Chapter Text
The campaign had stretched on relentlessly, almost nearing the two-week mark of constant fighting and loss. This nameless, backwater planet was once a haven of natural beauty, that had been ravaged by war. Obi-Wan couldn’t help but recall the stunning mountain ranges and vast green valleys that had once defined this world. Now, the land was marred by the cold, ugly metal of the Separatist base, its lifeless buildings housing an overwhelming number of droids. The once-vibrant grass had turned dull and lifeless, trampled and scorched by the endless battle and bloodshed.
Peeking out from behind the boulder Anakin, Cody, and Obi-Wan were currently using as a makeshift cover from blaster fire, Obi-wan saw that they were barely half a klick away from the Separatist base they were sent to destroy. Above the base was a precariously loose cliff that loomed above it. The constant battles and bombs must have loosened the foundations of it. A plan rapidly began to form in Obi-Wan’s mind. It was risky- incredibly so- but if he could pull it off then the battle would end here and now.
All Obi-Wan had to do was dispatch his fighter pilots to bomb around the cliff, and have Anakin begin a retreat on the ground, while Cody and Ghost squadron provided Obi-Wan with cover. All Obi-Wan would have to do is make his way forward and call on the force to bring the soon-to-be loosened cliff down on the hopefully unsuspecting droid base.
There was no doubt in Obi-Wan’s mind that both Cody and Anakin would protest his plan, but they were out of time and out of options. Obi-Wan was tired—tired of losing, of retreating, of watching his men die. Death seemed to follow him around and haunt his every breath. He had lost so much in his life; his master, his love, his friends, and his men. His grand-padawan had abandoned the order ( while he understands and accepts why she left, it still hurts that another person has left him behind), and his former padawan’s anger still hung between them- a wound that has yet to be healed. He needed to do this- Obi-Wan needed a victory regardless of the consequences it would have on him. He wouldn’t lose Anakin or Cody today, not while he had the power to do something. He would not sit idly by.
“Anakin, Cody," he called out over the chaos, his voice carrying a mix of resolve and weariness causing the pair to cease their arguing over what they should do next. “ I see a way to end this. Cody, I need you to grab Ghost Company and follow me. Anakin, I need you to begin a full-scale retreat and send your best bomber pilots to bomb the cliff above the base.”
Two sets of eyes stared questioningly at Obi-Wan. “ What do you have planned master?” Anakin asked, his tone laced with a mix of curiosity and caution.
“ Once the bombers have loosened the cliff enough, I will use the force to bring the rest of it on top of the base, letting the pilots get to safety. I’m hoping the retreat will cause a momentary distraction that I can use to advance closer to the base while Cody covers me.”
Twin voices of protest rang out. Anakin looked at him as if he was insane while Cody looked pissed off. “ Are you crazy, Master? There are at least 200 droids between here and the base. No amount of distraction will be sufficient enough for you to get close. It’s a suicide mission!” Anakin’s incredulous voice protested.
“Look around, Anakin. There is no other choice. They almost have us surrounded, and I’ll not sit back and watch more of our men be slaughtered when we can do something about it.”
“This could kill you, Obi-wan! I won’t let you do this! I’m more powerful, I can go instead of-”
“No,” shouted Obi-wan, his voice steely before he saw the startled look in his former padawan’s eyes and softened a bit. “ I’m afraid this isn’t your choice to make, little one. I need to do this.”
Further protest died on Anakin’s lips at the sound of the old endearment Obi-wan used to call him. Obi-wan hadn’t called him ‘little one’ in years. He only calls Anakin that when he needs Anakin to listen- really listen. Obi-wan put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “ Trust me, Anakin.” Obi-Wan implored. Anakin searched his eyes, and after a moment he found whatever it was he was looking for. It was a relief to Obi-Wan that Anakin still trusted him after everything that had happened recently, that Anakin could put aside his anger towards Obi-Wan and trust him again.
