Fanfiction Drabbles

To his credit, Jango did read through the text. The frown forming on his face confirmed that Jaster’s hind brain was not wrong. Jango glanced up and then back at the words. “All the reports come from Korda. If they were on the ground, why couldn’t they rescue their own?”

“They weren’t on the ground.” Jaster flicked to the report. “They’re giving us what was reported to them but that source isn’t listed.”

“I wish Kal was here.”

Jaster laughed loudly. “Me too, son. Me too.”

“Why isn’t he? He’s usually the first to come running when you call.”

“He had other responsibilities.” Jaster left it at that. His friend needed to sort out his family life or he’d never fight clear headed. “Why do you want him here?”

“Because his words are loud right now. ‘Don’t trust words for things you didn’t see.’ Even a rookie squad would be able to handle minimal resistance. What does that even mean?” Jango pointed out exactly what bothered Jaster. 

“What would you do to solve that?”

Jango’s scowl got worse. “Send in Kal. That bastard would get in without being seen. Get the information we want. AND get the rookies out. One man job.”

“Maybe not a one man job,” Jaster patted Jango’d shoulder. “But you are right, he would get the information.” Jaster checked the time. He could work in a comm before Montross’s timetable got critical. He punched in Kal’s commlink. For as long as the comm kept signaling, Jaster wondered what was going on. Then it connected.

“I’m a bit busy, Jaster!” Kal bit out angrily between held back grunts of pain. 

“Busy doing what? Getting beat up?”

“What do you want!”

“Take a look at this for me.” Jaster sent over everything he had shared with Jango.

“What part of busy don’t you understand!”

“Then finish up faster. How hard is it to take down a two-bit gangster?”

Inarticulate mumbling filled the comm. Kal took more time than Jaster was expecting, but the man did huff in relief once the fight was over. “Korda? Why is Korda asking for help? They got a damn Defense Force.”

“One of their rookie squads is stuck on Korda Six.”

“Then they need to get off their asses and send in their experienced teams. That’s a waste of your time, Jaster. If they’re offering that much bounty then something’s wrong.”

“Montross took the assignment.”

“Then let Montross deal with it. He might need two teams. Not the entire Super Commandos.”

Jaster smiled. “You sure you need more time on your own?” He had missed Kal and the man’s gruff honesty. 

“Look, if you really need me back, then fine. But I… It’s better for me right now to be on my own.”

“Very well, my friend. Stay alive.”

“Should say the same to you. Jango! Haven’t you added more gray hair to his head yet?”

Jango snorted. “How’d you know I was here?”

“Easy. Jaster hasn’t let you out of his sights since he picked you up.”

“This was going to be my first command.”

“Was?”

“I’m about to tell Montross where to shove his intel.” Jango smirked. 

Kal burst out laughing in a way Jaster hadn’t heard in years. “You do that kid. Great shot. Horrible intel. Jaster, if you do go, do recon. I mean a full stealth op recon.”

“Was hoping you could hop on over and take a look.”

“I just bagged a decent bounty, Jaster. That does bring up the question: Why the kriff don’t you have a covert ops team doing your intel work.”

“Just the timing of the request this go around.” Jaster sighed. He should send a scout team first. At least before landing. “I owe you a drink, Kal.”

“We’ll share one when Jango completes his first command.” Kal returned. “Stay alive.” The comm ended. 

No matter what Kal did, he could not change the destination of the transport. It infuriated him. He knew how to rewire ships to bypass all types of security. This one refused to relent. The Temple Guard had disappeared into the one cabin, leaving Kal to roam freely through the small ship. Kal determined it was intentional. A way to give Kal the understanding of how trapped he was. 

He could only glower at the ship’s console. Not knowing where he was being taken or how far into the future he was. Probably for the best. Kal knew his boys were made to be soldiers in someone else’s war. He didn’t need to know how or when it started. He pulled out the tally of CT 75-8731, rubbing his thumb across the plastoid square. Kal had already named the Clone. Echoy. Not the most honorable name, but represented all the lost souls searching for peace once they had marched on. 

“That should not remain with you.” The Temple Guard announced.

“Going to take it from me?”

“No.” The Guard had changed into a simple faceless gray mask and unadorned combat attire to match. “Keep it with the other out of time keepsakes you have.”

