If Hate Leads to Suffering... | Obi Wan Kenobi

Act II. i

The easiest part about Coruscant was that there were always so many new faces, one never had to worry about running into a familiar one.

The High Council sent Xaela and Obi-Wan on an intel mission after finally finding out that Xaela had an informant. Even then, she had to practically beg to let them send her. Anakin, with his Padawan, was off on another planet. As much as she loved him, Xaela was happy to spend a little time with Obi-Wan, never getting to see him because of the war.

However, after the two Jedi left the Council chambers, Xaela had to admit to him that she stretched the truth a bit to the Council in order to finally go on an important mission.

"The thing is, they don't know I'm a Jedi."

"So they won't know I'm a Jedi?" He clarified and she nodded her head.

"Dress up in business clothes." She told him as she led him down to the dormitories.

"Why business?"

"They think I'm a part in a droid manufacturing company." She admitted. "They only tell a pawn so much, but if they think the boss is coming to speak with them..."

"They'll sing." Obi-Wan concluded and Xaela agreed.

"Meet me back here after you get changed." She said and was about to go to her own room when he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him.

He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss. Xaela complied but pulled away in order to look around to see if there were any people or cameras.

"Careful, Master," she warned in a playful tone, "you mustn't let your emotions get the best of you."

Obi-Wan just shook his head and let Xaela go before going to change himself.

~*~

"Xaela, Baby!" She was greeted with the raspy voice and a cheek kiss from Jujo. He sat down in his regular chair but she stood. "What can I do for my favourite girl, huh?"

Xaela smiled.

"I remember you saying I'm not bringing you enough, Jujo, no big cheques."

Jujo shrugged and lit a cigar.

"I gotta do what I gotta do to survive." He took a puff. "You get it."

"Of course." Xaela said. "That's why I brought my boss."

She opened the door for Obi-Wan to step through. Being a Jedi Master, he already had the air of confidence needed to play a role like this, and Xaela could see that Jujo was impressed right off the bat.

"Ah, the big man, huh?" Jujo stood up to shake his hand. "Jujo Harks, at your service."

"Pleasure." Obi-Wan greeted, taking a seat in the only chair not occupied by Jujo. Xaela sat on the arm of it and Obi-Wan had to consciously stop the instinct to wrap his arm around her. "I hear from my assistant that you have some big clients."

"Assistant?" He turned to Xaela. "You got promoted."

"Only because of you, Jujo." She said. "Now I thought I'd return the favour."

Jujo smiled appreciatively and took another puff of the cigar, smoke filling the room. He took out a large data pad from the table he sat at and leaned back in his chair.

"There's not a lot of business going around, I'm afraid." He said, but Xaela knew he just wanted to hear her ask.

"I'm sure there's something, Jujo." She crossed her legs, trying to balance on the arm of the chair.

"Well, there might be..." he placed down the data pad. "Depends how bad you want it."

Obi-Wan and Xaela shared a look. Years of being trained by him meant non-verbal communication was second nature to them.

"How about I treat you to a drink?" Obi-Wan turned back to Jujo. "You pick the place, I pay the tab."

"Drinks, ah?" Jujo liked the sound of that. "I'm liking your style, Boss."

Jujo picked a nearby cigar lounge with live music and relatively calmer environment. He had taken Xaela there once before and she assumed that he was a regular.

When the three of them sat down, they were immediately waited upon, the server holding out the tray of cigars. Jujo, knowing what he liked, picked up two from the farther side, holding one out to Obi-Wan. However the Jedi-in-disguise simply raised his hand to politely decline and Jujo passed it over to Xaela.

"Not a smoker, huh?" Jujo waved off the server. "That's a strike one."

"I simply prefer to focus my attention on one delicacy at a time." Obi-Wan grabbed one of the bottles on the table and poured Jujo's and Xaela's drinks before his own like a gentleman.

Xaela smelled the rolled up tobacco, never doubting Jujo's taste, and put it in her mouth to lean forward so he'd light it. She took a puff and sat back in her chair, Obi-Wan raising a discreet brow at her. Clearly this was something she picked up after leaving his training.

The Jedi let Jujo speak to them about matters other than business, letting him drink and smoke in peace in order to make him comfortable. While the two men shared a related anecdote, Obi-Wan placed his hand on Xaela's forearm unconsciously as he spoke about her. Jujo laughed at what he said, but Xaela was focused on someone else.

Standing at the other end of the room with their server was Nevo. Xaela hardly recognized her, not caring enough to commit her face to memory. But the two girls locked eyes and Xaela knew Nevo recognized her. She still wore her Padawan braid and Xaela assumed she hadn't taken the Trials yet, either that or she didn't pass. She couldn't find a Jedi Master anywhere in the lounge so she assumed Nevo came alone, which was odd. The look on her face didn't seem quite friendly as she surveyed her and Obi-Wan, whose hand still rested on Xaela's arm.

"You treat her well, ah?" Jujo nodded.

Obi-Wan turned over Xaela's hand and intertwined their fingers. He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

"Of course." He said to Jujo.

Xaela didn't know what they were talking about, but she wanted to yell at Obi-Wan to stop. A Jedi Padawan was watching them - better yet, a Jedi Padawan that did not like Xaela. As she looked back at Nevo, the girl had a triumphant look on her face and turned on her heels to exit the lounge. Xaela -  who only worried about Nevo seeing them because she knew that was a real kiss from Obi-Wan - didn't know when their undercover personas made the transition from work relationship to intimate relationship. But as she got back into the conversation, she could tell that it was working in their favour.

"Tell you what," Jujo put out his cigar. "I like you, and I got a really high up buyer in need of battle droids."

"High up?" Obi-Wan asked.

Jujo leaned forward slightly to drop his volume, the two Jedi followed.

"Let's just say an important politician."