A/N: Alright lovelies, I'm back with another product if my imagination. Hopefully my loyal followers from Darkness And Light and all you new folks will like this one
Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Star Wars franchize nor the Universe/Characters, those belong to mister George Lucas.
I DO own the character if Valanthe Riis and several other plot related characters aswell as the plot of this story.
Great big thanks to my faithful betas, NixNox and Tyren!
==Coruscant, Housing Block 'Chorathon', Apartment B-21==
"Remind Thovan to re-interrogate the Black Sun peddler and ask him about the Blue Crystal." The woman dictated into a small device as she rode in the lift to her small apartment. "Remember to review the Ratleikh case for the hearing the day after tomorrow. Get Ianga to fix the processing output of my console." As she stopped in front of a non descript looking door, 21-B it said, she tapped a panel with her hand which slid aside, revealing a standard Ministry Of Intelligence used biometrics scan. She leaned in a little as a greenish scanning light emerged from the small circular panel and scanned her eye. Then she pressed her right hand against a pad below and another scanning light initiated.
IDENTITY CONFIRMED: AGENT CASSANDRA. LOCK RELEASED.It said on the display as the door slid open. Tapping on the panel again it slid back into place and she stepped inside.
It was a rather non descript, standard middle class citizen's coruscanti apartment. One would have to look really hard to find personalized items in here. Perfect for someone who specialized in not being remembered. Agent Cassandra of the Republic Ministry Of Intelligence aka Agent Valanthe Riis, set the dinner she'd bought from one of the restaurants in the entertainment district on the counter as she entered.
The door locked behind her immediately as it closed. She took off her long duster revealing a cylindrical object strapped to the back of her belt. One would identify it as a lightsaber if they knew the general state of things. A DC-16 blaster pistol was slung in its holster at her hip. She pulled off the hood off of her head, her black, almost purple shaded hair spilling over her shoulders from it. She usually wore brown, blue or green colours or a mix of each so that her own dark green skin would stand out less.
So today it was a pair of combat boots and cargo pants topped with a t-shirt and a zip-up hoodie in dark brown shades that she wore under the long grey duster. She put her dinner on the heater and headed for her work desk to check her messages, unclasping her holster and lightsaber from her belt, placing them on the table. Her message filter held up a few news bulletins;
THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC SAVES THE JEDI ON GEONOSIS!
ARE CLONES THE NEW WAY TO WAGE WAR?
WILL CLONES MAKE JEDI OBSOLETE?
THE JEDI ASSUME ANCIENT PRE-RUUSAN ROLES - WAR GENERALS!
So, it hadcome to it at last. The clone army rumours are true.Vala thought to herself as she played a news bulletin on her video display across the room. The news report showed footage of the Geonosis battle, men in white armour going against the droid army used by the Separatists. Then it panned to a council member on Coruscant giving an interview to the most famous news agency in the Republic.
That could have been me, if I'd stayed. The Mirialan woman sighed to herself as she untied her boots, tossed them to the side and headed for the cooling unit. Part of her was relieved that she was no longer part of that system; a part of her dearly missed it, being able to freely express and feel through the Force, surrounded by her fellows and friends. Shaak Ti, Luminara, Obi-Wan, even Quinlan with his unorthodox ways. Yet these ways were more close to her now than they ever had been when she'd been a Jedi Knight. Rubbing her lilac coloured eyes with one hand, she grabbed a bottle of a chilled lemon juice from the cooling unit, closing with the back of her bare foot.
Suddenly, there it was, a feeling in the back of her mind, on the edge of her senses, two shrouded Force signatures, yet not quite enough to be completely obscured to her. She took a long swig of the chilled drink, turning around as she did so, checking where her pistol and lightsaber were in case she needed them. Screwing the bottle cap back on, she stepped over to her work console, unclasped her holster and made sure the pistol was loose enough so she could reach for it and pull it back to her if needed. Vala took the intricately designed, dark hued lightsaber hilt and placed it on the counter, behind a fruit basket. Then she returned to her drink and waited, her senses probing, searching, more or less on their own accord, an instinct ingrained from years of practice and investigative work.
The two presences ascended up the levels rather slowly so she wasn't sure if they were trying to stay hidden or if they were just that slow. Either way she focused her mind and dimmed her own presence as a test. After a few moments she sensed no change in their pace. Maybe she wasn't the intended target? However five or six minutes later they finally came to a halt in front of her door. Only then did the Force shroud lift and she recognized the two presences. But why would theyof all people be there? It had been years. She opened the door from the inside and looked down.
"Master Yoda, Master Sinube." Vala called surprisedly. "This is a surprise." Her tone remained carefully neutral as she stepped aside to let the old masters enter.
"Expect us, you did not, young Valanthe." The small green Master spoke first.
The Mirialan nodded with a smile, "I must be slipping, it has been a while since I perused the Force like so." She said as the door behind them finally slid closed and locked.
"You are probably wondering why the sudden visit, eh my old Padawan?" The elderly Cosian chuckled as he slowly turned to her.
Vala nodded, "well it's been years, since my resignation and we haven't exactly parted on the best of terms…" Now that they were here her senses were much more able to pick up on their motivations. "What's happened?"
"A mistake on our part, that was. Deeply sorrowful am I for how things ended. Apologies I must deliver, before to the matter at hand we move." Yoda said as he clambered onto one of her sofas.
