A.N.

I thought I would never upload this. I'm talking at least three consecutive writer blocks before I managed to fight through it.

Anyway, thanks to all your encouragement and patience, here it is!


Chapter 11- Prisoner's Gamble

Day 9; The Coruscant System; Coruscant

"Master Yoda," Palpatine's concerned face wrinkled as he edged over his desk, "Please, I urge you to consult medical help. Your condition is worsening- I can see it with my very own eyes."

"Worry not, Chancellor." Yoda insisted, his croaky voice sounding raspier than usual, "Here on a more urgent matter, Master Windu and I are."

Windu's solid gaze was fixed on Master Yoda sat beside him. He had to agree with the Chancellor on this matter. For weeks he watched the old teacher and dear friend's health deteriorate, and it was so a lot more rapidly in recent days. He wasn't just worried…he was afraid.

Yoda's frog like eyes- now paler and bloodshot turned to him with an undesignated signal to speak. He tried to block the hurtful sight of evident weakness from his mind as he faced the old politician and spoke, "Have you received our report, Chancellor?"

Palpatine stared him down and spoke in a confrontational manner, "I have, but I cannot authorize another fleet's withdrawal from the Outer Rim without the risk of opening a second front against the Separatists in our sector."

"You're going to have to." Windu argued.

"And why is that, Master Jedi?"

"Commenor." Yoda interrupted, a subtle hurt in his voice, "Fallen it has."

Silence followed; a cold and sickeningly disturbing silence. Yet Palpatine's interruption was calm and disciplinary, "When did this happen? And why was I not informed?"

Windu sighed, "We only just received news. It seems… there is no stopping the enemy advance into the Core now."

Palpatine's jaw stiffened. A calculating focus was set against Windu like a father ready to punish his son for disobeying him, he yelled, "And the Jedi were unable to prevent this?"

"We tried. Count Dooku had the element of surprise against us. This new onslaught will very soon be on our doorstep, Chancellor."

"Coruscant." Yoda added, "In imminent danger, it is."

"Impossible." Palpatine snapped, "Ridiculous. I refuse to believe that. An attack on Coruscant will be suicide."

"We are not prepared to fight the combined strength of both Separatist Armies, Chancellor. We need reinforcements. Otherwise…"

"I've heard enough, Master Windu." Palpatine stood, "It seems to me you Jedi are only interested in pulling out of the Outer Rim. Your only concern is the lives of your Jedi and not the safety of The Republic and its people!"

"That is not true." Windu stood and stepped up to the desk, his voice reduced to a cold whisper, "We've sacrificed enough. But we're not ready to lose this war. Not for your mistakes."

"Leave my office." Palpatine threatened, "Immediately!"

Windu did not comply without locking eyes with the chancellor first and slowly turn away then taking big steps towards the door. Yoda tried to keep up, until his old body turned to the Chancellor one last time, "Doomed the Republic you have Chancellor. Doomed our Order….and yourself. I hope proud of this at least, you are."

A hurtful chill crept up Master Windu's spine as he waited by the door. The words just spoken echoed over and over in his mind while the twilight of sunset outside the window of the office gleamed into his eyes. The past few days passed too quickly, but this moment took a stronger toll on his heart than any he has lived before.

The inevitable was clear, but Yoda's words only made it painfully clearer.


Day 9; The Velusia System, Velusia

The stream had a gentle flow to it, which was particularly solemn under the night sky. Otherwise, the stillness of the air here was unnerving. Obi Wan rarely had a chance to admire nature's beauty on the worlds he had seen. He could easily say this was his favorite, but that wouldn't be a fair way to judge!

Life would be so simple if he had time to play such dull games in his mind, except these moments of humble silence were always interrupted by something. And indeed, here comes one of them now.

Ahsoka marched from beyond the shadows of his line of sight then settled on the grass just opposite the stream.

In the Force he could feel her anxieties pouring out; mixed emotions of anger and confusion all blurred together like the river she sat opposite to now. Her past experiences and future fears both linked by the stream of life. He understood that her frustrations can only be natural. This is a difficult time for her as she's experiencing new feelings, growing new attachments and all without the guidance of the Council to help her.

He could continue to sit and watch her as he did the stream; it amused him how similar in the Force they appeared, but it was his duty to oversee the bond of his two Padawans, and so once again he was robbed of this meditative moment.

He came to a stop just behind her and before he could speak she interrupted, "I'll be fine."

"I know." He replied then crouched behind her, "But can't an old man have a casual conversation with his Padawan every now and then?"

She swallowed some air then faced him with a forced smile. Obi Wan took that as an invitation and sat beside her, "So tell me, what's on your mind?"

She was slow to respond. He watched her struggle with the question, and a part of him actually regretted asking her simply because he didn't know what to expect.

"Master," She began hesitantly, "Has Anakin ever spoke to you about his mother?"

Obi Wan's memories flashed back; many years back. He didn't realize how long it had been since the question of Anakin's mother was raised. It's true, though. He used to speak a lot about her.

Ahsoka watched him anxiously. She must've hit a sensitive button…and she truly did. The one thing that characterized Anakin in his youth was his attachment to his mother. He spoke endlessly about her, and respectively Obi Wan lectured him endlessly about her. Then, it came to an end; an abrupt and tragic end.

He nodded, "Yes. Yes, he did."

Ahsoka adjusted herself to face him and he took that as a hint to carry on, "There was a time when Anakin was open with me. He'd talk to me about his fears, his worries, but in my quest to instruct him the way Qui Gon Jinn did with me... things changed"

He noticed a curious frown stretch across her face. Obi Wan smiled, "You see, Jinn was like a father to me, but…he never offered me the same compassion a father would. I thought perhaps it was that lack of compassion that made a better teacher, but I eventually realized I was wrong."

