#But Cody pointed at Obi-Wan and said gimme

[vodika-vibes]

Post Order 66 - part 6

The Starsinger travels to Tatooine, and Kanna has to brave the desert and the twin suns with only Beesix at her side.

Full disclosure, I’m not super happy with the middle part of this story. Tatooine is hard and I hate it. But it was important to write, so there you have it. Next installment will have Rex and Wolffe. Maybe. I write what wants to be written, after all.

tagging: @starrrgazingbunny and @thestarwarslesbian

“I don’t like this,” Fox was scowling. Not at her, but in her general direction. Kanna wasn’t too bothered by it. She’d been scowled at by a Fox who was legitimately angry at her before, he was just mad at the situation in general. “I could come with you?”

Aww. He’s adorable. Kanna very carefully made sure that her thoughts did not show up on her face. She didn’t want grumpy Fox, she much preferred happy Fox.

“You’re sweet, but if Master Kenobi sees you he’ll probably run away, that’s why it’s just me.” Kanna reminded, “Besides, you’re going to have plenty of company. I’ll just get in the way.”

“...you could never.” Fox sounded offended on her behalf which, yay! Emotional progress! Suck it Palpatine! But also, he was going to make it hard for her to actually leave, the bastard.

“I know Fox, I was kidding.” She grinned at him over her shoulder, as she finished shoving water and ration bars into her bag, since she wasn’t sure how long this was going to take. “But you can use this to spend some time with your brothers. Maybe get to know the kids?”

Fox’s fingers tapped out a silent rhythm on his arm, “Miralukans are being hunted by the empire-” He tried.

“Which is why I’m switching out my mask for dark sunglasses, and a cane. And why Beesix is coming with me.” Kanna pointed out, “So far as Tatooine is concerned, I’m just a blind merchant.”

Fox scowled even more, “The Hutts-”

“Fox.” Kanna said his name as a sigh, and she was pleased to see that he didn’t bother continuing that line of thought. And she was amused at the slight embarrassment he was radiating.

“Just...want you to be safe, is all.” He admitted quietly.

“And I appreciate it. But I will be fine.” Kanna promised.

She waited. Fox wasn’t done yet, she could feel his anxiety rolling off of him. “You promise you’ll come back?” He asked, his voice even quieter.

“As soon as I finish beating some sense into Master Kenobi.” Kanna replied, “Can you imagine me living on this hell planet? They have two suns, Fox. It’s ungodly.”

He shook his head, “Do you have enough water?”

“Yep. And Bee is packing even more, just in case. It’s going to be fine, Fox.” 

He sighed, “Fine. I suppose I can spend some time with my brothers until you return.”

“It’ll be very difficult for you, I’m sure.” Kanna teased, and was relieved to note that his scowl had been replaced with a small smile. “Alright, I have to head out before Bee starts whining about us falling behind schedule. Be patient with your brothers, please?”

“Yeah, yeah. I know. We’re all broken pieces and sharp edges, gotta be careful not to cut each other.” Fox replied, quoting something that Kanna had told him during the beginning of his recovery.

“You’re all getting better day by day, Fox. I see it, even if you don’t.” Kanna paused, “Now I really do have to go. Later, Fox!”

Kanna noticed that Fox followed her to the ramp, though she quickly put him out of her mind as she hurried over to Bee, and took the white cane that he had been holding for her. She also pulled her eye mask off and replaced it with the sunglasses that kept her safe on Coruscant for two years. “There, how do I look?” She asked Bee.

Beesix tilted his head, “Like you’re blind.” 

“Awesome, let’s go!” Kanna carefully hooked her arm with Beesix’s, her cane would be largely useless on Tatooine, but it was an important part of her cover as being blind.

Kanna and Bee took their time meandering through the markets, claiming that they were looking for something specific whenever the merchants directed their questions towards them. Well, they directed their questions towards Kanna, in any case.

Eventually, though, the crowds died down, and Kanna and Bee were able to move around a little easier. “Miss, how are we supposed to get into the wastes?” Bee asked curiously.

“Well, hopefully we won’t have to steal a speeder.” Kanna replied as she stepped under an awning and leaned against a building. The suns were awful, and she was a redhead. She should have packed sunblock.

“That’s illegal,” Beesix said in his blunt voice.

“Well, yeah. That’s why I said I don’t want to steal a speeder,” Kanna pointed out. She frowned thoughtfully, there must be something they could do. Maybe see if there are any moisture farmers in the area who would agree to letting them look at their farm?

Kanna was ripped from her musings when she felt something warm and bright against her senses. Startled, and more than a little curious, she reached out though the force and brushed light fingers against the presence. It flared in surprise, and then twined itself around her tightly.

“Well now, that’s interesting,” She murmured as she turned her head in the direction that the little light was coming from, “I think I just found what Master Kenobi’s mission is. Come on, Bee.” Kanna waited until Bee took her arm again, and she guided them through the streets once more.

Three streets over, Kanna paused and she reached out and touched the little presence once more. It wiggled under her attention, and she was pulled from her thoughts at the sound of a man shouting a name, “LUKE STOP!”

“Miss, there’s a child-” Beesix started, but Kanna already swept down and scooped the little boy into her arms, and settled him on her hip.

“Hello little one,” She said lightly, as she gently tapped his nose with her finger. He giggled madly and pressed his small hands against her cheeks.

“Warm.” He whispered, “Like me!”

Kanna grinned and lowered her voice, “Or maybe you’re warm like me,” She said in a conspiratorial whisper. The little boy, Luke, giggled even more madly.

“I’m so sorry,” A rather frazzled sounding man said as he ran over, “I wasn’t expecting him to run off like that.”

“It’s not a problem,” Kanna promised, as she handed the little boy back to his father, though Luke seemed rather unwilling to leave her arms, “He didn’t hurt anyone, after all.”

“He still knows better,” The man ran his fingers through his hair, though he didn’t seem all that concerned with comforting the child, who was wiggling and reaching for Kanna still. “Honestly, I normally leave him with my wife, but-” He shook his head, “Sorry. I don’t mean to dump on you.”

“It’s fine. I find that I’m a good listener.” Kanna offered. Yes, Obi-Wan was her mission, but there was something here that she needed to look into. “I know from a family friend that having children is a massive change,” She added.

The man scowled, “We never wanted kids.” He shook his head, “I mean. Luke is a good kid, but we never intended-” He sighed, “But my step-brother died and there was no one else to take care of the kid, so we’re stuck.”

