A/N: Hey readers! Here's the next chapter and like I promised it's longer. Enjoy!
Chapter 9: Reporting Back to the Council
The trip back to Coruscant was full of energy as Ahsoka explained to Anakin and Obi-Wan what she had learnt about Dooku, Ventress and Clovis' plan.
"So they kidnapped you to get to me? How low," Anakin said after his Padawan finished explaining.
"That is very low indeed," Obi-Wan agreed.
"Why would they kidnap Ahsoka just to get to Anakin?" Barriss asked thoughtfully.
"Good question," Padmé said speaking up. "I think they know that you have a close bond. They knew that if they kidnapped Ahsoka, Anakin would be an easy target. They knew that Anakin would go after her." Padmé was piecing together all the evidence. Anakin was her husband after all.
"Padmé has a point, master. We do get along pretty well," Ahsoka added.
Anakin turned to look at Ahsoka for a second before turning back to Padmé and Barriss.
"We can report this to the Council," Obi-Wan suggested.
Ahsoka looked up in alarm. "What? No! The council can't know of this!" she shrieked.
"Why not?" Sola asked.
"She's right," Anakin said.
"If it wasn't because of Anakin, I would never have gotten this far in my training. I owe him everything for that," Ahsoka said softly.
Anakin nodded. He knew his Padawan was right. Obi-Wan sighed before turning his head to face the window. He knew that Anakin had soft spot for Ahsoka, like a big brother looking after his little sister. Attachments were forbidden but the attachment remained regardless of the rules.
"We're approaching Coruscant," Obi-Wan said. Everyone straightened up as R2 auto piloted the self-proclaimed Grease Bucket toward the landing platform.
Filing out of the ship; Padmé at Ahsoka's side. Greeting them were Master Yoda and Luminara. The two Jedi approached with neutral expressions plastered on their professional faces.
"Welcome back Ahsoka," Luminara said as the Padawan and her companions bowed.
"Thank you Master Luminara," Ahsoka said politely.
Yoda turned to Anakin, "Skywalker, Explanation, do you?"
Anakin turned to look at Obi-Wan and Padmé for approval to speak.
"Yes Master. We couldn't just Ahsoka out there to die at the hands of the Separatists. She's a Jedi and deserves to be treated like the rest of us,"
Ahsoka looked at her master wide-eyed. This was the umpteenth time he had stood up for her.
"We will continue this in the Temple," Luminara said turning on her heel, hence ushering the others to follow. Yoda used his hover chair and followed his fellow master into the building.
The others followed Yoda and Luminara into the building without any protests.
"Am I in trouble?" Ahsoka asked.
"Of course not, Ahsoka, if anyone is to blame for this ordeal its Ventress and Dooku," Barriss said walking beside her friend.
From the front, Anakin sighed with relief thinking that Barriss was going to point the finger at him for the ordeal that Ahsoka had been faced with.
"If I know Anakin, you'll get off the hook," Padmé said with very little confident. She usually had more confident in Anakin but this time she feared that he might pull Ahsoka through the hoop this time round.
Anakin knitted his eyebrows and wanted to ask why his own wife didn't have faith in him to save Ahsoka. Not that it was Ahsoka's fault for being kidnapped. The blame lied with Ventress and Dooku.
"Anakin, do you really believe that the council will go easy on her?" Obi-Wan asked, his tone merely a whisper.
"You know the council as well I as do, Master. They stick to their word." Anakin said in an almost glum tone. He had witnessed this type of behaviour from the council before, when Qui-Gon had been denied permission to train him as a Jedi due to his age. Qui-Gon had said it was unfair to judge a small boy due to his age. Yoda had seen that there was a dark cloud lingering over Anakin's future and that was still remained to be seen.
Anakin was brought out of his trance when Obi-Wan stopped beside him outside the main council chamber.
"Enter," called Windu from inside the room.
Obi-Wan filed in with Anakin and the others following close behind like elephants playing follow the leader. Standing in the centre of the room, the group bowed in respect to the Jedi council.
