to his peacekeeping ideals. The man he has yet to win a duel against despite his extraordinary skill; myself, of course.”
Kenobi snorts. “You can hardly be my sworn enemy when all you want is for me to join your side, Count. You’d rather have tea than do battle with me.”
Dooku doesn’t seem perturbed by the response. He merely gives a quiet laugh in agreement. “While that may be true, it does not make us any less on opposite sides at present.” The count lifts a brow. “Unless you’d like to instead join me, and delay your demise?”
That gets a scoff from the younger man. “I do not fear death, Dooku.”
As he nobly lifts his chin, he receives a swift kick to his shins from Maul, forcing him to collapse to his knees with a grunt of pain. The ginger barely catches himself with his bound hands, only just managing not to hit the ground face-first.
Maul squats, gripping the man’s copper hair viciously and turning his head to face him. “Enough. Enough games, Kenobi. You have lost, and you are going to die.” He relishes the twist of pain on Obi-Wan’s face as he grips his hair more harshly. “But first, you are going to suffer. Answer the question, and I may expedite the process.”
For one brief moment, Obi-Wan’s eyes flash with something like anger. He levels Maul with a glare so severe, so raw, that Dooku nearly can’t believe his own eyes. Kenobi is capable of hate.
If he had any doubt that Maul is Kenobi’s greatest enemy, that look evaporates it. It is quickly concealed behind suave indifference once more, but Dooku knows what he saw.
For the first time in two years, he believes he truly has a chance to turn Kenobi.
“Maul,” The Jedi says patiently, and the indifference in his expression becomes almost pitying. “Just because you hate me, does not mean I hate you.” It’s a lie, but a well-told one. “As I told you before, I know where you come from… I saw your village. I know the choice to become a Sith was not yours. I do not blame you for your actions. If you are cruel, it is only because your Masters made you so.”
And, well. Dooku also knows the origin of the Dathomiran warriors. Kenobi speaks the truth, so there is a small chance that he means what he says.
It is doubtful, though. Hatred like what Dooku witnessed in those blue-green eyes isn’t so easily let go.
One side of Maul’s saber ignites, distracting them all as he holds it to Kenobi’s neck. “Lie to me again, Kenobi… And I will tear out your tongue. Sidious said you were to be sent to him dead… he did not say I cannot torture you first.”
Obi-Wan, wisely, stays silent. A flash of fear crosses his eyes at the sight of the saber, and he holds himself very still.
It occurs to Dooku that Obi-Wan was barely an adult when Maul took his master from him with that same saber. No doubt it has starred in a few nightmares over the course of his life.
“Maul,” the Count says warningly, lighting his own saber and approaching the pair. “Remember our orders. We aren’t done with him yet.”
At the threat of Dooku fighting him, Maul growls, and then shuts off his saber, standing and dragging Obi-Wan back to his feet by his hair. The tears in the Jedi’s eyes are involuntary, as is the hiss of pain that leaves him.
“What do you mean, you aren’t done?” He asks, not sure he wants to know the answer.
Grievous is the one who answers, hands clasped behind his back as he goes to open the door to the conference room. “Sidious wants proof of your capture. He wants to speak to you before you die.” The cyborg’s feet click ominously as he pauses. “You will record a message for the Republic, then your death will be recorded as well. Sidious is using you to send a… message.”
The Jedi frowns disdainfully at the cyborg, and it’s somehow not any less regal for the tears of pain in his eyes. “If you think I will cooperate, you are insane.”
“If you do not,” Vizsla interjects, his helmet modulating his voice, “The senator will die needlessly.”
The Jedi’s jaw works from frustration, but his duty is to protect his charge. He cannot give any action that would bring harm to the senator.
“We will record the message first,” Dooku states, eyeing Kenobi’s steely expression. “Then Sidious will speak with you.”
“Who is he?” Kenobi asks suddenly, eyes fixed on Dooku. “If I am going to die anyways, there is no harm in telling me. Who is Sidious?”
The Count sees the quiet surrender in his eyes. Obi-Wan has accepted his own death and has thrown what semblance of caution he had to the wind. Kenobi has given up, and just wants the one mystery he’s been trying to solve the past two years answered.
“You will find out soon enough,” Dooku states, frowning softly. He doesn’t intend to let Kenobi die… so the Jedi’s acceptance of it is unnerving.
He is sure that the Jedi Master will come around once he knows Sidious’ identity. When he sees the danger the Republic is in, he will.
“You still haven’t answered the question,” Dooku states, trying to get a rise out of the copper-haired man. “Which of us alone poses the most danger to you, by your judgement?”
The question makes him shake his head a little incredulously, as if he cannot believe this is still a debate. “I’m afraid none of you hold that title. If anyone were to singlehandedly kill me, it would be Anakin and his reckless flying. But it seems he… won’t get the chance to.” His voice sounds fond at first but fades into something a bit more melancholy near the end.
Dooku doesn’t understand what he sees in that boy.
Once again, a snarl tears its way from Maul’s throat. “Are you implying that I cannot kill you alone?”
There is a slight wariness in his gaze as Obi-Wan regards Maul. He knows the Dathomiran Sith won’t hesitate to harm him. The wariness switches to a resigned sort of decisiveness as he responds sharply. “I would be more worried if you had ever managed to land a strike on me without your brother to back you up. Need I remind you… I beat you, alone, as a padawan.”
Dooku realizes that Obi-Wan is goading Maul into killing him early a second too late. He’s trying to take away whatever purpose he could serve to Sidious before they can use him.
Maul reacts, and it’s only because Asajj is on Kenobi’s other side and has reflexes equally as quick as the other Dathomiran’s that Obi-Wan is not beheaded.
Two red Lightsabers clash, one blocking the other from completing the strike towards Kenobi’s neck.
There’s a cry of pain from the Jedi just before Ventress drags him out of the way, behind her.
Dooku and Grievous have to work together to drag Maul away once he yields and his saber is shut off, the cyborg Sith cursing vehemently at Obi-Wan as he’s pulled off to the side.
Kenobi did not come away unscathed. The blade caught the side of his neck, though it didn’t really bite in deep enough to do more than cosmetic damage and pain. He collapsed, and is being held up by Asajj, his teeth gritted in a mixture of pain and frustration.
With the others distracted by Maul, Asajj has an opportunity to whisper to the Jedi, though she isn’t sure he’s lucid enough to understand her at the moment.
“Kenobi, you idiot,” she mutters, calling a bacta stim to her hand from the first aide kit across the room. She injects it directly into his burn, causing him to involuntarily cry out from the initial sting. “How am I supposed to save your sorry hide if you pull stunts like that?”
He gives her a confused, unfocused look at the statement. He is hearing her, but the pain from his burn is clearly at the forefront of his mind.
“I called Skywalker,” she hisses in his ear. “Before we landed. He knows you’re here and in trouble. I’m surprised he hasn’t arrived yet.” She calls the rest of the first aid kit to her hand, rifling through it for painkillers and a bandage. “Try not to die before he does, hm?”
She doesn’t think they have time for her to say more than that.
Relief passes through his eyes, then gratitude, and she knows he understood her. He quickly puts his mask back in place before anyone but her can see, and Asajj is impressed by how well he can school his emotions while suffering from such a painful injury. Only his eyes ever give away anything he’s feeling, and only to those who know him well.
“Swallow these,” She sighs, pressing two pills into his bound hands while she starts to bandage his neck up. It’ll scar, but it certainly could have been worse. He takes the painkillers without complaint, no longer allowing himself to show how badly it hurts to have his neck touched.
If she had feelings for him it would probably be concerning, how good he is at hiding pain. But she doesn’t, obviously.
Maul and his damaged pride are being dealt with by Grievous and Vizsla, so Dooku goes over to check on Obi-Wan. It’s a relief to see him sitting up now, eyes open and decidedly not dead. There’s a renewed determination in his eyes that surprises the Count.
Just moments ago, the Jedi looked defeated. Now here he is, ready to fight. Dooku wonders what Asajj said to him.
He’ll need to pull her aside and speak to her at some point.
For now, Sidious is awaiting their call, and they don’t have time to dawdle. Once that is made, it will be another few days before Sidious wonders why Kenobi’s body and the recording of his death haven’t made it to Coruscant. Plenty of time to deal with the others, get Kenobi and Ventress on his side, and start working on a plan to defeat Sidious.
“Obi-Wan,” He starts, adding a note of concern to his voice. “Can you speak?”
The Jedi smiles wryly at the question. “No.” The word causes him to wince a little, but he’s clearly joking.
His answer causes most of them to roll their eyes.
“Need you always be so contrary and reckless, Kenobi?” Asajj asks him, helping him back to his feet with a put-upon sigh. “You’re about to die, don’t you want to be dignified about it?”
Obi-Wan responds with an amused hum. “And squander my last chance to irritate you all? Hardly.”
Dooku merely shakes his head, filling Maul’s place on Kenobi’s other side to lead him into the communications room.
“Careful, Kenobi,” Vizsla states with a soft snort. “One might think you enjoy punishment.”
“Only when the lovely Ventress is my nurse,” he retorts with a wink at the woman in question.
“Have you no shame, Kenobi?” Dooku interjects, mildly appalled.
The Jedi only shrugs in response.
Grievous gives a cough that sounds vaguely like the word schutta. To which, notably, Obi-Wan makes no attempt to correct him.
Maul remains furious but silent, while Vizsla looks disgusted but unsurprised.
“Don’t push your luck,” Ventress finally responds, amusement lacing her tone. “You’ve looked better.”
“Can’t fault me for trying.”
“I would say try again on a better day, but there won’t be one for you.”
“I’m sure there could be if you helped me fight our way out of here.”
“How much can you pay, Kenobi?”
“Oh, I’m sure I can find ways to make it worth the effort.”
Ventress laughs suddenly, though the idea of having her way with Kenobi for a few days is tempting. Maybe she will take him up on that offer once Skywalker rescues him. “You underestimate Sidious’ pockets, Obi-Wan.”
Dooku makes a choked sound. “Oh, gods please tell me my grandpadawan is not some lowly whore.”
“Your what?” Maul asks, momentarily thrown. Asajj seems likewise surprised by the statement.
Grievous and Vizsla however, know little about Jedi culture, and just focus on keeping Maul away from Kenobi.
The latter sighs, rolling his eyes. “Dooku was the Master of my Master,” he explains, then focuses on the man in question. “Were you under the impression that I don’t take advantage of my right to have casual, no-attachment affairs? How do you think I blow off all the stress the five of you cause me? Meditation and tea?” He takes entirely too much joy in the reaction that gets from Dooku.
The older man looks quite scandalized, giving Obi-Wan a look like he’s never seen the Jedi before in his life. Rather than responding to the shocking revelation, he attempts to awkwardly change the subject. “… Right, onto the holopad with you. There’s a script for you to read.”
As he mentions it, Grievous gets the script displayed on the main screen. Obi-Wan gives it a cursory glance, looking just a bit too pleased with himself for throwing off the Count.
As he quickly reads through the script, the redhead’s expression twists with displeasure. “You can’t be serious. Is Sidious a child?”
“He is a Sith,” Asajj tells him, her arms crossed with a measure of distaste as she also reads the script. “The Sith value revenge and power. Sidious wants to gloat by having you humiliate yourself. And, he knows you’ll say whatever is necessary to keep the Senator alive.”
