The walk to Kyah's new chambers felt longer than it should have. His exhaustion felt like weights had been tied around his feet, as he moved sluggishly through the halls, lost deep in thought.
"General." a clone trooper with downwards facing yellow triangles on his helmet and chest plate fell into step beside Obi Wan, but as he called to him, the Jedi took no notice, "General Kenobi." The trooper called louder, yet still, no response, "Obi Wan!" the clone finally shouted, and his general practically jumped out of his skin.
"Wooley." Obi Wan struggled to catch his breath after the fright, as his hand came up to rest over his heart, feeling it beating too quickly.
"Sorry General. I called you three times before shouting." He shrugged.
The Jedi looked surprised. He truly hadn't hear a him any of the other times.
Wooley looked over the exhausted, distracted face of his superior, and normally he wouldn't have been so bold, but he felt he must speak up, "Sir, I hope you don't mind my saying; you look terrible."
Obi Wan looked over into the clone's visor with shock clear in his expression, before laughing and running a hand over his tired eyes for the hundredth time that day. "I mind a little." He admitted, seeing the clone lower his head as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Did you need something Corporal?" Kenobi asked as he quirked his brow towards the clone.
"Oh, uh, no sir." He shook his head, "I just wanted to offer my services." He said, and adjusted the straps of his med-pack over his shoulders, "Lieutenant Waxer filled me in on what happened in the containment unit with General Paladin, and I thought it would be a good idea to give her a once over and make sure that she's alright." He suggested and Obi Wan nodded, "Though, now that I'm here, I think maybe you could use a check up as well." He said hesitantly.
Kenobi turned to face the clone medic, stopping just before he would have turned into the hallway where Cody should be guarding Kyah, "I'm not ill Corporal." He insisted and Wooley nodded.
"I know sir, but that doesn't mean you're well." He corrected, "When was the last time you ate something?" He asked and Obi Wan sighed, averting his eyes.
"The Duchess made me up a plate just this evening." He said.
Wooley nodded, "I know. I tossed its untouched contents after you left your meeting sir." He said politely, but sternly. "I also know you haven't slept since General Skywalker was taken nearly three days ago." He added and sighed as Obi Wan crossed his arms over his torso. "You're running on fumes General, and it's going to catch up with you sooner rather than later." he warned.
"I appreciate your concern Wooley, and I promise, when I have time, I'll rest and recuperate, but I simply don't have the luxury right now." He shook his head.
"So, if I go fetch you a rations bar and drink of water, you won't fight me on it?" He asked, and Obi Wan smiled a little as he looked over at the young clone medic.
"No, I won't." He agreed.
"Then I'll be right back." the clone said, "You're going to see General Paladin I assume?" He gestured towards the hall that led to her room.
"Yes corporal." Obi Wan nodded.
"Would you ask if she'd allow me to examine her?" He suggested, and Obi Wan nodded, "Thank you general." He called over his shoulder as he hurried off in the other direction.
Obi Wan smiled softly to himself for a moment longer as he watched the trooper disappear, then his face fell again as his brow creased and he turned back towards the hallway to his left. He sighed, turning the corner, and watched Cody pace back and forth in front of the bedroom door, with his eyes fixed on the floor of the ship.
"How is she?" Kenobi asked, and the clone commander's head shot up in surprise as his movements halted.
"General." He said in surprise as he approached Obi Wan, "I haven't heard a peep out of her room since I closed the door." He said and they both looked back at the metal door, "Sir, her hands were still shaking when she sat on the bed, and she looked close to tears." He said with worry plain on his face as he held his helmet in his hand.
Obi Wan felt another strong pang of guilt at the mention of her hands, "I see." He said quietly with a distracted look, "I need the keys to her cuffs." he requested, and saw Cody's eyes grow wide.
"But sir, its against protocol-" He started to argue, but Obi Wan raised his hands for him to stop.
"I know commander." He nodded, "But I made a mistake by arresting her in the first place." He admitted, shocking Cody further, "A mistake I intend to correct now." He explained and Cody shuffled in place as he looked away, before seeing Obi Wan's hand stretch out between them, palm up.
