Anakin
It was daybreak when we reached the surface and arrived at the Temple. Rex took Ahsoka to a cell, because those are the procedures, but he wasn't happy about it. None of us was.
Lana, Cal and I stood right outside the plasma gates until she woke up. We asked her what had happened to hear her story and she told us everything she knew. The second she was done, the Temple Guards showed up and said they had to take Snips and I to the Chamber of Judgement's waiting zone, for a hearing had started.
"Why are we going there?" Asked Ahsoka.
"I- I don't know." I said and looked at Lana. Every time I feel like I need guidance, I look out for those eyes. They usually have an answer, but, they haven't had one this whole time. I realised Ahsoka was looking for an answer in her eyes as well. None of us found one, Lana just shrugged, her mind blank.
"Listen, breathe and calm down. Everything will be fine. We'll be there standing beside you both, just...do as they say." Snips sighed and we were escorted to a small room with little place to sit and dim lights to wait.
I felt uneasy, I didn't understand, I felt powerless. All I've ever cared about has been protecting my loved ones. I needed to protect Ahsoka, I've been doing it for a over a year now and I am failing to do so right now. I paced around the room trying to figure out why were we summoned here, what would the members of the Council say. I was trying to be a step ahead and brace myself and find a way to brace her for what could happen next, but my mind was empty, my thoughts numb and useless. I couldn't come up with anything.
"You're not helping." Said my Padawan as she simply looked at me, her words snapping me out of my mind. I groaned.
"I'm sorry, Snips." I said low as I sat beside her. I looked at the guards, there are six of them and it made me anxious, more anxious, I mean. I ran a hand through my hair, breathing in and out. "I...I just...I just don't know what to do."I spoke my truth with her. "No one did, no one does. We've been trying to place the pieces of this puzzle together but when we seem to have done it...they are pushed away and don't click." I sighed. "I really don't know what to do." It's not the first time I've struggled to figure things out but it's certainly the first one in which I simply cannot come up with an answer. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I appreciate what you've tried to do, all of you. And...if it makes you feel any better...I don't know what to do either." I smiled weakly at her and she smiled back, just as weak. A bell chimed above us and that was enough signal for us to know the Council was ready and waiting for us. My heartbeat increased.
I was surprised at how calmed Ahsoka seems to be right now, she has always been better at hiding her feelings than me. She's so much better at all of this than me, it's so unfair what she's been going through. It's outrageous.
We stood up and walked up to the platform that rests in the middle of the room, escorted by two Guards. When we were standing still, the platform made its way up. The ring where I was standing stopped moving upwards while Ahsoka's continued the ascent. I moved backwards and found Allana standing there as she had promised.
"Where's Cal?" I asked in a whisper as the platform stopped moving.
"They didn't let him in. It took a while for them to let me in, Obi-Wan helped with that." I nodded at her response and we remained silent while we stood by the wall. I felt extremely nervous and I'm not the one that's being judged by them all.
As I breathed in quickly, I felt Naberrie's discrete touch on my hand, her finger brushed against my hand and tapped it two times. I love you. She tapped it another three times quickly before placing her hands behind her back. Calm down. Our secret language, one we can't speak with anyone else, our own morse code for when we stood opposite from each other on meetings, across tables, etcetera, and only looked like a nervous or annoyed tic. I nodded and breathed in normally as the session began.
"Padawan Tano." Said Master Yoda. "Serious charges have been levied against you. How plead you?"
"Not guilty, Master." Snips responded. "I would never take the lives of innocents. The values of the Jedi are sacred to me."
"There is evidence to the contrary. You were alone with Letta Turmond when she died." Said Master Mundi, I saw how Lana looked down and her grip around her wrist behind her back intensified from the corner of my eye. "Can you explain this?"
"Someone used the Force against her."
"Which brings us to Ventress." Said Master Plo, who is a firm believer in Ahsoka's innocence as well. "Can you explain your association to her?"
"We had a mutual understanding. I thought she was helping me." Lana sighed.
"That's not a good answer given the terms." She thought out loud in a whisper.
"Did she help you acquire the nano-droid weaponry found when you were apprehended, the same devices used in the bombing of the Temple?" Asked Windu. I assumed he'd be the most judgemental and I was right.
"No. I was set up and deceived, as you are being deceived now."
"The question is, Padawan Tano, who is deceiving us? Ventress, you or someone else?" Mace asked. I saw how Obi-Wan just looked at him and then at Snips, a second later at me from up above. He knows something...I just can't tell what.
"I am not deceiving you!" Snips continued to defend herself. "I would assume Ventress is, but I can't be sure. My sense is coulded...it has been since the accusations against me started."
"Clouded by the Dark Side these things are, Padawan Tano." Said Yoda and I frowned. That's an assumption. This is not feeling right. I could sense I wasn't the only one who thought so in the room. "Dangerously clouded, but not just surrounding you, surrounding many things in these times." I shook my head. This doesn't sound right.
"You've already made your decision, haven't you?" I asked. "This doesn't sound impartial as it should. This meeting is just a formality!"
"Anakin." Lana whispered and held my arm to bring me back to where I was standing, for I walked forward angrily. I looked at my Master and he looked away. "Calm down, this will not help." She whispered as she let go.
