The Negotiator and the Fire Fang

The Gray

Grievious and Sykes were heading towards two Separatist ships docked at the end of the streets when the Republic squadron rounded the corner. It was easy to keep track of them. Kenobi just followed the lightsabers.

The general reached out and yanked them both back through the Force. Grievous flipped and landed upright, sending an ear splitting screech as his extremities dug into the metal. Sparks flew from his claw-like feet as he slid to a stop.

Sykes landed on his back, his saber clanging against the ground. Without a moment of hesitation, Cordelia pulled her arm back and threw her saber as the deserter sat forward. It impaled straight through his chest.

"Cordelia!" Kenobi exclaimed, aghast. His jaw dropped. He had not been expecting that. Unpredictable, just as Mace said. It was still taking him off guard.

"What?" she replied innocently, looking at him with her beautiful, wide eyes. She looked down at Sykes's body.

"Blast that slimo." she muttered. Kenobi looked back at Sykes. His body flickered. The image went in and out before revealing a commando droid holding a staff, a burned hole through its chest plating.

"If this is a droid, then where is the real Sykes?" Cody mused. Cordelia kicked the deactivated robot off her saber. One of the Separatist ships hummed to life and immediately shot off, the exhaust throwing the clones and Force users on their backs.

"Well there goes General Grievous. Never can say a proper goodbye, can he?" Kenobi said as he got to his knees.

"I can still sense Biron." Cordelia said as she stood up, looking all around.

"The ship." one of the clones said, pointing behind Kenobi. The second one's engine had turned on, but it didn't sound right.

"Everyone, wait!" Kenobi commanded. The ship's humming got louder and louder before the engine exploded.

A deafening bang echoed off the steel of Nar Shaddaa. Kenobi went from seeing a puff of smoke and flame to the stars up ahead. The wind was knocked out him instantly.

"Are you alright general?" Jack said as he offered Kenobi his hand. The general caught his breath before answering.

"I'm fine, thank you. Just an average day." he said, letting the trooper pull him to his feet. He looked over and saw Cody leaning over the railing of the port. Four clones hovered up onto the platform from below. His commander straightened and revealed the Gray Jedi consult hanging over the edge. She grabbed his shoulder and pulled herself up onto the platform.

"Are you alright?" Kenobi asked as he jogged over. She was the same color as her pale armor.

"Sure." she stated quickly, still clinging onto Cody. "Fine." Kenobi peered over the edge. No ground was visible, just misty gray. That was a lot of height. He reeled back at a call from the Gray.

"Biron!" Cordelia said, pointing at the betrayer. Kenobi grabbed his saber hilt, the cyan blade bursting to life. He charged at the Devaronian and slashed at the deserter.

"Give up!" he shouted, hoping to end this easily. Sykes bared his teeth at Kenobi.

"I won't! Count Dooku will never accept surrender." he yelled back. Kenobi shook his head dismissively.

"Don't you understand? Dooku and the Separatists have abandoned you!" he shouted. Sykes slashed at him, clearly enraged. Whether he was angry at Kenobi for suggesting such a thing or because he he realized that Obi-Wan was right, he didn't know.

Sykes cut at him. Kenobi blocked it immediately. Taking the opening, the Devaronian punched him hard in the face.

Obi-Wan staggered back, a hand on his cheek. He was then pressed to the ground by the Force. Sykes wasn't a fool. He wasn't going to let Kenobi's temporary confusion go to waste. He raised his saber like a spear and brought it down towards the Jedi Master's chest. Kenobi blinked as his vision darkened.

"Your issue is with me, leave Obi-Wan out of this." Cordelia growled through gritted teeth. She was standing over him. Her orange saber was angled down, forcing Sykes's blade away from Kenobi. It had impaled the street inches away from his body.

The Ashla Adept slashed at him with her silver saber. Sykes deflected it, leaving his chest exposed. Kenobi slid away from Cordelia and pushed himself up. He kicked Biron Sykes hard in the throat. The fallen Gray stumbled back and fell to the ground.

Biron was on his hands and knees, coughing violently, trying to get his bearings. Two clones ran over and shoved Sykes face first onto the floor, cuffing his wrists.

Obi-Wan relaxed for the first time since they had landed on the planet. He turned to Cordelia. Her eyes were back to their usual green-gray, but they were distant.

"You seem troubled." Kenobi said to her as the two clones cuffed the still coughing Sykes.

"Very." she replied as she used the Force to bring Sykes's long saber hilt to her hand. She examined it a moment. "One, Biron told Grievous my name, who will tell Dooku. Two..." She trailed off. "We were set up. Our informant... the one who tipped us off? She was Sykes's girlfriend, who also happens to be my younger sister." she said softly.

"Your sister tried to have you killed?" Kenobi asked, surprised. Her aura was strange. Not happy or relieved, but also not upset or angry.

"I guess so. We had always had our issues, her and I, and I knew she had negative feelings towards me, but I never thought she actually hated me. Especially to the point of trying to have me killed." Cordelia said. He could sense her sadness.

"What will you do now?" he asked her as they headed back towards the ship. The Gray huffed tiredly.

"First I will return Biron to the Elders. He will face trial for his crimes." she said. Ahead of them stood the other group of clones, holding a bound and very angry Rodian bounty hunter. Cody moved past the Jedi and Gray to the lieutenant.

"And then... we will see." she said. Obi-Wan didn't want to admit it, but the idea of her sticking around pleased him.

"You are a good warrior. Sure you can't stay?" Kenobi asked coyly. She chuckled through her nose.

"I might just take you up on that offer. Droids are pretty fun to knock around. And don't even get me started on the lightsaber duels." Cordelia replied. He could tell she was smirking.

"But for now, we wait for retaliation from the dear old Count. I'm certain he and Bogun Elder Mayh will have some things to sort out." she paused, looking him in the eye.

"May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan Kenobi. We will meet again, that I am sure of." she said with a smile.

"I look forward to it." he replied. She got on the transport with Sykes, while Kenobi got on the one with Areeko. He watched as the door of her shuttle slid shut and took off. His own door closed a moment later, lifting them into the air and back to the Negotiator.

Obi-Wan smiled in spite of himself, remembering her we will see. That didn't feel like a goodbye. It felt more like a see you later.