Confractio Intus

the story begins

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Obi-Wan Kenobi leaned back in his chair and sighed. He just wanted to get this Council meeting over with. He was so fucking tired, a bone deep tiredness. Obi-Wan focused on the meeting as Yoda began speaking again, "Killed Dooku I have." Something about that statement niggled at Obi-Wan's brain. This was somehow important but his tired brain didn't process it, nor did it process the half-choked sound that the hologram of Jedi Master Mace Windu made.

"Anything else?" Mace questioned in a slightly strangled voice. "Then this meeting is adjourned."

The holograms winked out of existence. The Council members in the Council room stood up getting ready to leave. Suddenly, there was a disturbance in the Force around the Jedi Temple. It felt like a scream of grief and pain. It was a scream of grief and pain. Most of the Council members fell into their seats, as attuned to the Force as they were.

However, Obi-Wan faltered, then abruptly whitened and ran out the Council room.

"Master, where are you going?" Anakin yelled after him.

"No time, Anakin!" he shouted back. Why are his quarters on the other side of the Jedi Temple? Anakin frowned in confusion. His master probably didn't mean for Anakin to hear that, but whose quarters? Anakin leaped out of the chair and ran after Obi-Wan.

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Obi-Wan cursed. He had recognized the Force presence that had screamed, as distorted as it was. He could only hope to reach Mace's quarters in time. "Bant! Bant!" he called over his comlink. "Get to Mace's quarters, fast!"

"What happened?"

"No time to explain, just do it! It's about the scream from earlier!"

"Shit! I'm coming!"

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Depa Billaba was confused. Why was Obi-Wan Kenobi running to Mace's quarters?

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"Mace!" Obi-Wan yelled as he burst into Mace's quarters. He found Mace sitting, seemingly calm, on his bed, bleeding out from two deep slashes in his wrists. However, as Mace turned to look at him, Obi-Wan found that he had been crying.

"Mace, why are you doing this?"

"You know why. He's dead."

"What about Dormé?" Obi-Wan asked.

"What does Padmé's handmaiden have to do with this?" Anakin asked, panting as he gestured to the tableau in front of him. "What the fuck is going on?"

"Anakin, I'll explain later. Ah, Bant, you're here, good." The Mon Calamari immediately began healing Mace. When she pulled up his sleeves and saw the fresh cuts, Bant sighed, "Seriously?"

Mace flushed but mumbled sadly, "He's dead."

Bant pulled back to look at Obi-Wan. "You didn't tell me! How? Never mind, you will explain later. Let's get him to the Healing Halls. He needs a few hours in the bacta tank."

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While Mace was still healing, Obi-Wan turned to Anakin. "Anakin, call your wife. I need to talk to her."

"How did you know?!" Anakin, shocked.

"You two are the least subtle people I know. We literally saw you kiss on Geonosis. Now, call her." Anakin flushed but pulled out his comlink.