Briefly, Obi-Wan considers if they could be bluffing. Surely, his dignity can’t outweigh the ransom the Senate will pay to have their Senator returned safely.
He won’t risk it, though. The recording will likely never make it to Sidious anyways, assuming Anakin shows up in time. He’s certainly had long enough to get here.
“Read it word for word, Kenobi,” Maul growls, keeping to his corner like a caged lion, just waiting for a chance to pounce. “The sooner you finish, the sooner you will meet Sidious… and then I can kill you.”
Seeing an opportunity to stall further, Obi-Wan shoots the Zabrak a sly glance. “You’ll kill me? Did Sidious order that? Here I thought it would be Dooku’s honor, as his Apprentice.”
“Lord Sidious did not specify,” the Count muses, stroking his beard. “But that is a good point. Only one of us can have the kill. I will pass on that honor; this task brings me no joy.”
“I get paid whether you die or not, at this point,” Ventress points out. She was only hired to help capture him. “If I don’t have to be the one to kill you, that’s less on my conscience.”
“I don’t care who kills you,” Vizsla states, perched near Maul with his guns ready and set to stun if the Zabrak gets out of hand again. “As a Mandalorian, there is no honor in killing you if it’s only an execution. I’m just here to make sure that when you die, you stay dead.”
Grievous gives a mechanical growl. “Likewise, an execution means nothing to me. I have your lightsaber now, that is all I want.”
Maul raises his chin victoriously. “Which means the claim on your life is mine, Kenobi. Honor has nothing to do with my desire to make you suffer... I will make a show of your death; you will die slowly and be sent back to your precious Republic in pieces.”
He’d rather hoped that would have caused more debate…
Kenobi swallows a little at the predatory look in Maul’s eyes. Even knowing that Anakin is on his way… that look makes him worry. He wishes the cuffs on his wrists didn’t block his connection to the Force, if only so that he could try to reach out for his former Padawan and know how close he is.
“Right. I suppose you should get the holorecorder started,” he says, because he needs some semblance of control right now. As much as he doesn’t want to record this message… at least he can take charge of something by choosing when he does so.
His prompting gets Dooku to respond, pulling him to the center of the holopad, where a stark metal chair waits for him. It has armrests with restraints built into them, but the Sith Lord doesn’t bother with them. He’s already handcuffed.
“Do not deviate from the script, Kenobi.” Grievous warns, projecting it so Obi-Wan can clearly read the thing.
That restriction puts a bit of a damper on Obi-Wan’s mood. Not that his outlook was very bright to begin with. “Whoever this Sidious is, he has approximately the same grasp of language as particularly dull protocol droid,” The Negotiator complains in a grumble. “No one will believe these are my own words. It’s too obviously scripted.”
“Are you complaining or giving him pointers, Kenobi?” Asajj asks, amused.
At the same time, Dooku rolls his eyes and interjects. “You’re missing the point, Obi-Wan. The fact is he’s forcing you to use his words, on his terms. It’s meant to be humiliating, not convincing.”
“That doesn’t make it any less b-list holodrama villain monologue nonsense.” The sheer amount of righteous disdain layered into his voice would make most people he knows laugh, but he’s talking to the wrong audience for that.
“You would be wise not to insult Sidious,” Maul, surprisingly, is the one to warn him. “He is letting you off easy. It could be much, much worse.”
Maul sounds almost resentful of that. Kenobi takes it that Maul never got off so easily when Sidious was his Master.
A little hysterically, he wonders whether anyone in this room feels any actual loyalty to Sidious, or if they are all merely afraid of him. Surely together, they must be stronger than the Sith Lord?
Perhaps they’ve never considered that route.
“Are you ready to begin?” Grievous asks, cutting into his musings.
“As I’ll ever be, I suppose.” He states, frowning slightly. “These are terrible last words.”
Maul and Vizsla get a chuckle out of that comment.
The holorecorder starts, and Obi-Wan is forced to draw himself fully out of his thoughts to read the script put before him.
It’s really, truly terrible, but he says it, word for word. Slowly, because he wants to give Anakin as much time as possible to reach them.
“Hello Senators, Council Members, friends. I speak to you today on behalf of,” his expression twitches a little with distaste, “the great and powerful Sith Lord Sidious. He has, of course, outsmarted and outmaneuvered me. It was inevitable, given my own ignorance and blind obedience to the Jedi Order and Republic.” His fists clench in his lap, white-knuckled as he speaks. It’s clear he’s holding back anger and frustration, boiling right underneath his skin. He can do nothing about it, however.
This speech was designed specifically to drive him to hate and anger, and it is doing its job perfectly.
“I have failed,” he states, doing everything in his power to remain calm and detached. It’s difficult when he can’t reach the Force to release his feelings to it. “Quite fatally, this time. You will receive my body within a few standard days, along with the ransom demands for Senator Orn Free Ta.” At this statement, he takes a second or so to swallow down his slowly mounting fear that the words may be true if Anakin doesn’t make it to him in time.
Somehow, he manages to continue. “You should meet whatever demands the Separatists make, as the esteemed Senator Ta will also be carrying valuable information back to the Republic. I do hope this message finds you well, my friends.” He tries for a strained smile as he continues. “Or at least, better than you will find me in a few days.” The joke is tactless, poorly conceived, and it grates on Obi-Wan’s nerves just to say it.
“And lastly, do not mourn for me, my friends. After all, I am only a tool for greater powers, that has long outlived my usefulness. Another tool will take my place before long and you will have lost nothing but one particularly irritating General in this war.” He pauses again, masking his sadness behind a lowered gaze. “After all, what’s one more dead Jedi?”
That one hurt, and he starts to wonder if maybe Sidious does know exactly what he’s doing. His gaze stays lowered as he finishes the short speech. “Consider this the wise and terrible Lord Sidious’ official announcement of his involvement; within the year, he will win this war, the Jedi will be over, and the Republic will fall to his new Empire. Any who stand in his way will suffer the same fate as me.” Kenobi closes his eyes as he finishes, sounding a little run down. “A fool’s death, kneeling at his feet.”
That’s the end of the speech. It feels too final for Obi-Wan’s liking. And worse, he knows that while it was mainly meant to humiliate him, it will cause an uproar in the Senate and the Jedi Order, should it ever reach them.
Hurry, Anakin…
Once again, he desperately wishes he could release his feelings to the Force. He’s always struggled to control them and has mostly dealt with it by expelling all of his emotions before they can take hold. Now he doesn’t have that luxury.
It’s starting to overwhelm him, the helplessness, the fragile hope, the anger, and even the lingering hatred that Maul and Dooku draw out of him. All of it is congealing into this cold dread and fear in the pit of his gut as he anxiously waits for Anakin to come to his rescue…
While the other three are focused on Kenobi as he gives Sidious’ speech, Dooku takes the opportunity to pull Ventress aside and speak to her.
“I take it you have no intention of letting Kenobi die,” he whispers to her in a low rumble. She stands by his side in the corner of the room, eyes on Obi-Wan as she speaks. “Neither do I. What did you tell him?”
Her eyes flick to him for half a second, a mixture of unsurprised amusement there as he confirms her suspicions. “First, tell me what your plan is,” she counters, her voice a quiet rasp.
The Count offers her a knowing smile. “Very well. I believe that together, the three of us can defeat Sidious at his own game. I want my apprentice back,” he puts his hand on his shoulder, “and I think Kenobi would do well under our combined instruction. He will surely recognize my Master’s identity, and I have no doubt that he will join us. When the call ends, you need only undo his bindings and lend him a saber, the other three will stand no chance against us.”
“What makes you so certain?” the assassin asks with her eyes fixed on the Jedi. “He has never wavered in his loyalty to the Jedi before.”
“It is that same loyalty that will drive him to our side,” Dooku states, his voice quiet and self-assured. “I could never convince him on my own, but when he sees the danger the Republic is in for himself; he will know I have told him the truth all this time. Sidious’ arrogance will be his own undoing.”
There’s a brief silence between them as they observe Kenobi falter in his speech. For all his disdainful words before, he seems to be quite affected by what he’s being made to say.
“And… you feel it too, don’t you?” Dooku whispers to his former apprentice.
“Yes,” she responds in wonder. “His anger. Hatred. I didn’t think he was capable.”
“Fear,” the Count adds with a small smile. “The Jedi did a good job of beating that all out of him over the years, but little Obi has always shone brightly with the fire of darkness.”
Ventress arches one delicate brow in his direction.
“I have known him since he was three.” Dooku explains off-handedly. “He was an angry child. He almost wasn’t taken on as a padawan because of it. I see Qui-Gon never managed to truly reign him in.” He pauses. “They were a bad match. Jinn was a maverick, and closer to the living Force than the Unifying, unlike his padawan. He was too dismissive and restrictive of the boy’s feelings as a result of his former failed apprentice…” the Count sounds almost pitying. “He set Obi-Wan up for failure, and it is only Kenobi’s remarkably strong spirit and Maul’s timely inadequacy that allowed him to succeed as a Jedi.”
Dooku will always regret not training the boy. He knew he could have helped, but after Qui-Gon, he was too reluctant to take another difficult apprentice. Sometimes he wishes Yoda had pushed him more.
Oh well. His and Qui-Gon’s past failures may very well become his own gain now.
Ventress appears to be considering it. Seriously considering it. After a moment, she finally responds. “Skywalker is on his way to rescue him. I gave him our location before we landed. We’ll have to act quickly if we are to get off this rock before the brat arrives.” There’s a short hesitation. “We’ll have to accelerate things, or Obi-Wan will be content to draw this out until Anakin arrives. He’ll have to believe he’s out of time.”
Dooku has to admit, he’s impressed by her willingness to hand them all over to the Republic. Of course, he’s sure she’s only thinking about the reward she’ll receive for helping capture two Separatist generals, along with known criminals Pre Vizsla and Maul. What impresses him more, however, is her willingness to give up that reward in favor of exacting revenge on Sidious.
How could he ever turn his back on such an avid disciple of the Dark?
The Count merely nods, showing her that he isn’t angered by her betrayal. “I can do that. Now, if you would kindly rile Maul up? Do that, and I will attempt to keep the conversation with Sidious short.”
Asajj nods, looking pleased with her assignment. As much as she loathes him for his betrayal, she rather misses being on his side. They made a spectacular team.
And, she does have to admit… the idea of Obi-Wan joining their little ensemble is rather appealing. With his pesky Jedi Code out of the way, perhaps she can have him however she pleases. Assuming he isn’t all talk.
Vaguely, she wonders if he would be willing to submit to Dathomiran tradition and wear a collar claiming him as hers. A suitably strong male showing subservience to the female. She thinks he would look very handsome on a leash.
Maybe in privacy he would.
The speech is over, and Obi-Wan’s eyes stay on his worn red boots. He watches them as if they hold the answers he seeks. But he finds no answers there.
He isn’t prepared for it when Dooku strides forward and puts out a call, letting the line stall. “Very good, Kenobi. Now you will finally meet Sidious.”
Despite himself, Obi-Wan’s head goes up out of curiosity. The shadow he’s been chasing after for the better part of two years… If he can find out who he is before Anakin gets here… that could change everything.