“Others?” Kal frowned at the tally. His hand went to his right vambrace without conscious thought. A hidden compartment opened revealing a strange dance coin next to the three carved beads. He had forgotten these.

“Like every time you venture through time, your memory only holds what it can comprehend.”

Kal blinked and looked to the Temple Guard. “You won’t tell Ben where he sent me, right?”

“I do not tell my kindred anything of what I find or erase. This included.”

“Can you make sure I won’t tell him?”

The Guard turned away to face the viewport. “If you wish.” The ship exited hyperspace to the blue ocean planet of Kamino. “It would be best if you announce your arrival. You are known among the Clone Army as a trainer of the Commandos.” Kal sensed that the Guard was choosing his words carefully to not clue Kal into too many details of the future. 

“Why are we here?”

“This is where you were when my kin sent you away. I cannot travel through time. My hope is to be in the same physical space as my kin and attempt to reach him through time.”

“That’s a big hope.”

“I know.” The Guard said softly.

Getting into Kamino was not as complicated as Kal expected. When the Guard said Kal was known, he had not explained Kal’s reputation. A Clone Captain from what appeared to be the Kamino Security Force approached. “Sargent Skirata, last we heard you were on Coruscant.”

“New needs crop up all the time. Can’t explain too much more. Don’t worry about me, I know my way around.” If anything, Kal had learned how to adjust to situations without any good intel. 

“Yes, sir.” The Captain nodded. “Though it has been awhile. You’ll need a new access code.”

“Ah. Guess that happens.”

“Come with me. I’ll update your clearance. Will need your code cylinder, though.” The Captain turned, expecting Kal to follow. Not having much choice, Kal did. A slender tube of metal slipped into his hand. He blinked and looked over his shoulder. The Temple Guard drew back and Kal had a hard time focusing on him. No one else in the crowded hanger even seemed to notice the Guard with the gray mask. 

Kal shook his head. “Yeah. Not a problem, Captain.” He wondered how much of these ease was the Guard manipulating the Force. The security should be a bit more strict. The Clone Captain had the code cylinder updated for Kamino and allowed Kal to continue into the facility.

He made his way to his Kamino apartments and seeing the number of Clones marching through the corridors that had once been off limits to them made Kal wonder what had happened once the war had started. His rooms were empty. Some furnishings remained, but clearly once the Cuy’val Dar were no longer needed, anything remaining was fair game. 

He could still see his boys sitting on the couch, perfect little soldiers in a strange new environment. Only two standard years but four biological years old. He wondered where they were in this new time. Kal knew they would be safe. That’s how he taught them. 

“How long are we going to be here?” He asked the gray ghost drifting through the rooms. 

“I do not know. I will be in meditation so I am trusting you to remain close. There will be no point in me succeeding if you are not close enough for me to bring through time.” The Guard slipped into the bedroom. “I suggest you only leave to obtain foods. Particularly if you do not want to know more about this future.”

“That’s encouraging.” Kal sighed and pulled a stool into the bedroom. If those were the rules he was going to hate the wait. 

****

The Temple Guard knelt in meditation. Sinking into the warmth of the Force. Calling to the crystalline prism they knew Obi-Wan Kenobi as. It shimmered in their Vision. Never quite the same, though it always shown brightly. The Force did not adhere to the same sense of linear time as most of the galaxy. It showed snippets, linked through fragile threads of emotions. 

Drawing on Skirata’s presence and longing for Kenobi, the Guard waded through the many Force Echos within this room. Joy and pain. Intimate and anger. Gentle and stoic. 

Then they saw Kenobi, listless in the bed while arguments happened around him. They isolated the crystalline prism and strengthened the call. Most beings would feel as though their soul was shaking from the yell, but this was attempting to reach years in the past. To a man that was not in the best health. The Guard could only hope their kindred recognized the call. 

Faintly the sense of a storm brewing reached the Guard. They let it resonate with their soul. Their kin slowly strengthened the call until the Guard felt dizzy with the desperation of someone familiar. The Force filled the room on both sides of time. If this was going to be possible, it would be now. 

The Guard pulled Skirata into the sphere of the Force, sharing the blistering sharp sense of Skirata. Suddenly their kin’s call brightened. 

