Chapter Text
Fresh air.
That’s what the scent smelled like, but so much more.
It had developed and changed in these treacherous months of war, but it remained consistent that the Negotiator had the sweet aroma of fresh air.
It was something no other ship had, Cody had checked, hells most of the engineering crew checked for a gas leak of some kind, but there was nothing out of order. Other Vode said their ships smelled like various types of metal and themselves – the only other scent all CCs agreed on was the variety of teas – but nothing like the 212th experienced. The only way they knew they weren’t crazy was that Rex and Wolffe said they had smelt it too.
For Wolffe, it was him confirming he had smelt it faintly when he had been on the Negotiator. Meanwhile, Rex said the fleeting scent would appeared every so often on the Resolute before dissipates soon after, much to the chagrin of his men.
Being enhanced as they were the Vode weren’t only faster and stronger than the average baseline human, without the cumbersome extra muscle definition, they had enhanced senses too.
It had its advantages and disadvantages, but living on the Negotiator and drinking in that scent every day was no hardship at all. It was a comfort to every brother and something they counted as their own completely. It was always fresh and fragrant, and recently, a soft scent that can only be described to the best of their ability as warm had developed as well, but always just out of reach.
It was the same today as Cody arrives on the bridge.
He wasn’t one to predicate his day on one thing, but he found breathing in that scent was a close second to seeing Kenobi turn to smile brightly at him. He had a notion that the day would be a good one.
“Good morning Cody.” Kenobi says, the scent a bit stronger somehow.
“Morning sir.” Smiling a bit as his general fixes him with a knowing smirk.
But before they could get underway with the updates to the ship and fleets they had to wait for one more individual.
Soon the warm scent makes a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ appearance, and after, the lift opens with a hiss not two minutes later.
“Morning commander.” Cody grins at the sight.
The grunt he receives is almost friendly this time around.
“Tae’sie,” Kenobi smiles softly at his new padawan, reaching out a hand for the still sleepy jet’ika, “Did you sleep well?”
Her answer was one of her low growls she could make as she reaches out to take Kenobi’s hand and lets herself be pulled into the general’s side. Her hair a deep navy and the ends of her braids rippling between hyperspace and sky blue, indicators that she was still very tired – if the closed eyes and non-verbal cues weren’t enough.
Cody had been mostly on board with Kenobi picking a new padawan, actually touched and valued that Kenobi wanted his input about the choice, and Cody would freely admit he had grown fond of Tae’sie.
She was not only a capable fighter, like Kenobi, but was just as caring and mischievous as him — As most of the jetiise were as the Vode were coming to find out. A perfect compliment to them.
“Oh, that well?” Kenobi grins now, somehow piecing together Tae’sie's morning noises better than any code-cruncher, “I can’t wait to hear your contributions. Cody, why don’t you start us off.” Not bothering to hide his curling grin as Tae’sie grunts, dropping her head back so her long braids smack into the general’s boots.
“Of course sirs.” Shaking his head at the morning routine these two had developed and growing fonder of them every moment he was able to spend with them.
He starts with the Third Army at large and works down knowing it gives them a wider understanding to then maneuver certain fleets to better protect their sectors. Also by the time he gets to their fleet, the Seventh Sky Corps, Tae’sie is usually alert enough to add her own thoughts, cleverly erring on stealth to save lives, boosting Kenobi’s brilliant slight-of-hand tactics.
Cody knows it won’t be long as her bioluminescent hair begins to glow faintly of hyperspace blue instead of navy, like a morning sky settling after dawn. He pauses waiting to hear what she thinks they should do with the 12th, 51st, and 113th battalions in the Auril Sector, but her informative statement is not what he was expecting.
Inhaling and exhaling audibly, like she was coming out of meditation, Tae’sie opens her black slit eyes and smiles up at Kenobi.
“You smell lovely today Master.”
Cody’s world stalls at that, and he’s sure it’s the same for most of the men on the bridge now, as they all focus on their Jedi speaking.
“Oh? Do I?” Kenobi quirks an eyebrow at her, before smiling softly as he squeezes her right hand before letting go, “Well thank you very much for saying so darling.”
Then looking to him, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, “Shall we continue commander.”
Cody was usually quick with a comeback, always had been, and it was sharpened with Kenobi’s silver tongue always in play. But at this moment Cody couldn’t muster up a basic thought let alone complex ones.
Instead, instinct takes over and he moves the slightest centimeter forward, breathing in through his nose quietly, the fresh fragrant air that permeated every part of the ship flooding his senses immediately. It could be a fluke though, so Cody dips his head down and inhales again, the scent further away.
“Cody?” Lifting his head slowly he finds concern marring Kenobi’s face, sea-grey eyes focusing only on him, “Are you alright?” He asks softly, trying to perverse some privacy in the open bridge setup.
“You’re the one that smells!” Scaring both Jedi as they spin around to the speaker.
Whatever silent contemplative moment the deck of the Negotiator was having was shattered with that unprofessional shout.
All of them turn to the source, glares of various heats focusing on the loudmouth, some shiny softshell from the looks of it as he clutches his datapad. When he catches sight of him the shiny cowers behind it as Cody’s frigid glare promises intense discipline.
A soft gasp has all attention turning back to their Jedi as Kenobi folds his arms and looks at some middle ground in front of him, Tae’sie staring rather unimpressed at the shiny.