Before he can think of something to say, a hooded figure appears on the Holotable, and with it a Dark presence fills the room that he can feel even through the Force dampeners.
He can’t help the shiver that runs down his spine, or the cold that settles deep into his bones. He’s never felt someone so overwhelmingly Dark… so dark that he can feel it even from only a Holoprojection.
Very suddenly, he understands the fear everyone else in the room feels for this being. Sidious is Evil, Darkness personified. It’s like standing at the edge of a black hole. He thinks he might be suffocating under it… All he can do is try to desperately retreat into his own Light, but with the cuffs, he can’t reach it.
“Kenobi,” the voice that comes from the hooded figure matches his presence in the Force. It is cold, oily, snakelike. And yet… oddly familiar. “Your fear is delicious, old friend.”
He can feel his pulse quickening. He knows that voice. How does he know that voice? “I am not afraid of the likes of you, Sidious,” he states, his voice wavering unconvincingly.
“Oh, but you are.” That voice sounds amused, and everything about it is discordant and grating. It sets his nerves on edge, flaying them open and raw. A lesser man than Obi-Wan would avert his eyes, would be quaking in his boots. “Look at you now, The Great Negotiator, General of the Grand Army of the Republic, Youngest Member on the Council, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, reduced to little more than a scared youngling spouting useless Jedi platitudes in my presence. Pathetic.”
It unnerves him, the way Sidious lists his titles to him. There’s something familiar in the mixture of respect and annoyance he has as the describes the man before him. It’s when he says Republic, however, that something clicks. He knows that particular inflection.
Kenobi inhales a sharp breath, eyes going wide in shock as he realizes. “Palpatine.” He would stand if he didn’t think his legs would give out. His mind races at lightspeed through several realities at once.
The Dark presence falters, clearly not expecting the realization so soon. Or at all, perhaps. That helps embolden Obi-Wan slightly.
“The Chancellor, I should have known,” he hisses, letting go of his careful restraint. It hardly matters now. He’s certain he won’t be allowed to live much longer. Rage twists his features. “Treacherous snake. I’ve known you were up to something, I—” he halts as another realization hits him. “Anakin.”
That causes the Dark being to laugh, low and cold and terrifying. “Yes, thank you so very much for training him for me. He will make a powerful Apprentice.”
“No,” Obi-Wan breathes, “Never.”
The Chancellor lowers his hood, not seeing much point in continuing to mask his identity. “You’ve made my part so very easy. The boy already believes you would betray him, you, who he trusted most. Rako Hardeen helped solidify that.”
“You’re wrong,” Obi-Wan doesn’t sound so sure. When he continues, he bolsters himself, believing his words entirely. “Anakin is the Chosen One, he will bring balance to the Force. He won’t join you.”
“Oh, if only he knew you had this much faith in him, Kenobi,” comes the deeply satisfied voice. “Alas, you won’t have a chance to tell him.” The Sith Lord pulls his hood back up, taking a seat at what is presumably his desk and pushing a button to begin the recording. “Kill him.”
Dooku hadn’t expected Sidious to stay and watch.
He shoots a glance at Asajj, who throws him an alarmed look in response.
Then, several things happen at once.
Maul pounces. Ventress’ taunting had gotten to him, alright. He’s in a rage, throwing himself towards Kenobi without hesitation at the order from Sidious.
Asajj and Dooku decide a second too late to go through with their plan anyways.
Obi-Wan dives out of his chair, narrowly avoiding Maul by rolling underneath him. The Dathomiran’s sharpened claws catch his shoulder barely, but fail to find purchase, instead raking along the exposed skin up his neck and past his jawline, ending just underneath his eye.
He cries out, but adrenaline and fear have him springing back to his feet and towards Asajj, the only person in the room he deems even relatively safe.
Maul’s reflexes are quick, and he rolls back to his feet, making another wild slash at Obi-Wan while he has no weapon. The Jedi throws up his bound hands, in what the Sith thinks is an idiotic attempt to block a blade that will slice right through his arms…
Only for the red plasma of his saber to collide with the Jedi’s bracers, the force making Kenobi stumble backwards and making Maul’s arms shake from the jolt as his blade rebounds.
He is about to ask what trickery that was when the answer comes to him in the form of a snarl from Pre Vizsla. “Beskar.”
He’s heard of that. A Mandalorian metal that deflects all. A gift from the late Duchess, perhaps.
Obi-Wan doesn’t acknowledge either of them, just recovering from the very close brush with death.
Ventress ignites her sabers, quickly cutting Kenobi’s wrists free and handing him one of her twin weapons. “Stay focused, Kenobi,” she hisses, closing rank with him.
Dooku still has the element of surprise, so from out of Sidious’ view, he slashes the Holotable’s control panel, cutting off the signal quite abruptly.
Then, the whole ship shudders.
Droids enter the room, the panicked B-2s rushing to explain the situation. “Sir! Republic Gunships have entered the atmosphere. We’re being overrun!”
“Anakin,” Obi-Wan croaks out past the injury to his throat, relief and joy overtaking him as he realizes he only needs to survive at most, another fifteen minutes. With the Force returned to him and a weapon in his hand (no matter how distasteful the color), he feels much more balanced. Help is on the way; he only has to last a bit longer.
“How did he find us!?” Grievous roars, then shoves his way angrily out of the room. He has limited time to escape, and he isn’t about to be in the room when Skywalker comes bursting in to save Kenobi.
Maul snarls, eyes bloodthirsty as they narrow on Kenobi and Ventress. “You will not escape. I will die with you if I must.”
“Full retreat!” Dooku snaps at the battle droid. “Get us off this planet and back to Serenno, immediately.”
“Roger Roger,” The red-marked droid responds, rushing back out.
Vizsla abandons ship as well, using the chaos to slip out of the room unnoticed. He’ll take out as many gunships as he can on the way out, but he isn’t so invested as to stay here. He’s shaken by the realization that Sidious has been playing both sides…
He doesn’t appreciate such underhanded techniques.
He doesn’t appreciate a Je’tii being allowed to wear Beskar’gam, no matter how small an amount it is… but that issue will have to wait. He will retrieve the Beskar for his people once Kenobi is dead. (Or perhaps if he survives, he will simply have to hunt him down for it later.)
Maul eyes his three opponents, teeth bared in a threatening snarl. His claws are tipped in venom, not lethal, but strong enough that Kenobi should move sluggishly in a few moments. He doesn’t care if the other two kill him for it… all he cares about is taking Kenobi down.
Dooku interrupts the tense air in the room with his deep, harsh cadence. “You are outmatched and outnumbered, Maul. Stand down.”
“Never,” the Zabrak hisses.
Obi-Wan stands in defense form, knowing that all he must do is stall. Anakin will reach him shortly.
The ships lurches and shudders again, alarms blaring as it takes to the air.
“Kenobi,” Dooku growls, moving closer to the pair watching Maul in complimentary defense stances. “You know I’ve told you the truth now. Join me and we will defeat Sidious.”
The Jedi adjusts his grip on the saber, swaying slightly. The toxin makes his skin feel hot and sweat starts to pool in the divots of his neck near the wound. His words come out slurred and pained. “Come back… to the Order with us. I will vouch… for you. The Council…” The room spins, and he brings a hand to his forehead, stepping back unsteadily. “Is it hot in here… or is it just me?”
“Now isn’t the time for flirting,” Ventress hisses, assuming his pained speech is due only to the injury to his neck. When she sees him step back however, she takes her eyes off Maul to give him a concerned glance.
It’s all the opportunity the Dathomiran needs.
The ship shudders again, an explosion sounding in the distance.
Maul uses the distraction to launch himself at Kenobi, shoving the other two back with the force as he knocks down his prey.
He slashes his saber down, and Kenobi only barely blocks it. His arm is weak however, his movements sluggish. Maul uses his superior strength to press the interlocked blades down, down, down… Kenobi’s eyes are wide as the sizzling red blades reach within a hair’s breadth of his neck.
The ship pitches to the side, more explosions sounding, much nearer now.
Dooku and Asajj are thrown to the opposite end of the room before they can reach the pair engaged in combat.
Kenobi screams, but it is cut off prematurely.
Maul is thrown off him, his saber skittering away.
Asajj fears the worst, but when she looks for Kenobi, he is standing with the help of the holotable. There is a nasty, charred gash running from the side of his neck to his shoulder. His right arm isn’t mobile, but it’s still attached. Part of his beard caught fire; he’s quick to pat it out. It looks like the blade cut into his jaw, which is why his teeth are clenched, unable to move his lips or make noise without causing himself excruciating pain.
Ironically, the toxin and the injury are working against one another; the former dulling his pain enough for him to not faint from it, while the latter keeps his adrenalin pumping enough to prevent him from succumbing completely to the effects.
Maul is up in a heartbeat, calling his saber to himself and snarling as he once more haphazardly throws himself at the Jedi.
He doesn’t make it to Kenobi.
Anakin reaches the room then, bursting in the door with a blast of Force energy that makes the air tremble. His eyes narrow on Maul immediately, and he doesn’t hesitate to throw his saber at the Dathomiran, the blade headed dead center for his chest.
Maul senses the danger but doesn’t try to block. He can’t. Instead, he stays true to his word, intending to take Obi-Wan down with him, and hurls his own saber at the dazed and gravely injured Jedi.
Dooku knows Obi-Wan isn’t coordinated enough to dodge the attack in time. With as much speed as he can muster, he calls on the Force to drag Kenobi to him, out of harm’s way.
If only he was a second faster, he might’ve gotten all of him.
A second shout of pain tears itself from Kenobi’s abused throat as Maul’s saber slices through his knee. The shout mixes with Maul’s roar as Skywalker’s blade embeds itself in his chest, protruding through his back and out his front.
Kenobi is boneless, completely unconscious by the time the Force brings him to slump in Dooku’s arms.
Skywalker calls his blade back to his hand, not paying Maul’s corpse any mind as he focuses on Dooku, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
“Drop him, Count.” Anakin demands, tone harsh. “Surrender and I won’t kill you.”
Dooku weighs his options.
He could fight Skywalker, possibly with Asajj at his side. He’s not sure if he can count on her loyalty. Together they could beat him… but if Ventress sides with Skywalker, he isn’t sure he can win.
If she helps and they win… there’s still the Republic Attack Cruiser (possibly more than one) to deal with.
The odds aren’t in his favor.
Kenobi did say he would vouch for him…
Dooku raises one hand in surrender, continuing to hold Obi-Wan up with the other. “I am on your side, here, Skywalker. Kenobi can explain once he awakes. Let’s get him to your medbay.”
Anakin looks wary, not lowering his saber. He looks to Asajj for confirmation.
She gives a nod, shutting her saber off and calling the one Kenobi dropped back to her hand. “Dooku helped defend him. Obi-Wan will vouch for him when he wakes.” She casts a wary eye towards the sizzling corpse of Maul and the severed limb still wearing Obi-Wan’s flashy red boot just past him. “You’ve made a mess, as usual.”
Anakin nods grimly, lowering his bade but not shutting it off yet. “I saw the broadcast of Sidious’ message, I feared I might be too late.” His focus switches back to Dooku, and he pulls out a pair of Force-blocking cuffs. “You’ll understand if I don’t trust you, Count. Wear the cuffs until Obi-Wan can vouch.”
