#fic:To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For)

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 1/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

Notes: This fic will be 15 chapters long, with the final chapter going up at some point on the 17th of May, for those who prefer to binge.

CHAPTER ONE

"Aayla gets on well with her troopers," Obi-Wan commented, having heard about her friendship with her commander from Quinlan, who seemed torn between being overprotective of her presumed virtue, and delighted that she'd been paired with a commander that she got on with. "Anakin, too."

"Anakin has never been particularly comfortable with authority figures," Qui-Gon commented drily. "His refusal to act like one was wholly expected."

"Yes, I wonder where he got that particular mindset from," Obi-Wan muttered loud enough for Qui-Gon to hear, and studiously ignored his former master's chuckle. "When are we dropping from hyperspace next?" He wasn't certain about comming Anakin for advice, but Aayla might have some actionable suggestions, and it had been far too long since he'd last spoken to her.

Qui-Gon hummed, then used the Force to call his comm to him, typed something on it, then set it down and went back to his trimming.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at the complete lack of answer, then left the bed, which he'd been lying on, since the only chair was serving as a plant holder, to kneel in front of Qui-Gon's footlocker, delighted when it opened at his first guess for the code.

"What, exactly, are you doing?" Qui-Gon asked, tone dry, but presence in the Force warm and amused.

"Disregarding your presumed boundaries," Obi-Wan returned cheerfully, even as he pawed through his former master's belongings.

Qui-Gon huffed, then called, "Come in, Commander!" when the quiet doorbell chime sounded.

"You asked to see me, General?" Commander Cody asked, once they'd stepped into the room far enough for the door to close again behind them, curiosity curling through the Force around them.

"Yes," Qui-Gon agreed, setting down his sheers and turning to face the clone. "Obi-Wan was asking whether there was any way to make the troopers more comfortable with him mingling with them."

Obi-Wan groaned into the footlocker; he should have guessed that his former master's solution would be to simply ask one of the clones. "If the answer is there isn't one," he said, before the commander could open their mouth to respond, "please just tell me so; I'm perfectly capable suffering the next week dealing with Master Jinn."

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 15/15 COMPLETE

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Series: Your Hands Protect the Flame Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

He didn't have long to relax into the comfort of the sound of Fox's laughter, because then they said, "Speaking of padawans, I heard you were thinking to...how do Jedi say it? Not 'adopt', right?"

"Who told?" Obi-Wan demanded.

Fox tapped their helmet, where it was set next to them on the ground. "It was in command chat," they admitted.

Obi-Wan groaned and rubbed at his face, because, okay, yeah, he...probably should have suspected something like that. "We would say 'take a padawan'," he offered a bit helplessly, "but there's more involved than just pointing to a padawan and saying 'that one is mine, now'."

"You have to ask them," Fox said, not quite a question.

"I do, and they would have the right to say 'no'. So, too, would their crèchemaster or the Council of Reassignment, if concerns were brought to them about our compatibility or either of our conduct." He sighed. "And, because I'm a shadow, the Master of Shadows has the final say about my taking a padawan, although I don't think she'll take any issue, beyond being much stricter about what missions I'm allowed to take."

Fox nodded, brow furrowed. "Is any of that...likely to be a problem?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Unlikely. There might be some concern, about her being my first padawan, but, well, I did help Quin with Aayla a fair bit, and Yoda's been trying to get me to take a padawan for a few years. Which isn't to say it's a sure thing, but he wouldn't be pushing if he thought the Council of Reassignment would refuse my bid for a padawan because of my recent conduct."

Fox nodded again, then looked up and met Obi-Wan's gaze. "Then...why are you worried?"

Obi-Wan felt his mouth turn with a smile that felt slightly strained. "It's..." He sighed and rubbed a hand over his mouth. "You're...probably going to say it's stupid."

Fox squinted at him. "Is it?" they asked.

Obi-Wan made a face—he probably deserved that—then hesitantly admitted, "I didn't want to ask her, only for it to turn out you two didn't get along."

Fox blinked once, twice, and then warm embarrassment filled their bond, and they ducked their head. "Oh," they said, and cleared their throat.

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 10/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER TEN

Qui-Gon sat his cup down, then asked, "And how is Commander Fox?"

Obi-Wan couldn't stop himself from flinching, hadn't expected Qui-Gon to bring them up so easily, even though he should have, especially given Fox was the whole reason they even knew about the chips. "They're fine," he managed, voice diplomat-steady.

