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Obi-Wan had been missing for far too long. They had lost contact with him one week ago, but the Council waited to tell Anakin until just yesterday. Anakin was angry with them for keeping Obi-Wan’s disappearance from him, but for now his concern overrode his anger. They had finally gotten a lead on Obi-Wan’s location, and now Anakin stood on the bridge of the Resolute over Ajan Closs, a moon that Anakin had never heard of before today.
The crew was bustling about preparing to land, but Anakin just closed his eyes and reached for Obi-Wan’s presence. They still had their training bond from when Anakin was a Padawan, and he latched onto it and followed it to the other end. It was scarily thin and faint, almost as if it were about to break. But Anakin gripped it tight. And there, at the very end, he could feel Obi-Wan.
“He’s here,” he said to Cody. With a nod, Cody ran off to coordinate the final landing procedures. They were about to get Obi-Wan back, whether the Separatists were ready for them or not.
Anakin sliced and hacked his way through droids, not a single one of them getting a shot off before they met their end. This Separatist base was one of the largest he had ever seen, and the layout was different from the others to accommodate for the jungle around the base.
He went through floor by floor, leaving no door unopened, no droid still alive. And still, he couldn’t find Obi-Wan. He ran around a corner, nearly missing the only organic Separtist commander in the whole hideout. The Neimoidian let out a gasp of fear, and ran behind a control console, trying to hide himself. Oh no, you’re not getting away that easily. Sparing a quick glance behind him to make sure there weren’t any clones around, Anakin stalked forward. He raised his arm in a fist, and the Neimodian rose with him. A squeeze of his hand had the man choking for air.
“ Where is Obi-Wan?” Anakin snarled. The Neimodian gasped for air and gasped for breath.
“He’s- he’s in the cell block! With the other prisoners, on level 14!” Anakin released him, and turned to run out of the room when the Neimodian spoke again. “You’re too late, though. The man he was is not who he is any longer,” he rasped out. Anakin spun around.
“What do you mean,” he asked, though it came out as a demand rather than a question.
“You will see,” is all the man said. Anakin ran his lightsaber through his body, and the Neimodian fell to the floor with a thump. Anakin left the room without a second glance.
Level 14, Anakin repeated to himself. Level 14. He raced through the facility, hallways blurring as he ran. Finally he arrived at the cell block. He could feel Obi-Wan more now, though his life-Force was still scarily faint. There were so many cells, and Anakin didn’t have the patience to check them all. Closing his eyes to focus, Anakin used the Force and pulled.
All of the cell doors sprung open at once, and prisoners started stepping out cautiously into the hallway. But Anakin still didn’t see Obi-Wan. He ran, shoving the other prisoners aside as he went. Finally, finally, he found him.
“Obi-Wan!” he cried. Obi-Wan was curled up in a ball in the far corner of the cell, looking terrible. His frame was too thin, his breathing too shallow. There were blood stains splattered everywhere, on the walls, on the ground, and on his tunic.
“‘nkin?” Obi-Wan muttered, turning to face him. Anakin’s breath caught. A slash ran across Obi-Wan’s eyes, from his right temple all the way to his left cheek. Anakin ran forward and lifted Obi-Wan over his shoulders.
“I’m here, Obi-Wan, you’re safe,” he said, trying to keep his voice calm. Inside, though, he was seething. Anakin wished he hadn’t killed that Neimoidian so quickly. He deserved a slow, painful death for what he did to Obi-Wan.
“Anakin, is that you?” Obi-Wan asked, voice weak.
“Yeah, yeah Obi-Wan, it’s me. I’m gonna get you out of here, alright?”
“Anakin,” Obi-Wan’s voice sounded panicked. “Anakin, I can’t see you.” Anakin’s heart stopped.
“I’m right here, Obi-Wan, what do you mean?”
“Anakin-” his voice cracked. “ I can’t see. ”