Accismus⋆౨ৎ˚⟡.• Anakin Skywalker⋆౨ৎ˚⟡.•

104.

'Obi-wan! It's so good to see you!'

Obi-wan Kenobi embraced Padme Amidala with a wide smile. For years, Obi-wan's social interactions were exclusivley with Sol, the twins, and with Owen and Beru Lars. But now, he was able to see another face that reminded him of the good times before the Empire.

On Yavin 4, the rebels' new base was operational. After the captain arrived with Revan onboard her ship, the Resistance got to work on securing the perimetre and monitoring any ships that entered the atmosphere. The planet was nothing but trees and Ewoks, making it the perfect location for a hidden base. Unlike Hoth, where it was frighteningly cold all the time, and the base was made out of unstable ice, Yavin 4's base was strong in its structure of grey walls and predominantly warm weather.

'We saw the mess you left before we jumped,' Ahsoka butted in from beside Obi-wan. 'They didn't look happy.'

'I'm sure they weren't. But we didn't lose too many,' Padme said, her head held high and her smile solemnly small. 'You didn't happen to... sense anything on the way here? Any sign of Sol?'

'Nothing,' Obi-wan said with his joyful attitude slipping. 'The Force is very quiet in the galaxy.'

Padme could see the worry on the man's face. Living in a desert was prominent in Obi-wan's appearance, as he was riddled with fine lines,and his brown hair and beard had grown to be unruly. He had acquired a tan from the two suns of Tatooine, and Padme noticed that he wasn't wearing his Jedi robes. But underneath his tunic, was a utility belt that undoubtedly held his lightsaber. Padme wondered if Obi-wan had to blow the dust off of its handle before he arrived.

As much as Padme wanted to rekindle some old humour with her longtime friend, the situation didn't call for such behaviour.

Ahsoka had left Hoth early to inform the Jedi Master about Sol's supposed capture, and those who knew Obi-wan assumed that he would be arriving at the new base with the Togruta. For the Resistance, it was an advantage to have another Jedi for their cause. But Padme wished that she was able to see the obviously troubled man in better circumstances.

'How are the twins?' Padme asked while she, Ahsoka and Obi-wan turned to head out from the base's hanger.

'They're growing, that's for sure. I'm only mildly masking their signatures as I assume that the Empire are occupied with.. well, their mother.'

'Yes, of course.'

Padme looked out of the corner of her eye at Ahsoka, who had been relatively quiet since her arrival. The captain felt awful for the woman who had the unfortunate task of informing Obi-wan about Sol's disappearance. She could only imagine what the conversation had been like when Ahsoka's ship landed in the desert. Padme assumed that Ahsoka was bombarded with questions from Luke and Leia about their mother.

'Aunty Soka! You're back!

'Where's Mum? Is she with you?'

They were too young to notice how Ahsoka's smile was strained. But Obi-wan, who stepped out of the complex, knew immediately that the worst had happened.

Like the man that he was, Obi-wan didn't hesitate to offer his help with Sol's rescue. The twins were safe on Tatooine with their Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. It was Sol that needed his help now, and he couldn't be of assistance while on the desert planet on the Outer-Rim. He pushed through the sinking of his heart and tried not to think of what Darth Vader could possibly be doing to Sol while under the orders of the Emperor. He could have wallowed in his sorrows after hearing that his best friend, and the woman he considered his family, had been captured by the very thing that they had been hiding from. But Obi-wan didn't; he said his goodbyes to the twins, and left Tatooine in Ahsoka's T6 to the new Resistance base.