“ May the force be with you, Master,” Anakin said quietly after a moment, his voice filled with a reluctant acceptance. A peace offering.
“ And with you, my friend,” Obi-wan said in response with a small, bittersweet smile playing on his lips. Obi-wan nodded and Anakin began his retreat.
Turning to face his commander, Obi-wan saw both worry and anger etched in the face of his commander. Cody had always been unwaveringly loyal to Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan wondered when enough would be enough. He wondered if he was finally asking too much of his commander.
“Sir, please, we can find another—” Cody’s voice was almost pleading, his usual brave and strong demeanor tinged with desperation. It pained Obi-Wan to see his commander so afraid, but he cut him off before Obi-Wan would waver under his request. He was doing this for them, Obi-wan reminded himself.
“Please don’t make me order you, Cody.” Obi-wan requested, perhaps a tad bit desperately. “ You and I both know that this is our only chance.” Something electric charged the air between them, and it had nothing to do with the battle raging on around them. Obi-Wan rarely ever had to order Cody. It seemed as if the man always knew exactly what Obi-Wan needed and vice versa. The two of them made almost as good of a pair as Anakin and Obi-wan do, just in different ways.
Cody hesitated only for a heartbeat. “I trust you,” Obi-Wan added softly, his voice carrying more weight than any command ever could.
Cody’s expression hardened into determination, but his eyes remained alight in a soft, desperate plea that Obi-wan knew all too well. “I know, sir. I have your back.”
No other words were needed. Obi-Wan nodded, and Cody returned the gesture with a quick, sharp dip of his head. The understanding between them was undeniable and nearly palpable. With a final look, Cody pulled away and began barking orders to Ghost company, pulling them into formation.
Closing his eyes, Obi-Wan spared a moment to center himself in the force. He drowned out the sights and sounds of the battle raging around him and instead focused on the warm feeling of the force enveloping him. It reminded him of coming home.
The force was always changing and moving, like the waves of the oceans being pulled by the moons. This time was different, however. It felt like a cloak woven from all the emotions he had ever known: love and grief, joy and sorrow, anger and fear. Obi-Wan greeted each emotion, named it, and then let it go. It seemed to caress him, familiar and comforting, soothing away the exhaustion and pain that had weighed him down for so long. In their place, a deep calm settled over him, a quiet strength blossoming from somewhere deep within. Obi-Wan knew without a doubt that this would be his end. And he was ready. If this was the price to protect the people he loved, he would pay it willingly. There is no death, only the force.
With a deep breath, Obi-Wan stepped out from behind the boulder, his blue lightsaber blazing to life in his hand. The blade hummed with energy, and he could feel its reassuring weight as he began to advance toward the base, blaster fire immediately honing in on his position. He deflected the bolts with a series of fluid, practiced motions, his steps measured and deliberate, his focus narrowing to a single point.
He could feel Cody and Ghost Company moving with him, staying just a step behind, providing covering fire that kept the droids attention split. But it was up to Obi-Wan to make it to the front, to reach the point where he could bring the cliff down. For Anakin. For Cody. For his men. Obi-wan reminded himself. Every muscle in his body burned with exhaustion, every step felt like a battle against gravity itself, but he pushed forward, his will unbreakable and his faith in the force unsurpassable.
Ahead, the cliff loomed above the Separatist base, and he could feel the tension in the air, the anticipation building as if the Force itself was holding its breath.
And then, he found it—the point where he could feel the cliff most clearly in the Force, the cracks in its foundation, the weak points where he could apply the most pressure. He reached out with his senses, letting the Force guide him, feeling its flow, its rhythm.
And then, with every ounce left of his strength and determination, he pulled.
The mountain groaned and rumbled as if alive, and then the cliff gave way, collapsing in a thunderous roar, burying the Separatist base beneath an avalanche of rock. The downfall of the Separatist base was music to Obi-Wan’s ears.