Qui-Gon straightened, bleeding concern into the Force between them. "Padawan?"

Obi-Wan swallowed, tried to figure out how to explain the churning sensation of sickness that sometimes flared in his chest, when he remembered that Fox was so close to Palpatine all the time, that Obi-Wan had been forced to steal memories that had made Fox happy.

That he couldn't even bring himself to comm the commander, both due to the uncertainty of his welcome, and the continued avoidance of Temple that the Guard were still enacting, according to rumours from Coruscant. He didn't want to insult or endanger their valiant attempts to protect the Order by comming at the wrong time, especially since Palpatine knew he was a Jedi, given both his part in the Naboo Invasion and his being close to Anakin.

"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said carefully, "did Fox get their chip removed?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "We didn't know what they were," he admitted, because they hadn't received any sort of confirmation that the chips were the source of Fox's blackouts, until they'd reached Kamino. "The only members of the Guard who have their chips removed, are on this ship."

Qui-Gon opened his mouth, scowling, and then he froze, a sick, uneasy realisation spreading through the Force. "Someone," he said quietly, "on Coruscant, has activated Commander Fox's chip."

Obi-Wan stared across the table at him, half afraid that Qui-Gon would figure it out on his own, half hoping he would, because a part of him desperately wanted to be able to confide in his former master.

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[FIC] Need a Second to Breathe ~ Star Wars Prequels ~ Mature

Title: Need a Second to Breathe Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Series: Your Hands Protect the Flame Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Pairing: Commander Fox/Obi-Wan Kenobi Warnings: Alternate Universe, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Coruscant Guard deserve better, mentions of abuse, chip activation, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, mention of clone trooper decommissioning and reconditioning, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, character death (except turns out they weren’t all dead), grief, reunions, Force-sensitive clone troopers Summary: No member of the Guard had completely unpainted armour, so Carver was immediately suspicious when three of them came into his medbay. And then he was relieved. Side-story of To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For).

Given how many of the Guard had been sneaking over for something to help them sleep or focus right before their shift, Carver wasn't surprised for someone to come into the medbay without any warnings of incoming wounded on comms. He was, surprised, however, to find three troopers in completely white armour, because no member of the Guard left the barracks without their armour painted.

(It was too easy for the natborns to spot them, to recognise them as new and easy prey; in the Guard, the act of 'earning your paint', which the rest of the GAR so determinedly held to, had about an eighty percent chance of them being psychologically or physically tortured for 'fun', forced to do something they didn't want to do, or ordered sent back to Kamino for decommissioning or reconditioning. Or just outright murdered, in about five percent of cases. It was also why the Guard had flat out refused the few times, since the Senate vote, that a GAR battalion on planet had offered them use of some of their troopers.)

"Who the kriff—?" Carver started, shoving up from his seat.

"Udesii, Carv'ika," ordered the one bringing up the rear, who looked bigger than the other two in a way that you didn't see away from Kamino.

There were only so many beings who would dare to call Carver that, and only one who would do so with such fond exasperation, and he honestly started to think that the stress had finally got to him.

Except, Baar was pulling off his helmet, and so were Stone and Trig, and Carver felt his knees turn to water, had to sit down before he fell down.

Stone and Trig held back, leaving it for Baar to approach, to eye him for a moment, the same he had done throughout Carver's training, leaving him feeling naked and half his age, questioning his own capabilities.

And then Baar leant in, forehead to the crest of Carver's helmet, and said, "Su'cuy," tone dry.

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 3/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER THREE

Obi-Wan straightened and turned towards what was apparently another entrance hallway, when he felt Fox approaching, their Force-presence dimmed under the heavy weight of exhaustion and a sharp sting of pain.

The exhaustion was even more obvious when they didn't seem to notice Obi-Wan's presence, or the fact that all of the clones in the office had turned to look towards that hallway, clearly curious about what had caught his attention, instead continuing on their route to another hallway.

"Dear one," Obi-Wan heard himself call as he got up, his chest clenching with an uncomfortably familiar feeling to see someone he cared about struggling.

The commander glanced back, movements slow, and then they tripped.

Obi-Wan couldn't have said how he got around the three desks between them, but he managed to catch the commander before they could catch themself or, worse, fall and hurt themself even more.

"General?" Fox said, sounding uncertain, before raising their voice to ask, "Anyone else see a Jedi?"

