Back in the Game (COMPLETE)

9.9.4

"You want to talk about polite?" she retorted, pointing at the cameras. "Talk to them, not me. You'd think they'd have a bit more respect for someone who was rumored to be a Separatist for three months."

That shut them up for the time being. Anakin was losing his ever-loving mind, so, so proud of Ahsoka. Kit Fisto, who was also in the Jedi line, raised an eyebrow. "I see your opinion of them isn't very high, as of late."

Ahsoka shrugged as Plo Koon shouldered his way through the crowd. "They would say the same if you asked them. The feeling is mutual, I'm sure."

"This way," Plo told her, not having heard the bulk of the conversation. He opened the doors for her, and at the bidding of the clone troopers standing guard, Ahsoka walked in. On her way, she glanced back at Anakin. He caught her look and saw the dread on her face as she put one foot in front of the other. If he could have pulled her away and taken her home, he would have.

Inside, the droid at the entry point put out a dropbox. "Please surrender all weapons and personal belongings here. You may retrieve them upon exiting the building."

Right, I'm a civilian, she thought. No weapons on campus. She took off her bag and set it in the dropbox along with the blaster on her hip. Satisfied, the droid took the box back and stashed her things away. Ahead, the clone troopers held up a metal detector. "Arms above your head, if you will, miss."

Ahsoka complied, raising her arms above her head and trying not to be annoyed at the extra security measures. It was their job to try and prevent accidents from happening. It wasn't their fault. 

They finally let Ahsoka through, and Mace Windu, who was waiting for her, led her to the elevators. "This way, Miss Tano," he told her, and Ahsoka stepped inside with him. She wasn't surprised by the escort. After all, she had escaped from here once too.

 Ahsoka stood up straight, feeling tense, and not looking at Windu. She didn't want to know what he was thinking right now. She stared at the doors, then felt her breath catch in her chest when she felt the ghost of handcuffs on her wrists. She crossed her arms and tried not to think about her own arrest.

"I'm sorry you had to be pulled into this," Windu apologized, and Ahsoka turned to him. "I understand that you are supposed to be working right now. If necessary, we can speak to your employer and explain." 

"I appreciate the gesture," she replied. "Thank you."

"Did Master Plo Koon explain the situation?" He asked, trying to pass the time.

Ahsoka nodded, thinking back to what she remembered. "He said that Barriss refused to talk to anyone except me and that she didn't respond well to Master Unduli."

Sighing, Windu looked away. "That's the just of it. There's no point in bringing you here, really. The Republic just wants a final statement from her, before they carry out her sentence. They're holding up the process until she talks."

She didn't even try to hide her annoyance from him, despite being well aware that there was a camera in the corner of the elevator watching her every move. "They just want to dangle it over her head, is that it? Why did I even come..." she groaned, shaking her head. Not counting her own interior motives, this whole visit was a waste of time.

"Believe it or not, we weren't the ones who summoned you," he confirmed, shifting the blame onto the Republic. "Personally, I wouldn't have called you here. I know your history with Miss Offee, I wouldn't want to put you, or anyone else, through that again."