Chapter Text
Arriving back on the Negotiator felt like it deserved more of a celebration. Finally a place of safety and sanctuary for them to rest and recharge. Obi-Wan knew the troops were feeling the affects of the several week long assault on Felucia. He could see it in the way they walked and spoke to one another - they were way past due for a break from the war. The 212th and the 501st had been on this particular tour for at least 6 months. Not too extreme of an amount until they factored in the fact that each battle, space or land, was followed quickly by another, and then another. Each always seemed to be in a system close by so time spent traveling was only a few days, days filled with troops preparing for the next battle with barely any time to recover from the last one.
Anakin and Ahsoka were even showing some wear from the past months. Anakin’s endless energy was proving to be finite, and while Ahsoka usually could match her master’s tenacity, she was still growing and it was clear that she wasn’t bouncing back as quickly as she wanted.
They needed rest, and Obi-Wan was going to make sure they received it. Luckily they had rooms here on the Negotiator as well as their neighboring vessel the Resolute , so while they were on Obi-Wan’s ship they could still be comfortable.
“Anakin, why don’t you and Ahsoka leave the post-battle reports and checks to me. I have to send another report to the Council anyway, and you both look like you could use some sleep.”
Obi-Wan himself tried to keep the tiredness from his own voice.
It wouldn’t do for Anakin to notice he was lagging just as much as they were. Anakin has his own padawan to train and look after, that trumped any need that Obi-Wan had.
He may have projected some of his feelings into the Force because Anakin turned and eyed Obi-Wan suspiciously. Obi-Wan stared back at him, trying to give an air of strength and not the bone-deep exhaustion that he really felt.
I am sure I will have time to catch a nap later, probably, he thought as Anakin slowly nodded, an expression of relief covering the younger man’s face.
“Thank you Obi-Wan. I was just telling Snips that I felt like I could sleep for a month.”
Ahsoka smiled at his words before glancing to her grandmaster.
“And you’ll go straight to bed after you finish the reports, right?” She said the words innocently but the steel behind her gaze spoke the real truth. Anakin’s face mirrored Ahsoka’s as they both waited for his response.
I guess I wasn’t hiding my tiredness as well as I had thought.
“Oh alright, I will make sure to get some sleep as soon as I finish with the reports,” Obi-Wan conceded.
Smiles broke out on their faces. Content with Obi-Wan’s words, Anakin and Ahsoka left the hanger.
And now on to those dreadful reports.
While Obi-Wan wasn’t lying when he said he would get some sleep as soon as the reports were done, he may not have led on to the fact that there was quite a few reports to complete. The Council needed the report on how the battle went, along with his thoughts on several other plans. In addition, he had munitions requests and other housekeeping forms to complete so that they would have all their equipment primed and ready before the next mission.
It seemed like there was no end to the things he needed to check and confirm. Casualty numbers, cataloging of medical supplies used, estimation of Separatist numbers that were sent to the planet for the attack, and the list goes on and on.
Being on the Council gave him several responsibilities already, being High General added a substantial amount more to it. Then he still had to rein in Anakin half the time, and he tried to make time to boost morale aboard the
Negotiator.
These Clones were also tired from all this war, even if they were made specifically for it. They fought beside him every day, they didn’t need to experience conflict mentally as they did on the battlefield.
Obi-Wan went to his room and started working. He was making good headway when he received a summons from the Council. They were calling an emergency session, an event that was occurring more and more often as of late.
That can’t be good, Obi-Wan thought as he answered the call.
“Yes masters?” He said, trying to ignore the feeling of unease that permeated the Force.
The meeting had so far lasted no more than five minutes, but it was enough time to give Obi-Wan a headache.
They can’t be serious, he found himself thinking as he argued against their plans and ideas.
“I understand we are the closest to the conflict on Maridun but we just got back. My men haven’t even had a moment to sit down and you want us to just go straight into another war-zone?” Obi-Wan said coldly. He didn’t have the energy to be polite in this case, not when his men’s health was being tossed to the wayside.
“We have no other choice Obi-Wan,” Master Windu said firmly.
“If you send us back out we will not last a week. Is there no one else?”
While sometimes it could be hard to read the expressions on the holograms of the other masters’ faces, he could clearly see the concern on Mace’s. Obi-Wan realized this was the first time he had ever questioned the Council’s decision to send his troops on another mission, at least the first time of him voicing them to the Council.
“How are you holding up Obi-Wan?” Adi asked.
“I’m fine,” Obi-Wan replied quickly, the lie leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He wasn’t fine, not that they would change their decision if they knew that.
“Master Koon is not too far off in the Mygeeto System. We could direct him to assist you and General Skywalker. Then your troops wouldn’t have the entire battle dependant on you.” Mace’s suggestion eventually became the final choice of the Council.
While it wasn’t ideal, it was better than nothing Obi-Wan tried to tell himself. The meeting concluded shortly after.
