Star Wars fic: "Queen's Gambit" (16: Between the Shadow and the Soul)

[bedlamsbard]

Queen's Gambit (162226 words) by bedlamsbard
Chapters: 17/?
Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Padmé Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Dooku (Star Wars), Palpatine | Darth Sidious, Mace Windu, Yoda, Bail Organa
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Parallel Universes
Series: Part 2 of Ouroboros
Summary:

Civil war threatens the galaxy. Hundreds of star systems have declared their intentions to leave the Republic and form a Confederacy of Independent Systems.

In the hopes of securing a quick peace, the Jedi Council has dispatched two Jedi to capture or kill the leaders of the separatist movement, Queen Amidala of Naboo and her lover, the former Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Into this period of conflict have come four refugees from another universe, fleeing a devastating massacre triggered by the death of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, secretly the Sith lord Darth Sidious, at the hands of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker…

*

The only occupied cell was down at the end. Ahsoka could feel the fresh wards laid on it, Force techniques used to keep intruders out and the occupant inside; they made the inside of her head itch, made her want to turn and run away. Even Master Quinlan shuddered a little as he passed his hand over the security scanner.

The door slid open, revealing a humming red ray shield on the other side of a space large enough to stand in. Obi-Wan Kenobi was doing pushups in the cell beyond, but he sat up when he saw them, raising his eyebrows as he reached for his shirt.

“Quin,” he said. “And you brought company.”

Pulling his shirt on, he stood up, nodding politely to Ahsoka. “Padawan Tano. And –”

“My name is Barriss Offee,” Barriss said, managing to sound both defiant and nervous at the same time. “I’m –”

“You’re Luminara’s padawan. Of course.”

The cell door slid shut behind them, the wards settling into place. Ahsoka actually gasped, feeling the Force cut off from her as if with a blade. Both Quinlan and Kenobi winced; Barriss swayed for a moment, catching herself with one hand on Ahsoka’s shoulder.

“Force-nulling wards,” Kenobi explained. “In case I get restless and decide to go for a walk.” He shrugged self-deprecatingly, sweeping a hand towards the ray shield in front of him. “What can I do for you, Padawan Offee?”