Order 66 ~ Obi-Wan X OC

Babbling On

Obi-Wan's POV

I walk into the council room, meeting Master Windu and Master Yoda. It's been a few hours since we got back to Courscant after the battle. It gave me time to get my wounds tended to and get a shower. Exhaustion pooled below my eyes. 

"How are you feeling, Master Kenobi?" Yoda asks me as the door shuts behind me.

I cross my arms in front of my chest. "Better than before." He nods thoughtfully. 

Master Windu is standing by the window, staring out into the busy streets of Courscant. The falling sun illuminated the buildings and ships in gold and pink hues. I walk over to where he is. He seems consumed in his own thoughts, a way I rarely ever see him.

I knew why they had called me here. Two reasons, truthfully. One, to talk about the speculation of Darth Sidious in the Senate, and two, Florence. 

"Do you believe what Count Dooku said?" I break the silence in the oddly quiet room. "About Sidious controlling the Senate?" Honestly, I didn't know what I believed. Obviously, I didn't want to believe it but something told me there was some truth in what Dooku had said to me. "It doesn't feel right."

Yoda's voice chimes in, peeling Windu's attention away from the sunset. "Joined the Dark Side, Dooku has. Lies, deceit, creating mistrust are his ways now." He was right, as usual. 

"Nevertheless, I feel we should keep a closer eye on the Senate," Windu says. His voice seems tired. I wonder if he's spoken with Florence yet.

Yoda agrees quickly. 

Windu then turns to me. "Where is your apprentice?"

"On his way to Naboo, escorting Senator Amidala home." He nods and we fall back into silence. I knew what he was going to ask next. 

"We need to discuss the arrangements for Florence." He doesn't take his eyes off the ground. Staring at his feet as if he'd never seen his own shoes before. 

I nod. I'd given much thought to this but I didn't want to voice my opinion until Yoda did. 

He clicks his nails on the armrest of his chair in thought. "We can have a ship send her back to Corellia in the morning."

"No," I chime in, trying not to make my voice quiver. "We can't send her back there."

Yoda's ears perk up a little and Master Windu furrows his brows. "Why not?" He crosses his arms. 

"She can't go back or she will get executed." I scan their expressions and I notice some sympathy. I take my shot and keep going before they can interrupt me. I'm not so sure that Master Windu knows the whole story. "Master Yoda asked me to go get some information from her and so I do. However, I could only get the information if she came with me to the planet of Kamino. She planned to leave the second I landed but I asked her to come with me inside, for the hope that she could help with some diplomacy between the Kaminoans since she knew more." I felt like I was rambling but I didn't care. I took a breath and continued. "She didn't have to stay, but she did to help me. However, we were attacked by that bounty hunter I'd informed you about. He ended up shooting at our ships and blew up hers. Problem is, that wasn't her ship. She was borrowing it from one of the crime bosses on Corellia. She had two days with that ship and if it's not returned by then... it's not good."

They stared at me wide-eyed. I couldn't tell if Master Windu's eyes were glossed over with anger or sadness. 

"Keep her here, we can not," Yoda said thoughtfully. 

"Why not? She has nowhere else to go and if we send her back to a place where we know she'll be killed I'll never forget it."

Windu shakes his head. "Obi-Wan is right. We can't send her back there." He walks over to one of the council's chairs and sit's it, leaning forwards with his forearms on his thighs. "She isn't a Jedi though, nor is she training to be. Keeping her here would be unheard of."

"Unheard of doesn't mean it's not allowed," I counter. "If she stays here, we could train her again."

Yoda immediately rejects the idea. "Train someone who is not a Jedi, I refuse."

"When she left, you let her keep her lightsaber. Why?" I pushed further. "You must've done it with the intention that she could protect herself with it. With that kind of thought, you knew she would need to have training to do so. But she wasn't a Jedi. Someone who is in possession of a saber and untrained is dangerous. She hasn't been trained in ten years."

"Are you saying we train her as a Jedi without her being a Jedi?" Master Windu asks. "Someone with that level of training without being a Jedi... now that is dangerous."

He's worried about her turning to the dark side. "I know you must be worried about the pull of the dark side. It makes sense, but she wouldn't turn on the one person she loves like a father." His face falters and a ghost of a smile appears in his eyes. 

"I think he's right. We should at least try." I knew Windu would agree. I knew he still cared about Florence. 

Yoda hesitantly sighs. "Agree, I will. In the sleeping quarters, set her up a room."

I smile and bow my head, excusing myself from the room. But before I can leave, Yoda stops me. "You will train her." I point to myself in confusion. Yoda nods. "Side by side you trained before. Side by side you will fight again."