Chapter 3 – Turn of Events

Present

"I'll tell you what happened to me during Order 66"

"You know what happened at the temple," Ahsoka softly said to Lux.

"Yeah," he said, slowly.

"It wasn't just at the temple. It was about everywhere. Where there were clones and Jedi, Order 66 was there too. I was on Mandalore when it happened."

She breathed and continued.

"Someone, we don't know who, but, someone betrayed all of the Jedi. Someone wants all of the Jedi dead. And that's what they got."

"I…" Lux tried to speak but his voice failed him.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand all of this, Lux," Ahsoka said without thinking. Of course, he would understand. They had both fought side-by-side. Instead of getting angry with her, Lux was surprisingly calm.

"Look, Ahsoka," Lux told her, "I know that war leaves scars, I know that first hand." He took her hands in his own. "I know I won't be able to fully understand what happened to you but I do know that I can have sympathy for you. I do understand the burden that these things bring."

Lux stopped talking and Ahsoka looked up slightly. She was grateful that he could recognize her hesitancy to speak about what had happened on Mandalore. She met his icy, pale blue eyes.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Lux radiated comfort. She didn't want him to know the full extent of it all. She summarized it in one sentence.

"The clones turned and massacred us. Don't make me say anything else." Her eyes had started to fill with unsuspecting tears. A wave of emotions that she didn't realize she had been holding back crashed over her, engulfing her in pain. She inhaled sharply, choking over her emotions, her breaths becoming erratic. Lux, seeing her pain and loss of control, pulled her into a tight embrace. When she got to this state, Ahsoka never trusted herself. She gave in to the embrace and willed herself to relax.

After a while, Lux gently and slowly pulled away, to Ahsoka's disappointment. She had always liked Lux, even though the Jedi code had warned/told them not to form attachments. She never liked to lose people in her life. She wasn't going to lose another one.

A thought suddenly struck her.

"Lux, why exactly are you on Ryloth?"

"I was wondering when that question would arise." He replied with a small, sad smile on his face. "I was –you won't believe me Ahsoka, you really won't, but I was heading off to Coruscant."

"What?!" Ahsoka nearly shouted as she stood up suddenly and nearly hit her head on the low ceiling. "Are you out of your kriffing mind?" She started to pace, angrily. "You've been here for, what, 6 months?"

"What? How did–" Lux started but Ahsoka swiftly interrupted him, holding up two fingers.

"You could have gone back at any time, and you choose now?"

"Look, I didn't want to go back, not after everything that happened, but I have no choice."

"There is always a choice." Ahsoka nearly growled, "Give me one good reason to take you there, free of charge."

"You would do that?" He said, momentarily confused.

"Give me one good reason and I will" She was desperately trying to keep her emotions in check. She had never been good at it but she had to try.

Lux looked around the ship, as though he were afraid of someone eavesdropping. Pulling himself together, he finally told her.

"I've found out who it is. The Sith who is behind everything."

"Lux," Ahsoka said, doing her best to not sound impatient. "I know that it is Darth Sidious is behind all of this, Ventress told me."

"Ventress! What were you doing with her?" Lux was starting to look very troubled. It was as though he was afraid of her new ways.

"Yes, but that is a story for another time." She sighed. She didn't realize how tense she had been whilst trying to find Lux. Now that she had, she felt somewhat relaxed.

"So, what are you going to do now, Ahsoka?" Lux asked her.

"Oh, I don't know I–" She broke off and tensed up.

"What's wro–" Lux never got to finish his sentence, for Ahsoka had pulled out her lightsabers and was ready to attack.

"Lux." She said, her voice deadly quiet, "Get out of sight."

"Ahsoka–" he pleaded but she cut him off.

"NOW, do as I say!" she snapped at him. Ahsoka doubted that he had ever seen this side of her since she had left the Jedi. He didn't know who was out there. She didn't want him to get caught in what was about to happen.

It was just as she had feared.

Asajj Ventress had followed her.