Then it all snapped. 

The noise was too much for the Guard. They still sat in the middle of the bedroom floor, but chaos swarmed around them. Boots thudded harshly on the floor. Shouts of surprise and excitement. The Force swirled with joy and disbelief. The Guard focused on finding their sense of self, retreating from the greater touch of the Force. Once they were finally able to focus on the present moment, they witnessed several Clones standing mouths agape and two Mandos with heads bent in conversation. Turning to the bed, the Guard sighed as he watch Skirata gather the sick Kenobi into his lap. 

“Everyone leave,” The Guard ordered. The room froze as if assessing a threat. There were times when being a faceless Shadow had drawbacks. Being forgotten the moment people looked away was one. “Leave the room now.” They stated firmly. The Mandos wavered, not wanting to be there any longer anyway. The Clones stood fast, opposing the order on principle alone. “Skirata, I must speak to my kin alone. Take the others with you.”

The Guard didn’t care about how Skirata got the Clones and Mandos out of the room, only that they left. Kenobi frowned but was exhausted from just those short moments of activity. “I know you…”

“You do.” The Guard sat on the edge of the bed and pressed a hand to Kenobi’s forehead. The Force and human biology had depleted his kindred’s strength. “Though we may not meet officially until much later in your future. You never meant to send Skirata through time.”

The human blanched. “No,” he whispered. “I don’t remember doing it.”

“You scare me.” The Guard sighed. “Feemor was right.” They gathered Kenobi into their arms, placing a hand over the human’s forehead. “Sleep. When you wake you will feel better. Not in perfect health, but not this….” Kenobi slumped unconscious, allowing the mind trick to take effect. While the human should have been able to cleanse his own body systems of the illness, it was clear the man had ignored it for too long. The Guard send their own energy into their kin. Giving the human body the means to purge the pathogen. 

****

Obi-Wan woke feeling clear headed for the first time in days. The being beside him was unfamiliar though comforting. The gray mask was not something he had ever seen among the Jedi. Though the emblem of the Temple Guards was a bright gold pin at the top of the being’s tunic. The next realization was that the Guard was drifting too close to unconsciousness. Obi-Wan used the Force to help steady them both. 

“Kal…?” He tried to called, but his voice stuck in his throat. He coughed. “Kal?”

The door open and Kal lead the small army of Nulls into the room. “Ben? You’re alright.”

“Yes… Though, can you help get the bed remade for my kindred? He deserves some rest after everything.” Kal and the Clones quickly cleaned up the room.

“Your kindred?” Mereel asked as he helped Obi-Wan place the masked being onto the bed. “Why does he wear a mask?”

“So do I when I am on duty.”

“Let him sleep, boys.” Kal shooed the adult Clones out of the room. “Ben can apologize for being a miserable pain in the ass in the other room.”

“Kal…. I didn’t know.”

Kal simply wrapped an arm around Obi-Wan’s waist and bodily removed him from the room. “I don’t care. I’m here. You’re better. Time to move on.” Though he did pause to look back at the closed bedroom door. “Can you send him back?”

“I don’t know. I did not realize it was even possible. However they reached out to me did not leave a trail to follow. They might have to travel through time the normal way.”

“That would be very unfair to the guy that healed you and brought Kal back,” A’den said pointedly. 

“We’ll answer that later,” Kal said. “For now, something to eat and drink would do Ben some good. When was the last time you actually ate anything?” Kal dropped into his chair. A moment later Obi-Wan was pulled into his lap. The Nulls rolled their eyes at the display, promptly leaving under the pretense of finding a meal. Kom’rk threw a blanket at them. Kal draped it over Obi-Wan. 

It felt good to be back in the arms of his riduur. He snuggled closer, finding a place between the beskar to get comfortable. “Can I adopt them?”

“Huh?”

“Your boys. Can I adopt them?”

Kal sat up, arm still around Obi-Wan’s waist. “I haven’t even…. I… You do?”

“They took very good care of me while you were gone. I would like to ask them at least.”

“Yeah…. Yeah… we can do that. When they come back.” Kal settled back down. “I don’t ever want to time travel without you. Understand.”

“I will endeavor to never allow that to happen.” Obi-Wan kissed Kal gently. “I missed you.”