Chapter Text
Ben cannot believe the Force would lead her here again. Obi-Wan shrugs, unsurprised, for the Force does a great many things that make no sense. He fingers the lightsaber too, reflex or fear Ben does not know. Aben’yaa is resigned, eyes closed, as though this is just another beating. It is, Ben knows, but it is also more. It is more because it is happening again. It matters not whether this is some sort of parallel universe or if time has been warped because either way, it is happening again.
On her first solo mission, nonetheless.
She’s older now than Obi-Wan was then - not much but a few years nonetheless. He is the one piloting the ship, her ship, his ship, their ship. Ben has commed for help, of course she has, but her hands are trembling and Aben’yaa’s determination is so strong it’s burning. Neither Aben’yaa nor Obi-Wan wish to wait, not when Ben is fast approaching Melida/Daan. Neither can Ben when she knows what she’s going to find there. It’s stupid, impulsive (just like Anakin Obi-Wan thinks) and it’s something she must do. Aben’yaa will never forget the meaning of duty. Cannot.
It is Ben’s duty to help the planet to heal, to transform the scarred places to inhabitable areas. She’d readied herself for that. Obi-Wan had steeled himself to see his friends - or not. Aben’yaa had tried to prepare for anything else and it is this rapidly crumbling strength Ben leans on now.
Because the Melida and Daan agreed only on one thing and now they are at war once more. Obi-Wan fears for the Young. Aben’yaa fears war. Ben fears for both.
But first, she has to park her ship. No one should be stupid enough to attack, considering she is their best hope of resources but she cloaks it anyway, landing as quietly as she can. It stands out against the shuttle and transport ships in the dock, lithe and small - how else would she manage alone?, so she tries to nestle it somewhat between two larger ships.
If she’s honest, she doesn’t really want to leave it.
But Aben’yaa has already scouted the planet and Obi-Wan has to know because he’s been watching the conflict but hasn’t seen them yet. Ben wants to wait for backup but they didn’t tell her whether or not to engage and it’s probably better to warn the inhabitants that there’s going to be a second (and possibly more) Jedi arriving. This was supposed to be a ‘peaceful’ planet. Someone hasn’t done their work properly. Peaceful planets only need one Jedi if the area destroyed isn’t too great. Melida/Daan needs a lot more than one.
Obi-Wan had wondered why the coordinates looked halfway familiar and Aben’yaa had had a bad feeling from the start. Ben had ignored both of these omens and decided to try to meditate. It’s a mistake she doesn’t care to repeat in future. It’s a mistake she doesn’t know why she made.
She tries to steady herself - someone else will not arrive for a few more minutes and it’s probably best she does some information gathering first. Obi-Wan grumbles that it used to be a lot easier, back when Ben looked more humanoid. Aben’yaa is slightly offended. Ben just needs to figure out how to go about it. Aben’yaa has the lightest feet and Obi-Wan knows how to… cloak for lack of better word. It’s rudimentary but Ben needs to know. She refuses to go in blinder than she already is.
Ben emerges shortly after, dressed as inconspicuously as possible. She’s decided to forsake a hood, deciding it will bring too much attention on a day such as this. Obi-Wan’s mainly maintaining the illusion of blueish hair on her head, having decided it would take more energy than necessary to try something else. Ben’s scoping out the most likely meeting points first, Aben’yaa cataloguing the most likely places for a sniper to hide - looking for areas likely to collect dust seems to translate much better than she could have imagined.
Her backup arrives just as she’s finished studying the last of the most likely areas for the Melida and/or Daan to want to meet her.
They’ve cloaked their ship, just as she had but she can sense their presence in the force and she expresses her gratefulness to them for coming, as well as the standard greeting. Obi-Wan keeps a tight leash on his emotions and she has never been so glad for it before.
It’s not that Ben hates Master Ra, just that she has - on numerous occasions - acted quite close mindedly. At least it isn’t Master John, Aben’yaa reminds her. Ben’s not quite sure when she had the time to turn into an optimist but she concedes that point.
Ben might take issue with Ra’s views but she cannot begrudge her her instincts, even as Aben‘yaa raises an eyebrow and Obi-Wan grumbles.
They exchange no words as Ra emerges. The woman frowns in the general direction of Ben’s head but doesn’t express what she’s thinking so Ben lets the matter drop. It’s probably not important and restlessness is thrumming inside of her, no matter her efforts to slow herself down. Aben’yaa is of no help and Obi-Wan is too focused on other matters so she exhales and draws it out as long as she can.
Ra finally speaks then, the Force ringing of truth as she reaches out with her consciousness. They have no bond but this is almost intrinsic, was learnt in the Crèche.
She pushes across a feeling of wrongness, something deeply unsettling then sends her a picture of a Knight presumably - a Jedi accustomed to combat.
Ben pushes back the image of the Knight curiously.
Clearly Ra has felt it too. There is the restlessness of battle thrumming in her veins, easily recognisable from Obi-Wan’s many years of experience. Aben’yaa recoils as the thought crystallises, then settles.
Ra frowns again but says nothing this time, probably worried that doing so will scare her.
It doesn’t.
But maybe it should.