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"So what are you waiting to talk about?"
After spending the last hour-and-a-half recounting the intricacies of Tatooine politics to Obi-Wan, Skywalker finally shifted gears. There was still no sign of the Chancellor- Force knew where he'd gone- and he was starting to feel increasingly frustrated with Palpatine for it. He'd asked for an audience- and he'd never denied him one before.
Certainly, not for anything this important.
"Master Jedi?"
Right, yes, the Senator.
Force, Obi-Wan really was being terrible about paying attention to things today, wasn't he? He was supposed to be better than this.
Well... Then again, it was rare for something to piss him off as much as this did.
"Hm." Obi-Wan hummed noncommittally, just to fill the silence to give him enough time to come up with a convincing-enough lie- he was not going to be telling this Senator about Rex.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Skywalker continued before he could find something. "Just because it isn't war stuff doesn't mean its not important and confidential, right?"
There was something... Expectant in the way that Skywalker looked at him, then. Not quite like he was waiting for a particular response, no, more like he was... Gauging one? Obi-Wan couldn't be sure. Like most politicians, the Senator was adept at hiding his intentions, but he was even better than most. If Obi-Wan wasn't so used to his ever-illustrious job as The Negotiator, he wouldn't have noticed it at all.
Tentatively, Obi-Wan prodded his Force Signature, but came up with nothing.
"Of course." Obi-wan replied, giving him a smile with no teeth and no sincerity. "I'm grateful for your understanding."
"It's nothing." Skywalker returned the smile- and it looked a lot more genuine than Obi-Wan's own felt. "I understand the point of it."
They lulled into silence for a few seconds, sitting there, otherwise alone in the Chancellor's waiting room- lounging in chairs that were plush to the point of discomfort. Obi-Wan dared to dream that he might've been freed from the small talk- and that he'd be allowed to sulk in peace until Palpatine returned from whatever business had taken him away.
It didn't last long, as Skywalker took on a curious, unreadable look.
Force. He couldn't stand politicians.
"Master Kenobi, right? Obi-Wan Kenobi? That's who you said you were?"
...That was... Not what Obi-Wan was expecting for Skywalker to ask him.
"I did." Obi-Wan replied, slowly.
That made Skywalker really, properly, grin.
"You're the one they call the Sithkiller." Skywalker reached forwards again, to clasp their forearms in yet another handshake without waiting for his response. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
He was really wondering now- was it just Skywalker or did everyone from his homeworld constantly feel the need for contact?
"I'm surprised anyone remembers that." Obi-Wan smiled, trying his damnedest to be properly sociable and return the handshake. Skywalker's grin widened- Obi-Wan wouldn't have believed it was even possible. "It was ten whole years ago."
"Of course I do!" The Senator sounded almost offended, before taking on his earlier friendly tone. "I'm friends with Senator Amidala."
"I see." Obi-Wan could see it- leave it to Padmé to befriend someone that seemed to have absorbed his planet's twin suns into his personality.
"You did a good thing for Naboo and its people." Skywalker continued, sitting back down. "The Sith- growing up they were the stuff of legends, and nobody really believed in them. Not in the Outer Rim. Force, most of us didn't really believe in the Jedi, either."
"There's people in the galaxy that... Don't believe in the existence of the Jedi?" Obi-Wan asked. It seemed... Nearly absurd, really. He'd met plenty of people that doubted the full extent of the Force, certainly, and there were plenty of people that either distrusted or outright hated the Order, but to not know of them, at all?
"Not anymore, of course." The Senator hummed. "Not with the war, you're all running around, out there, now. But before? A system could've gone centuries without a Jedi visitor, until they became children's tales, and nothing more."
"I see." Obi-Wan wished he could have tea or caf or something alcoholic to sip- just to have an excuse to fill the gaps in conversation. Force, he would've accepted water at this point, but they didn't have that either.
"It seems they were wrong about that." Skywalker said, more to himself than to Obi-Wan. "And about the Sith too, I suppose. I swear, every time I check the reports from the front there's a dozen more. So much for mere fables."
Obi-Wan managed a small chuckle, at that. A real one. "There aren't that many."
"To you, Sithkiller." Skywalker smiled crookedly. "I'm sure you can handle them just fine. To us mortals, they can be quite... Concerning? Each one is something more to worry about murdering me in my sleep."
"Ah." Obi-Wan snorted.
Skywalker looked like he wanted to say something more, but he was interrupted by the door to the Chancellor's lift sliding open. The Senator's jaw clicked shut audibly as he swiveled to look towards it. Obi-Wan didn't have to- he was already facing that way.
Finally- the Chancellor had decided to grace them with his presence.
