The Siege on Mandalore

Obi-Wan had been in several camps, each one in a different condition than the last.

Some were dusty and dry, others had rain tarps over every tent, and some even had fields where they could forage for abandoned crops. This particular one was on an abandoned military base. There was plenty of food and medical supplies stashed away in each building, not to mention nearly working power cells, operating generators, and plenty of bunks for his men.

The din of shouting and laughing echoed throughout the barracks - and Obi-Wan, quite frankly, was developing a migraine.

Or...that's what he told his commanding officers at dinner when they tried to wheedle him into a friendly game of Sabaac.

"Come on General - I've been looking for an excuse to wipe you clean of credits."

"As tempting as that sounds, Cody - I believe an early night is in order. Hopefully I can sleep this off."

Ahsoka muttered something to her plate.

"Problem, men?" Obi-Wan murmured, watching the shoulders of Rex and Anakin shake with silent laughter.

"No problem, sir," Rex managed while he wiped a tear from his eye. "Just your choice of words is rather amusing."

"How so?" Obi-Wan asked innocently, one eyebrow arching in mock confusion. He ignored the sigh that came to his right, where another was joining their table.

"What did General Kenobi do now?" Duchess Kryze asked while she sat with her tray, a note of amusement in her voice. "Plan some reckless stunt that will result in everyone losing their cloaks?"

Anakin snorted into his caf, fighting to control his laughter while he spoke. "Duchess - how was the call?"

He was, of course, referring to the transmission that had come in while Obi-Wan and him had gone to scout for an enemy barracks.

"Good news, I hope?" Cody asked while he put down his fork.

Satine shrugged, not reacting when Obi-Wan put a hand on her thigh briefly. "Define 'good news,' Commander. The Resistance on my home planet have had ten deaths overall. Six of those were sustained while completing a series of eight large-scale evacuations in the planet's main cities. They should arrive on Draboon within two days."

"Any civilian casualties?" Obi-Wan asked quietly.

"Not in the civilians that were evacuated. The causalities Korkie listed were all people under his command."

"What about the rest of the system?" Ahsoka asked, now paying full attention. "How many have sworn fidelity to Death Watch?"

"I have 25 of the most powerful clans swearing fidelity-"

"25 out of a few hundred?" Anakin asked in shock.

Satine glared at him over the table. "Mandalore is one of the largest systems on this side of the Galaxy, General Skywalker. 25 clans is a few million sentients."

Obi-Wan smiled when he realized her plan. "You're trusting them to sway the rest of Mandalore to your side."

"That's the general plan, yes." Satine suddenly seemed to remember she hadn't eaten, and picked up her fork. "Korkie managed to get some footage of Sundari and other cities...he plans on broadcasting it across the system. Show the destruction Death Watch has caused."

"He has the means to do that?" Cody asked in surprise.

"Oh," Satine murmured, smiling a bit. "He's rather resourceful."

Obi-Wan bit down a smirk and focused on drinking his tea.

"You have a migraine?" Satine asked when they had finished dinner and were walking the short distance from the command quarters to their quarters. Really it was her quarters, but they had long since given up pretense regarding their relationship. It was nice - even if they were planning a mass siege - to wake up beside him every morning.

Obi-Wan hummed, palming open the door. "It seems to have mysteriously vanished, my dear. How odd."

Satine snorted, stepping into the rather sparse quarters and putting the lights on dim. She walked to the desk - which currently was a place they tossed their meager belongings - and placed her small hairpin on it. "Gone? Just like that?"

"Mmm. It's a medical miracle." He shrugged out of his cloak, draping it on the desk chair before striding to the bed, where he began to unbuckle his boots.

"You didn't want to gamble," Satine countered, taking her hair down from it's bun and combing her fingers through it. "Are you feeling okay, Master Kenobi? Need a medic?"

"I assure you, my dear." Obi-Wan grinned at her. "I'm feeling quite fine."

"Are you now?"

He raised his eyebrows, not entirely surprised when she crossed the room and straddled his legs.