"I can't calm down. Not with this." I whispered, looking into her eyes, while Yoda sighed.
"Reached a decision we have, though not in total agreement we are." Said Yoda.
"That doesn't sound logical." Said Lana out loud.
"Quiet, Naberrie. You're not even supposed to be in this room, your silence should be the payment for your presence." Said Windu harshly, making me look angrily at him. No one should speak to her like that, no one. She was just as angry as me now. He looked at my Padawan again. "It is the Council's opinion that Padawan Ahsoka Tano has committed sedition against the Republic, and thus, she will be expelled from the Jedi Order." My eyes opened wildly and my heart fell to the ground.
"You can't do this!" I yelled.
"This is unfair! It's not her fault!" Lana yelled as well. When we stepped forward, the two Guards that were there enlightened their sabers and made it impossible for us to take another step.
"Your Padawan status will be stripped from you, and you shall forfeit all rank and privileges within the Grand Army of the Republic." Said Mundi as her platform came back down.
"How could you do this to her?" Lana continued. "You haven't even heard what she has to say!"
"Guard, escort Naberrie out of here." Said Windu and one of them took ahold of her arm, pulling her hardly towards the exit.
"Do not fucking touch me." She said, ripping her arm out of his grip. "This is bullshit." She yelled from the door before she was pushed outside, the door received a punch of frustration only seconds later. I was beyond pissed now but I couldn't do anything. Nothing came out of my mouth. I couldn't articulate a word. I could only look at Snips and how she looked down, how her breath became steady again and how her shoulders fell on defeat.
"As I was saying..." Mundi continued. "You will be turned over to the Republic courts to await your trial and whatever punishment they will set for you." A Guard stepped close to Ahsoka and ripped her Padawan braid from the adornment she always places over her lekku. "Henceforth, you are barred from the Jedi Order."
When he spoke those words, I only stood there to watch the guards handcuff her and take her out of the room. Before the last guard walked out, he gave me Ahsoka's braid. I looked at it before I looked coldly at the members of the Council and walked out. This was, indeed, bullshit. They escorted her out and I assumed she was taken back to the Military prison. I looked for Allana, who I thought would be outside, but I didn't see her anywhere, so, I contacted her.
She told me she had gone to the Senate and that she had informed Padmé about the recent situation. She also told me to pick them up at the Senate to take them to the prison. I showed up and we had to wait for a hearing about some bill —that had started as I piloted there— to end for us to go.
It took forever for the politicians to reach a conclusion, the night had fallen when we stepped outside.
"You look tired." Padmé pointed out when she saw us. I was rubbing my eye as I piloted and Lana yawned as she looked at the city lights.
"Well, we've been up for twenty four hours and counting if we want to figure this out." I said.
"Yeah. We're currently running on two large cups of caf and the Force." Lans added as I made our way to the facility, her cheek resting against her palm, eyes closed, to rest for a few minutes.
"That's not healthy." Said the Senator.
"Maybe, but, I won't sleep until Ahsoka is out of there and her name is cleaned." I said and Lana nodded beside me. Her hand found mine over the velocity lever. I looked at her briefly and thanked her with my eyes, she only breathed in and out. Her countenance was sad, very sad. It's been for a while now.
I sighed as we continued the trip. Eventually, we reached the prison and I landed next to a military transport. The three of us hopped off and made our way in. Once Lans and I were asked to leave our sabers and communicators in a box, and Padmé left her blaster and holo-disk, we were taken towards Snips' cell. When the door whooshed open, her sight snapped to us. She smiled sadly as we stepped in, a wave of relief covered her blue eyes when she saw Amidala.
"Told you about Padmé." Said Lans. "She pushed everything in her agenda away when I told her what had just happened and the few arguments I had formulated. She has agreed to represent you before the Senate."
"I will do everything I can to prove your innocence, Ahsoka." Said Padmé.
"Thank you." Said Snips. She sighed and frowned. "I'm almost certain that the person behind this is Ventress." She looked at me and at Lana. "And you know I wasn't working with her." My eyes met Allana's, I could see the gears move in her head as she thought and we brought the pieces together again. "She was at the warehouse, in the room. We fought, but she got away. Didn't any of the clones see anything?" The Senator and my Padawan looked at us. Lana held her chin to think but shook her head while I sighed.
"No." I answered. "None of the clones reported seeing Ventress at the scene." I frowned when a thought clicked with this one in my head, but not exactly in a good way. It was an inconsistency. "I thought you said Ventress left before you went into the warehouse."
"That's what I thought too." She looked down. "But then she attacked me when I got inside. I'd know her red lightsabers anywhere." Lana frowned and sighed.
"Well, if that's our only lead, then I suppose we know what we have to do." She said and looked at me, I nodded and we both started walking towards the entrance.
"Wait, where are you going?" Asked Padmé. "You can't leave now."
"We must." I said. "We need to find Ventress and get to the bottom of this."
