Chapter Text
It feels like the galaxy is fracturing. Cody swears he can see the cracks in the world around him. He swears he can hear the shatter as it all falls apart.
“Like Echo said, we had our own frequencies and codes, and they’re active. I don't know how, but it.. I- I think it's him.”
Cody chokes as he tries to swallow a sudden sob. He covers his face with his hands as he feels tears gather at the corners of his eyes. His face grows hot and his body goes cold as the weight of it all comes crashing down. It can't be and yet there is no other explanation. The realization hits Cody like a sun is being dropped on him.
“Rex… I think I found Obi-Wan.”
Cody keeps his face in his hands and tries to get his breathing to smooth out. It’s nearly impossible. Saying the name, for the first time in almost 3 years, has him feeling like he’s an inch tall and holding a planet on his chest. Karking hells, he’s hardly been able to even think the name since waking up. Obi-Wan. General Kenobi. Ner’Jetii. Cody feels something in his gut clench painfully. His chest hurts. He’s been fighting the thought, the possibility, for almost two days now. It can’t be him . Yet, in the light of what he’s found, with the stories in each city, active codes and frequencies, the messages, the lightsaber…
A part of Cody wants to run. A part of him wants to shut off the scanner, hop the fastest transport to a place he can get a vod to pick him up, get to Lah-mu, and pretend like he never knew any better. He could go about his life with the Vode and pretend like his Jedi is dead and gone.
He can’t though. He can't accept that fear and weakness, not of himself. His Jedi deserved better. Deserves better; because apparently he’s alive. Kark... Another sob gets lodged in his throat. Cody hears Rex take a deep, shuddering breath, and he hopes to all there is that Rex doesn’t question him. Now he understands how Echo felt, knowing and desperate for his vode to believe him. Cody already feels crazy, like he’s lost everything and now he’s finally losing his mind too, but he knows-
“But I know it’s him… We have to go to Lah-mu, and Hunter wont let us until he gets the go-ahead from you.”
Echo had been so frightened and nervous, yet determined and certain.
“I’m certain it’s from him. I’m certain about this just as I am certain that you had a similar code with Obi-Wan.”
Kark, just like Echo knew it was Fives, Cody knows that the shadow he’s been chasing the last few days is Obi-Wan. His Jedi, his General, the man that meant so much to Cody. The man that Cody betrayed.
“I hear you, Kote. If you say it’s him, then it’s him. What have you found so far?”
Cody wants to kiss Rex. Instead he pulls his head from his hands, sitting up to lean his head back against the wall and dropping his hands in his lap, feeling numb. He breathes just a little bit easier at least.
“Based on accounts I’ve heard from varying witnesses in different settlements here, I had an inkling of maybe. I was starting to think I was losing my mind. I bought a scanner just to show myself that I was being crazy, but… Codes that only he and I used, on a frequency only we used, and they're actively connected to a transmitting tracking beacon. It’s leading out into the desert. Just a general heading but…”
Cody stops and takes a breath. Closes his eyes and just breathes in sand, engine fuel, and heartache. When he opens his eyes he’s looking up into the dusty blue sky of Tatooine and all he can think in that moment is how like his Jedi’s eyes the color is. It hurts to look at. Cody closes his eyes and doesn't open them until he’s turned his face back to Rex's holo. Rex looks somewhere between truly pained and unimaginably frustrated. He looks like he’s trying to hold back tears.
“I’ll come help you look for him”, Rex says thickly.
Cody’s shaking his head before Rex is halfway done.
“No, the Vode need you-”
“Kark that Kote. I can see how much pain you're in. I’m not leaving you to-”
“I need to do this alone, Rex. I’m…”
Cody hates saying no to Rex under any circumstance, but this is going to be hard for Cody. Not physically, he has no issues going into the wilds of Tatooine, but emotionally this is going to suck all kinds of kirf, no matter what he finds. Cody has to know, one way or another, if Obi-Wan is alive or not. If he’s not, then Cody will take back the saber that is rightfully his and be done with this planet and quickly back on his way to the Vode. If it is Obi-Wan… It could go several ways. But Cody has to know. He has to try and make this right in whatever way he can. If things go bad, in any of the numerous ways it could go bad, then Cody does not want Rex to be there to see him fall to pieces. Depending on what he finds, it may take some time, but Cody will pull himself together enough to return to the Vode and be what he can for them. In the meantime, he needs to know that the Vode has the best person available to look after them, and that’s Rex.
“I hear you, Kote. I’ll hold the fort down here until you come back to us”, Rex says with conviction and determination.
Force, how I love him , Cody thinks. Rex’s handsome face is set with that faithful stern resolve that many of them are known for. Rex has given himself a mission and he will see it through. Cody loves Rex. Cody loves the Vode. Cody-kark it all... Cody loves Obi-Wan Kenobi.
“I’m sorry, Rex”, Cody chokes out feeling broken.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Kote. You care for all of us differently, we know that, no one ever doubts that. But he’s different. Kaysh cuyir a kis'wa be gar runi. (He is a part of your soul.)”