Obi-Wan released his frustration into the Force.
"Obi-Wan, it's good to see you!" The Chancellor seemed to be his usual cheery self- oblivious to the fact that Obi-Wan was feeling quite cross with him. "I must apologize for being so late."
"Chancellor Palpatine." Obi-Wan didn't bother returning his friendly attitude. He did manage to keep his tone even and polite, at least. That had to count for something, right? "I was hoping to speak with you."
"Of course, of course-" Palpatine paused, as if he hadn't realized that they weren't alone, at first. Obi-Wan wasn't sure how he could have managed it- Skywalker was kriffing tall, even while sitting down. "Senator Skywalker, do you need something?"
"Nothing that can't wait, Chancellor." The senator moved to stand, giving Palpatine a deep nod of respect. "Master Kenobi has given the impression that whatever matter he must discuss with you is quite urgent, mine is not."
The Chancellor seemed almost relieved, at that. He put a friendly hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder and moved to steer him towards his office. "Thank you, Senator. I'll be with you shortly."
Out of the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan could see that the Senator remained standing, watching them leave until the door to Palpatine's office closed behind them.
"What's bothering you?" The Chancellor's voice was soft, maybe an attempt at soothing. "I can tell that you're rather upset."
"You know."
The Chancellor frowned, then moved to sit. Not at his desk, no- instead at one of the couches tucked into the sides of his suite's office. Obi-Wan sat beside him, stiffly. "I'm afraid that I don't."
Obi-Wan gritted his teeth, then released his frustration into the Force once more. "You denied my transfer request."
"Oh." Palpatine's frown deepened. "This is about the Captain?"
"It is."
Palpatine sighed, patting him on the shoulder. "I'm quite sorry, my boy, but I can't do it."
"Why not?" He snapped back- not bothering to keep his accusatory tone at bay. "I don't care about-"
"His current mission cannot be interrupted." The Chancellor cut him off- and he'd never done that before. "It's too important. Once the killer has been captured, I'll be happy to send him over to your battalion."
"His current mission is killing him." Obi-Wan knew that for certain- anyone who saw him could tell. Going without sleep, cutting off his brothers, disregarding his own safety- it would only be a matter of time before something did Rex in.
Cody had been so worried about his brother. He was right to be.
The Chancellor hummed in thought. "You may be right. I suppose he has been carrying most of the investigation on his shoulders. It's an unusual situation- the clones were hardly built to be detectives, but he was the best option, considering the circumstances."
"And what are those circumstances, exactly?"
"This killer- some of the tabloids have taken to calling him the Slaughterer, it seems quite insensitive, if you ask me- well." The Chancellor glanced away, his voice growing hushed. "He's taken to targeting Senators and their associates."
Obi-Wan's mind went briefly blank.
"You- there's been a serial killer targeting the Senate and you didn't feel the need to alert the Jedi to it?"
"Our best investigative experts said it was best to keep their efforts... Quiet." The Chancellor explained, quiet and grave. "They would have reached out to you should they have begun to suspect Separatist involvement, but as it stands..."
The Chancellor shrugged helplessly. "The Jedi are involved in the Republic's war effort. This is a problem at home."
"The clones are supposed to be involved in the war effort, too."
"If you're that concerned, I'll appoint the Captain someone to oversee his efforts. To take some off the work off of him." The Chancellor waved off his concerns, giving him a pat on the back that Obi-Wan shifted out of range from.
That would not be enough. It would not even begin to be enough. Obi-Wan could recognize when he was being placated- did Palpatine even care about the Captain at all? The Coruscant Guard was supposed to fall under his purview. He should have been more concerned, so why wasn't he?
...But, had he ever been?
The Coruscant Guard who never, ever took off their helmets, the Coruscant Guard who's Headquarters could barely be called habitable, the Coruscant Guard- where one of them had been so terrified of Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan looked a bit closer, and-
And he was disgusted with what he found.
He got up from the couch, taking a step back and squaring his shoulders.
"Are you feeling alright?" The Chancellor- to think that Obi-Wan might've once called him a friend- was all wide-eyed and faux-innocent.
How much of it was an act? Obi-Wan couldn't help but wonder- was he that dismissive, that awful towards everyone, other than him? Or was he one of the types who just didn't see the clones as sentient?
Obi-Wan- he didn't know which one was worse, really.
The first option... Well, he shouldn't have expected any less from a politician.
But, Force, the thought of the latter... What did it say about him that he'd been fooled twice? First by Palpatine, who he'd trusted as a confidant for so many years. Then, again, by Krell- that one terrible mistake he could never undo.
