Only Wan

Episode IX

BRYE

There was nothing which struck Brye as interesting about the planet of Tatooine. As she climbed from her ship and examined the landscape all she could see was sand, aside from the small moisture farm she had tracked Anakin's ship to.

A droid greeted her. It was a blue and white unit, the same one which she had caught sight of with Anakin and Amidala on Kamino. It beeped at her rather rudely.

Brye was starting to think the senator and padawan were a bad influence on each other, but her thoughts about Anakin and Amidala were quickly replaced by a more pressing issue. The droid reported Obi-Wan - rather one of the clones of Obi-Wan - had left the farm with Anakin some time ago.

Not good. Brye had never been to Tatooine before and had no sense of direction in the barren landscape. She could not understand where they might have gone, unless they had doubled back and visited one of the cities.

The droid whistled. Brye looked down at R2-D2 and did her best to stay calm. Anakin's ship was here. He would have to bring the clone in this direction eventually.

"Take me to the Senator," Brye told R2. The droid gave a sharp whistle in response, then shot off in the direction of the farm's entrance.

Grudgingly, Brye followed. Entering the farm meant introducing herself to its inhabitants, which in turn would lead to questions as to why she was here. It was imperative that news of what had happened at Kamino did not spread - clones of a Jedi such as Obi-Wan would be valued highly on the black market.

At the bottom of the steps, Brye looked around for any signs of the farm's owners. She had been expecting someone to greet her, but it seemed no one was home or, more likely, aware that they had a visitor.

Sneaking and intruding was not what Brye wanted to do. These people did not need to turn around and find an unwelcomed Jedi roaming their hallways. Still, if Amidala was here, then the farmers must be aware of the unusual nature of their company.

R2-D2 took Brye to a small room tucked under the dry soil above. Brye held her breath as she entered. For most of her life she had been in Coruscant. The building structures there would always feel safer to her than other dwellings.

"Senator." Brye inclined her head to Amidala. The senator was sitting at the far end of the room, wearing another of her extravagant outfits. "I came here to find Padawan Skywalker. It's very important that he and-" Brye hesitated. It might not be a good idea to tell Amidala of the clones.

"Obi-Wan?" Amidala stood, giving Brye a look over.

It was strange to be inspected by a politician, Brye thought. She had been around these people almost all her life, passing them in the streets and working alongside them for the good of the Republic. Still, it unsettled her the way that Amidala seemed to be picking apart her actions.

"There's been a misunderstanding. Master Kenobi must return with me to Kamino." Brye raised her chin slightly. "Padawan Skywalker can of course continue his own assignment."

"There's something wrong, isn't there? Something wrong with Obi-Wan." Amidala glanced behind Brye, then stepped closer. "He's changed. Whatever happened - whatever Anakin sensed, that disturbance - has done something to Obi-Wan."

Brye tried a smile. It was lost on Amidala. "Master Kenobi and I will solve the problem. It is not Padawan Skywalker's concern. Nor yours," she added quickly, sensing the Senator would not leave the topic without further questioning.

Amidala hesitated. Her dark eyes move again, this time staying focused on something in the distance. Her hands flew to her face and she hurried by Brye, almost knocking the Jedi out of her way.

Turning, Brye found Anakin and the clone of Obi-Wan in the courtyard, a frail woman balanced between their arms. Brye did not recognise the woman, but she appeared to be in bad shape. From the expression Amidala was wearing, Brye guessed the Senator had not been expecting Anakin to return in such a way.

Together, Amidala and Anakin took the woman away. Footsteps echoed on the stairs and two young farmers clambered after them. No one took any notice of Brye aside from Obi-Wan, thankfully, and she crossed the square to meet him.

"Master Kenobi," she said in greeting.

"Hello there," he said, giving his robes a look over. He was covered in dirt and his hair was somewhat a mess, tossed as if he had been travelling at high speed without head protection. "I thought you were to remain on Kamino?"

"As I thought you were."

"Well," Obi-Wan sighed. "Now that Anakin's mother is alright, I don't suppose there is anything keeping me here. What is wrong on Kamino?"

Telling a clone he was a clone was not a wise idea, so Brye simply smiled and motioned towards the stairs. As she was moving with him towards the ship, Anakin and Amidala reappeared, their expressions anything but friendly.

This time it was Brye who sighed. She had no desire to argue with the others and the nature of this clone was not one she could judge. With her luck lately, it wouldn't surprise her if the clone turned and attacked.

"Mother's alright, she's going to make it. I couldn't have saved her without you Master." Anakin glanced at Brye. "You're leaving?"

"You're mother will be quite alright, Anakin." The clone was surprisingly alike its true person, its features moving as his would have. Brye shivered. "But Brye has need of me. Whatever is going on in Kamino can't be good, and I still have a bounty hunter to find."

"It's important that we get back there soon," Brye added.

Something dark flashed in Anakin's eyes. "Why is that?"

Amidala placed a hand on Anakin's arm. In other circumstances Brye might have questioned the move. "You must let Obi-Wan continue his assignment."

"You've help me," Anakin said, shifting slightly. "I would only be fair that I helped you in return, Master."

Brye waited for the clone of Obi-Wan to tell him no, just as the true Obi-Wan would have, to send the boy on his way, but he did not. Instead, clone Obi-Wan smiled brightly and uncrossed his arms.

"Well, it would be easier having more hands on board," he beamed, nudging Brye slightly.

"But the Senator is to remain safe." Brye shot Amidala a warning glance. Amidala could change Anakin's mind. Perhaps she was the only one who could.

"I can help too.

If Amidala noticed Brye's glance, she took no notice of it, staying steady on her coarse. There was something to admire about her actions, but it bother Brye all the same. The last thing she needed was a padawan and a member of the Senate involving themselves in what could easily be labelled the worst cloning incident of their time.

One call to the Council could change that. But that one call would also give Anakin the chance to tell the Masters that one of the clones had been to Tatooine with him and that Brye had been unable to contain the problem.

"Alright," Brye said eventually. "You can come with us back to Kamino. But you will stay to your assignment and I will stay to mine, unless other measures are needed."

The exchange of grins between her three companions did nothing to make Brye feel better about the messy situation. She climbed back onto her ship and tried not to think too much about it.