Cody aches with how true those words are. Cody loves Rex. Rex knows Cody loves him. They are special to one another beyond brothers, beyond Vode, and that bond will never diminish or be broken. Obi-Wan… Obi-Wan is so much to Cody. Similar to his love for Rex, yet different. The bond blazes within him differently for them both. Cody never truly admitted it to anyone. He’s never, even during the war, admitted how strong his love for his General, his Jedi, really is. All of the Vode knew, of course. Some had kept a quiet respect for Cody’s unresolved feelings, while others teased him endlessly about his lack of subtlety, but always with a kind understanding and sadness. Cody wouldn't say anything, wouldn't admit his feelings, not during an active war. I always thought there would be more time . They ran out of time before any of them were ready. Cody will not back down now, he will not waste any more time.
“Ratiin bal darasuum...”, Cody breathes. (‘Always and eternal.’)
Cody meets Rex’s eyes and finds them full of pride and love. Rex understands. Of course he does. Cody feels a little lighter under the shine of Rex’s love and acceptance.
“Is there anything I can do for the Vode from here?”, Cody asks, because he can’t not offer to help his people.
“Hells no. And even if there was I wouldn’t tell you”, Rex says with a lighthearted chuckle.
Cody huffs a mock offended growl and Rex just seems to find that more amusing.
“We’re good here, Cody. Kote. I promise. We’re gonna start moving the base over and getting things figured out. The best thing you can do is find your Jetii and bring him home. He’s no doubt isolating himself from some kirf like the self sacrificing ‘certain point of view’ he used to pull.”
He can't help but give a genuine laugh at that. Rex is probably right. If there are Jedi on Lah-mu, but Obi-Wan chose not to be with them, then it's likely from a misguided sense of duty or self sacrifice. During the war, after a particularly long time of being kept isolated in enemy hands, Obi-Wan had returned to the 212th and been overly touchy and physical with all of the men for several weeks. None of them complained, but it had been odd enough that Cody and Bones had both asked if their General was ok.
“Most sentients aren’t meant to be alone. Most need some kind of interaction with others”, General Kenobi had said as he sat in the rec room squished between Waxer and Boil.
“I imagine it's worse for Force sensitives”, Bones had commented, overly casual.
“Yes”, General Kenobi admitted only slightly reluctantly, “Jedi, any Force sensitive really, don't do well alone for long. We need that connection through the Force.”
“If anything changes on your end and you need me”, Cody starts to say, pulling himself from the memory.
“If we need you I will let you know. Find your Jetii, vod. We sure as kark aren't going anywhere. Let’s both just promise to check in more frequently though, alright?”, Rex says with a smile.
“I suppose. I understand you start to have withdrawals if you don't see my face every few days”, Cody teases.
“Ha. Ha. Very funny”, Rex deadpans, but Cody can see the hint of a grin on his face.
“Thank you, Rex’ika.”
“No problem, Kote. We’ll wait for you.”
Cody swallows thickly and looks Rex in the eyes.
“Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, Rex’iak.” (‘I love you’)
Rex is back to looking close to tears. He’s even got that cute blush on his cheeks. Cody realizes he doesn’t say it enough, to any of the Vode. One more thing he’ll have to fix at some point.
“Ni kar’rayl gar darasuum, Kote.”
“Cuyir morut’yc”, Cody says as he moves to cut the holocall. (‘Be safe’)
“Cuyir morut’yc”, Rex echos, then right before the call ends Rex says, “Jate’kara, Kote’alor.” (lit. good stars, how the Vode say 'Good luck’; way of showing great respect, considering Cody leader)
The call cuts before Cody can say anything to that. Karking Rex . Cody has never been ignorant of how much of the Vode consider him the unofficial leader. He’s never thought himself worthy of it, of the devotion, but he feels even less so now. He’s glad that Rex has been the one in charge the last few years. He knows Rex will likely stay head of the Vode HighCommand even after they get things moved from Yavin to Lah-mu. Cody… Cody has always been and always will be, whatever his people need him to be. He loves his brothers, his people, the Vode. Right now, he has to find his Jedi. His General. Kark...the man he loves.
“Right”, Cody murmurs to himself, “Now I have to hunt down Obi-Wan Kenobi.”
This will be easy. Not.
---
Cody has to take several minutes with his head back and eyes closed before he’s able to get up and moving after his call with Rex. He’s alternating between elation and denial at the reality that Obi-Wan is alive, against all odds. It’s a whiplash of emotions that is causing a dizzying sense of vertigo. When he’s finally up, he rigs up a strap for the scanner so he’s able to tie it on his belt where he can have it in hand quickly. For the time being he shuts it down and goes back into town to gather supplies. He uses up most of the money that Toph had given him buying water skins, an extra pack, and a large amount of ration bars. Cody intimidates his way into a back alley blaster shop that has some old Republic blasters and long rifles. He nearly bounces in excitement when he finds they have a DC-15x Sniper Rifle. He blows the last of his credits on the X, a DC-15S, and 2 reload cartridges for each. Cody is able to endear himself enough to the shop keep, that they give him a few reloads worth for the hand blaster he’s been carrying since leaving Yavin.
