"To truly express one's self is to remove all masks."

CLONE WARS

Mission to Denalia Prime

Neutral systems in peril! In a frustrated effort to tip the balance of war into their favor, the Separatists have launched a military campaign conquering systems that have yet to pledge allegiance in the ongoing Clone Wars. With imminent threat of invasion and the past experiences of Separatists interfering with neutral system negotiations, the Jedi do not take any chances with Denalia Prime. Before the Republic can construct a base on the planet, Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and her Padawan, Barriss Offee, must first negotiate a defense treaty with the primitive and spiritual inhabitants, the Denali.

"Master, if I may ask, why has the Republic dedicated our entire fleet for this mission? It seems a bit much for negotiating a treaty," Barriss humbly asked her master as they stood on the bridge of The Tranquility. The blue and white tunnel of hyperspace was streaking by through every visible window as they neared their destination.

Jedi Master Luminara Unduli answered while continuing to look forward. "While three Jedi cruisers may seem… overzealous, the concern is well-founded. Not only due to the Separatists seeming to attack neutral systems at random, but they also interfered with Master Yoda's negotiation with the Toydarians on Rugosa. That mission wasn't even in any official records and yet the Separatists were there in great numbers. We will not be caught off-guard again."

"They seem to have a great interest in neutral systems," Barriss thought out loud. "Even if the systems are of no use to them, they dedicate much to acquiring them. Perhaps it isn't so much about the systems and their resources… The Separatists are trying to force our hand."

Luminara looked over at her apprentice. "Very good, my Padawan. The Jedi Council suspects that the ultimate goal of the invasions is to spread us too thin."

"It's working," Barriss stated bluntly. "With all due respect, Master, we shouldn't be playing into the Separatist's hands so casually. We could at least try to reserve our strength for when and where it is needed. Given the situation, two Jedi is too much to dedicate to this mission."

"Three Jedi, actually," A holocommunicator-synthesized, yet familiar voice chimed in behind them. Barriss spun around both surprised and excited to see that the holotable had activated behind them with the image of Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano.

A few different greetings and exclamations rushed through Barriss' mind, but she landed on returning to the conversation. "Ahsoka! Wait… three?"

Luminara smiled at the rawness of Barriss' actions. Everyone, Luminara included, was giving Barriss the space and leniency that she needed while getting back into the swing of things. Luminara looked to Ahsoka as she spoke. "Yes. Being your first mission since the incident with the Geonosian brain worms, the Council decided that it would be best for you to have a fellow Padawan accompany you. Greetings, Padawan Tano. Have you arrived at the Denalia System yet?"

"Looks like we beat you here, Master. We arrived not too long ago. Everything seems clear. The clankers would've attacked by now if they knew we were here," Ahsoka stated excitedly. "How are you feeling, Barriss?"

"I am well, Ahsoka. Thanks for asking," Barriss nodded her head respectfully unaware of the grin spreading across her face. She was happy to see Ahsoka again, but was also a bit annoyed at how everyone was acting around her. She insisted that she was ready to return to active duty a week earlier yet the sympathy treatment from everyone persisted. Her grin from seeing Ahsoka again vanished as she turned to her master. "My question remains. Now we have three Jedi. Isn't it an awful lot to dedicate to this mission especially since there is no intelligence to suggest the Separatists being aware of it?"

"Only two Jedi are assigned, and no, it isn't too much. I'll remain on board the Tranquility while you head down to the planet," Luminara answered. "This way, we are prepared for the worst, but we will also be heading on to another mission after this on Manaan. Denalia Prime is on our way is all."

"Only two?" Barriss was even more curious.

Ahsoka answered. "I'm on loan from Master Skywalker. He had some Galactic Senate stuff to do and I asked if there was anything I could do that didn't involve the Jedi Archives. Here I am! I await your arrival."

"Which will be any moment now, Padawan Tano. Break orbit and prepare to dock," Luminara instructed.

"This ought to be fun to see. Rex is giving Hardcase a try at the controls," Ahsoka joked. Barriss looked like she didn't quite understand, so Ahsoka elaborated. "Anakin let us borrow the Twilight to get out here. Hardcase isn't very good with mechanics unless they're supposed to go boom."