Kanna made a sympathetic noise. “There’s no other family? Grandparents?”

“No. My father died from illness before Luke was born, and my step-mother died even earlier than that. And I don’t know anything about the mother’s family.” He made an aggrieved noise, “He’s a good kid. Smart, kind. But my wife and I never wanted him. It’s a struggle to remember to care for him most days.”

That was concerning. Luke wasn’t being abused, or else this conversation wouldn’t be happening. She could tell that he was healthy, and generally happy. His aunt and uncle didn’t love him, but Luke didn’t seem to know that. Which was important. “It speaks to your character that you’re doing it anyway.” Kanna said, trying to offer some comfort to the clearly overwhelmed man, “You could have just given him away, but you didn’t.”

The man was quiet, “Yeah. Maybe.” He paused, “Oh. The suns must have fried my brain. I’m Owen Lars, and this is my nephew, Luke.”

“Kanna, and my personal droid, Beesix.”

“Hello.” Beesix said, “You appear to be in an undue amount of stress, I recommend taking some time to yourself.”

“Beesix is a medical droid,” Kanna explained.

“Huh. What brings you both to Tatooine?” Owen asked, shifting his grip on Luke as the little boy continued reaching for Kanna, “I’m sorry, he really wants you to hold him-”

Kanna took the little boy back, and he settled almost immediately. “I’ve been told I have that effect on people.” She joked. “As for why we’re here...I have a cousin who apparently decided to run off and play space hermit here. I’m looking for him so I can yell at him. Beesix is here to help me.”

Owen looked between Kanna and Luke, a speculative expression crossing his face, “He chose a good place to disappear. But, I’ve lived here my whole life, and I know most people in the area. What’s his name?”

Kanna tilted her head slightly, carefully reading Owen’s intentions. He didn’t have any bad will towards her, and he seemed, genuinely, to want to help. “I was told by a mutual friend that he goes by Ben now.”

“...Ben Kenobi?” Owen asked, frowning slightly. “I know him. I don’t like him.” He paused, “Are you, uh, like him?”

“Would it be a problem if I was?” Kanna asked.

“No. You’re far less irritating than Ben is.” Owen said. He folded his arms, and thought hard, “I’m finished with my shopping for the day. Why don’t you and Beesix come with me to my farm. And I’ll see what I can do.”

He wanted something. Kanna knew that just as surely as she knew that the sun would rise in the morning. What, exactly, she still wasn’t sure, but she had a feeling that it was going to be massive. “...alright. Come on Bee.”

The ride to the Lars farm was less than 30 minutes, and Beru Lars was happy to receive them. Beru made Kanna some tea, and prepared some milk for Luke, before she was ushered into another room by her husband, leaving Kanna and Beesix alone with the two year old.

Beesix entertained himself by talking to Luke, while Kanna just watched and listened to the little boy excitedly talk about his favorite holo, which was apparently about a talking tooka kitten. They were only alone with Luke for several minutes, before Owen and Beru returned.

Kanna regarded the married couple through the force. They weren’t bad people. There was nothing wrong with knowing that you didn’t want children. And it spoke well to their characters that Luke was happy and healthy, and that he was unaware that his aunt and uncle didn’t love him. Though, it wouldn’t take long for him to figure it out. All jedi were empaths of some sort, after all.

“Bee, why don’t you let Luke show you his room?” Kanna suggested.

“Yes, Miss.” Beesix picked up Luke and allowed the toddler to direct him out of the kitchen and into a separate building.

Beru and Owen sat at the table, and they were silent until the high pitched voice of Luke faded away. The married couple was nervous, and Kanna knew, immediately, what they were going to ask.

“You want me to take him.” She said slowly. It was the only logical conclusion she could come to.

“Yes,” Beru sounded so guilty, “Please, we’re not bad people. We’re just not made to be parents! We’re doing our best, but it doesn’t come naturally to us, an-”

“You don’t have to justify yourselves to me,” Kanna interrupted gently, “Not everyone wants to be a parent, and that’s fine. My only concern is that you don’t know me.”

“You’re a Jedi.” Owen said, “And, if times were different, we would have given him to the Jedi immediately. You can teach him, and protect him, in ways that we can’t.”

Kanna sighed, “You’re not...wrong.” This was not what she had planned. She needed to work out what, exactly, she was going to say to the others when she returned to the ship. “Are you absolutely sure?”

“Yes.”

She sighed again, “Okay. I assume there’s paperwork-?”

Beru laughed, “This is Tatooine. There’s nothing like that.” She paused and then she reached out and took Kanna’s hands in her own, “Thank you. I can’t even...just...thank you.” She got to her feet, “I’m going to pack Luke’s toys and some clothes. Owen will bring you to Ben’s hut once everything is packed.”

“Of course.” Kanna replied, settling back in the seat as Owen and Beru hurried off to do their own things.

Less than 10 minutes later, Owen, Kanna, Beesix, and Luke were on their way to Obi-Wan’s hut. It was less than 15 minutes away. And it was less a hut and more of a cave. 

“Bee, stay here with Luke and Owen.” Kanna instructed the droid. She didn’t even wait for him to respond before she was walking up to the hut, and she stepped into the home.

“Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?” Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi looked...well...bad. He felt like a wound in the force. 

“Have you ever heard of bathing?” Kanna snarked right back, examining him fully in the force, “Stars above, have you just been not eating? You should know better!”

He scowled at her, “Normally my starvation hallucinations are nice to me than this.”

“...oh. I’m sorry.” Kanna snapped, “Let me try again. Hi Master Kenobi. It’s nice to see you. You look like shit, why haven’t you been eating?”

He scowled at her even more, “Aren’t healers supposed to be nicer?”

“Would you rather I channel my Master? Cause she’d be swearing at you right now.” Kanna snapped.

...ohhh. This was what her Master meant when she said that Kanna was going to have a pediatric specialization. Adult Jedi just pissed her off. Good to know.

Obi-Wan looked miserable, “You can’t be here. You died in the Purge. Just like everyone else.”

“Wow. There’s a lot to unpack there, and also, if you think that Vader and Palpatine managed to kill every jedi you’re stupid, and also wrong.” Kanna said, before she grimaced. She needed to be nicer. He had trauma. Like Fox. Like Cody. Like Dusk. Nice Kanna. Be nice.

“I’m sorry. That was cruel of me.” Kanna said after she took a deep breath, “I survived, because my Master threw herself over me to shield me. Obi-Wan, Bail told me where to find you.”