After he’s gathered what he can, Cody goes back to his little bit of wall on the outskirts of town and pulls the scanner back out. He inputs the frequency and waits for it to lock on to the tracking beacon. When the faint beep clicks on and the screen shows him the general direction to head in, he stands there another minute, just letting it beep as he tries to breath. There’s a lot of open desert out that way. He pulls his hood up and wraps the cowl over his face. No use in standing here, better to get a move on. Cody spares one last thought to stealing a speeder bike, but thinks better of it. He has enough on his plate without adding theft into the mix. Cody hikes the strap of his sniper rifle further up his shoulder and steps out into the sands. This is gonna suck . But he’s marched in worse, fought through worse while wearing more than half his weight in armor and gear. It will all be worth it, if he finds his Jedi.
---
The beep beep of the scanner sets him in a South West direction from town. The sky looks fairly clear, but Cody knows that on a planet like Tatooine that doesn't mean too much. The air is hot and dry. Cody hates it. He’s been on planet for four days, walking for just over 3 hours, and he’s decided that he abhors this dust ball. Once he finds Obi-Wan, if his Jedi is willing, they are getting off this hot miserable hunk of rock as fast as possible. He supposes he should start thinking about what he’s going to do depending on the different reactions Obi-Wan could have. Cody doesn't want to think about Obi-Wan hating him or turning him away. It will rip Cody’s heart to shreds. He’ll do what he can to show Obi-Wan he’s sorry, but if the Jedi truly wants nothing to do with him… It will hurt, but Cody will accept it. He would never force the man he loves to accept him after what he’s done. At the worst, Obi-Wan will kill him. At the least, he’ll tell Cody to get karked and send him away. That’s the best that Cody expects, because then he’ll at least be able to return to the Vode and be what he can for them. He will be less than half a shell of who he once was, with the pain of Obi-Wan's rejection, but something is better than nothing. Against all odds, if Obi-Wan accepts Cody back into his life Cody hopes that his Jedi will agree to go to Lah-mu with him. Cody hopes that the man is at least taking care of himself in whatever self isolation self martyrdom Obi-Wan has thrown himself into here on Tatooine. Cody can’t imagine what else in the galaxy could be forcing his proud, social, people loving Jedi to stay by himself.
He pauses to take a few sips of water and looks out over the horizon. The heat is making waves on the top of the dunes far out. The scanner is still beeping steady in the direction he’s going. One more sip of water and then he starts walking again. His steps sink in the sand up to the ankle and he has to fight to keep from tripping every few steps.
“Kark this planet.”
The suns are almost completely set over the horizon and night is closing in fast when he reaches some kind of giant skeleton. It’s dark enough that he can’t quite tell what kind of creature this used to be, all he can say for sure is that it’s huge and he hopes he doesn't encounter a live whatever this is. There’s no meat or skin and the bones have been thoroughly sun bleached. That means that there’s likely no scavengers to worry about. The skull is empty and large enough for him to crawl in and hunker down for the night. Cody wraps himself up as best he can in his cloak and cowl, keeping a blaster at the ready. After days of stress, hardly any sleep, and hours of walking in the harsh desert, he’s out like a light in no time.
---
It’s the middle of a battle. There is shooting and shouting all around him as the vode fight and press their advance against a metal enemy. They’re winning and it’s sending a warm wave of excitement and pride through all of them. He's standing on an observation platform with some of the heavy cannons. A breeze brings cool air from the depths of the pit and river he’s standing over. The soft air pressing around him should feel crushing against his armor, but it doesn't. It would be frightening if not for the flash of a charming grin that flashes across his mind, the gentle laughter that twinkles in the blue sky. He feels a sense of amusement as the striling call of a varactyl echoes through his bones. He is momentarily warmed by a burning light that nears him, then it is off up the cliffs, a shining beacon leading them.
His comm beeps an incoming transmission. Something deep inside him screams not to answer.
No, ignore it, he tries to tell himself. It’s nothing good.
But he cannot will his muscles to obey and in the next moment a hooded figure and a slithering voice is whispering darkness into his being.
“Commander Cody. The time has come. Execute Order 66.”
There's excruciating panic and pain. His heart stops. No, I won't let this happen. This can't happen. Dark cold blackness that consumes even the void of space seizes hold of him. He realizes it’s happening and cries out, but nothing comes out. Something inside him is wrong. He fights with all his might to claw his way back to the soft breeze and comforting warmth. I'm strong. I won't let this happen. This can't happen. He can feel the darkness closing in as all memory of blue eyes and kind smiles are stripped from him. He is lost. He doesn't know who he is. All that he was has been replaced with blurry images that hold no more meaning than a grain of sand.
