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It wasn't long after the Chancellor's freak, accidental death that the war ended with a whimper rather than a bang, very unlike how it had started.
Most of the Jedi were at a sudden loss of what to do at first. Since the war had begun, they had completely restructured the Order to help fulfill their roles as leaders of the GAR. As a result, they would need to completely restructure how they operated and worked.
Despite the confusion and chaos of the rest of the Order, however, the Jedi Shadows were busier than ever. Now that the conflict was over, they were desperately trying to follow the trails of who had started the war, before they dried up. Most especially, they were looking for evidence of the identities of the Sith Lord behind Dooku and the Separatist Council's bid for war. They knew that the Sith Lord had been pulling the strings from Dooku's own word, but they couldn't figure out who it was.
The Shadows were desperate to find out before the web unraveled too far for them to follow the threads.
The Shadow's investigation traced most of the money back through to the Trade Federation. But one of the smaller fund threads had been traced back to a machine parts manufacturer. Further tracing from there showed that the funds had directly traded hands through the president of the company before disappearing into the Separatist Army coffers. Since there was proof that the president had committed at the very least money laundering, they could bring him in and question him.
However, since they didn't have any further proof of wrong-doing, and they did not want to alert any of his partners in crime or his staff, further investigation into him, his dealings and his arrest had to be kept on the down-low.
Which meant someone needed to go in undercover.
Obi-Wan hadn't expected, when he’d listened to Quinlan complain about the issues with the money trail and someone needing to go undercover, that he would be the one to go.
But when Quinlan come to Obi-Wan’s room and said: “I have something I need a little help on.” Obi-Wan hadn't really felt like he could say no to his friend. Especially when he found out Quin was asking him since Quin's identity had been compromised in the very place they needed to send someone undercover to.
“I will if you really need me to. But why me? Why don't you go? Or another Shadow?” Obi-Wan questioned, and then winced as he handed Quinlan another cup of tea with three sugars; Quin liked his tea far too sweet for Obi-Wan's tastes.
“Well, you remember that time Master Throme and I went to Malistaire and I compromised our investigation by sleeping with the daughter of some Shipping Tycoon?”
“Yes,” Obi-Wan said suspiciously. Honestly, so many of Quinlan's investigations with his Master when he'd been in his late teens had ended in the same way, Quinlan sleeping with someone that caused his poor Master nothing but trouble.
“Well that Tycoon might be a sponsor of one of the racing pods. And it might be for the best if I am not physically a part of the investigation, in case he attends the race. As for anyone else, all of the rest of our agents are in the midst of larger threads on this investigation. And since you aren't doing anything right now—”
“I hardly think that working with the other members of the High Council to completely restructure our entire Order isn’t doing anything,” Obi-Wan said dryly.
“Exactly! That sounds horrid! You should be thanking me! I'm saving you from all of that.” Quinlan smirked.
It was true that the restructuring meetings were dry as Corellian hells. “Alright fine. Am I going alone?”
Obi-Wan would not be going alone.
Obi-Wan groaned at the names Quinlan suggested, “Why those four?”
Quinlan blinked. “What's wrong with your former Padawan, your grandpadawan, your former Commander and Captain Rex?” Quinlan narrowed his eyes, “Is there a reason you don't want them to go with you?”
It was a bit of an open secret that Anakin was being disciplined right now. And although his situation wasn't completely known in detail beyond the High Council and the Council of Reconciliation, Anakin's place in the Order was being questioned since Palpatine's death and the revelation of Anakin's marriage to Senator Amidala.
Apparently after the Chancellor’s death, one of his assistants had sold a book belonging to the Chancellor, filled with dirty secret's and gossip about senators in the senate that the dead man had kept.
The media had gotten a hold of the secrets and — in a frenzy — released the information to the public. Fortunately for Anakin, there were some pretty horrific crimes and corruption stories coming to light about many different senators that had shadowed the paltry wedding between Amidala and Anakin at the beginning of the Clone Wars. Although Obi-Wan didn't think it would be long until even the details of Anakin's marriage were also dragged through the media, once the uproar around the larger scandals had died down.
