❝𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒈𝒐 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆, 𝒇𝒖𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖.❞ -- 𝑴𝒂𝒖𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝑶𝒃𝒊 𝑾𝒂𝒏 𝑲𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒃𝒊
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The starship jostled as they shot into hyperspace, causing Astrid's shoulder to brush up against Anakin's shoulder from where he sat beside her in the seats lining the edge of the wall behind the cockpit.
Ahsoka sat in one of the seats across from them on the opposite wall, and she seemed to be avoiding looking anywhere in Astrid and Anakin's direction. In fact, Ahsoka had been quiet since the battle had ended, hardly uttered a word when they'd said their goodbyes to the Lurmen.
"You're not injured, right, Ahsoka?" Astrid spoke up, and she noticed Rex glance back at them with concern from where he sat in the co-pilot seat.
Ahsoka looked up at Astrid and muttered, "No, I'm fine. Just tired."
Astrid pursed her lips and nodded in understanding... and agreement. She was tired, too. She hadn't really been able to sleep that much the past three nights, what with those beasts attacking their camp two nights in a row and then her early start this morning.
Astrid slumped down a little in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest, hoping she could get a little rest on their way back to Coruscant. It was likely she would have to go back to Kuat after stopping by Coruscant, which meant she wouldn't be sleeping very much there, either.
Astrid might as well rest now while she could. And, well, with Anakin sitting right beside her, she'd never felt more content, and his arm pressed against hers was making her warm in a sleepy kind of way.
She closed her eyes and allowed the gentle hum of the ship and Anakin's warmth to lull her to sleep.
The violent shudder of the ship as it exited hyperspace awoke Astrid, and she discovered her head was resting on Anakin's shoulder. Astrid blinked sleepily before she slowly and tiredly straightened in her seat.
Astrid felt a pair of eyes on her, and she looked across the way to find Ahsoka watching her thoughtfully. Ahsoka quickly looked away from Astrid as if she'd been caught in a wrong act.
"Did you sleep well?" Anakin asked quietly from beside her, and Astrid looked at him to find him watching her with an amused, but gentle look on his face.
Astrid smiled and said, "Yeah. Your shoulder is awfully comfortable."
Anakin chuckled quietly, and Astrid's smile widened as her heart skipped a beat. "We're entering Coruscant's atmosphere," Master Secura announced from the pilot's seat, and Astrid perked up in her seat.
She twisted around in her seat to gaze out the window as she always did when she entered Coruscant. The sight of towering skyscrapers and zooming aircraft clogging the skylanes made Astrid's heart race a little faster in excitement.
She was finally home again.
Master Secura steered their starship onto one of the designated military skylanes, so their route to the Jedi Temple wasn't as crowded. Because of this, they arrived at the temple relatively quickly. Astrid rose immediately to her feet once their starship magnetized to one of the landing pads and the bay doors opened.
Astrid followed Ahsoka out of the ship with Anakin right behind her. Astrid expected Ahsoka to wait for Rex and Master Secura to exit the starship, but the Padawan continued forward at a quick pace without looking back.
"Ahsoka!" Anakin called out. "Wait!"
When she didn't slow down or glance back, Anakin looked to Astrid and said, "Something is troubling her." He began walking backwards towards Ahsoka's receding figure as he added, "I'll meet you around later. I'm sure Master Secura will want you to go with her to see the Jedi Council."
"But how about you--" Astrid began, but Anakin was already turning around and running after Ahsoka.
Astrid sighed.
She supposed he had other duties to attend to, such as watching over Padawans. Astrid turned towards the starship as Master Secura and Rex were walking down the ramp. "Anakin had to go after Ahsoka," Astrid explained. "She kind of ran off."
Master Secura frowned but nodded. "Okay, then. Come with me, Astrid. We need to report to the Jedi Council."
