#malaprt

@malaprt       ›    obi-wan liked for a starter ! ( accepting )

It was sheer luck that Dania had come across the girl. Found her before someone else did. “Are you the one I’m supposed to meet?”

She shook her head, motioning for Leia to keep her voice down as she ushered her back towards the tunnel. “I was looking for them too. But they weren’t on post. Are you all by yourself?”

“My fr...father...he’s back there. He told me to go on ahead.” As did the nice lady who had helped them. This girl seemed nice too, but the number of people Leia could trust as of late...it seemed very small.

“He sent you ahead alone?” That wasn’t a good sign. Quite the opposite. Offering her hand to the small princess, she tried to keep her expression calm. Neutral. “Come on...let’s go find him...” And the others. Because if the camp had been attacked...then their whole operation was compromised. 

As they made their way back through the tunnel, the secret door...it was clear there had been a struggle. A fight...chaos of some kind. But it was not until they were out in the open that they saw the true horror of what had occured.

Leia went to ran to Obi, but Dania held her back. He was hurt. Badly. And if she accidentally touched him too roughly or in the wrong spot, she could hurt him. “What happened?”

“Imperials. Inquisitors. They came with Lord Vader. I need you to go with him to Jakuu. I’ll see the girl to Alderaan.”

“But...”

“Dani. Please. Believe me when I say you are the only one who can take him. I’ll have your brother rondezvous with you both there.”

“Fine.” With a nod, she turned Leia over to the older woman and prepared what she would need to accompany the injured jedi to Jakuu. There was something her companion was not telling her. And she didn’t like it. 

***

The base on Jakkuu was well hidden...deep within a desert no one cared around. Buried far underground. Parked outside the med facilities, Dani waited for the Jedi to wake up. To find out why it was so important that she accompany him here. And why her brother was being sent for...

Her gaze fell to his concerned expression while the tea from her lovely, decorated Naboo teapot trickled into the equally lovely and artful teacup. "You're worried about me? I'm worried about you." She carefully handed him the filled cup and then began to pour tea into hers. "I'm not the one on the frontlines."

Obi-Wan was ever observant though and Padmé suspected he didn't even need to consult the Force to know that she was not doing too well. "I'm just stressed. Anything that happens during this war affects what happens in the Senate. Lots of impromptu gatherings, some people developing surprising political demands...It has become difficult to read both my colleagues and my competitors. War truly changes people."

        Ah,   but   if   only   they   lived   in   a   world   where   Bail's   schedule   was   determined   by   how   dedicated   he   felt   to   the   prospect   of   leaving   Obi-Wan   Kenobi   flustered.   Such   a   thing   seemed   nigh   impossible,   but   the   pursuit   of   it   was   grand   and   always   enjoyable,   even   if   perhaps   it   was   unsightly   for   Bail   to   find   it   as   sublime   of   a   past   time   as   he   did.   Still,   it   was   likely   good   if   Obi-Want   thought   that   he   alone   merited   time   out   of   Bail's   day   simply   for   flirting   and   not   any   ulterior   motive,   and   it   was   true   that   spending   time   with   Obi-Wan   could   ease   the   tension   that   came   from   navigating   politics.   Bail   enjoyed   what   he   did,   certainly,   but   he   didn't   always   enjoy   the   other   people.

        "Sadly,   no.   I   have   a   meeting   with   a   Jedi   master   that   required   me   coming   to   the   Temple.   However,   as   luck   would   have   it,   I   had   free   time   and   thought   what   better   to   do   with   it   than   spend   it   with   my   favorite   Jedi."   And   Obi-Wan   was   his   favorite,   that   wasn't   a   secret   in   the   Temple,   the   Senate,   or   even   in   the   Royal   Court   of   Alderaan.   That   wasn't   a   fact   because   of   the   pleasure   Bail   received   from   trying   to   flirt   with   him,   but   simply   a   consequence   of   too   many   years   knowing   each   other   as   Bail   was   hard   pressed   to   find   anyone   that   new   Obi-Wan   for   a   length   of   time   without   becoming   attached   to   him   in   some   way.

        Attached.   What   a   dangerous   word   to   use   when   one   associated   with   Jedi.

        The   last   time   Bail   was   on   Tatooine,   it   was   for   the   sake   of   trying   to   save   his   daughter.   Before   that,   the   planet   was   little   more   than   a   note   saved   somewhere   irrelevant,   a   secret   kept   in   the   back   of   his   mind   as   the   place   that   housed   one   of   his   oldest   living   friends   and   the   brother   of   his   child.   If   Bail   could,   then   he   would   have   been   in   regular   contact   with   Obi-Wan,   with   Luke   and   with   the   people   who   raised   him.   He   wanted   to   know   if   Owen   felt   the   same   joy   in   Luke's   spirit   that   he   did   in   Leia's,   if   Beru   found   stories   or   lullabies   better   for   sending   the   child   off   to   sleep.

        But   contact   wasn't   meant   for   casual   conversation,   the   risk   was   too   high,   but   visiting   the   planet   seemed   so   much   easier   to   accomplish   after   the   first   time   it   happened.   The   chances   of   getting   caught   went   up   with   each   trip   and   a   second   never   should   have   happened,   but   it   had   been   so   long   since   Obi-Wan   left   for   Tatooine   and   nothing.   That   was   normal,   it   was   to   be   expected,   but   being   able   to   see   his   friend   had   spoiled   him   as   well.   

        If   he   could   guarantee   that   Obi-Wan   was   safe   and   that   all   was   well   with   the   Lars   family   and   Luke,   then   he   would   not   worry,   but   communications   were   silent   and   after   everything   that   happened,   could   he   be   blamed   for   worrying?   The   children   were   important,   Obi-Wan   was   important,   and   there   was   a   difference   between   discretion   and   turning   a   blind   eye   when   something   felt   wrong.