"Master Yoda, it was the will of the Force that things happened the way they did. I am at peace with my life now. There is no need to apologize." Vala said with a soft smile, sensing his sincerity.
Tera Sinube looked at her with sympathy, "you've seen the news then. The war, the clone army?"
Why do I have a bad feeling about this? She wondered in sudden alarm. This wasn't a social call. Well she never thought it was really, but this was more direct, a lot heavier, if their moods were anything to go by.
"Yes, I've been in the loop, Master." The Mirialan looked at Sinube, her former Master. "What's going on?"
They need me for something. She thought, her alarm switching to concern.
"Our numbers, not enough are they, to successfully lead the men." Yoda began, "begun to hire experts, we have, to train and lead units and battalions."
Valanthe slowly nodded as she joined Yoda on the other sofa while Tera took the couch just as slowly as Yoda had. Where did she come into this? Moreover, why?
"I see…" again she nodded slowly, slightly anxious for them to get to the point.
"We understand that you will more than likely decline, my friend," Tera tried kindly, gesturing with his hands as he always did, "however, we cannot think of anyone better suited to liaise and help train the clone intelligence troopers. With your dual skills, you are the best person to train them."
They wanted to pull her into the war with this. They had more in mind than just training.
"You want me in the field." Vala sighed, rubbing her hand over her tattooed nose.
She had a small dual-reverse triangle one between her eyebrows, a thick black stripe horizontally across her nose and half of her cheek with a small line of green skin showing on the bridge of her nose. The stripe ended with pointed ends around which several triangle shapes formed a design similar to a small arrowhead on each ending on her cheeks.
Yoda was watching her with understanding, remorse and a small dose of pity. But he expected her to refuse? Blinking, she refocused on the two smaller men.
"You would lead special assignments, yes, as well as assist established battalions when needed." Sinube said, placing an almost claw like hand on Vala's untattooed one. On her right hand she had a set of small circle and diamond shape patterns that followed along her fingerbones from the wrist to her fingernails. There were several more tattoos along her body but none were visible.
"So I'd be teaching and leading the clone troopers as well, if I understand you correctly?"
Internally she was at war with herself. Her inner, long dormant Jedi wanted to be out there, leading, helping. Her inner investigator was cautious, careful, leery of the prospect. She preferred the shadows; she preferred knowledge, rather than fieldwork. To boot, could she really train and lead a group of men all cloned from one genetic sample? Intelligence was a very particular business, not for every mentality nor psyche. So could clones really be up to it?
Yoda nodded, "correct."
"I need to think about this, Masters." Vala stood up, "will you have some refreshments?"
"Thank you, little one, but not needed." Sinube shook his elongated head.
"Thirsty I am not." Yoda said, his large green eyes watching her. "Understand we do also, the burden this represents."
Sitting back down she reached for the bottle and took a long sip before speaking again. "I don't think you do, Master Yoda." A deep breath as she continued, "I respect you both immensely and I do understand why you feel you need me, but I am not a Jedi Knight anymore. I am no longer a Jedi Investigator either. I am an agent with Republic Ministry Of Intelligence. I do good work here. I do goodtoo. I can't just up and leave my job or my colleagues because the Jedi called. The Jedi expelled me, for not agreeing with doctrine, remember?"
The two males sat in silence, watching her, radiating humility at her words. At least they are aware of it.
"A temporary assignment it would be. Until ended the war is." Said Yoda finally.
"I will not be accounted among your ranks. Ally, friend, hired help, but I will not return to the Jedi for this." Vala commented as her lilac eyes observed them.
Regret, understanding, sorrow. Riis could read them so clearly.
"I cannot give you a definitive answer now, however. This is a big decision, not one to be handled lightly, or swiftly. I need to seriously consider this." She took another long gulp.
"Of course, Ms Riis." Yoda nodded as he clambered down from his seat, "grateful we are that hear us out you would."
"How will I contact you?" She asked as she too stood up looking with some concern at the Cosian as he climbed down from the couch.
He and Yoda looked like animated caricatures sometimes, both old, wise, extremely skilled and bent over their walking sticks. They, along with Obi-Wan, had been kind to her during the incident which ended with her expulsion. For that they would forever remain her friends.
"At the Jedi Temple contact us, you can. If on a campaign we are, redirected, your message will be." Yoda said, looking up at her.
Valanthe couldn't help but smile at them, "I am glad to have seen you, regardless. How is Obi-Wan?"
"Master Kenobi is well, he and his former padawan, Knight Skywalker have been deployed with their battalions." Tera offered as he and Yoda started for the door.
Anakin became a Knight. Who'd have thought. Vala thought amusedly as she walked them to the door slowly.
"Remember those days, do you still?" Yoda sagely asked as they reached the door and Vala leaned over them to open it.
"It's not something I can forget, Master Yoda." Vala smiled as the door opened. "The Force be with you, my friends."
"And with you, my old Padawan, and with you." Tera Sinube bowed slightly and she returned the gesture.
Slowly the two elderly Jedi passed her doorstep, the doors closing behind them and she was alone again with one staggering thought. Would she do it? Or not?
What she couldn't hear behind the door, shrouded again by the Force was the talk between the two Jedi.
"Think she will accept?" The Cosian was concerned.
"Considering it she is. Expect this, I did not. A mysterious thing the Force is, hmm?" Yoda countered as they entered the lift.
"Mysterious indeed, Master. Mysterious indeed." Tera added as the lift doors closed behind them.