I'm Safe Inside Your Head

7. It Never Really Ends

The gift was successfully delivered, the attempted saboteur caught. Petra ended up with all the hard work, but she got it done.

Her second attempt at a solo mission went much better, the mission meeting its expected parameters. More followed, each with growing responsibility.

"Don't forget your-"

She held up the breather he was about to bring up, an eyebrow raised.

Obi-Wan huffed. He'd been watching her pack for the last twenty minutes, providing suggestions for the last twenty minutes, all of which she'd already sorted. At this point, even Cody was eyeing him over the blatant motherhenning.

"I have been doing this for a couple of years now, Master," she reminded him.

"Let an old man worry."

She made a snorting sound effect in his mind.

"Go on, you can let me worry, but you don't have to let me make you late."

She pulled Obi-Wan into a hug, giving Cody the same treatment before waving her way out the door. In the silence that followed her departure, Cody came to Obi-Wan's side, nudging their shoulders together. "What's on your mind?"

He was still watching the door, feeling Petra move further and further away, headed for the hanger. She'd meet up with her mission partner soon, a fellow senior padawan maybe a year or so less experienced, meaning Petra would be taking the lead. "Every master thinks they have more time," Obi-Wan said, swaying into Cody.

Cody hummed, his arm falling over Obi-Wan's shoulder. "So you've come to terms with it then?"

"I'm not sure I'd go that far."

Cody chuckled, the vibrations of his chest so familiar. "Our padawan is ready, Obi-Wan."

But was Obi-Wan?

***

Sparring with Petra had been a joy for many a year now. A joy, but also utterly exhausting. Today was no different.

She'd certainly been putting Obi-Wan through his paces this morning. The longer the spar went, the greater advantage she had, but they'd both been going strong for an hour now and neither had managed to get more than a hit or two over on the other.

Still, they were both grinning, trying with everything they had. They'd ended up with quite the audience. It had started off with just Cody and a few of his vode in the Temple on a visit, but now there were a bunch of Jedi too, knights, masters, and padawans. If Obi-Wan wasn't mistaken, he was fairly certain he'd seen a few credit chits being passed around.

"Your knees holding up, old man?" Petra asked.

"Lightsaber not too big for you, little one?"

Obi-Wan leapt over a wide swing of glowing gold, ducking almost before he'd landed as Petra let go of her lightsaber so it could continue its swing over her back, attacking him a second time without losing any of her momentum. Their blades connected for barely a fraction of a second and then they were moving again.

"Come on, Petra!"

Obi-Wan leapt backwards, granting him a moment's reprieve, more than enough time to say, "Rex, I want you to know I am utterly betrayed by this," to Cody's (favourite) little brother.

If Rex replied, Obi-Wan was too busy fending off a wave of vicious attacks that utilised Petra's double blade against him. There was cheering as she landed another hit before Obi-Wan managed to get off the back foot and give a little of what he was getting.

It was a blink-and-you'll-miss-it manoeuvre. She'd left herself open in a blatant feint he knew better than to go for, only it turned out to be a double-bluff. Trouble for her, his position was just as advantageous. They were both a hair's breadth from what could only be considered a final blow and they both knew it. So they both, at the same time, decided the best response was to throw each other back with the Force.