"Indeed, time is running out." Said Lana. "The only evidence we have is the footage of Letta's cell and, unfortunately, it's incriminatory. Not to mention useless without the sound and they will hold it against her because of that. We need to find more evidence to back up Ahsoka's testimony, otherwise is her word against theirs and Tarkin has the lead. I won't let him win this. So, if we have a lead, we'll follow it." I looked at Snips.
"Hopefully, we won't be long. Whatever we find, we'll come here and discuss it with you to keep the continuity and check every single detail. Meanwhile, tell Padmé everything you've told us. Build a timetable and we'll try to fill in some blanks with what we find. We'll sort this out, we always do. Okay?"
"Okay." Said Snips. Lana walked up to her and placed her hand over her shoulder.
"We'll be right back, I promise." She nodded. Lans looked at Padmé and she nodded too.
When we were by the entrance, we were given back our things and Lans communicated with Cal. She asked him to use the probes to look for Ventress. He followed orders and informed us that she had been spotted on level 1317. We hopped on a speeder as Lana told him not to lose her and we made our way there.
I parked the speeder on one of the Underworld's entrance landing platforms and when we were covered by our cloaks, we stepped out and followed Witty's guidance to find the ex-assassin.
When we spotted her walking all lone down a corridor, we finished our communications with Kestis. That's when we followed her through the rooftops. When she walked into an alley, I jumped down and Lan's stayed up, she's waiting for the precise moment in which she should join this little meeting.
"Anakin Skywalker." Said the assassin a second before she turned around to face me.
"I know you're behind all of this." I said.
"Prove it." She jumped up and I turned my lightsaber on before jumping after her. She was waiting for me and kicked me the second my feet had hit the ground. I collided with the wall and she tried to punch my face, but, I held her fist with my hand. She frowned when I squeezed her hand and pushed her away from me.
I threw a thrust but she jumped, I only cut the steel poles that were on each side of the little crossing platform we were standing on. She grabbed the metallic parts I had just cut and used them as weapons to defend herself.
"Leave me alone!" She said as she tried to fight as if that metallic pieces were lightsabers, I cut parts of them before she hit my back with one of those poles. I grunted as she jumped up and up again.
"Any time now!" I yelled and that's when I saw the woman on the black hood jump down, land in front of Ventress, cut the pole with her own blue lightsaber and throw her against the wall with the Force. I jumped towards where they were now and stood behind my Angel. "Took you long enough." I said as Lans placed the blade close to Ventress' neck, cornering her against the bricks behind her.
"A simple 'thank you' could go a long way." Said Naberrie to me as she shrugged.
"Ugh, Naberrie." Said the Sith once Lana had removed the hood from her head. "Always following behind Skywalker."
"What can I say? We come in a package deal, you should know this by now." Said Naberrie with sarcasm.
"Oh, believe me, I do." We frowned and Lana looked at her angrily. "What do you want from me?" She added.
"Information. Tell us what happened between you and Ahsoka or things will get messier for you." The blade was closer to Ventress' neck she had to move inces away as she sighed annoyed and rolled her icy eyes.
"When I heard your little brat was on the run, I thought she might bring a large bounty." Ventress started speaking as she looked at me.
"Bounty?" I asked.
"I was going to catch your pet and and turn her over to the authorities, collect whatever bounty was due." Lana turned the lightsaber off as she listened closely.
"What stopped you?" She asked.
"At first, I admit, I was just interested in the money and a little bit of revenge, but then I realised your fallen Padawan and I had a lot in common." Lana scoffed and I repressed the impulse to choke her.
"How dare you compare yourself to Ahsoka?" I said.
"It's true!" Spit the assassin as she faced me and for the first time ever, I saw sadness in Asajj Ventress' eyes. "My Master abandoned me, and that's exactly what you did to her. You and your precious Jedi Order." My frown relaxed when I understood that...it was true. Every single bit of what she had just said was true.
"You helped her, why?" Asked Allana.
"She said she'd speak to the Council and the Senate on my behalf if I did. I helped her get to the warehouse and left before she walked in, after I left your little Padawan alone, I was walking away and I thought she came up behind me to talk more. But I was wrong. Someone came out of nowhere and hit me from behind. Not just anyone can sneak up behind me." She looked at the ground as she thought. "It had to be another Jedi."
"I don't believe you." I said.
"I do." Said Lana. I looked at her and she shrugged. "I'm placing everything on the table. Even...this. It makes sense, though. We were behind someone else this whole time and we were close to knowing who it had been. Think about it, Letta knew who this person was, she was about to tell Ahsoka, the mastermind behind this takes Letta out. That leaves Snips there, thus the incrimination. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"That makes sense to me too." Said Ventress and scoffed. "You're actually smart." She added and Naberrie smiled as she nodded, thanking the surprisingly truthful compliment. "I don't believe it was your pet either, if it helps." She sighed. "Whoever you're looking for has my lightsabers. That's how you'll know you've found the criminal." I sighed.
"Alright, but still, this leads us to a dead end." I commented as my hands found the railing and I looked at the ground beneath us. "You're the only one Ahsoka talked to."
"True. How could this person know where to find you if you two were the only ones who knew about the warehouse." Said Lans, thoughtful, her chin in between her fingers and her back against the wall.
