[Voice, locked to residents] --EMERGENCY--EMERGENCY--EMERGENCY--EMERGENCY--

[malnosso]

[At 2:15AM, the journals suddenly blare out an alarm, followed by this message.]

EMERGENCY. EMERGENCY. This is an emergency.

The following occupants of the Luceti enclosure must report to the teleporters in twenty minutes. You are required as reinforcements in Region 13. Bring all necessary armaments with you. You will be teleported directly into combat.

Anyone who fails to comply will be forcibly escorted to the teleporters by droids.

This is not a drill. I repeat: this is not a drill. You have twenty minutes.

[The message repeats twice more, the alarm continuing until the twenty minutes has elapsed. No questions will be answered.]

Comments

[Action, House 46 to the Teleporters.]

[averybadfeeling]

[Obi-Wan has been having a disgruntling month. The graying and beard growth was irritating. The tea unboiling was inconvenient. The lightsaber regression bordered on the limits of Obi-Wan's not-inconsiderable patience.

The announcement, hours before he normally woke, was just about all he needed.

He'd been here but two months, and already he was being reminded of events from his previous time here. Of Vaskoth. Of those horrific ghouls. Of Captain Rogers succumbing to the plague and overpowering him. Of the fateful decision to shoot a potentially harmless man for the good of the enclosure.

He did not like drafts. Not Obi-Wan.

Still, his lightsaber appeared to have returned to normal. Convenient. And his hair had stopped growing endlessly over a week prior. He would, at least, not be distracted.

He's going to waste little time gathering supplies, drawing his cloak around him, and informing Luke, Anakin, and Padme of his departure before heading to the teleporters. He'll at least try to put on a good front for the others. Better to build morale, at least.]

Well, someone has to say it

[complicatedliar]

[Loki's already at the teleporters, waiting. He offers Obi-wan a brief, utterly humorless smile in greeting.]

I have a bad feeling about this.

INDEED. Have some cruel irony.

[averybadfeeling]

[Those words. He had to say those words.]

"Well, with any luck, this battle will go better than our last."

[He offers Loki a more comforting smile of his own.]

"And we both made it out of that in one piece, did we not?"

lolsob

[complicatedliar]

Hah. That we did.

[Loki offers Obi-wan his hand.]

I shall keep an eye on your back, old friend. I wouldn't want you to get scratched.

[averybadfeeling]

[Obi-Wan meets Loki's offered hand with his own. His smile becomes a bit more genuine.]

"And I you, my friend. Though I'm not so fragile as all that."

[complicatedliar]

[Grin.] Yet still, you are far prettier unbruised.

[averybadfeeling]

"Fear not. I shall do all within my power to preserve my boyish complexion."

[The jest is accompanied with a stroke of his still-heavily-greyed beard. For emphasis. Pre-battle banter? That he was more used to. It helped. Some.

... It also made him think of clone troops that had attempted to kill him. In fairness, they'd thought him a traitor to the Republic, but it was still a touch depressing.]

[complicatedliar]

A great relief that is.

Hah. Shall you make me jealous of your beard growing talent? Well, surely with that to stand guard on your chin, you've nothing to fear.

[It's all banter to hide the surge of pre-battle adrenalin. This will be worse than Vaskoth, he can feel it. Those memories are not so pleasant that he wanted to acquire a whole new set.]

[thefinaljedi]

[When he'd woken up and seen the list, Luke inwardly groaned. Being stuck behind while his friend was sent to war was not a good feeling, and he bet that Anakin would be just as restless and displeased. Rather than waste time though, Luke rolls out of bed and grabs a few things from his personal store for his friend.

Trotting out into the living room, he offers a wan smile.]

Ben.

[averybadfeeling]

[Luke gets no false smile from Obi-Wan, no painted calm to ease his mind. It wouldn't do any good anyway, considering who he was speaking to. He looks incredibly tired when he turns to face Luke, his pack already nearly filled.]

"Hello, Luke."

[thefinaljedi]

[Luke reaches out and gives his friend's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. It's all he can really do, because his name wasn't on the list.]

I'm sorry this happened so soon after you came back, but the Force will be with you.

[He holds out his holstered DL-44.]

And I know you don't like them, but take this with you. It's a good, reliable gun and it may be useful. Since...Daisy's not here to use it, and I won't need it here.

[averybadfeeling]

[Obi-Wan gives the weapon a skeptical glance, but after a moment's consideration, he takes it.]

"I suppose a spare weapon couldn't hurt. Thank you, my friend."

[Given a choice between having the gun with him, or having Luke, he'd much rather just bring Luke. Ah, well. Not his battle, it seemed.]

"I'll take care of it, I assure you."

[thefinaljedi]

[Luke nods crisply.]

It's modified, heavily. There's a kick to it.

[And he reaches down to his belt and unclips his spare lightsaber. The orange-bladed weapon had been another loaner to Daisy after Anakin had given him Vader's.]

This too. I know it's not much, but again.

[It's not as useful as he is. But it's the best he can do, for the moment.]

[averybadfeeling]

[He understands. He takes the spare lightsaber and slips it into his pack, along with the gun, then slings the pack over his shoulder.]

"Every little bit helps. You needn't worry about me, Luke. I've been on drafts before."

[This time he does manage a smile. Not to fool his friend, but to placate him.]

"I'll be fine. I assure you."

[thefinaljedi]

I know.

[Luke bows his head slightly, closing his eyes. He's worried about you, Obi-Wan. It's just hard to say it.]

May the Force be with you.

[averybadfeeling]

"And you, my friend. Thank you."

[He slips his arms around Luke in a brief embrace, then turns and heads to the door.]

"I'll be back shortly."