Cody reached into a pouch on his belt, and pulled out the little silver key to the cuffs, holding them out over Obi Wan's hand, "Are you sure you want to disobey the council?" He asked.
Obi Wan sighed, then slowly nodded his head, "I've disagreed with their choices before, more often than I've even told you," he said and glanced up into Cody's eyes, "but this time I cant just bite my tongue and obey." He shrugged.
Cody remained frozen in thought for long moments, until finally he nodded and dropped the keys into Kenobi's hand, "Honestly sir, I'm relieved to hear you say that." He admitted, "This felt wrong from the very start."
Obi Wan offered a small, guilt ridden smile as he closed his hand around the keys and brushed passed Cody. "Wait here please." He spoke without glancing back as he stepped up to the door and took a slow, deep breath.
He waved his hand in front of himself and the door slid open.
Kyah looked up with a startled expression from where she sat on the bed, "Master Paladin, is it alright if I come in for a moment?" He asked cautiously, and her brows knitted together in confusion.
"You don't have to ask, master." She reminded him, with a small voice.
"But I should." He nodded, and waited at the border of the room, refusing to come any further until she gave the word.
Kyah watched him curiously, "Of course you can enter." she said and looked down at her fingers, twisting the hem of her sleeve, as they trembled.
"Thank you." Obi Wan said as he stepped inside and the door slid closed behind him. He looked around at the small, grey room, without a hint of colour in sight, other than her golden yellow eyes looking up at him with well warranted hesitation.
He walked across the room in silence and picked up a small metal chair that had been tucked under the desk along one of the walls. He brought it over and set it down in front of Kyah, before walking around and sitting down, taking care to leave about two feet between them so as not to overcrowd or overwhelm her.
"I wanted to start off by doing this." He said in a gentle voice, as if addressing a skittish fawn who was likely to scamper off if he spoke above a whisper. Slowly, he raised the key between his fingers so she could see it.
Kyah's face filled with hope as she looked up to meet his eyes, "Really?" She asked, "You know you could get in trouble?" she reminded him.
"I know." Obi Wan nodded, as he pointed down at her bound hands, "May I?" He asked and she nodded enthusiastically lifting her arms so he could reach.
He slid the key into place and twisted it until he heard the definitive click of release. The cuffs fell away into his hands and he turned, tossing them behind him onto the small desk. "There." He said as he faced her once again and noticed the rigidity in her posture melting away as she ran her hands over the reddened marks the cuffs had left on her wrists.
"Thank you master." She said and offered him a smile, "If you don't mind my asking, what changed your mind?" She watched his expression falter as guilt radiated off of him.
"I never should have gone along with the councils decision." He admitted to her, and Kyah gasped lightly in shock, "They've gone too far this time." He said and looked into her eye, "I went too far, and I'm so very sorry." He added.
Kyah was touched by his words, "I never blamed you for following orders master." She assured him.
"You should have." He said quickly, anger bubbling up inside of him as he fully realized the heavy fault in his actions, "How can I condemn you for doing the very thing I myself was gearing up for?" He shook his head, "I should never have given up with the council. This is wrong, and many of them know it."
"I don't expect you to go against the council for me master. As a member yourself, you know the importance of respecting the will of the majority--" She argued, until he cut her off.
"No." Obi Wan said quickly, shaking his head, "There are many subjects on which I will yield to my peers, accepting that perhaps I am in the wrong, but not on this." He said sternly, "They had no right to order Anakin be forsaken, just as they have no right to punish you now for doing what they should have done in the first place." He placed his elbows on his knees and dropped his head into his hands as his shoulders slumped.
"Don't they have the only right Master?" Kyah asked, confused by his sudden change of heart.
Obi Wan sighed, knowing that a week ago, if she'd asked him this question, he would have said yes without hesitation, but these recent events had brought everything into perspective for him, "A Jedi Council should rule with a hunger for justice and peace at the forefront of their every decision. That council is one I would follow without question, but I fear that is no longer the council we have. War has shifted our priorities as an order, and politics now influence the choices laid before us, when there should be no place for it in our courts."
