I Bet My Life

Twelve: Thunder

Obi-Wan stood there with wide eyes at his friend in front of him. Quinlan, one of his oldest friends from the Temple from the times that they were just learning to use the Force with Master Yoda. The times when they trained with each other with the training sabers for the tournament when Masters selected their apprentices. The friend that welcomed him back with no judgment after being sent to the Agri-Corps for not being chosen immediately, but soon found a Master when assisting him in the capture of Qui-Gon's former Padawan Xanatos. Quinlan had been there through all of that and Obi-Wan just appreciated having a friend there with him. Once they both had received the ranks of Knights in the Order and received unexpected Padawans, Anakin for Obi-Wan and Aayla for Quinlan, they teamed up as a foursome practically for every mission that couldn't be taken by a singular Master and Apprentice duo. Sure, Anakin seemed to be influenced by Quinlan's, well unorthodox and reckless plans, they always seemed to adapt quickly and get the job done in a somewhat timely manner. However once the Clone Wars hit the galaxy, Quinlan and Obi-Wan had less missions together as they both were assigned battalions to maintain 24/7, but they went on missions with their former Padawans who were initiated into the Jedi Knighthood. Obi-Wan seemed to be going on perilous adventures with Anakin and his personality-equaled squad of soldiers from the GAR, which he had absolutely no problem with except for feeling like he was constantly babysitting his former Padawan, his former Padawan's Padawan, and the reckless clones who followed behind with the same mindset as their general. Sure, there were the occasional solo missions he went on with another Jedi, yet very few were with Jedi he preferred to accompany him. In reality, the only mission he and Quinlan teamed up for that had some significance was the manhunt on Ziro the Hutt, which ultimately failed due to a solo bounty hunter killing him before the friend duo had a chance to reach them. After that unsuccessful mission, the pair of friends never saw each other again in battle, fighting side-by-side with each other. However, that all changed now. Quinlan was standing in front of Obi-Wan, somehow alive by some miracle. The two stood there, dumbfounded that each one was still alive after Order 66. Quinlan shrugged his shoulders, raising an eyebrow,

"C'mon, Shortie. I know you want a hug."

"How are you still alive?" Obi-Wan asked as he tightly embraced his long time friend.

"You really think that me, Quinlan Vos, would die of a singular blast to the heart? And to a bunch of copy n' paste soldiers, no offense dude."

"None taken," Cody replied, stirring up a cup of what was suspected to be caf and still letting the young boy sleep on his shoulder.

"Anyway, I hid out on Kashyyyk for a bit. Got to know some of the Wookiee tribes in the area. Really nice folks... Well, when you can get the jist of what they're telling you."

"You can't understand Shyriiwook, Quin?"

"You can?!?"

"Yeah... Remember basic galactic languages class?"

"Pff, I won't remember something like that from my time as a youngling. But I do remember when I was burning myself by accident with the training sabers because you were so gosh dang at blocking."

"Well, it's not my fault that you were too busy trying to do the Grandmaster's insane moves and I didn't want to wear an eyepatch the rest of my life due to your prideful lightsaber skills."

"Oh c'mon Shortie, that was the good old days."

"Yes, I do agree with you on that... That's when life was simple and very few worries existed..."

"True that... Very true... So how have you been? Seriously, I want to know."

"I've been okay."

"Now I know that's a straightforward lie, my dear friend."