Her response earned her a light chuckle as he looked down at his feet for a moment. “Yes, of course,” he said quietly, knowing that was all too true. He had done his best to be helpful with the twins and take care of whatever they or Padme might need. Giving her sleep was unfortunately beyond his abilities. Plus he knew very little about caring for babies and sometimes felt he was rather useless at times. Being in the way rather than a help.
He finally looked back up at her with a resigned smile. “Then perhaps we should try to rectify that.” His gaze then turned to the sky and the clouds that were rolling through.
“The weather report said the clouds should be gone by this evening. It might even be clear enough to see the rings tonight.”
Yes he was suggesting they do some quiet stargazing. There wasn’t much else to do out here in the middle of a barely habited planet. Plus he heard that it was quite beautiful on clear nights.
Obi-Wan had been completely wonderful with the babies. He might not have much experience with such young children, but he'd never once hesitated to help with them no matter what was needed despite how overwhelming it must all be for him. There were no words for what that meant to Padmé.
Though she wasn't at all sure how he meant to rectify the situation of her barely getting any sleep. Still, she'd be interested to see him try.
"Well, that's something we shouldn't miss," she decided with a grateful smile. The suggestion was a lovely one, and so far it really had been quite cloudy ever since they'd arrived on the planet. And with everything they had both been through, they could use some beauty in their lives.
The man’s smile broadened when she took well to the idea. They definitely could use some peace and take a moment to slow down. They would need to get comfortable with their new lives, and what better way to start?
“I’ll finish putting on the last few slats and make a trip into town. There’s enough time before it gets dark.”
Perhaps he had something in mind for their little star party? There was certainly a little glint in his eyes that suggested it. The first glimmer of happiness he’d had in weeks.
She couldn't help but laugh at the way his smile grew and that look in his eye. It wasn't a full laugh, just an echo of the bright thing she'd once let loose into the world, but it was still something.
"Why, Ben Kenobi, I think you might be up to something," she theorized playfully. Of course, it wasn't exactly a theory when she knew it to be true, but she did wholeheartedly approve. "I look forward to finding out what it is."
It was good to hear her laugh, and it brightened his smile even more. He hoped to hear that much more in their future.
“I wouldn’t know what you’re talking about, Tsabin Kenobi,” he said back. It was said merrily, though it was still strange to call her that. To him she would always be Padme. He was at least starting to get used to it.
With that he put some distance between them again.
“I suppose I should get back to work. The vaporators are in good hands.”
Turning, Ben walked back towards the house where he would get back up on the roof and finish replacing it. It wasn’t long after that he did what he said he would do. Taking the beaten up old speeder they had bought into town to pick up a few things. He was back just as it started to get dark. The clouds having passed through quickly and revealing a clear sky just as the first stars began to appear.
It felt strange to be called Tsabin, but there was no other name that meant as much to her, and so few people knew Sabé by that name that it wouldn't spark any association. And, if by some unfortunate luck they did run into someone who knew her dear friend, a family connection was an easy enough tale to spin.
Padmé finished adjusting the other vaporators before returning to the house, where she found two wide awake hungry babies in need of attention. It wasn't until they were finally both settled that she put the bread into the oven, the dough a bit more moist than she would have liked but risen enough after an afternoon of proving. She was selecting other ingredients for their dinner when she heard the speeder approach.
"Come on, Leia, let's go see what's he been up to," she murmured to the baby held snug against her in a sling made of cloth. The curious little girl was presently watching her mother with rapt attention while her twin brother gurgled up at the mobile. Moving to the door, Padmé opened it and stepped outside into the dusk, calling, "We came to see what you've brought us."
wow I super did not mean to leave this hanging for six months, jesus
A quick, pleasant smile - it's remarkable how his face transforms in that half a second - and he nods toward the exit. "Can I take that for you?" offering a hand.
(He's no one, right now, for all intents and purposes. He exists only as a guide, a flashing signal; a voice that can reassure her, a face she can trust, a body between her and the thousand things that could go fatally wrong with this plan. That's his only job here, and it's almost restful.
He reminds himself of that, to keep his mind from racing.)
For half a second, she contemplates declining the offer, but then that second passes and she offers her own cordial smile in return along with the small bag. "Thank you," she repeats in an echo of her previous words, grateful to have her hands free. There's nothing of great value in the bag, just the clothing and supplies she'd acquired in the days since her awakening, and so it will be no great loss if something happens and they are forced to leave it behind or use the bag as a weapon or shield — he will likely be the better of them to be making such a decision.