"Wait." Ventress called our attention, she was frowning as she helped us to solve this part out. "That's actually not true." I turned around.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Your Padawan contacted the Temple. She spoke to someone named...Barriss." Lana and I exchanged confused looks. "That's how we knew how to go to the warehouse in the first place. It was this Barriss that told us to go there." I stepped close to the assassin.
"If you're lying...you're dead." I said harshly.
"Such promises." She said. I jumped down and moments later, Lana landed beside me, she had exchanged a few more words to Ventress before doing so.
With that, we wasted no time and rushed back to the Temple as we wondered how could Barriss had fallen so far, most importantly, how could he stab Snips in the back like this. They were friends, the best of friends actually. They shared a bond as strong as the one Cal and Caleb share or Allana and Padmé or Obi-Wan and I. How could she do that to someone who loved her so much?
As we approached the luxurious building, Allana contacted Cal again and asked him to tell security to shut down every gate to avoid Barriss from escaping if we were right. This wasn't going to be easy.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Ahsoka
Padmé and I prepared my defence quickly with everything I had to say, with everything I knew. But we didn't have much time. The troopers walked in and handcuffed me again as they informed us that the audience was about to start. I didn't know things moved this fast, generally, the preparation of a hearing at the Galactic Senate took hours. We had about forty minutes.
Everything was moving too fast around me and I felt I was moving too slow. Padmé was guided to another room while I was escorted by two clones into a large, well illuminated and cold room. I spotted the members of the Council sitting to the right as well as members of the Senate. Some others were on the opposite side. In the middle, was the Chancellor.
I walked down a large hallway, by the end of it were two more troopers waiting for me to by my escort. Then, I walked onto a floating platform that took me forward even more, until I was standing in between two other platforms and before the Chancellor's seat. He looked coldly at me from above.
The gate that's to my right opened and Padmé walked in. I smiled at her as soon as our eyes met and she smiled back. That's when the door to the left opened and revealed Tarkin who looked at me as if he was going to bury me alive. Which I don't doubt he'll try to do.
"Ahsoka Tano." Palpatine said as he stood up and called my attention. "You have been charged with sedition against the Jedi Order and the Republic itself. This court will decide your fate." He looked at Tarkin. "Prosecution, you may begin your arguments." He sat down and Tarkin walked up to the edge of his platform to stand before me.
"Former Padawan Tano, I shall prove that you were the mastermind behind the attack on the Jedi Temple and that once your accomplices carried out your orders, you eliminated them one by one." Said the Admiral. "When you're found guilty, I ask the court that the full extent of the law be brought down upon you." My eyes opened wildly. "Including penalty of death."
"Now, the arguments of the defence?" Said Palpatine and Padmé stepped closer as well.
"Members of the court, let me remind you that the extents of the law have a limit depending on the age of the accused. Ahsoka Tano is sixteen, not eighteen. Therefore, she cannot be judged as an adult like Admiral Tarkin suggests." She sent him a cold glare, the one I've seen her younger sibling send him plenty of times. "Now, Padawan Tano found herself in a tough situation, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Look at the facts, Letta Turmond called Ahsoka to her cell to reveal the name of the true mastermind behind the bombing of the Jedi Temple, and by the way, Ahsoka wasn't even in this system when it happened, she was fighting Separatist forces alongside Generals Skywalker and Naberrie, and Captain Kestis. Not only can those three individuals confirm this, but also the two entire Legions of the Generals, the 501sth and the 104th battalions." She made sure to look at everyone in the room.
"Back to the previous point, there are two things to be said. One: Turmond also called in for General Allana Naberrie. I can assure you that if she had been the one to attend the call, or, if both of them had showed up, the judgement before the General wouldn't be as harsh as it is for the youngling. Had she been the one to run to prove her innocence, Allana Naberrie wouldn't face such a tough trial, let alone, she would've been given the chance to speak before she could have been unfairly expelled from the Jedi Order like Ahsoka was, just because Admiral Takrin suggested it for bringing this case to this courtroom. And two: Letta told Ahsoka she was afraid. She told her the mastermind was a Jedi, and before she could reveal the Jedi's name, Letta Turmond was strangled to death by way of the Force. Why would Ahsoka kill Letta with a method that would so obviously tie the murder to her? A Jedi may be responsible for the murder, but that Jedi is not Ahsoka Tano. Members of the court, you are prosecuting the wrong Jedi." As soon as she was finished, Tarkin started clapping. I rolled my eyes.
"Well said, Senator Amidala." He said. "Let me tell you that wether it had been both Jedi or just General Naberrie, the judgement would be the same."
"Unfair and not partial from any of the parts and affiliations they swore their lives to protect?" Tarkin frowned while Padmé arched an eyebrow.
"Order." Said Palpatine. "Attorneys, focus on the arguments, not on fighting each other."
"Very well." Said Tarkin before he continued, while Padmé simply nodded her head and breathed in and out. "If she's innocent, then why was she conspiring with known Separatist Terrorist, Asajj Ventress?"
"Ventress set me up." I spoke. "My Masters will prove that."
"You only have one Master."
"Two have trained me on a daily basis, three, if you want to be more precise." I looked up at Master Kenobi, who simply sighed and offered a sad smile. Tarkin sighed as well, annoyed.