It had been awhile since they kissed, truly kissed like the partners they were. Satine enjoyed it immensely, tasting the honeyed tea he preferred on his lips and tongue.

"Hello there," he murmured when they parted, brows pressed against each other.

"You still have it, old man," she whispered teasingly, fingers combing through his hair.

"Old man?" Obi-Wan squeezed her hips playfully. "I beg to differ."

"You have a teenage son."

"We have a teenage son." Obi-Wan brushed some hair out of her eyes. "How is he?"

"We didn't get a chance to talk privately," Satine murmured, shifting her position. "There were too many people around - but he looked well. Tired. He has a bit of a beard."

Obi-Wan grinned at that. "Is that so?"

"Maybe I can convince him to - Obi!" She squeaked, surprised when her back was suddenly pressed against the thin mattress, wrists pinned above her head and a knee between her legs.

Obi-Wan chuckled, bending to press his lips to her neck. "You certainly haven't complained too much about the beard."

"It causes burns."

"Mm hmm." He made his way down her neck, eyes darkening when he realized how low-cut her tunic really was.

"Now?" Satine managed when he loosened his hold on her wrists, amused how distracted he was. "Your men are in the next room."

"I believe we had sex when Qui-Gon was in the tent over." He glanced at her, the fingers of one hand edging her tunic up. "We can be quiet."

"Can we?" She murmured, dragging her nails down his back and shifting her hips.

His eyes closed a moment, enjoying the feeling, not giving into the urge to sigh. "That a challenge, my dear?"

"What's my reward?"

"Echo, Boil - stop poking General Skywalker."

"You sure, Captain?" Echo picked up one of the General's arms, watching it flop back on to the bed mat. "He's not even reacting."

"Never realized Skywalker was such a lightweight," Boil said, indicating to the half-drunk bottle of Sunburn beside the snoring General.

"That doesn't mean you two think of drawing on his face!"

"Fives would have done it!"

"Would he have?" Rex put down his sabacc cards and shot an exasperated look to the two snorting commanders. "Oh I get it now. Give the hard jobs to me."

"Yep!" Ahsoka smiled, lowering her cards and clinking her beer bottle with Cody.

"Always did like you, Commander," Cody jested.

"So did I Commander."

That made them dissolve into a fresh round of giggles. Rex shook his head, wondering how he was the sober one in their quarters.

"Are you even allowed to be drinking, Ahsoka?" Rex asked while his Commander finished her beer.

"Depends on the system." She grinned when Echo and Boil joined their small group around the pellet stove. "Togrutans metabolize alcohol fast."

"You've had three."

"Shh," she glanced at her cards and scowled. "I'm out."

"Now it's just me and you, Rex old boy," Cody said a bit too gleefully. If there was one thing that loosened him up, it was alcohol and gambling.

Rex smiled, eyeing the pile of money - at least 100 credits - laid out before them. "Really?"

Echo peered at his captain's cards and shook his head in amusement.

"Full Sabac," Rex answered, laying out his cards. "I win."

Cody blinked, a bit stunned. "I've...never lost before."

"First time for every...thing," Boil trailed off and glanced worriedly at the grimacing Padawan. "You okay sir?"

"Mmm? Fine fine." Ahsoka made a strangled sound, shrugging Rex's concerned hand away and putting her head in her hands. "Perfectly fine."

"Should I get Kix-" Echo started, beginning to stand.

Ahsoka shook her head. "No...nope."

"Err...other things, Commander?" Cody asked hesitantly. Other things meaning women things, and he didn't exactly know how to approach that subject.

"Nu uh." Ahsoka took a deep breath, waving a hand to the right - in the direction of the Duchess' quarters. "They're more than fine."

Rex couldn't help himself - he let out a snicker. "Jedi can sense-"

"If they're not careful," Ahsoka muttered through gritted teeth.

"Well that explains a lot," Cody said, smiling wistfully while he gathered the cards.

"'cause you banged General Kenobi?" Rex asked, completely deadpan.

Ahsoka stood, looking a little ill. "I'll join the night watch. Get away from here."

Author's note: ...welp...that happened. Part two will have more notes ^-^