When Obi-Wan had first found out, he'd been livid. He had ended up confronting his former apprentice. He was more angry that Anakin hadn't told him and was so blatantly breaking his vows than he was that Anakin was in a committed relationship. Not that Obi-Wan hadn't already known about Padme. Force knew that Anakin was not subtle about his relationship with her.
The two of them had had a huge blow-out fight and both of them had left without any resolution. Since that day, the two of them had been incredibly passive-aggressive every time they'd met.
So yes, he had a reason he'd rather not go on this mission with Anakin.
Ahsoka he had no problem with, but in a conflict, she would always side with Anakin first. The same went for Captain Rex. And he'd rather not put those two in any awkward situations as a result.
As for Cody... things had been a bit strained between them in the past few weeks since the GAR had begun to disband.
There had always been a promise between Cody and Obi-Wan, that once the war was over they would finally allow themselves to finally explore the feelings between them. But with everything going on with the restructuring of the Order, Anakin’s scandal and how busy Cody was organizing his brothers and fighting with the Senate for back-pay for all of the Clones, they had barely had any time to see each other.
And in the few moments they had seen each other, Obi-Wan had carefully avoided the subject of a possible relationship.
Back during the war, Obi-Wan had thought he'd be ready to leave the Order behind and focus only on Cody and their relationship. But now he worried if he could ever make Cody a priority over his work as a Jedi, and he worried the same for Cody. Would Cody himself ever be able to prioritize their relationship over his brothers?
So it was just easier for the two of them to avoid talking about this for now, to let themselves stay in this holding pattern.
“No reason I don't want to work with them,” Obi-Wan answered Quinlan lightly. The look on his friend's face made Obi-Wan think he wasn't as convincing as he wanted it to be. “No reason at all.”
So that was how — one week later — Obi-Wan found himself in a briefing meeting with Anakin, Ahsoka, Rex and Cody. Quinlan had approached Anakin separately, the day after he'd talked to Obi-Wan. As a result, Anakin had been working on a racing pod with the temple’s ship mechanics for the last week, in the hopes of having one built and ready to race by the time they had to leave.
But today the five of them were gathered around the holotable where Quinlan was standing, explaining their mission.
“Currently, the target, President Molt Rsaug of the Grat-Som Electric Corporation, is sponsoring a pod racing team in the upcoming Dug Liberation Day races on Malistaire. We'd like you to go undercover and investigate his financial dealings at the races. He has very close ties to the racing circuit, and the cover of the races could be one of the ways he is moving the money. A lot of different people come and go throughout the two days of racing and it would be easy for the funds to exchange hands at a busy venue like this,” Quinlan explained to them.
“So you want each of us to join a rig team participating in the race?” Ahsoka frowned down at the projected data, then looked over, her eyes flickering between Obi-Wan and Anakin.
Quinlan shook his head. “Many of these teams are tight-knit groups and all of them are set and ready to race. But we were able to register a new team to race before the deadline, so the three of you will be your own team. We specifically picked you five because of your ability to work together seamlessly and because of Skywalker's previous experience as a pod racer.”
“Absolutely not. This is not going to work,” Cody said flatly from where he was standing by the door, his body language tight and stiff.
“I'm afraid Commander, we don't really have a choice, or the time to find someone new. The department of Shadows has already mocked up new identities, backgrounds, clothing, a pod and ships for the five of you. Look at it this way Commander, Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka need the two of you. No one else would be able to work quite so well with these three and we'd really like them to come back to us in one piece. This mission shouldn't be dangerous as long as Rsaug and The Racing Authorities don’t find out, so you and Captain Rex’s roles will be their key to them not being found out.”
Obi-Wan scowled at his friend, hating how good Quinlan was in manipulating people into doing what he wanted.
Cody looked off into the distance and crossed his arms. “Fine. Only because I know they will be safer with me there, watching their backs.”
Quinlan continued on with his brief, going over each of their roles in detail and the timeline of their mission.
“That's everything,” he finally finished. “Any questions before we part?”
Ahsoka, Cody and Rex shook their heads, Anakin just crossed his arms petulantly, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else and Obi-Wan just sighed.