The three of them smiled at the idea of a trigger-happy clone piloting a 'work in progress' freighter. The blue, streaking lights of hyperspace suddenly waned away to the black, star-riddled views of space in the windows of the Tranquility. Luminara turned to assess their position and then turned back to the holotable. "We've just arrived. You may dock when ready."

Ahsoka bowed respectively and then her image vanished from the holotable. Luminara turned to face her Padawan. "Be mindful of your feelings on the planet, Barriss. I sense an unfiltered rawness to your emotions."

Barriss bit her tongue and swallowed the brief lecture. "I will. Thank you, Master." She desperately wanted to argue that she was fine, but if she said and did nothing her master was more likely to accept that truth. Luminara's teachings were a lot like fighting fire with wind. The more you fight, the more the fire persists. "I shouldn't keep Ahsoka waiting."

Luminara looked out the front of the bridge windows and saw the Twilight landing in the Tranquility's forward hangar with a most unusual wobble. "May the Force be with you," she said to Barriss respectfully. They both bowed and Barriss calmly but swiftly exited to join Ahsoka in the hangar.

Amidst a fair amount of identical laughs, Ahsoka finished the landing sequence as the Twilight made a few last-second course corrections. Behind her, Jesse had his arms playfully wrapped around a defeated and humbled Hardcase. "Ah, don't feel too bad. We can't do everything. I certainly can't make things blow up as easily as you can."

Ahsoka finished setting the controls and turned to face the small team of 501st clones. "You're a valued member of this team, Hardcase. We just aren't ready yet to see General Skywalker's face after telling him that you blew up his favorite tinker toy."

The atmosphere on board the ship was light-hearted and casual. It was good for the clones, but Rex saw that Ahsoka's mind wasn't fully grasping the moment at hand. So, he had to step up and kill the mood. "Troopers!" He called them to attention. Jesse, Hardcase, Tup and Dura all snapped to attention. "In a few moments, we will be joined by Jedi Commander Barriss Offee. She will be with us for the duration of this mission. You will give her the same amount of respect and authority that you give to Commander Tano. Is that clear?"

Most of the clones said their 'sir, yes sir' a bit quieter than usual, but Jesse didn't say anything which didn't go unnoticed. When Ahsoka gave him a questioning look from her seat at the controls, he stepped forward to address both her and Rex. "I believe I speak for most if not all of us that we will grant Commander Offee the authority of her rank, but it will be nearly impossible to give her the same respect that we give to you, Commander."

Ahsoka stood up to look at them all in the eyes, adding more impact to her words. "Barriss is my friend. She tried to kill me too, but she remains one of my closest friends. You can't hold her accountable for what she did under the control of those awful brain worms."

"She didn't kill Trap while under any worm's control," Hardcase retorted. Ahsoka looked around. Most of the clones seemed to share a similar perspective. Even Dura looked reluctant to forgive Barriss.

The scene wasn't amusing at all anymore. Any positive atmosphere was gone and Ahsoka was a bit offended at their short-sightedness. "Oh, and I suppose you're all just going to conveniently forget the fact that Trap was under a worm's influence and was trying to kill her. Also, it was a clone that brought the worms on board and infected her! If anyone should be harboring negative feelings about anyone, it should be Barriss against clones."

Her argument made sense, but Jesse wasn't convinced. "That may be true, but actions can only be forgiven by the living. The fact remains. Trap was the one who died. We all read that report. You didn't kill anyone. Our brothers didn't kill anyone. It was clear that Trap was infected and instead of helping him, Barriss Offee ended him."

Before the seemingly endless debate could continue, the Twilight's medical droid entered the cockpit. "Excuse the intrusion, but there is a young woman waiting at the back of the ship. Should I lower the cargo bay door?"

Ahsoka stepped forward, cutting off any clone's last comments. "No. I'll do it myself. Thanks." She turned to Rex and leaned in to speak more softly. "Are we going to have a problem?"

Rex leaned in as well. "No, Sir. Good soldiers follow orders, and these are my best men." Rex knew that those brief and quiet conversations between him and Ahsoka got on the other clones' nerves, so he stood back and spoke much louder. "Right, men? You are the finest of the 501st and will follow Commander Tano into the worst of sarlacc pits if need be."

