Chapter Text
Obi-Wan and Cody took a shower together to be more efficient, and discussed what would be more appropriate to paint their beskar'gam now that they were no longer undercover. Cody was insistent that so long as he was commander of the 212th, he would stick to the 212th gold they all preferred with maybe a splash of color here and there. Obi-Wan was being persistent in pointing out that it wouldn't be a good look for the Mand'alor. That he had to come up with some compromise.
“But there's no time to paint, so there's no point in having this argument now,” Cody sighed. “We'll worry about it another time. I'm pretty positive I'm going to have to meet with an Armorer, and you too, before we leave anyways.”
Obi-Wan considered that. “You're right.” He paused in grooming his beard. “So, what do you want to do about the riduurok?”
Cody cursed as he nearly cut himself shaving he startled so badly. Thankfully, it had just resulted in him dropping the razor instead of dragging it the wrong way. “What do you mean?”
Obi-Wan looked over at him. “There are several ways we can do this. We can do it now. We can do it with an audience before we leave. We can even make it a big diplomatic deal, binding a Jedi to more than just the Republic. We could do it in private some other time. I just want us to think this through before it gets brought up, and I am rather positive it will be.”
Cody went back to shaving a bit more calmly. “So... Give me a minute to think about it.”
There was silence as they finished up. Cody kept watching Obi-Wan as he thought. Obi-Wan was right. It was going to be brought up at some point. They could use their marriage as a political tool or not. It wasn't a typical Mando'ade move, but they did both know now that they would say the riduurok at some point. Maybe neither were sure they were ready to do so right now, but they knew they would. Would making it a political move change that?
“Okay, I think I'm okay with making it a political deal, but I think what I would prefer to do is we do a ceremony with Jedi traditions, and invite Mando'ade there, and say the riduurok either before or after the ceremony but while everyone is gathered. It won't be a big public spectacle then, but we're not keeping it secret either.” He paused. “But, I think it would be to our advantage to have knowledge spread to be used when we're working on getting things settled politically. It would likely help in getting the Senate to allow the Jedi to build the Temple, since they have way too much say in your doings.”
Obi-Wan nodded. “That is a good idea. I would suggest for your goals on whether Manda'yaim is Republic or not, you cultivate close ties with reasonable systems that would be open to trade like Alderaan and Naboo, both retain aspects of warrior culture while still being respectable according to Republic standards. It's one of the reasons I've never fully agreed with Satine's logic.”
Cody took a deep breath in. “Okay. I think that sounds reasonable. But we'll wait and see what comes up at the meeting.” He paused. “I appreciate you letting me take the lead and make decisions, but I do want you at least offering more input. You have the greater experience and knowledge of everything. I don't particularly care what anyone thinks. I wasn't raised to lead a people. I was raised to follow orders and distribute them among soldiers. I really don't know what I'm doing.”
Obi-Wan chuckled. “You've been doing a good job so far. We'll make it work,” he promised. “Your brothers will have options on where they want to go. Manda'yaim will flourish. The war will end, one way or another. We're making progress.”
“That we are... and now we have Maul, hopefully you can convince him to disclose the name of the Sith.”
“I think I already know,” Obi-Wan sighed. “He implied that the master already has some sort of foothold in Anakin's mind. That means it's someone Anakin is in frequent contact with. Dooku claimed at the beginning, of the war that the Sith master controlled the Senate, which means he is someone likely in the Senate itself. Who in the Senate does Anakin trust, and who keeps recalling him for discussions the Council doesn't even know the purpose of?”
Cody dropped the vambrace he was about to strap on. “You don't mean... the Chancellor?”
“I do indeed mean the Chancellor,” Obi-Wan nodded grimly. “It will be easier to get Maul to confirm his identity than give us a name. But I am worried about the implications behind the Chancellor being the Sith. I am worried about too many coincidences throughout this war and before, even. The Jedi didn't order the clone army. Master Sifo-Dyas did, but he wasn't the one updating any instructions to the Kaminoans. Add in the fact that Jango Fett was working for Dooku, and I am concerned that the clones were created by the Sith, and since the Sith seems to have layers and layers for his plans... that means that there might be something more to your existence.”
“You're worried that the Sith did something so we would turn on you.”
“Yes.” Obi-Wan couldn't deny it. “The Sith's ultimate goals usually boil down to control, power, and killing the Jedi. If the Chancellor is the Sith, he has control and power, and the Senate keeps giving him more. We aren't too many steps off of a dictatorship at this point if you look at all the powers they've given him. Which just leaves the Jedi. The war has drastically reduced numbers, but how is he going to eliminate us?”
Cody froze. “The men who are around you and have your trust.” He breathed. Then he bit his lip. “I need to tell you about that nightmare I refuse to talk about.”