"We have reason to believe that you, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, disobeyed a direct order not to go after your kidnapped Padawan, Ahsoka Tano," stated Plo Koon.
Ahsoka's gaze dropped. She had always admired Plo since she was a little girl. He had been the one who had sensed through the force while on her home planet of Shili that she was in fact force sensitive and brought her back to the Jedi Temple to start her training. She knew that Plo was disappointed in Anakin's actions for going to rescue her.
"If I may Master," Anakin begun, "Ahsoka was kidnapped. Isn't it a Jedi's duty to rescue their companions and not leave them to die?" Padmé listened with eager interest. No one spoke this cued Anakin to continue his speech. "Isn't it the role of the Jedi to bring to justice the cold hearted criminals that threaten the galaxy?" Obi-Wan knew he should be siding with the council but Anakin did have a point.
"That maybe, Anakin, but to rescue a fellow Jedi must be approved by the Jedi Council," Windu said.
"That's not good enough!" Anakin huffed.
"Control your temper," Anakin heard Padme breath from beside him but he ignored her completely. It was a good thing that the council couldn't lip read.
"It is a Jedi's responsibility to rescue their companions regardless of the situation's dangers. I went out and rescued my astromech without the council's consent and I didn't get penalised for that. Why must this be so different?" Anakin argued.
The council members looked at each other before Yoda spoke up.
"Master Kenobi, have something to say about this, do you?"
"Yes Master Yoda, I do," Obi-Wan said turning in the tiny Jedi master's direction.
"We all know Anakin has a reputation of playing things by his own rules but I have to agree with him," Obi-Wan turned his head to look at Anakin whose face was surprised. Obi-Wan could see him thinking, Wait what? "But that doesn't mean he doesn't follow council protocol. He might be at fault but I should be punished too. I agreed to go with him." Obi-Wan returned his gaze on Anakin.
"We all should be," Padmé said speaking up for the first since entering the room.
"I have to agree Masters," Sola agreed.
"Senator Amidala. Ambassador Naberrie, this is a Jedi matter. Please stay out of this," Windu said.
Sola's head snapped around and her fiery gaze on the Jedi Master that addressed her and her sister. "No we wouldn't, Master Windu. I may not know the Jedi that helped Ahsoka all that much but Ana- I mean Master Skywalker has a good heart and is willing to put his life on the line to save his companions. Isn't that enough?"
Ahsoka and Barriss' faces when white. They had never seen Sola talk to a high ranking master like that before. In fact, they had never seen another person talk to a master like before, ever.
Windu kept his gaze on Sola before turning to Yoda. "We will determine what is to be done. Council adjourned."
The group bowed again before exiting the room where Anakin turned to Sola. "Sola! You shouldn't have done that! I could lose my rank because of you!"
"Me? I was trying to help you save your ass! I try to be nice to you for the sake of-" she stopped mid-sentence to avoid Obi-Wan and Barriss finding out about her sister's secret marriage.
Ahsoka pulled Anakin away from Sola. The council doors opened for a second and Luminara stepped out.
"The council will see you all again." Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other before walking back into the room with the others at their heels. Once they were back in the room, Luminara resumed her seat and Windu spoke again.
"We were wrong, Skywalker." Anakin nodded. "We need to know, who kidnapped Ahsoka before we can come to our verdict."
Ahsoka stepped forward. "It was Asajj Ventress, Count Dooku and Rush Clovis." Ahsoka said without fear.
There were murmurs from the council members.
"Impossible," said Windu. "A political figure wouldn't dare betray the senate."
"Well he has and he wants wealth most likely," Ahsoka concluded. There were more murmurs from the council. This obviously was distressing for them to hear. It was rare for a political figure to go bad but it did happen.
"Ahsoka's right. When Senator Farr was still alive, he too betrayed the senate because the Separatists promised to protect his planet. Only their promise was broken and Farr returned to being allied with the Republic." Padmé added.
"Senator, are you suggesting that Clovis is going to return alliance to the Republic?" Kit Fisto asked.
