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One mission: protect Senator Amidala at all costs.
There is nothing else, just the mission.
Protect the Senator.
Protect. Her.
The same thoughts from earlier rushed to the forefront of Obi-Wan’s mind as soon as consciousness returned, along with the sudden fight or flight urge when he remembered his mission.
Protect the Senator.
The same Senator who at this very moment, was not present in her seat upon first glance.
It’s much more difficult to protect the Senator when you cannot locate her.
Shoving his thoughts aside, Obi-Wan finally managed to focus long enough to gather intel about their situation. He knew the ship crashed. There was an engine failure, or fuel leak, or fractured wing, something.
That was the last time he borrowed a ship from Anakin.
Next thing, people aboard. It was just himself and Senator Amidala. They were supposed to be attending some senatorial gala once more debating the Senate's involvement in the war, and Obi-Wan was her accompanying Jedi escort.
Only because Anakin roped him into it when he realized he’d overlapped another mission onto this one, so he dragged Obi-Wan out of the comfortability of his first break in forever to come to be Padme’s personal escort.
He didn’t mind though, he rather enjoyed Senator Amidala’s company. It was a nice change of pace from daily life with his much more enthusiastic Padawan and Padawan’s Padawan.
Except when they found themselves in situations like their current one. They were few and far between, and Obi-Wan did not miss them.
Focus Obi-Wan, find the Senator.
Right.
“Senator Amidala, can you hear me?”
A response of eerie silence which only heightened the sound of blood rushing in his ears as he called out again.
“Senator Amidala, are you alright?”
Another moment of silence was greatly starting to unnerve Obi-Wan as he felt his frustration and concern rising.
So he called out again.
“Padme!”
Formalities be damned.
“I’m here.”
He spotted her instantly, closer to the back of the ship, and pinned under what looked to be a large steel brace that had broken off the ship during the landing. Apart from that, she seemed to be alright.
“Senator, are you hurt?”
“A few scrapes and bruises, nothing major.” She huffed “And you?”
“Nothing to draw concern for.” He responded simply. A blatant lie considering the large, sharp piece of steel protruding from the right side of his abdomen. But the Senator needn’t concern herself with that.
He was still conscious and still breathing, so there was no point in panicking.
“Can you free yourself?” He found himself asking, hoping to draw his attention away from his rather obnoxious thoughts to focus on a problem he could fix.
“I don’t think so.” She frowned, “I’m afraid I’m stuck.”
“Uninjured more importantly. Don’t worry, I’m sure our lacking presence at the gala will be noticed shortly, and therefore rescue will be close behind.”
“Do you crash often, Master Kenobi? You seem well versed and serene given our current situation.” Padme teased, and despite the pain, Obi-Wan forced a smile
“When Anakin Skywalker is your Padawan, you pick up a thing or two.”
“He does have a way with ships.”
“Yes, well, this is the last time I’m borrowing one from him. At least without proper inspection first.”
“He means well.” She sighed, “I’m sure he didn’t know there was something wrong with this particular one.”
“He would know if he would do the proper inspections and tests after using it.” Obi-Wan grumbled, “Which clearly, he hasn’t done.”
“I’ll be sure to pass along your indignance the next time I speak with him.”
“If I don’t get to him first, that is.”
“And here I thought you were the polite one, Master Kenobi.”
“I’m sure there are many things we don’t know about each other, Senator Amidala.”
“I’m sure there are.” She agreed, not taking the initiative to move that conversation forward. So Obi-Wan did.
“Tell me something.”
“Like what?”
“Anything. Whatever helps pass the time until help arrives.”
Or the inevitable. Either way.
“Alright.” She chuckled, thinking for a moment before continuing “Back home on Naboo, there was a large field just beyond a hill by my house. During the summer months when we were younger, Sola, my sister, we’d go out there all the time and pick spaceberries, eating them right there in the field.”
“That sounds nice.”
“We thought it was everything. Being so young, not fully realizing just how big the galaxy was, how much more there was to life than what we had come to recognize. Sometimes I miss it. The simplicity of it all… before the war.”
“I know what you mean.”
“Alright, now it’s your turn to tell me something, Master Kenobi.”
“Oh, please, I think we’re a bit past the formalities now, Senator.” He mused, chuckling despite the pain that shot through his chest at the motion “Please, call me Obi-Wan.”
“Only if you call me Padme. We are friends after all, are we not?”
Friends. A real friend would have never gotten you into this position in the first place and would be doing everything to get you out of it.
“Yes, I suppose we are.”
“Alright, Obi-Wan.” She smiled “Your turn for a story.”
“I’m not sure I have any untold stories or at least ones that haven’t been told a million times before.”
“There must be something.”
“Well, there is one, but I’ve been sworn to secrecy by Anakin never to tell another living soul as long as we live.”
“Oh, well now you have to tell me.” She laughed
“Alright, but you mustn't let Anakin know I was the one who told you, otherwise we’ll both never live it down.”
“Fair enough.”