“He shouldn’t have. I have a duty-”

“Yes, Luke.”

Obi-Wan stilled, “You-”

“He’s outside, his Aunt and Uncle gave custody of him to me.” Kanna continued, “I’ll be leaving Tatooine with Luke soon.”

“You can’t! It’s not safe.” Obi-Wan said hoarsely.

“There are three other Jedi children on board the ship I live on. One is the same age as Luke.” Kanna said kindly, “Not to mention the other people on the ship.”

“More Jedi?”

“Uh...not exactly.” Kanna admitted, “It was agreed that I would come and speak with you because we didn’t want to spook you.” She hesitated, “There’s something you need to know, Obi-Wan. It’s important.”

The older man just looked so, so tired. “Go ahead.”

“The Clones had control chips in their heads,” Kanna explained, gently, kindly. “That’s why they shot at you. It’s why they turned on the jedi.” Obi-Wan was staring at her, wide eyed, “Commander Cody has been rescued, and his chip removed. He’s on the ship.”

“He’s...Cody? He’s here? On Tatooine?” Obi-Wan sounded stunned, and then something like hope bloomed across his face. “I thought...it would have made sense, for Cody and his brothers to try and kill me. I didn’t do enough to help them-”

Kanna waited. She kind of expected this, now that she thought about it. After the Purge, Kanna had the same thought process. That the Jedi must have done something for the Clones to turn on them, because it was the only thing that made sense. Learning about the chips had been both the most relieving and most heart-breaking thing she’d ever heard.

Obi-Wan turned his gaze on Kanna, “What’s your plan?”

“Grab you, leave Tatooine, and then travel across the Galaxy to a specific cell of the Rebellion. The one that accepts clones. And then find a way to free all of our men from Palpatine.” Kanna listed, “And then get them all therapy.”

Obi-Wan nodded, “I’ll come with you. But,” Here he hesitated, “I can’t be a teacher again. I can help, but I can’t-”

“We’ll talk about that a bit later,” Kanna said, “For now, grab whatever stuff you think you need, and we’ll get out of here.”

He nodded, walked across his cave/hut, and grabbed his lightsaber, and then he walked over to her, “I’m ready.”

“If you say so.”

She led him out of cave and over to the speeder. Owen shot Obi-Wan the dirtiest look, and told him he could sit in the back, next to the baby and the droid, while Kanna had the front seat. Even so, the trip back to the ship was very, very quiet.

Owen only remained stopped long enough for everyone to get out of his speeder, and then he was gone again, without waiting for anyone to say anything to him. “He really doesn’t like me,” Obi-Wan admitted, slightly awkwardly.

“Well,” Kanna said as she shifted Luke’s weight, “You did drop a child on him without permission. Bee, help Ben with the stuff, please. I’m going to get Luke inside.”

“Yes miss,” Bee replied, as he promptly started picking up Luke’s bags.

Kanna shook her head, and climbed the ramp, and finally released a sigh of relief as the oppressive heat faded into something much more tolerable.

“Kanna, you’re bac-” Fox walked over to her, and then stopped, midsentence, when he saw the child, “...that is not General Kenobi.”

“Nope. I managed to get sole custody of a force sensitive child.” Kanna explained, “his name is Luke.” Luke let out a delighted noise when she said his name, and he beamed at Fox.

“He’s Anakin’s son,” Obi-Wan said tiredly as he stepped on the ship, “Commander Fox, correct?”

“Yes sir,”

“No need for that. I’m not a General anymore.” Obi-Wan reassured, “Kanna, where should we put Luke’s stuff,”

“Luke will be rooming with Rhawl for now,” Beesix said as he walked into the ship as well. He plucked the few bags from Obi-Wan’s hands, and vanished into the living section of the ship.

Kanna opened her mouth to say something to Obi-Wan, when another door opened and Cody stepped into the room they were gathered in. He saw Obi-Wan, and he froze.

“General, I-”

Kanna lightly took Fox’s arm, and tugged him out of the room. Cody and Obi-Wan deserved some privacy. 

*******

Cody never doubted that Kanna would succeed. According to Fox, and Dusk, she never failed at anything she put her mind to. Still, for some reason, he wasn’t actually expecting to see Obi-Wan, His General, standing there.

He looked older. Greyer. More tired.

But, to be honest, the same could be said about him. About all of them.

Cody had had an entire list of things that he planned to say if he saw his General again, but now that he was right there, he found himself unable to say anything. 

“General, I-” He was vaguely aware of Kanna ushering Fox and Skywalker’s toddler out of the room, but he shoved it away as unimportant. He would buy Kanna something nice later. 

“Cody,” Obi-Wan still said his name like it was something beautiful. Like he was supposed to be cherished. “You have no idea how glad I am to see you.”

Cody couldn’t help but gape at him. He had shot him! Off a cliff! And he still said bullshit like that?!

“I’m so sorry, General.” He finally managed to rasp out, “I-There’s nothing that I-”

Obi-Wan moved. One of his hands reached out and lightly touched his face, while the other took one of his hands. “No. No, I’m sorry. I believed that you shot me because I failed you in some way. I’m sorry that I believed so poorly of you.”

Cody let out a laugh that sounded more like a sob, “You’re such an idiot. I shot you! What were you supposed to think?”

“I was supposed to trust you.” Obi-Wan replied, leaning forward and lightly bumping his forehead against Cody’s. “That’s what I promised, isn’t it?” And, for a moment, they were back on the Negotiator. Before the Purge. Before Utapau. And it was just Obi-Wan and Cody, rather than the General and his Commander.

Cody’s mouth was dry, but it wasn’t from the heat of Tatooine, “I never stopped loving you.” He mumbled, “If you can forgive me for...for shooting you, then-”

Obi-Wan smiled, “I never stopped loving you either,” He admitted quietly, “If you’re willing to give me a chance, we can start again. As we are now, rather than as we were then.”

“I can’t think of anything that would make me happier,” Cody murmured. He closed his eyes, and then slowly pulled away. “We should probably get you settled somewhere. You can share my room, unless you want your own?”

“Sharing is more than fine.” Obi-Wan hesitated, “No one will make any comments?”

“Kanna and Fox have been sharing a room for weeks,” Cody said flatly, “No one’s going to say shit, because if they do then they’ll answer to me.” He added with a raised voice towards the back of the ship.

“Ooh, busted.” Kanna’s muffled voice came from behind the closed door, and Cody smiled. His new family was a lot smaller than his original family, but he loved them with the same intensity. 

