Redemption

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

Opal let out a sigh of content as they landed their ships on the earth of Geonosis, the sunlight faded and the sky a mixture of inky black and deep blue. "The stars are beautiful tonight." Obi Wan called out, shaking the water out of his hair as he stared up at the sky.

"No where near as beautiful as you." She whispered, just loud enough for herself to hear as the two of them entered a large hallway that supposedly lead to where they would find the Viceroys and the rest of the Separatists. Opal stuck close to Obi Wan as they peered over the side and grimaced at what was beneath them. "A droid making factory. How typical is that?"

Thousands of droids being prepped for war.

Opal and Obi Wan continued down the hall and skipped down the staircase, frozen at the sounds of the Viceroys and a much older man who Opal recognized instantly. Obi Wan cursed under his breath as he pulled Opal back against his chest and pressed his hand over her mouth. Her chest heaved as she calmed herself before the two of them continued lurking in the shadows.

"If you get yourself killed, I'm gonna kill you." Opal deadpanned, eyes glittering as Obi Wan pressed her back against the wall and out of sight of the other men below them. Both Jedis stared deeply into one another eyes as Obi Wan leaned in closer, his crystal colored orbs flickering from Opal's doe brown eyes to full, bow shaped lips.

"I'd much rather be killed by your beauty then by a blaster any day," His voice was husky as his lips inched closer to hers that if she just happened to lean forward as well, they'd be kissing. Again. "You're intoxicating."

"I-I thought you said that Jedi weren't allowed to fall in love," She whispered breathlessly, sighing as he captured her lips with his own and pinned her hands to the wall. Years ago, Opal never would've imagined herself as a woman hopelessly in love with the man who had become her best friend, and living a secret life together as one. Not as individuals. "That's what we're supposed to believe, anyways."

"Well, an old friend told me once, a long time ago, that the Jedi Council can't tell you who to give your heart to." He pulled away to stare deeply into her eyes, that lopsided smile spreading across his cheeks as she averted her gaze to the floor, biting down on her lip. "And she was all the more right."

***

Meanwhile on Tatooine..

"It's all Obi Wan and Opal's fault! They're both just jealous." Padme took a step back from the man she loved as he vented out all of his anger and rage over losing his mother, someone he'd cared for so deeply that death had stolen from him. "They always have been!"

"Anakin, what's wrong?" She said softly. Opal had always been one of Padme's beloved friends, someone she could look up to in times of need and was always a confidant when she couldn't trust one of her colleagues in the Senate. She knew that Opal was never jealous of how far Anakin had come. If anything, she was unbelievably proud of her padawan.

Padme's heart stuttered inside her chest as Anakin turned towards her, gritting his teeth as his pale baby blue eyes filled with hot tears. "I killed them, Padme. All of them. Not just the men, but the women. And the children too. They were animals, so I slaughtered them like animals. I hate them-"

The younger woman knelt down beside the man she loved as he broke down in tears, and there was always that nagging fear in the back of her mind that losing Shmi would be the beginning of the downfall of Anakin Skywalker.

Opal was beyond frustrated as she and Obi Wan levitated in a containment field that was acting like their own personal prison, restrained at the ankles and the feet. She knew that her anger was going to get the best of her when Count Dooku, the supposed murderer of her parents (well, her mother at least) entered the room with a smug expression on his face.

"You know, I've never wished death on anyone before." She spoke calmly, her eyes bright with an unleashed fire as she stared at Count Dooku. "But Lord, if I wasn't chained up right now, you would be dead seven times over." The Sith Lord chuckled under his breath as he stared up at the daughter of Parker Stone, a woman who held so much raw anger for the loss of her parents that it was shocking she hadn't succumbed to the darkness that was waiting for her.

"Ah, Opaline Harmony Stone." She froze as her full name spilled from the older mans lips. The last time she had heard the name Opaline had been whenever her parents told Master Windu her full name so she could start her training to be a Jedi. "You are one impressive creature. I'll give you that." Count Dooku circled around the two Jedi like a predator closing in on their prey. "Master Kenobi seems fiercely protective of you."