He'd carry that burden- that guilt, that shame, that regret- until the day that he died. It was an acceptable arrangement- hardly anything compared to the price that so many of his most loyal troopers had been made to pay. There was nothing he could do about Krell, now. The bastard was gone- alongside all the poor clones he'd taken with him- and there was no point in holding a grudge for a dead man, but-
...There was a point in playing nice with a living, breathing monster. Obi-Wan couldn't very well get into a screaming match with the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, but he was under no obligation to like him.
Palpatine was still looking at him expectantly, worriedly even, and Obi-Wan clenched his jaw so hard that his teeth hurt.
He, consciously, released his anger into the Force.
"No." Obi-Wan gritted out. "I'm not 'alright.'"
Obi-Wan didn't give him a chance to respond. Frankly, he didn't think he deserved one. If the Chancellor tried to call him back, Obi-Wan wouldn't have been able to hear it through the roar of blood in his ears.
Force- what would he say to Cody? He'd promised him that he'd get his brother off of his mission and out of the Guard. Now, he'd be returning to him empty-handed. Obi-Wan was certain that any apology would fall short. After all, it was his own fault that he was too blind to see what was right in front of him.
"Woah, there!"
Obi-Wan, embarrassingly- mortifyingly, really- nearly walked straight into someone for the second time that day. The same someone, actually.
He was only stopped from actually doing it by the Senator himself, as Obi-Wan was abruptly rocketed back to his surroundings by the man setting a steadying hand on each shoulder.
"Master Jedi?" Senator Skywalker dipped his head to look him in the eyes, eyes wide with open worry- not unlike the Chancellor's had been- Obi-Wan couldn't help but note that bitterly.
All politicians were the same.
Senator Skywalker tsked- or maybe it was more of a sigh- as he moved to only half-release him, tugging him along back towards the elevator. Obi-Wan tried to dig his heels in.
"I thought you needed to speak to the Chancellor?"
"Nothing urgent." The Senator physically waved him off, a vague little gesture with his hands. "You look like you're not in a good state, Master Kenobi."
Obi-Wan did draw back at that- he wasn't an idiot, after all. He knew better than to go airing the troubles of a trooper to people that certainly didn't need to know about them. "I-"
"-I know, whatever it is, it's none of my concern." Senator Skywalker interrupted him. "I was merely going to invite you to my office for caf. Do you drink caf?"
In any other circumstance- Obi-Wan might've given a normal answer. It was a normal question, after all- but normalcy after the conversation he'd just had? After the day he'd had? After the last kriffing month, ever since Cody came to him asking for help and acting nervous in a way that he never was? Shit- after the last year of this fucking war?
And, well, he'd never been a caf drinker before the war.
He laughed, almost hysterically- doubling over and curling in on himself to wrap his arms around his stomach. Distantly, Obi-Wan could sense a brief flash of alarm in the Force- from the Senator, still standing next to him awkwardly.
"Sure- sure." Obi-Wan abruptly straightened back up, got himself back under control- he was a Jedi Master, after all, and a respected General and Negotiator- he couldn't go around making a fool of himself in front of politicians, as much as he didn't like them. "I'm sorry- yes, I do drink caf."
Skywalker perked back up immediately. Almost comically quickly, really. "Excellent!"
The Senator's office, much to Obi-Wan's relief, was within the Senate Dome itself- he wouldn't have wanted to trek across Coruscant in the state that he was in- and maybe Skywalker had recognized that? Obi-Wan was still scrambling to get himself under control- trying to release his anger into the Force and stifle his feelings of betrayal and disgust. He didn't... Want anyone to see him like that. The path through the Dome that Skywalker led him through seemed to be longer than it should have been- gracefully sticking to empty side passages and full of awkward turns- in fact, Obi-Wan could be fairly certain that they hadn't walked past as much as a cleaning droid.
Skywalker's office was fairly plain, all things considered, with none of the finer things or decorations that tended to adorn the personal spaces of people of his station. The furniture was sturdy and practical- a desk with a seat by the window, a cabinet by the door, and a small table in the corner surrounded by a few chairs. There was a rug- seemingly made of the same materials as and in a similar pattern to his tunics, and that was all that Obi-Wan could see in the way of frivolity. It made the room nice, though, as small of an addition as it was- the Senate Dome had the tendency to feel cold, with all of its sleek, shiny walls and glass. The rug brought a splash of color- reds, oranges, and yellows bleeding together into a depiction of two, twin suns.
No doubt, for the Senator, it would have been a welcome reminder of home. Maybe, for him- being from a desert planet- the Senate Dome really was cold- and the rug helped to make it more bearable.
Skywalker deposited him at the table in the corner, then returned to the cabinet to root around inside, humming to himself.