Guess I won’t be getting any sleep after all, Obi-Wan mused as he contemplated the orders to head to Maridun as soon as everything was settled on the Negotiator and Resolute .
Glancing at the clock Obi-Wan wasn’t surprised at all that it had been several hours since he had sent Anakin and Ahsoka off to bed. He felt a slight bit of envy towards them before he stopped that line of thought and released his emotions into the Force. Now was not the time to focus on what he could not have.
With the new orders, finishing the requisitions was of utmost importance, and Obi-Wan continued working, barely noticing as the hours ticked by.
One minute he was thinking about whether or not they should request more bacta pre-emptively, and the next minute Anakin was in the room speaking to him.
When did he get in here? Obi-Wan thought as he finally started processing what Anakin was saying.
“-again? Did you not tell them about what we just went through?” Obi-Wan felt the irritation and anger that Anakin was projecting at him and found that he couldn’t fault him for feeling that way.
Ignoring the puzzle of how Anakin came to be in the room, Obi-Wan tried to get a word in before Anakin would invariably continue ranting angrily until he had said his piece.
“I did tell them, and they’re sending Master Koon to back us up.”
“Back us up? The 104th should be able to handle it on their own, why do they even need us? And don’t tell me it’s because we are closer. If Master Koon is as close as I think he is then it comes down to a difference of a day in getting there.”
That was true, if Plo and the 104th were set to go already they would be there a little over 24 hours after them. Certainly no more than 36 hours. It almost seemed unfair that it was a matter of hours that was deciding these orders, but Anakin and Obi-Wan both knew that the tide of a battle could be decided in a single hour.
I understand where he is coming from but he knows we need to get there and that arriving there sooner would give us a better hold on the planet before the 104th gets there.
Obi-Wan’s thoughts were interrupted by Anakin snapping his fingers in front of his face. Anakin looked confused and a little bit worried.
I guess I was a little too lost in my own thoughts.
“Did you get any sleep at all?”
Busted.
“Well now that you mention it, I-”
“I can’t believe you. You look half-dead already and you want to lead our troops? Why are you trying to work yourself to death? I swear you do this every time.” Anakin’s frustration leaked across their bond.
“Anakin it’s not like I want it to be this way. The Council-”
“If you don’t want it to be this way then do something about it! Stop trying to blame it on other things. You can make the choice to not do everything so thoroughly or sent in as early as possible. How am I supposed to help you if you keep putting more work on yourself?” Anakin had started out speaking at a normal volume but had transitioned to yelling somewhere in there.
The headache that Obi-Wan thought was gone came back with a vengeance. It was all just too much: the Council, the war, Anakin, his headache, the way his body ached for sleep. He felt his control slipping, and Obi-Wan doubled down on keeping everything from exploding out.
“Anakin I am not going out of my way to find more things to do. And if you would stop interrupting me you would know that.” Obi-Wan’s voice was cold again, as it was in the Council meeting.
“Well it sure looks that way to me. Do you even think you are physically capable of leading this mission? You’re going to be a liability on the field! Did you think that through before deciding to forgo sleep in favor of picking which ration bars to order?”
That was the last straw. He could take Anakin talking bad about his work for the Council, or all the request forms for less important things, but to imply that Obi-Wan would deliberately choose to put himself into the position of being unfit to take care of his troops was too much. It was all too much.
Obi-Wan felt his control dissipate completely.
“Do you think I want this to happen?” Obi-Wan shouted back at Anakin, rising from the chair he had been sitting in.
“These are not responsibilities I can shirk. Giving my report about the Battle of Felucia - that was a necessity. Filling out medical supply requests and inventory, also a necessity. Convening with the Council to discuss the mission on Maridun, checking the munitions inventory, determining trooper groupings for it, requests for additional Clones to be added to our number, sending battle strategies for other campaigns going on-” Obi-Wan continued listing each duty he had to perform.
As the words started blurring together in his head, Obi-Wan felt the tiniest bit of satisfaction at how the color drained from Anakin’s face. When darkness started to creep in on his vision and a ringing sound filled his ears, Obi-Wan considered the potentiality that it was him passing out that was causing the reaction and not the list of responsibilities.
That was his last thought before everything went black.
###
The first thing that Obi-Wan became aware of was that he was warm and lying on a comfortable bed, which in itself was worrisome since he hadn’t had time to really sleep in his bed in weeks. He usually meditated or caught a quick nap in his chair. Something must have happened. Opening his eyes, however, was a lot harder of a task than he expected.
He almost wanted to descend back into the depths of sleep, but he had a niggling feeling that there was a reason he shouldn’t do that. The nebulous nature of his current thoughts evaporated instantly at the thought of one word: Maridun.
His eyes flew open and Obi-Wan sat up with a start. Ignoring the fuzziness of his vision, Obi-Wan spun around to let his legs hang off the bed before standing up. His plan was to get to the bridge and start the preparations for the trip through hyperspace, it did not include the spell of vertigo that hit him nor falling on to the floor.
