It was only a pity Y/n wouldn’t get to see them, as she had spent every night she’d been on Ryloth in the underground cavern system that the Twi’leks called home. The native species had moved their population beneath the surface hundreds of years ago when the battle for survival with the lethal wildlife became too much to bear. 

  “I don’t know if I would be able to live here permanently,” she told Obi-Wan quietly while chatting with him over the holonet a few nights into her assignment. “I’ve come to realise I don’t fare well in enclosed spaces.”

  She was sitting on her bunk in the small room the Twi’leks had managed to spare for her. Her cloak was hanging on the door, leaving her clad in her tunic and leggings.

  In the hologram, the older Jedi raised a brow, mouth pulling into a bemused smile. “You cope alright on space ships,” he pointed out, his arms crossing over his chest. 

  She just rolled her eyes, “That’s different. At least I can see the outside of the ship through the windows. Here it’s all just thick, impenetrable rock under meters of sand and dirt. Anakin would hate it.”

  “Anakin is biased when it comes to sand, and I would advise against using ‘what would Anakin do’ as a means of justification,” he said dryly. “How much longer do you have to stay there?” 

  “Just until I’ve worked out how the Zygerrians keep getting into these cave systems,” she sighed, rubbing a hand over her eyes tiredly. “Did you know they kidnapped ten children last week alone? Children.”

  Obi-Wan sighed, rubbing his beard thoughtfully, “I wish there was more we could do for them. Those children will be long gone by now.”

  She stifled a yawn into her hand, resting her chin on her palm as she scrolled through the information on her datapad. “Hopefully this information from my contact inside the Zygerrian Slave Empire will shed a little more light on who they’ve been sold to.”

  “I thought your mandate was just to prevent any more kidnappings from happening?” he asked, giving her a pointed look. 

  Y/n raised a brow, smiling wryly, “Don’t worry, Obi-Wan I know how you feel about disobeying the Council. I’m just doing a little extra research. I probably won’t find where the kids are, but if I do, it would be against the code not to do what I can to help them.”

  He sighed, massaging his temple, “I would try to talk you out of it, but we have known each other far too long to play that game again.”

  She grinned, laughing softly, “I’m glad you agree. How did your Council meeting go?”

  Obi-Wan lifted his head, meeting her eyes again, “Well Anakin and I have been given a new assignment. I have my doubts about it…”

  “Why?”

  He hesitated, “The Council has asked Anakin and I to act as a security detail for Senator Amidala.”

  Her eyes widened, “Amidala, as in former Queen Amidala? The girl Anakin was smitten with ten years ago?”

  “The very one,” Obi-Wan said dryly, “I am concerned he may still have feelings for her, which could complicate this assignment.”

  Y/n hummed thoughtfully, “It could, but I don’t think you should worry.”

  “No?”

  “Trust in his training, Obi-Wan. You have taught him well, he will not fail you,” she assured him. 

  The hiss of a door sliding open could be heard from Obi-Wan’s end, and Anakin’s voice cut through the hologram. “Master, have you seen my- Y/n!”

  She grinned as the young man came into view, muffling a giggle into her hand at the mild irritation on Obi-Wan’s face. “Hello Anakin.”

  “Anakin, address her properly please,” Obi-Wan chastised, frowning at his Padawan. 

  Anakin smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck, “Sorry, Master L/n. It’s great to see you!”

  Y/n laughed, “Likewise, Annie. Obi-Wan tells me you have a new assignment.”

  “Yeah, with Senator Amidala,” he said, cheeks turning pink.

  “We should probably get going, the Senator is expecting us,” Obi-Wan said with a sigh, “Your lightsaber is hanging on the hook by the door, Anakin. Please keep a closer eye on it.”

  “Yes, Master,” Anakin said with a smile that did not reflect his apologetic tone, and disappeared from the hologram. “Bye Master L/n!” he called over his shoulder.

  Y/n smiled sadly as Obi-Wan turned back to face her, “Same time next week?”

  He sighed, rubbing a hand over his beard, “Yes, I’m sorry this was cut short. May the Force be with you, my friend.”

  “And with you, Obi-Wan.”

  The hologram cut out, leaving her sitting in the darkness of the cavern. Y/n let the pang of disappointment sit for a few moments before casting thoughts of Obi-Wan away and getting back to her datapad. 

  These calls had become the highlight of her week. While they hadn’t exactly helped her get over her feelings for him (if anything they’d had the opposite effect) she was able to come to terms with them and stop being afraid. Her life as a Jedi had taught her to be cautious about forming attachments as they could lead to fear of loss, which in turn was the start of the path to the Dark Side. But if anything, her friendship with - and accompanying feelings for - him only helped her feel closer to the Light. 