[rexobibang]

Hey there! I'm someone who is still debating on whether or not I'll join the ObiRex big bang, I most certainly would love to. But, there is only one thing that's holding me back from it. Please don't take this as hate, or anything like that. More so as a suggestion, or for you guys to re-elaborate or rethink on this of sorts?

I read your rules and information, and I'm taking issues with this section to be more precisely:

"For writers, your fanwork must focus on the relationship of Captain Rex and Obi-Wan Kenobi, whether it is romantic, platonic, or queer-platonic. They are allowed to be in relationships with other people, but the focus of the story must be on their relationship. So, if a writer wanted to write a CodyWan fic but focus on Rex and Obi-Wan’s time on Kadavo, that would be acceptable. Threesomes are also acceptable."

While it is clear that the focus must be on ObiRex interaction, I don't think it would be a good idea to give room to any other ship. I feel like, it diminishes the purpose of a ship focused event like this, especially for such an unpopular/small one like this one! I get that the intent of this is probably to try attract more people to your event, but I fear that by doing this, the Obirex event will lose its purpose and meaning. If you wish to do this then, wouldn't it be better to just run a multishipping one? What's really stopping people from just making it about every other ship, that conflicts with Obirex?

And before you try to use the Platonic interactions argument. I'm sure that fan workers can do their thing, without having to rely on an entirely different ship. If they can't do that for Obirex, then what's the point of them joining an event like this?

As massively popular as Codywan (this could also be said about any other popular ship involving Rex, I'm merely harboring on it bc you guys put it in the post) is, not everyone is into it, and most likely would like to do their things without its interference.

In the end of the day, I just want to have some form of reassurement that the Obirex event, won't become a Codywan/Rexwalker/Obikin/Codex/Rexsoka/insert here any other ship event.

Hello, Anony!

I will fully admit that this is my first time running a bang so I am learning where the lines are and where to draw there. I appreciate your thoughtful ask and all the points you raised. Let me see if I can clarify where I was coming from with that phrasing, and perhaps you can assist me in possibly better phrasing.

I strongly want this to be a Rex and Obi event in whatever permutation you prefer your men. I would prefer the fanwork to center on them romantically but I am not going to limit people and tell them they can't write something that celebrates Obi-Wan and Rex being total chaos demons together in a platonic manner while everyone else grabs the figurative oh shit bar nearest them.

(As for this being a gimme to attract more people, not so much? I'd be perfectly all right with this being a small event and everyone who signs up doing so because they love the ship and because we realize that we're not alone out there in the giant ship sea and we'd like to try our hand at art or fic or podfic or who knows what wonderful things might be created through this event.)

The reason I called the platonic relationship out like that (and continue to try to angle this to allow relationship introspective works) is because I help mod the CodyWan Big Bang, and we had a fic in our first year (by the amazing @dharmaavocado ) that was a RexObi, CodyQuin fic that had a wonderful exploration of Obi-Wan's relationship with Cody. Dharma handled the balance of characterization and relationships gracefully and I still think it's a fantastic character study for Cody and Obi-Wan while also being one of my favorite RexObi fics of theirs. (I'm biased. I begged for that fic.)

In the same vein, I don't want to limit someone from doing something similar. Rex or Obi could be in different relationships with other people, but the focus should always be on Rex and Obi-Wan, and their relationship. Rex dating Tarkin? Uh, okay. How's Obi and Rex doing with that? How's it impacting the story? Is Obi there for Rex? Is Rex there for Obi? Do they go for drinks? What's the tale there? How are the boys doing?

I also want to allow for explorations of Rex or Obi-Wan being pictured as asexual or demisexual, or any color under the flag (or any other ND flag). Sometimes those colors don't always mesh with a traditional romantic relationship. Sometimes they allow for verbal comfort, sometimes physical comfort (hugs, hair ruffles, so called "innocent" contact) is the limit. I want that to be allowed. I've seen too many limits placed in fandom spaces lately to want to place them here.

If you noticed me repeating limit over and over--yeah. That's the key. I don't want to limit people from their creation. Fandom should be fun. Fandom should never be a burden. Fandom should be where you go to explore and try things out and meet people and discover things about yourself and other people and make friends that last for the next 20 years of your life (I curse everyone to make that friend, they are the most wonderful that can happen to you).

But as for reassurance... In short -- if the primary focus of the story isn't about Rex and Obi and their relationship in some way, this isn't the bang for whoever wants to sign up. If it gets to rough draft/artist match up and people's stories aren't primarily RexObi focused? Well. That's rules violation. If the story can't be gently redirected or the issue resolved, the writer will be asked to leave the event, and artists will be reassigned.

I really hope that helps. If it doesn't, or you know how I can better clean up that area, please let me know. I really would like to make this a wonderful event for RexObi and everyone involved.

[katierosefun]

b, f, k and z? 😍

thanks for the ask ann!! 

B: Any of your stories inspired by personal experience?

ooph uhhh. uhhhh, well, i’ve mentioned it like once, but too far was very deeply personal for me? i almost didn’t post it because i was like okay, i’m getting freakishly real here, but then i read it over a few times, tweaked some details...took out some scenes, added new ones, and then i realized that like. i still wanted to talk about this particular issue, because i was. i don’t know. i found some other fics about this topic and some of them were brutally real (a little too real), but i never felt like there was a happy resolution? or a healing resolution? and for me, i want to write stories that make people feel like there’s still some hope left, so i was like, “well. i’ll make the first story about this topic that’s kind of about...getting better in the end.” 

F: Care to share a favorite hurt/comfort fic?

oh god. so many. so  many. but uhhh, here, let me just: 

regeneration by @pandora15 was one of the first clone wars h/c fics i read last year when i was getting back into writing fic, and hnnng, i remember reading it on a really bad day and being. very touched. very good. spoke to me on a spiritual level and i still go back to it when i am. anxious. 

a long way down by @kckenobi makes me feel way too many things. anakin trying to climb up a cliffside with an injured obi-wan. lots of desperate “i’m not letting go of you so shut up” feelings. i was sitting in the library and quietly shrieking into my hands because what what what. lots of beautiful lines, a+, i cry at the ending every single time!!!

four in the morning, we find ourselves here by curseofmen. anakin, obi-wan, and ahsoka sleep together. anakin manages to drag obi-wan into bed. obi-wan’s in the middle, and cody finds them all in the end, and they’re absolutely adorable and soft, and i cry every time because they’re so soft, your honor, and i love them. 

obligate by @communistkenobi. i just finished reading this fic (like literally this morning), and i’m still recovering?? deception au but make it anakin fakes his death instead of obi-wan. angst. so much fuckign angst. obi-wan does the reckless thing. ahsoka says “fuck off” at one point and i’m losing it over here. the reunion made me w e e p. also anakin gets everyone hammered. also anakin and obi-wan. also ahsoka and anakin and obi-wan group hug. gimme a second. 

