"Heard rumours of the Lower Levels, many of you have. For a Jedi, no place is it. Much danger, there is..."
Jedi Master Yoda, instructing Padawan's at the Jedi Temple.
This might have been a bad idea...
Ahsoka followed the press of the crowd, keeping one hand under her cloak, gripping the hilt of her lightsaber tightly. What she could see of the tunnel in the flickering lights were grimy, rust-coated walls bearing crude graffiti and dark stains that she preferred not to think about.
Yeah. Great going, Ahsoka. Follow a crowd of people down a dark tunnel with no way out and no way of knowing where you're going. If you get in trouble, there's no way that Anakin or Master Kenobi will even know where you are.
Suddenly, the tunnel ended and they emerged onto a crude metal walkway that clanged and vibrated with every step. Below them ran a long curved tunnel large enough for two ARC-170s to fly through comfortably, filled with the harsh smell of engine exhaust that made her nose itch and the occasional mechanical roar that drowned out their footsteps. Ahsoka made it to the edge of the walkway and looked down, where a dozen motley machines hovered on repulsor lifts or sat on their skids while indistinct figures worked under the hoods or sat in the cockpits. On the floor a few metres in front of them was painted a black and white check pattern and Ahsoka understood what was going on.
A Swoop race...
Swoops were high-powered and individual machines that Anakin had once described as an engine with a seat. Looking at them now, she could see what he'd meant. Leaning over the railing, she spotted a brown haired human pull his head out from under the canopy of a red Swoop with swept-back wings and lifted his goggles from his face.
Hmmm...he's cute, in a serious sort-of way...
She thought, a blush creeping into her cheeks. A klaxon sounded and the crowd began to cheer as the Racers finished what they were doing and scrambled into their cockpits. She caught one last look at the dark-haired racer before he closed the canopy and the klaxon sounded again. The Swoops set off with a roar and a blast of air that nearly pulled the hood from her head. The race was brutal and fast, with two Swoops crashing out on the first corner, one catching it's wings on the floor, the other taking a corner too fast and flipping end over end. It was only thanks to her Force Powers that she could tell that both the drivers managed to survive, so she returned her attention to the race where the red Swoop was fighting it out with the leaders.
He's got some moves. Ahsoka thought, as she leant against the rusted railing, the red Swoop side-slipping past two others, nearly coming close enough to scrape the paint from his fuselage. Someone bumped against her and she felt her cloak get pulled open, revealing her lightsaber. The man stared at her, his mouth opening and Ahsoka waved her hand across his face. His eyes defocused and she leant closer, whispering in his ear.
'You saw nothing. You'll remember nothing. You'll be on your way.'
Slowly, the man turned away and Ahsoka pulled up her hood again, glancing around quickly. Fortunately, everyone seemed to still be watching the race and she relaxed a little.
That was way too close...
She felt a pang of guilt in using the Force that way, but she pushed it aside.
You had no choice. If he'd found out that you were a Jedi, them you'd have had to fight your way out of here. Bodies with lightsaber wounds tend to get noticed...
The Coruscant Security Force tended not to come down this far by choice, but reports of a Jedi being seen would get back to them eventually.
And from them to Anakin and Master Kenobi, and they'd know that I've been sneaking out of the Temple. No, I had to do it...
By now, the racers were approaching the final corner, the red swoop putting on a burst of speed, rapidly catching up with the leaders. However, he wasn't quick enough. His nose was just about to touch the fuselage of the swoop in front when they crossed the finish line, a klaxon cutting across the roar of the engines.
Wow...
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'Those were some pretty slick moves.' Ahsoka said, as the pilot of the Red Swoop dropped from his cockpit. 'I thought you were gonna smoke 'em.'
'...It happens.' He said, after a moment, removing his helmet and resting it on the fuselage. 'You a pilot?'
'...sort of. I fly now and then. My name's Ahsoka.'
'...Kalen Tendora. Look...'
'This is a nice machine.' She said, running a hand across the fuselage. 'Fusial thrust engine, huh? Must have some impressive acceleration.'
'...thanks.' He said, rubbing his sleeve on the spot where her hand had been. 'I found her in a scrapyard on the lower levels and managed to fix her up. Now, if you'll...'
Whatever he had been about to say was lost as the doors blew in and four boxy repulsor vehicles tore through with sirens wailing, their strobing lights bathing the tunnel in red.
'CSF.' Kalen shouted. 'Come on, we've got to get out of here.'
Ahsoka hesitated for a second, before scrambling up into the cockpit behind him and he closed the hatch.
'Strap in.' He said and Ahsoka hurriedly fastened her restraints as he gunned the engines and sent the swoop racing off down the slip way.
'There's one following us.' Ahsoka said, craning her neck to look behind them.
'Tell me something I don't know.' Kalen said. 'Hang on.'
He chopped back on the throttle and swung left, heading into the maze of tunnels and pipes.
'They're still with us.'
'I can see that.' Kelan snapped. 'Now, shut up. I need to concentrate.'
Ahead of them, two more CSF speeders were racing towards them, intending to block their path.
'Fierfek. Hang on.' Kalen said, flipping a row of switches and Ahsoka felt her stomach lurch as the Swoop was kicked into the air to blast over them with inches to spare.
'Dammit.' Kalen muttered. 'There's no way we can get past them.'