Like the sand beneath his feet as he trips and stumbles his way along an endless ocean of sand. He knows. He knows. Here he will find what he's looking for. The darkness cannot last forever. Over the horizon of the endless sea of sand and dirt, twin red orbs blink open to stare into him. They bath the world around him in a red golden light. For a heartbeat it reminds him of auburn hair, soft smiles, and kind mischievous eyes. He’s lost. He’s wandering, wondering. It is a lifetime when he reaches the edge of the sands and comes to the beginnings of an endless ridge of mountains. They seem impossible to climb.
Please, whatever this is, please stop.
It doesn't stop, though. He doesn’t stop. Blood slicks his hands as he takes hold of jagged rocks as he finds his way climbing up, down, and around the winding pathways. The wind kicks up sand into his eyes. Voices he knows aren't there echo along the cavern walls. He tries all he can to make himself stop. Nothing works as his hands slip on a stone face and he falls down into darkness.
Please, stop this.
After another lifetime of falling he finds himself at the edge of a valley. Beyond, in the distance, he can see a small stone hut. Just barely noticeable, as it almost blends in with the rocks. Somehow, he knows. He knows. There he will find what he’s been looking for. He feels like a severed nerve, nothing but pain and numbness as he fights with himself to move faster. He needs to get there. He needs to be there. As he stumbles and trips his way along the valley path, the closer he gets to the hut, he can see a soft shining light through its windows.
Almost there.
The hut is set at the top of a cliff. He can climb that. He’s climbed worse. Steps away from the bottom of the rock face, his boot catches in the sand. He’s only just able to catch himself from falling again. He jerks his foot to try and free his boot from the ground, but it only sinks a bit deeper into the sand. He tries again and only gets more stuck. A soft sound draws his attention to the hut above him. The door has opened and out steps a robed figure.
I’m here!
He tries to call out, but his words are lost in the echo of the caverns around him. He tries to get his foot free again, but now he's swallowed halfway up his calf. Above him, the figure looks around like they are looking for something, searching.
Here! I’m right here!
Their shoulders slump and they move back to the door of the hut.
Wait! I’m here, I'm coming.
The figure pauses and turns back to look out over the mountains around them. He’s almost losing hope when they look down. Dazzling blue, like the most beautiful sky, a calm moment after a storm, a gentle sea. Soft gold tinted red framing blue. Warmth. Light.
Obi-Wan.
“I’m here. I’m waiting.”
I’m coming.
Cody jerks awake so hard he throws sand up into his own face. It takes a few seconds of sputtering and wiping at his face before he can see clearly. The bleak sands of Tatooine greet him. Twin red suns are just rising on the horizon, casting warm red gold shadows along the dunes. Cody sits and breathes. He feels like he hasn't gotten any rest at all. A soft breeze caresses his face as he watches warm morning light return, chasing away the cold darkness of night. The darkness does not last. Light will return.
Cody belatedly realizes he doesn't have any caf.
“Kark.”
---
Beepbeep. Beep.
Cody wagers he’s been walking in the same direction of at least a full day, all together. He’d been awake and walking, not caffeinated, for about 4 hours when the beeping on the scanner had changed. The scanner indicated that the tracking beacon he was following had moved slightly more northward, but it was also picking up a frequency from some kind of radar not too far from where Cody had been at the time. As much as he wanted to find Obi-Wan, he knew he needed to find some decent shelter and have a few moments to rest before going back into the wilds in a new direction. If this dwelling also happened to have some caf packets that he could barter or ask kindly for, that would be welcomed as well. So he’s been walking steadily closer to what is hopefully a dwelling or halfway point that is inhabited by nice helpful folks. This is Tatooine though, so the odds are stacked against him.
Beepbeep. Beep.
As necessary as it is, the beeping is starting to get on his nerves. He has half a mind to comm Fox, of all people, just to have someone to talk to. Or perhaps Wolffe, he’d be entertaining if nothing else. He doesn’t though. He can only imagine how much work the Vode are having to go through right now with moving home base and getting a functioning system set up between the group from Yavin and the group on Lah-mu. Arguably, Cody may have the easier mission here.
He reaches the top of the dune he’s been climbing and finds himself looking out over a vast flat plane of dirt, sand, and salt. In the far off distance Cody can see what must be the source of the radar blip his scanner is picking up. It’s a small speck right now, but Cody is fairly sure he can reach it within a few hours. If nothing else he’ll need to reach it before nightfall. He takes a sip of his water skin, emptying one of the three that he has. With a nod to himself, Cody starts picking his way down the dunes and onto the salt flat.
Beepbeep. Beep.
Beepbee-
Cody shuts the scanner off three hours later when he’s finally close enough to see what he’s been walking towards. It’s a moisture farm or mining homestead of some kind. There’s a single above ground building, a dome stone structure that is flanked by 2 large pits. Several different tech towers are visible from within the center and edge of the larger pit. Cody really hopes that someone's home, if not he won't be above breaking in in order to have a place to sit and rest that isn't sand or salt.