Kyah felt like he was speaking to her very soul. Every word he spoke resonated deeply with her as she listened intently, but where such a cause brought up determination in her, she sensed only self loathing in poor Obi Wan.
"Master, I can feel your regret, and guilt." Kyah said quietly, sitting forward on the bed so she was closer to him, "I appreciate your support in these matters, more than you know, but I don't understand why you're taking so much of this upon yourself." She shook her head.
Obi Wan laughed bitterly as he dropped his hands and looked up at her from his slumped position, "Where do I begin?" He asked, "Anakin was taken from Mandalore under my watch, I allowed you to go after him on your own, taking all of the blame yourself, then when you bring him home victorious, I arrest you, cuff you, and put you in a cell next to the Sith who, of course has it out for you." He shrugged his shoulders, "I have failed both you and Anakin at every turn." He summarized.
Kyah shook her head, "No master." She insisted, "Let me tell you how I see it." She offered him a smile, "When your padawan was lost, through no fault of your own, you were ready to betray the council to find him. I cant express to you how much relief I felt knowing that I was doing the same thing you would have. Then, you offered me council, which is the only reason I was able to find Anakin on Mustafar." She said and he raised his eyes to meet her's, some of his guilt having eased, "I wasn't surprised when you arrested me Master. After the way I left things at the temple, it's a reasonable response, but it was a surprise when I heard how hard you fought for me." She said and smiled, "A welcome one at that."
Obi wan sat up straighter in his seat, and sighed, shaking his head a little as he absorbed her words, "You know, normally during a discussion like this, I'm trying to convince Anakin that I have his best interests in mind." He laughed lightly, "It's unfamiliar to have someone trying to convince me that I've done my best." he smiled back and Kyah laughed as she shrugged.
"Sometimes, we all need to be reminded not to be so hard on ourselves." She said and Obi Wan's eyebrows raised.
"Wise words, master Paladin." He commended her, "I hope you'll take them to heart as well." He said pointedly and Kyah slumped where she sat, looking back down at her hands.
"I suppose it's easier said than done." She admitted and Obi Wan nodded.
"Indeed." He agreed as a hush fell over the room. Obi Wan struggled for the words he needed to say, unsure of wether it was a good idea or not to bring up what had happened, but he truly needed her to know how sorry he was. "About before," He started and saw her immediately tense up again as her eyes flicked up to meet his, "I want to say how incredibly sorry I am for using the cuffs in the first place." He said and saw her brows pull together in a mix of confusion and concern, "The council wanted me to make a point of arresting you, not just escorting you back, but it was uncalled for. I knew better, even before I knew about your past." He said and saw her flinch as he spoke the final word.
"What do you mean?" She asked nervously, shifting in place on the bed.
"Just that I shouldn't have done it regardless of your adversity to them. The cuffs were never necessary. Neither was the cell. I knew you would have cooperated anyways--"
"No," She interrupted, "I mean, what do you know about my past?" She asked, and now he was shifting nervously.
"Between what you said about building a tolerance to the collar during our first mission on Mandalore, and what I saw in the dream, I had a pretty good idea of idea of what you'd been through already." He explained, hesitating a moment as he hoped she would take this next part well, "While Cody brought you here, I called Anakin to ask him about how I could help you. Your clone Captain was there as well, and he mentioned that I should remove the cuffs so you could relax, because they likely caused the nightmare you fell into. I asked why, so Anakin told me that you were once a slave like him, only to the Zygerrians." He saw her blink rapidly as she sat up straighter and averted her eyes. "That's why the cuffs set you off."
"That wasn't his secret to tell." She said in a quiet voice.
Obi Wan shuffled forwards on his chair, "Really all he did was connect the dots. Between what I witnessed in the dream with the Zygerrians, and what I'd seen myself in knowing you, the only information I was missing was that you were there with them for so long." He tried to cover for Anakin.
Kyah nodded as she shuffled back on the mattress and pulled her knees up to her chin, wrapping her arms around them as she stared intently at the floor.
