Glancing
about, Anakin frowned slightly. “…Where is Ben?” He blinked,
looking to Obi-Wan and then reluctantly to Ventress.

Both
looked around before Asajj with a thunderous frown turned to Cody and
Ahsoka worriedly peeked under a shuttle wing where they had once
found Ben napping.

Said
clone just calmly pointed at a
katbeast
at the edge of the camp, the
creature had come wandering and been docile so the camp hadn’t
minded to let it linger, especially since Ben perked up at the sight
of the large feline.
Katbeast
were generally quite calm for large predatory felines and quite smart
though it was uncertain just how large they could become if left
alone since they were quite long lived felines.

All
three Jedi, though Anakin wasn’t sure he really sure
what to call
Ventress, turned to said katbeast as the gray and white haired
creature lifted its head to blink back at them with large yellow eyes
before dropping her head to gently nuzzle at something between her
paws.

Which
prompted said thing to lift it’s head, proving to be Ben,
laying half beneath the katbeast as he blinked sleepily at them,
covered up in fur.

He
peered at them in puzzlement and then yawned and cuddled back under
the large feline, prompting her to put her head back down to cuddle
the old human.

All
three stared at where Ben now was without seeing neither cloak or
hair of the old man.

Then
Ventress outright cursed and sat down on a cargo crate, rubbing her
face.

Anakin
was tempted to join her.

Sighing
deeply, Anakin rubbed a hand over his face before turning to Obi-Wan
and gesturing at where the katbeast was happily cuddling their
addled, revered master. Which had the redhead holding up his hands in
surrender. “I like animals, Ben seems to be quite content and
safe.” He shrugged.

“… So
you’re just going to allow him to be captured under there?” Asajj
shot him a glare.

Once
more Obi-Wan shrugged. “He’s being kept out of danger, he’s
kept warm and we all know where he is. I see that as three benefits
and no downside.” He summed up sufficiently.

Which
had all three of them pausing, exchanging looks before turning to
look at the katbeast once more.

And
then they went to work because Obi-Wan was right, with the katbeast
basically cuddling the old man, they knew where he was and could do
other things.

Like
preparing for the droids incoming, the katbeast fleeing when the
ground started to rumble.

()()()()

Now,
one can claim that Anakin and Obi-Wan do their best with the aid of
their men and Ahsoka of course.

But
they can not be everywhere at once and they can’t do everything at
once and when Dooku himself enters the battlefield in search of his
traitorous apprentice…

They
can’t keep Ben safe.

Not
even Asajj can keep him safe regardless how she prowls around the old
man like some kind of demented lioness to try and keep him safe
because the Sith master in true power sees Ben as a threat and Dooku
now needs to handle it because his apprentice has failed and even let
herself be swayed by the old man.

She
barely turns towards Dooku when the old man is there, sending her
crashing into the mountain side to get Asajj away from Ben, leaving
him alone in front of Dooku as darkness swirls and Anakin wants to
scream because that is the last thing Ben needs.

And
yet it is exactly what was needed because Ben entire body jerks in
the presence of malicious darkness as his wrinkled hand covered the
lightsaber hilt and his eyes closes as the old man grows as pale as
death.

It’s
silent.

That
is how Anakin will later explain it in front of the council, it is
suddenly silent despite blasters and wildlife and screams as he tries
to make his way towards Ben and Dooku and Asajj tries to push herself
up.

Ben
shifted, he let out a deep breath and opened his eyes slowly.

And
suddenly he wasn’t Ben anymore.

Not
their soft and old Ben as his eyes focused on Dooku, his smile gone
as power wrapped around him as familiar as a cloak around his
shoulders and
the man shifted his position into soresu, lifting his saber.

No,
wait, that was wrong too.

It
was still their Ben, soft and sweet Ben, Ben who smiled at them.

But
it wasn’t just
their Ben anymore.

Ben
was aware now, he was aware of the dangers around him, he was
conscious of
the ongoing, of the war, of the enemy in front of him.

The
Force addling was gone.

Here
came the Jedi Master, not the hermit of the wasteland who considered
himself a relic nor
the man who had gone through time and been confused and lost. This
was the warrior hidden beneath the exterior, the Jedi battle master
and once council member, the man who had survived where other died. A
man with a crown of thorns and pain and a cape of power and sorrow
which he bore with the familiarity of someone long used to carrying
his burdens.

Now
cautiously
testing his limbs for the pain he had carried in the desert, clarity
in his eyes and battle in his body for
the first time in what was closer to a full year.

“I
will admit, I was curious how long it would take before the Force
would let go of me,” Ben stated, his tone clipped as his eyes
remained focused on Dooku. “So then grandmaster, lets see if soresu
beats makashi?”