Only Wan

Episode XV

OBI-WAN

The way in which Brye put her ship down on the platform was much to unsteady to be called a landing. It was more like a crash.

Obi-Wan jolted in his seat, the belt digging into him. If Kollen ever made a remark about Anakin being undisciplined again, Obi-Wan would make sure he responded with a remark about her flying. Had Kollen forgotten to teach Brye how to fly?

A groan echoed around the ship. It didn't take much to guess something was about to fall off the now battered up vehicle. Perhaps the wing which had met the ground while she had manoeuvred onto the platform was about to clatter to the ground.

"Next time, I'll fly," Obi-Wan told her as he climbed from his seat. Should they manage to regroup with Anakin, Padmé, and the clone and somehow make it out of here, Brye's flying would surely kill them upon return to Kamino.

For her credit, Brye did not counter him. She pulled her cloak on and flipped up the hood. "How do we find them?"

"Look for trouble. Anakin will be near by," he sighed.

He led the way out the ship, his own hood covering his face. The clone had come here for a reason. During the trip, Obi-Wan had taken some time alone to think. The clone was a copy of him, after all. They would think the same way.

The only conclusion he come to was that the clone had finished his work and found the bounty hunter Obi-Wan had tracked to Kamino. Which meant that whatever Anakin and the others had gotten into, it would certainly be dangerous. 

"If you see the bounty hunter," Brye said quietly. "You should see to him. The clone is my responsibility."

"And Anakin is my responsibility, unfortunately." Obi-Wan held out a hand to stop her, and Brye dropped down next to him. The corridor they had entered from the landing platform was gloomy, but he could make out shapes in the distance.

Locals. Anyone friendly had no reason to be lurking around in the shadows. Their suspicious lurking sent Obi-Wan's hand to his lightsaber while he estimated how many Geonosians there were.

It was impulsive to consider Brye that was as bad with her saber that she was with her ship. But she had been knighted for a reason and Obi-Wan had no reason to doubt the Council - or she herself. Brye had proven to be quite capable of holding her own.

A slight nod was all Brye needed. She lunged forward at his side, weapon alight in her hand. The Geonosian's raised their weapons too late and what few bolts were released from their blasters were deflected by the two Jedi. Obi-Wan took care of those on the left, and Brye took the cluster on the right.

The last of the locals fell to a graceful swipe of his blue blade and Obi-Wan deactivated his weapon. "Not the welcoming party I had been hoping for," he said. "We shall have to be careful."

"Anakin's ship was tracked to this location. Do you think he was captured by these beings?" Brye kept the hilt of her saber in her hand as they ventured forth, finger resting on the button which would spring the blade forth.

"If things can take a turn for the worst, its likely Anakin took that turn."

"You don't sound very confident in him."

"Anakin has enough confidence in himself. He doesn't need it from me too."

They reached a locked door and Brye dealt with the locks while Obi-Wan watched their backs. The door lifted open and Brye headed through first onto a small overlooking platform. A droid factory churned below, the noise unbearable. 

"You think Anakin went through here?" She raised her eyebrows.

Obi-Wan inspected the belt, heavy clamps and various instruments at work. "Probably."

"Let's hope its not as bad as it first looks." Brye stepped forward, checked what was below them, then jumped from the platform. Her weapon burst to life and she cut through a claw on the belt before making her way to a safe platform.

Carefully, Obi-Wan followed in pursuit. He kept an eye out for Geonosians as they continued through the factory. Although he thought he caught glimpses of their bug-like features now and then, none attacked.

"Hold on," he said, catching Brye before she crossed to a larger platform. They were almost at the other end of the factory from where they had come in. A flash of light against metal nearby had caught his attention.

"That looks like a lightsaber," she said. "Or part of one, anyway."

"There's only one person I know who would get their weapon in such a mess." Obi-Wan sighed. He stood with the remnant in his hand. Anakin must have been here not that long ago for the piece to still be lying around.

The hum of Brye's saber cut through the still of the factory. Someone had shut off the power and the machines had stopped mid-work, some of them still reaching for shards of metal they would never reach.

"Not good." Obi-Wan dropped the scrap of Anakin's former lightsaber and clamped his hands around his own weapon.

"Destroyers!" Brye's weapon flashed and she rolled to avoid a shot. The blast hit the ground where she had been standing.

Battle droids moved in from each side. Obi-Wan cut through two of them, kicked a third aside and pressed his palm against the air, sending another flying back. They shattered against a wall and he spun to deal with he next, moving through them one at a time.

A shot grazed his arm and he grunted, flattering only for a moment. He spun to trace its origins and stopped short.

In the arms of a masked man, Brye had dropped her weapon and had her arms held high in surrender. Without her help, Obi-Wan knew he would not manage to defeat the remaining droids.

His saber blade retreated into the hilt and he tried a smile. "Hello there," he said merrily. "I believe we have gotten off on the wrong foot."

"Drop the weapon," the bounty hunter said.

"Well, if I must." Obi-Wan lowered his lightsaber and set it on the ground by his feet. A battle droid came and picked it up, retreating quickly to the line of droids.

How bothersome, Obi-Wan thought.

Brye winced. "Is this the turn you believe Anakin to have taken?"

"It certainly seems about right," he said, trying a smile.