Anakin Skywalker AU Romance

Chapter Thirty-Four

Kyah counted to five in her head with each inhale, and again with each exhale, having to fight with her nerves and force herself to slow down. Her eyes stayed fixed on the steel ramp in front of her, waiting as patiently as she could for it to lower.

"Two minutes til touch down General." A timid sounding clone spoke behind Kyah.

She turned around and was shocked to see that the clone was Cody. He shuffled in place as his eyes shifted from one place to the next, looking anywhere but directly at her as he fiddled with his helmet in his hand.

"Thank you Commander." She nodded to him, smiling kindly when his eyes finally landed on her, before darting down to the floor almost instantly.

"General, I..." He started to say, before pausing with his mouth still open as he struggled to find the right words. "I'm sorry for my part in what happened to you earlier." He finally got out.

Kyah nodded her head, and crossed her arms behind her as she faced him, "You were only following orders. There's no hard feelings Cody." She assured him, and watched with curious eyes as the wheels turned in his head.

"Perhaps there should be." He said quietly. "Kix even tried to warn me about the handcuffs, but I was too stubborn to hear him."

Kyah shrugged her shoulders, "Don't punish yourself for not acting on information you didn't have." She reasoned with him, "You were unaware of how poorly I'd react to something as small as the cuffs, and none of us knew that the Count would do... whatever it is he did."

Cody nodded, "Of course," He hesitated, "but the point remains, that I knew it was wrong to go along with detaining you, and I didn't even try to speak up. I obeyed orders that I knew were misguided at best." His expression was filled with guilt.

"As did I commander," Obi Wan said with a heavy sigh as he approached the two of them, "and I certainly should not have." He said and Kyah threw her hands up in exasperation.

"Honestly, the pair of you." She said harshly, and Obi Wan quirked a brow, "I'm the one who's about to face trial, so why are you the ones moping about, needing cheering up?" She asked and smiled as the two men laughed, finally breaking through their blankets of guilt. "I don't blame either one of you for following orders." she reiterated, and saw them sober again and look at each other.

Kyah was about to say more, when she heard the landing gear engage, and felt the weight of uncertainty crash down upon her once again. She turned around and watched the huge loading ramp lower to reveal a full platoon of Coruscant Guard standing at the ready behind their Commander. His colouring matched that of his men's, but it was reversed in its placement, making him quite distinct with his red helmet and removable visor.

"General Kenobi. Right on schedule." The clone said as Obi Wan, Kyah and Cody all descended the ramp.

"Good to see you again Commander." Obi Wan nodded to him.

"Fox." Cody said with half a smile.

"Cody." Fox nodded, his tone and expression unreadable from behind the tinted glass of his helmet. He turned as if he was going to say something to Obi Wan, before his head dropped to see Kyah's free wrists. He cocked his head to the side then looked up at Obi Wan, "Protocol dictates that-" He started to say, but Obi Wan raised his hand and nodded his head.

"I know what protocol says, but I made a judgement call to release General Paladin until her sentencing is final." He said, his uncharacteristically short tone betraying his exhaustion.

Fox immediately started shaking his head, "I must insist that we follow protocol so long as the General is in my charge." He spoke firmly.

"So, for the next five minutes while we walk from the ship to the council room?" Cody pointed out, to show what a ridiculous thing this was for Fox to dig his heels in about.