Astrid walked beside Master Secura towards the entrance of the Jedi Temple, while Rex walked just behind them, his blue and white helmet now pulled on his head, obscuring his face from view.
"Why couldn't we just send a hologram to the Council instead of coming all of the way back to Coruscant to report?" Astrid asked curiously.
Master Secura gave her a sidelong look as she replied, "Because I heard General Kenobi has some important news to tell us, and he didn't want to risk the Separatist knowing about it, whatever it is."
Curiosity flared within Astrid like a stoked fire, and she picked up her pace. Anakin was going to regret missing this Council report. She supposed not having a Padawan of her own had its perks.
They entered the Jedi Temple, and the crowded hallways felt more abuzz than ever before. Jedi lingered on the side of the hallways, talking animatedly to one another, while others marched purposefully down the hallway towards their designation.
Even the air felt alive as if the Force was dancing within it like veins of lighting flashing in the sky, holding its breath, waiting to see how the unaware Jedi would respond to Obi Wan's upcoming news.
Rex stopped at the door of the Council chambers as Master Secura and Astrid entered the the chambers, and Astrid found that the entire Council was sitting in their seats, all of them at the Jedi Temple in person. Not a single one of the Council members were hologrammed.
Astrid and Master Secura inclined their heads as they stopped in the center of the chamber before Master Yoda's center seat. "Report, you must before Master Kenobi tells us his news," Master Yoda croaked.
Astrid looked to where Obi Wan Kenobi sat on the left side of the room, hand raised to his jaw thoughtfully as he gazed at her and Master Secura.
Master Secura cleared her throat before she said, "I am afraid my fleet was defeated by the Separatist at Quell. Admiral Yularen messaged me to inform me of the news just three hours ago."
Astrid must've been asleep when that happened.
Master Secura continued, "General Katarn, Skywalker, Padawan Tano, Captain Rex, and I were stuck on a planet in the Outer Rim after we crashed on it to avoid crashing into a star." She waved a hand towards Astrid and said, "Astrid managed to find a Grey Jedi encampment, and they gave us a starship."
There were low murmurs from around the Council at the mention of the Grey Jedi.
Master Secura continued, "We ran into the Separatist, but we defeated them. And now we are back and ready to hear General Kenobi's news."
Astrid could hear the impatience in her former master's voice as if she was eager to hear this news everyone had been murmuring about. Master Secura moved to her seat, and Astrid edged towards the wall, not wanting to be sent out before she could hear Obi Wan's news.
Obi Wan nodded at Master Yoda before he leaned forward in his seat and straightened his spine purposefully. "Yes, thank you, Master Secura." He cleared his throat before he continued bluntly, "I am afraid we may have a new Sith apprentice."
Obi Wan knows Darth Maul is still alive, Astrid immediately thought, her heart beginning to race with nerves.
But then the Jedi Master continued, "His name is Savage Opress, and he is a Dathomirian, the same species as the former Sith apprentice, Darth Maul," and confusion replaced Astrid's earlier anxiety.
Wait what?
Mace Windu straightened in his seat and asked, "Has he done anything to warrant Jedi action? We are busy enough as it is with the Clone Wars--"
Obi Wan nodded and interrupted before Mace Windu could even finish his sentence, "Yes, he has burned down a village-- several villages. He is out of control."
"But is this Savage Opress an actual Sith yet?" Master Fisto spoke up. "Did you hear whispers of a crimson red lightsaber from the survivors of the villages?"
Obi Wan frowned before replying slowly, "Yes, I believe he is an actual Sith now. And even if Savage Opress isn't fully indoctrinated to the Sith Order, he will be soon." Obi Wan's frown deepened as he continued in a more heated tone, "The Dathomirian are known for being brutal and hostile. Look how Darth Maul turned out!"
"Stand against you, we do not, General Kenobi," Master Yoda spoke up. "Certain we must be before we stand against the Sith apprentice."
