Chapter Text
Rex admittedly doesn’t understand this weird Jetti shit. Force damn their luck always being sent on strange missions with crappy intel. His hands shake nervously, gods, Cody is going to kill him. It was his responsibility to keep their General safe. One moment Rex stood fifty clicks behind Kenobi when the Jedi Master picked up a Sith force sensitive artifact and suddenly, the 37 year old, calm steady General was enveloped by light. Rex covered his eyes, ducking for cover as the abandoned temple shook with tremors. Cody, Ahsoka and General Skywalker couldn't be far behind them.
Rex grunts, when the earth ceases shaking he catalogs and his own wounds. His hand comes away bloody when he swipes at his forehead. Other than the head wound and being sore, Rex seems to be in one piece. The General however, is not okay, the clone realizes as he moves towards the man. Obi-Wan's body was transformed into a skinny, lanky pre-teen swimming even in the small general’s clothes. If Rex had to guess he’d place Kenobi at between 9 and 13 standard years old. It was difficult to tell given his malnourished, small appearance. The general was unconscious when Rex found him in his new youngling form. The boy, Rex observed seem to troubled, his forehead crinkled with anxiety.
The commander called for medevac, it would take some time for the rubble to be cleared. He places Kenobi in the rescue position and tries to keep him comfortable. Rex notes the boy's injuries seem older bruises and small wounds across his small body. His hair is buzzed, no Padawan braid to be accounted for but for a scruff of hair that seems hazardously cut. It unnerves Rex to see Kenobi like this. There is a gauntness to his face, and small form as if Obi-Wan had gone without food.
"Are you alright?", Anakin called.
"I have a head wound. General Kenobi is down, sir."
"Can you describe his injuries?"
"Obi-Wan appears to have reverted to a youngling, sir."
"Hold tight. We'll get you out of there."
"Roger that.", Rex sighed.
It takes nearly two hours for the 212th and 501st to excavated the pair from the Temple rubble. Rex keeps a close eye on the tiny General who appears to having some kind of fit.
Obi-wan moans, thrashing from side to side. He finds Kenobi's forehead hot to the touch, a fever, the Captain thinks. Removing the top of his armor, Rex fashions a rag and wet it placing it on the General's forehead. '
"Give us a sit rep, Captain.", Cody asks.
"The general's condition has deteriorated. He appears to be in some kind of trance and has a fever. I probably have a concussion."
"We're almost there, Rex, just hold on."
”The kid doesn’t have time.”
Obi-Wan’s body is racked by tremors. Rex watched helpless as the boy seized violently. With a pop, the med evac team finally created an opening. Within moments, Kix and Fracture are at the shrunken general’s side.
Anakin holds a hand over his mouth in shock taking in the sight of his pint sized Master.
“What’s wrong with him?”, Fracture asked once the seizure subsided. Kix started an IV, noting the malnourished, and battered youngling before them.
”Visions. Unfortunately, a bad one.”, Anakin finds Obi-Wan’s force signature bleeding anguish-distress-sadness-longing.
“Once we get back to the Resolute, I’d like to speak with Master Che.”, Kix decided.
“I didn’t know Master Obi-Wan had visions!”, Ashoka sounded concerned.
“How old do you think he is, Kix?”
With a quick scan of the frail youngling’s form, Kix answers, “General Kenobi is currently thirteen stand years old. He is dehydrated and malnourished.”
Anakin makes a sound, “How long was he down, Rex?”
”About twenty minutes.”
”That’s unusual for a force user his age to have visions that strong.”, Anakin frowns.
“There are extensive bruises and injuries on the General’s body of varying age. He needs to be kept in the medbay for observation.”, Kix announced.
“Do what you think think is best, Kix.”, Anakin clapped him on the shoulder before kneeling beside Obi-Wan, he notes the missing padawan braid.
Obi-Wan shivers, his eyes unfocused as they glance in Anakin’s general direction, “Did the Jedi come for me?”, he asks quietly.
“You are safe now, Initiate Kenobi.”
“I’m Anakin Skywalker, and this is my padawan, Ashoka Tano.”
“You seem awfully young to be a knight.”, Obi-Wan remarked.
Anakin’s eyes bemused with delight. He had not known his Master to be expressive and playful.
The boy’s face softens with sadness, “Master Jinn is not with you, is he?”
”I’m afraid not, padawan.”
”I’m no Jedi.”, he spat.
Anakin and Ashoka share a concerned glance.
“Rest, young one, we will care for you.”
”So you can send me back to the Bandomeer? I’d rather die here with dignity.”, Obi-Wan sneered.
Anakin made a sad sound, “You do not think you should be cared for?”