"Yeah, vod," Thire supplied, voice sounding almost cheerful through their helmet's vocoder, even as wary concern filled the Force around them. "He came looking for you."

"Huh," the commander said, and then very carefully drew away from Obi-Wan's steadying grasp, standing straight, but wavering slightly. "What can I do–"

"Force's sake, Commander," Obi-Wan interrupted. "Sit down before you fall down."

Someone choked back a noise that could have been a giggle.

"Office," the commander said, and gingerly stepped around Obi-Wan and continued towards yet another dimly-lit hallway branching off the office.

Obi-Wan glanced towards Thire, who waved their hands in a 'go on' manner, then followed the commander down the new hallway, which actually had some doors along it. Fox tapped a code into the lock for one of the doors, then stepped inside when it opened.

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 13/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Dooku was kneeling on Garen's old pad, eyes slitting open to glance up at Obi-Wan in an almost careless manner, as if he couldn't sense his discontent and simmering anger through the Force. "Back, are you?" Dooku asked, tone acidic.

Obi-Wan hummed and stepped up to deactivate one wall of the cage, ignoring the sound of Stone's blaster whining as he primed it. He stepped into the cage, smiling grimly at the way Dooku blinked a few too many times in quick succession, the Force swirling with confusion.

Obi-Wan sat comfortably in front of his former grandmaster, pulled out the 'pad he'd picked up on his way to the cockpit, and turned it on, scrolling through to the list of orders on the chips before holding it over to Dooku.

He knew the moment Dooku reached order sixty-six, because his Force-presence drew inwards, tight and offended, with just a hint of gut-churning horror.

"Ever since I can remember," Obi-Wan said quietly, "I've had the same vision, over and over, of walking through the empty halls of Temple, filled with the absolute certainty that I was the only one left."

Dooku flinched, while the sound of plastoid striking plastoid came from behind him, grief and horror leaking into the Force from Stone.

Obi-Wan took the 'pad back from Dooku, who released it easily enough, and turned it off as he stood. "You have a choice, Count. You can stand back and sneer, watch as our family is wiped out, or you can throw your lot in with us and help us bury him. Undo some of the horror you've inflicted on the galaxy."

He left the cage and turned it back on. "We've still got another four days' travel for you to think about it."

They were nearly out of sight of the cage, when Dooku called, "Obi-Wan, he knows who you are, that you were the one to kill his former apprentice, not Qui-Gon. You're at the top of his kill list."

Stone took a step closer to Obi-Wan's back, the Force around him filling with protect-ours-never again.

"As far as he's concerned, I am dead," Obi-Wan pointed out, as much to Dooku, as a way to comfort Stone.

"Yes," Dooku agreed, something dark and gleeful unfurling in his Force-presence. "I do hope, Grandpadawan, that you get it on holo, when he realises you're still alive; I should very much like to see his frustration."

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 11/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"A pirate I'm acquainted with has managed to capture Count Dooku," Obi-Wan explained as he selected the solar system Hondo had laid claim to. "We're involving ourselves in the attempts to bring him in."

"Do we even have somewhere aboard we can keep him?" Throckmorton asked.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "There aren't a lot of places you can safely keep a trained Force-sensitive," he admitted as he approved the computer's plotted course and keyed in permission for the hyperdrive to cycle up as soon as they were turned in the correct direction, which Diamond was already in the process of doing.

"Can you drug one?" Baar asked flatly.

"If they're not expecting it," Obi-Wan allowed, because most drugs could be filtered out of their system with the Force, assuming they weren't dosed with enough to down a bantha, or while they were already impaired or otherwise unaware of the potential danger. "Hondo must have obtained some sort of Force-interrupting technology, if he's managed to keep Dooku so far."

"What's the likelihood this pirate will share that tech with you?" Trig asked.

Obi-Wan smiled at her as the ship made the transition to hyperspace, lighting the bridge with the streaks of starlight. "I have faith in your ability to sniff it out and recreate it, my dear."

Trig's face broke out into a nasty grin more often found on Baar's face. "Challenge accepted," she returned gleefully.

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 12/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Stone's eyes shot over to him, and Obi-Wan could see him casting an assessing look, cataloguing the Force alone knew what little tells about Obi-Wan's appearance, and then tapped in dadita, 'Surgery?'

"Yes," Obi-Wan agreed quietly, swallowed, and explained, "Your chip was activated."