  “Master L/n,” Otaliru, the Twi’lek leader who she had been working with on the Zygerrian case popped his head through her doorway, his lekku shifting with the angle, “There’s been another kidnapping.”

  Dread filled Y/n’s gut and she sprung into action, grabbing her cloak off the hook, “Take me to the scene.”

  ______

  It turned out the Zygerrians had taken the children to a nearby moon where they had been sold to one of the Hutts. Y/n was able to set up security measures on Ryloth to prevent further kidnappings, just in time to jump on a transport that would take her straight to the moon. The tricky part had been freeing the kids. The Hutt responsible was Aggaba, a lower-level lackey of Jabba’s who oversaw the mining operations on this particular moon. Y/n was able to charm and negotiate her way into Aggaba’s court, where she then had to resort to ‘aggressive negotiations’ - as Anakin would call them - to free the children. 

  Soon she was back on Ryloth, watching the families reunite with a gentle smile. 

  “Thank you, for everything Master L/n,” Otaliru exclaimed, hugging his own daughter who had been one of the kidnapped children, “How can we ever repay you?”

  Y/n shook her head, “No need to repay me. I am just glad I was able to save these wonderful children.”

  After the emotional goodbye from the Twi’leks, Y/n boarded the shuttle she had arrived on and took off, leaving the atmosphere and preparing for the jump to hyperspace. But before she could finish the process, her com light began blinking, indicating that someone was trying to get ahold of her. 

  Frowning in concern, she pressed the button and a hologram flickered to life, tiny blue versions of Anakin and a young woman appearing before her. 

  “Master L/n!” Anakin exclaimed, relief flooding his features, “Thank the Maker!”

  “Anakin? What’s wrong? Is that Senator Amidala? Where’s Obi-Wan?” the questions tumbled out of her mouth like a rock slide, anxiety settling in her stomach at the way the young Padawan’s face was twisted with worry. 

  “Um, yes. This is Padme,” Anakin winced awkwardly, glancing down at the woman next to him who gestured for him to get to the point. “I would formally introduce you, but we don’t have much time. Obi-Wan is in trouble.”

  Her heart dropped, head feeling light as she rasped, “What? Where is he?”

  “He’s on a planet called Geonosis, but he’s been taken hostage. Padme and I are on our way there now, but we could really use your help,” Anakin explained.

  “Wait, Anakin, you’re supposed to be protecting the Senator. You can’t just-”

  “Actually, I’m the one that decided to help Master Kenobi,” Amidala said sternly, stepping forward and pinning Y/n with a determined look, “If Anakin wants to protect me he’ll have to come with. Now, I know you’re closer to Geonosis than we are, so please help us.”

  At that moment, Y/n understood what Anakin saw in Padme Amidala. With a grin, she nodded, “Very well, Senator. You don’t have to ask me twice. I’ll be there.”

  The woman’s expression softened and she smiled gratefully, “Thank you.”

  The hologram cut out and Y/n jumped into action. Pulling up her star map, she located Geonosis and plugged the coordinates into her pathfinder. Heart hammering with worry for Obi-Wan, she slammed her hand down on the thrusters and the shuttle pulled away into hyperspace. 

  The journey was faster than she’d expected. Before she knew it, she was staring at a reddish-brown planet surrounded by an asteroid belt. Taking a deep breath, she directed the shuttle between the chunks of rock, forcing herself to focus on the challenge directly before her and not whether Obi-Wan was alright. Soon she had navigated her way through the belt and began guiding the shuttle into the Geonosian atmosphere. 

  The landscape was fairly monotonous, so she cast her mind out to see if she could feel Obi-Wan’s force signature. It took a few minutes, but eventually she was able to get a hold of it. The signature was faint, but clearly there, so she pushed the throttle and sped in the direction it was leading her. The barren desert gave way to what looked like a factory, with round terracotta buildings and large chimneys emitting dark smoke. She landed the shuttle just behind a mountain ridge, telling her astromech to stay with the ship. 

  “If I don’t return in a day, fly the shuttle back to the Temple,” she said, pulling her hood up and walking down the ramp. 

  The ridge overlooked the south wall of the factory, and provided a perfect vantage point for her to formulate a plan. She watched the pair of insect-like guards standing in front of the entrance, knowing that as soon as they walked away to rotate shifts, she would have her window. Fifteen minutes later they turned on their heels and disappeared around the corner. She dropped down into the valley, using the Force to soften the impact. Glancing around to make sure another set of guards weren’t already on their way, she darted to the door. She stopped in front of it and closed her eyes, holding out her hand and using the Force to unlock it. The mechanism beeped and the door slid open.

