The Weaving Force: Chapter 114 (Patreon)

Chapter 114:

Obi Wan:

The cost, the true, measurable cost of a war, any war- let alone one on this scale; was only ever measured, by the historians.

Those who could extrapolate and piece together various strings of evidence and data to come to a conclusion. An estimate; of just what it took to wage a war. 

The cost could be money, it could be men, resources, political capital or standing.

But for all of those metrics, the only tool to accurately measure it would always be history.

Obi-Wan had a feeling it would take a great many many years to understand the true scale of… the damage… the cost of this campaign.

Forty seven million Clones took part.

As of right now. Just two days after high command declared the planet ‘pacified’. The casualties were measured in twelve million.

Every hour new reports and updates came in. 

It was likely to climb. 

Between the combined fleets. Nearly two thousand ships had taken part in the assault. 

Over six hundred of them were damaged, or lost, from what Master Tiin and Rancisis had said just yesterday. 

One thousand two hundred and eighty seven Jedi had been deployed to the surface of Geonosis.

Five Hundred and thirty nine were as of now, declared dead, wounded or missing.

Three members of the High Council were dead. One of them turned traitor.

A High Council member- fallen to the Darkside and they’d never even suspected. None of them. Who had turned around and killed nearly half a million clones. And even now Master Plo-Koon was a hairs breadth away from death.

…

They’d accomplished their goals. The Geonosian hive Queen captured. The factories and capacity for war of one of the Seperatists most formidable and important keystones was in shambles. The Traitor Jorus was dead. The high commander Sev’rance Tann; a third Sith apprentice in secret- also dead. Twenty seven Zetabytes of data on Seperatist operations, weapons, plans, strongholds, fleet capacity and army composition had been gathered and were being poured over by intelligence agents and war strategists even now.

But it still didn’t feel at all as though it was a victory. 

They… they just lost. Too many. Too much. Too fast.

“Will you speak with him?”

The words made Obi-Wan start, realizing he was being addressed as he turned towards the source, finding Master Poof’s holo staring at him. 

He realized, not with a bit of embarrassment that he had no idea what the man had just said- he’d genuinely been miles away.

The cold air conditioning of the ship felt unnatural on his skin. So long he’d become used to sand and grit and dirt. 

“I’m sorry?”

Poof, to his credit didn’t look annoyed or irritated, merely repeating himself with all the patience in the world. “Will you speak with Knight Skywalker?”

Again, Obi-Wan blinked, having no idea what he was supposed to speak to Anakin about.

“Forgive me, Masters;” He implored. “It’s been a long, trying few days, start from the beginning please, why am I speaking to Anakin?”

Now Plo frowned, just a bit, not in admonishment but in sadness.

It was Windu who answered him. 

“Bulq’s actions against the Clones must be kept a secret-” The man said, staring at Obi-Wan gravely. “Skywalker, right now, is the only one who knows the full extent of what occurred.”

For the third time, Obi-Wan stared blankly, and blinked. Not quite comprehending what the hell was being said. 

“Bulq ordered half a million clones to kill themselves.” His voice was flat and wooden. “And you expect to… what? Have me tell Anakin to pretend it never happened?”

“What happened cannot get out to the general army.” Billaba was not one to plead but it was there in her voice now. “The Clones trust us as their Generals. Them knowing that we effectively have guns to their heads at a mere word, that anyone with authority over them can simply… override them like they themselves are droids. It would be devastating.”

“And are we simply leaving these control mechanisms in place!?” He demanded. “Why did it even happen in the first place? Who placed them in the Clones? Dias?

“We’re investigating.” Master Tii would not meet his eyes. “As far as we can tell- the first clones to have these chips implanted into them were the third generation and onward.”

“The Clones that were still not in active service after Dias brought the existence of the Clone army to the attention of the Republic.” Saese Tiin cut in. “More and more it seems that the Sith genuinely is in a place of high influence within the Senate itself.”