Obi-Wan blinked at the sudden change in subject. “You don't have to, i-”
“No, I have to,” Cody cut him off, near frantic already. “It's... it's the one thing that all of us all share. It was identical before the Jedi picked us up, and only then did it change... with the Jedi we work with most being in it, otherwise, still identical and universal.” He hesitated. “Well, there's other dreams, but most of them aren't nearly as bad as this one.”
Obi-Wan guided him over to a chair, relieved to see that they still had an hour before they had to show up at the dinner. Because this? This didn't sound too good. He would have to have others check with their commanders to see if they report something similar, and then they would have to figure out what was going on.
“Take your time,” Obi-Wan urged, sitting close and taking Cody's hands, trying to project calm and love.
Cody took a deep breath. “It always starts in some battle, not always the same battle. I hear a voice issue an order, but can never make it out. But I... I kill you, depending on the situation. Sometimes it's just a shot, sometimes it's a bomb, sometimes I stab you... Before I met you, before the Jedi were around at all, it was a vague image of a Jedi, no face. I can't control myself, no matter how I struggle. It's the worst thing I can imagine, and everyone has some variation on that dream, with the main difference being who the Jedi is.”
Obi-Wan stared then took a deep breath. “You say everyone has this dream?”
“Yes. The others vary. Sometimes we're killing hostages, sometimes the Senate, and sometimes ourselves. But one thing always remains the same: we can't control it.”
“That is... alarming. What was your explanation of it before?”
Cody sighed. “The same as some other knowledge we seem to have that we don't remember learning; something the long necks did when we were in the tubes.” He grimaced. “Not that there was much of that, just... some conditioning about who we were to be loyal to, I think. I don't recall ever being taught we should worship the Jedi, but all of us did at least go through a phase of that when we met our first Jedi.”
Obi-Wan leaned into him. “We'll figure it out. I'm afraid that those dreams are just your subconscious dealing with information you cannot physically recall which means we need to figure out how the Sith got the information to you. To all of you. Without anyone noticing.”
“I wish we had said something sooner,” Cody replied, clinging to his cyare desperately. “We should have said something. We've always been separate, different in every way, except for that, but we didn't... we should have.”
“I would guess that with the Sith involved there also is something in there to keep you from noticing what is going on. Is there any deviation in those who experience the dreams or not? You said it was universal.”
“Clone Force 99 don't experience the dreams at the same frequencies. Crosshair experiences them the most frequently, but not the almost nightly basis the rest of us do. Those with head injuries often report that the dreams slow down or stop all together. I wasn't so lucky,” he added, “but then I think it usually is the head injuries on the other side of the head that cause that.”
Obi-Wan frowned. “I can try to scan your head with the Force, see if there is anything I can pinpoint. But it might be best to do so after the dinner meeting rather than before since we don't know what the Sith has left in there.”
Cody smiled softly. “Thank you. I think you're right. I've dealt with this for years, I can wait a few more hours to learn anything.”
“Do you think Wolffe and Rex would trust their Jedi to check too if they explained what you have?”
“Yes. Well, with Rex, it's not so much trust as can Anakin actually handle it?”
“I think that if Ahsoka is there, between the two of them it will work out okay.”
“I think Fox might trust General Vos enough to let him do the same,” Cody suggested after a moment. “The more of us we can check immediately the better, and Fox... he's in close contact with Palpatine and he's confided in me that he frequently has blanks in his memory, which concerns me.”
“I think Quin would love to help. He cares very deeply, even if his actions do not always reflect his feelings.”
“You don't say, Obi, I've seen him with you.” Cody laughed.
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and pulled him close to rest his forehead on Cody's. “Alright, we better finish getting ready. You plan out how you're going to suggest that to your brothers.”
“I will.”
.
The dinner had gone well, but Cody was just exhausted. He started stripping out of his beskar'gam once back in the rooms he and Obi-Wan had claimed. Obi-Wan had already discarded most of it and was getting tea and caff for their guests. Their guests being Wolffe, Fox, Rex, Riyo, Anakin, and Plo.
Wolffe crossed his arms. “I can't believe you just did that.”
Cody groaned. “I know. Longest dinner of my life.”
Rex snickered. “Better you than me. Do you think you can really pull it off?”
Cody shrugged. “I kind of have to until someone wins the Darksaber, and I get the feeling that many of Kyr'tsad would be following me regardless, which is honestly a bit disturbing.”
Anakin looked over at Obi-Wan. “And you're okay with this? It'll take you away from the Temple, and you won't be able to do a lot of missions.”
“I had been considering taking more of a teaching role anyways,” Obi-Wan replied. “Besides, I've been to enough systems that many of them will request me regardless of my partner and his allegiance to Mandalore.” He paused. “Or maybe taking a padawan. That might have to be put on hold now, though.”