"I wish that I'd known sooner." Obi Wan admitted and Kyah's brow creased.
"Why?" She asked, barely speaking above a whisper.
Obi Wan took in a deep breath, "Because I might have been more help had I known. Anakin suffered nightmares for years after we found him on Tatooine. There were countless nights when I would sit awake with him until he could calm down and go back to sleep. We practically shared a room on the ship with how often he asked me not to leave him alone." Obi Wan sighed. "Though his dreams weren't often about himself or his past." He clarified, "He was more afraid for the mother he'd left behind than for himself."
Kyah's eyes moved up to meet his as her curiosity was peaked, "I didn't know his mother was still alive." She said and Obi Wan's face sunk.
"She isn't anymore." He said and paused for long moments before continuing, "Most younglings are taken from their homes so young they can't remember their lives before the order. You two are unique in that way, and each in your own way, you have suffered for it." He spoke sadly as he watched Kyah lose herself in thought. "I think perhaps I could sense the similarities in you, which is why I've been trying to comfort you as I would him, but clearly that hasn't been as helpful as I would have hoped." He admitted.
"Maybe not, but I do appreciate the effort." She said, peaking up from behind her knees.
Obi Wan smiled, "Even in the midst of such sadness, you seek to comfort others." He admired her strong will, "That you do have in common with Anakin." He tipped his head to the side and noticed her smile just a little, "I hope you aren't too upset with him for helping me to understand." He said and watched her expression soften as she shook her head.
"No. If I were you, and I had seen what you saw in my head, I would have wanted some explanation too." She shrugged, "I realize he only told you the bare minimum."
Obi Wan nodded, "Good. The last thing I want is to come between you." He said, drawing Kyah's attention as she wondered for a moment how much he knew about them, "I have seen how important you have become to him." He said and Kyah felt her heart rate pick up as her nerves buzzed in anticipation, "There are very few people in this galaxy who he has really let close. I'm pleased to see that you are now one of them." He smiled.
"You speak of him with such devotion." Kyah noted, and Obi Wan smiled fondly as he looked down and nodded.
"He's like a brother to me. I've watched him grow from boy to man, and I honestly couldn't be prouder of who he's become." He sighed contently, before looking back to see Kyah had dropped her knees to the side and was sitting with her legs crossed in front of her now, looking far more at ease, "Please don't tell him I said that." He added finally and Kyah laughed.
"I think you should tell him yourself." She chuckled, "Even if he already knows, It never hurts to hear you're loved." She shrugged.
Obi Wan nodded as he smiled, "Again, wise words master Paladin." He said.
There was a sudden knock at the door.
"Yes?" Obi Wan asked, turning to face the door as it slid open to reveal Cody.
"Sorry to disturb you sir." He said to Obi Wan, then looked to Kyah, "Ma'am." He nodded.
"That's quite alright commander. Is something the matter?" Obi Wan asked.
"No sir, but uh..." The clone looked to his right, looking a little confused, "Wooley is here with a bag of rations and two bottles of water." He said and Obi Wan cracked a smile as Cody turned back to face him, "Should I let him in sir?"
"Yes, yes." the Jedi nodded, "Bring him through." He said and Cody stepped aside, letting Wooley pass.
"Evening Generals." The medic greeted them, as he stepped inside and immediately held out one of the bottles of water to Obi Wan, "As promised sir." He said.
Accepting the bottle, Kenobi chuckled softly, "And as promised, you'll receive no argument from me." he twisted off the cap and took a big drink. He hadn't actually realized how thirsty he'd become until the cool liquid poured down his throat.
Wooley turned to Kyah and reached the second bottle out towards her, "I know Cody brought you a drink earlier, but one glass after such a long mission on such a hot planet, is hardly enough." He declared and Kyah smiled, amused by his clear cut way of speaking. She accepted the bottle and drank as well, glancing over to Obi Wan, as the clone set down the bag of rations on the desk behind him, pulling out two of them and turning back to the Jedi. "I'd like to see you eat at least two of these to replenish your vitamins and protein, but I would settle for just one." He shrugged as he held the bars out to Kenobi.