“We're good,” Obi-Wan said tiredly.
“May the Force be with you,” Quinlan smirked and the others began to trickle out of the room.
Since Obi-Wan was furthest from the door, he was alone when he passed by his friend to leave.
“You're welcome,” Quinlan muttered to him as he walked by.
“Excuse me?” Obi-Wan glared at his friend.
“Now take this opportunity by the balls and show the Commander how you really feel!” Quinlan grinned and slapped Obi-Wan on the back, hard.
Obi-Wan grunted and then shook his head and left. He was already planning his revenge on Quinlan for this meddling.
The flight on the commercial ship was long and crowded and once they landed, Obi-Wan was happy to finally get to his room to take a shower.
Anakin and Ahsoka had stopped by the mechanic yard to drop off their pod first, while Obi-Wan had checked them in with the race officials. Rex and Cody would be joining up with them later. The two of them had been issued their own private ship and were not traveling with the three Jedi on public transport.
After Obi-Wan's shower, he dyed his hair brown according to the directions on the box Quinlan had given him and shaved. Once that was done, he dressed and left his room, wanting to check in with the other two Jedi and go with them to see their space in the mechanic yard.
Anakin was the first person Obi-Wan saw as he exited his room. The young knight was running his hands through his hair self-consciously, trying to break up the waves from where they were sticking together from his own shower and bleaching hair treatment.
“My dear, you know that your hair is uncomfortably blond.” Obi-Wan said, flustered. He'd been hoping to have a moment to himself before the other two came out. But he tried not to take out his discomfort on his former padawan.
Obi-Wan moved his hand up to twirl at his mustache, as he often did when he was feeling awkward. But when his fingers met air, he smoothly used the motion to scratch his nose instead.
Before Anakin could reply, Ahsoka chose that moment to come out of her own room. She was dressed in an oily mechanics jumpsuit. She paused just outside her door, looking between them, sensing the tension.
Anakin snorted. “Well that hair color makes you look dour, old man. And you know I hate it when you call people 'dear'.”
“Excuse you,” Obi-Wan sniffed, not meeting Anakin's eyes, “I look dashing.”
“More like dashing our hopes of staying undercover, straight to Corellian hells with how much you two are bickering,” Ahsoka muttered just loud enough for the two of them to hear.
Both Anakin and Obi-Wan pretended they had not heard a word from her, turning up their noses and trudging towards the stairs, towards the mechanic yard.
Ahsoka blinked after them. Some days she didn't know how Skyguy had ever been raised by Obi-Wan Kenobi, the perfect Jedi. But then there were days like this and it was all too clear.
Ahsoka sighed and followed behind the other two.
Even if they weren't currently struggling to talk without passive-aggressively bickering, going undercover with Anakin wasn't exactly Obi-Wan's favorite thing to do. But he would try to work through this assignment with the same grace he presented himself with for all of his assignments.
And maybe this time the mission would go well. The few undercover missions Obi-Wan and Anakin had gone on together during Anakin's short, eventful, apprenticeship had always ended in dismal failure. Which shouldn't have been that much of a surpris; after all, Anakin wasn't exactly the most subtle of beings.
But Obi-Wan would get through this like he got through everything (including Anakin's apprenticeship which, at the time, had run him rather ragged): with patience and determination.
The three of them tripped out of the building that served as racer accommodation, which was located just behind the track course, and headed for the mechanics yard.
They needed to get ready for the race; they only had forty-eight hours left to get their pod race-ready. Not to mention they would need to investigate the suspect's racing pod team to see if they had any connections to the money trail.
So over the next day and a half, the three of them tried to work as fast as they could.
Since Obi-Wan was posing as the manager, Anakin was posing as the racer, and Ahsoka as Obi-Wan’s assistant, it made the most sense for the three of them to take various “breaks” separately. That way they could each get as much information as possible, about the suspect and the other pod team. With their different skills and clearances, each of them would also be looking for the information in different ways.
First, Obi-Wan flirted with one of the race officials and was able to slip into the records room with the other man's help. He collected as much information as he could about the target's financial dealings with the racing association and the trail of money used to enter the pod into the race.