Stone stared at him for a moment, clearly confused, before he tapped, 'How? Why?'

Obi-Wan took a careful breath, still didn't know the best way to break this gently, even with almost two hours to try and sort it out. "You comm'd the chancellor," he explained, "we assume to let him know that the mission was a success. Palpatine...is the Sith."

Disbelief flared in the Force first, followed quickly by a sort of grim recognition tinged with horror, like he was making the same leaps of logic that Obi-Wan and Fox had done, all those months ago.

Stone swallowed, and rasped, "Dooku?"

"Alive," Obi-Wan replied. "We don't...wholly know what order you were given, but–" He cleared his throat, hesitated for a moment, then made himself say, "There's two likely orders on the chips: One is to kill any witnesses, the other is for an entire squad to suicide."

Stone's dawning horror filled the room, nearly choking Obi-Wan, and he had to bring his shields up higher than he'd had to do in a while, away from a battlefield. 'Who?' Stone tapped. 'Who dead? Who killed?'

"B.J., Mack, Klinger, Spearchucker, Rizzo, Senator Kharrus, and Representative Binks," Obi-Wan listed quietly.

Stone went stiff, staring at Obi-Wan with a blankness that freaked him out a little.

And then, all at once, he lurched upwards, too fast for Obi-Wan to stop him, and stumbled out of the bed.

He didn't make it far before he stumbled, and probably would have fallen and knocked his head against the floor plating and done himself some serious harm, but Obi-Wan caught him with the Force, kneeling next to him as he eased the commander to the floor.

"Stone–"

"I killed vode," Stone rasped, something hollow about his voice.

"No," Obi-Wan denied. "Palpatine killed them. He turned you into a weapon to do his dirty work. Just like he's been doing to Fox and Thorn. You are not at fault."

Stone's laugh was a wretched, ruined thing, and Obi-Wan suspected that could only partially be attributed to the damage to his throat.

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 6/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER SIX

"I'm sorry," he whispered, once the door had closed behind them.

Fox yanked their helmet off and tossed it onto the desk in the office space attached to the bedroom, then stepped in close, hesitating partway through raising their hand towards Obi-Wan's head.

Obi-Wan leant forward, pressing his forehead to Fox's and letting himself relax, just a little, when Fox cupped the back of his neck.

They spent a long moment like that, sharing breath and relaxing against each other, before Fox murmured, "This is important. I would come if I could, but..." They shook their head.

"You can't come on an off-the-books mission," Obi-Wan replied, understanding. "I know." Then he huffed. "I'm surprised you're sending anyone with me."

Fox tightened their hold on Obi-Wan's nape, pressing their foreheads a little tighter together. "You leave Coruscant, you take at least one Guard with you. I don't care if you're not GAR, you're our Jedi, and I need to know someone's watching your back. And do not start in about Force-osik."

Obi-Wan swallowed down that very rejoiner, instead choosing to reach up and thread one hand into Fox's curls, tugging lightly, until they took the hint and eased their grip. "Thank you," he murmured. "I do appreciate not having to manage the ship by myself."

Fox grunted. "You have to bring all three of them back in one piece," they ordered.

"I will do my utmost to return all four of us to Coruscant, alive and well," Obi-Wan offered, too jaded by missions gone wrong to ever promise to return healthy and whole.

Fox let out an unhappy noise, but didn't fight him, instead tilting their head out of the keldabe, in favour of a kiss, which they kept chaste and brief, before stepping back and informing Obi-Wan, with their cheeks flushed, "That's all you're getting until you get back."

Obi-Wan couldn't help a smile, charmed. "Ah, you don't need to hold kisses hostage to convince me to return to you, dear heart."

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 2/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER TWO

He honestly hadn't expected to know whichever batchmate Cody had invited, so he was thoroughly surprised to recognise their Force-presence as they came in view of where the two clones were awkwardly standing in front of Dex's diner.

The clone in mostly white armour, with the Senate emblem on their chest armour in mahogany-red paint, visibly startled when they caught sight of Obi-Wan, shock blaring through their Force-presence, before they blurted, "You're a general?!"

Obi-Wan cleared his throat in a bid to bite back the retort about his status as a member of the GAR, and then ducked into a bow. "I am Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Cody let out a quiet scoff, amusement and a strange, inexplicable sort of victory bleeding into the Force around them. "Generals, this is my batchmate, Commander Fox, who leads the Coruscant Guard. Fox'ika, that's General Jinn, and you're apparently already familiar with General Kenobi."