“General!” The Clone medic Beck’s yell clarified to his tired brain that he was in the infirmary and not his room as he had originally thought. How he could mistake the over all white walls and floor of the medical area for his bedroom he would blame his blurry vision.
Everything was just out of focus. He tried to get back up from the floor, but none of his limbs were responding how they should. It felt like there was a delay in what he wanted them to do. His attempts were pointless since seconds after he fell he was lifted up and settled back in the bed by Beck and another Clone.
“What is going on,” Obi-Wan tried to say, but judging from the expressions on the men’s faces he wasn’t very successful in that venture either.
“Sir, you need to stay in bed. Your body can’t handle too much excitement right now.”
Staying in bed did sound like a fantastic idea, but knowing that he had duties to attend to Obi-Wan tried to sit up again. Beck’s hands stopped him from getting anywhere.
“Sir, you need your rest. Your body is running on fumes.” Beck tried to convince him.
Obi-Wan was considering his options when Anakin strode into the medical area.
“Is he giving you some trouble Beck?” Anakin asked.
“No sir, nothing I can’t handle,” the clone said.
Obi-Wan had the decency to look sheepish as he fully relaxed back to laying on the bed.
Nothing is making sense, Anakin should be helping me get out of here so that we can plan our strategy for Maridun. Why is he acting like Beck should keep me here forever?
As if sensing the direction of Obi-Wan’s thoughts, Anakin started speaking.
“Master, I hope you understand how important it is that you stay in bed. You collapsed in the middle of lecturing me. I knew it had to be serious if you couldn’t even finish the lecture before passing out.”
While Anakin said the last part with fondness, there was an undercurrent of concern in his voice.
“What’s wrong with me?” Obi-Wan asked, hoping that this time his words will be understood.
“You over-extended yourself. I thought something was really wrong when you konked out right in front of me. Imagine my surprise when I find out from Beck that you haven’t been eating or sleeping.” Now there was anger mixed in with the concern in Anakin’s voice.
“Oh,” was all Obi-Wan had to say.
“That’s all you’re going to say? Just ‘oh’?” Anakin was pacing now, stopping only to stare down his master.
“Well what do you want me to say? I didn’t want this to happen.”
It was becoming increasingly irritating that while Anakin prowled in front of him Obi-Wan himself was lying flat on his back. He tried to sit up again, this time Anakin stopped him.
“Nope, you’re going to lay there and listen to me lecture you for a change.” Anakin held Obi-Wan’s shoulders down, looking frustrated.
“But Maridun-”
“Maridun is not our problem anymore.”
“What?” Obi-Wan couldn’t hold back the utter disbelief in his voice.
“How long have I been asleep?” he whispered out.
“You have been asleep for only around five hours. Within that time I have had to answer no less than three calls from the Council. By the third call I had had enough. Why didn’t you tell me you were being run into the ground?”
Wasn’t that what I was telling him before I passed out?
“And that unfinished lecture of yours does not count.” Anakin let go of Obi-Wan’s shoulders and took a seat in the chair next to the bed.
Suddenly it looked like all the fire had gone out and all that remained was concern.
“I had no idea that you were stretched this thin. I’m supposed to support you, but from what I could tell from the Council, I clearly am not doing a good enough job. I didn’t even know about half the things they wanted you to report on. Strategies for Luminara, Kit Fisto, and half the other generals? Plus the usual High General responsibilities? Are you insane?”
Obi-Wan remained silent, mulling over Anakin’s words. He wanted to tell Anakin that he was wrong, that it really wasn’t that bad, but when he thought back to the duties he listed out before and what the Jedi Knight mentioned just now, he realized maybe it was insane.
Have I been overworking myself? He questioned himself.
“So I told the Council you would not be providing strategy ideas and plans anymore for anyone but yourself. I may have also said a few more things, but they got the picture and actually agreed with me.”
Now there’s a surprise, Obi-Wan thought.
He almost wanted to challenge Anakin on stopping the additional work, but the idea of actually having time to rest more than once in a blue moon sounded, well, it sounded really nice.
“We are no longer assigned to Maridun and are instead to report back to Coruscant for some much needed leave. I think I saw one of the troopers run into a wall earlier on his way to his room. They need some respite, and so do you.”
Anakin paused now, seemingly waiting for Obi-Wan to object or speak out against any of the decisions the younger man had made during his slumber.
“So we aren’t on our way to another war-zone?”
“No master.”
“Then I am going back to sleep.”
Amusement filled Anakin’s end of the bond.
“You do that Obi-Wan, you of all people deserve it. I will oversee everything until we get to Coruscant. You can sleep however much you want.” Anakin smiled and got up from the chair to leave.
“Oh and Anakin?”
“Yes master?”
“Thank you.”
Anakin smiled again and left the medbay. Obi-Wan rolled to his side and returned to the previous deep sleep. Force did he need it.