“It was shortly after Master Jinn’s death after I took Anakin on as my padawan. He’d been having a bit of a rough time adjusting to life at the Temple, and to all his new classes, so I decided to take him to Scarif for a relaxing beach trip. Only it was anything but. I trust Anakin has shared with you his dislike of sand?”
“Once or twice.”
“Yes, well, as much as he despises sand, he hates the ocean even more. At the time, he didn’t know how to swim, so I thought it would be a good, teachable moment. Well, after almost an hour's debate over getting him to go in the water, he was barely up to his knees when a piece of seaweed brushed his leg. He ran screaming his head off out of the water and refused to go anywhere near it for the rest of the trip.”
“Oh no.” Padme laughed, trying her best to cover it up but failing. “He never told me that.”
“With good reason.” Obi-Wan chuckled “He will never forgive me for telling you.”
“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”
“Thank you.”
A slightly uneasy air of silence fell over them a moment later. It wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable, yet more unsettled, as if there were more words that needed to be said between the two but weren’t.
Obi-Wan wasn’t sure why it was so hard to converse with Padme until he realized that most of their interactions had been in a formal setting, under the guise of their professional selves, Jedi and Senator. There’d only been a few times where they were just themselves, relaxed and almost carefree as if they weren’t facing a galaxy at war with each sunrise.
Only a few though.
There wasn’t much downtime for the people responsible for ending a galaxy-wide war. After all, politics were just as important as the soldiers on the frontlines in this matter. Padme was on the frontlines of her own war as well. Obi-Wan wasn’t blind to just how frustrating politicians could be.
“Are you sure help is coming?” Padme asked, breaking the silence and ultimately Obi-Wan’s running thoughts as he looked up. “I don’t hear anyone.”
“I’m sure someone will be here soon. The failed appearance of a respected Senator at a senatorial gala will not go unnoticed.”
“Ah, but what is a respected Senator without her equally respected Jedi escort.”
“I assure you, Se- Padme, someone will notice your absence.”
“You really must give yourself more credit, Obi-Wan. The work you’re doing, the sacrifices you’re making along with the rest of the Jedi are bringing us one step closer to ending this war each day.”
“I fear it’s only prolonging it.” He frowned, shifting lightly which pushed the steel further into his abdomen as he hissed. “Violence isn’t the answer.”
“Maybe so, but you’re not choosing it as one. You’re doing what you have to, to stave off something worse.”
“If only things were so black and white.”
“I can imagine that living under the rule of the Sith would be worse than what we’re currently facing, so is what we’re doing now to end the war really so bad?”
“It might not be the worst option, but it’s certainly not the best.”
“No, but we’re fighting for the best.” She replied, nodding slowly as if to reassure herself of her own words. “The galaxy will be a much safer place once we’ve won the war.”
If we win the war.
But Obi-Wan kept that bit to himself. He didn’t need to cause Padme self-doubt when she was so strongly trying to reassure them both in the moment that they would win the war. That it was possible and they only had to fight a little longer.
A few more fleeting moments that would dictate the fate of the entire galaxy.
Easier than it sounded. But again, Obi-Wan kept that to himself. He shouldn’t have even been having doubts of his own. They’d already been fighting for nearly two and a half years now. He couldn’t afford to start questioning his plans, his troops, his ability to lead them to victory.
Then there was Anakin and Ahsoka.
They already struggled to keep their spirits up. They didn’t need Obi-Wan planting seeds of doubt in their minds when they had already given so many pieces of their own lives to the war effort.
Another thing they shouldn’t be subjected to.
“Obi-Wan.” Padme’s gentle voice spliced through his thoughts once more. “Are you bleeding?”
“What?” He asked, a little sharper than he intended since the question caught him off guard.
“Are you bleeding?” She repeated “There’s blood on the floor. See?”
He turned his head to pinpoint the spot she gestured to, sure enough to see a thin yet visible trail of blood slowly finding it’s way down the slanted floor, the source being his wound.
“Oh.” He sounded surprised, bringing his hand slowly to his side and his now darkened tunics. “That’s unexpected.”
“You knew, didn’t you.”
“Padme-”
“Alright, hang on a moment.” She said, already shifting under the beam as the ship groaned in warning.
“What are you doing?” Obi-Wan inquired, craning his neck to watch her movements.
“I’m getting… out of here… so I can help you.”
“Padme no, it’s too dangerous. We have to wait for help.”
“If we wait for help any longer… you’re going to bleed out, and I for one… am not going to let that happen.”
“Padme-”
But she was already convinced to help him herself, if the cry of pain she let out a moment later when she caught her ankle wrong was any indication. Obi-Wan felt the pain for her before she finally managed to free herself at the expense of not putting weight on her ankle.
“You’re hurt.” Obi-Wan observed, watching her wince while she limped over to his side, kneeling a moment later.
“A twisted ankle is a small price to pay for saving your life. Can you sit up?”
“I doubt it.”
“Alright, try not to move.” She instructed, shifting her weight to reach the extra fabric of her dress which she ripped a moment later, tearing a few large strips away.
“I imagine that dress was expensive.” Obi-Wan noted, trying to keep some form of conversation flowing so he wouldn’t lose his focus.