“Naturally.” The older man nods, handing Kenobi off to Ventress carefully and then calling the cuffs to his hand. He snaps them on his wrists without complaint.
Ventress carries her sometimes-friend with a hint of nausea as she gets a closer look at his numerous injuries. A room full of people who want to kill him did him no favors. He feels too light in her arms.
It feels wrong to see his expression so relaxed and unguarded. Kenobi seems like the type to be focused even in his sleep.
She wonders what it says about her tastes that she still finds him handsome, even underneath the fresh burns and scars. To her, they just make him look more like the warrior he is.
“I’ll take him to your ship,” she tells Skywalker, voice heavy and clipped. “You escort Dooku. After this… you owe me. I require protection from Sidious.”
“That can be arranged.” Anakin nods, reluctantly letting her carry Obi-Wan. He’ll take his Master from her once he offloads Dooku with a detail of troopers. He hits his commlink. “Ahsoka, I have command of Dooku’s ship. Bring it aboard.”
His Padawan’s voice cuts through the comm, a little staticky from the now-failing communication jammers. “Where’s Dooku?”
“In custody,” he responds.
“… and Obi-Wan? Senator Ta?”
“Obi-Wan is still breathing,” he says, unable to keep the concern out of his voice. “He needs medical attention though. The Senator has been secured by Rex’s team.”
“Good,” Ahsoka sighs, her relief clear. “I’ll get Kix on his way there to meet you. We’re bringing the ship in.” There’s a pause, presumably where she gives her men the orders. “What are the extent of Master Kenobi’s injuries? Kix is listening.”
Anakin pushes Dooku forward so he can walk closer to Asajj and see his injured Master better.
Asajj talks before he can. “Multiple lacerations and burns from his right shoulder to his face. Maul’s saber cut into his jaw and before he passed out, he wasn’t speaking. His right leg has been amputated at the knee.” She forces her tone to remain neutral as she lists off his injuries, even as she brushes hair out of his eyes and feels her chest tighten.
He looks so fragile and small right now, unconscious and in pain. She makes herself continue. “Maul roughed him up before then too, he has an older burn on the side of his neck which has been treated and considering he was kicked by a durasteel limb, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a fractured left shin.” Ahsoka and Anakin remain silent, both apparently listening intently. “… I can’t be sure, but I think he’s been poisoned. Maul clawed him, and Nightbrothers were once known to lace their claws with toxin. He’s sweating and looks ill. It could be just a paralyzing agent, or it could be deadly, depending on Maul’s mood. My bet is paralyzing. He was insistent that he wanted to kill Kenobi slowly.”
“And if it’s lethal? How do we cure it?” Anakin asks sharply.
Ventress shakes her head. “If it’s lethal, it’s too late for him now. The only cure would be on Dathomir, he would die before we reach it.”
Battle droids stand around them aimlessly, ordered by Dooku to surrender. Even they seem to be able to feel the tremor that runs through the force at Anakin’s fury and frustration at the answer. His wrist comm shuts off as he rounds on the Dathomiran assassin.
“That isn’t good enough!” Anakin grinds out, and several droids shudder from the Force.
Obi-Wan trembles in his sleep. Asajj would hush him if she wasn’t preoccupied as the subject of Anakin’s rage.
“What do you want me to do, Skywalker? Lie to make you feel better?” She asks, perhaps a little harshly. “You can check Maul’s corpse for an antidote, but I doubt you’ll find one.”
Dooku carefully watches his captor, uneasy after witnessing such a display and now knowing Sidious’ intentions regarding the boy. “Control your rage, Skywalker. Your Master would be disappointed in you.”
That has an immediate effect. Anakin turns focused, enraged eyes on him, and then seems to realize the truth of his words. He pauses, taking a moment to reign himself in. “… You’re right. There’s so much Darkness clouding this place, it’s affecting me.” He looks mildly disturbed by the realization. He’s always been very sensitive to the balance of the Living Force in any area. He tightens his mental shields, as Obi-Wan taught him to.
“… I’m just… not ready to lose him.”
Sidious knew that, Dooku thinks. This may have pushed the boy over the edge. Attachment.
And if Kenobi’s reaction to Sidious’ identity was any indication, he is equally attached to his padawan.
As Anakin calms, Obi-Wan does as well. Ventress sighs in relief.
The ship docks.
“… I do think it’s non-lethal.” Asajj says after a moment. “If it wasn’t, why would Maul have tried so desperately to kill him in his last moments rather than protect himself?”
That reasoning seems to ease Anakin’s mind. “I hope you’re right.”
The hatch opens, letting them step out onto Skywalker’s ship.
Immediately, Kix is there with a stretcher hovering by his side. He helps Asajj get Obi-Wan onto it. The Clone’s face is grave as he takes in the extent of the Jedi’s injuries.
Ahsoka is there with four troopers, ready to take Dooku to a holding cell.
Asajj and Anakin stay with Obi-Wan as he’s brought to the medbay. No one comments on the former Sith Apprentice being allowed to walk around uncuffed. She’s with Anakin, so there must be a reason.
The goal is to get Obi-Wan awake and able to communicate as soon as possible so he can clarify what’s going on. It’s a huge relief when a bio-scan reveals that the toxin in the Jedi’s blood is non-lethal. Both Force users hovering nearby express their thanks to whatever higher powers are listening.
After that, his neck is the biggest issue. Asajj has to reluctantly explain that he was nearly beheaded twice, likely because of a comment she overheard Kenobi say to Maul the last time she’d been in both their proximities— about how he should have aimed for Maul’s neck on Naboo.
Anakin made a comment that Obi-Wan always did get himself into too much trouble with his smart mouth. Asajj wholly agrees.
Kix informs them both that while Kenobi’s vocal cords aren’t damaged beyond repair, it will take some time before he can speak. Bacta can only do so much for delicate things like that.
(They could, of course, give him a mechanical voice modulator and he would be able to speak immediately, but that would come at the cost of him losing any chance at healing his natural voice, and Anakin is sure his Master wouldn’t want that. He would rather wait for it to heal naturally.)
It’s lucky that Anakin’s ship is the one Obi-Wan is on. Thanks to the General having his own prosthetic limb, the medical bots have both supplies and programming for not only repairing but reconstructing artificial limbs. They don’t have the parts to give Kenobi a new leg right there, but they do take advantage of his unconscious state to at least construct the nerve-receptor apparatus. His leg is cleaned up and operated on, soon going from a charred and bloody stump to a slightly less nauseating mechanical and bloody stump.
His lungs have to be cleared due to slight internal bleeding, and Kix has to fill in the chunk missing from his jaw and stitch together the remaining skin over it (he manages to do so without shaving his beard), then all that’s left is to soak him in bacta.
All the two of them can do is watch during the handful of hours this takes. Anakin must handle a few other things, such as updating the Council on Obi-Wan’s survival, giving the orders to return to Coruscant, but for the most part he lets Ahsoka handle it while he stays near his friend.
Ahsoka stops by as often as she can, but there are things for her to do, and she is excited for the opportunity to take charge. She makes Anakin promise to tell her when Obi-Wan wakes up, then focuses on keeping the ship running.
Anakin doesn’t talk to Ventress much. He doesn’t feel like asking her when she became so attached to his Master. He’s probably better off not knowing.
She doesn’t offer to tell him anything more than she already has. There’s an understanding that he won’t believe her anyways, so she doesn’t bother. He’ll believe Obi-Wan when he wakes up.
Watching Kenobi in silence is boring, but it’s better than trying to make awkward conversation with one another.
Asajj half-wishes Dooku was allowed to be here. Then at least she could pester him for stories about youngling and padawan Kenobi, now that she knows he was the Jedi’s GrandMaster.
She’s sure Anakin wouldn’t mind the entertainment too.
If he could get over his intense hatred of the Count, that is.
After what feels like far too long, Obi-Wan’s vitals are normal, the toxin is flushed from his system, and the lacerations and burns have healed to the point where he can safely be woken up without too much pain.
He’s removed from the Bacta Tank, taken to a bed, and Kix wafts smelling salts under his nose.
Obi-Wan snaps awake, tries to sit up, is gently pushed back down by Kix, and then opens his mouth to speak, only to get out a formless, airy noise and an accompanying wince of pain.
“Don’t speak,” the medic sternly warns him. “You’ll strain your vocal cords, they’re still healing. We have a few yes-or-no questions for you, then you can write anything you want to tell us. Understand?”
Obi-Wan nods his head, trying to sit up again.
Anakin pushes him back down this time. “Master, you have a lot of injuries. Stay put, please.”
The look the Jedi Master gives him is almost petulant. But he stays down, looking around the room and briefly letting his gaze stop on the occupants around him. Anakin and Kix are closest, with Asajj and Ahsoka standing a bit behind them. He thinks Rex is by the door, but he can’t tell for sure from this angle.
Then he gives a wave of his hand, as if to say ‘go on, then’. He has things he wants to say, but he has to sort through his recent memories first. The questions will likely help with that.
Anakin takes his meaning and gets started. “Dooku said you would vouch for him. Is that true?”
The memory is a bit hazy, but he does remember saying that. It takes him a second longer to remember why, and then he nods.
“Your hesitancy makes me think there’s conditions.”
Kenobi lifts a hand and tilts it side-to-side, so-so.
That makes his former padawan snort. “You can explain with the datapad later. Asajj said General Grievous and Pre Vizsla were also there to kill you, but they appear to have gotten away from us. Is that true?”
Without hesitation this time, Obi-Wan nods.
“You said in that message that you were speaking on Sidious’ behalf. Did you actually meet him?”
That question gives Obi-Wan pause. As he freezes, remembering that particular encounter, horror dawns in his expression, and then he’s nodding, reaching over to grip Anakin’s cloak with a shaking grip. He tries to speak, remembers he can’t, and then gestures for someone to give him something to write with.
Though Kix isn’t happy about having to prop Obi-Wan up so soon to write, he can tell this is urgent. He adjusts the bed’s settings to put Obi-Wan in a seated position, then hands him a datapad and stylus.
In clear, albeit a little shaky aurebesh, Obi-Wan writes; “Lord Sidious is Chancellor Palpatine.”
Those who are in a position to read it all react in different ways.
Ventress already knew, so she stays tense but unsurprised.
Ahsoka gasps, a hand covering her mouth in shock or disbelief.
Kix isn’t really sure who Sidious is, so he stays neutral, if a bit confused.
Anakin goes through a range of emotions. He starts at shock, moves on to disbelief, then to horror, then suspicion, then settles on giving Obi-Wan a searching look. He feels the Force around him, sensing the lingering darkness Obi-Wan was very nearly swallowed by. He senses the Light still shining brightly at his core, but…
“That’s a serious accusation.” He states, tone guarded. “How do I know you aren’t lying?”
The older Jedi’s eyes go briefly wide with hurt at the question. He opens his mouth, clearly intending to say Anakin’s name, but once more can’t get anything out but a pained whimper.
Asajj decides to help, her tone harsh and reprimanding. “Skywalker, what reason does he have to lie? Sidious only revealed himself to Kenobi to gloat because he believed he was about to die and take that secret with him. Dooku and I saw his face as well, we will both back him up.”
“You’re Sith, your word hardly means anything,” Anakin responds harshly.