K: What's the angstiest idea you've ever come up with?

,,,is it weird for me to say that i don’t think i’ve come up with my angstiest idea yet? because i have certainly written angsty fics and angsty scenes, but i still don’t think i’ve peaked yet. b u t, that being said, there’s this fic idea i have that kinda came to me last night, and i think it’s pretty angsty. (,,,obi-wan, anakin, and ahsoka all running into each other post season 5. kinda sad, kinda funny, but mostly sad, because anakin and obi-wan were trying to catch down some crook, but they both got injured and as luck would have it, they run into ahsoka. in the rain. of all things. ahsoka’s like “oh man oh fuck oh why” but of course she helps them, and of course she lugs them back to her apartment, and of course anakin and obi-wan pass out, and of course there’s just. a lot of pain in this fic. i’m very excited to actually write it and share it with everyone, because lol pain :)))) 

**EDIT: wait i lied, holes was def. the angstiest fic. how could i not realize that the fic with a literal character death and nods to rots would be the angstiest? 

Z: Major character death--do you ever write/read it? Is there a character whose death you can't tolerate?

okay, so i’ve definitely written a few death fics, like holes with @kckenobi (major sad. big sad. we used a lot of humor to cope, including “wait we could call this fic ‘holes’ because obi-wan has a hole in his heart where anakin used to be :)))” and “oh wait anakin can’t do that because hE’S DEAD HAHAHAAA” help) 

and then i also wrote known, which uh. uhhh lawless au where satine lives but uh. y’all can figure it out.

if i’m being honest, major character death is something that i can’t always read/write, though--so if i ever do have a major character death, then i try to put a lot of actual time and effort into it because like?? you know. major character. better send them off well. 

i guess if there’s a character that i cannot stand the death of, it’s probably ahsoka’s? i don’t know, in my head, i always think, ahsoka has to live. maybe because she’s the youngest of the tcw trio or maybe because just?? ahsoka tano as a whole is just so super symbolic to tcw fans and i lived through the time in fandom when everyone was speculating about how/when ahsoka was gonna die while tcw was still airing. (let me tell you. let me tell you,,,whenever our baby got too close to danger, every instinct in me would be like, dave filoni if you kill my child, i’m gonna break into your house.) so i guess because of that, i can’t really bring myself to ever even speculate writing/reading an ahsoka deathfic. she’s alive. she’s immortal, i don’t care what anyone else says. :) 

from these asks

[pumpkin-lith]

Clone Wars Saved...ish

What the hell did I just watch ?

Let’s start by saying that 1) spoilers alert, not necessarily coherent but definitely there, I’ll put on a read more, but unspoiled mobile users, just in case it fails, scroll by and 2) @norcumii had warned me. And yet I didn’t quite expect that because, how could more clones ever be bad !

Oh boy.

Thanks to @shadow-spires for being my emotional support watchbuddy. I needed it more than I thought I would and we’re only three episodes in.

Some context : I’ve watched... only a few episodes of the show before, despite probably being able to give you the plot of all 6 seasons and quote lines and scenes, thanks tumblr and my own love for clones. And I hadn’t really looked at the bad batch half-rendered episodes because I still had trouble with the graphics of the actually finished show, so...

But I was ready for this, for feels, for finding Echo again and, finally, get 66 and murdered by Dave Filoni. Set up a meeting time to watch some eps with shadowspires, fun when there is a twelve hours diff between us and here we go.

Let me tell you, there was a lot of yelling in all caps in the chat side bar...

Trying to keep mostly in order of the episodes :

- WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO KIX’S HAIR ? Why ? Why hair and no more tattoo ??? Is this supposed to be red corsair continuity ? But then WHY IS HE HERE AND NOT ALREADY ABDUCTED ? Is this merch reasons ?

- Two seconds in and WOW I hate the Bad Batch. And this does NOT get better. I’m really tired of the Muscle is Dumb trope, Tech is like a human C3PO which urgh but fine but then KEEP CONSTANT (this is going to be a major point of my yelling), if Hunter says you chatter all the time THEN DO but no, we won’t here a single random fact ever again for three episodes, and Crosshairs chats and snarks a LOT for someone ‘not talkative’. 

- Regs. FUCKING REGS, urgh, I hated that word the INSTANT it was said. Canon isn’t as heavily into the Vode An fanon loves, but WOW fuck that. Strike team or not, you’re not supermen, you have to rely on intel, be supplied, you’re not a bunch of mercenaries, you’re a MILITARY STRIKE TEAM, you must interact with regs a lot so it means you’re a bunch of condescending assholes ALL THE TIME.

-Also fuck 1) that team’s dynamics and 2) the “two teams do not get along” trope, fuck it with a SHOVEL.  1) You’re a Commando Team. In an army three years deep into war. You’re comrades and probably have save each other asses hundred of times. So why can’t you behave ? And I know people do not always get along, or even best friends sometimes irk each other, but, look, consistency, if you think you’re with lesser people because regs (can you tell I’m not over that either), you present a united front and you don’t bitch at your teammates in front of them. 2) YOU ARE MILITARY. Trained for 10+ years, there’s DISCIPLINE there, even a maverick strike team, when Cody is down, you OBEY THE SECOND IN COMMAND. I don’t care if you have a better plan, you TELL the officer, you don’t just tell him to shut up and watch. AND YOU DON’T GET AT EACH OTHER’S THROATS.

-Did I mention I hate everything about Dumb Violent Muscles unable to control himself or follow a plan ?

-Of course the one time we could see Cody in charge, he’s hurt and useless.

-WHY. IS. THE MEDIC. GOSSIPING. INSTEAD OF KEEPING WATCH OVER THE WOUNDED BROTHER ???

AND WHY DOES HE HAVE HAIR DAMMIT

-The tactics Mess out of order :  Why is nobody blowing stuff up, a group able to single handedly take on 100+ droids is getting pushed back by thirty later on, why not trap the outpost to blow up the incoming droids, the analytical droid cannot comprehend why the clones would leave the outpost while in full view of the cyber center and it has to be pointed out to him, WHY DID NOBODY TRAP THE FUCKING OUTPOST TO BLOW, why does the tech guy LITERALLY NAMED TECH doesn’t hide/erase what they did to the computer, why if he didn’t have time DIDN’T HE BLOW UP THE COMPUTER. 

