38. "May the Force be With You"

                                    

                                          
Obi-Wan hurried to the apartment. He wanted Lore-Val somewhere safe. He didn't know where safe was, but he knew she needed to get off Coruscant, and to get away from Solitaire and the other clones. He came into a dark and empty home. He had yet to get in touch with Anakin, maybe he'd already gotten her out.
He went to the panic room and found it was also empty. Except there on the cot was Lore-Val's holoprojector, blinking green with a recorded message. Obi-Wan pressed play and a blue image of Lore-Val appeared.
She started too close, setting the holoprojector to record before stepping back. "Hello. As you've likely realized by now, Solitaire and I have left Coruscant. By the time you see this we'll be on our way to Mandalore to help Bo-Katan and Ahsoka," 
She readjusted her stance, hands coming to rest behind her back, "I owe it to mother to help our people. I've left my comm here so you can't call me back and make me change my mind. I'm sorry, I'm sure you're upset, but this is something I need to do. I'll be safe so don't worry, and when I come back I'll take whatever punishment you give me." 
She stepped forward as if to stop the recording but thought better of it, stepping back into frame, "Don't be mad at Solitaire, he doesn't know where we're going. And please tell Padme I'm alright, I'll do my best to be back before the baby is born," 
She stepped forward again, this time stopping right in front of the camera, she smiled tightly, "May the force be with you."
That's how it ended, Lore-Val's face flickering with the blue shimmer of the holo.
Obi-Wan stood there, looking at the holo. Hopefully the fighting would have ended by the time Lore-Val landed on Mandalore, and if the force was kind the Mandalorians would protect her from Solitaire. He closed the holoprojector, slipping it into an inner pocket. She'd told him not to worry. That wasn't going to happen, but it wasn't like he could get ahead of her and her impulsive decisions. 
He would do what he must, and that was to go to the temple and stop the trap set for the remaining Jedi. Obi-Wan took a deep breath, releasing his fears to the force as he'd been taught so long ago. With a hand on his pocket, ensuring he didn't lose the holoprojector and Lore-Val's message, Obi-Wan left the apartment at a run.
.   .   .
Solitaire stretched his jaw, and pressed a hand to his temple. He blinked against the pressure that was blooming from his temple and reaching behind his eyes.
"Are you okay?" Lore-Val asked, turning her chair away from the swirl of hyperspace.
Solitaire nodded, "Yeah, just a headache."
"Aren't you supposed to be immune to headaches? Isn't that the point of DNA manipulation?"
"It's probably a tension headache from spending over a week on a ship with you."
Lore-Val rolled her eyes at him, "Well it's not affecting the sarcasm part of your brain, that's a relief," she spun her seat back to the control board, "If I'm reading this right, we still have four hours if you want to go lie down for a bit."
He waved her off, "I'm fine."
She looked over her shoulder at him, "Maybe drink some water or something."
"There's not much left."
"What part of we land in four hours don't you get? Drink the water."
Solitaire got up from his chair to go find the water jug, still holding his head. 
Good soldiers follow orders.
He paused, turning to look back at Lore-Val, "Did you say something?"
She called back the negative and Solitaire frowned. All the comms were off to keep anyone from ordering them back. If Lore-Val hadn't said anything he must be hearing things. Maybe he should go lay down like she had said.
He nodded to himself. Drink some water and lay down for a little bit so he'd be at 100% for landing. He found the water and drank about half of what was left before returning to the cockpit and leaning over Lore-Val's seat.
"Hey kid, are you sure you're alright if I lay down for a bit?"
She leaned back to look up at him, "I'm fine. When should I wake you?"
Good soldiers follow orders.
"I'll be up in an hour," Solitaire promised, "You should rest too."
"Solitaire, I've been listening to music for the last two hours, it doesn't get more restful than that."
He chuckled at her, but it made his headache spark. Solitaire let that be his signal to leave Lore-Val alone and go close his eyes for a bit.
AN: this is one of the chapters I'm having a hard time naming if anyone has suggestions. I'm thinking about calling it 'Left' but I don't love that so I'm open to ideas. I'm also looking for names to chapters 4,1 0, 23 ,31 ,and 36 if anyone wants to share ideas 😁