The diminutive had Commander Fox shaking off their shock, and they jabbed an elbow into Cody's side hard enough to have bruised, if they hadn't both been in armour.

"It's a pleasure to see you looking well, Commander Fox," Obi-Wan offered politely.

"Shall we go in?" Qui-Gon interrupted, before Cody could enact whatever mischief Obi-Wan could sense brewing in their Force-presence.

Fox glanced towards the door to the diner, trepidation and a well-worn sort of loneliness bleeding out into the Force around them. "Are you sure we'll be welcome?" they asked quietly, and then flinched, like they hadn't meant to say that.

Obi-Wan found himself stepping forward and pressing a hand to the commander's pauldron, hard enough to be felt, but light enough to be shrugged off. "The owner is a very good friend of mine; he gave me his assurance that, if anyone inside gave any trouble for troopers coming in, they would be the ones leaving, not you or Cody."

The commander's helmet turned towards him, and Obi-Wan could almost feel the way they searched his face for any sign of a lie, and carefully kept his expression open and reassuring.

"Okay," Fox finally said, and motioned for one of them to lead the way in.

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[FIC] Ni Su’olar A’naast’yc ~ To Be Free Once More sidestory ~ Star Wars ~ Fox/Obi-Wan Kenobi ~ Mature

Title: Ni Su'olar A'naast'yc Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Pairing: Commander Fox/Obi-Wan Kenobi Warnings: Alternate Universe, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Coruscant Guard deserve better, Palpatine is the worst, clone trooper dehumanisation, abuse, decommissioning, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, character death, grief, Force-sensitive clone troopers Summary: Fox is standing guard when Palpatine finds out about Obi-Wan's death. Side-story of To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For).

They didn't know what happened after that, how they got from Palpatine's office to their own office, their precious fox blanket wrapped around themself as they stared down at the error message flashing below the code they'd tried to dial.

Obi-Wan's comm code.

"Fox?" someone called from the doorway of their office.

"They're dead," Fox said, almost didn't recognise their own voice. "Stone, B.J., Mack, Spearchucker, Klinger, Rizzo, Baar, Trig, Diamond, and Throckmorton."

"What?" someone asked, horror filling the air.

Fox breathed it in, let it settle in their lungs as they tapped in Obi-Wan's code again, the one they'd been avoiding using, didn't know if it would be safe for them to comm. Didn't know how they would feel if Obi-Wan refused to answer.

ERROR, blinked across his comm again. UNABLE TO CONNECT. Someone turned off the comm, and Fox stared at where the message had been, feeling something terrible settling, heavy, in their stomach.

"Vod," someone said, voice pitched soft and careful.

Fox swallowed, tugged their blanket a little tighter around themself, and made themself say, "Obi-Wan is dead."

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 14/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Series: Your Hands Protect the Flame Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Palpatine was well-placed, when Obi-Wan found them, held up by a varied group of senators and their attendants, with two cam-droids hovering with interest around the scene, clearly recording some flavour of political drama that was relevant to the interests of those who kept better tabs on the Senate's activities than Obi-Wan.

He wasn't certain what gave him away, but Palpatine's head jerked up and around, kind smile vanishing behind a show of surprise.

"Sheev Palpatine," Obi-Wan called across the space separating them, tried not to notice Fox's head jerking up and around, or the way their Force-presence filled with a desperate hope, "you're under arrest for multiple counts of treason against the Galactic Republic."

Palpatine's expression twisted with rage for a heartbeat, before he got it under control. "Knight Kenobi," he bit out. "I'd heard you'd died."

"No," Obi-Wan returned, flashing a sharp smile. "I'm afraid your little plot to murder Count Dooku on the way back from Florrum failed. He was quite happy to tell me all about how you've been passing him information about GAR movements."

The senators, their aides, and other beings who happened to be in the hallway had all shuffled back, leaving Palpatine standing alone, only Fox remaining at his side, while the cam-droids had multiplied, and other Jedi and troopers had joined the audience.

"The lies of a man desperate to–" Palpatine started.

"We found your secret office," Even interrupted, as he and Mace stepped forward to bracket Obi-Wan. "Both the one with the comm you've been using to speak with him, Nute Gunray, and other known leaders of the Separatists, and the one in the warehouse with two escape crafts and a small army of droids."

