A/N: This is a story I have been playing with for awhile, so let me know what you think of it!
The vastness of space amazes many including Anakin Skywalker. Except a battle waged in this part of space, and there was no time to gaze at space. There was a battle to win.
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan shouted at his former apprentice over the comm system. He had been in countless space battles and every single one with Anakin seemed to be life endangering. Though after every battle he was almost glad that Anakin was there someone he knew he could count on. Even if that meant he had to put up with Anakin's horrible joke telling, and stories about podracers he wouldn't trade time with Anakin for anyone else. Yes, Anakin could be a little much, but that's what made him Anakin and that's what he likes about him. His former padawan practically wore his heart on his sleeve, and that's made him a unique Jedi, not the practical kind.
"Yes, Master?" Anakin replied as he pulled his starfighter up to avoid colliding with a vulture droid.
"Never again will I let Anakin make me the bait," Obi-Wan muttered under his breath. As he swerved left and right to avoid blaster fire. "Would you quit messing around and help me get them off my tail!" Obi-Wan articulated.
"I heard that Master, and yes I will come to your help. Since I seem to need to help you all the time." Anakin answered in his playful voice. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes but smiled. Anakin fired upon the droids destroying them fast. Probably why most people considered him the best pilot ever.
"Happy now?" Anakin asked as he and Obi-Wan flew towards the nearest Separatist Frigate.
"Very Anakin" Obi-Wan declared sarcastically. As Obi-Wan swerved to the left to avoid collision with the Separatist Frigate. Shaking his ship in turn from the swerve.
"Blast! This is why flying is for droids!" Obi-Wan exclaimed when the sharp turn he took caused him to bump his body rather harshly into the side of his fighter. Over the comm, he heard Anakin chuckling. Obi-Wan shook his head, he could never understand how Anakin loved this. After gruesome battles, Anakin would still be on his ship constantly working on it. He had even found his former padawan fast asleep in the cockpit after a battle, so he had brought a blanket and covered him with it. Anakin may be a General in the army of the Republic to some people, but he would always be the child he raised and his best friend. He would want no one else, but his best friend to cover his back.
"C'mon we've got to push towards the command ship!" Anakin voiced as he speeds up towards the command ship. Anakin loved this it gave him an adrenaline rush. Some people might like to play sports, but he liked to fly.
"Careful Anakin! With that sort of speed, you're are going to crash into it! I have a bad feeling about this." Obi-Wan insisted. Worry clearly evident in his voice. He had been through many battles lost many good men and he was not ready to lose Anakin. Anakin always has done the scary stunts, but miraculously, in the end, he survived and the tactic Anakin used worked and lead them to victory, despite what the council said.
"It's fine really, and besides you always have a bad feeling." Anakin pointed out as he spun his ship more than he needed to avoid blaster fire.
"Someone needs to worry. It seems you don't worry enough." Obi-Wan expressed. Following after Anakin starfighter. Anakin was sometimes too carefree than Obi-Wan would like, but perhaps worrying was in Obi-Wan's blood.
"Worrying isn't good for you Master," Anakin responded as he picked off the separatists fighters.
All of a sudden a fighter appeared right behind Anakin, and seeing it Obi-Wan immediately fired upon it. It was a hit. The wing of the fighter was burning up and it started to spiral out of control. Then to Obi-Wan dismay, it collided with his former padawan starfighter.
"Anakin are you okay? Your ship is trailing smoke." Obi-Wan inquired concerned. It was war after all, and their starships didn't exactly come back always unscathed, but he felt the need to ask.
"I'm fine Master just...a..little..problem..nothing I can't-" Anakin replied only to be cut off when his ship's hyperdrive activated, and with that, the Jedi Master watched as his friend's ship took off into hyperspace. Obi-Wan's eyes widened in shock he quickly moved to open the comm system, and he practically shouted through the comm.
"Anakin! Anakin!" Only to hear static on the other end.