Obi-Wan frowned

“All we are are puppets dancing on strings and the only thing that will change is what he decides to call his new world order?’

“Someone put in the order for these things to be implanted.” He protested. “Our focus should be on that, not on telling Anakin to pretend that what happened didn’t happen!” 

“We need to do both.” Koth answered. 

“So now we’re pedalling in deceit and obfuscation?” He sneered. “My; its no wonder Master Bulq found a home here. Lying seems to come so easily to us these days.”

“And what is the alternative!” Windu suddenly snapped, rising to his feet, beginning to pace. “Tell the Clones that one of our own ordered them to kill themselves like he was decommissioning defective droids. Tell the Padawans and Knights that the High Council, we who are supposed to protect them have been infiltrated by the Sith; that he’d been giving away our plans and movements for however long he was because we don’t even know when he fell! Tell them that one of our most respected members is dying in the healing wing right now because of all our blindness. That every day we’re growing weaker and that even when we win the battles we only seem to die in greater and greater numbers!”

As he’d spoke his voice grew progressively louder, until by the end he was all but shouting and he rounded on Kenobi with his lips curled back and grief hidden just beneath the veil of wrath.  

Bulq had been his friend. And Obi-Wan was reminded that over the last month Windu  had been in the thick of the fighting everywhere. That he more than most had contributed to the battles across Geonosis and their victory.

The Republic’s Victory.

“Stop what?” She screamed and he saw tears glimmer in her eyes. “The Republic’s fall? It already has that’s what none of you understand and the only people too stupid to see it is your feeble blasted order of hypocrites and blind puppets! He’s won. It's already done.”

The memory percolated through his thoughts again even as Windu’s emotion bore down on him. The pent up feelings finding a voice. 

“GO ON!” He barked, loud and sudden enough that, Obi-Wan genuinely almost jumped in his seat. “Tell them! Tell them and see how long we have an Army for or even a Jedi Order for that matter! We are fighting this war and the only truth that exists is that less and less of us return to this temple every day that we fight an enemy who doesn’t even need to show himself and still he simply wins.”

Many looked away. And Obi-Wan wasn’t sure if it was for Windu’s sake, or their own. If they agreed or disagreed. 

He understood. He did.

Intellectually it made sense. Strategically it did as well.

They had all the correct reasons to demand what they were demanding of him.

But he still shook his head.

Obi-Wan stood up, hands folding into the billowing sleeves of his robe. 

And he knew why.

“Anakin’s given more than enough of himself  over to the Jedi. And to this War. “I won’t be used as the tool that demands more of him”

“The Jedi do what is for the good of all, not just the individuals.” Plo reminded gently.

“Then in this instance I’m afraid I cannot be a Jedi.”

The words were out before he knew what he was even saying, many in the Council chamber startled, a knife of fear cutting deep and that instinct made Obi-Wan wonder, truly wonder if he would be willing to leave the order as they no doubt thought in their reflexive interpretation. 

He found that… he couldn’t say.

He couldn’t rightfully say if he would stay or leave right now.

Looking around at the room full of his colleagues he felt many things, could read many things in each of them. There was grief. There was pain. A desire to do the right thing but… uncertainty. A deep… unmooring.

Bulq had done far far more damage in a single instance than what even a Decade more of this war could have.

He could see it. He could see all of it. The schisms, the fractures, the faultlines, all exacerbated and worsened. The fears, the doubts, the uncertainties. The pain. 

All of it, All of it was right here laid bare and plain for all to see.

No doubt that they saw it too.

The only problem was that like them- he simply couldn’t see how they could recover from it.

Karla:

“I’m sorry; the damage is just too extensive. There isn’t much more we can do.”

Her Master gave no reaction. Her face was still calm, placid. She nodded with just this small, tiny sound emerging as Master Allie offered the news.

But Karla could see otherwise.

The words cut deep, with a pain, a wound carving a jagged line somewhere deep inside where few pain’s she’d ever sensed before could reach. 

