Enemy Mine
Prologue; Finally Home
Obi-Wan and Anakin walked up the steps to the Jedi Temple. The day before, they'd abruptly been asked to return to Coruscant by the Council, specifically Master Windu. "What do you think this is about?" Anakin casually asked his former master.
"We'll have to wait and see." Obi-Wan answered, a bit tired of answering the same question.
When the two Jedi reached the entrance, Mace Windu was waiting. "Welcome back, Master Kenobi…Skywalker."
"Good to see you in person again, Master Windu," Obi-Wan said, "Now, just what is this about?"
"There's been a development in the Outer Rim that we felt you should know about," Windu said, "Ahsoka's has been found." Obi-Wan and Anakin's shock was great enough to be felt throughout the bottom floor of the temple. Before either could respond, however, Windu continued, "That's not all…we have reason to believe she may have been working for the other side."
Anakin chuckled until he noticed Windu's stern scowl. "Oh…you're serious…Are you insane? This is Ahsoka Tano were talking about!"
"Anakin, please-" Obi-Wan started, trying to play the peacemaker.
"She was found on Garthim VI, sobbing over the body of Asajj Ventress." Windu stated shortly, "Fourteen months after disobeying you and disappearing. What are we to think?"
"Wait, Ventress is dead?" Obi-Wan asked
"This is ridiculous, there could be a thousand reasons for how that happen." Anakin said, wanting to defend his lost Padawan.
"That's why you two are here; The Council feels it'd be best if the two of you were the first to talk to Ahsoka about what happened." Windu stated, with slight irritation.
"Where is she?" Obi-Wan inquired.
"In the brig of the Indestructible." Windu answered casually
"The brig?" Anakin almost shouted
"We're using precaution, young Skywalker, a principle that's always seemed foreign to you."
Before Anakin could snap back, Obi-Wan gently seized his former Padawan and pulled him back the way they'd come with a quick 'Thank you, master' over his shoulder. The two made their way back to their shuttle and began the trip into orbit.
#*#*#
"It's because he doesn't like me," Anakin griped, "He's hated me from the first time I walked into the Council Chambers, and now he's trying to get Snips put in jail."
"Master Windu doesn't hate you, Anakin, he's just slow to trust," Obi-Wan said, trying not to think of how Windu had scowled at a twelve year old Anakin. The two Jedi were being led to Ahsoka's holding cell. "The circumstances are rather suspicious."
Anakin froze in his tracks. "You think he's right? You think Snips is a damn Sith?"
"Oh course not, but if we're going to clear Ahsoka's name, we'll have to prepare for all the accusations she'll face." Anakin seemed to consider this and they continued down the hall, "Besides, Darth Snips would just sound absurd."
At last, the two Jedi arrived outside one of the cells. The Trooper escorting them punched several buttons and the door opened to reveal a black-eyed Ahsoka clad in crudely made fur cloths. Seeing who her visitors were, the young Togruta's eyes light up.
"Skyguy! Obi-Wan!" Ahsoka shouted pulling her friends into a hug. The guard began to reach for his blaster on reflex, but stopped when Obi-Wan waved him off. The Padawan released her friends and held at them at arm's length. "It's so great to see you guys again," she said, blinking away a tear.
"It's good to see you too, Snips" Anakin said with a smile, one that disappeared when he noticed Ahsoka's bruised face, "What happened to your eye?"
Ahsoka's expression turned bitter, "Just the beginning of the 'warm' welcome back I've been getting." The Togruta said through clenched teeth. "What's going on, anyway? Everyone's treating me like a criminal."
Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged looks, silently agreeing that Obi-Wan should explain, "Ahsoka, the Council seems to think you're disappearance and the way you were found is a bit…curious."
"What?" Ahsoka's expression matched Anakin's upon hearing the news, "What's curious about it? What'd I do?"
"That's what we're here to learn." Anakin stated softly. Ahsoka glanced from one Jedi to the other apprehensively, "Relax, Snips. This isn't an interrogation. We'll just sit down, you tell your story and we'll get all this cleared up."
Obi-Wan noticed Ahsoka only seemed to relax slightly, but nevertheless the three sat on the cell's opposing bunks and the young Padawan began her story.