"Fine! Where are your Masters then?"
"Trying to find the real murderer."
"Then maybe, they should be looking at you." I frowned and looked at the ground for a second before I looked at him. I breathed in and out. Oh, Skyguy, Smarty...where are you?
Then, there was a pause, a break from the session. A break un which my anxiety only skyrocketed and my fingers fidgeted and played with the leather of the gloves. When we came back, Palpatine stood up from his chair and started giving a little speech on the situation.
"I'm sure many of you look at this former Jedi and think, 'surely, she cannot be this murderer or saboteur that they speak of'. And yet, think of all the times we have been fooled by the Separatists." I looked down as I acknowledged that his words didn't sound impartial either, it was surprising to hear the Chancellor say those things even if I was there to make sure he didn't suffer any harm when we thought there could be an attempt on his life back in Naboo. "And how they have infiltrated the Republic." He continued, my gaze snapping towards him. "And ask yourself, 'is this yet another Separatist scheme? Another way to rip the Jedi, and subsequently all of us apart?' Hm?" I sighed as I looked down and then in all directions. I need them to hurry up.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Allana
The second we parked, and walked into the Temple, Cal was already waiting for us. He wanted to know what did we find out and we told him briefly. He also said that Ahsoka's hearing had started a while ago, earlier than it had been scheduled. This was bad, we needed to hurry up.
"Do we think she did it?" Asked Cal as we made our way towards Barriss' quarters. "For certain, I mean?"
"I, personally, am in a dilemma. I mean, she's Luminara's apprentice, it's not like Barriss." I said slowly. "However, the evidence we've gathered points at her."
"I agree. Even if the source is Ventress." There was a sinister tone of voice in Anakin's words. He was beyond angry because of this. All of it.
"What's your plan?"
"The presence of the three of us will make her anxious. Cal, you will get the Temple guards. When Lana or myself contact you, bring them here." Cal nodded and started walking away to get the guards. "I want you right outside that door." He said as he looked at me. I nodded. When we were alone on the corridor and outside Barriss' door, I placed my hands on his arms. "I'm fine"
"You forget I can sense what you're feeling as if I was feeling it." I started. "I know you're angry, and that's valid, just...remember to breathe." He closed his eyes, breathed in and nodded. I nodded back as I walked backwards to let him in.
My back collided against the wall swiftly as I reclined my weight on it and Anakin knocked on the door. When Barriss' voice told him he could enter and the door opened, I saw her kneeling down and eyes closed, meditating. Ani looked at me over his shoulder before stepping in and letting the door close behind him.
About three minutes went by. I assumed he was doing simple questioning trying to corroborate Ventress' version of the story and make it match Ahsoka's. Three more minutes in, I heard lightsabers turning on and colliding against each other. My attention snapped from the scratched navy blue armour that rests over my forearms to the closed gate.
I heard more struggle and grabbed my lightsabers' handles from my belt but didn't step in. Not yet. Instead I clicked my comlink and signaled Cal. When it beeped for a while, I knew he'd understand, so, I stopped trying to communicate and tightened my grip around the weapons.
"You should've gotten rid of them!" Anakin yelled.
"I think they suit me!" She yelled back.
Seconds later, Barriss was thrown out of the room, I was facing her back. She stood up and walked a few steps backwards. I frowned and extended my hand, placing it over her shoulder to let her know I was there too. She turned around abruptly and when I tilted my head, she started running to my left, her right.
We ran after her and I jumped to place myself in front of her and cut off her escape while Anakin stood behind her. We had her cornered.
Anakin turned on a lightsaber and I turned on mine as well. Barriss didn't stay behind, she enlightened Ventress' stolen weapons and I moved forward to attack her. Anakin attacked her too and she blocked our attacks every single time.
"Ahsoka trusted you." Said Anakin. "And you betrayed her."
"I've learned that trust is overrated. The only thing the Jedi Council believes in is violence." Anakin turned on his own saber, for he was wielding Barriss' old weapon, I turned my violet blade on and got ready. Now the three of us had two weapons. I felt my muscles tensing as I tried to anticipate her move but it was Anakin the one to jump forward. They engaged a quick fight and she jumped backwards and up when he tried to go for her feet.
Then, Barriss jumped onto one of the window's close structures, stone arches and that's when I jumped up and spinned in the air to get to her. She jumped down. When I landed and moved forward to attack her again, she pushed me to the side with the Force, making me fall and roll over the ground.
That's when Anakin tried to attack her again and ended up being thrown backwards and onto the opposite structure by the window. He grunted, I imagine the impact did hurt a bunch.
As I got up, she jumped down from where she was and attempted to kill Anakin, however, he managed to block the deadly thrust while I stood up. He proceeded to kick her, making her grunt. That's when Cal arrived with the guards.
"Right on time, Witty." I said when he stood beside me.
"As usual, Smarty." He said and turned on his lightsaber. The guards asked for hostility to end and turned their double-bladed yellow lightsabers to cut the escape of the traitor. However, she saw a window of opportunity. Quite literally. She ran to the window that was right beside us.
"Barriss!" Anakin yelled as she made a cut on the glass and jumped down. Anakin jumped after her a second later.
