Breathing Ashes

Chapter 1 - Crash

Author's Note: It doesn't say immediately what made Obi-Wan Fall, but I assure you it will be explained later. ;) What's the fun in answering all the questions in the first chapter?

Also, I know some people might not like how Vader's written here, but he's not going to react to Obi-Wan the way he would to most things he considers threats. 

WARNING: Abusive relationships and torture (sort of)

~ Tirana Sorki

PS. This is an AU of the canon novel Lords of the Sith, so there are some... similarities to it in terms of dialogue and whatnot. 

There's 13 chapters, and we'll be updating weekly on Tuesday. ^-^

Alsoooo, this is for the Obikin 2023 bingo. :D

~ Amina Gila

The trip to Ryloth alongside Sidious is unusual, to say the least, but his master had emphasized the necessity of completely destroying the rebel activity growing on the planet. His master probably senses something, Vader suspects, because inevitably, his thoughts are always one step ahead of Vader himself.

They're acting as bait, so Vader is ready for the fight. He's always ready. He senses the disturbance in the Force moments before they streak out of hyperspace. And then... he senses someone. Someone he hasn't felt in years.

He knows that presence like he knows nothing else. It's him Vader usually thinks of – always has, actually – whenever he reaches for the Force.

Obi-Wan.

What – what's he doing here? He should have expected it. Sidious likely already knows, hence why he came. One step ahead of Vader, as always.

He was looking for Obi-Wan for years, as soon as he has time between everything Sidious asks of him. He must find him. He must make up for his failure on Mustafar, and... and he doesn't know what then. He doesn't let himself think about what he wants, because it's a betrayal of the highest kind, and Sidious will know. He will always know.

The ship jolts violently, explosions tearing through the sides of it, though Vader can't see anything outside the viewport. Sidious appears undisturbed; instead, he's looking at him. "You seem troubled, my friend."

"I sense..." His respirator cycles. "Kenobi."

"Yes," Sidious replies, "The presence of a Jedi here is... expected."

"Their treachery will be dealt with," Vader promises.

"Treachery never goes unpunished, old friend," his master agrees, and there's something about that tone, those words. They aren't directed at the Jedi or Rebels, at least not entirely. It's a pointed warning, isn't it? He knows. He always knows.

When Sidious says nothing more, Vader turns his focus back to the rebel attack. Mines are exploding all around the ship, but even beyond that, Vader can sense more danger. (He tries to ignore the feel of Obi-Wan's presence. He can't afford to be distracted by anything right now.)

Vulture droids swarm out from behind the asteroids, and Vader wastes no time in leaving the ship to deal with them.

He should have seen it was only a distraction, though. The real threat was on the ship, a group of Twi'lek's preparing to blow it up. And it's working. The ship is going down, and he barely makes it to Sidious' second, hidden shuttle – he has contingencies for everything, doesn't he? – and something about that twists a little uneasily inside of him, for as much as it also always awes him – before the ship goes crashing for the surface.