  It was, in fact, a factory. A droid factory.

  Y/n stood frozen for a moment, staring at the scene before her. The door had opened onto a platform that looked out over a huge production floor. Conveyor belts that held many kinds of military droids in various stages of manufacture ran across the length of the space, huge vats of molten metal hanging from the ceiling. The noise from the clanging and screeching of moving metallic parts pounded on her ears, and she was quickly looking for a way out. Reaching with her mind again, she searched for Obi-Wan’s signature. It was stronger now, but there was also another. Something darker. Sinister.

  “I really hope that doesn’t become a problem,” she muttered, following Obi-Wan’s signature along a walkway and into a corridor. She kept her steps soft and quiet, listening out for any more Geonosian guards. The signature led her up a winding staircase and down another corridor, where she finally ran into a roadblock. 

  Two guards were standing in front of a door, chatting quietly to each other. They were human. 

  Y/n couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she knew she had to find a way past them as Obi-Wan’s signature was leading her through that door. Taking a breath to settle her nerves, she turned the corner, walking confidently towards the guards. 

  They spotted her approaching fairly quickly, and were understandably cautious. 

  “Stop right there, Jedi,” one of them commanded, pointing his blaster at her. 

  She did as he asked, waving a hand in the air and saying, “You will be taking your lunch break.”

  The guards straightened, guns falling slack in their hands. “We will be taking our lunch break,” one of them said, and they both walked away. Releasing a breath, she focused on the locking mechanism, but before she could finish, the sound of footsteps approaching echoed off the walls. 

  Heart pounding, her gaze darted around to find a hiding place. She noticed a vent opening above her head, and so, using the Force, she jumped through it just in time for a group of guards and an elderly human in dark robes to round the corner. Y/n held her breath, reeling her signature in as she recognised the human. Or should she say Jedi. 

  Dooku.

  That was the cold presence she’d felt on the shuttle. Dooku was alive, and he was a Sith Lord. 

  Dread filled her stomach, leaving a sour taste in her mouth. This was the man who had Obi-Wan in custody. She watched in horror as the group stopped outside the door, sliding it open to reveal Obi-Wan hanging from a containment field. Dooku stepped inside and the door slid shut behind him, the thud mimicking the sound of her heart dropping. 

  This couldn’t be happening. Obi-Wan had told her about the Sith Lord that had attacked him and Qui-Gon on Tatooine and Naboo ten years ago, but Y/n thought he had been killed. Were the Sith really back? And if so, how many of them were there? 

  Five minutes later, the door slid open again, and Dooku led a tied-up Obi-Wan out of the holding cell. Y/n’s chest ached at the state of him - bruises and blaster marks littering his skin and tunic. His lightsaber was nowhere to be seen, but he held his head up, stony determination on his face. 

  “Take him to the arena for execution,” Dooku ordered the guards. 

  They responded with a series of clicks, their wafer-thin wings fluttering. Two of them grabbed Obi-Wan by his arms and led him back the way they’d come from. Dooku turned on his heel and walked in the opposite direction, turning down a side corridor. 

  Y/n waited a moment, knowing better than to just reach out with the Force to sense if Dooku was gone as that would only alert him to her presence. When she felt he must be far enough away, she dropped back down into the hallway, running in the direction the guards had taken Obi-Wan. But just as she was reaching the corner, her feet were glued to the floor. 

  “I knew another Jedi would come looking for Master Kenobi, I just didn’t think it would be Shaak Ti’s little apprentice,” Dooku’s cold drawl sent ice down her spine. 

  She steeled her nerves, squared her shoulders and turned around, “I’m not a Padawan anymore, Dooku.”

  The Sith Lord smiled, igniting his red saber, “Regardless, you are no match for the power of the Dark Side.”

  She crouched into a defensive stance, drawing her own lightsaber, “We’ll see about that.”

  ______

  Obi-Wan was wheeled out into the arena on a chariot, the sun shining in his face and blinding him for a moment. When his eyes adjusted he saw the three pillars in the centre of the space with chains attached to the top. The stands were packed with Geonosians, the air filled with the sound of fluttering wings and stamping feet. He braced himself as the chariot stopped in front of the closest pillar, two guards climbing up and grabbing him by the arms. 

  “No need to manhandle me,” he huffed, wincing as they slammed his back against the pillar and forced his arms up to clip the cuffs to the chain. 