“Cybernetics? Organ replacement?” Her Master tried  even as the wellspring of resigned despair already knew the answer.”

“It… simply took so long to get him to a medical facility… “ Master Allie answered, gripping at her datapad. “Even if we were to try and start the process- I’m simply not sure he’d physically survive such an intensive surgery. Most of his primary organs were damaged. It was the will of the Force alone that allowed him to survive this long.”

Her master stood still, staring at her own master laying on the bed, looking so frail. So many tubes and wires. He hardly resembled the Master Plo that stood tall and proud, even in Karla’s memories. Like an inviolable statue.

Master Allie hesitated for a moment. “Master Hebert; you can’t-”

“I like you- Master Allie.” Miss Taylor said. “But if you’re about to lecture me on attachment right now- you’ll likely regret it far more than me.”

“I was going to say that you can’t be on your feet either right now.” The healer replied gently. “The amount of heat you generated in those tunnels was hot enough to melt stone. We’ve yet to run a diagnostic to see if you hurt yourself from being in there for so long.”

“I’m fine.” She answered dismissively.

Master Allie sighed. 

“No Master I don’t believe you are.” She answered simply

Karla agreed with the healer.

Before anything more could be said. Miss Taylor’s Holo rang. 

She answered, and a tiny flickering blue image appeared in her hand. “Iskt?”

Karla’s friend bowed, just a bit, even though the holo was primarily blue light she could see that his skin was now red, a heat haze shimmering around him. Did he get hit by a lightsaber?

“Miss Taylor-” He greeted. “Hi Karla. Miss Taylor… I think you should come see Miss Vicky. Now.”

Her Master blinked but Karla could feel the sliver of worry and… understanding? Expectation?

“She’s in the room?” She asked.

Iskt nodded.

“I’m heading there now.”

She hung up, and Master Allie offered a bow before turning and marching away, going off to see other patients with an assurance that she’d be back to check on Master Plo shortly. 

Miss Taylor turned around, planting a hand on Karla’s shoulder as she stood infront of her. 

“Can I count on you to stay?” She asked. “No one should wake up in a hospital alone.”

She felt her masters feeling there, a distant old ache. A memory then.

She leaned forward, giving the dark haired woman a hug. “I’ll stay.” She promised, and felt her gratitude.

Before the hug could end- Karla reached up, grabbing Angelica from atop her head and holding the wriggling hug bug towards her Master. “For Miss Vicky.”

Miss Taylor smiled, taking the delighted mushroom from her hands. “You know… he’s supposed to be my pet.” She reminded. 

Karla grinned. “My head’s more comfortable.”

—

Taylor:

I walked through the halls of the The Light of Tython quietly. It was one of the few cruisers dedicated almost exclusively to the medical care of the Jedi, so while there were some Clones on board; nearly the entirety of those I saw were Jedi, either as healers or patients. Many of them bowed, offering deferential nods and muttered calls of my name or title. Master or Crechemaster. Mostly depending on the age of the person.

There were a lot of injured here. Too many.

Many of them were my own former students. Still Padawans, or even Knights by now.

But still so very very young.

Too young for this. 

I stepped off of the elevator and towards the living quarters deck, I spied Iskt standing by the door of the hallway, the scales of his body changing color and composition was he flicked his fingers against his own lightsaber and thumped the back of his head against the wall behind him.

“Stop that.” I admonished. “We’ll get you proper power testing once everything has settled. Don’t give yourself freakin brain damage “

In response, he gave a cheeky, needle toothed smirk. “Too late. Master Dallon hit me one too many times on the head for that.” He said the last bit loud enough it might’ve carried through the door, a joke, a needling thing trying to get a reaction, and I saw the moment he understood that she hadn’t heard or, more likely just wasn’t going to answer. 

I sighed, placing my hand on his head as I adjusted the wriggling Angelica in my grip. “Don’t worry.” I reassured. “She’ll be ok. Head down to the medbay with Karla. I don’t want Master Plo to be alone and I don’t want her to be alone either.”

