Scars (Commander Wolffe x Jedi Reader)

Part 10

A/N - Chapter not proofread. 

The Jedi Temple remained quiet; ever since the war had begun, things had drastically changed. Instead of being a close-knit clergy, the Jedi were scattered across the galaxy, more often than not fighting in battles they were both ill-equipped for and went against their very morals as peacekeepers. Their public opinion had begun to change, too; all within the Order knew it, no matter their rank or station. The Council, in particular, had found themselves the victim of blame during the war. Even more so when the citizens they fought the battles to protect saw them as the reason the war ceased to end.

Obi-Wan remained in the council chamber despite the recent meeting coming to an end. The worry and concern were still thick. Maul was still on the warpath; neither of his demands had been met, and now innocent people were paying the price. Savage was on the planet scouring the city for (Y/N), while the Jedi in question appeared to have suffered a mental breakdown, her visions serving as the cause of it. Anakin was another concern; his anger and hate seemed to grow with every new battle placed before, and the longer the war raged on, the more he lost sight of the Jedi way.

Despite his best efforts, Obi-Wan couldn't push the words (Y/N) that had spoken away how she had spoken of the shadow growing and spreading across the galaxy with so much fear, a monster rising, the republic becoming ashes, and the fall of the Jedi Order. Deep down, Obi-Wan wondered if (Y/N)'s recent visions were connected to Pong Krell's deranged mumblings and his vision of an army of puppets destroying order.

For sure, the Jedi knew the shadow (Y/N) had spoken of on so many occasions was the Sith. For over a decade, their power had grown, credited to the mysterious and often illusive Sith Master. Their influence had gotten stronger since the war began, so much so it corrupted even the skilled Jedi, blinded them to what was before them, and often led to catastrophic consequences.

"Is she okay?" voiced Obi-Wan upon sensing the calming presence of Master Plo entering the room—the wise Jedi Master, who many turned to for advice and encouragement alongside Shaak-Ti. Although Shaak-Ti had long since taken up residency on Kamino, she still managed to spread her influence to the Jedi and now to the Clones she had become fond of.

"Resting in the barracks. Skywalker is with her," replied Plo, recalling the effect his former Padawan seemed to have on those around her. His Commander, in particular, seemed conflicted, whereas others had built up attachments and friendships with her. Her elite unit often appeared more loyal to her than the republic they were meant to serve, although their loyalty was returned. (Y/N) never hesitated to give her trust and loyalty to those who earned it, along with her unyielding respect. "Your former Padawan intends to ask her about her visions, specifically about the monster she fears."

Neither of the Masters worded their identical thoughts. The Jedi had failed many times regarding those with foresight and strong intuition. Many had spoken of the war long before it began, and Master Sifo-Dyas was chief among them. Qui-Gon had been the first to voice the opinion that the Sith had returned to the council. Many things would have been different had they just listened back then. Perhaps Count Dooku wouldn't have fallen to the dark side if Qui-Gon had survived, and possibly Master Yaddle would still be alive.

"Forgive me, Master Plo, but could the monster she sees rising be us?" asked Obi-Wan as if he was a child speaking to an elder rather than a master talking to another far wiser one. "Could our fall be our exile?" he asked, attempting to work it out, although he'd admit, Exile wouldn't cause such fear, although the monster bit would make sense. The public saw the most radical Jedi as such.

"I do not think the monster is many, but one," replied Plo, clasping his hands together as he found a comfortable position in his chair. He'd personally questioned Ahsoka and Commander Fox, Cody, and Wolffe. Hoping by doing so, he'd get a clear picture of what had caused her to run in the first place and a clearer repeat of her frantic words.

Despite the hope Obi-Wan had, he knew the Jedi's fall didn't mean exile. (Y/N) had been specific and purposeful with her words. The Death of the Jedi. It was hard to mistake what that meant, yet still, the wise Jedi Master felt the need to protect not only his former Padawan but also the many troopers under his command. As he hoped all Jedi in a command position would seek to do.

"Savage Opress," worded Obi-Wan as if to change the subject from the doom and gloom casting a shadow over them, even when the shadow was impossible to ignore. "Where is he now?" asked the Jedi General, suspecting the brother of Maul wouldn't leave until his task was complete or he was called away. Neither seemed likely at the moment.

"He appears to have sensed (Y/N) at the military base but keeps his distance. He seems content with causing chaos in the lower surface levels," announced Plo, proving Obi-Wan's previous assertion right. Savage had kept his distance upon realizing she was somewhere safe rather than locked within the prison the Jedi Temple had long since become for her.

All remained quiet between them for a while, a comfortable silence rather than the bitter one that often hung over the meetings. Obi-Wan allowed himself to think, and his mind settled on love, although he couldn't understand why. Perhaps it was being reunited with Satine again or the secret he harbored regarding his former Padawan and a certain senator. A secret he was sure a handful of others also knew of.

"Allowing your padawan to love is not necessarily bad, Obi-Wan. It can help one to grow and become a better person—a better protector. I find the pros far outweigh the cons," called Plo as if he was shedding light on how he'd handled (Y/N) and her rebellious ways. Not only had he been the guiding wise mentor she needed, but also the father figure she missed dearly when she lost Maul. "Love can exist in its many forms. Encouraging it does not mean one will fall into the trap of the dark side."

For a moment, Obi-Wan pondered Plo's advice, at least before it dawned on him that the wise master was likely already aware of Anakin and Padme Amidala's secret marriage yet remained quiet about it as if to protect the young Jedi Knight from unnecessary harsh punishments. At the same time, it was likely Plo had known about his strong affections for the Duchess of Mandalore, the love that had flourished between them during the year-long mission to simply survive.

"You encouraged (Y/N) to love?" questioned Obi-Wan upon finding the will to voice it. He knew (Y/N) was different from everyone else; she was the daughter of the first known Sith Lord to appear in over a thousand years. She was powerful in the dark side even as a child, stubborn when it came to her feelings for those who betrayed her, and no fool when it came to those she chose to trust. But she was fiercely loyal to those who deserved it and a far more skilled warrior than many were willing to admit. She was Powerful enough to combine her skills as both a Sith and Jedi without being corrupted by the darkness.

"Many within the Jedi forgot she was but a child when she joined us, scared of everything around and grieving her loss. Had they seen past their fear, maybe they could have avoided creating the broken warrior she became," replied Plo; he admitted he had encouraged (Y/N) to love and discover it in its many forms. Through it, he had built a strong relationship with her and watched her grow into the clever, loyal woman she had become, even if hidden from most around her.

Once again, silence fell over the pair, but not because neither had anything left to say, but because another entered the brightly light-rounded room. That alone told the masterly pair that another meeting was impending, most likely an update on the war effort and the need to share information with the chancellor, the same man who had begun to fall into unnerving suspicion the longer the war dragged on.