It suddenly dawned on all of the clones that they were threatening to be disrespectful to Ahsoka. Jesse made sure to get the first words in response. He stepped forward and looked Ahsoka right in the eye. "We'll follow you anywhere, Commander." With her confidence reassured, Ahsoka smiled and bowed respectfully to her troopers. She then proceeded to the cargo bay.

Clones were moving in every direction; either running drills, maintaining equipment, or performing other tasks. The Tranquility's hangar was buzzing with activity as Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee and Clone Commander Gree waited patiently at the back of the Twilight. Gree turned to Barriss slightly. "They know we're here, right?"

"I sense an unusually high amount of anxiety coming from Ahsoka's ship," Barriss furled her brow in deep thought.

"Could it be trouble?" Gree asked. He wasn't a cookie-cutter clone, but he was rather focused on missions, objectives and the potential for volatile situations. Usually keeping his helmet on and being mindful of such things brought more attention to his actions than his personality and he preferred it that way.

"I don't think so," Barriss answered. A smile suddenly spread across her face. "Everything is fine." With those words, the ramp to the Twilight's cargo bay lowered. Ahsoka stood in the ship with a warm and welcoming smile.

Both were almost waiting to see who would speak first, but Gree got the first word in. "Permission to come aboard, Sir?" He addressed Ahsoka.

Ahsoka snapped out of the moment and turned her attention to the white and green armored clone. "Of course. Welcome aboard the Twilight." She motioned for them to board. Gree maintained his military demeanor as he assertively entered the cargo hold and started heading for the cockpit. Barriss gracefully lifted the front of her skirt and stepped up on to the cargo bay loading ramp. Ahsoka offered her hand in assistance, but more as a welcoming gesture or courtesy and respect.

Barriss' fingertips just barely graced Ahsoka's palm when a shockwave violently shook the ship about causing them to stagger apart. Red lights began pulsing from every wall and support column as alarms began to wail all over the ship. Ahsoka and Barriss looked at each other but didn't get a word spoken before another shockwave, accompanied by a low percussive sound jostled the Tranquility even more sending both Padawans to the floor. They quickly snapped back up and reached for their lightsabers as Ahsoka's 501st troopers came running out of the Twilight. Their helmets were on and their guns were charged. Gree followed suit and joined step with Rex as the troopers faced the Padawans awaiting orders.

The hangar was a sea of chaos as troopers were running and shouting. No one knew what was going on, but it felt like a battle. The assumed order was to get to battle stations and await further orders should those red lights and wailing sirens ever activate. Barriss reached for her holocommunicator and activated it revealing Luminara hunched over her holotable in deep concentration. Shockwaves continued to throw the ship about. "Master! What's going on?" Barriss shouted over the commotion.

"We're under attack!" Ahsoka shouted. She ignited her lightsaber with her eyes fixed on the ceiling entrance to the Tranquility's forward hangar. Cannon fire was ripping the hangar doors to pieces and debris was beginning to compromise the integrity of the venator cruiser's primary hangar bays.

"Troopers, prepare for assault!" Barriss shouted.

"Belay that order, Barriss. I need you and Ahsoka to get to the planet," Luminara shouted through the holocommunicator.

Barriss stretched out her arm motioning for the clones to stop and wait for further orders. She then looked up at the ceiling entrance as it broke away and red laser fire started penetrating the ship's smaller hangar cells. Ray shield barriers were failing and durasteel barriers were closing all over the launch deck to maintain air pressure. "Master, we can no longer launch from the main hangar."

Luminara kept a firm grip on her holotable to keep her standing as the ship continued to shake and tremor violently. "They don't want to give us a chance to launch fighters. They managed to get a focused barrage in before we could fully raise our shields. Make your way to the escape pods."

Ahsoka stepped up to Barriss' holocommunicator. "We can't possibly be losing already!"

Luminara needed to focus on the battle and end the conversation. "I'll take care of this battle. They don't have enough firepower to take on a full fleet. The lower hull has also been compromised and you two need to get to the planet now! Use the escape pods. We'll send a shuttle for you once the fight is over up here. Now go!" Luminara's image faded away without another word.