”I-I-I failed Master Jinn.”
”Surely Master Jinn does not believe that to be true, Obi-Wan.”
“He left me behind didn’t he?”
Anakin squeezes Obi-Wan’s hand, and nods looking at Kix, “Let’s prepare to move him.”
Anakin noticed the quiet tears rolling down Obi-Wan’s face. He had not seen his master cry before, not even after Master Jinn died. The boy’s troubled force signature radiates fear and anticipation. Anakin notes the youngling believes he will punished, but for what?
With the artifact secure and the med evac in process, Anakin catches Cody by the shoulder, “Please contact the Council, I must speak with them at once.”
”Of course, General.”
”Ashoka.”, Anakin stopped her.
”Yes, Skyguy?”
”Please go with Obi-Wan. He could use a friend.”
“Of course, Master.”
Ahsoka caught up with Fracture and Kix. She frowned finding Obi-Wan turned on his side, tear tracks on his face and shields pulled tight.
“Obi-Wan?”, Ashoka called talking his hand.
“You don’t have to be nice to me because Knight Skywalker told you to be.”
“Can you help me understand what happened between you and Master Jinn?”
”I guess.”
”Take your time.”
”Tell me Ahsoka, what do you know about the planet Melinda/Dann?”
”Oh, the conflict in the Outer Rim? A bloody civil war between the Young and the Elders.”
”Master Jinn and I were sent their to rescue Master Tahl who had failed to mediate the conflict.”
”What happened, Obi-Wan?”
“Master Tahl was injured. The Council wanted us to return to the temple, but I couldn’t ignore their suffering.”
”You said you got left behind?”
”He wouldn’t even listen to me! I had to stay and help.”
”Master Jinn shouldn’t have left you, Obi-Wan.”
”I-I betrayed his trust, Ashoka.”, Obi-Wan sniffled.
”Master Jinn is an adult, he’s supposed to take care of you. He shouldn’t have left you.”
”It’s my fault, Ashoka.”, Obi-Wan squeezed his eyes shut. His broken bond with Master Jinn aches, “There is no going back now. He repudiated me.”
”That’s not right, Obi-Wan. Surely the Jedi Order will not punish you.”
”Of course, they will! I left the Order, broke Master’s trust, and disobeyed the Council.”
Ashoka felt heart sick as they arrived on the Resolute. Kix asked her to remain in the hall while Obi-Wan got a work up. Well, Obi-Wan certainly did not make it easy on Kix.
Anakin swallows thickly as he waits for the holocall to connect. He is soon greeted by Mundi, Windu, Plo, Yaddle,and Yoda.
“Concerned we are, how is Master Obi-Wan?”
”Obi-Wan has reverted to being thirteen standard years old, and appears to have not have retrained his adult memories.”
“Master Che informed us he had a vision?”, Windu asked.
”Captain Rex reports it lasted over twenty minutes. I did not know Master Kenobi had force visions.”
”Kenobi has frequently, vivid and painful visions, even now.”
”I had no idea.”, Anakin sighed.
”Can you tell us what does Obi-Wan remember?”
”He mentioned something about a falling out with Master Jinn.”
The councilors collective make a small sound of concern-sadness-frustration, “Have you ever heard about Melinda/Dann?”
”I vaguely recall the conflict mentioned in my Galactic History class. The mission specs were classified if I recall.”
”Much of Obi-Wan’s early padawan year files are restricted access.”, Master Mundi hummed.
“I don’t understand why.”
”Sealed them we did when Master Kenobi was knighted at his request. Did not wish for them to be public given their sensitive nature.”
”Sensitive?”
“Jinn and Kenobi’s early years were strained. Many in the Temple did not believe young Kenobi capable to be your Master. We did not wish for his records to be used against him nor did Obi-Wan wish for Jinn’s honor to be tarnished.”
”I don’t understand.”
”More like you are to your Master than you might believe. Until his Senior padawan years, Obi-Wan’s moods were violate. He was a known trouble maker, and struggled finding balance.”
”That doesn’t sound like Obi-Wan.”
”He eventually found center and grew in his skills.”
”What caused Obi-Wan and his Master to fall out?”, Anakin chewed his lip.
"Master Jinn's previous apprentice fell to the Dark side. Jinn had a lot of emotional trauma, and naturally regarded Obi-Wan with suspicion.”
“Please tell me anything that will help him.”, Anakin pleaded.
“Alright.”
The Council began to walk Anakin through the early and troubled beginnings of the Jinn-Kenobi partnership. The Force felt heavy, almost like a warning to pay attention. Anakin didn't like it.
TBC