  The guards just turned around and moved back to their posts along the walls of the arena. 

  Obi-Wan sighed, adjusting his footing and testing the strength of the chains with a few jerks. He couldn’t deny that this hadn’t exactly been part of the plan. When he had pictured the ‘execution’ Dooku had spoken about, he didn’t realise it would be such a public affair. At least it was out in the open - a fact which might come in handy if he played his cards right. 

  Just as he was formulating a plan to get himself out of this situation, the doors to the arena opened again, and another chariot appeared. Obi-Wan watched apprehensively as it drew nearer, identifying two figures riding inside it. It wasn’t until they got close enough to ride right past him that he recognised the prisoners.

  Anakin, blast that boy!

  He couldn’t help but scowl at his Padawan as he and the Senator rode past, Anakin at least having the decency to look a little sheepish. The guards chained them to the other two pillars as Obi-Wan silently cursed the Maker. 

  “I was beginning to wonder if you’d got my message,” he said dryly.

  Anakin sighed, wincing, “I retransmitted it just as you requested, Master…” he trailed off, hesitating, “Then we decided to come and rescue you.”

  Obi-Wan looked pointedly up at the chains, “Good job.”

  Their reunion was cut short when the announcer’s voice cut through the chaos, “Settle down, settle down. Let the executions begin!”

  The crowd roared with excitement as three new doors slid open and a trio of strange beasts were led out.

  Obi-Wan watched wearily as the large, insect-like monster known as an Ackley scratched at the ground in front of him, screeching menacingly. Next to him, Anakin and Padme were facing a horned brute of a Reek and a rat-tailed Nexu with multiple rows of teeth.

  “I have a bad feeling about this,” Anakin muttered.

___

  Y/n watched in horror as the three beasts advanced on her friends, the crowd of Geonosians roaring their approval. Next to her, Count Dooku looked proudly over the arena, engaging Viceroy Gunray in conversation. 

  The battle with the Count had taken all of five minutes before a group of Geonosian guards arrived and tipped the scales. Faster than she could blink, she was handcuffed and taken with Dooku to stand in the box beside him. 

  “To watch your friends die,” the Sith Lord had said with dark delight. 

  Air hissed between her teeth when the Ackley stabbed at Obi-Wan, the Jedi ducking just in time. The beast’s pincered foot speared the chain, cutting through it with seemingly zero effort. This action had a silver lining as it freed Obi-Wan up to roll away when the beast took another swing at him.

  Beside him, Anakin had managed to yank the chain from where it was anchored to the top of the pillar, and was using it to lasso the horned Reek. Padme, while the only non-Jedi in the arena, seemed to be the most resourceful, having climbed up the pillar. She was even using the chain to whip the Nexu whenever the four-eyed creature got too close. Y/n flinched when it managed to hit Padme with its claws, leaving three red scratches across her back. The Senator cried out in pain, convulsing for a moment before pushing through the agony and focusing on the beast again. 

  “She can’t do that!” the Viceroy whined, looking at Dooku to fix it, “Shoot her… or something!”

  Y/n watched with anticipation as Obi-Wan managed to grab a spear from one of the Geonosian guards. The guard in question was subsequently stepped on by the Ackley, dying with a strangled cry. At the same time, Anakin had managed to tame the Reek, and rode it to Padme’s pillar where the Senator jumped down, landing just behind the Padawan. Y/n pretended she didn’t see the kiss Padme left on Anakin’s cheek before they rode off to help Obi-Wan. 

  Gunray was not happy. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to be! Jango! Finish her off!” he was yelling at the Mandalorian bounty hunter standing behind him. 

  Dooku held out a placating hand, “Patience, Viceroy, patience. She will die.”

  The Force shifted behind her, so Y/n twisted her head around to see Master Windu emerging out of the shadows. He held her gaze pointedly, lifting a finger to his lips and nodding pointedly at her saber hanging from Dooku’s utility belt. She dipped her chin, understanding, and turned back to face the arena, twisting her wrists subtly to angle her palm towards the Count. 

  With a buzzing hiss, Windu ignited his lightsaber, holding it out across the Sith’s neck. At the same moment, Y/n pulled the saber to her hand, turning it on at the right angle to cut through her restraints. In the same breath, she moved to cover Windu’s flank, keeping the Mandalorian frozen under the point of her saber.

  “Master Windu, how pleasant of you to join us,” Dooku mused, barely looking affected. 

  “This party’s over,” Windu commanded, glaring at the Sith. 

  Dooku chuckled, “Brave, but foolish, my old Jedi friend. You’re impossibly out numbered.”

