AHSOKA

I never felt like this before, not before nor ever after. After imprisoning me without a second thought, not trusting me, kicking me out of the the Jedi Order, stripped me of my Padawan status, handing me over to the Senate where I will most likely get the death penalty (at sixteen?!), and then when it's found out that I'm innocent, you don't even apologize. You just say that I showed 'resilience' and 'strength' and that it was the 'true sign of a Jedi Knight' when only a few hours ago you didn't even believe what I said. Even a 'sorry' would have felt much better. So now I'm surprised that your're surprised that I'm not coming back.

As I walked out of the my home for what was probably the final time, my now former master caught up to me. He called out to me and when he caught up to me he asked why. ''Why are you doing this", he gasped out. ''The Council didn't trust me, so how can I trust myself'' I retorted. I knew I had to get out of the Order. I just had to. ''What about me? I believed in you, I stood by you!"

"I know you believe in me, Anakin, and I'm grateful for that, but this isn't about you. I can't stay here any longer. Not now.'' I saw how much he was hurting, at how I was leaving after being his Padawan for 2 years and giving up the only life I had ever known. He was afraid that I'll never make my way alone, but he has to know I'm not the same Padawan he met during the Battle of Christophsis.

''The Jedi Order is your life! You can't just throw it away like this'', he exclaimed. ''Ahsoka, you are making a mistake!" He was trying to get me to come back and it was taking all my might to refuse.

"Maybe,'' I started. "But I have to sort this out on my own, without the Council and without you.'' I could barely look at his eyes, they had so much turmoil in them. He was hurting just as much as me.

He turned away from me. He started to say ''I understand, more than you realize-I understand wanting to walk away from the Order.''

I spoke my last 2 words to him: ''I know.''

I started to walk away from him, possibly that being the last time we would ever speak to each other. A tear started to slide down my cheek, but I didn't bother wiping it away. I started to climb down the steps, knowing that this will be the last time I would ever walk them.

It seems like forever to walk them, but I do eventually climb down the steps. As I start to walk through the streets, I wonder what to do now. My only home was with the Jedi and I left that because after what happened I couldn't go back. I have nothing, I thought, nothing except the clothes on my back, my will and determination. Other than that, I don't have anything left. How am I going to start a new life now?

I immediately think of Lux and realize that if I ask if I can stay with him, he could help me rebuild the broken pieces of my life and help me start a new one. There is one hitch in the plan, though: I don't have any credits on me. Now how am I supposed to get there?

I'm so distracted over how to get there that I don't even notice a quick swift hand grab me out of an alleyway and pull me into it. I am ready to face the attacker and beat him into next week when I see that the hand belonged to Master Luminara. She let me go and when I look up into her eyes I see a heavy grief all over her face, almost like she had been crying. ''Hello, Master Luminara,'' I say softly. She must have had a horrible time dealing with the fact that her so-called 'Model Padawan' was in fact the orchestrater of the Temple bombing and many deaths, including Tutso Mara. I guess she was prepared to let go of Barriss, but never like this.

She smiled sadly and started to say ''I understand why you left the Jedi, Ahsoka, and I want to say that I'm sorry for all that has happened to you. The Council should never have accused you in the first place and should never have been so rash in all of its decisions its made in these past days.'' She then lowered her head slightly and whispered so low I can barely hear the words: ''I fear what Barriss said, or at least some of it, rings true and if it is true, it means we'll have to fight more than ever against the evil forces working against us.'' I realize she was right about that. At least I knew now that Barriss had not been a complete psychopath and that some of the things she said made a little sense in regards to the war and our positions right now.

Luminara continued talking ''I packed your possessions and enough credits for some personal transport. I knew that public transportation will not be a good option considering how they are these days.'' I gave a weak laugh and she even gave one to. At least there was some humor in this, which was something I really needed now, with all that's happened and all.

''I hope that you'll be able to get through this and find out who you really are, because I can sense that you are going through terrible turmoil,'' she exclaimed. She gave a reassuring smile that told me that everything is going to be okay, it will be all right, and I realize that will be. ''May the Force be with you Ahsoka, now and through all of your trials and tribulations to come.'' I give a smile and bow and say "May it be with you too. Thank you Master.'' But when I look up she's already gone.

''Aren't you a little young to be piloting alone, young lady?''

A frown crawls up my face and I reply angrily ''Aren't you a little old to be asking people that?" The renter just replied gruffly ''Whatever.''

He hands me the keys to the starfighter and he then tells me that I was to not bring it to the next renter on Onderon with even one scratch. ''If you do, yer gonna pay for it big time.'' I just roll my eyes as he hands me the keys. When I get into my seat, I put the backpack Master Luminara gave to help me beside me. Inside was 2 sets of clothing, a datapad, a medium-sized wallet to store credits, a few sandwiches she made me, and most surprisingly, my lightsaber that the High Council confiscated. She must have convinced them to give it to her to give back to me. I couldn't find my shoto, so its safe to say that I've lost it forever. I frown slightly at that, but I'm so jubilant to have my primary lightsaber that I'm able to move past that fact quickly.