"Whatever you say Corporal." Obi Wan agreed as he unpackaged the small bar and took a bite.
Wooley turned to Kyah again, starling her a little with the intensity of his movements, "I know Master Kenobi was too busy to eat at the Duchess', was that the case for you as well?" He asked and Kyah shook her head.
"No, I ate plenty, maybe too much even." She said and stretched her torso out, as she brought her hand to rest on her stomach.
"I see." The clone nodded, looking back to Obi Wan as he pulled off his helmet and was able to meet his eyes, "Did you have chance to discuss the prospect of my checking you both for injuries?" He asked and Obi Wan swallowed his last bite as he shook his head.
"No, I forgot to ask. I'm sorry." He said and turned to Kyah, "Wooley brought up the concern that you might have been injured while unconscious in the cell. With panels flying off the walls and such I said it was possible." He shrugged.
"No, I'm fine." She said, taking another drink of water as she ran a hand over her knee.
"Are you certain?" Wooley asked, "What the Sith pulled in there was a complex and treacherous matter. There could be lasting effects you don't know about yet." He said and Kyah nodded as she twisted the cap of her bottle back into place.
"There will certainly be lasting effects," She nodded, looking down at the floor between herself and Obi Wan, "But none are physical." She said and put a smile on her face, "I promise, I'm unharmed."
Wooley hesitated a moment, before nodding, "Very well ma'am." He turned back to Obi Wan and handed him a second ration bar as he polished off the first, "In that case, I would like to examine you." He said pointedly, and Kenobi nodded as he shrugged.
"Understood Corporal." he stood up out of his chair with a groan and gestured for the clone to lead him out, "After you."
Wooley pulled on his helmet, and collected his bag of ration bars, turning to head for the door, before hesitating and coming right back. He reached into the bag and pulled out one bar, handing it to Kyah before she could say no, "In case you change your mind General." He said.
Kyah smiled, "Thank you Wooley." She said and he nodded once more before marching out of the room.
Obi Wan turned back to Kyah, "We're less than two hours out now." He informed her, "If you'd like to stay here and gather your thought, that's perfectly alright, but if you feel up to it, you're welcome to join me on the bridge." He nodded, "Cody knows the way. He'll be just outside."
Kyah nodded, "Thank you master."
Obi Wan went to leave, before raising a finger and stopping, "I almost forgot." He turned back to face her, "Anakin has informed me that the Duchess called on Senator Organa to come and speak to the council on your behalf." He relayed the message from Anakin.
"Oh." Kyah said, confused by the concept, "I didn't know that senators were allowed to voice their opinions on Jedi matters." She said, and Obi Wan shook his head.
"They're not." He shrugged, "But it seems that the senator has something up his sleeve, the effects of which I am not yet aware." He ran a hand over his beard pensively, "Anakin has asked that I try to stall your sentencing until they arrive."
Kyah nodded, "I see." She said, feeling her nerves return when he used the word 'sentencing'. It sounded so much more real to hear it aloud.
"Anakin also wanted me to tell you, that 'he's coming for you'." he said with air quotes "I suppose he was worried you were feeling abandoned." He shrugged, then heard footsteps coming back down the hall towards him, "Yes, yes. I'm on my way." He waved off Wooley, who had made it half way to the med bay before realizing Obi Wan wasn't with him and marching right back.
"Thank you for the message master. I will join you on the bridge before we land." She assured him, and Obi Wan nodded before heading all the way out the door and letting it slide closed behind him.
Kyah looked down at her hands, seeing her missing sleeve, the bruises across her knuckles, the blackened dust under her nails, and the red rings around her wrists. So much had happened in just a few days. An hour ago she had felt completely hopeless and abandoned, Anakin was right on that call, but after speaking with Master Kenobi, her hope was renewed. To know that not only Spinner and her boys were coming for her, but Anakin, Satine and Bail were all rallying as well, it was overwhelming to say the least. Never in her life did she dream that she would have so many people in her corner when she needed them. She felt lucky.
Lucky, and loved.