"We'll chase her down through here, you, block the exits of the Courtyard and cut any way of escape." I told Cal as I ran towards the window.
"Got it!" He responded as I jumped through the window. I saw how Anakin and Barriss fought each other and how she eventually kicked him. He fell all the way from the rooftop to the ground, landing right in front of a group of younglings who were training, the lightsabers getting knocked out of his hands because of the impact. I ran and pressed the run when I saw Barriss jumping down, determined to end his life. I jumped down and made it on time to place the blades of my lightsabers over Anakin's body to avoid her deadly thrust from killing him.
I looked coldly at Barriss and she returned the glance. I moved my blades up and she jumped over me, I turned around and blocked an attack that went for my head to push and make her go backwards to attack myself. Our lightsabers crashed loudly and hardly against each other until I saw a space and kicked her. I started to draw her away from the group of kids while Ani recovered his sabers. Suddenly, it was like fighting Ventress. I gave a step back and he jumped in. They engaged a fight, but she still tried to attack me. She ended up fighting both of us.
At some point, I attacked from above and she blocked my thrust. As I pushed down, she seemed a bit ambitious when she tried to attack Anakin, but he was faster. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed until she dropped the weapon. I continued to push down as the guards surrounded us, she was cornered once more. Barriss frowned and pushed up, then, she moved her arm down and pushed my weapon down. That's when Ani stepped in and attacked from above. I rolled backwards through the ground to let him step in properly.
That's when I saw and felt the dark shadow of anger fall over Skywalker. He attacked her mercilessly with strong thrusts I've only seen him deliver when he wants to succeed on a duel at all costs. The kind of attacks only Obi-Wan has been able to hold, since he's much stronger to maintain his defence up. When he did that to me, long time ago, Anakin broke my defence and left me panting on the ground, my arms aching. Barriss was strong enough though, she pushed up and jumped to get his head, but Anakin was faster again, he stopped her movements with the Force and proceeded to throw her backwards.
Her back hit the tree that's in the middle of the open area. She grunted as she could not move and opened her eyes with horror when she seemed to be wrapped by a rope that tightened her body. I stood up, for I was still kneeling on the ground, and stepped close to Ani.
"We have her." I said softly. "Let go, we have her." I added and repeated as I placed my hand on his forearm. His tensed muscles relaxed and he slowly placed his arm down. When his hand fell to his side and my hand let go of his arm, Barriss fell to her knees. Cal didn't waste a second and stepped close to her to handcuff her. He looked coldly at her and she simply looked at the ground before looking up with no emotion on her face.
"We have her." Said Anakin as Cal made her stand and the guards escorted them. "Let's bring her in. We have the real attacker now." He said and we started our way out to get quickly to the Military facility and stop the trial of an innocent.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Ahsoka
Shortly after Chancellor Palpatine was done speaking and the jury stepped out to discuss —returning about thirty minutes later— he asked the members of the Court if they had a verdict. One of the Senators stood while Padmé stepped closer to the railing of her platform to 'get closer to me' and 'stand beside me'.
"The members of the Court have reached a decision." He said and I breathed in deeply. He clicked the device in his hand and Mas Amedda nodded at him as he looked at a small data-pad he had in hand. I assumed he had received the decision. He handed said data-pad to Palpatine and he nodded back before standing up and looking at me.
"Ahsoka Tano." He said. "By an overwhelming count of-"
"Chancellor!" Two familiar voices spoke at the same time. I turned around and found Anakin and Allana standing side by side with Cal close behind them.
"I hope you have a reason for bursting into our proceedings, Masters Jedi."
"It's actually a very good reason, Chancellor." Said Allana. She looked at the man at the top of the place and then at someone behind me, Tarkin. Her glance was cold as ice, it had a hint of anger and a lack of trust that was shocking to see even for the trained eye, for an inexperienced sight would only see a neutral expression in her glance.
"We are here with evidence and a confession from the person who was actually responsible for all the crimes Ahsoka has been accused of." Skyguy said. He moved aside and Cal pulled someone with him to the front. "Barriss Offee, member of the Jedi Order and traitor." He added and my heart sank to the ground, shattering into a million pieces as my eyes opened wildly. I shook my head. How's that possible? She...she was helping me, she was guiding me...right?
"Barriss? Is that true?" I asked and hoped my voice not to break as I spoke. She had a deep frown and her eyes couldn't hold my gaze.
"Tell them the truth." Said Cal. He was hurt as well. Kestis is pretty much like his Master, he hates to see people he cares about hurting and alone. Barriss eyed him with anger before looking at the front and giving a step forward. That's when her frown softened.
"I did it." She said and a shaky breath escaped my lips quietly. "I have come to realise what many people in the Republic have come to realise, that the Jedi are the ones responsible for this war, that we've so lost our way that we have become villains in this conflict, that we are the ones that should be put on trial, all of us!" My eyes had a thin line of tears in them. She had fallen, this was not the Barriss that I knew, the one that held on to hope even if things seemed too hard to handle, the one that does the right choices, the one that protects her friends...instead of using them. "And my attack on the Temple was an attack on what the Jedi have become, an army fighting for the Dark Side, fallen from the light that we once held so dear. This Republic is failing! It's only a matter of time!" Anakin saw me and my expression, and he decided it was enough. He pulled Barriss back to where she was standing and the Temple guards took ahold of her.
