Chapter 28.

                                    

                                          
Obi-Wan's POV
                          
__________
                          
"I know, Ahsoka," I tried to reassure the panicking teen, "but don't worry. You've looked after them this long; I don't doubt you can do it again."
                          
"But if you're gone," she said breathlessly, blue eyes wide, "how will I protect them from Vader? What if he comes back? How can I stand up against him?"
                          
"We'll send the ship back as soon as we can," I persisted calmly. "Get them somewhere safe in the meantime, but we should get it to you just after sunset. You only need to hold on until then."
                          
"What if he finds us again?"
                          
 "It may not go the way you think." My voice was low enough not to be overhead by the rest of the group, but I knew Ahsoka picked up on my implications.
                          
She watched me dubiously, but then nodded. "Okay. Stay safe. Comm me if you need anything."
                          
I smiled. "Thank you. Take care, Little One. Do you mind telling the others? Satine and I need to be going now."
                          
She pursed her lips, then surprised me by throwing her arms around me and squeezing me in a hug. "Look after her," she murmured into my ear. "And don't forget to look after yourself, too. I'll miss you two." Pulling back, she smiled through the tears glistening in her eyes. "I hope we'll see each other again soon."
                          
"I hope so, too." I couldn't explain the lump in my throat, nor the chilled feeling of dread, but I set them to the side and focused on the present. Turning to Satine, I slipped my hand in hers. "Come on, my dear. Let's go help your planet."
                          
She nodded, her jaw set in determination. "Yes, let's – before you change your mind about it being an 'us' that's going."
                          
I cast her a sideways look, then sneaked from the room, feeling a pang of guilt about leaving our friends like this. But telling them ourselves would have used precious minutes that had already been spent. Time was a commodity of which we did not have much, and I feared we had waited too long already. The distress signal had come over an hour ago, which now gave us the cover of darkness, but I worried what we would find. I was nearly sure we were walking into the dead centre of a trap, but we couldn't abandon Mandalore – not when they had reached out to us. Besides, there was no stopping Satine, so I figured it best to come along and protect her.
                          
Our flight was silent, the atmosphere tense with anxious anticipation. I watched Satine with her face pressed against window, gazing in mute horror at the destruction before her. The blackness of night contrasted brutally with the orange flames and red lasers that ripped across the planet, and thick grey smoke billowed through the air, offering shelter for us but ruin for everyone else. Even in the dim lighting, Sundari palace, Satine's former home, could be seen standing lop-sided, its once-magnificent stone now broken in pieces. Its elegant spires were bent, and few of its tall windows remained unshattered.
                          
A soft sob escaped Satine's lips, and she pressed her hands against her mouth as though to prevent more from slipping loose. I reached across and squeezed her shoulder, wondering whose heart it was that I heard cracking.
                          
"Do you think if I offered myself this would stop?" she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks.
                          
I remained quiet for a while, silently sending to her what comfort I could. "The people would stop fighting among themselves, but then the peace of the planet would be lost. They would never stop fighting others."
                          
She didn't respond but seemed sadly satisfied with my answer. She knew the reasons. But that didn't make it any easier to stick by them in the face of such suffering.
                          
"Was your distress call straight from the palace?" I asked her, navigating through the ashes and explosions to find a safe landing place.
                          
She kept her eyes fixed out the window but nodded silently.
                          
I watched her momentarily, then set the ship's auto-pilot to Naboo, ready to send back to Ahsoka once we were off. "Are you ready?"
                          
She pulled her gaze from outside, turning to me. Again she nodded without a word.
                          
I stood and helped her to her feet. But I took a second before leaving, wrapping my arms around her waist. Resting my forehead against hers, I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly. "Just know that whatever happens, I'm here for you. You can trust me, my dear."
                          
"I do trust you," she breathed, kissing my gently. "I love you."
                          
"I love you, too."
                          
Then we left, melting into the shadows of the dark and heading across the scarred grass to the palace. Satine led me through the gardens at the back, spending mere moments to brush against the stubborn shrubs and shiny leaves of bonsai trees. Sneaking in through a hidden entry, she crept through the wide halls, keeping her eyes off the destruction and on her task. I would never stop admiring her strength.
                          
We peeked around a corner, watching Pre Vizsla's men, the Death Watch troopers, as they sauntered around the meeting room. Easy conversation filled the area as they leant against the table or spun their guns around their hands. They weren't concerned. Why not? Had Satine received a genuine plea for help, and they had no idea about it? Or did they know something we didn't?
                          
"If we can find your advisors – the ones who sent that message – they might be able to inform us of the situation," I whispered to her. My eyes continued to dart around, leaving no corner unchecked or shadow unnoticed.
                          
She nodded. "They'll probably be kept –"
                          
"If it isn't Kryze and Kenobi," a smug voice interrupted us, and we whipped around to see none other than Vizsla himself. His eyes ran us over as his lips twitched in a smirk. His helmet was tucked casually under his arm as he stood behind us, his body ever clad in that blue-grey armour. "You finally came back. I've been waiting a while for you two."
                          
I kept my cool, subtly placing my hand over Satine's as she fiddled behind her back with her gun. "I can't say the same for us, but we are glad to be back. You've certainly been trying hard for Mandalore, haven't you?"
                          
He nodded proudly, readjusting the helmet under his arm. "It's quite something, isn't it?" The way he forced his words and pushed a smile captured my attention, intriguing me. But I realized it had distracted me a second too long when I felt something cold pressed against me.
                          
"Don't move," a demanding voice ordered, speaking right behind me. I didn't need to look to know that Satine was receiving the same treatment – a gun held to her back. She struggled slightly when the trooper removed her weapon from her, but otherwise she remained still.
                          
Vizsla smirked, this time more genuine. "Come on. I've got someone I want you to meet."
                          


                          
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Ooh, who're they going to meet? Any guesses? ;)
                          
And uh-oh? Or yay? They went to Mandalore. :/
                          
Thanks for your support and your reading! This book's actually wrapping up kinda fast, and I'm think we've probably only got a few chapters left! That's kinda scary! But thanks for reading, anyways ;)
                          
Dedications:
                          
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