His victory was short-lived as Obi-Wan felt the force begin to leave him. The battle was not yet over. several squads of droids still remained. While Cody and Ghost were doing an admirable job of destroying droids, they were still outnumbered.
Obi-wan called on the force again, begging and pleading for it to grant him this one last chance to protect his men. The force granted his request and he grounded himself in its living essence. He raised his hands, feeling the last of his strength gather in his palms. The droids lifted into the air, their blaster fire abruptly ceasing as they hovered, helpless. With a fierce, final effort, he closed his fist, crushing them into small, twisted balls of metal.
As the shattered droids clattered to the ground, so too did Obi-Wan. The world seemed to spin around him as his vision narrowed to a tunnel. His breaths came in shallow gasps and the pain blinded him. Obi-Wan wouldn’t dwell on that. Instead, he chose to focus on the relief he felt. He did it. Anakin and Cody were safe. His men were safe. The weight of his own exhaustion and pain bore down on him, but there was a quiet satisfaction settling in his chest, a sense of fulfillment he hadn't felt in years. For a moment, he let himself bask in it, his eyes drifting shut against the blinding light of the battlefield. He could feel the Force still thrumming around him, beckoning him to come home.
But then he heard them—familiar voices, distorted and distant, breaking through the thick fog that clouded his mind.
“Obi-Wan!” Anakin’s shout reached him, urgent and panicked. Obi-Wan’s eyes fluttered open just in time to see the blur of his former Padawan and beloved Commander rushing to his side.
Both men reached for Obi-wan and gently lowered him to the ground. He heard their voices but it sounded as if they were talking underwater. He tried to make sense of what they were saying, but their words slipped by like sand through his fingers.
And then he felt it—their hands, frantically searching for the source of the bleeding, applying pressure to the wounds he hadn’t even realized were there. His breaths quickened a sudden wave of fear crashing over him. For the first time, it wasn’t the battle or the enemy that frightened him—it was the thought of leaving them behind. It was the panic in their voices as they talked to him. It was the look of pure and utter terror and desperation clouding their faces that hurt more than any wound he was suffering from. That caused him more fear than he had felt in a while.
The sounds of the battlefield began to fade, replaced by a ringing in his ears. His eyes drifted upward, and the smoke and dust of war gave way to a clear, welcoming blue sky. For a moment, it felt like home—a place untouched by conflict, pure and serene. He almost believed he was there, standing under the endless expanse, feeling the warm breeze against his skin. And then he heard their voices again.
But the sky seemed to shimmer, and he realized with a pang that he was slipping, being pulled further from the world he knew. He didn’t want to leave them, but the force was calm and the sky was bright. And he was tired. So, so very tired. “Stay with me, Obi-Wan, please!” Anakin’s voice pierced through the illusion, a raw, pleading cry in a broken voice that brought him crashing back to reality.
His head was on something soft and warm. It was Anakin’s lap he realized belatedly. Cody was yelling into his com, and while he didn’t know what he was saying, he presumed his commander was shouting for a medic. It was too late for that. Obi-wan thought distantly. The commander then turned back to Obi-Wan and frantically began to put pressure on his chest. That would explain the pain in his chest, he thought amusedly. He was too far gone and there would be no saving him. He would not waste his last remaining moments with them trying to do the impossible. Obi-Wan flopped his hand around, trying to bat his commander off of him. He was rewarded with an irritated grunt but then the commander grabbed hold of his hand and held tight.
"I’m… still here,” Obi-wan whispered, his voice barely audible, his breath shallow.
“Don’t go, Obi-wan.” Anakins voice cracked, his hands stroking a soothing lullaby through his master's hair. “ I can’t lose you too” Anakin pleaded with him.
Cody’s usually stoic face was lined with fear, his hands working with a soldier’s precision but trembling slightly. A lone tear trekked its way down his face. “We’re getting you out of here, sir, hold on—just hold on,” he muttered, almost as if saying it would make it true.
Obi-Wan managed a small, weary smile. “ You’re safe.” was all he managed to say through the pain.