"Take her away." The Chancellor ordered and she sent me an apologetic look before being taken out of everyone's sight. That's when I spotted my little team. The two Generals and the Captain smiled at me. I smiled back, weakly, before looking at the ground. "Given the new...information given to this Court, I declare Ahsoka Tano innocent from all charges and I give you an apology in name of the Republic." He added and I nodded as my platform floated back to the spot where it once was.
There, a trooper took off the handcuffs and the three Jedi who certainly haven't slept in hours trying to find the truth to help me out, walked alongside me until we reached the waiting room Padmé and I found ourselves in before the trial started. I rubbed my wrists the whole time, it felt as if the cuffs were still there, it felt heavy.
"Can I, uh...can I have a moment, please? I want to be alone for a second." I asked as I turned around to face them. The three of them exchanged looks.
"Sure, Snips. Whatever you need." Said Anakin, smiling at me. I smiled back as I exhaled through my nose.
"Meanwhile, we'll be having a word with Padmé." Allana commented and the three of them walked out. "If you need anything, all you need to do is call." I nodded and the door closed behind them. I looked around and when I sat down, a sigh escaped my lips as the tears fell.
There were so many emotions going through me. I was sad and hurt for Barriss' betrayal, even if I think that I may agree with her on some little things, I also felt betrayed by the Council. Even if Masters like Obi-Wan and Plo believed in me, the rest turned their backs on me; the only ones who believed I was innocent until proven guilty were Anakin, Allana and Cal, and they're not members of the Council, even if they have the score to be Masters and Cal is a Padawan. I felt overwhelmed because I was also angry but I had to turn that off because it was an emotion of the Dark Side. It's confusing and hard to simply turn feelings off when you're feeling to much, to push them away. Everything felt incredibly heavy even if there was no longer a weight on my shoulders.
I wiped the tears off my face when I decided I wanted to walk out. The second the doors slid open, Anakin was there. He looked at me and in a second, he hugged me. He just needed a look in order to know that I had been crying, he's always been good at reading eyes, just like Allana or Obi-Wan. And he always knows when someone needs a hug. Whenever the war got me too overwhelmed, he'd do that, he'd give hugs. I believe that's what helped me go through it all, death was easier with him beside me. And, even if I survived before being alone and not having him by my side, this time was different.
This time, I was unable to even trust myself, to trust those around me, those who were risking everything to help me. I decided not to trust those who crossed my mind at first and trusted someone, a friend, who decided that using me was easier than facing justice. Everything was simply too much to handle at the moment, everyone seemed to be hard to forgive even if I know that with the time I'll forgive them all. I hugged him back and squeezed the hug even tighter when he rubbed my back, like that time I lost my entire squadron when we had gone to Ryloth.
"It's okay. It's okay." He said and I cried a bit more until I breathed in and pulled away. "Allana and Cal are already at the Temple, they say the Council is asking to meet you." I nodded at him, when our eyes met, he smiled again. "Let's take you home, Snips." He said and we walked out to get to the Jedi Temple.
'Home'. Is the Jedi Temple really my home anymore? Are the Jedi my home and family anymore? It felt odd, my entire life, those fancy walls have been my home, then, it was our cruiser, our unit, my big brother and my big sister —who at some point on the early stages of our relationship I thought of as parents—, my other brother...everyone I got to work with, everyone I fought side by side with...they're home. But no, the Temple doesn't feel like it could be called 'home' anymore nor the Jedi as a whole.
"Yeah." I whispered as we made our way out, side by side. Eventually, we hopped on a speeder and he drove us all the way back to the 'home' of all the Jedi. Neither of us spoke the entire way there. When we arrived at the renewed hangar, we hopped off our transport and walked in.
Indeed, it no longer felt like home, it felt like a building in which I no longer belonged. A place that had people that I love in it but that no longer made me feel like they did even if it's not their faults. It's not the same as it was and it made my heart ache in a way that it has ever ached before.
Few moments later, we arrived at the Council Chambers. Allana, Cal, Obi-Wan, Masters Plo, Mundi, Windu and Yoda were there. Cal approached me and extended a hand, I smiled and shook his hand before making our handshake, one we invented while we waited for our Masters to come back from a mission they had gone on. When he stood beside Lana, she hugged me. She gives the most cozy hugs.
"I'm glad you're here, kiddo." I smiled. I've always liked when she called me that.
"Me too, Smarty." She let go and Anakin stepped forward from her side.
"Ahsoka." He said. "I am so sorry about everything." I simply smiled at him and shook my head. If there is something else Anakin always does is assume the fall and the fault of things he didn't do, of things that are far too out of his reach. I just wonder how he might feel, does it feel heavy? Is he okay with that? What's the impact it has on him? My brain could go on, wondering on how he might feel if I didn't focus on what was happening before me.
"You have our most humble apologies, little 'soka." Said Master Plo, I smiled weakly at the pet name. "The Council was wrong to accuse you."
