ℝ𝔼ℂ𝕂𝕃𝔼𝕊𝕊 ➵ o. kenobi {my only hope; book 2}

【 ONE 】

     ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ɴɪɢʜᴛ. The entire platform was shrouded in darkness; my only source of light the vast blanket of stars stretched out above me.

For the calmness that was the night sky, it was very windy. My hair and robes whipped in the wind as I stood before the ships, waiting calmly for the others to join me. Not that I minded the wind much... I'd always somewhat enjoyed it. That was one of the things I'd missed most while living on Coruscant... the feeling of the breeze in my hair, the way the air sifted through the trees and the grass, how real, natural, and raw that felt. With the nice, warm air, it would have been a nice night to lay out and look at the stars, meditate, feel at one with the Force.

Meditating was something I'd learned to appreciate throughout the past couple of years. When it came to controlling my emotions and feeling at peace with the energy around me, meditation was a nice tool to turn to. And heaven knows I needed peace every once in a while.

It had officially been ten years since the Naboo-blockade incident, and I felt like I hadn't had a restful moment since. What with the increase in my training and the missions I'd been sent on by the Council, it truly felt like I hadn't fully been at peace ever since I'd been relaxing in my room on Coruscant before I'd even taken this mission to Naboo. It was a strange feeling, but also a good one. I liked the work I did--I wouldn't be the person I was today without it. It made being who I was rewarding, and worth all of the sacrifices I'd had to make.

I almost wished I could take tonight to meditate, though. The stress in the air was only increasing with our newest mission, and it took all I had in me to not run for the hills.

"Master Naberrie?"

"Yes, Captain?" I turned, trying to jolt myself away from my thoughts. I wasn't backing out of this mission, and certainly not running from it.

I recognized the pilot who had addressed me. Gregar Typho, one of Naboo's most renowned captains, and one of the highest ranking officials on the security detail we were planning for this trip. He was walking toward me briskly, full of purpose, and bowed as he approached. "We're ready to begin our journey to Coruscant, ma'am," he announced.

I nodded at him in return. "Thank you, captain."

He bowed once more, then headed toward one of the yellow ships, securing his place with one of the other pilots.

Coruscant. I'd been preparing myself for weeks for my return. It had been over ten years since I'd last been there, and returning to a place that had been so close to my heart wouldn't be easy. Of course, Kera and the other masters would be there waiting for me, but that wouldn't make my trip home any less emotional.

I'd been waiting for this moment for ten years... yet I felt that now that the moment was here, I couldn't help but dread it.

The others began to make their way onto the platform, all dressed up in comfortable flying uniforms but one. Captain Typho stepped forward, barking out orders, assigning people to ships.

"Listen up, everyone, it's just as we discussed," he called. "Senator, I'd like you with Master Naberrie. Cordé, you'll be on the Senator's ship with the rest of the squadron. And keep up the act. As safe as you might think it is, we can't breathe easily until we've landed in Coruscant. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," everyone chorused, and dispersed toward the several ships scattered in formation throughout the platform. The Senator of Naboo, dressed very modestly in her flying uniform, approached me with her hair tied up neatly and her helmet secured tightly in her arms.

"Nervous?" She asked, passing me and climbing the retractable ladder into the passenger seat.

I rolled my eyes with a soft smirk before following her lead, pulling myself easily up the short ladder and into the pilot's seat in front of hers. "Only if you are," I teased.