“Maybe not. There are a few padawans without masters, two of which have shown an inclination towards teaching. I think that helping you set up a Temple here would help them work out if teaching is what they want to do as a Knight, don't you?”
Obi-Wan blinked. “Why, that isn't such a bad idea, thank you.”
Riyo took the offered tea with a quiet thanks. “I'm not sure how the Senate is going to take the news, but at least you have a buffer before we have to acknowledge that you are the Mand'alor.” She smiled at Cody. “I think the ideas you presented will go over well, and you already seem to have calmed down Death Watch.”
“I can see a lot of them getting mad about a clone getting the leadership, and they're probably going to want you to take a stance against deserters.” Fox pointed out.
Cody rolled his eyes. “I know. I'll probably tell them that I'm just the leader, if others choose to take in clones, it's not going to be something I will be aware of until the end of the war, at which the point will be moot and they will probably have their citizenships.”
Fox nodded, waving it off. “But enough of the politics. I had enough of that at dinner. I want to know why you two are still going with this fake dating scheme?
Anakin and Rex both choked on their caff and looked to Obi-Wan and Cody.
Obi-Wan passed the last cup of caff to Wolffe and sat down next to Cody in the love seat. “It's not a scheme. We were just discussing the riduurok before we went to dinner, anyways.”
Fox narrowed his eyes. “Right. Cody, you never even gave us a hint of your crush on him, so how do you explain it?”
Wolffe huffed an agreement.
Cody rolled his eyes as he leaned on Obi-Wan, tucking himself under his chin. Obi-Wan wrapped an arm around him and gave him a tender look. They stared at each other from that angle for a minute before Obi-Wan shrugged and Cody huffed.
“It's simple. I'm not Bly.”
Rex laughed. “That's true. And you two may not have noticed his crush, but I certainly could see it. It was pretty subtle because Cody is too good at hiding his feelings.”
“It's actually my fault,” Obi-Wan smiled sheepishly. “You see, I too had a crush for a while. Then one day I was trying to convince Anakin that him being involved with Padme was okay actually, and got so frustrated I just kissed Cody.”
“So yes, we were fake dating,” Cody put in, smiling. “I do think maybe the mind healers involved might suspect, and we're going to come clean to them.”
“So... it's not fake anymore?” Fox raised a skeptical eyebrow.
“I would never propose continuing it to the point of marriage spun politically if it was,” Obi-Wan cut in sharply. “It would not have been fair to either of us.”
Fox studied the two of them, noticing how comfortable they both were at the moment. He sighed. “Fine I believe you.”
Cody huffed. “For that suspicion I'm not going to tell you about the secret support group Obi joined.”
All three of his brothers looked very interested and annoyed at the same time.
Anakin, meanwhile was offended. “You tricked me!”
Obi-Wan gave him a Look he recognized from his padawan days, usually from when he put his foot in his mouth at political dinners during missions. It meant something like 'you're a dense idiot, Ani'. “I think you quite deserved it considering you thought you were going to be kicked out for your relationship, even after I told you I have known about your relationship since Geonosis.”
Anakin crossed his arms and looked away, pouting. “I guess. What got you two to change from fake to real anyways?”
“You mean besides all the super intimate conversations we had to have in front of a therapist?” Cody spoke up dryly.
Wolffe let out a chuckle. “It was the married life undercover wasn't it?”
“You got it, Wolffe,” Cody admitted. He shifted slightly, a blush rising to his cheeks. “We actually just worked it out last night.”
Fox glared. “And you went from that to marriage that fast?” he demanded.
“Well, we did spend months 'dating', and more than three months undercover 'married'. We've been doing our required relationship. You really think we don't know each other well enough to at least be considering marriage at this point even if we didn't clear the air about our feelings until last night?” Cody stared him down. “Now, when are you going to start dating?” He glanced at Riyo then over at Vos, both of whom he knew Fox had feelings for.
Fox colored and started stuttering. “I- Well that's different!” he protested. He was normally so well put together these days aside from being dead in his soul, that this was a surprise to most.
“Is it? Is it really?” Rex jumped in, perfectly content to stir things up where ever possible. He'd have plenty of time to tease Cody coming up.
Riyo tilted her head and looked over at Fox. “Are you alright?” she asked, concerned.
Fox flushed a deeper shade of red. “Y-yeah, I'm fine, I just forgot how obnoxious my brothers could be.”
Obi-Wan laughed and brought his mouth down to Cody's ear. “I think we're all going to be quite alright, don't you my love?”
Cody laughed and nodded, shifting into a better position to keep teasing Fox about his obvious crush.