"Not at all Master Fisto. I'm just-" Windu cut across her.
"We will find Clovis and his associates and they will pay for their crimes. Meeting adjourned." The group bowed and exited the room.
"You coming master?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan.
"No, I'll see what I can do to persuade the council to send you and I to capture the sleemo," A small smile came across Obi-Wan's face at his own insult.
Anakin nodded smugly. "Alright. See you later then," Anakin, Ahsoka and Barriss watched as Obi-Wan walked back into the council room.
Barriss started to walk in the direction of the cot rooms but stopped when Anakin and Ahsoka didn't follow. "You two coming?" She asked.
"We'll be there in a second," Ahsoka said. Barriss nodded before disappearing around the corner and out of sight.
"We'll be up later," Anakin said kissing Padmé on the cheek. With that he and Ahsoka headed towards the cots.
"He loves you more then you realise," Sola said in a low voice as she and Padmé watched the Jedi disappear around the corner.
"I know," Padmé sighed as she watched her husband and his Padawan disappear.
888
Ahsoka and Barriss sat on Ahsoka's bed while Anakin sat across from them.
"Do you think Clovis was bluffing?" Anakin asked.
"I don't think so," Ahsoka said shaking her head. "Clovis is a worm and there's no denying it. I can see why Padmé broke it off with him."
"Wait what?" Barriss looked suddenly interest in the conversation. "Senator Amidala had a relationship with that creep?" She looked to Anakin for support. He nodded. "Ew!"
"Senator Amidala has a bad choice in men," Anakin agreed. His tone was smug for a reason.
"She didn't when she-" Anakin looked at Ahsoka with raised eyebrows. Ahsoka immediately shut her mouth.
"Well, I had better go. Luminara will probably be wanting to give me the normal prep talk." Barriss said getting to her feet and heading to the door.
"Thanks for today Barriss. I really appreciate your help in finding Ahsoka," Anakin said with a smile.
Barriss smiled back before leaving the room and shutting the door behind her.
Anakin and Ahsoka sat in silence for what seemed like forever. Finally Anakin spoke up.
"Wanna go and see Padmé for a bit?" Ahsoka nodded and the friends got up, hurried to the door and hurried out of the Jedi quarters before making their way to Padmé's apartment.
"Padmé?" Ahsoka called as Anakin closed the door behind them.
"Ani? Soka?" Padmé called.
"Yeah we're here. Sorry we took so long," Anakin said as Padmé walked into the lobby of her apartment.
"That's all right. Sola and I had to get some things done anyway," Padmé said going over to kiss Anakin and hug Ahsoka.
"Are you going to tell us or what?" Anakin asked breaking his wife's kiss.
"You'll just have to find out for yourself," Padmé said with a smile.
Anakin laughed as Padmé led him and Ahsoka into the living room where they were greeted by Sola and Jar-Jar.
"Soka? Soka! Good to see yousa again!" The Gungan said hurrying over to Ahsoka and hugging her.
"Hey Jar-Jar," Ahsoka laughed. She had become good friends with the Gungan that Anakin would often call 'Tall and funny' much to the despite of Padmé who had been friends with Jar-Jar from the time she had met him as a disguised queen.
"Isa wasa tolda what happened to yousa. Isa felt berry berry bad so Padmé invited me here so Isa could saya hi," Jar-Jar smiled.
"Oh that's so sweet of you, Jar-Jar, thank you," Ahsoka smiled.
"What about me? Don't I get recognition?" Sola said standing up from her place on the sofa.
"Oh course you do," Ahsoka said going over to hug Sola.
"I see you have cleaned yourself up quite a bit," Sola said as she pulled out of Ahsoka's hug.
"Gee, thanks," Ahsoka laughed. She hadn't laughed since the last time she had been on Coruscant a few months earlier.
Anakin laughed. Ahsoka turned to see Padmé with her hand over his mouth. The girls laughed. Anakin frowned. Padmé shook her head before pecking Anakin on the cheek. It was the friendliest catch up session Ahsoka had ever had.
Please Review!