-And for a plot point being “droids analyzes our tactics so we always have to change them”, it means that no one ever attacked a front door and drew all the droids there for a second team to sneak by the back door. Somehow.

Ep2 & 3 :

- Why is “this may or may not be Echo” matters on a tactical PoV ? I get the emotional one, of course, but having the Bad Batch question it at the beginning and later on starting a fight over it has no other reason than to go for another round of We Do Not Get Along Trope. The Seps have either a PoW or an Algorhythm allowing them to win battle, no matter what it is, you have to go and rescue/take it. WHY ARE YOU ARGUING.

- I know this is the funny part of ‘Anakin and Padmé are the less subtle ever’ and it was funny (I didn’t hate ALL of the episodes, see ?), but why is she explaining to Anakin why he fights three years into the war other than reminding the public, this is the LEAST EFFECTIVE PLAN ever to hide from Obi-Wan with Rex obviously standing guard.

-Not a critic, just fucking amused : if someone isn’t aware that Padmé and Anakin are a thing, there is a lot of subtext to thing Anakin and Rex have a hidden fling. I don’t even ship it and I could see it x)

- Tell Padmé I say hello. TELL PADME I SAY HELLO. Obi-Wan fucking KNOWS, maybe not the whole “married and pregnant” but hellooooo that was blantant cue that he’s aware they’re together, at the very least so very close friends that they sneak private calls during a siege if Anakin is really dense, we have ONSCREEN PROOF that Obi-Wan SAID OUT LOUD something about it and it makes Anakin thinking Obi-Wan doesn’t know and couldn’t understand in RotS even STUPIDER. Good job Anakin.

- This Galaxy has the most efficient Google Translate ever. Either it’s a known language of the planet you’re going to, and then by doing research amidst the prep to go to the planet everyone or at least Rex as Captain would put the translator to the spoken languages there on his helmet, or it’s an unknown one and yet with two sentences, Tech’s tech (urgh) is able to translate and analyses it well enough to speak it back to them. Wow. 

- WHY. IS. THE. JEDI. NOT. USING. THE. FORCE. You’ve worked with Echo before but there’s no mention or even trying to feel him, fine, better have another fight of whether or not he’s truly here, two droids manage to get the drop on you, two droids manage to get the drop on you AND SOMEHOW AREN’T IMMEDIATELY BISECTED, Two droids manage to get the drop on you, survive, AND GIVE YOU ENOUGH TROUBLE YOU NEED SOMEONE TO SHOOT ONE TO GET OUT OF IT. 

- Echo, my poor baby TnT I knew this was going to hurt, and it does, it does so much. 

-And we’re RIGHT BACK to full on rage rather fast. We go from “he’s so weak he can’t walk, he doesn’t remember anything after the Citadel, he’s so out of it he doesn’t know where he is and ‘notices’ Rex being here two or three times” to “He can walk, he can be yeeted into a vent, he can tightpole walk, he can shoot while standing, he knows the whole base’s blueprints and also all the Separatist’s database.” in like. Five minutes. CONSITENCY FOR FUCK’S SAKE. Why is no one carrying him, why don’t we even get a fucking HUG ?

-Why was everyone yeeted by Dumb Muscles WHEN WE HAVE A JEDI HERE. WHY STILL NO FORCE ??? Clone-yeeting is like Anakin’s favorite pastime, he should have thought of it FIRST, My Moment Has Come.

- Oh FUCK NO. WHY did you even GO BACK TO THE NATIVES’ VILLAGE ? You got dragons, you fly back to your ship that wasn’t damaged in anyway, you evac fast and clean, DONE ! Why go back ? Anakin even says that the Techno Union will strike for helping them BUT UNTIL YOU WENT BACK THEY DIDN’T KNOW THE NATIVES HELPED YOU ! They had no problems until now ! DON’T INVOLVE CIVILIANS ! If they had gone with the plot point of having the natives pick a side and be the ones to save them from that pole by flying to get them, then yes, totally, stay and help and defend them against the retaliation massacre ! But since they didin’t, do NOT go there and draw to them a retaliation massacre.

-FUCK that speech. Sorry Rex, but FUCK THAT. Again, civilians. You are supposed to be the GOOD GUYS trying to STOP THE WAR, not draw innocents into it when it could be avoided. AND THEN LEAVE WHEN YOU JUST TOOK DOWN ONE ATTACK AND THE TECHNO UNION WILL SURELY COME WIPE OUT THAT VILLAGE FOR HELPING YOU AND THERE’LL BE NO JEDI TO SAVE THE DAY.

-Why is everyone suddenly dumb.

-Fuck that “good old days” bullshit. I’m sure there were good times, but your good old days are three years of war and losses. Gimme “now everything will be alright”, because for once someone survived, for once the future is looking hopeful, give me them hoping that it’ll be okay and then gut me with the sheer irony of it all because I know 66 is looming. AND FUCKING HUG HIM DAMMIT, he was almost catatonic thirty minutes ago, at least HELP HIM into the ship rather than leave him standing here alone.

-And no mention of Fives, of course. Idk it may be in episode 4, it BETTER be in Episode 4, otherwise this is “it be like the good old days, yay, btw Fives’ dead”.

I am SO ready for the damn Bad Batch arc to be over and hoping the actual original content is way better. I wished they had scrapped that disaster of an idea full of bad clichés. You want a strike team to go with Rex ? I’ve got a strike team for you : Jesse is an ARC, Kix is both a medic and seen many times with a rifle (AND THE COOLEST HAIRCUT, get us Bly there and give him a tracking speciality with the many ‘primitive’ planets he was on, and we have Aayla for the muscle. That would be badass.

[mandalorianbrainweasel]

let’s steal a padawan -- Leverage Fusion AU

T. Jango Fett and Original Character, Rex and Bacara. Cameo Cody, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anaking Skywalker. Leverage Fusion AU.

Alternatively titled “The Bacara Job”

Mentions of canonical treatment of clones and Anakin Skywalker’s jealousy. 

Read on Ao3 here.

“He needs a teacher,” Mèpe says, pointing out Cort Davin’s favorite CC.

Jango rakes his eyes over to 1138, frowning. “Davin’s a bastard, but…”

“Not that kind of teacher,” they correct. “One we’d be able to give him if we weren’t in the middle of this.”