“I seemed to have misstepped,” Kenobi starts and before Cody can tell the general he hasn’t caused a slight – he never could – he continues, “When the Kaminoans stated you were all enhanced I didn’t piece together that meant senses as well. Am I correct?”
“They are.” Cody confirms.
Sea-greys shift to his own deep brown, a sadness and regret in them as Kenobi nods and behind Cody’s eyes an echo of a headache starts to ache as he struggles not to immediately assure his general he was fine for not knowing.
“I am terrible sorry. I will refrain from scenting from now on.”
The aroma drawing away immediately leaving stale recycle air and the sharp tang of metal in it’s wake.
“Don’t!”
Kenobi jolts back and Tae’sie’s ears pin back as she watches him wide-eyed, but not as intently as Kenobi. But his outburst worked as the scent returns faintly.
“I’m sorry general, it’s only ...” And failing to expounded upon that he’s ‘saved’ by the loudmouth shiny.
“We like the smell!” Shrinking in on himself as everyone turns to him again, “It’s nice General Kenobi, makes the days better here.” He whispers.
“Well I’m glad it’s not a hindrance,” Looking to the poor shiny, who shakes his head so hard it hurts Cody’s neck, “And you’re okay with it...” Trailing off so the shiny could fill in his name.
It takes him a moment before he’s stuttering and floundering and one of the other admin tech, Avery, has more mercy in him then Cody does now.
Hand clamping down harshly on his shoulder the shiny shuts up, “This loudmouth doesn’t have a name yet sir.” Avery says, cementing the shiny’s name at that moment. And the vod’ika knows it as his shoulders sink in defeat, “But how do you do that sir, if you don’t mind me asking.”
“The scent?”
They all nod, a slight too eagerly, Cody included, and is speechless as Kenobi’s ears start to turn red as he strokes his beard.
“A biological quirk. Scenting pheromones. That I didn’t think I needed to restrain,” Murmuring the last part to himself, “They’re harmless, evolved in the past centuries from their original capabilities to something much more mild. Though I do know other species with aurek, besh, osk sexes are not so fortunate.”
“Aurek, besh, osk sexes?” Cody questions. Out loud. Like a moron.
The blush on Kenobi's ears deepens as he looks down, Tae’sie grasping his elbow in obvious comfort, her hair paler and her ears drooping.
“Yes, Stewjon is one of a small fraction of planets with this quirk.” His voice strident, and Cody from his vantage point can see him swallow compulsively, worried and possibly embarrassed.
“Okay.”
His general looks to him, almost aghast, and Cody can easily place why.
“Its fine if you want to sir. To scent as you said,” Hoping he used the word correctly, “You always tell us to be our truest self, you should take your own advice.” Smiling a little and thinking the softest thoughts he could so Kenobi would pick up on them.
Soon the rest of the bridge crew is adding in their sentiments and Kenobi is fighting a grin as Tae’sie beams up at him.
“You heard them master, you shouldn’t hide yourself away.” Rippling her hair for effect.
Chuckling, he shakes his head, “No, no I should not,” Then turning to the men raises a hand to calm the clamoring, “I won’t change what I’m doing. But if ever my pheromones become too much, please let me know.”
“I don’t think anyone could get enough of it.” The shiny says only to groan in pain as another Vod smacks him upside the head.
“Shut it Loudmouth.”
Lifting his hand to hide his smile, “I thank you for the compliment ...”
“CT-8122... For now sir.” Looking glumly at the bridge at large as knowingly looks and grins take over.
“Thank you 8122.” Kenobi says sincerely, the Vod nodding quickly, eyes wide, only to get steered away by Avery saying ‘Alright you got your moment with the General, back to work Loudmouth.’
Cody can’t help grinning a little himself as the shiny’s name is chosen – a great milestone – and looking up his number makes a note and sends a quick report to Pockets about his green admin tech, telling him he would be scheduling mandatory spec cleaning duty for his multiple unprofessional outbursts. Pockets ups the punishment with relaying to Cody that he'll have the kid helping droids with data-entry too, without copy and paste.
Terrifying as always. Shaking his head before getting everyone else back on track.
The rest of Alpha Shift goes smoothly as usual, even with the revelation, and before he knows it Kenobi is leaving with Tae’sie. It was a half an hour earlier on the dot as they made time for her lessons to start then. But instead of following after their command'ika to the lift, Kenobi walks around the holo-table.
“General?”
Telegraphing his movements, Kenobi rests a hand on his forearm and Cody swears he feels the heat through his vambrace. With an incredibly tender smile, one that matches the aroma, so purely and undoubtedly Kenobi, Cody notes how it swells to a sweet tangy fragrance that he couldn't possibly describe, yet wants to inhabit always.
“Thank you Cody.” He whispers and Cody feels all the air leave his lungs as he opens his eyes, unsure of when he closed them.
“You’re welcome... General.” Wishing to say his name, but it felt too personal for this moment.
But Kenobi understands, he always does, and nods to him with an even brighter smile, squeezing his vambrace before turning away to join Tae’sie in the lift, the commander grinning widely and knowingly when Kenobi’s back is turn, winking at him.
He rolls his eyes good-naturedly at her teasing as the lift closes, leaving the scent behind. He can't stop himself from inhaling it once more before reining himself in and getting back to work.
And if others very unsubtly breathe in as well — Well the productivity is up when he looks back at the numbers so he can’t be too upset.
Besides he’ll need to deal with the fall out of scuttlebutt later so he might as well enjoy the allure that was Kenobi now before the Vode get the way they always do. It was bound to make the rest of the war interesting.