As she starts toward the exit, Padmé wishes she had a blaster at her side. Years of war have left scars on her as well, and her propensity for peace is presently overshadowed by a deep-set fear and need to survive if only to finally have the answers she is so desperate for.
"You may call me Tsabin," she tells him after a moment, rationalizing again that using their true names would not be a wise decision in their present circumstances. He likely knows who she is and they do not need that name heard by the wrong ears. "How can I address you?"
"Tsabin," he echoes in a cordial tone, not at all in keeping with those watchful eyes. "Ference Valari. I'm afraid the agency couldn't spare anyone more senior, so you get me." He flashes another smile, disarming, self-deprecating, as they reach the exit, and scans the street up and down before stepping aside politely. "But I hope I'll be able to answer any questions you have. --This way."
He keeps pace with her as they go - and he is armed, discreetly enough that she has to know where to look. Anyone else would have to be looking in the first place, and Cassian is reasonably sure no one will. There's no one to see. Just the woman in her sober gown, the young man solicitous of his companion. "How was your flight?"
Three blocks through a small, sluggish business district. With luck, no more than a quarter of an hour in the open. With care, no proof they were ever here.
He was already standing beside the speeder and pulling a wrapped bundle from it when Padme emerged with little Leia. A warm smile on his face as he took the parcel in his arms and crossed the gravely ground towards them.
“Curious, are you?”
A light teasing in his voice as he came up to them, reaching out to gently stroke the baby’s cheek before leaning down to kiss her forehead. On his way back up he also offered Padme a chaste yet affectionate peck on her cheek as well.
“Come along then. I have something for everyone.”
Obi-Wan then moved into the house, taking the bundle with him and placing it on the table where he began to unwrap it.
Ference Valari. She commits the name to memory, knowing it's not his true name and hoping he's as good as she assumes he must be to be chosen for this assignment. Her life is in his hands, along with any hope she has of finding answers.
"Dreadful," she answers easily, the practiced skills of years past finally finding use again as she crafts a tale that will cause no harm if overheard by anyone nearby. "I was in close quarters with two Sullustans who insisted on offering commentary on every minute aspect of the journey. They were not impressed with the pilot's maneuvers or the route our ship took."
Her boots clicked dully on road beneath them as she kept their pace steady and not too hurried — they don't need to draw attention to themselves, but they aren't inviting anyone's interest either.
One look and I can't catch my breath Two souls into one flesh When you're not next to me I'm incomplete
Soulmates. What a strange concept it is, the idea that there is a being out in the galaxy whom you are destined to be with. For someone whose life has been governed by reason and passion tempered by practicality, it's often hard for Padmé to accept as a reality. She's known only a handful of beings who have actually found that destined someone, most never having their identifier appear and learning to accept and embrace the love they do find in life.
Love itself is a thing she's had so little experience with. A few fleeting moments of attraction have been pushed aside all her life in order to focus on her career, on serving her people and following the path she truly feels she was destined for. Yes, she would like to have a family of her own one day — that had been her plan before Queen Réillata had requested her take up the role of Senator. And now, with so many years of work still not seeing the results she's pursued, she can't imagine leaving her post anytime soon. Her personal life can wait.
Of course, she needs to be alive in order to set her personal life aside. And as reluctant as she is to admit that additional security might be needed, the grief and guilt over the loss of a dear friend is far more effective at convincing her than any of Typho's entreatments. She would do this to avoid delays and further casualties. Reconnecting with someone she'd once trusted with her life is merely a small benefit in the grand scheme of things.
Obi-Wan understands the concept of soulmates, of course, has even been around those couples who have found their particular match now and again. He finds the concept a bit puzzling, and the reality fairly sweet, but it isn't something he considers particularly relevant to him, personally.
Oh, he's affectionate, warm, even loving but in a fairly ...unfocused way. He's even been attracted to people, though very rarely. It simply isn't where his attention lies. He's dedicated to the Order and that leaves very, very little room for anything else in his life.
Dedication to the Order is why, in spite of the rarity of Jedi being used as body guards, there's no complaint from him about his assignment. There are extenuating circumstances in play, too, and someone he remembers fondly from years ago, too, of course.
He takes the elevator in silence, relatively dignified and quietly composed when he walks in. The moment he goes to shake her hand to reintroduce himself, though, his composure cracks.
"No, it isn't." She stares at Obi-Wan for a long moment with a confused, almost distressed expression, which catches the attention of a few others in the room. Offering quick reassurances, she sends them away, Dormé retreating to her own room while Typho goes to check in with the security team.