  “I don’t think so,” the Jedi Master muttered, just as all around the arena, countless lightsabers ignited. For the first time in hours, Y/n felt a spark of hope. Down in the arena below, Obi-Wan had managed to jump onto the Reek with Anakin and Padme. 

  Dooku tilted his head, that sinister smile curling his mouth, “We’ll see.”

  Suddenly everything happened at once. Windu engaged Dooku, the Sith drawing his red lightsaber with a flourish. Y/n was able to disarm the Mandalorian, casting his gun to the arena floor. The rest of the Jedi jumped down from the stands, leaping to action against the battalion of battle droids that were marching into the arena.

  “L/n, get down there!” Windu yelled, still dealing with Dooku. 

  “Got it!” she replied, throwing herself over the edge of the box, cutting down a couple of battle droids with the landing. 

  The battle was in full swing, blaster bolts flying in all directions, hitting droids and Jedi alike. Y/n set her sights on Obi-Wan fighting the Ackley in the middle of the arena. He was faring pretty well, having acquired a lightsaber from one of the other Jedi. With his weapon back, he made quick work of the Ackley, knocking the beast down and giving it a merciful death. And in that moment, he looked up, eyes finding hers across the arena.

  It was inescapable, the hold he had on her. Even now, surrounded by hostile droids and impending doom, just the sight of him made time stop and her heart flutter. She saw his eyes widen, but the moment was cut short when a blaster bolt screamed past her ear. 

  She whirled around, spotting the group of battle droids advancing on her position. Lifting her saber, she pushed all her focus into blocking the blasts. The effort was constant because the droids just kept coming. Every time she knocked one down, another took its place. Soon the sweat was beading along her brow, chest heaving with laboured breaths. 

  And then he was there. In a blur of blue and auburn, Obi-Wan leapt over the droids, cutting them down with ease. Soon he had cleared a circle around her, giving them a chance to reunite. 

  “Not that I’m not glad to see you, but what are you doing here? I thought you were on Ryloth?” He asked, taking quick glances at her while he deflected blaster bolts. 

  She grinned, moving closer so they could cover each other’s blind spots, “I finished early and then Anakin called. Said you were in trouble.”

  Y/n could practically see Obi-Wan roll his eyes as he muttered, “That boy. I told him to stay on Naboo.”

  “Considering he saved your life, I’d be grateful he didn’t follow your orders this time,” she pointed out as they began moving through the battle towards the centre of the arena where all the Jedi were converging. 

  “Fair point,” he sighed, blocking a bolt that was meant for her head.

  They worked their way to the middle, meeting up with the other Jedi and forming a protective circle. The droids were closing in, and more of them just kept streaming through the arena doors. Y/n locked eyes with Anakin, smiling at the boy. He just nodded gratefully, communicating his thanks without words. 

  Slowly, the group had to keep backing up, the circle shrinking until they all fought shoulder to shoulder. Y/n could feel Obi-Wan’s warmth next to her, and that was enough to keep her going even as she felt the impending doom drawing closer. 

  Then, all at once, the droids stopped. Confused, the Jedi kept their lightsabers up, prepared for a sudden assault. 

  “Master Windu,” Dooku called down from the box, looking proud and regal from that angle, “you have fought gallantly, worthy of recognition in the archives of the Jedi Order. Now, it is finished. Surrender, and your lives will be spared.”

  Y/n glared up at the Count, despite knowing he wouldn’t care enough to look at her. 

  “We will not be hostages to be bartered, Dooku!” Windu declared, the rest of the Jedi nodding in agreement. 

  Next to her, Obi-Wan slid his palm against hers, gripping her fingers. She glanced at him, affection for this man flooding through her entire being. 

  Dooku sighed, “Then I’m sorry, old friend.”

  The Jedi all braced themselves for the slaughter, crouching into defensive positions. 

  “I really am glad to see you,” Obi-Wan murmured next to her ear, holding her gaze with a meaningful expression.

  Y/n smiled sadly, squeezing his hand twice, “Likewise.”

  There were so many things she wished she had time to say to him, but this would have to do. At least she got to go out with the memory of his hand in hers fresh in her mind. 

  Just as the droids began advancing again, Padme’s shout cut through the noise.

  “Look!” The Senator pointed up at the sky where dozens of gunships full of soldiers clad in white armour and helmets were descending on the arena. In the closest one, Y/n could just make out the small figure of Master Yoda, his green saber a beacon of hope. A new wave of adrenaline flooded her bloodstream, her lips pulling into a grin.