Obi-Wan could almost sense Palpatine's mind racing, weighing the likelihood of him managing to convince anyone of his innocence.

And then he smiled, just a little sharp, and said, "Execute Order Thirty-seven."

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 9/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER NINE

Obi-Wan glanced at Trig, around whom sparked surprise, before she said, "I mean, that's right, isn't it? Command wanted another medic to follow you when you leave Coruscant."

Shaak trilled, a togrutan noise of delight, and Obi-Wan shoved at her in the Force, only for her to wrap him in a sensation of sheer delight.

"Do not," he ordered her, shoving ineffectively at the delight she was filling the room with.

Shaak put on a mild smile, the one that meant she was hiding something. "Run along, younglings," she said, tone serene. "I have a comm to make."

"Shaak," Obi-Wan complained, because it didn't matter who she was intending to comm, it was going to end up with the entire Order knowing the Guard had decided he needed a medic following him around, and no one would ever let him live it down.

Her smile widened, showing teeth.

Obi-Wan groaned, took a quick mental inventory of all the supplies on his ship—both the legal ones, and the slightly less than legal ones hidden in the main smuggler's compartment, behind the speeder bay—and offered, "There's some dried kybuck meat on my ship."

Shaak straightened, her eyes narrowing. "Dried," she repeated flatly.

Obi-Wan somehow doubted the kaminoans had much in the way of non-fish meat to share, so she wasn't likely to turn down even dried meat, but obediently offered, "And a container of the tea blend from the south-west commissary." Not his personal favourite tea blend made in Temple, but most of the carnivorous Jedi preferred it. He'd picked it up because he'd been considering taking a togrutan initiate as his first padawan, and then never bothered off-loading it.

Shaak's Force-presence lit up, even as her expression eased back into mild interest. "I suppose I might be persuaded not to comm Master Jinn."

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 4/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER FOUR

The captain clearly considered that for a moment, then turned to more fully face him and asked, "Do you not want to be here, Knight Kenobi?"

Well, that was a loaded question, Obi-Wan considered as he folded his arms a little tighter together, where he'd had them resting in the well-practised Jedi stance of arms clasped in front of him, hidden by the large sleeves of his borrowed robe. "It is not about my wanting," he said in as bland a tone as he could manage. "The barracks are intended as a safe space for you, where you can relax; I can't imagine the introduction of a, hm, nat-born is of much comfort to the troopers, no matter what I may have brought with me."

Carver sighed. "Right. First, everyone was warned you were coming before Stone sent you the directions."

Ah, so CC-5869 was Stone.

"Second, the main hallway and common areas like the refectory are considered fair game for other battalions or visiting nat-borns to poke their noses in. If you tried getting into any of the dorm rooms without an explicit invitation, then you'd be invading a safe space."

"Ah," Obi-Wan breathed. That was...fair.

"Third," Carver stressed, "as far as command is concerned, you're our Jedi. That means everyone's just going to have to get used to you."

That Obi-Wan, admittedly, wasn't certain what to do with. Somehow, despite his intentions, he'd still managed to get adopted by an entire battalion of clones.

Carver turned back towards the queue of clones, their awe and hope and bursts of delight filling the room, pushing away the pervasive sense of absence. "If that's a problem, the easy solution would be to stop pretending to care."

It felt like he'd been stabbed in the chest, a reminder of every moment of inadequacy—imagined or otherwise—throughout his life dropped at his feet like it didn't matter that he had the power to hurt them the same way he'd once been hurt.

He stared outward, letting the warmth filling the room buoy him, soothe away the edges of hurt, and somehow his voice came out collected when he said, "I don't make a habit of abandoning other beings, Captain; if the Coruscant Guard want me to piss off, you'll have to be explicit about it."

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 5/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER FIVE

Finally, Mas Amedda called, "The chair recognises the representative from the republic system of Melidaan."

Roenni moved their pod out and up, so they were floating across from the chancellor's stand. "Chancellor, delegates," Roenni greeted perfunctorily. "I am certain that many of you expect this to be a derision of the war effort, and I will continue to hold that it is not war we should be engaging in, when diplomacy is still an option."