"I would give my life for her, Count." Obi Wan responded. "But I'm sure you have questions for us, and I will try to answer them so she doesn't kill you whenever you issue our release."

"Ah, yes. One question in particular, I do have. Why are two Jedi Knights like yourselves all the way out here on Geonosis?" Opal pursed her lips as she remained silent, giving Obi Wan the opportunity to speak.

"The two of us have been tracking a bounty hunter named Jango Fett. Do you know him?" Count Dooku shook his head, and Opal snickered when she realized that he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. "Stop staring at her."

"Yes sir." Count Dooku replied, faking a mock salute as he continued pacing. "There are no bounty hunters here that I am aware of. The Geonosians don't trust them, but we have had an ex-Jedi here in the past years. I think you would know him, Opaline."

"Assuming is one of the last things you should do when making statements like that, Count." She breathed. "What was this ex-Jedi's name?"

"I believe his last name was Stone. Tall, muscular, thick blonde hair and green eyes. Reminded me alot of you, actually." The blonde woman grit her teeth as Count Dooku began to retell a story he constantly replayed in his mind. "There were two Jedi who came here on a mission years ago to retrieve something for the Jedi Council. A beautiful woman with brown eyes and brown hair, and the man I just described to you. Husband and wife, they were. Lorelei and Parker Stone."

Obi Wan knew that there was no turning back now as he eyed Opal's tense body language, the way she kept trying to avert glaring down at the Sith Lord but couldn't draw her eyes away from him as he spoke. "I should've figured it was you." She spat angrily. "Sith Lord is a murderer. Typical. What else have you got?"

She was pushing back all of the anger she held to make sure Count Dooku couldn't take advantage of it. Perfect. "I remember the day they died, so bravely too. Lorelei gave herself up for Parker and I stabbed her through the heart. She cried for you and she cried for your pathetic father."

"He was no where near as pathetic as you." She replied sarcastically. "My parents were the heroes that a scared, broken little blonde girl needed. They died with honor."

"Your father was not found afterwards. He took your mothers body and left. Such a sad sob story." He hung his head sadly, like he was actually upset that he couldn't kill both of her parents. "Anyways, back to the land of reality here. Qui Gon admired both of you two deeply. I wish that he was still alive, his help would be so useful right now."

"Qui Gon Jinn would never join you." The two Jedi spoke in unison, their voices laced with disgust towards the man in front of them.

"Well, here's the truth I found out. What if I told you that the Republic was under the control of the dark lord of the Sith?" Opal's face paled at his words, but she was not surprised. Everything about the Republic and the Jedi order was corrupt.

But Obi Wan was still faithful. "No, that's not true. The Jedi Council would know about it!"

"No. They wouldn't." Opal said. Count Dooku smiled up at her as she shook her head. "The Dark Side has clouded their vision, Obi Wan. Everything we see, they can't."

"Oh, I like you. So much spirit and so much personality. You would be a great Sith someday Opal." Obi Wans head snapped towards the Sith Lord as he stared up with eager eyes at the woman beside him. "I can feel your anger, your hatred.."

"Opaline Stone will never be a Sith." He growled. Opal couldn't help but smile into her shoulder as she listened to Obi Wan defend her. Even all these years later, he was still so fiercely protective. "She will not fall to darkness like you have, Count."

"If she won't, you could join me!" Opal rolled her eyes out of annoyance as Count Dooku persisted in trying to turn Obi Wan to the Dark Side. "Together, Obi Wan, we could join as one and destroy the Sith once and for all!"

"Obi Wan Kenobi will never join you, Count Dooku. And neither will I."

Narrowed eyes shifted between the two Jedi, and a small smirk crept up onto his lips as he turned to face the door. "You know, I've been through the Council. I know how corrupt the Jedi are in their beliefs. But if what you two have isn't love, I don't know what is." He clucked his tongue disapprovingly. "What a shame. It'll be the end of your livelihood as you know it."