They don’t mean how they’re both up in observation, watching the trainers who have their favorites working through Independent Study. Normally, Jango would go toss Alphas at each other at this time, but Mèpe is going to be one of these trainers, sooner or later, and needs to know the lay of the land before they start letting CT-7567 loose among them.

No, Mèpe means they’re in the middle of a long con, trying to save these children’s lives. They don’t have time to train any of these kids to the same point they are in mastering their force abilities. Most of the clones can get away with the bits and pieces being passed down from the Alphas.

Jango’s eyes fall shut. “I can’t sense him at all. Is he masking?”

Mèpe is smiling when he opens his eyes again. “You can’t sense him because you’re trying to see something different. But you look out there at him and you see the very things that have been echoing around you for seven years.”

Jango slowly turns to look out the window, at Kamino’s eternally raging storm. “Oh,” he says quietly. Then, leaning back against the observation window he spreads himself out again, looks again. There it is, he realizes. His echo who echoes the storm. “You’re right,” he says, sighing. “He needs a teacher. It’s not that he’s so much more powerful than the others…”

“It’s that he’s wild.” Mèpe, the way they say it, already has a plan. “I’m sure she’ll be by soon. Now we just need to get him away from Davin.”

“Get the Seventeens?” he suggests.

They smirk back. “Actually, I think I have the perfect person for the job.”

CT-7567 is still unsure of his place in the family. Wolffe says it’s because he doesn’t have a name yet, but Jango’s doesn’t think that’s it. ’67 reminds him too much of how he was when he’d first been swept up into Jaster Mereel and the Haat Mando’ade’s wake.

Still, it couldn’t hurt. It’s rude, he usually thinks, Naming the clones like this. Sure, the names he knows in his head usually end up being the ones the clones end up going by, but it's still... He gave up the right to name them the moment he signed the contract.

“Rex,” he says at ’67, sharp but not snappish, to make the boy jerk his head over. He raises his eyebrows at the boy, nodding. “Mèpe and I have your first big assignment for Independent Study. You coming?”

The little blonde scrambles over to him, leaving the painfully empty room. A whole squad down to one just because the Kaminiise found too much wrong. Jango’s so close to just dropping the younger clone and his things in with the Seventeens, or straight up in the Fulcrum apartment.

As Rex catches his stride, Jango reaches out and buries his fingers in blonde curls, gently steering the clone to said apartment. They’re going to use Mèpe’s room, already mostly empty, as the briefing room for this one. Bigger things require the main living space. But this is just Jango, Rex, and Mèpe.

Mèpe has the holo projector up and a datapad with color-accurate files. “Everything good?” they ask, pulling Rex in for a side hug before turning him over to the unused bed.

The boy nods, then looks over at Jango and frowns. Back up to Mèpe. “My name is Rex.”

Mèpe breaks out into a dazzling grin. “Jango use his weird magic on you?”

“Is that what it is?”

Jango snorts. “Just time being strange for me, ad’ika. Now, Mèpe, you’re point on this one.”

They smirk and nod, handing the datapad to Rex. “Alright, this is CC-1138. Care to hazard a name, cyare?”

Jango shakes his head. “For when Fay comes, if he’s still not sure.”

“Alright. Rex, this is CC-1138. He trains under Cort Davin. Mark 3, the batch above the Seventeens, near top of his mark. Only mutation is his eyes, though Jango has a theory on that he hasn’t shared.”

Jango smirks. “He’s got the storm in him, hasn’t let it out yet. Eyes are windows.”

Mèpe takes a deep breath, mood darkening. “That would make sense. So, he has gray eyes. He’s the equivalent of 14-year-old human. He’s the wall the storm breaks on, but if he doesn’t get taught how to work with that it’ll either drown him or make him break. We can’t let either happen. Jango and I’s old teacher is in route to take him. But we need to get him away from Davin first.”

Rex flicks through the datapad, looking back and forth between it and the set of floor plans Mèpe has on the projector. “Morning class. CC’s still get called in by Prime enough, it’s an easy excuse. I send him right on…”

“You’re supposed to be in class then, and if you do it with witnesses like that Davin knows right where he is,” Jango interjects, watching as Rex’s face falls only to be replaced by more determination.

“Independent Study. You need to see Davin,” Rex offers. “Davin goes, Mèpe or Gimm get a Kaminii to get him. Say it’s…say it’s decommissioning. For his eyes, and not keeping up, or not keeping up right…” Rex is making himself sick, talking like that.

Jango reaches over and pulls the boy over to him, wrapping him up in a hug. “But instead, you and Mèpe get him to the Fulcrum apartment. He stays there, or with me and Boba, until Master Fay comes.”

That gets Rex’s attention. “A Jedi? Is Bacara going to be a Jedi?”

Mèpe smiles. “Maybe. So, what do you think Jango. Break Davin by saying his training was the last mistake 1138 could make?”

Jango’s eyes fall shut. It’s painful, to talk like this, but it’ll work. “Let’s run it.” He presses a kiss to Rex’s affection-confused forehead. “Good job, Rex. You think you can run it on your own or do you need a Seventeen?”

“I…I can do it, sir,” Rex says, determined.

Mèpe hadn’t planned on taking Rex in here so soon, and they’re scared at first to leave him, their comm in his hand, to “deal with something.”

So Rex gets to answer Jango’s comm. “7567, where’s your trainer?”

“Kaminoans, sir,” he says, echoing the carefully blank face both Jango and Mèpe have mastered. “Do you need me to get them?”

Jango snarls. “You’re in the I.S. training area?”

“Yessir.” He’s getting looks, too. From trainers and vode alike.

“I need Cort Davin to come find me. We need to have a talk.”

Swearing breaks out across the room, a broad man as dark as any of the clones with gray hair stalking across the room. “What do you want, Fett. We’re in the middle of training.”

“In person kind of chat, Dav’ka,” Jango coos, all false sweetness and barely hidden teeth.

Davin can tell, it seems. “Your place?”

“Main office.”

“On my way, ‘alor,” he snaps, glaring at Rex as the comm shuts off. “You can tell your karking trainer to get ready for reality.”

Rex doesn’t act afraid, because he knows what Davin’s about to get dropped on his shoulders. He almost feels bad. “I think,” he says, voice soft and taking a dreamy tone, “That you might need to take your own advice.”

Davin pauses, eyes wide as he looks at Rex. “Be careful, ad’ka. With your hair, the Kaminiise will take that kind of talk as a reason to put you on the other end of a needle, no matter your trainer.”