"Are you more of a caf or tea person?" Skywalker called over without looking at him, startling Obi-Wan out of his thoughts.
"Tea, please."
"I thought you'd be a tea-drinker." The Senator hummed agreeably, carefully balancing some kind of kettle and a few boxes in his arms before shutting the door to the cabinets. "I have some leftover from the last time my mother visited."
"Oh?"
Skywalker flashed him a winning, politician-smile. "I never inherited her taste for it, as much as she wishes I did."
"I see." Obi-Wan chuckled, some miniscule sliver of the stress of the last few days lifting off his shoulders. Not enough to make much of a dent, really, but some. There was some comfort- however slight- in being able to talk to someone about trivial things, like this.
Obi-Wan couldn't remember the last time he'd been able to do that.
Skywalker continued to hum to himself- some tune that Obi-Wan couldn't recognize- as he prepared their drinks at the table.
At first, he wasn't sure how Skywalker expected to make caf without a machine, but there were no beans or grounds- instead, he pulled out a pouch of the instant crystals that they could find on the front- not the same variety, but certainly the same kind of product.
Senator Skywalker seemed to like his instant caf weaker, less like Cody and more like Obi-Wan himself. He didn't add too much to his mug. While they waited for the kettle to heat- Obi-Wan wasn't going to ask why he kept a kettle filled with water in a wooden cabinet- he seemed to notice what had grabbed his attention.
"This is the only kind that you can really find in my part of the Outer Rim." Skywalker shrugged. "At least for a reasonable price. I suppose I acquired a taste for it."
"Oh?" Obi-Wan crossed one leg over the other in his chair. "What's Tatooine like?"
"Have you ever been?"
"No."
"To describe it to you..." Skywalker hummed to himself, deep in thought. "It's hot. And there's a good deal of sand."
Obi-Wan huffed. "I'd expect as much from a desert planet."
"So you have heard of us." The Senator grinned. "I'm honored."
Skywalker paused. "Then... Well, if Jedi business ever forces you to visit, you should try the pallie fruit. They're quite good. You can find a stall selling them on practically every corner in every city."
"I'll have to see it."
The kettle chose that moment to finish heating up. It chimed pleasantly- quite possibly the only piece of Core technology that the Senator used. Obi-Wan had shared tea and caf with people in the Outer Rim before- their kettles were shriekers. There wasn't much conversation, after that- they were both preoccupied with their drinks. Obi-Wan, with blowing on his tea. Senator Skywalker, with shoveling absurd quantities of some kind of sweetener into his caf.
It was... Nice. Obi-Wan couldn't remember the last time he'd been able to just relax. There was always something to do- paperwork, mostly. These days, he normally only got to enjoy the Vigilance's instant caf rations when he was staying up late to write reports. Even before the war- it had always been one mission after another, for him. As soon as he'd finished his recovery from his duel on Naboo, he never really stopped moving.
It was good tea, too- herbal, it seemed, something non-caffeinated, certainly. It tasted earthy and just subtly sweet- the kind of thing that he might've once shared with his Master, a lifetime ago.
...Obi-Wan discarded that thought quickly. It was best not to linger on Qui-Gon.
"So..." Skywalker spoke slowly, setting his half-drunk cup of caf down on a the table with a soft clink. "Anything you want to talk about?"
"I'm sorry?" Obi-Wan mimicked the movement, setting down his own tea. Was this some kind of interrogation? Had Skywalker only made the offer so he could find out what it was he'd been speaking to Palpatine about?
"People normally want to do that, with Senators." Skywalker shrugged. "Any political opinions you want heard?"
Oh, that was...
That was fine, he supposed.
"...Nothing comes to mind." Obi-Wan slowly picked his cup back up, taking a small sip.
Well, there was one thing- but Obi-Wan wasn't a complete idiot. He may be a fool, but he wasn't about to bring up the issue of the Coruscant Guard to some Senator- especially not one he'd just met.
Not with just how much power Obi-Wan and his fellow Generals held over the troops under their command. With what Krell had done with it. Obi-Wan didn't know how the Guard's command structure operated- if the average Senator held even an ounce of authority over them...
Drawing Skywalker's attention to them could be all risk, with very little reward.
"Alright, then." Skywalker did the same- taking a long drink of his caf like his life depended on caffeine. "You know, it's nice to be able to be near someone and not have to immediately discuss politics with them."
"It's nice not to have to talk about the war."
Skywalker chuckled. "Well. I suppose the war and the Senate don't exist at this table, then?"
"That sounds fair enough."