"Bridge this is General Kenobi, scan for General Skywalker's starship." Obi-Wan ordered with worry clearly evident in his voice, but it still was a firm command.
"Right away sir." Responded a clone trooper and went to check for the general's ship. After a couple minutes Obi-Wan's comm beeped and he immediately answered it.
"Scans for General Skywalker's ship are coming up negative, and his homing beacon was damaged so we can not track him. Also, the comm system and any means of communication that ship contain, seem to be damaged as well." A clone replied. Obi-Wan inwardly winced, but he composed himself and dejectedly said.
"I see...thank you...I will contact the council on this situation after this battle." Pinching his nose he closed his eyes and signed out loud. War was messy and stopped for no one, not even a pause was permitted. Opening his eyes he hoped to mediate and a clearer mind would prevail and hopefully, the situation would present an answer.
"What is thy bidding my master?" A hooded figure asked as he kneeled and bowed his head in respect before a hologram of a hooded silhouette.
"I have sensed a shift in the force Lord Tyranus." The hooded silhouette spoke.
"As have I, Master. It seems to revolve around Skywalker." The hooded figure looked up making his hood fall down revealing the face of Count Dooku.
"Yes….it seems to." The hooded silhouette admitted tilting his head back as if he was in deep thought like calculating the next move.
"What should we do? Does he stand in the way of our plans?" Count Dooku inquired. Skywalker was a pest with an attitude that could be set off at any moment, but what intrigued him the most was why his master was so interested in Skywalker.
"No. I sense our plans are coming to fruition sooner than we thought. Tell General Grievous to flee the battle. The destruction of the Jedi is near and the Sith will rule once more." A smile began to creep across his face as Darth Sidious replied.
"As you wish, my master," Dooku answered and bowed his head in submission. The transmission ended and he stood up, looking towards the nearest droid he said. "Contact General Grievous and tell him to pull out of battle immediately."
The droid looked surprised but knew not to question an order and straightened up before replying.
"Yes, sir." Then went running off to do his bidding. Dooku grimaced, sure droids were easier to make, but obviously clones were superior to droids they could think outside the box. Perhaps his master would know this if he actually had to fight with them. Taking a deep breath, he began to make his way to his quarters to meditate on what was about to occur, and possibly how it could benefit him.
After all, why let good opportunities pass up?
Mediating did not help and only led him to more questions without answers. The force used to be so much more clear before the Sith, before the war. No frequent council meetings about battles, no all-nighters pulled to come up with battle strategies. Anakin endlessly cracking the worst jokes in hopes of keeping one of them awake, so the one would wake the other up. Looking at the big picture Obi-Wan thought, how does someone win a war? Just then, Obi-Wan looked up to see the Separatist Frigates fleeing the battle and one by one jumping to hyperspace. Puzzled Obi-Wan started stroking his beard trying piece why the Separatists would do that. How could they benefit from withdrawing from the battle? Didn't they need the planet below? More questions to add to the list about the Separatists.
"Sir, what should we do?" A voice broke Obi-Wan out of his thoughts. Blinking rapidly and rubbing his eyes he responded.
"Scan for any incoming ships if they decide to come back. We'll call it after a day."
"Yes, sir." The clone saluted and started to command the clones on the bridge. Stifling a yawn, but not doing very well Obi-Wan started to head to intelligence section of the ship. A hand came out and stopped him, his eyes raising he turned to see none other than Commander Cody with a disapproving look spread across his face.
"General, you should get some sleep you look exhausted, I can take the reports from intelligence. Just go get some rest, and don't try to deny it. I've seen you yawn at least 50 times in the past hour." Cody said with concern pressing his lips together in a tight line. Obi-Wan opened his mouth then shut it, perhaps he was right. It wouldn't hurt to take a small nap.
"Just this once I guess, but if the Separatists or even one ship come back contact me immediately." Obi-Wan insisted.
"Of course General, don't worry we got this under control. Go get some rest, you'll need it." Cody replied. His general needed to sleep he hadn't seen him rest longer than 6 hours since they've been out in the Outer-Rim. They've been out here for 2 months, who knew when that man slept.