Obi-Wan takes his pad back and wipes it before writing in sharp strokes. “And does my word mean nothing, then?”
Anakin looks down, a bit ashamed at the unintended insult. “No, but— Holograms can be faked, Master. How can you be sure?”
The Jedi Master looks hesitant, wiping the pad clean again, but this time carefully choosing what he writes down. It takes him a moment. “It was him. I recognized his voice first. And he spoke about you. He mentioned the Rako Hardeen mission; only you, the council, and Palpatine knew about that.”
“Dooku knew,” Anakin counters.
Frustrated, Obi-Wan wipes the screen again and continues. “Did you confess to Dooku that you felt I had broken your trust?”
Anakin hadn’t even told Obi-Wan that, not directly.
“Why would he talk about me?” the younger Jedi asks, changing the subject almost petulantly. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
Ventress once more saves Kenobi from having to explain. “Sidious was grooming you to be his next apprentice. He admitted as much.” She pauses, wanting to put a hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder. The man looks so tense and sad. “He more or less said that since you already believed Kenobi would betray you, he’d outlived his usefulness as your teacher. All he could do to help you fall now, was die.” She’s paraphrasing, but she knew enough to read between the lines.
At her interpretation, Kenobi nods, looking about as dejected as he did when it was Sidious himself saying these things.
When Anakin doesn’t immediately respond, Obi-Wan erases his pad again and takes his time to write something else, which he hands directly to Anakin this time, clearly only meant for him to read. “I am sorry, Anakin. You were my student and I should have protected you better. I should have seen what he is and what he was doing to you sooner. I have failed you as both a mentor and a friend, but please don’t say it is too late for me to make amends.”
Anakin reads over the message a few times, then looks up to see his Master’s fragile gaze on him, waiting with bated breath.
It hits him again that Obi-Wan nearly died. These wounds aren’t some trick, or something meant to cover up lies. His mentor—his best friend—was trapped in a room with nearly everyone in the Galaxy that hated his guts, he had to be scared out of his mind.
He only made it out on the whim of an assassin and the questionably good will of his GrandMaster. He had to read his own humiliating eulogy. He was nearly beheaded twice, and he lost his leg to the same monster that took his Master from him.
And here Anakin is, questioning whether the one vital piece of information he learned from all that horror and trauma is a lie. And all because of doubts that the very person Obi-Wan is accusing put in his mind.
He sets the datapad face-down on Obi-Wan’s lap, then reaches for his Master’s hand, being mindful of his injuries and keeping his grip gentle. “I’m sorry too, Obi-Wan. I shouldn’t doubt you; you’ve always been there for me.”
The relief that overtakes Obi-Wan is immediate and absolute. Anakin can almost catch the thought running through his Master’s mind over their faded training bond.
Haven’t lost you- he hasn’t taken you too- not too late-
Above all, he feels warmth and joy run through his former Master’s Force presence and it burns away the last vestiges of the Darkness that was clinging to him; his fears and doubts.
It surprises him more than anything when Obi-Wan reaches out with his free hand to gently pinch a lock of Anakin’s long hair, approximately where his padawan braid used to be, and gives it an affectionate tug. Just enough to make Anakin’s head follow the movement without hurting, a soft smile on his face.
He hasn’t felt or seen his Master be this expressive since he was still in the early years of his training. He knows his Master was often scolded for being too friendly with him, though he never saw why it would be a problem. He loved that Obi-Wan was kind and open with him, it helped him adjust to this strange and new place, it helped him be more open to learning this new culture. It was good to have a friendly face when he didn’t know anyone else in the Temple.
Eventually, Obi-Wan fell in line with what the Council asked of him, being less of a friend and more of a Master to Anakin. The younger Jedi nearly believed that ‘Master Kenobi’ truly didn’t care about him the way he used to anymore… but this is proof to him that nothing has truly changed, his friend simply learned to hide it better.
Anakin’s lips tilt up in a crooked smile. “Love you too, Master,” he responds in a soft voice.
That gets another rare, genuine smile from Obi-Wan. His hand drops from Anakin’s hair and the hand still in his former padawan’s squeezes gently.
For another moment, he just basks in the warm glow of his Master’s Force presence, so blessedly bright and kind and strong and alive.
Then, something occurs to him, and the smile falls from his face. “We’re headed back to Coruscant.”
That puts alarm on Obi-Wan’s features as well, the older Jedi sitting up straighter as if the implications of that hadn’t occurred to him yet. He thinks for a moment, then uses his datapad to ask a question. “Who have you told that I survived?”
“The Council knows you’re in recovery.” And then he halts, another thought occurring to him and a mixture of guilt and horror crossing his face. “Palpatine messaged me. He asked if I’d seen your message, I told him I was already on my way to rescue you. He’s messaged me a few times for updates, but I’ve been too worried about you to answer.”
Obi-Wan puts his hand out, in a universal gesture for ‘let me see’.
His former Master doesn’t appear to be upset or judgmental, so Anakin readily hands his communicator over. As Obi-Wan looks over Palpatine’s last few messages, Anakin growls, also reading them over. “How dare he. He’s—He’s pretending to care about your welfare, just to get information out of me.”
Even if he wasn’t already trying to accept the fact that Palpatine is the Sith Lord behind everything… his concern for Obi-Wan would be suspiciously out of place. The man has never had nice things to say about his Master.
Gently, Kenobi puts a hand on the knight’s shoulder, letting the peace and serenity of his own Force presence calm Anakin’s. He always knew his padawan responded better to more tactile ways of teaching… so, kriff the Council. He will repair what Palpatine has tried so hard to break, and he will do it as he damn well pleases.
When he’s certain Anakin is calm, he writes in his datapad once more, leaving his free hand where it was to keep Anakin calm. “You must tell him I died. Say Maul and I killed each other in the chaos caused by your attack. Tell him that Dooku killed Ventress and you killed him. That will protect them for a time. If he thinks his secret is kept, he will let his guard down. The Council must be alerted for a proper investigation of him. I won’t ask you to attack him on my word alone.”
Anakin appreciates that. As much as he trusts his Master, it’s a lot to believe. Though, the more he thinks about it… the more obvious it seems. Palpatine always encouraged all his un-jedi-like thoughts and feelings, he always played on his fears that the Jedi still treated him as an outsider, that Obi-Wan didn’t care for him… In hindsight, it’s so easy to see that he feels rather stupid.
“Okay,” he says tiredly. “And what do we tell the Council?”
Obi-Wan hands Anakin his communicator back, seeming to ponder the question for a moment. When he writes, it is with a lot of thought. “It’s not safe to say much over comms. Call for a Council meeting to discuss my death. When you’re in front of them, you can explain what’s going on. Don’t let Mace try to lead a crusade, there needs to be a proper investigation of the Chancellor if the Senate is ever to believe that he is in fact, a Sith Lord and this isn’t a coupe.”
After a moment, his expression turns grim and he adds another line. “We have to do this right, it’s a delicate situation and there won’t be a second chance.”
Anakin returns the grim look with a nod. “I know. I’m… going to misinform the Chancellor.”
Obi-Wan’s eyes tell him to wait, so he does while his Master writes down one parting sentiment. “I have faith in you.”
As Anakin reads that, his Master’s hand finds his shoulder again, holding him tightly for a second before letting go.
It’s all he’s ever wanted to hear Obi-Wan say… and now he has it in writing, more permanent than any of his Master’s flowery and artful words could ever be. He wipes an unbidden wetness from his eyes. “I’ll make you proud.”
Obi-Wan shakes his head quickly, taking the pad back and adding a line under the first before handing it to Anakin to take with him.
“You already have.”
Anakin knows he probably shouldn’t… but he’s almost thankful this whole mess happened. Whatever scared Obi-Wan so thoroughly, it’s made him hold back less. He’s open, and kind, and warm like he was at the beginning of their partnership. Anakin hadn’t realized how much he missed that until he just now got it back.
He can’t help it. Despite Kix’s loud protests, he moves in to give his Master a hug. He’s careful not to hold on too tight, or to brush against his neck, but he suspects Obi-Wan wouldn’t really care if he did. His Master returns the hug without much hesitation, and when it goes on a bit too long he only reluctantly pulls back, briefly cupping Anakin’s face and meeting his eyes with only warmth and care in his own.
Kenobi pats his former student’s shoulder gently, an indication that he should get to work, but an affectionate one.
Emboldened, Anakin gives his nod of understanding and sits on the end of Obi-Wan’s bed as he works on using the datapad to compose a few convincing messages to Palpatine.
He notes that besides Kix, Ahsoka is the only one to have stayed in the room.
Though, she drifted closer to the door as she kept a fond eye on her Master and GrandMaster. Attachments and Jedi Code aside, she’s privately glad they finally got their heads out of their asses and repaired their friendship. She was starting to wonder if she was the only one out of the three of them that could see how much they care about each other.
Asajj left, saying she was going to retrieve Dooku. He’s been more or less cleared by Obi-Wan, so Ahsoka sent Rex to keep an eye on her, but otherwise didn’t object. He helped save her GrandMaster too, after all.
The privacy is appreciated. Anakin surreptitiously saves a copy of Obi-Wan’s last note, sending it to his own holomail account for future reference.
Then he pairs his comm with the pad, giving himself an actual keypad to type with.
First, he eyes Palpatine’s last few messages to him.
Group: Chlr Palpatine & Gn Skywalker
[ I won’t distract you from such an important mission, then. Be careful, my boy. Let me know how it ends. ]
[ It’s been some time. Are you alright? Is Master Kenobi safe? ]
[ It would be good if I had some news to give the Senate, dear boy. They are in uproar over the recording. ]
[ I’m worried about you; I’ve heard your ship is returning. Are you alright? Please let me know what is happening when you have a chance. ]
[ The Council won’t say anything about Kenobi’s condition, they’ve just told me that he’s been recovered from the attack. Should I presume him dead? They won’t give me a clear answer. I must tell the Senate something soon. ]
[ Are you alright? I’m sorry if I’ve seemed pushy, I am just very worried for you both. ]
Anakin spends several moments seething over the messages again. But he reaches for Obi-Wan’s calm presence, and centers himself before wondering how best to respond.
How would he respond if Obi-Wan was really dead?
How had he responded when he heard that though he’d rescued his Master from Maul’s saber, he may die from toxin anyways…?
It had felt like an emptiness had opened up within him. A huge, dark well of sadness and pain. Bottomless, Endless.
That had been the Dark Side, he’s sure of it. Seeing it for what it is… standing on the precipice of a never-ending pit that wanted to suck you in and drag you down; so deep that you can never escape, can never see the light again…
Now Anakin understands why it’s called a ‘Fall’ to the Dark side.
He envisions briefly, what it would be like to fall in, to be lost and miserable. To watch his Master die for the second time, knowing with certainty that he won’t pop back up as an undercover bounty hunter.
With that image in his mind’s eye, he writes his messages to the Chancellor.
Group: Chlr Palpatine & Gn Skywalker
[ He’s dead. ]
[ He and Maul killed each other. ]
[ I thought I could save him, but Maul poisoned him with a lethal toxin. ]
[ All it took was a scratch. ]
[ We didn’t have time to get to Dathomir for an antidote. ]
[ He was right here, still breathing, and I just had to watch him die in his sleep. ]
[ It’s not fair. ]
[ I should have been able to save him. ]
[ I was so close. ]
[ I didn’t get to say goodbye. ]
He leaves it at that for now, staying at his communicator and pulling himself awa from that dark place. It feels… wrong, now, to pour his heart out to the Chancellor like this. But he has to be convincing, and the Chancellor has always encouraged his emotional responses.
