Back in the Game (COMPLETE)

9.1.1

When Ahsoka woke up, all she knew was that something was about to happen.

For the past few months, the Force had felt fairly calm and content, but this morning was different. Something had changed during the night and Ahsoka knew it wasn't just her. It felt distant, which hopefully meant that she had time to prepare, but there were no coincidences in the Force. Whatever was happening was on the surface, and if Ahsoka had interpreted her vision correctly, she was about to get involved.

Ahsoka got dressed quickly. Whatever was coming, she wanted to be ready. She grabbed tan pants and a blue top and strapped her belt on with the holster attached. She slid the blaster into its place, but when she turned to grab her lightsabers, she hesitated.

Do I want to bring them? she thought. Chances were if she was going to the surface, that the Jedi would be involved too. They might take it the wrong way if I show up with lightsabers without their consent.

With how the Force felt, she felt that she would need them, but did she want to show them off, or carry them in her pack? She held the sabers in her hands, weighing her options, before realizing that she was being irrational.

I have nothing to prove to the Jedi. If they have a problem, they can deal with it.

She did put them in her bag, though. It would be her hidden ace in the hole. Hopefully, whatever she was up against would underestimate her.

Grabbing a quick breakfast and extra credits, she ran out the door with no intention of returning that evening. She wasn't going to go looking for trouble, but she would let it find her. She ran to work, opening all of her senses as she went before she learned something new, even after three months of living underground. Today was a holiday.

Jedi had never been given days off of work since the war didn't stop for celebrations. If anything, they coordinated attacks to land on the other side's public events. So when Ahsoka showed up to work on Friday morning and no one was in the shop, she was confused. She went to the staff room and everyone, even Nox, was eating a cake someone had bought the day before.

Ahsoka walked in and set her stuff by the door. "Thanks for letting me know," she said sarcastically. "I would have shown up earlier if someone had told me."

"Says the girl who shows up at 7 AM on the dot no matter what day it is," a Rhodian, Luce, shot back, and some of the others laughed. "Shop tradition: Every holiday, Fuller buys a cake for breakfast. I hope you're hungry."

Tyme, another worker, handed a slice of cake to her and Jackson grabbed a chair for her. Ahsoka accepted both, turning to Tyme and saying, "Nice job on the cake."

He smiled, for, of course, he had been the one to cut it. Ahsoka grinned and grabbed a plastic fork from the table before digging in.

All in all, there were eleven workers and one boss at Gauges and Gears. Ahsoka was a part of the seven mechanics that worked there, and four other employees monitored the front desk in the lobby. Their boss, Fuller, owned the shop.

Jake, his mouth half-full with a bite, called out, "I'm surprised you know what cake is, Tano."

She scoffed. "I've been to much fancier galas and parties than this. You should see the catering on the surface. Besides, don't you remember? Leslie made a cake for my birthday two months ago."

"I thought Jedi didn't do parties," Wheeler said, but Ahsoka smirked.

"We get called to events as security. I just snuck into the kitchens every once in a while."

Rya and Leslie spat out the food that was in their mouth. Everyone else nearly fell out of their chair laughing.

The eleven of them sat there long after the cake was gone, pulling out the Dejarik board from the closet. Wheeler beat Thyla first, but then Nox stepped up to the holochess board. The group began cheering, and Wheeler leaned over to Ahsoka.