Kark this planet.
He’s a few yards from the dome when a being steps out, watching Cody with guarded eyes. It’s a human male, in his mid to late 20’s or maybe early 30’s, wearing tan and grey clothing, and pointing a blaster at Cody.
“That’s far enough stranger”, the man says with only a hint of a shake to his voice.
Cody stops and raises both hands to try and appear non threatening. Hard to do really, with as many blasters as he’s carrying and the fact that he could still rip the head off a droid with his bare hands.
“I don’t want any trouble. Just looking for someone and need a place to stop and get out of the suns for a bit.”
“Carrying a lot of weapons for someone not looking for trouble”, the man says skeptically.
“That’s more for my own protection. I'm sure you know how dangerous these lands can be”, Cody responds strong yet respectful, “I promise, I mean no harm. Just want to get out of the heat. Then be on my way to find my friend.”
Cody hopes he sounds sincere enough to endear this man's help. It really is hot out here and Cody’s fairly sure he has sand in some truly uncomfortable places. The man stares him down for another moment. He keeps a level gaze on Cody.
“You try anything funny and I’ll blast you into the next system.”
“Fair enough”, Cody cant help but chuckle.
The man nods and lowers his blaster, relaxing just a bit.
“Owen Lars. Come on in.”
It surprises Cody that this man, Owen, is so calm and ready to help. Cody had genuinely expected more of a push back from someone living in the wastes of Tatooine. Still, he won't look a gift nerf in the mouth. Cody follows Owen into the dome, down a flight of stairs, through a short hallway, and then out into a courtyard. Looking up Cody realizes that this is the larger pit. Intrigued by the set up, Cody looks around. The pit acts as a courtyard and in the center is a communications tower and main water collection tower. The walls of the pit are hard packed, but also have several different openings and doorways that lead to underground rooms, creating a hidden compound. Smart and efficiently well done. Everything is clean, despite all of the sand and salt, and organized. Owen leads Cody to an open section of wall that leads to what looks like an outdoor kitchen or seating area and he waves Cody to a seat at the table.
Cody’s not at all ashamed of how he shucks his water skins and blasters onto the table, sets his bags down, and drops into the offered seat. Kark, he’s more tired than he thought. The air in here is cool and refreshing. When Owen sets a glass of some kind of blue milk in front of him, Cody couldn't be more thankful.
“Cheers”, Cody says before taking hold of the cup and swallowing several large gulps.
“So, friend, what’s your name and your story?”, Owen asks as he sits down across from Cody, setting his blaster on the table as well.
“Just looking for an old friend”, Cody says as calmly as he can, “Set out from Anchorhead yesterday, my scanner picked you up this morning.”
“Looking for an old friend?”, Owen nods, clearly still skeptical, “and you’ve been wandering, on foot, through the desert with a small arsenal?”
“I’m just telling you how it is. You don't have to know any more than that”, Cody tries to keep the growl out of his voice.
“Uh huh. Didn't catch your name.”
“That’s because I didn't give it”, Cody isn’t able to keep the growl from his voice this time.
He doesn't want to start a fight, but he's not here to make friends or share sob stories. Cody just wants an hour or so in some cool shade and then he’ll be back on his way. Owen looks like he’s about to press, when they are both startled from their staring contest by a woman coming around the corner. Cody instinctively starts to reach for his blaster, but jerks to a stop when he sees the young toddler in the woman's arms. Owen stands quickly with his blaster back in hand, to put himself between Cody and the woman. Cody feels a little sad at the obvious mistrust. He’d never hurt a child. Carefully, Cody moves so both his hands are slightly raised and in sight as he stands and bows his head a fraction. He still had some manners.
“Ma’am, pardon the intrusion. I assure you I mean no harm or trouble”, Cody is quick to assure.
The woman stares at him for a second before looking at Owen with guarded yet sure eyes.
“You should have told me we had a guest”, the woman steps around Owen and smiles at Cody, “It’s only a bit of an intrusion, but you look like you’ve been through a lot. I’m Beru, Owen is my husband, this here is Luke.” Beru bounces the toddler on her hip with a grin before looking back to Cody, “What’s your name, friend? ”
Cody looks at the woman's kind face and gentle smile, then down at the toddler, Luke, in her arms. Blonde hair and intelligent blue eyes look back at him from the younglings round face. Something there looks familiar, but Cody’s not sure what it could be. Luke smiles a gummy smile and Cody is powerless to keep from smiling back. Kirf.
“Cody, ma’am. I appreciate your kindness, it’s been a rough few days.”
Something odd passes over Beru and Owens faces. It sets Cody a little on edge. Both look Cody up and down like they're scanning him and trying to put the pieces of a puzzle in place. Cody’s feeling ogled, when little Luke breaks the tension.
“Koday”, Luke giggles and he reaches out with both arms for Cody.