"You have shown such great strength and resilience in your struggle to prove your innocence." Said Master Mundi. "This is the true sign of a Jedi Knight." I frowned.
"This was actually your great trial." Said Windu and my frown intensified. They've got to be kidding me.
"A trial?" Asked Allana, not believing the words either. How can being imprisoned, chased after, captured and almost being sentenced to death a simple goddamn trial? How can they pull off something like this after everything? This made me feel so pissed.
"Correct, Naberrie." The tone of voice in Master Windu's voice let me know that he was still angry at her for what happened at the inner trial hours ago. "We see it now and we understand that the Force works in mysterious ways, and because of this trial, you have become a greater Jedi than you would have otherwise." I crossed my arms and arched an eyebrow. How can they find it easier to say that it was a 'trial' rather than assuming their mistake?
My eyes scanned the room again and I saw how Kestis' lips just formed a thin line, Obi-Wan breathed in and out slowly, Anakin frowned and closed his eyes as to contain himself, and Allana placed her hands on her hips as she mouthed 'you gotta be fucking kidding me' at the ground.
"Back into the Order you may come." Said Master Yoda. Seconds later, Anakin stepped forward one more time.
"They're asking you back, Ahsoka. I am asking you back." He said as he pulled my Padawan braid from a pocket of his belt. I looked at him and he smiled as he offered my braid back to me, I smiled briefly at him as I thought that maybe I could return, the thought seemed nice, good, welcoming but...I cannot return to a place where I no longer feel trusted, no longer feel at home, no longer feel as loved as I used to. I grabbed his hand and closed his fist gently, letting the braid in his hand.
"I'm sorry, Master." I said with a knot in my throat. My eyes filled with tears as he frowned and his smile faded, his eyes couldn't believe the scene that was developing before them. "But I'm not coming back." I added. Anakin looked to his right to find a pair of brown eyes. I can't blame him, I believe most of the people in this room have tried to find answers to unspoken questions in Allana Naberrie's eyes, most of the time she has one but today it was different, she has no answer. I looked at the people behind him, the Jedi Masters who frowned as if they really expected me to come back, confusion all over their features as well as surprise and sadness over the faces of those I've fought shoulder against shoulder with. I frowned even more when my eyes found Allana and Cal's. He had a deep confusion and sadness over his eyes. "I'm sorry." I said once again and walked out of the room.
No one followed, no one said a thing. They simply let me walk away. But I knew that four, three or two of them would want to talk me out of this decision. I kept my head low as I made my way out of this place, and I walked fast to get somewhere with fresh air quicker.
As I got close to the main staircase, I heard rapid footsteps behind me. It didn't take long for his voice to echo around this place.
"Ahsoka, wait!" Anakin yelled from behind. I closed my eyes and shook my head as the buzz of the distant spaceships and speeders resonated everywhere. "Ahsoka! I need to talk to you!" He added and I stopped my movements as a sigh left my lips. He pressed the run and I turned around as he stopped running and stood before me. He sighed as well. "Why are you doing this?"
"The Council didn't trust me, so how can I trust myself?" I said.
"What about me? What about Allana and Cal? Obi-Wan? We believed in you. We stood by you."
"I know they believed in me. I know you believe in me, Anakin, and I'm grateful for that. But this isn't about you. I can't stay here any longer, not now."
"The Jedi Order is your life. You can't just throw it away like this. Ahsoka, you're making a mistake."
"Maybe, but I have to sort this out on my own. Without the Council, without Allana, without Cal or Obi-Wan...and without you." There was a silence that fell upon us. Unlike before, it was heavy at the point where my ears rang.
"I understand. More than you realise..." He sighed. I saw how Master Naberrie appeared way in the back. I looked at her, he looked over his shoulder, then back at me. "I understand wanting to walk away from the Order."
"I know." He blinked a few times before I sent a glare at the other Jedi behind him and then back at him. Something in his eyes let me know how he knew that I knew. "Goodbye, Anakin." I smiled weakly as the tears formed in my eyes again and I realised he had tears in his own eyes as well, but he blinked quickly to make them go away. "Hopefully...we'll meet again soon." I looked at the woman in the background, she had a sad expression on her face and when I smiled weakly at her, she knew that I was determined to leave. She tilted her head, smiled just as weakly and nodded before I turned around and walked away.
This time, Anakin did let me go. He didn't call me, nor he tried to stop me from walking, he simply...let me. I walked and the tears continued to fall from my eyes as I heard her calling his name and then, I heard something I have never heard before, I heard Anakin Skywalker cry. I've always known that he may cry on his own, whenever I wasn't looking, whenever the world wasn't looking at him. And now I know how I was right in assuming what I had assumed long ago. He allows himself to be vulnerable before just one person. We both allowed ourselves to be vulnerable in the presence of the young General.
I cried more as the sobbing of my old Master echoed behind me and I cried in silence, by myself and with no one to hold me while I break. With that, and with stormy clouds hiding the dying sun that weakly shone over the busy planet of Coruscant, I walked away from the only life I've known, from the only family I've known, from everything I've known, in order to find a missing and very important piece that I was lacking in the puzzle of myself.