He’s scared, Rex realizes. Now he does feel bad for him, but… Not bad enough to risk a vod. “Yessir.”

Davin stalks out, leaving Rex to bolt over to 1138. The older trooper, on top of being a CC, is already a head taller than Rex. Part of that is some developmental delay in Rex’s growth that makes him have to work twice as hard to make up and keep on track. 1138 is also filling out to be as much of a wall of a man as Alpha.

1138 seems to be taking at least a moment of Davin being gone to hydrate. Rex already likes him better than the Seventeens, though he’s just about to lose him. Most of them forget to hydrate unless he’s tossing a bottle of water at their heads.

“Need something, tat’ka?” 1138 asks, accent different than most of the other vod.

“We need to go,” Rex says, quiet and careful and not looking at anyone around them but knowing exactly where everyone is, what they’re doing, where they’re looking. It’s not the Force, though it does give Rex a leg up. No, Rex just learned quickly what he needed to know to survive. “Before the Kaminiise come for you.”

1138’s eyes—storm gray but paler than outside—go wide. “What?”

“That’s where Mèpe went, to delay them,” he explains, reaching out for 1138. “I think that’s why Prime called—he’s got to tell Davin.”

1138 stands up, cautious, but follows when Rex leads him out. “So, where am I going?” he asks, bemused, as Rex goes for the apartments the trainers live in.

“Some of the trainers have contacts,” Rex says, digging his key out of a pocket Mèpe taught him to sew into his uniform, hidden but usable. “You’re not the first vod they’ve gotten out.” He pushes open the door, almost expecting the other Fulcrum members. It's empty, though. “Come on.”

He leads 1138 over to Mèpe’s room. Sure, the rest of Fulcrum, probably the Seventeens too, will know about him. But he deserves to have a space to himself. They’re just in when they here thundering steps all the way in the apartment bloc hall.

Five minutes later, Prime knocks on the door, eyebrows raised. Rex wonders if he does it on purpose, because it makes him look less like the boogeyman some of the older clones say he is. “Everything okay getting here?” he asks, looking to Rex.

“Yeah,” Rex says, hopping up from the bed where he was sitting next to 1138. “Can I help cook?” He wants out of 1138’s space, because it feels like his heart might burst if he stays much longer.

Prime’s fingers catch in his hair, curls growing longer than he used to let them since Mèpe thinks it will be an asset. “Sure, ad’ika.” He looks over Rex, to 1138. “You’ll need to stay in this apartment. Not this room, if you don’t want to. But the apartment. When we hear from the one who’s going to take you, we’ll get you out of here. For now, though, you’re safe here. And everyone who has a key in here is safe.”

1138 stares, jaw slack, at them. “What…” He cuts himself off.

Prime smiles, soft and guilty. “We’re going to get you out of here, ad’ka.”

“What about my brothers?” There’s worry in that question. “I need to be able to help them.”

“With who you’re going with, you’ll be able to help them even better,” Prime promises.

Mèpe gets the comm message, Prime hooks up a job off planet so he can take Bacara (as 1138 admitted he’s named himself after being introduced to the Seventeens with their names and Rex’s official introduction and Prime and the rest of Fulcrum’s endless patience and reassurance) to meet the Jedi.

Rex volunteers to help, with packing up Slave I, with sneaking Bacara out. Prime indulges him.

“Knight Vephiema said he’d meet us here,” General Kenobi says, looking around the landing area.

Rex and Cody can’t help the intrinsic straightening of their spines, minds on red alert. Vephiema is the name Mèpe used when they were a Naboo politician. There’s only one person that Knight Vephiema could be.

The metal at the side of the landing pad groans, then someone flips over it, landing on his knees before standing smoothly. Bacara is older — the same age as Cody, technically — and has filled out, grown as tall as Alpha. His hair is star-lightened, with streaks of aqua green in the curls, and he wears a mask based on Naboo make-up — further connection to Lady Vephiema.

He glides forward, confident in a mix of both of Rex’s buire that must come from their teacher, his Master. He flicks two fingers out from his forehead in a field salute.

Rex is already halfway to him, then swept up in a hug and a laugh that shakes like Kamino’s thunder. He’ll get shit from Buir and Mèpe for possibly breaking Bacara’s cover but he’s so glad. He hasn’t seen the older clone since nearly a year before the war started, when they were on the same planet. Fulcrum 2 was running a con, Bacara and Master Fay were heading to Coruscant for Bacara’s knighting.

Something about Master Fay’s use of the Force in training Bacara aged him ahead of them all, even with Prime using an injection to halt the accelerated aging early before Bacara left Kamino.

“Captain,” Bacara says, voice gravelly and warm as he bumps their foreheads together through mask and helmet.

“General,” Rex replies, pulling back and hiding his shit-eating grin only through his helmet. Prime would laugh but get onto him all the same. Just because they hide their faces doesn’t mean they can get loose with their expressions.

Bacara has his hand on Rex’s back as they go forward.

General Skywalker looks furious and confused. General Kenobi just looks confused.

“You know each other, then?” Kenobi asks.

“We ran into Vephiema and his Master on a few training missions,” Cody says smoothly, covering for Rex with a not-lie. “My squad did. And Rex was our usual tagalong, thanks to our mission control.”

“Sometimes I forget the Rishi Maze is in the Outer Rim and not Wild Space,” Kenobi muses. “I didn’t think any Jedi knew about you before I found Kamino, though.”

“General Windu did, though,” Rex says, boggling. Surely that came out. Windu had been a part of this con from just weeks after Rex had been viciously adopted. In case the war happened. “Mèpe did say it was need to know on the Council at the time, though. They were trying to dismantle everything before the war started.”

It’s throwing Windu under the bus, a bit. Throwing their truth under the bus.

Bacara pats his back, assuages his guilt. “Master Windu and the rest of the Nomads were the main ones working on it. There would have been too many accusations otherwise. The clones would have been, at best, killed. People brought there only by circumstance, or by threat, would have been imprisoned. The more people that knew, the more dangerous it would have been.”

Kenobi takes it, this not-all-of-the-truth, and comes out agreeable. Skywalker is still furious that his Captain has apparent loyalty to another Jedi. Still, Bacara’s storm will weather that down soon. Rex will soothe the hurts left, later.

For now, he’ll behave. They have a mission, a little piece of a larger con he doesn’t know about. The same one that Rex, Cody, and Bacara are running with the rest of Fulcrum.