“That’s right, Obi-wan. We’re safe because of you. And now you need to let Cody and I help you, Master.” Anakin pleaded but kept running his hands through his master's hair.
“Too--” Obi-wan cut himself off with a hacking cough that caused a fire to burn bright in his chest. He felt something wet dribble down his chin. “Too late, ‘Nakin.
Anakin’s face twisted in anger and anguish. “Don’t say that, Master. We’ll get you out of here and get you help. You just need to hold on, Obi-wan. Don’t give up now.” His voice with thick with emotion and each word spoken was wrapped in denial.
But Obi-Wan’s breathing was growing fainter, his eyes slipping shut. “Anakin… it’s… alright,” he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. “ You are my brother, Anakin. I have always loved you. I am very proud of you.”
“No!” Anakin’s shout was raw, torn from somewhere deep inside. He cradled Obi-Wan’s head in his hands, refusing to let go, refusing to accept. Anakin buried his head in Obi-Wan’s shoulder. Obi-Wan didn’t realize he was crying until his tears were spilling down his cheeks.
Cody’s grip on Obi-Wan’s hand tightened even more, his own face a mask of steely determination, though his eyes were wet. “Stay with us, General. We’ve made it through worse. We still need you,” Cody urged, his voice breaking on the last word.
Obi-Wan’s lips quirked into a faint smile, a ghost of his old self, full of warmth and humor even now. “You’ll… be alright, both of you… together,” he whispered, his words halting as his strength ebbed away.
“C-C-Cody?…” he rasped, struggling to breathe. He could no longer feel his commander’s hand in his own. He felt cold and tired.
“I’m right here, Obi-Wan,” Cody said thickly, leaning over Obi-Wan’s prone body to be in his line of vision.
“It's been an honor, Commander.”
Cody’s composure faltered, his breath hitching as he leaned closer, his face just inches from Obi-Wan’s. “Don’t you dare, sir.” His voice trembled.
Obi-Wan’s eyes, heavy-lidded and dim, searched Cody's with a clarity that pierced through the haze of pain. "It's alright… Cody," he whispered. "You've… done more… than I could have asked… more than I deserved. "
Anakin, still clutching Obi-Wan's shoulder as if he could anchor him to life, shook his head violently, his tears falling freely. “Master, please… we still need you. I still need you.”
Obi-Wan’s gaze softened, flickering between the two of them: his brothers, his friends, his family. “You’re both… stronger than you know,” he rasped, his breath a mere whisper now, slipping away with each word. "Look after each other."
With the last vestiges of his strength, Obi-wan turned his head to the side and placed a gentle, trembling kiss on Anakin’s forehead, just as he had done many times when Anakin was a young padawan after a nightmare. He squeezed Cody’s hand one last time and tried to memorize the lines of his face and the set of his jaw. Let me go, he pleaded with his eyes. I can’t leave them like this.
Cody’s eyes were red, his voice thick with emotion. “You’ve done enough, sir. More than enough. You’ve saved us all, and it’s okay to rest now… you’ve earned it.” He squeezed Obi-Wan’s hand tightly, feeling the coldness creeping in.
Obi-Wan’s eyes softened with a deep, profound gratitude. He had been asking for permission, pleading with them silently, and now… they were giving it to him. He felt a rush of love and pride so intense it nearly overpowered the pain.
Obi-Wan could feel his senses fading away, the pain from earlier melting away. It was time. They let him go, now he had to let go.
There is no death—only the force.
Anakin’s cries transformed into merciful silence and he felt his hand go slack in Cody’s. The Force was calling him home now, its pull stronger than ever. As scared as he was, he went willingly, surrendering to the warmth that awaited him. I’m going home.
There is no emotion, there is peace.
And with that final thought, Obi-Wan Kenobi closed his eyes, letting go, leaving behind the battle, the pain, and the love that had defined him. I’m going home.
There is no death. Only the force.