Summary: Obi-Wan visits with Ventress after the events of "The Wrong Jedi." Contains big spoilers for the season five finale. Title is a line from the Buffy musical, because I see Ventress as having a lot in common with Spike with regards to her relationship with Obi-Wan at this point in the saga.

Whisper in a Dead Man's Ear, It Doesn't Make it Real

The faintest echo of footsteps give him away. Not many people can sneak up on Asajj Ventress, and Obi-Wan Kenobi is no exception.

"Sorry to spoil your fun, but I'm afraid I've had about enough of Jedi interrogations for the day," she says, not bothering to turn around yet. It's meant to deter him, but she's not surprised to find that it doesn't - Jedi are a routinely thick bunch, after all.

The sound of lightsabers igniting does finally make her spin around, alarmed that, perhaps, this isn't Obi-Wan after all; or worse, that he has rescinded his frequent offering of civility in the wake of Skywalker's brat being booted from the Order. Even seeing Obi-Wan standing there, brandishing her own pair of red 'sabers does not alleviate the worry that he has come for revenge.

Finally, he speaks, his tone cordial, yet weary, the barest hint of a smile gracing his features. "I believe these belong to you."

The handles are warm from his grip. Ventress slides the de-ignited blades into the low-slung holsters around her waist, the gesture incredibly familiar. "Thank you," she says with sincerity and a hint of relief, eyeing Obi-Wan as he removes his hood. "So, the orange one: Did Skywalker clear her name?" she asks.

Obi-Wan's expression tightens, and Ventress braces herself for the worst. "He did," Obi-Wan says; and then, "Ahsoka decided to leave the Order of her own accord, however."

Ventress whistles softly. "Didn't know she had it in her." In truth, however, she had been impressed by the little togruta's fortitude, the way she had handled herself and adapted to the lower levels of Coruscant as needed. Out of respect for her, it is not Ventress' intention to rib Obi-Wan about his allegiance to a failed organization, but he surprises her yet again.

"Sometimes I really wonder what will be left of all of us when this war is finally over." He turns away briefly, his focal point far away. "We didn't lose Ahsoka to the Dark Side, but she is gone nonetheless; and it's not as though Jedi have not lost faith in the Order for far less." He turns back to her then. "Anakin says you helped Ahsoka for money, and because you felt she had been abandoned." She begins to stiffen in a defensive posture, but Obi-Wan presses on unhurriedly. "I planned to come here to tell you how wrong you were, but in truth, I imagine that's how she felt. I can't imagine the Council's silence on the matter of her alleged guilt could have come across in any other way."

Ventress shrugs. "Nor do I."

Obi-Wan sighs. "And I suppose it would be calling into question my alliance with the Order to draw distinctions between the will of the Council and that of Anakin, or even myself. Hypothetically, of course."

"Of course," Ventress smirks.

"But in the same vein," Obi-Wan continues, "it is crucial to your understanding of Anakin's character to recognize how opposed he was to the Council's treatment of Ahsoka, however much they felt that the ends justified the means. Moreover, if I were to also admit distaste over the way this whole affair was handled, I feel you could understand the nuance between disagreeing with the Council and still believing in the Order as a whole. Again, hypothetically speaking."

Ventress just looks bemused. "Right. Hypothetically, you don't think the Jedi Order as a whole is a lot of sad sacks, it's just the Council with the collective brain full of bantha dung."

Obi-Wan rolls his eyes. "Perhaps that whole 'understanding nuance' thing was giving you too much credit."

"Oh, hush. I'm not going to run and tell on you. It's not as though they'd exactly welcome me with open arms."

"No, I suppose not." He frowns. "But please realize that at least a couple of Jedi know that you helped one of our own, and that even if it doesn't seem to matter right now, it won't be forgotten."

"You're welcome," Ventress says mockingly. At an impasse, she watches Obi-Wan tug his hood back into place. "Leaving so soon?" she asks.

Obi-Wan gives a helpless kind of shrug. "I just wanted to return your lightsabers." It's a callous reappropriation of events, and as he turns to leave, Ventress' accusatory tone stops him in his tracks.

"So now that you've unburdened yourself of all the thoughts you can't express to anyone else, I should just recede back into the shadows until you or Skywalker comes back to beat more information out of me. Is that it?" Ventress' eyes are dark and angry and hurt, tired of deception and half-truths and abandonment; and yet, for all that he wants to take it all away, to assure Ventress that he can help to clear her name, to assure Anakin that Ahsoka is in a better place, unconfined by an organization that no longer seems to be the certain path that it once was for so many of them, in the end, he finds that he, like the Order and the Council and this terrible war, is flawed and grasping blindly at anything that might even temporarily alleviate the pain, damn the consequences.

"Hypothetical thoughts," he reminds her softly, avoiding her gaze. Ventress does not try to stop him from leaving this time, but stares mutinously at his slim, retreating figure until it is but a distant speck indistinguishable from the other miscreants populating the Coruscanti night. He does not look back.