It isn’t long before the screen shows that his messages have been read, and the Chancellor is typing a response.
Obi-Wan watches from the head of the bed, trusting but curious. He feels a slight pang of regret that Anakin never felt he could open up to him in the way he’s doing to Palpatine now, fake or no.
It isn’t very long before the comm chimes with a new message.
[ I am so sorry for your loss, my boy. At least you were with him when he passed. At least he didn’t have to die alone. It is horrifying to think that such an esteemed Jedi as Master Kenobi was so quickly bested by the likes of this… Sidious. ]
Of course, he can’t help but bring himself back up.
[ He’s a monster and a coward. ]
[ I will hunt him down for this. ]
[ As well you should. ]
[ Not today, though. First we must mourn your dear departed friend, and you must rest. I’m sure Master Kenobi would disapprove of getting yourself killed on your mission to avenge him. ]
[ of course. ]
[ When I get back, his body will be taken directly to the Temple for a proper funeral. ]
[ He deserves that, at least. ]
[ He deserves much more than the measly honor the Jedi will give him. I will collect a few of his closer friends in the senate, we will hold our own wake for him. ]
[ that would be nice. ]
[ Padme would appreciate it. ]
[ I will discuss it with her as soon as the Senate is informed of this heartbreaking update, then. Thank you for keeping me informed. ]
Obi-Wan looks on with a glint of amusement in his eyes at the last few messages. He gestures for the datapad again, this time writing on it in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Two funerals? May I attend both? I didn’t get to see my last one.”
Anakin can’t help the little laugh that gets out of him as he takes the pad away from his Master. “No. Definitely not. You’re staying right here on this ship, legless wonder.”
His Master pouts. Honest-to-the-gods pouts, and… well, maybe now he knows why Yoda lets him have his way on so many things.
“You can’t walk.”
Obi-Wan gestures at a pair of crutches propped up nearby, obviously for him.
“You’ll get caught, clanking around on those noisy things. Like a poorly coordinated ghost, frightening everyone.”
The older Jedi crosses his arms over his chest, as if to make the point that he is the Jedi Master here, thank you very much, and he’ll decide where he does and doesn’t go.
“Nuh-uh. You’re staying here, Master. I’ll deal with the Sith Lord this time.”
That gets him a raised brow, and a gesture between the two of them.
“We are doing it together. You softened him up for me.”
His arms stay crossed over his chest, his expression growing more unimpressed.
That’s when Anakin notices what isn’t on his Master’s belt, and he knows he’s won this argument. “Well, Maybe we could fight him together, Master, only, where’s your lightsaber?”
The ginger blinks, reaching for it, only to remember that Grievous took it from him. Right. He gives his former padawan an annoyed shrug, looking away.
“But Master,” Anakin starts, mock surprised. “That weapon is your life.”
Obi-Wan decides to end this line of questioning by making a rather rude gesture with his hand.
Anakin’s laughter is both gratifying and grating to hear.
Ahsoka had been following the conversations as closely as she could and seemed as amused as her Master. “Don’t worry, Master Kenobi. I’ll make sure SkyGuy doesn’t rush in alone. He’s got me, you can rest up.”
At that, Obi-Wan uses a tug of the Force to snatch the datapad back from Anakin so he can write again. “Well, at least I know there will be one sensible Jedi there.”
Anakin doesn’t mind the barb, this time. Not when he has proof that Obi-Wan is proud of him. Any taunts like this are just what they appear to be, harmless teases between friends.
For Obi-Wan’s part, he’s about where Anakin is. He may have lost his leg because of this… but what he gained is so much more important to him than a limb. A leg can be replaced, his best friend can’t.
And, yes, he knows very well that this whole sentiment screams of attachment… he can’t seem to find it in himself to care, however. He’s come to realize that the obvious attachment between them has done nothing to prevent either of them from being spectacular Jedi. What has harmed them, has been the lengths they’ve gone to in order to pretend the attachment doesn’t exist.
It took a Sith Lord throwing it in his face for him to see how detrimental his actions have been to them both.
He won’t continue to make the same mistakes. The Order can throw him out for all he cares, as long as he can keep Anakin away from the Dark.
“Who knows, Master,” the Jedi knight states, a smile playing around his eyes. He mostly just wants to wipe away the sad and brooding look that had crept into Obi-Wan’s eyes. “If the Council’s investigation takes long enough, you may be able to help the fight after all. You’ll just have to be very cooperative for the medics here, so they’ll let you out sooner.”
Kix gives a derisive snort at the suggestion that Obi-Wan is capable of being a good patient.
The Jedi in question looks grumpy at Anakin’s point, but at least he seems to have been pulled away from whatever thoughts were upsetting him.
It is a bit odd to not hear Obi-Wan speak. Anakin is used to his dry, sarcastic commentary and reading it isn’t quite the same.
“So,” Ahsoka cuts in, moving closer to change the subject. “I’m still not sure what happened, honestly. I know Ventress called us, and then I saw the message you recorded; I’m guessing that wasn’t your idea?” She waits a second for Obi-Wan to nod his confirmation. “How did they capture you? What happened? You were on a diplomatic mission between two Republic-Allied systems, how did they even know you were on the protection detail?”
Master Kenobi sighs a tiny bit and starts to write, only for the door to hiss open and Ventress to return with Dooku, still cuffed but at least released from the holding cell.
“I believe we can clear that up,” the Count states, taking in Obi-Wan’s state and the fact that he seems to be writing in order to communicate. He looks saddened to see it. “I am glad you made it, Kenobi.”
At that statement, Obi-Wan aborts whatever he was about to write and switches to a series of hand gestures that Dooku seems capable of interpreting.
Anakin looks confused, while Dooku laughs softly. “Indeed. He is dead now, though. He won’t be coming back this time.”
“What did he say?” Skywalker asks, lost. “Is that some code?”
The Count strays closer to Obi-Wan before answering. “It’s an archaic language, used by the mute and deaf before technology evolved to the point of being able to remedy those ailments. Basic Sign Language: it is useful for silent and secret communication considering it is all but a dead art now. Yoda taught it to me, I taught it to both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.” He smiles warmly, glad that his grandpadawan remembered his teachings. “He said he is as hard to kill as Maul.”
Anakin looks to Obi-Wan for confirmation and gets a nod, then another series of hand gestures.
That gets a chuckle from the gray-bearded man. “I can’t say I’m surprised. He says he attempted to teach you, but you had no patience for it.”
Anakin thinks he vaguely remembers that. Not for the first time, he regrets being such a difficult padawan.
Ahsoka looks fascinated. “Will you teach me, Master Kenobi?”
The ginger nods, looking happy at the prospect.
Not to be left out, Anakin chimes in. “I want to learn too, now. I should teach my men; it could really come in… handy.”
A chorus of groans makes his grin widen.
The Count shakes his head. “For now, at least, I am content to play interpreter. And I will tell the whole story now that Obi-Wan is here to verify for me.”
That puts a slightly tired look on the Jedi Master’s face. His hands move to communicate and Dooku frowns, then shrugs a bit defensively.
“They would hardly have believed anything I said,” he responds, arms crossing over his chest. “Your padawan was a bit eager to put me in a cell.”
Obi-Wan gives a put-upon roll of his eyes, then leans back into his bed and waves a hand as if to say ‘go on then’.
Dooku nods in acquiescence. “I shall tell you what I know, and together we can find a way to depose Sidious.” At the round of agreements, ranging from uneasy to reluctant, he continues. “Asajj has informed me that you are all now aware of Sidious’ identity. I did attempt to warn you of this fact before, but I suppose late is better than never. Now that you have seen the truth for yourselves, I hope you can trust my credibility.”
“Just get on with it, Count,” Anakin says a bit aggressively, his arms crossed and his mechanical hand tapping against his elbow.
“Very well.” Dooku doesn’t sound pleased to be rushed. “As the Chancellor, with so many Emergency Powers, Sidious has unrestricted access to nearly all military data for the Republic. He of course, knew of every mission Kenobi was assigned to, and simply waited for one when he would be relatively alone and unprotected to have him attacked. The five of us involved have been more or less on standby for this assault for the past two months, while I personally have known his intentions for nearly a year now. I suspect it is the failure of my mission to kidnap ‘the Chancellor’ and ransom him back to the Republic which prompted his desire to do away with Kenobi permanently. He was…” the Sith lord lulls for a moment, stifling some negative reaction. “quite upset by that. He invested many resources into that plot and was furious that I failed him, thwarted by Kenobi.”
The Count’s hand briefly ghosts across his neck, but he quickly remembers himself and the hand drops, his dignified and disaffected attitude back in place.
“The original plan was just to have you killed, Kenobi. I never planned to let that happen, so since he told me his intentions I have… fed his ego as much as possible-- until he became more focused on humiliating you first-- to give myself more time.”
Obi-Wan quickly signs something, making the older man smile.
“Not as smoothly as I had hoped, but yes. It did work.” Dooku sighs a bit to himself. “I did not account for Maul. I was under the impression that Sidious killed him after his stunt on Mandalore; his appearance was a surprise.”
“Why would he have killed him?” Ahsoka asked, rather invested. “And why did you want to save Master Kenobi’s life, anyways… aren’t you enemies?”
Anakin is electing to stay skeptical and quiet, his arms folded as he hovers close to his Master for protection. He quietly wonders the same things.
Dooku doesn’t bother with dishonesty. “I have never wanted Obi-Wan dead. I want him to be my apprentice. He is a powerful Jedi, but I have seen his anger, and he has so much wasted potential.”
That gets a flurry of hand motion from Obi-Wan, who appears rather irritated by the accusation.
Anakin and his padawan are stunned by even the insinuation that Obi-Wan could fall. Neither of them can even imagine the kind Master ever being truly angry.
Dooku watches the Jedi Master sign to him, remaining quiet until he has finished. “You must stop thinking of the Light and Dark as Good and Evil, Obi-Wan. They are not so simple. They are merely two halves of a whole, which must be kept in balance. They can coexist without seeking to destroy one another. They did for centuries, in the old days.”
“… I simply believe, that with all you have suffered, the Darkness would aide you better.” He pauses, decides to make one more point, and continues. “I left the Order to protect my planet when the Jedi would not intervene. Much like you intervened on Mandalore, no? On Serenno, I found a balance within myself. When Sidious approached me, I chose the Dark with the intention of protecting the Jedi from his plans despite their rejection of me. Tell me, is that evil?”
Stubbornly, Kenobi crosses his arms, refusing to respond.
The Count sighs, moving on.
“To answer your query about Maul…” His eyes go to Ahsoka, “I assume Sidious wanted him dead for throwing a wrench in his plans,” Dooku shrugs, “And for daring to challenge him as a rival Sith lord by taking on his own apprentice rather than returning to him, among other things. I know he killed Savage, he mentioned that the beast didn’t put up much of a fight.” He had been ridiculed for his poor job teaching him, despite the fact that he’d barely had time to do so.