“Uh, no. Cody. Co-dee”, he tries to correct.
The little boy giggles again and shakes his head.
“Koday. Kotay!”, Luke cheers with more laughter.
Cody tries not to get upset at this boy messing up his name and almost accurately saying his real name. He looks up at Beru and Owen, only to find them watching him with closed off and slightly frightened expressions. Cody is beyond confused.
“You said you were looking for a friend…”, Owen says carefully as he steps in front of Beru and Luke again, “What’s this friend's name?”
The sudden aggression is surprising and Cody fights to keep from reaching for a weapon, there’s a child in the potential line of fire. Again he holds both hands up and tries to lower the tension.
“Yes, just looking for a friend and-”
“What’s their name?”, Owen snaps.
Cody glares at the man. He’s not really all that excited about sharing this information. Today is turning far more confusing and hostile than he originally wanted. He can tell Owen won't back down from this though. Cody really doesn't want this to end in a fight. The tracking beacon had been leading him in this direction, maybe these folks have seen Obi-Wan. A pinch of pain in his chest has Cody taking a deep breath.
“I’m looking for a man named Obi-Wan.”
That gets a reaction he wasn’t expecting. Owen raises his blaster and levels it at Cody’s head. Beru quickly steps back and moves to cover Luke from any possible harm. The child lets out a startled aggravated cry. Cody holds his ground, but prepares to drop and grab his own blaster if needed.
“So, the Empire finally found us and they sent Ben’s old clone to hunt him down? Well, you aren't getting any further than this,” Owen moves to pull the trigger and Cody’s brain kicks into overdrive.
Ben? Empire? Old clone?
Oh.
“Wait! I’m not with the Empire!”, Cody says quickly, “I got free and I came alone. I swear I’m not with the Empire. I’ve been free for months.”
Owen pauses and glares him down and keeps the blaster raised.
“I swear I'm not with the Empire. I got out.”
Another moment and then Owen lowers the blaster only a fraction.
“Alright”, Owen nods, “If that’s true, then why are you after Ben?”
Cody grits his teeth to repress a snarl.
“I am not ‘after’ him. I want to see him and there are... things I need to say to him.”
“Things you need to say? Like what?”, Owen raises the blaster back up when Cody shifts.
Cody can’t stop the growl now. What does it matter to this man what he has to say to his Jedi? Granted, he hasn’t really thought about what he’s going to say, but it’s all private and intimate and none of this man's business anyway. That being said, he can’t afford to get shot and these people clearly know Obi-Wan. Cody will have to swallow his pride on this one. It doesn't make it any easier.
“He was my General and I betrayed him. The karking mind control chip in our heads made us all betray our Generals. I am looking for Obi-Wan to apologize”, Cody takes a painful breath, his chest hurts, “He’s my Jedi and I thought I killed him. I just found out yesterday that he may be alive and I...I just want to see him.”
Cody swallows thickly around the lump in his throat and stares at the ground. He hadn’t realized he’d looked away from Owen, but he can't bring himself to look up now. His face feels warm and his chest feels tight.
I just want to see him… Ner jetii...
A warm tear escapes Cody’s tight control and rolls down his face and he risks moving a hand to whip it from his chin. Karking hell . He’s crying in front of these people. He looks up to find Owen looking a little shell shocked and Beru looks oddly close to pulling him into a hug. These people don’t know him, but they seem to know Obi-Wan and that makes something broken in Cody start to slowly knit back together. His Jedi is alive. Beru’s kind eyes seem to see through him in a way that makes his emotions feel seen and understood. It’s like those kind motherly eyes are pulling the feelings from him.
“I miss him...”, the words seep brokenly from Cody’s mouth before he can stop them.
Like that, the tension seems to fly out of the room and the Lars couple. Owen lowers the blaster and sets it on the table. Both he and Beru look far more at ease and a little sympathetic. Cody’s going to end up with whiplash at this rate.
“Well, I don’t think an agent of the Empire could look like such a kicked tooka as you do”, Owen sighs; when he notices that Cody is still tense he waves back to the table, “relax, you proved you’re no threat. We’re fine.”
Cody relaxes only marginally, but sits back down at the table. Beru comes over and sits down as well. Luke seems to be unaware of the tension that is only just now bleeding from the room. The youngling grins up at Cody with shining happy eyes.
“How do you know Obi-Wan?”, Cody asks, looking back at the two adults.
“We met a few years ago, he insists on going by Ben Kenobi to keep from being found. He’s...sort of a family friend. Said if anyone ever came looking for him we were to turn them away unless they said their name was Cody or identified themselves as trooper CC-2224. Then we were to hold them at blaster point and go through”, Owen gives a small wave of his hands, “all of that. If they wouldn't say what we needed to hear then we were to try and restrain them. He was oddly adamant that we try not to kill you.”
