Only Wan

Episode VIII

OBI-WAN

Squinting against the light, Obi-Wan turned from the balcony and met Brye's bright eyes. He knew how she was feeling. That expression on her face - confusion, concern, total disbelief - was a mirror image of his own moments before when he had first discovered the truth for himself.

"There's been a grave mistake," he said slowly.

Brye's expression change slightly. He could tell she was trying to make sense of all this, to make everything seem real and try to find a way to put things right. It was her job to clean up this mess and although he did not want to make her feel helpless, there was little he could do to help her in that area.

"I've questioned to the locals," he continued. "They say they were told that a better specimen was arriving for them to work with. Whoever shot this, no doubt-" he held up the bullet he had found that belonged to the bounty hunter on Coruscant "- is also responsible for this incident."

"Incident," Brye repeated. Her gaze finally shifted from the level below, dark eyes narrowed with concern.

"The locals seem very proud of their work."

"Their work goes against everything." She stepped away from the balcony and stated a slow walk down the hall. Obi-Wan politely followed, doing his best not to let his own concern show. She surely did not need to see him panic.

"Can they undo their work? Clean all this up?" she asked.

"To suggest that would mean to suggest killing what they have created." Obi-Wan folded his arms inside his robes. He had been worried Brye would think that the only way to solve their problem was to terminate what had been created.

"You don't sound too pleased by the idea."

They stopped by a glass window in one of the overhanging tunnels. Below them, figures engaged in learning exercises, sports and what Obi-Wan could only guess was meditation. He found himself ignoring the Jedi by his side for a moment while he watched them, concern growing at the back of his mind.

"It's an army," Brye whispered. "And a very powerful one."

Despite himself, Obi-Wan felt proud. The locals had created a very powerful army indeed.

"They told me a bounty hunter named Jango Fett was the volunteer they used for the original cloning process. He stays here, in the city. I have no doubt that the bullet I found belongs to him." He turned and started walking again, Brye at his side.

"Have you spoken with him?"

"Not yet. Things have gotten too complicated."

"This is my job. You should take care of the bounty hunter. I'll find a way to fix, well, this clone army."

Obi-Wan stopped them again, this time to allow Brye a better look at those below. Things were not simple, even if she wished them to be, and he knew he would not be able to leave her to solve this on her own.

Not even Master Yoda, he thought solemnly, would be able to deal with all of this alone.

"What do you plan on doing with this army?" he asked as gently as he could.

"The only thing I can. I will tell the locals they need to terminate these soldiers." She hesitated, swallowing and unfolding her arms. When she spoke again, her voice was little more than a whisper. "It doesn't feel right, but it has to be done."

"You don't believe there is a way we could keep them?"

A shaky laugh escaped her and she bit her lip to stop herself. "An clone army of a Jedi is too dangerous. This has never been done before. It should have never have been done. There is too much at risk. You felt that disturbance in the Force , did you not?"

From the way that she asked, Obi-Wan knew Brye herself had not felt much change in the Force. There was a great deal of confusion in her voice and her hopeful expression did not pass him by. She wanted him to agree - needed him too.

"I can't allow someone to kill thousands of versions of me," he said after some time. "It's an uncomfortable thought."

"More so than there being an army of you?" Brye shook her head, her hair falling over her shoulders. "If the Council found out about this, you know they'd want us to put an end to it. Want me to put an end to it. This is my assignment."

Obi-Wan sighed. "You should report to the Council. Seek their guidance. I fear even I have become compromised."

"If I report, I will have to tell them about Anakin."

Brye kept walking, kept moving towards the room where she had first encountered one of the Obi-Wan clones. He did not like the idea of coming face to face with a clone again, but Obi-Wan stayed on course.

"You will," he nodded.

"The Council will not be pleased with him."

"Indeed."

"Do you think they will not be pleased with you, either? Or with me, for not being able to deal with this alone." The second was not a question. Brye was aware of the responsibility on her shoulders and she seemed determined not to let it fall to someone else.

"The Council will always be there to guide us."

But Obi-Wan was familiar with Brye's former Master and knew him to be a stern and stubborn man. Kollen was not one to accept his own wrong doings and failures. No doubt Brye was concerned she would upset him, not the Council, if she called in for help.

Still, they had to make a report. If the Council heard it from Brye or Obi-Wan first, it did not matter.

The lunch hall was empty when they arrived. The clone and Anakin were gone, and the clone's plate was cleared from the table. Brye exchanged a glance with Obi-Wan, then they hurried back they way they had come, retracing their steps.

Padmé had been speaking to Taun We, Brye claimed. The pair of them had not strayed far from the lunch hall.

They turned a corner and Obi-Wan caught Brye before she crashed into Taun We. The alien's face did not flinch at their sudden appearance, but only looked down at them with its round black eyes.

"Have you seen the Senator?" Brye asked. Her cheeks were slowly becoming red.

"The clone," Obi-Wan added. "Might you have seen where he went?"

"A ship took off from platform seven," Taun We said calmly. "One of your friends mentioned going to Tatooine."

"Tatooine?" Brye frowned. "What's on Tatooine other than sand?"

"Nothing good," Obi-Wan sighed. He turned to Brye, aware she would not like his next suggestion. "I will report to the Council. You must go and find Anakin. If he has taken that clone with him, then we are all in danger."

Her lips pressed into a thin line, but Brye did not argue.