Mace Windu's gaze flicked up towards Astrid, seeming to notice her presence for the first time, and he interjected coldly, "General Katarn, you are dismissed. You are not a member of the Council."
She'd been caught red handed.
Astrid's cheeks burned with embarrassment at being singled out, and she felt a hint of anger at the Jedi Master's coldness. She forced herself to incline her head before she turned and slipped out of the room. She hoped she would be able to hear the rest of Obi Wan's information at some point.
Maybe Obi Wan will tell Anakin the rest of the news later, and then Anakin could tell her. Or, Astrid could just ask her own master.
When Astrid emerged into the hallway, she found Rex had already gone, so she walked alone back to her rooms, her mind whirling with thoughts of Savage Opress and Maul.
Astrid needed to tell Anakin what she'd heard. What if Maul was somehow involved in this Savage Oppress? Instead of going straight down the hallway towards her own room, Astrid took a left towards Anakin's room.
When she knocked at his door, there was no answer, and when she felt for his presence in the room through the Force, she could not sense him.
Astrid frowned.
She turned around and began walking back down the way she came. She was just about to turn onto the main hallway back to her rooms, when Anakin and Ahsoka appeared around the corner. Astrid stopped herself just short of running into them, and the pair wore surprised looks on their faces as they looked at Astrid.
"What are you--" Anakin began, but Astrid quickly grabbed his arm and began pulling him down the hallway towards his room.
"I have something to tell you," she told him urgently. "It's, uh, very bad."
Anakin frowned in confusion, and Astrid opened his door and pushed him inside. Astrid made to follow after him, her hand already on the doorknob to close the door behind her when Ahsoka wedged her foot in the door and asked with exasperation, "Am I allowed in on this very bad news?"
Astrid glanced back at Ahsoka, suddenly remembering the Padawan's presence, and she paused uncertainly. The less people who knew about Maul, the better, but... Ahsoka was Anakin's Padawan, and she looked so sad and dejected.
Astrid sighed and said with a hurried wave of her hand, "Fine, come in."
Ahsoka beamed before she brushed past Astrid and into Anakin's room. Astrid quickly closed the door, and when she turned around to face the room, she found Anakin standing near his bed, leaned against the wall on one shoulder with his arms and ankles crossed as he regarded her solemnly.
"What is it?" he asked her quietly, sensing Astrid's worry.
Astrid hesitated, her eyes moving to where Ahsoka stood by the window. Ahsoka raised an expectant brow. Astrid winced and took a breath before blurting, "There is a new Sith apprentice named Savage Opress, and he's another Dathomirian like Maul."
"Wait what?" Ahsoka exclaimed at the same time Anakin said shortly, "That's not possible. Maul is the apprentice."
Ahsoka turned towards Anakin with her mouth agape with disbelief before she retorted sharply, "That's not the point, Anakin. That doesn't matter because Maul is dead--"
"No, he's not," Astrid interrupted softly, her words instantly cutting off Ahsoka mid-sentence.
Ahsoka's eyes narrowed as her brow creased together into a frown. "What do you mean?" she asked, trailing off uncertainly.
Anakin sighed as he explained, "Astrid and I ran into Maul on Tatooine when we were on a mission together as Padawans. He's still alive. We never told anyone because, well, we didn't want Obi Wan to know he had failed his master by not defeating his master's killer."
"Well, we have to tell Obi Wan and the rest of the Jedi Council now!" Ahsoka protested. "We can't leave them in the dark! We can't allow Obi Wan to go into this blind! It could backfire!"
Astrid stepped forward and waved her hands in the air placatingly as she interrupted, "Hang on. That's not the main point here. The point is that--" She looked at Anakin "--maybe that Sith Master you are meant to kill to bring balance to the Force is Maul. What if he wasn't ever the apprentice?"
Anakin was quiet.
Astrid persisted, "The only way there could be a new Sith apprentice is if there is a Sith master to train them. And since Maul is alive and he's the only Sith alive, he has to be the master."