When they are alone, she returns her attention to the man who is suddenly much more important in her life than she'd ever thought him to be. If she wants him to be. Is that how this works? She has dozens of questions, but the first that is voiced is perhaps not relevant to their present situation.
For years, this is all I've known, this has had my heart, this has been my home And now I'm scared to lose myself, scared of letting go♪
[ The galaxy had changed while Padmé Amidala slept.
Sleeping was the easiest way for her to comprehend what had happened to her. Some sort of stasis, an experimental technology kept from the Senate's knowledge, something had kept her alive all these years, unchanged, only to wake alone and without answers. It took days for her to grasp the magnitude of her situation, hiding on the outskirts of a city on an Inner Rim planet from the soldiers who walked the streets with terrible purpose. The years that had passed, the rise of a power she had fought so desperately against...
And she'd woken too late to join her children in the fight to right the wrongs she should never have allowed to happen. It is the guilt and grief that keeps her away from them now, two years after she'd woken — guilt and grief that drives her to search out any remaining Imperial units and share what information she learned with a contact in the New Republic. Small as it is, she spends every day working toward erasing the scourge of the galaxy that she'd enabled through ignorance and inaction. Because she has to keep her children safe in any way she can.
For now, the way has led her to a backwater planet and a settlement being covered in a coating of snow. The few locals still out in the swiftly falling white move quickly toward their homes or the nearest inn or bar, seeking shelter from the brisk wind. With her hair cut and her dress far plainer than it had ever been, she moves less quickly than the others, taking her time and stepping carefully through the inches of snow already on the ground, watching her surroundings just as carefully while looking for anyone of particular note. ]
[The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
Cassian Andor was burning out. Having been an agent for the Alliance at an age where he shouldn't have known (and been part of) the horrors of war, perhaps it made sense that everything he had seen and done was starting to weigh heavily upon his thin shoulders.
In no uncertain terms, Draven had told him to get his shit together or risk being grounded indefinitely until Alliance psychs proclaimed him fit for duty and he no longer apt to take unnecessary risks or put himself in danger as a way of … indirectly killing himself. He was sure that he'd hit the breaking point eventually, but for the time being, there was always something to be done, and Cassian continued to be the best man for most jobs.
Here he was, trudging through the gathering snow, keeping a lookout for his contact - who he assumed was not one of the locals who were mostly all scurrying for shelter away from the storm. There, he thought, watching a little longer as she walked, that's her. Decidedly not a local. Not at all prepared for the weather. Tha was his contact.
Cassian changed his trajectory to intersect with hers, his voice low and steady as he neared close enough for her to hear.]
You'll catch your death of cold out here dressed like that. I know a place.
“the desert is a natural extension of the inner silence of the body.”
[ Uli can't help but to be reminded of his arid homeworld every time he steps out of his (allegedly) climate-controlled cube and into the glaring sunlight that bears down on the center of the camp like a cruel glare. The uncomfortable grittiness of the sand trapped between his socks and the otherwise-bare skin of his ankles as he crosses camp to greet the LAAT as it touches down on the landing zone - that's familiar too.
He's hardly the picture of civilized society as he savors the downwash of the landing from a safe distance, Republic jumpsuit unzipped to the waist in an attempt to allow body heat to leave through the sweat-yellowed tee shirt of his desert phase skivvies. The harsh sunlight glints off the twin dogtags that separate him from the Republic's cloned soldiers as he waits for the brownout to clear—his draft board took ownership of his body in every other way, but there's no identification chip implanted in his wrist. Uli Divini had the good fortune of being born and not cloned.
He knows better than to step into the blinding cloud and get a lungful of sand, so he waits, holding a rag over his nose and mouth to filter out the few sharp particles that make their way to where he stands. Man-made thunder booms on the horizon, familiar enough by now to be identifiable as Republic shelling, not Separatist. It still means wounded in a few hours, though, so they'll need to be quick in getting the new nurse set up.
By the time the sand has settled back into its rightful place on the ground and formed a thin layer over the LZ, the chief nurse's latest acquisition is already stepping out of the transport. She looks sorely out of place simply from the lack of grime on her person, though he knows it won't last long - Amidala's face isn't glistening like it probably will be in about five minutes; her hair lacks the unwashed look the weight of sweat has given his and every other human's, but that, too, will come with time.
Uli waves with the arm that isn't holding up the rag and makes a sweeping come-here gesture. They have to get out of the way before Drenn can get off the ground, and judging by the stacks of boxes strapped down in the hold, she's got other things to do today. He shouts his greeting, partly because of the distance and partly because of the low, loud hum of the LAAT's idling engine. ]
Right this way! And don't worry about the shelling, those are ours, not theirs!
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