Again, he smirked. “Sticking with my Buddy again?”

“That’s right.” I smiled back. “Stick with your buddy. You were always the obedient one in the creche.”

He nodded, turning and marching away, shutting off his Lightsaber after he flicked it one last time to turn his scales the fiery red of heat resistance once again.

I was pretty sure he just liked the look of them. 

Turning back towards the door, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever I might find on the other side before accessing the control panel. 

It whooshed into the side with a hiss, slipping into the wall. 

I wasn’t surprised to find Vicky on our bed.

She was sitting in the gloom. Just the safety lights turned on.

Her Lightsaber was in her hand and she stared at it like it held all the answers.

Or all the doubts.

I stepped forward quietly, without a word, Angelica wriggled in my arms, eager to slip towards Vicky, to let the tiny little light of its aura wash over her, to ease the pain ever so slightly in that way only she knew how. 

I didn’t let it though. Not yet.

Sometimes people needed to talk.

And I’m pretty sure that this was one of those times. 

 I sat down on the bed beside her, the thin mattress crinkling under my weight.

Neither of us said anything for a long while.

Vicky wasn’t one for silences. It was only when she was hurt did she get quiet.

She was very quiet now. 

Finally…

“I wanna go home.”

I don’t think I’ve ever heard her sound so small., and it broke my heart. 

“I’d say… we’re going back to Coruscant soon… but you don’t mean Coruscant do you?”

She shook her head, sniffling, and in the next instance I felt the shame and the guilt and the self loathing bubble up from inside of her. Guilty that she wanted something. That she wanted for something as simple as going home. Leaving everyone here to handle their own affairs without their invincible Jedi.

My hand reached out, slipping into hers. “Hey hey… none of that.” I said.

“I fucking told them!” She hissed. “I told them after Illum! I said that the Sith Master was getting to the Jedi and that- that fucking cocksucker Mundi-”

“I know.” I interrupted, feeling her fury spiking, feeling the well of deep deep anger springing up from within, bottomless and self fueling; ready to be unleashed. “I know” I repeated.

I placed Angerlica on the bed, moving to kneel infront of Vicky, getting ‘lower, so I could stare up into her face that was red and puffy and a damn sight messier than she’d ever let anyone see.. 

The little Hug bug finally managed to reach its goal, crawling up the side of Vicky’s hip before she reached over, plucking it up and squeezing it tight to her chest, crying fat tears onto it as it cooded and lightly pawed at her face as though trying to wipe them away.

“I know.” I said a third time. 

“Why aren’t you mad?” She said through warbling tears and glimmering eyes. 

I was mad. 

I was furious.

And Bulq was lucky Anakin had gotten to him first.

But that isn’t what Vicky needed right now.

I could keep it together, keep it controlled.

Because I’d been down this road before.

Losing a… losing someone like Plo was always hard.

“Its not what you need me to be.” I answered honestly. “There will be-”

“And what do you need?”  She countered, shaking her head. “Don’t… don’t just worry about me.”

“I’m fine.” I insisted.

Vicky didn’t look like she believed me, biting her lip, hesitating on her next words.

“And… and Orwell?” She asked haltingly. “Did he come out of surgery?”

I winced.

“He… did.”

But my expression, my reaction must’ve given it away.

“Oh… Oh Tay.” She sobbed.

She reached over, pulling me into the hug, and I felt the apple lodge itself in my throat, my eyes burning as I hugged her back. 

“I’m fine.” I insisted, even as the last word got stuck in my throat.

(X)(X)(X)

Hey all, first of the Aftermath Chapters.It was meant to be longer, but I'mma be honest. I really didn't want to write another super long chapter after the last couple of doozies. So a bit of a shorter one here today.Next chap we'll check in on Alexandria, Dennis, Hannah and a bit more of the macro scale of things. And an internet cookie for anyone who can guess what Iskt's power is :D