Ahsoka was able to casually talk to other team mechanics and assistants and see if there were any rumors around the racing circuit about the man and his team. She was also really good at pretending to be new and confused about a lot of things to do with the race. So she was able to get the other team — they were sharing space with and investigating — to open up to her about their Sponsor, about how they had found him and how their financial dealings worked.
Anakin was supposed to be helping them dig up information, but while Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were doing the real work, Anakin was mainly just banging around on the pod. He puttered around the mechanics yard fixing this wire, or changing that routing connection and changing out the fluid systems over and over again.
“Do you mind giving us a hand with the racing officials, Starkiller?” Obi-Wan stood over the pod and asked, annoyed, at his former apprentice as the hours trickled down towards the end.
He couldn't think of a more direct way to call Anakin out, what with the other team sharing their space.
“Hey, when you have to put your life on the line because of how well-maintained our pod is, then I will help you with your job. Until then, leave me be and let me get on with making sure Guss here is in fighting condition,” Anakin snapped back.
Obi-Wan sighed and slapped his hand on his face. He couldn't believe that Anakin was already so attached to the pod he'd even named it. “Fine,” he conceded, knowing some of the other team they were sharing space with, were listening in to their fight.
Obi-Wan tried his best not to stomp-off too angrily.
About five hours before the race would start, and four hours before they would have to tow their pod to the racing track, Obi-Wan got a holocall from the security team the race organizer had at the front of the mechanic yard.
“Some fancy Mandalorian Counts are here to see you, Ben,” one of the security men said seriously through the holocall.
The tight security had been set-up to help discourage pod sabotage, but they had made Obi-Wan and Ahsoka's work that much harder; the security team was exceptionally good at their work.
Despite the security team's good work, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had managed to get enough information for Jedi Judicial Forces to seize President Rsaug's bank accounts and detain the man for further questioning. Although maybe Cody and Rex would be able to find out even more once they arrived. Cody had always been good at seeing information in different ways than Obi-Wan and was able to use his insight to tease out new information Obi-Wan would have never thought to look for.
“Thank-you. My assistant Anise will be right up to collect them. They are our team's sponsors.” Obi-Wan told the security technician anxiously.
“Roger Roger,” The man intoned emotionlessly. The phrase made a shudder move up Obi-Wan’s spine. “We'll keep them here until your assistant is able to bring them through the checkpoint.”
Obi-Wan would be seeing Cody again for the first time in almost a week. And when they had parted ways last, Cody had been frustrated over the assignment and they'd barely said a word to each other. So now, Obi-Wan was feeling very nervous about seeing the other man again, and he hoped he wouldn't give away what he was feeling.
Because right now, the five of them were, after all, undercover.
They couldn’t mess this up with feelings.
“What did you do to your hair, Gen—” Rex blurted out, startled and then cut himself off when Cody elbowed him. “I mean, Starkiller. I will say the pod looks good.” Rex glanced around, wide-eyed, trying to see if the other team they were sharing space with had noticed his slip.
Then he turned back and stared again at Anakin's bleach-blond waves, the ends of which were currently smeared with engine oil.
Rex wasn't the best at undercover work. Not that that was really a surprise considering who had been his General. Rex and Anakin really had been a good match on the battlefield, it made sense Rex would be just as awful at undercover work.
“It will run smoother than you could even dream of, Baron Deeku.” Anakin blathered unconvincingly.
Rex winced at the name, obviously hating the cover name the Jedi Shadow department had come up for him. It hit a little too close to Count Dooku's name: a man who had killed far too many of Rex's brothers during the war.
“Yes, this looks excellent,” Cody looked over the three of them with a steady, impassive gaze.
“Gee Ben, are these your sponsors?” R'leey, the manager of the other pod team walked over to them, with a gleam of self-importance in his eyes.
Cody and Rex definitely looked the part of a Mandalorian Viscount and his Baron cousin, visiting them to ensure their investment was paying off. Their clothes were impeccable, in the style of the New Mandalorian court garb, with embellishes of small armor pieces that made them look imposing and dangerous in a way most Mandalorians who didn't follow the New Mandalorian way, exuded.