“It’s nothing a senators salary won’t cover for repair costs.” She replied simply, though a smile teased at the corner of her lips. Despite her outwardly calm, diplomatic demeanor, Obi-Wan knew just how much she loved adventure, and rebelling when she got the chance. “Besides, I never really cared for this dress anyway.”
“I beg to differ, maroon is an elegant color on you.”
“Flattery won’t save this dress, Master Kenobi.” She teased, resuming her previous work as she separated the strips and gently yet quickly tied them around his waist and the steel shard. “But if this dress can help save your life, then it will have an honorable death.”
“Didn’t Anakin pick it out?”
“As I said, honorable death.” She smiled, answering his question as he laughed and winced, taking in a deep breath as she tied off the second strip. She repeated the action with the third one, checking her work with a satisfied sigh.
“Alright, it’ll last for now until help arrives. Stay here, I’m going to see if I can’t get a signal on this thing outside.” She stated, holding up her commlink.
“I can’t imagine going anywhere else at the moment.”
“Good.” She smiled, letting it falter a minute later into a more serious note. “I’ll be right back.”
“I’ll be here.”
She nodded, keeping her eye on him for a moment before slowly limping towards the shattered end of the ship.
Well, finding a good signal turned out to be a dead end, and from what Padme could see of their surroundings, it didn’t look like help was anyway close to their location as she sighed, swiftly tucking the device into her sleeve before slowly entering the ship again.
“Obi-Wan, I really don’t like to voice this, but I don’t think help is coming-”
A sharp gasp cut off the rest of her sentence when she noticed Obi-Wan lying back on the floor, motionless in a still puddle of blood, his eyes closed and head tilted to the side.
“Obi-Wan!” She gasped, rushing over as fast as she could before dropping beside him again, hands roaming frantically to find a pulse. “Obi-Wan? Obi-Wan!”
She got no verbal reply as she shifted up by his head, gently placing his own in her lap while she checked his pulse again. Too weak, almost as if it weren’t there at all.
“Master Kenobi, I really must inform you that dying on the job of being my personal Jedi escort is not going to serve your reputation well!” She huffed, her hands slick with blood as she shifted the wrap around his waist. “Come on, after everything, you cannot die this way!”
To her slight relief, he finally mumbled something but she couldn’t catch it before he lost consciousness again.
“Obi-Wan!” She growled “Wake up! You are not going to force me to watch you die like this!”
She honestly was at a loss of what to do or say as she felt his pulse again, barely feeling anything under her fingertips as she swallowed down her emotions and tried to stay calm, yet firm.
“Obi-Wan.” She said calmly, letting her hand rest firmly against his right shoulder. “Obi-Wan, stay with me. Don’t leave me.”
When she felt a slight shift under her palm, she didn’t let up.
“Stay with me.” She repeated firmer. It wasn’t a question or a request, but a demand. “Someone will find us.”
As if her words were magic, the sound of a shuttle flying overhead immediately caught her attention, and even with the danger of it not being republic forces, that didn’t stop her from calling out.
And when she finally saw the familiar shine of clone trooper armor racing towards the ruins of the ship with the same urgency she let slip past her defenses, she allowed herself to relax just a little.
“Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan. Come with me, Obi-Wan. It’s so beautiful here, you’d love it. I’m at peace, Obi-Wan. Join me.”
“Satine?”
“Come with me, Obi. We can be together at last. We can be at peace.”
“Master Kenobi.” Ahsoka called from behind him. He turned, finding Anakin, Ahsoka, and Padme all standing together a few feet away to his right, just as Satine was standing to his left. All of them shrouded in a bright white glow. “Come back to us, Master Kenobi.” The Togruta called “Come home.”
“Obi.” Satine smiled, extending her hand “Come with me, Obi-Wan. We can go home.”
“Come back to us, Master.” Anakin said, also smiling as he stood beside Padme, one arm wrapped around her waist in an unusually open display of affection. “We need you here.”
“Obi-Wan.” Satine called softly “Come home with me. It’s so peaceful here. We can start over.”
“Obi-Wan.” Padme smiled “Your time isn’t finished here. Come back to us. Come home.”
“I love you, Obi-Wan.” Satine whispered, her hand still extended towards him. “Don’t you love me?”
“Of course I do.” He sighed, stepping closer as he reached for her. “I always have.”
“Then come with me. Let’s go home.”
“Obi-Wan.” Padme called again, stepping away from Anakin as he and Ahsoka faded in the light. “Obi-Wan, I know you’re listening. Please come back. Your family needs you.”
“I’m your family.” Satine smiled “Come with me, my dear.”
“Satine.” He whispered, still reaching for her as their fingers were almost intertwined. “Satine.”
“Obi-Wan.” She smiled
“Obi-Wan.” Padme called back. “Obi-Wan. Come home. Fight it, and come home. Your time isn’t over yet.”
Obi-Wan sighed again, still reaching for his lost love before he stopped and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opened them again, he looked around with a slight slump to his shoulders, glancing at both of them before he shook his head.
“I’m sorry.” He whispered, glancing over his shoulder again before he disappeared as the light washed over him and his guide once more.