That makes Cody huff a laugh. So Obi-Wan is really alive. Unless these folks were given a false name. Already he knows that's not true. Obi-Wan is alive and apparently a friend of these simple people. Well, that makes them friends to Cody at this point. There’s some fairly strong emotions clawing at his insides, but he does his best to keep them down where he can deal with them later, when he’s not around these kind people.
“You’re really his Commander from the war?”, Beru asks softly.
Cody nods, “not a commander of anything anymore, but I was.”
“Ben comes by a couple of times a month. He doesn’t talk much, just spends a little time with Luke or to bring us supplies from town. Other than telling us to keep an eye out for anyone hunting for him, he’s never really mentioned the war or what happened. I’ve heard him say your name a few times, on the rare occasions when he tells Luke stories”, Beru says with a soft smile.
She’s trying to be kind, but it causes Cody’s heart to skip a beat and his gut to clench. Even after betraying him, Obi-Wan tells a small child stories about him? That doesn’t really mean they’re good stories, but at least it’s something. Luke seems favorable to him at least. There’s a sharp edge of pain and self hatred digging into Cody's insides. It takes a second for him to find enough air to speak, but he’s not sure what to say.
“Where is he?”, Cody finally asks, trying to muscle down the hope and fear and uncertainty.
“What makes you think he wants to see you?”, Owen asks coolly.
“Owen!”, Beru gives him a slap on the shoulder looking aghast at the question.
“He may not want to see me”, Cody says thickly, looking down at his hands on the table, “He may hate me now and try to kill me. I’d..Kark, I just want to try and ask for the chance to make up for what happened. For what I’ve done.”
Something in Cody’s gut clenches painfully and his face heats even more. He has to bow his head for a moment just to keep from crying in front of these poor people even more. He’ll lie and say he had sand in his eyes later.
“You actually just missed him. He was doing one of his monthly visits and left early this morning”, Beru says gently.
Something in Cody stutters at this news. He’s going to end up with some kind of heart condition after this. Of course, it’d be his luck that he’s only just behind enough to miss his Jedi. Still, that explains why his scanner had the beacon in one place and then it moved off further this morning.
“His place is north west of here, in the Wastes. I can give you the coordinates”, Owen says with a rather resigned sigh.
Cody’s head snaps up so hard he feels something in his neck pop. That was easier than expected. He goes to say thank you, but has to cough and clear his throat before he’s able to get the words out. Coordinates. To Obi-Wan. His Jedi. That will be so much easier than hunting him down tracking with a scanner.
“I’d appreciate that. Thank you.”
---
He stays at the Lars residence for an hour and a half, standard time, and unintentionally becomes rather attached to little Luke. The boy is a few months from turning three, he learns, and Cody imagines he’s a complete menace on a regular day. Cody thinks it’s fantastic how raged the youngling seems to run his aunt and uncle. Beru gives Cody a decent midday meal while Owen gives him Obi-Wan’s coordinates and shows him on a map the best way to avoid Imperial hot spots and Tusken routes. Cody is beyond thankful that Owen shows him an easy way, because he would have likely taken the long hard way while following his scanner otherwise. When he steps back out onto the salt flats to continue on his way, Luke gives his knees a hug. Beru tries to get him to stay until the next morning, commenting that it’s only a few hours until dark. Cody appreciates the offer, but he’d rather get as much walking in as he can. She smiles in understanding and tells him he’s welcome to visit them, no matter what happens, anytime. Owen only looks a little hesitant to agree, he seems more ready to be rid of Cody than his wife is.
Owen is generous enough that he gives Cody the paper map that he marked the safest route on and reminds him to keep an eye out for Tuskens. Cody thanks them for the help several times and then heads out on in his way. He’s swinging back and forth between excitement and desire to find Obi-Wan verses wanting to procrastinate out of anxiety and nervousness. He’s so close to finding his Jedi, a man he betrayed and thought he killed; a man he loves. Cody still has no idea what he’s going to say when he finds Obi-Wan. He may drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness in the first minute. He just hopes that if the Jedi decides he wants nothing to do with Cody, that he will let him down gently. At least I’ll know he’s alive and well , Cody thinks. If nothing else, Cody will know for sure and have a solid understanding of where he stands.
Cody follows the route on his map to the Jundland Wastes and within a few hours of leaving the Lars’ homestead he’s standing before the jagged and imposing rocks. It’s not the fastest way really, but it will keep him from having to pass by any Imperial stops. It’s not the path of least resistance by any stretch, but being out in the open is sometimes worse than being in a place where you can hide among the rocks. The last thing Cody wants is to be spotted walking alone out in the open by Tuskens or raiders. Night is coming quickly and it’s even darker along the rock and cliff lined pathways. He doesn't want to use any artificial light if he can help it, as it may draw unwanted attention to himself. Cody walks another hour and when it’s officially too dark to see without pulling out his flashlight he uses it just long enough to find a shallow nook to wedge himself in for the night. He curls around his belongings and keeps a blaster in hand. Sleep likely isn't to happen tonight, but Cody closes his eyes and focuses on keeping his breathing even while he listens for any approaching noise.