Skywalker hummed- he hummed often, Obi-Wan couldn't help but notice that- picking up his abandoned sweetener spoon to stir it around in the dredges of his caf.
He couldn't have been there that long- but in that time, Obi-Wan's heart seemed to have stopped racing, at least by some measure. He still didn't know what to do- he still knew that it was wrong to abandon the Captain to his fate, and he certainly didn't know how he'd tell Cody that he'd failed- but he certainly felt more... Presentable.
He'd have to leave soon. Obi-Wan still had business to attend to- and as much as he appreciated Skywalker's assistance, a politician was still a politician. Obi-Wan sincerely hoped that the Senator didn't expect to get a friend among the Jedi out of this, because that would not be happening.
Before he could find an excuse to leave, though, the door to the Senator's office opened.
Standing in the threshold was a Coruscant Guard- armor identical to all of his brothers, like Rex. He seemed stressed- panic and worry bleeding off of him in waves in the Force- but at least he wasn't as terrified as the Captain had been. His helmeted head shifted as he scanned the room, then immediately locked on where they were sitting at the table.
At once, the Guard's concern dissipated, replaced only by a smidge of relief- and mostly annoyance.
Skywalker sunk into his chair, like he very much didn't want to be there, grinning awkwardly over at the mystery clone.
"Sir, you can't just abandon your security detail." The trooper sounded out of breath- like he'd been doing a lot of running. And it took a lot of running to make a clone winded. "Where have you been?"
"Security detail?" Obi-Wan turned back to the Senator.
"I'm a very popular guy?" Skywalker offered, nervously moving a hand to tuck an invisible lock of hair behind his ear. There were none, of course- the Senator wore his hair up, and not one strand had fallen out of the meticulous bun. "And- Dogma, I was fine. Look, I even had a Jedi with me."
It wasn't until the trooper turned to give him a very unimpressed look that managed to cut right through his helmet's visor- although it certainly couldn't rival Cody's- that it really dawned on Obi-Wan who Dogma was.
"Dogma?" Obi-Wan asked, incredulously, and it wasn't until the Senator's expression lost any of its earlier easygoing smile and hardened that he realized exactly how that sounded. "I just- I'm not used to politicians putting in the effort."
Something in Skywalker's face softened, at that, just a bit- but he was still unmistakably angry- just maybe now it wasn't directed at Obi-Wan. "Perhaps you are more right than either of us would want you to be, Master Jedi."
The trooper- Dogma- shifted uncomfortably.
Whatever it was he was thinking of- Skywalker let it go and settled down, sighing. "I'll try not to shake you off again, would that make you happy, Dogma?"
"Very." The Guard gritted out.
This felt like an old argument- one well-trodden, like all the times Cody and the medics had ganged up on him about him shirking the medbay. Obi-Wan hated those kinds of arguments- especially when he couldn't escape from them- like, again, Cody and the medics.
Fortunately enough, this was an argument he could make an escape from- because it seemed to have very little to do with him.
He was already looking for a way out, anyway.
"I believe it's about time for me to take my leave." Obi-Wan stood, setting down his teacup and tucking in a graceful bow. "Thank you for having me, Senator Skywalker."
"It's no problem, Master Kenobi. It's nice to speak with like-minded people. " Skywalker stood as well, shaking his hand once more- the third time, now. "And please- call me Anakin. Only people call my mother by our last name."
"As you wish." Obi-Wan smiled back and crossed the room and there- home free.
Force, he hated politicians- he'd probably keep thinking of the Senator as 'Skywalker', if only to spite in his own little way. Even if the man had no way of ever knowing about it.
...But, then again, he also was the first politician he'd spoken to that seemed to treat the clones with anything even vaguely resembling decency. It was a low bar- the bar was in the Sith Hells- but it was still one few managed to cross.
He wondered what Cody would think of him- his Commander was normally a much better judge of character than he was, and-
Oh, Cody.
What was Obi-Wan going to tell him?
Obi-Wan took care to double-check that nobody else was in the hallway outside the Senator's office- since he'd closed the door behind him when he'd left- and reached out with the Force when he couldn't see anyone. Just to make sure that- yes. He was alone.
Slowly, he moved to lean up against a wall, letting it brace him before he could collapse under the crippling weight of his own defeat.
Obi-Wan took a deep breath.
This was no battlefield- but he still tried to channel his emotions and release them harmlessly into the Force the way he normally did, when he was on one. He was still a General, after all- he could hardly let himself lose his composure.
Obi-Wan counted himself lucky that Cody was the first saved preset on his comm- his hands were shaking too much to key in a number.
"General?" His Commander sounded so damnably hopeful on the other line. Obi-Wan's mouth felt dry.
"...We need to talk."