'...yes, we can.' Ahsoka said, closing her eyes. 'Take a left here.'
'Are you crazy? There's no way off knowing what...'
'Trust me.' Ahsoka said, as the speeders closed with them again and he grimaced.
'Alright. Hang on.'
He swung the Swoop left, taking them down another tunnel and into a larger area filled with derelict speeders and other junked machines. Quickly, Kalen moved beside the wreckage of a Z-95 Headhunter and flipped a row of switches, powering them down. The cockpit lights shut off, leaving them in near-total darkness.
'What are you...?
'Sshhh!' Kalen hissed, as a CSF speeder appeared from the tunnel and stopped, it's spotlights sweeping the area. 'Get down. Quick.'
Ahsoka unbuckled her harness and ducked down just as the search light passed over them. Several tense seconds passed and then the searchlights shut off, the speeder heading back the way it came.
'Thanks.' Kelan asked, as she scrambled back into her seat and fastened her restraints again. 'How did you know which way to go?'
'...I'm a Togruta. We can sense changes in air pressure and density.'
'...Okay. Anyway, we need to get out of here.'
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Ahsoka scrambled out of the maintenance hatch and looking around, finding that she was only about a kilometre away from the Jedi Temple. Kalen had dropped her off on a landing platform in the lower levels and it had been a simple matter to make her way back up to the surface. Pulling her cloak around her, she walked as nonchalantly as she could towards the Temple and into the grounds, pulling down her hood. Once she was inside, she was just another Padawan running an errand for her Master.
It's not like the war keeps office hours. As long as I don't run into Anakin or Master Kenobi, I'll be fine.
Inside the Temple, the corridors were mostly deserted at this hour and she made it to her room without being spotted, collapsing onto the bed. She was bone-tired, but exhilarated, too. The rush of energy, the excitement of the crowd was like nothing she had ever felt before. It was very different from the quiet of the Temple. She lay back with her hands under her head, looking up at the flyer on the wall. It showed a blond haired young man against the silhouette of an X-Wing, a blue lightsaber held in one hand. Beneath him were the words
BE A HERO. JOIN THE ALLIANCE.
Luke Skywalker. She thought to herself, a grin playing across her lips. What I'd give to meet him...
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Ahsoka woke early next morning and headed for the shower, the hot water easing some of her aches last night. A few minutes later,When she emerged from her room a few minutes later and headed for the meditation room, she was the picture of a Padawan. At this early hour, there were only a few apprentices around, so she found a quiet corner next to one of the meditation fountains and crossed her legs. Closing her eyes, she began to concentrate on her breathing, feeling her senses extend around her. Time seemed to slow and everything dropped away, until she could feel the Force around her. To her, it felt like a million ripples in a pond, all bouncing off each other in a chaotic rhythm. Occasionally, she could discern a pattern in the chaos, where a few ripples would come together, but she never knew what they meant. As always happened, she felt her mind drifting, her thoughts turning to Kelan and she felt a cold energy rush through her as his image appeared in her mind. Suddenly, she wasn't in the Temple anymore; instead she was standing in a dark tunnel with Kelan and several people that she didn't recognise.
It's a trap. Kelan yelled. Go, go, go...
Adrenaline jolted through her and her eyes snapped open, the vision fading.
What was that...?
'Hey, Snips.'
Hearing her name, she looked up to see Anakin walking towards her and she got to her feet.
'Master.' She said, giving him a bow. 'What's up?' She asked and Anakin frowned.
'...duelling practice.' He said, holding up his lightsaber. 'Remember?'
'...right.' She said. 'Of course.'
She followed Anakin into the Sparring Room, drawing her lightsaber and igniting it with the characteristic snap-hiss as the energy blade flared to life. Anakin drew his own saber and raised it to a high guard and they began to circle each other slowly. Ahsoka moved first, feignting left and striking right, but Anakin anticipated the move and their blades met with a hiss. He reversed his grip and followed through with a two-handed strike that drove her back a step as she deflected the blade towards the floor. Shifting to her trademarked Shien reverse grip, she somersaulted towards him, slashing left and right, making Anakin fall back under her assault. Seeing an opening, she reversed her grip again and lunged with a straight thrust towards his head. Too late, she realised her mistake as Anakin side-stepped the blow and swept her feet from under her, her saber skittering away as she hit the floor and she looked up into the tip of his blade. Anakin stared at her for a second before stepping back and disengaging his blade, letting her get to her feet.
'What's the matter, Snips?'
'What do you mean?' Ahsoka asked, quicker than she intended to.
'You've never fallen for that one before. Something bothering you?'
Ahsoka looked away, her mind flashing back to the vision that she'd seen.
Should I tell him? No... I can't...
'I'm fine, Master. I guess...I'm just a little bored.'
'Yeah...I guess I am, too.' Anakin said, sitting down with his legs crossed. 'Pushing paper around isn't my favourite thing to do, either. But, we can't be on the front lines all the time. And someone needs to provide security for the Temple, manage logistics and analyse intelligence.'
He stood up, clapping his hand on her shoulder.
'Master Kenobi and I have a Council meeting that'll probably last most of the day. You should take some time off.'
'...thank you, Master.'
Ahsoka raced back to her room, quickly stuffing her Jedi robe under her bed and pulling out her goggles and gloves, a grin crossing her face as she looked up at the poster on the wall.
Here we go...