That gets a frown and a response from Anakin. “Savage may have lacked much formal training, but he was a formidable fighter regardless. He held his own against Obi-Wan and I together. I take it that means Sidious’ lightsaber skills are something to worry about?” He can’t quite call him Palpatine. It’s easier to call the man he considered a close friend by another name.
“I have never beaten him in a duel,” Dooku admits gravely. “But his saber technique isn’t his preferred fighting method. He can call lightning nearly on a whim. I suspect even Master Yoda could not outlast him forever.” As he continues, the Count looks a bit unhappy, as if he is admitting a fact he finds unpleasant. “He has nearly unmatched strength in the Force… in fact, I’ve never felt anyone with more raw power-- save for you, Skywalker.”
Obi-Wan signs something else, causing Dooku to nod gravely. The Jedi seems to have moved past his earlier annoyance.
“They wouldn’t. No one on the Council would be capable of sensing him unless he wished it. He uses a similar technique to your preferred method of stealth, actually.” The Count tells Obi-Wan, letting the rest infer what the Jedi said. “A sort of deflection shroud, like a blanket mind-trick. When people suspect him, that suspicion tends to slip from their thoughts. He does what he wants, and people look the other way.”
Kenobi adds more input, causing the older man to smile. “I thought you might have picked up on it. As far as I know, you are the only Jedi who favors mind tricks quite that much… It is part of the reason he feels so threatened by you.”
The ginger looks a little unnerved by the revelation, but merely gestures for Dooku to continue.
He does, pulling himself back on track. “The point of the matter is that Sidious has been planning this a long time. He is patient, and I believe you were smart to let him believe Obi-Wan is dead. If he thought his secret was out, he would have likely abandoned Coruscant and opted to slip back into the shadows to wait for another opportunity to rise to power. This plan has already been over a decade in the making, since before even the Battle of Theed. If he suspects there is ever anything outside his control, he has contingency plans and endless patience. He even told me, once, that it is possible to transfer one’s consciousness to another body. If he is discovered, it would be just as easy for him to fake his death and take on another face.”
Dooku’s audience looks grave, concerned and unnerved by that knowledge.
“As for how the actual attack played out…” He looks around and focuses on Skywalker. “What do you already know?”
“Just tell us, and if your story matches what I know, I’ll believe you.” Anakin says.
Smart. He can’t quite argue that, even if it does potentially waste some time. “Very well.”
Anakin attends both funerals. He’s distracted and worried enough by what’s going on behind the scenes that he thinks he passes as appropriately miserable during the Jedi pyre. The body they burn is that of a fallen, unnamed clone. Anakin isn’t sure how he feels about that.
The Council had a lot of questions for him when he spoke to them after arriving on Coruscant. They take rotations guarding those on his ship; Obi-Wan, Dooku, and Ventress. They can’t be safely moved off the cruiser, though Obi-Wan is in need of much more advanced medical treatment. They bring what they can without arousing suspicion, which isn’t much.
With no way to get enough prosthetics equipment to build him a new leg, Obi-Wan suggests salvaging part of Maul’s, just so he can get back on his feet more quickly. It’s a pain to dismantle and adjust the sith’s strangely designed mechanical leg, but it works well enough once they get it attached. Kenobi doesn’t comment on how he feels about using Darth Maul’s leg to replace his own.
The eventual plan is to take them to a more remote location for their ‘witness protection’. It’s just a matter of when they find a mission for the 501st and can shuttle the three off to a more discreet Jedi Temple. The one on Jedha should do, it at least has decent halls of healing.
It took a lot of convincing for Anakin to get the Council to wait and conduct a proper investigation. They seemed to believe that the word of Master Kenobi was enough, but they eventually and reluctantly agreed that the Senate would not believe so.
There hasn’t been a chance to speak to Padme yet. He wants to talk to her in person, in any case. Anything said over comms is at risk of being listened to by the wrong ears. He can’t tell her that, either, so all he says is that he’ll give her the full story when he sees her at Palpatine’s wake for Obi-Wan.
The first funeral is a sad, solemn event. There are less friends at this funeral than were here when he faked his death before. Less friends still alive to mourn him.
Anakin wishes he could tell them that they don’t have to mourn another friend, not yet… but he can’t.
Taking chances isn’t an option here.
The second funeral, Anakin thinks, Obi-Wan would hate.
It’s crawling with politicians, for one. Too many people who never knew his Master, and only came for the opportunity to talk to someone else.
Palpatine didn’t spare any expense. He’s made a martyr of Obi-Wan, a face for his supporters to rally behind, to garner sympathy for his cause.
Look what the Separatist cowards did to this saint of a man, he says, as if he isn’t the one who ordered him dead. He saved my life, he’s saved many lives. Kenobi believed in this Republic, he gave his life for it, we cannot give up now. We should double our efforts.
Somehow a speech about mourning a martyr became a push to fight more aggressively; more troops, more supplies. Obi-Wan, whose heart broke each time a man died under his command, became the face of a bill to commission more troops for the GAR.
The worst part is, if Anakin didn’t know what he knows now, he would be as blindly swayed as everyone else. As it is, the sight of it makes him sick.
An empty casket is carried by troopers from the 212th; Obi-Wan’s men who still don’t know he’s alive. He should tell Cody—he can’t.
It’s all more extravagant and overdone that Obi-Wan would ever want it to be. There are holorecorders all over, and he’s sure his Master is watching one of the many news broadcasts of it and is as horrified as Anakin is by the garishness of it all.
The Republic is mourning, but Palpatine is celebrating.
More people than Anakin knows come to give him their condolences. At least many of the people here, in the hall for a gathering after the wake, seem to be genuinely sad about Kenobi’s death. A few of them tell him about times when he had helped them, when he’s saved their life, or negotiated peace for their world when no one could. It’s a bit overwhelming to see just how many lives his Master had touched over his years as a Jedi.
Padme is a wreck when he finds her. She isn’t wearing much makeup with her extravagant outfit, and that’s probably a good thing. There are tears in her eyes.
Anakin does his best to console her, though he can’t tell her anything reassuring. Not here, at least. Padme can keep a secret, but it’s too crowded to tell her now. He tells her she should probably go back to her apartments; he’ll join her when he can get away and then they can talk.
She decides to stay a bit longer to talk to Bail and Jar Jar, but quietly agrees that she would rather mourn in private.
He avoids Palpatine. Not obviously, of course, but he doesn’t seek the man out as he usually would. He lets himself get pulled aside by politician after politician, and quietly hopes that his former confidant is too wrapped up in his own propaganda to bother with him this once.
But, he has no such luck.
Too soon, the Chancellor is by his side, shooing away his current conversation partner. “You seem to be handling the loss well,” the old man starts, looking Anakin over with the expected sympathy and kindness, but a calculating eye underneath it all. “Walk with me, my boy. We could both use a bit of fresh air.”
Now he notices the strange twist of possessiveness when Palpatine uses that moniker for him. What once used to feel like grandfatherly affection now makes him grimace internally.
Outwardly, he gives a relieved smile. “In all honesty, I’m just keeping a brave face. It wouldn’t be good to let the sharks smell blood.” He pauses, letting some of his true exhaustion show. “The Council hasn’t forgotten my actions last time he…” Anakin lets himself trail off, knowing that it would be more convincing to omit the words than to lie. “Fresh air sounds nice.”
As expected, Palpatine latches onto the opportunity to berate the Council. “That sounds terrible, dear boy. Do they not have the heart to let you openly grieve? They must know he was like a father to you.”
Anakin lets himself be led out to a balcony. There are a few people, but when the Chancellor indicates he wants to be left alone, they find other places to be. “As a Jedi I have to accept loss. Attachment, love, it’s dangerous if I can’t let go. Or so Master Yoda says.” He sounds bitter, and that much isn’t totally faked. “I just want to find where Grievous and Vizsla are hiding. The sooner they pay, the sooner this war can be over, too. Then we can finally have peace, like my Master always wanted.”
It’s almost too easy to slip into his old habits, wanting vengeance and being angry over small slights. Anakin wonders if it has to do with Palpatine’s darkness affecting him, a bit like it did on Dooku’s ship.
In any case, he says whatever comes to mind, but keeps a careful hold on his true emotions. If he’s lucky, Palpatine will say something incriminating, and the wire he’s wearing will catch it.
That would make the investigation a lot easier.
“Of course, of course,” the Chancellor says a bit dismissively. “The war is finally ending, my boy. It will be a blessing when the Republic is whole once more. But let’s leave the politics aside for now. My concern is for you. You don’t have to hide anything from me, Anakin. I am not the Jedi Council, I won’t judge you for mourning your friend’s death.”
Anakin has a brief moment of revulsion in which he sees the obvious manipulation, in which he knows in another timeline, it would have worked. “… I killed Maul already. He would want me to let go.”
Anakin wonders if Obi-Wan is listening to the wire.
“Are there not others responsible?” Palpatine asks, pressing further. “You mentioned General Grievous and Pre Vizsla… Was Dooku involved too? The war cannot end until they are brought to justice.”
Well, time to lie. He’s glad that his Master gave him a story to tell beforehand. “Grievous and Vizsla ran like the cowards they are.” He pauses, tired. “Dooku was there, too. Ventress is the one who told me Obi-Wan was in trouble. It seems like she did her best to protect him until I got there… But I was too late, anyways. I killed Maul before he could finish Obi-Wan off, and while I was focused on him, Dooku killed Ventress for giving them away. I killed him too, he wouldn’t surrender.” He keeps his tone low, sad, like he’s barely containing his anger over the unfairness of it all. “Grievous is the last thing in the way of ending this war.”
“This is good news,” the Chancellor states with a smile. “Dooku’s death is a devastating blow to the Separatists. We must act quickly to find General Grievous, and then… it will be over.”
Anakin nods, his eyes looking back at the solemn party behind him. “I would rather not talk about the war right now, if it’s all the same, Chancellor.”
It’s all he can do not to flinch when a hand comes to rest on his shoulder. “Of course, my boy. My apologies. All the same… we will find him.” He’s sure it’s meant to feel reassuring, but it isn’t.
A moment of silence passes as they stand side by side, overlooking the upper levels of Coruscant.
“Take a seat,” the Chancellor requests after a moment, gesturing to a bench as he moves to rest on it. Anakin does. “I can’t imagine the pain you must be in, dear boy… to have been so close to saving your friend, only to be helpless to pull him from the jaws of death. Are you sure you are alright?”
“Maul is dead,” he responds, voice carefully neutral. “I did what I could.”
“Yes, but vengeance is a poor substitute for success.” The Chancellor says, not unkindly. “Killing Maul did not bring Master Kenobi back.”
Anakin stays silent, not trusting his voice for the moment. Everything about this feels wrong, and he wants to leave, but the Council is counting on him to stay and listen.
Palpatine takes his silence as mournful agreement. He waits for a moment, then lowers his voice, speaking in an almost conspiratorial tone. “… Tell me, Anakin… did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?”
Something cold settles in Anakin’s gut. “No.”
“I thought not.” The old man responds, eyes on the city skyline. “It’s not a story the Jedi would tell you… It’s a Sith legend.”
That should be enough evidence, but Anakin stays, not wanting to alert Palpatine to anything being off.