If he got two hours of sleep that night, he’d count it a miracle. Cody nodded off at some point and the howl of some kind of beast woke him not long after. He doesn't sleep at all after and again curses his lack of caf as the sky begins to lighten when morning comes. As Cody starts to pick his way along the paths again, he berates himself for not asking Beru for some caf or stem packs before he set back out on his way. At this point the next sentient he comes across may end up with a fist to the face just because of Cody’s lack of caffeinated mood. Obi-Wan would understand , Cody thinks with amusement in a moment of delirium as he trots down a gravel hill and uses the momentum to jump over a sinkhole in his path. Cody’s thankful for all his training as a scout and a commander because otherwise this would be a lot harder of a path to navigate. The sentiment ‘kark this planet’ is becoming Cody’s mantra as he makes his way through the Wastes. By nightfall he’s made it over halfway according to Owen’s map. All that’s left is a dune plane lined by the mountains to cross and then another patch of cliffs and ridges. For his third night out Cody finds a secluded enough spot and hunkers down under a ledge. He gets a few hours of sleep due only to sheer exhaustion.
The next morning Cody is picking himself from his rocky hideaway when the sound of banthas catches his attention. In an instant he crouches back under his ledge with blasters ready and on high alert. It’s only a few moments of waiting before a line of six banthas emerge on the horizon from the dunes. Cody takes a steadying breath and fights the urge to move. Six banthas all together; four are carrying two Tuskens each and the other two have one Tusken riding and the dead carcass of some kind of worm-like creature tied over them. The hunting party is coming from the direction Cody would have been traveling towards and he takes a second to be thankful he’d procrastinated on pulling himself from the rocks this morning. Any earlier and he would have run right into this dangerous group. The banthas walk their single file line to the path Cody had been using yesterday and Cody holds his breath as they pass where he’s hiding. Once the hunters disappear down the path Cody lets the paranoia set in and stays where he is for another half hour, remaining on alert, and waits. He waits for any stragglers to emerge from the dunes and to give the group that passed him time to get further away. When he finally slips from the rocks and heads for the dunes he feels twitchy and keeps his head on a swivel.
He makes decent ground traveling over the dunes versus how irritating and slow it was having climbed the rocks the day before. Based on the suns, Cody expects that he’s got another 2 or so hours of daylight left when he reaches the cliffs at the other end of the Jundland dunes. It feels like there are sparks of electricity zapping through him as he moves. Every one of his senses seem extra sharp as he makes his way into the rocks once again. Cody knows it’s his own anxiety and excitement at finding his Jedi. He’s so close. After only half an hour of navigating the rocky cliffs, he finds a pathway that is far more defined than any he had traveled the days before. The path isn’t large enough for a bantha, but Cody is able to walk far more easily than he expected. Despite the clear path, Cody takes care to keep checking the map and his coordinates to make sure he’s going in the right direction.
Darkness is taking over the rocky cliffs and ridges of the mountains when Cody comes to a halt along the path. He has to take a shaky breath and scrubs his hands over his face just to be sure he’s seeing this right. A head of him, set at the top of one of the flatter ridges, is a stone hut with light coming from the window. The structure almost blends in with the surrounding rocks and it’s only because he was looking for it, along with the flicker of light in the windows as it's getting dark and the top of a moisture tower nestled near the rock face, that he’s able to spot it. Inside he can spot just a bare hint of movement.
Obi-Wan .
Cody suddenly feels sick and staggers to the side of the path to promptly empty his stomach. Not much comes up since he’s only eaten ration bars after leaving the Lars residence. Still, he heaves until nothing comes up and he’s left feeling lethargic and miserable. As he looks out back to the hut with the light in the window, Cody stumbles to the other side of the path and collapses to sit on the ground.
What am I doing? What if he doesn't want to see me? There has to be a reason he’s hiding out here alone and away from everything and everyone, when he has to know that there are other Jedi still alive. I'm just the clone commander that betrayed him. I thought I killed him. He thinks I tried to kill him... Cody knows his mind is spiraling. He knows he’s having an anxiety attack as he sits in the sand and heaves for breath. He knows, but he’s still virtually powerless to stop it. Cody sits with his elbows on his knees, head bowed, hands covering his ears, as he tries to calm his breathing down and slow his racing heart. A broken sound leaves his throat and Cody curls in on himself even more to try and smother the noise. Cody isn’t sure how long he sits and cries silently for, but when he finally does look up, it’s completely dark and the light is no longer on in the hut. It’s so dark he can hardly see the outline of the structure against the rocks. He’s missed his chance tonight. Anyone with half a brain would know better than to try and enter the sleeping space of a Jedi, who thinks they’re in hiding, at night. No, now Cody is relegated to another night in the open air of Tatooine. He tucks himself into a notch in the pathway wall and hunkers down. Cody hopes beyond all hope that tomorrow goes well.