"I will remind the honour–"

"I am not finished," Roenni snapped, and whichever senator had attempted to interrupt shut up. "I do not support the war, but I do support our troops, because I have been a soldier, fighting in a war started by others, which I had no true stake in. I was nine, when our four generals—only three of whom are still alive, and have joined me in my pod—managed to force the hands of the adults of our planet and bring us to the table to discuss peace. We remember what that took, what war does to those fighting in it; I have more respect for those troopers and Jedi this body has forced to endanger themselves, than I have for anyone else in this chamber."

"Roenni," Obi-Wan murmured, sensing the rising anger in the Force, the way the other senators were gearing up for a fight, instead of to listen.

She took a breath, held it, and let it out, then said, "I apologise. It was not my intention to rehash old arguments. I fear that the oversight I discovered has brought up unpleasant memories."

She looked up, towards the Bormea sector's pod, and said, "You speak so sincerely, Senator Snopps, about the bravery and diligence of our troops, and yet, this body has left some of those troops—the ones on this very planet—without much-needed supplies.

"The Coruscant Guard were meant to be folded in to the Coruscant Security Forces," Roenni continued, flicking her fingers over the pod's controls, and causing a large holo of the relevant law to appear in the centre of the room, while smaller versions appeared above the control panels of all the pods. "However, this body made the choice to fold those forces into the main body of the Grand Army of the Republic just over a month later." Another document appeared as a holo, for all to see. "This addendum did not redistribute the Coruscant Security Forces' supplies to the Coruscant Guard."

Murmurs filled the room, concern and distress filling the Force.

"For over six months, the troops given the keeping of Coruscant have been without food, medical supplies, replacements for any equipment, or ammunition," Roenni commented, quiet and cold. "They have been hungry, and they have been hurting, and no one in this chamber cared to notice. They have stood guard at your decadent parties, have followed you as protection detail around the planet on your little shopping expeditions. They have suffered in silence, and we have let them.

"That ends now," Roenni snarled. "This body loves to dither and debate, but we will not do so this time. Our inaction has done damage enough to the Coruscant Guard, and it is our duty to vote so that this abuse ends today."

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[FIC] To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) ~ Star Wars: Prequels ~ Fox/Obi-Wan ~ Mature ~ Ch 8/15

Title: To Be Free Once More (That's Worth Fighting For) Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Era Author: Batsutousai Rating: Mature Warnings: Alternate Universe, Qui-Gon survives, Jedi Shadow!Obi-Wan, Jedi culture positive, Coruscant Guard deserve better, clone trooper dehumanisation, institutional abuse, discrimination, learning to trust, Jedi and clone trooper relationships, strangers to friends to lovers, idiots in love, trans/nonbinary/agender clone troopers, trans/nonbinary/agender Jedi, character deaths (Palpatine, some Corries, offscreen Jedi OCs; more detail in notes of relevant chapters) Summary: As a Jedi Shadow, Obi-Wan hadn't expected to have much to do with the clone troopers. Until, suddenly, he does.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Fox hesitated, glancing back at Obi-Wan, before reaching out and grabbing the other two ration bars, unwrapping one and breaking it in half, offering half to Obi-Wan with a determined slant to their mouth.

Obi-Wan debated refusing—Fox needed the food far more than he did—but every single time Obi-Wan had been around when Fox had food, they'd refused to eat until they knew Obi-Wan would also partake. He didn't know if it was a trauma response—ensuring the rest of the Guard had something before they allowed themself the same—of it was something inherent to them before their arrival on Coruscant. Not that it really mattered; Fox wouldn't eat until they'd ensured Obi-Wan had eaten something, so he took the half a bar with a smile and murmured, "Thank you, dear one."

"Just eat," Fox muttered, and shoved the other half in their mouth.

Obi-Wan did so, taking his time with his half, so Fox wouldn't try to offer up part of their full bar.

When Fox finished that and immediately reached for a datapad, Obi-Wan caught their wrist and gently tugged them back in close. "Come on, I'm sure you can sleep some more."

"I have work–"

"You're wounded and exhausted," Obi-Wan interrupted. "Your work ethic is to be commended, truly, but you need to rest, Fox."

Fox scowled at him, even as they shifted to lie back down next to him. "I'm not tired," they complained, and then yawned.

"You don't have to sleep," Obi-Wan promised, shifting a hand up to rub at their scalp, allowing himself a victorious smile when Fox went boneless against him. "Just let your body relax a bit."

"Keep doing that," Fox mumbled, almost slurring the words.

"Happily," Obi-Wan replied, and was gifted with Fox drifting back off after another couple of minutes.

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