“They are,” Obi-Wan said calmly, trying to catch Cody's eye. Rex caught his eye instead and gave him a weak smile. “This is Viscount Swath'art and his cousin the Baron Deeku, our sponsors. Gentlemen, this is R'leey Tsu'bai, the manager of Grat-Som Electrics' pod.
Rex nodded kindly to the manager, his smile just a little too kind for a noble engaging with someone below his social standing. Thankfully, R'leey didn't seem to notice.
“Our own sponsor and his entourage are just on their way over,” R'leey smiled, a hungry look in his eye as he looked at Rex and Cody's clothing. “Maybe we can get you something to drink and meet them on the way, your lordships?” R'leey awkwardly bowed too low, his dark-blue lekku almost touching the dirty ferro-concrete floor.
This was the perfect opportunity. If all of them could meet up with the sponsors, it could give Obi-Wan the chance to chat President Ryaug up, so he could get an insight into the man and his possible Separatist leanings.
“That would be—” Obi-Wan started.
“If you could take my cousin, that would be wonderful, Manager Tsu'bai,” Cody cut overtop of Obi-Wan, his Concord Dawn accent disappearing into a Coruscanti accident just snooty enough to really sell his role. “I need to have a word with my Manager,” he glared over at Obi-Wan.
R'leey bowed again, excited. “It would be my pleasure, your lordship.” Obi-Wan knew the other manager hated his current sponsors, but did he have to lay it on so thick?
“Anise maybe you could join them?” Cody looked over at Ahsoka. Obi-Wan's grandpadawan nodded, wide-eyed, and scampered off after Rex and R’leey.
Out of the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan saw Anakin crawl back under the pod and focus in on the acceleration system he was trying to perfect.
The rest of the other team also followed behind R'leey and Rex, leaving Cody and Obi-Wan effectively alone.
The two of them hadn't had an opportunity to do much talking since Obi-Wan had accepted this undercover assignment. And with the week of silence between them, Obi-Wan guessed he was about to get bawled out and he did not like the idea of that, one bit.
Cody shoved Obi-Wan up against the fence surrounding one side of the mechanics yard. Not even twenty steps away, Anakin still lay under his racer, tinkering away. His former padawan seemed completely focused on his work though, so Obi-Wan doubted Anakin even knew what was going on not far from his own feet.
“You know,” Cody whispered in Obi-Wan's ear.
A chill ran up Obi-Wan’s spine and the base of his skull vibrated as Cody brushed the tips of his lips against the shell of Obi-Wan's ear.
“Maybe I prefer you with dark hair like this. I've been here almost half an hour and not one person has tried to flirt with you ostentatiously.”
Every hissed word from Cody's mouth made Obi-Wan feel weak in the knees.
“Cody dear, I—” Obi-Wan said faintly.
“Viscount Swath'art,” Cody reminded him intensely and then kissed Obi-Wan's neck.
“Viscount,” Obi-Wan corrected himself, weakly reaching out to grab Cody’s biceps. “I don't really think a man of your standing would take advantage of one of his employees in a mechanics yard.”
Obi-Wan had thought the dark look on Cody's face had been his anger about this assignment. He hadn't counted on it being more about lust. And he definitely hadn't thought that Cody would corner him out in the yard while Ahsoka and Rex would have to try their best to charm the manager of the other pod-racer they were sharing that yard with.
For a few long seconds, Cody sucked gently on a spot under Obi-Wan's ear, making Obi-Wan's toes curl in his boots. Finally, Cody pulled away, blowing gently on the sore skin.
“Oh I don't know Ben, I think the Viscount Swath'art is exactly the kind of man to take advantage of his employee.” Cody said with a heavy breath.
Obi-Wan felt his throat click as he tried to swallow, his mouth dry and his lips aching for Cody's. Cody tipped his head up, his lips getting closer, as if magnetically attracted to Obi-Wan's.
But then suddenly Cody stepped back, his hands and lips falling away, even as his gaze remained intense. “Well then Manager Ben, show me what work you have left to do before the race later this evening.” A facsimile of Obi-Wan's prim accent slipped into Cody's, making him sound just a bit snooty.