"This is crazy," Ahsoka muttered with a shake of her head.
Astrid ignored Ahsoka's comment, her attention fixed entirely on Anakin, who now had a thoughtful, yet concerned expression on his face. Finally, he said with a heaving sigh, "Well, I suppose we can't hide the fact that Maul is alive from Obi Wan for any longer."
Ahsoka was still shaking her head in disbelief. "No, you can't," she commented. "I still can't believe you two didn't tell him when you first encountered Maul. How did he not know you had an encounter with the Sith?"
Astrid and Anakin exchanged winces before Astrid answered, "We told him we weren't able to see his face. It was as simple as that."
And Obi Wan had trusted them automatically, taking their word for it without hesitation. Obi Wan will be so hurt when he discovers they had purposefully kept this important fact away from him.
They'd lied to him.
Anakin kicked off the wall as he said to Astrid, "We should go and tell him now. Surely the Council meeting is over now."
Astrid nodded, and as they made their way to the door, Ahsoka crossed her arms and called after them, "Just make sure to tell me the dates of your funerals later, please. I'll be waiting here."
Anakin only rolled his eyes playfully before he and Astrid exited his room, the door closing behind them with a thud. They headed towards the Council chambers in apprehensive silence. Astrid tucked her hands into the wide sleeves of her long-sleeved chestnut colored cloak.
As they neared the Council chambers, Anakin began to lag a little, dropping into a casual stroll rather than a purposeful stride, and Astrid frowned at him as she slowed to match his pace. "Do we have to tell him?" Anakin murmured, keeping his eyes forward.
Astrid could sense his anxiety through the Force.
"We have to," she told him quietly. "We don't have a choice anymore."
As they approached the closed chamber doors, the doors suddenly burst open, and Jedi Masters began filing out of the room. Astrid and Anakin pressed themselves against the wall to allow them to pass, and Master Plo Koon and Master Secura gave the two Jedi Knights confused looks as they passed.
Astrid only smiled and inclined their head to them. Beside her, Anakin was as stiff as a wooden board, and his smile was literally the fakest smile Astrid had ever seen. She laughed at the sight, and his smile instantly fell.
"What?" he demanded in a hushed voice as he turned towards her, his brow furrowing.
Astrid managed to rein in her laughter enough to reply, "It's just that you have a really hard time masking your emotions, Anakin. I've never seen someone so expressive. That was the first thing that stuck out to me when I first met you."
Anakin didn't seem to take that as a compliment.
Suddenly, Obi Wan emerged from the Council chambers with Master Windu, and all traces of laughter sapped out of Astrid immediately at the sight of the strict Jedi Master walking beside Obi Wan.
The two Jedi Masters didn't seem to notice the two Jedi Knights' presence until Anakin stepped forward in front of them and greeted coolly, "Hello, Master Windu," stopping the two Jedi Masters short.
Anakin Skywalker and Mace Windu regarded each other with barely reined in hostility, and Astrid couldn't help but wonder if something had happened between the two of them in the past. "General Skywalker," Mace Windu replied curtly, his brown eyes as frigid as the darkest and coldest winter. "What do you need?"
"Only General Kenobi's time for just a moment," Anakin replied with a politeness that barely veiled his simmering dislike towards Mace Windu.
Obi Wan stepped forward and placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder as he told Mace Windu, "I'll see you later, Master Windu."
Mace Windu dipped his head before marching away. Obi Wan turned back towards Anakin, and his kind, caramel colored eyes found Astrid lingering by the wall. "Astrid? What are you doing here?"
Astrid stepped forward and smiled apologetically as she replied, "Well, both of us need your time for just a moment. We have something important to tell you."
Obi Wan looked confused, but he waved a hand to indicate for them to continue. Anakin and Astrid exchanged wary looks before Astrid told him evenly, "Darth Maul is still alive."
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