The Chancellor continues, taking Anakin’s silence as an indication that he is listening. “Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith; so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the Midichlorians to create life… He had such a knowledge of the Dark Side that he could even keep the ones he care about from dying.”
Anakin keeps his face a mask of interest as the old man talks. It’s obvious that Palpatine is waiting for a response, though, so he says what comes to mind. “He could actually… save people from death?” As much as he hates to admit it, the prospect is alluring.
The response comes easily from the Sith Lord in disguise. “The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.”
Despite himself, Anakin is actually a bit curious. The power to save those he loves from death… he’d never have to worry about losing Obi-Wan again, or Padme, or Ahsoka…
He shakes himself, determined not to be tempted.
The Jedi suspects that Palpatine knew this Sith Lord personally, and if he can get him to say so… “What happened to him?”
“He became so powerful… the only thing he was afraid of was losing his own power, which eventually, of course, he did.” The Chancellor seems far too cheerful as he tells this part. “Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. Ironic.”
More likely than not, Palpatine was that very apprentice, Anakin thinks. He seems far too proud of the story for it to be otherwise.
And Palpatine continues, clearly pleased by the look of intrigue in Anakin’s eyes. “He could save others from death… but not himself.”
Anakin tries to think of what to say next. He should get him to say something else, something more damning… “Is it possible to learn this power?”
If Palpatine offers to teach him… that would solidify his identity.
Instead of offering, the old man looks over at him, a smile playing around his wrinkled features. “… Not from a Jedi.”
He should be more reluctant to push this, probably… but he wants Palpatine out of power, sooner rather than later. “Then who?” He asks, eyeing the man he believed to be his friend with a sort of desperation. “Where did you hear this story?”
“All in good time, my boy,” Palpatine tells him, standing.
He can’t let him get away…
Purely on instinct, Anakin reaches out and takes ahold of Palpatine’s arm, stopping him from walking away. “Please,” he whispers, letting his desperation creep into his voice. “Help me.”
Annoyance melts away into a dark sort of satisfaction as Palpatine hears him. He appears to deliberate for a moment… and then smiles. “Of course, Anakin… Find me in my office after the wake, and… I will teach you.”
That’s enough. Anakin lets go, watches the Sith Lord rejoin the somber gathering.
When he’s sure he’s far enough out of earshot, he shakily puts his earpiece back in his ear. “… Masters? Think that’s enough proof?” He thinks his voice is steady, steadier than he feels. The rush of darkness… it left him feeling shaken and terrified.
“Good job, Skywalker,” Windu’s voice comes in over the comm. “I think we can make that evidence work in our favor.”
“Okay,” he mutters, closing his eyes for a moment. “I’ll keep an eye on him until the wake is over… then I’ll meet you so we can confront him.”
“Are you sure?” Plo Koon asks, his voice gentle. “He was your friend, if you don’t want to be involved in his arrest, no one would blame you, Knight Skywalker.”
“I have to,” Anakin insists. “I have been close to him for years and didn’t see what he was, and then he tried to assassinate my Master just to manipulate me. This is my responsibility. Skywalker out.”
Before any of them can try to argue otherwise, he takes out the earpiece, and shuts off the wire. He’s gonna take some time to talk to Padme before he meets with the Council. He doesn’t need them listening in on that.
It feels like he should be more nervous. He isn’t.
He and half the Council are about to face down a powerful Sith Lord. One who used to be his friend and confidant. This should be terrifying.
He isn’t scared.
Palpatine may have tricked him into believing he cared, for years… but he made a mistake, trying to have Obi-Wan killed. And now he’ll pay for it. If he thought he could murder Anakin’s best friend—his brother, the closest person he’s had to family since he was nine—and thought that he’d get away with it… he was wrong.
How could he think Anakin would want to learn anything from the man who ordered his family dead?
Together they enter the office.
Palpatine is waiting for them.
There’s a holoprojection of a clone on the table in front of him, and after a second, Anakin realizes it’s Rex.
Palpatine gives a particularly vicious smile as he speaks. “Captain Rex… It is time. Execute Order 66.”
The Captain stiffens for half a second, his whole body briefly seizing up, and then relaxing all at once. In a voice with far too little emotion for it to be Rex, the clone responds. “Yes sir. It will be done.”
In all truth, Palpatine is panicking. This is his desperation play. He was alerted to Anakin’s arrival, along with half the Jedi Council… and he knew the game is up.
Kenobi must have survived.
Well, he won’t for much longer. Order 66 is spreading across the Galaxy and…
Ah, there it is.
Several of the Council members, unprepared for the disturbance in the Force, don’t have their shields up properly. They stagger back under the sudden snuffing out of several Jedi.
Anakin, along with a few others had their shields up in preparation for the encounter and are able to keep their focus through the sudden pain and loss.
No, no… what is this?
The Jedi who are able to focus their full attention on the Sith Lord as he ignites twin red sabers.
“It is a shame,” the Chancellor starts with an undercurrent of distaste in his tone. “We could have been unstoppable together, Skywalker. We could have built an Empire. Now, you will die for your betrayal.”
Anakin grits his teeth, trying not to think about all the dying Jedi, trying not to think about how Rex knows where Obi-Wan is, about how his best friend is mostly helpless in the medbay, probably asleep right now.
He brings his saber up just in time to block Palpatine as he does some crazy spinning dive across the room. He manages to push him back, and then Mace is as his side, helping him guard the recovering Council Members from the Sith Lord.
“What did you do?!” Anakin shouts in horror as he feels more and more Jedi die. Hundreds of lights going out all over the universe.
Sidious snarls horrendously as he continues to drive in with attack after attack. He is relentless, fast, putting both Mace and Anakin on the defensive like they’ve rarely fought before. “What I have planned from the beginning,” he hisses between the clashing of their blades. “The total annihilation of the Jedi. You have betrayed me… now your own clones are turning on you. You cannot stop me!”
Masters Fisto and Mundi recover, joining Anakin and Mace in the fight. It’s enough that Palpatine has to leap back, and then he gives a frustrated shriek.
Anakin can feel it building just a second before the Sith extends his hands, sparks crackling along his fingers.
“Get down!” He shouts to the Jedi Masters, throwing himself forward with his blade up to block the lightning. His Saber absorbs most of it, but there is so much, it arcs along his arms.
He thinks it should hurt, but all he can think about is protecting those behind him, keeping them safe and stopping this monster before he can take any more from him.
As Palpatine moves towards him, still throwing lightning with one hand while his other holds his saber… Anakin realizes very suddenly that the Lightning isn’t a dark side technique. It’s just force energy, immense and focused.
It doesn’t hurt, because he is the child of the Force.
With the sudden realization, he takes one hand off his saber, lifting it up to catch the lightning. At first it crackles along his hand, stinging and tickling, but he focuses, commanding it to listen to him. He has never been more focused on anything in his life.
Then it bends, coalescing into an orb in his palm, all the lightning drawn in towards the point.
“No,” Palpatine snarls, “Noo, you cannot do that!”
The lightning ceases, and Anakin continues to hold a wild, crackling ball of force in his palm. He stares down the Sith Lord in front of him, expression grim as he considers the man who tried to take so much from him.
“I can.” He says simply, then lobs the ball back at Sidious.
The Sith tries to block it with his saber, but it only explodes on contact, arcing viciously back at its origin, making the evil being scream and seize as his own power makes his skin smoke and shrivel.
Somehow, he is still alive when it ends. The Sith has fallen to his hands and knees, heaving labored breaths, defeated. “Please,” he wheezes, looking up fearfully at Anakin. “Mercy, I am too weak…”
As Anakin looks into the sunken, sickly yellow eyes, he feels no pity. No hatred, just nothing. His saber tip points under Sidious’ chin to keep him in place. “You will live, but there will be no mercy for you, Sidious. You are under arrest.” His voice feels oddly hollow. This was not a victory.
The remainder of the council comes forward, binding his hands with force-suppression cuffs behind his back.
“Call off the clones,” Windu demands, his anger barely restrained.
Sidious only laughs hatefully. “Never.” He looks balefully at Anakin. “They will kill all of you, all but you, Anakin… you will be the only one left of your kind, unless you join me. I can stop them, just free me… free me and you will not lose everyone, Skywalker.”
His mind races. Even if they take Sidious into custody, it won’t last, they’ll all have to go into hiding to avoid the clones… how…
Something occurs to them. “Why wouldn’t they kill me?” He asks, and the brief flash of regret in Sidious’ eyes is enough to confirm his suspicions.
Anakin wastes no time, deciding to test his theory. If it doesn’t work, thing can’t exactly get any worse. He dashes over to the holotable, calling up all the available clone commanders and captains. “This is General Skywalker, cancel order 66.”
Like he suspected, Palpatine was so sure that he would get Anakin on his side, the clones all stand to attention at his name, and as they are released from order 66, they snap out of it.
Palpatine cries out another wail of anger and denial, only for four Council Members to start dragging him out of the room.
Anakin almost sags with relief as that works. The deaths cease, no more lights being lost as his order is broadcasted across the galaxy. The clones in front of him all sound horrified, anguished by what they and their brothers had done.
“The jedi…”
“No, No!”
“What have we done?!”
“my Jedi…”
“Medic!”
“Skywalker, General Skywalker, sir!”
Anakin is pulled away from his haze of relief and sorrow by the voice of his own Captain. He shuts off the other feeds, trusting the clones to save those Jedi that they still could. “Rex,” he acknowledges the clone, voice tired and miserable.
“Obi-Wan is alive, sir,” the clone commander tells him, filling the Jedi with relief. “But he’s missing; Ventress and Count Dooku escaped with him.”
Great. Out of the pan and into the fire, as usual.
Ahsoka comes up to his side, still trembling from the feeling of so many dead Jedi. He’s just glad she’s alright. Anakin puts a comforting arm around her.
“How did they escape?” she asks quietly, “could they still be on Coruscant?”
“They took Ventress’ ship,” Jesse explains, coming into view on the Holocall. “They removed the tracker we put on it.”
Of course, Obi-Wan would have known to do that. Which means he chose to go with them, at least. He wasn’t just kidnapped.
“Stay where you are,” Anakin sighs. “He should be safe for now, at least. We have things to handle here at the senate and the temple; hopefully they’ll get in contact with us when they see we have things under control.”
“I’ll let you know if we make any contact.” Rex promises, and Anakin ends the call.
It’s over…
Something tightly wound in his chest loosens. Terrible things have happened, but he gets the sense that they have avoided a much worse fate.
Mace drops a hand onto his shoulder. “Skywalker,” he starts, and it’s the kindest Anakin has ever heard his voice. “You did well. You’ll be made a Master for this.”
And that… it’s all ever Anakin has ever wanted.
He finds himself shaking his head. “I don’t… I don’t think I deserve it, not after how close I came to being manipulated.” He admits, his arm tightening around Ahsoka.
Mace’s hand tightens on his shoulder. “That is exactly the reason you have earned it, Skywalker.”
There might even be an open seat on the council for him.
“Thank you, Master Windu,” he answers, tone solemn.
The Korun man nods. “Come with us back to the temple. We might need your help in case any clones didn’t receive your transmission. We might have a lead on Grievous too, if we capture him we can bring the war to a definite end.”
Anakin nods. It sounds like a plan, something to move forward towards.
All they can do now is move forwards.