“I don't sound like that,” Obi-Wan winced, “Do I?” He wondered to himself quietly.
The sound of Rex, Ahsoka, the sponsor and the manager for the other pod reached Obi-Wan's ears and he startled. He hadn't even noticed the group was drawing near, but obviously Cody had.
“Right, well, Viscount,” Obi-Wan said loudly. “We have had to do some repairs since the last race. The alternator needed to be replaced and some of the gears were a bit worn,” Obi-Wan covered effortlessly. He easily slipped back into his cover, his accent broadening to sound closer to an Outer Rim accent than his normal Coruscanti tones. “But the repairs we are finishing this morning are just some last minute adjustments. You know how Starkiller is about everything running smoothly.”
Cody gave him a knowing smirk at the last statement, his face was turned away from the crowd coming in though, and he smoothed his expression back out again before they would see it.
“Then everything will be ready?” Cody asked Obi-Wan primly, flicking a speck of dirt off his New Mandalorian-style tunic.
“Of course, sir.”
“If everything is on schedule my cousin, Baron Deeku, and I will leave you to the last minute details. We look forward to seeing our team in action at the race. Come cousin, let us find some refreshment in this dustbowl of a stadium.” Cody held out his arm to gesture Rex to his side.
“Of course cousin,” Rex said stiffly and left Ahsoka and the other team's side.
“We'll join you!” President Rsaug smiled at Cody and gestured with his hand for his entourage to follow along.
Rex's shoulders tensed as Rsaug and his team drew near to them. He must not have been enjoying rubbing elbows with the man they were investigating.
Obi-Wan watched Cody, Rex and the Grat-Som Electrics group walk away, feeling a little dazed.
Soha-Tu, the main mechanic from the other team, whistled under his breath once the lingering crowd were out of earshot. “Those Count boys sure were fancy.”
“That, I can agree with, one hundred percent,” Obi-Wan sighed, ripping his eyes away from Cody's strong back and shoulders, the breadth of which were highlighted by his expensive clothing.
Obi-Wan turned to say something to Anakin, who was still hidden away under the pod, when he caught sight of Ahsoka. His grandpadawan was looking at him with smug suspicion, her eyes slitted as she started him down.
“What?” He asked her, frowning.
“The side of your neck's all red, Ben,” She smiled mischievously.
He rolled his eyes at her. “Haven't you ever seen a hickey before, Anise?” He scoffed. “We've seen them often enough on Starkiller's neck after he's had a run in with Pad—marn... After he sees Padmarn,” he stuttered, thinking quickly.
A bang came from under the pod, Anakin had obviously tried to sit up underneath the pod and bumped his head. “You have not! Take that back!”
Ahsoka rolled her eyes, “We really have seen all your hickies. Now, are you done under there so we can tow this piece of junk to the start line?”
Anakin came out from under the pod, rubbing a bump on the top of his head, crossly. “Piece of junk? How dare you, I am going to be racing in this—”
Soha-Tu laughed from the other side of the yard, where their team was polishing their pod just before they towed it to the start line themselves. “You three are a hoot and a holler,” the old Bith twanged. “Next time you're on a race with us, we want to get the spot next to you again. You've made the past two days more fun than they usually are.”
Ahsoka and Obi-Wan exchanged wincing glances with each other. Chances were, Soha-Tu wouldn't see another race any time soon, what with the pod's owner and financier probably going to go to jail for a long time.
Anakin ignored all of them, instead cooing to the pod as he shined its durasteel plating. “They didn’t mean it, Guss, I promise.”
“It would be our pleasure,” Obi-Wan nodded his head to the Bith, trying not to show how awkward he felt. “Your team has made this race much more interesting for us too,” he drawled in his passable Outer Rim accent.
Dear Force, Obi-Wan thought to himself, Never let this happen again... Except for the kissing, that can happen again.
Soha-Tu laughed and turned back towards their team. Obi-Wan stared after the Bith, unconsciously touching the hickey Cody had sucked onto his neck. Maybe he shouldn't put that conversation about them off any longer and speak to Cody, after all.