The Warrior's Path

Chapter 9 - Death Star

Author's Note: Enjoy the action/chaos! ;)

~ Amina Gila

"They'll see a coming from the planet," Obi-Wan points out, feeling as if he finally needs to be the voice of reason. It's all good and well to have ideas about how to sneak around inside the giant starship abomination – who thought the title Death Star was a good idea anyway? – but none of that even matters if they get shot out of space before they even arrive. They're no use to anyone if they're dead.

His words make everyone pause for a moment. "We'll take the shuttle that I used to come down to the planet," Vader replies from where he's curled into Custos' side. He might be an adult now, but he somehow makes it work, and like that, knees pulled up to his chest, he looks so much younger than he is. He's only twenty or thereabouts. Twenty. Force.

What does the galaxy have against the Skywalkers? Obi-Wan can't help but wonder that with a sudden surge of bitter resentment. Both Anakin and Vader were forced to see things no child should have when they were young. And then, somehow, both ended up partaking in military operations when they were still practically children. Anakin was nineteen. Vader was eighteen. And Obi-Wan hates it. He finds it extremely... infuriating that neither of them got to have a proper childhood. He did his best with Anakin, and they all helped Vader, but he doesn't think it was enough. For either of them. They deserved better.

Anakin elbows him, breaking him out of his train of thought. "I know you don't like this situation any more than I do," he says under his breath, just loud enough for Obi-Wan to hear him, "And we can discuss all of your many, many complaints about how insane and suicidal this plan is after we carry it out, deal?"

He only doesn't roll his eyes, because it's such a juvenile thing to do, and he's far too mature for that. "What are we waiting for?" he asks pointedly.

Custos catches Obi-Wan's gaze, raising an eyebrow ever so slightly, the tinge of amusement in his eyes letting Obi-Wan know that he knows – or at least strongly suspects – that he knows what Obi-Wan was thinking. He very, very badly wants to kick him. But he won't do that either because he's too mature for things like that.

Sometimes, Custos likes to be extremely annoying when it comes to how overprotective Obi-Wan acts towards both Anakin and Vader.

"Nothing," Vader answers, pushing himself upright. "Let's go."

The other three stand in sync, and together, the four of them exit the room and head towards the landing platform where Vader's shuttle is located. There are two stormtroopers there while the rest are inside searching the Palace, so it's relatively easy to slip past them via a mind trick while Vader gives them instructions while joining them inside.

"We can only hope that whoever is in command of the Death Star will let us pass," Custos says quietly, voice strained as they strap themselves in. Vader and Anakin are in the pilot and co-pilot seats, respectively, and all four of them are bracing themselves for whatever is about to come.

No one speaks as they fly through the atmosphere, up towards the monstrous abomination looming over Alderaan like a small moon. Vader hails the station, informing whoever is in charge of his imminent arrival, and he's told which hanger bay to land in.

"I feel like something isn't right," Anakin mutters under his breath as they fly into the hanger bay and land. "I don't know what Sidious is up to. What is this station even here for? What purpose does it have? What would he have to gain by destroying Alderaan?"

Obi-Wan can't help but tense as Anakin says what all of them have, no doubt, been wondering. None of them have wanted to voice the possibility that Alderaan might be the ultimate target of the Death Star. And their family is down there. They have to succeed, because if they don't, Padme, the twins, and the Lars will die. And that will devastate Anakin. He might never recover from losing them. Obi-Wan knows that he probably won't either. None of them will.