The renter clears me for takeoff and in less than a minute I'm in the air, with coordinates set for Onderon. Hopefully, Lux will take me in and help me sort through this. The last thing I wanted to happen now was to be totally abandoned by the one person left who can help me. Hey, I may even help him with his duties as a senator! I smile at that, thinking of all the advice I can dish out.

The sky turns from a light blue into darker shades of blue quickly as I go from the atmosphere of Coruscant into the darkness of space. Next stop Onderon. Sort of like what I'm feeling,I thought. I set what I remember to be the correct coordinates for the planet and then I set myself on the right hyperspace lane. Is everything set? Coordinates, check. Lane, check. Ventilation, check. Shielding, check. Hyperdrive working all right. Everything seems to be fine, nothing to worry about. I press several buttons to start the hyperdrive and I feel it start to warm up. In less than 3 seconds the stars suddenly appear and immediately disappear into long lines as I go faster than the speed of light.

Since I've got a couple of hours to spare I decide to think about all that has happened in the past several days or so. To think that so much has happened in so little time makes it hard to believe that only some time ago I was Anakin's Padawan; its seems like a lifetime ago now. To know that I've been suspected, arrested, escaped, joined with Ventress, got recaptured, then betrayed and subsequently expelled from the Jedi Order, tried in a military tribunal, almost get the death penalty, have one of my best friends confess to be an extremist in only a short period of time is enough to get me a tiny headache. I start to review what Barriss had said, about the Jedi Council; that we have fallen from the light and have not realized it and that we are nothing more than pawns of the dark side. Its horrible for me to think this, but I start to think she was right. Now, though, how she accomplished it was merciless and unforgivable, but her motivation does make sense, however.

The Council had effectively abandoned and betrayed me with only circumstantial evidence supporting what they thought. They kicked me out without even doing an investigation themselves; they immediately pointed fingers and accused me. I get angry at this. After all I've done in those missions-!, I thought. I served with several of them and went through all those dangers with them, nearly got myself killed more times than I can count, and they don't even trust me. Not until Barriss literally confessed in front of them could they open their eyes to the kriffin' obvious. I don't think after all that I could stand to be in the same room with any of them.

I immediately think of those I served with; Plo, Saesee, Mace, Yoda, Ki- Adi, Fisto. To know that these were the same men who didn't believe me and nearly got me executed are also the same ones I fought next to in battle is impossible to believe, especially Plo. He was the closest thing to a father I've ever had and watched me throughout my training, even giving me the nickname ''Little Soka.'' To say I was unimaginably hurt was an understatement when he left me and sided with the Council. Even though he apologized (heck, he was the only one of them to), I knew that if the closest person to me can't trust me, then how can I trust them?

I'm so distracted that when the alarms go off I jump out of my seat. What the- what's going on, I thought. What's happening?

A quick scan of the starfighter shows that the hyperdrives were incorrectly wired and now they were going out of control, which means that it could explode or make it fly into hyperspace faster or shorter than expected, maybe crashing into another planet. I try desperately to stop the malfunction and get some semblance of control, but right now I have none. If anything the problem seems to be getting worse. This is bad, I thought, this is really bad. I keep pushing buttons, but there is no turning back. This hyperdrive seems to have a mind of its own, refusing me gain access. Course, they don't have their own minds, someone simply really screwed up in the wiring in this hunk of junk. Come on, come on! It seems like forever, but I do get control back and get out of hyperspace.

Unfortunately, I was headed straight into a planet. I pull the wheel with all of my strength to get out of the way, but its too little, too late, the planet's gravity is way too strong to avoid. Land is coming up rapidly and I see that it is a light green. I close my eyes very tight. This is gonna suck...

A force suddenly rips through me, and it pushes me back into the pilot's seat so hard that it almost knocks the air in my lungs out. I hear metal ripping, tearing, and being crushed. I hold on for dear life to the seat, not daring to let go in the slightest. The craft is speeding so fast that everything is a blur of colors, blue and green, red and purple, orange and brown being mixed together in unnatural ways. A sharp rrrrrriiiiippppp and I feel a sudden hurricane of wind nearly knock me out. A sudden jolt and I'm sent flying from the seat, the seatbelt snapping like twine. I hit my head on something and everything fades to absolute darkness.

So does she land on Onderon, or does she land on another entirely different planet instead?

Constructive criticism and reviews are greatly appreciated. More chapters to come. Trust me, this is just the beginning of an epic adventure with one of our favorite Togrutas as she makes new friends and foes alike. I'm going to try really hard on this fanfic, so excuse me if some parts seem weak at times.