"Thank you, Cody," Obi-Wan said putting his hand on Cody's shoulder. Removing it he started walking in the direction of his quarters.
Coming out of his deep slumber Obi-Wan pulled off his covers and strode his way into the fresher. Washing and drying his face felt good sometimes these little things were taken for granted. During war, everything is appreciated including food. Ration bars were okay the first few months. When it became years they started to taste like nothing. Which is some cases is good, but it would be nice to taste something after a long battle with your stomach growling. Looking at the time on the wall he figured he ought to contact the council or Yoda and Mace.
After a day it was confirmed that they weren't coming back, and Obi-Wan was to report to the council.
"..No" Jedi Master Mace Windu stated if he were denying a child their toy.
"What? You're serious?" Master Kenobi said completely losing his composure, and distress and concern began to color his features. "Anakin is missing and you're not willing to look for him? It's been a week he would have found his way back now." Obi-Wan was growing impatient. When he first contacted the council after the battle, they told him to report back to give his report on the battle, and then they would discuss the situation at hand. Then when he finally arrived, they made him wait two days. His tolerance with the council was wearing thin, if he were missing and Anakin was looking for him he wouldn't rest till he found him. Why should he be sleeping and waiting when his former padawan, his best friend is out there missing?
"Calm yourself Master Kenobi, you must.' A new voice spoke with almost pity. Obi-Wan turned his attention to see Master Yoda in his chair holding his cane looking at him with piercing eyes almost trying to see through him. Like a human looking through the cage at animal trying to understand its life. None of these Jedi Masters understood what he and Anakin shared. It was a bond, but more than that, a brotherhood that would forever be apart of his life. He looked in disgust around at them how could they.
"The Jedi are spread thin across the galaxy, we don't have enough to muster a search for Skywalker. I'm sorry, we just don't have the numbers, nor the time." Mace's voice dipping to an apologetic tone. Obi-Wan looked down staring at his feet.
"I see. I will be going unless the council requires something else of me."Obi-Wan finally said looking up.
"Actually yes, the outer rim sieges are-" Shaak Ti began only to be cut off by Mace Windu holding up his hand as a sign to stop.
"No, we will adjourn tomorrow."
"But the sieges are very important it could-" Master Ti went on and was again interrupted by Master Windu.
"That is quite enough Master Ti, the clones can handle another day." Mace Windu said his patience wavering. Shaak Ti sensing this backed down and swallowed the reprimand she was going to say. Turning his attention to Master Kenobi he answered: "You are dismissed Master Kenobi."
"Very well masters, may the force be with you." And with that Obi-Wan bowed, turned and left the council chambers heading straight to his room. Perhaps on a normal day he would have greeted the younglings he passed by and acknowledged the masters and knights, but today was not a normal day. Come to think of it, no day in Obi-Wan Kenobi's life was anywhere near normal not during wartime. Arriving at his room he immediately summoned his datapad to his hands and sat right down on the couch. Scrolling through the news he saw the usual, the war effort and pictures of him and Anakin fighting off attacks from the "evil" separatists. Cracking a smile of a goofy photo of Anakin and him when they saved an Outer Rim planet.
He began to use his datapad to search for any news that might revolve around or relate to Anakin's disappearance. Finally, he looked up and it was late, very late he looked out and it was pitch black out. Groaning he pulled himself off the couch, and made his way to his room, and changed into his night clothes. Walking back out to the couch grabbing his comm his eyes settled on Anakin's old room. Many things had not been cleared out and old models of starships were still in there. With the craziness of the war, they never had time to properly move his things out. Finally forcing himself to take his eyes off of Anakin's old room he walked into his bedroom. Getting into bed he pulled the covers up as he turned onto his side, and as he closed his eyes as he made a silent vow.
Anakin will be found no one will stand in the way of it.
A/N: I'll still be tweaking this for silly errors so feel free to point them out! As always reviews are appreciated!