"Wrong?"

Obi Wan turned his gaze away from her and sighed, "I learned later that compassion is not a weakness. It may be too late for Anakin, but I don't plan to make that same mistake with you, Ahsoka."

"You didn't lose Anakin yet, Master." She said, "He still respects you and loves you."

Obi Wan offered her a smile, "I certainly hope so."

Unbeknownst to them, Ferry sat and watched them converse with her back against a tree. Moments ago she was admiring the lightless sky and the florescent lamps of the village across the river. She expected someone to be upset about the missing item she found in the cockpit of The Twilight; she just didn't expect it to be this valuable though.

Between her fingers she fumbled with the crystal as her mind repeated the offer she was given. An offer she could never refuse.

"I knew I could count on you, Count." She smirked and tightened her hold on the crystal, "It's almost too good to be true."


Unknown; Unknown

It was bitterly cold in here. She felt the cold in her bones. She felt it across the rocky walls. She heard it in the deepness of the tunnel. She could feel it in her heart. She could sense it in… The Force.

It was The Force that guided her here, opening her mind to this vision. It wasn't just about the cold as she could also see darkness, but it wasn't about that either. It was the age of the place. No one has been here, not for a very, very long time. So old that warmth abandoned it long ago. It was sealed away from everyone, from everything...from the entire galaxy. Hidden; kept safe and devoid of prying eyes.

Ahsoka's vision cleared a little now. The blurriness of the dream unveiled a wide, blue curtain; an energy field hidden deep in the heart of a cave. A cave she visited before.

A cold breeze swept against the cold sweat on Ahsoka's cheeks. She found herself breathing heavily, lying in the grass and listening to the harmonious music of Velusia's nightlife. She sat up and called on The Force to ease her breathing, but what she could not ease was what was in her thoughts- that cave in her vision.

A darkness was in there, or it was after what was in there. She wasn't sure, but regardless of that she knew what it meant. She knew they would have to go there at some point.

She looked over to find Anakin lying on the other side of their camp, his head propped against a large tree root growing out of the ground. She would tell him, but…the sting of their last argument was still fresh. She frowned despite herself.


Day 10; The Velusia System, Velusia

Restless sleep marks blemished all across his face, Anakin stood over the shoulders of the submarine pilot who navigated them deeper into the silent oceans of the Velusian sea. Many a legends are rife down here. Some were frightening, and others terrifying, but they were purely bred due to a shortage of exploration and not based on any actual facts or historical encounters.

As romantic as its surface was it never kept visitors away. But still, holiday makers have always preferred to avoid underwater exploration on Velusia. They deemed it unnecessary.

Recently before the war Velusia's sovereign power decided to reconstruct Orr'Corra. An ancient city that once dwelled beneath the surface, which they claim was destroyed by a civil war that came to a peaceful end… some may disagree on that.

The doors to the cockpit slid open as the Mirialan captain stepped in, "We've been given clearance to proceed. Take us in pilot."

Anakin turned to face him, "Anything you need to tell us before we continue, Captain?"

"You need to report to the Check-In office. It's just so we know who is going in and out at all times. Orr'Corra is a new city and has already had problems with illegal trafficking in the recent past."

"I take it we don't have a choice?" Anakin's lip twitched.

He shook his head, "Not unless you want to have us chasing you all across the facility."

The submarine swiftly docked into an underwater chamber, which was then sealed and drained of ocean water in moments. The chamber was wide with a sealed monitoring tower overlooking the space. At last, the doors slid open and all passengers began to disembark over a small bridge and onto a platform railing.

"I'll report to the check in office, Anakin." Obi Wan turned and faced his former padawan, "Will you be alright without me for a few moments?"

Anakin eyed Ahsoka as she stepped off while throwing him a hostile glare. He chose to ignore it and offered an indifferent shrug towards Obi Wan, "I'll be fine."

Accompanied by the Mirialan captain, Obi Wan marched up to the monitoring tower and disappeared behind its door.

"This could take a while." Cody muttered under his helmet.

Anakin crossed his arms and offered the clone a wry smirk, "Gotta love bureaucracy, Cody. Afterall, it's exactly what we're fighting to protect!"

Helmet or not, Anakin could almost feel the sting coming from the soldier's narrowing eyes, "You've always been a motivational speaker, General."

"I try." He laughed.

Ahsoka's voice finally chimed in, "How much longer is this going to take?"

"It might be a little longer." Anakin explained, "Just be patient."

"I'm with her on this one," Ferry said, "I don't like having to sit around and wait for trouble."

Cody sighed, "The general is just taking care of some procedures. We'll be moving in no time."

"Hey!" Ferry snapped, "Nobody asked you, yellow boy wonder."

"What did you call me?" Cody hissed and was about to step forward until Anakin's hand blocked his path.

"Cool it!" He then directed a narrow glare towards Ferry, "You're in no place to voice your opinion on anything. Stay quiet and do as you're told. And as for you…"

Ahsoka's deep blue eyes carved right into him. He couldn't quite find the words he was looking for, but he knew if he said anything it wasn't going to improve his chances of making up for his last mistake.

At last, he went with something, "Just…try not to make things worse."

"Worse?" She yelled, and at that point he knew that there was no avoiding a conflict, she was looking for one, "How am I making things worse?"

"I didn't say you were making things worse, I'm just saying, don't."

"So I'm the only one here who can make things worse, is that what you're saying?"

Anakin's palms met his face, "Ahsoka, please don't start this again!"

"No Anakin!" She growled, "No! This time it's the last draw. This time I'm not giving you another chance. I've forgiven you over and over, but it looks like I made a mistake with you."

"Ahsoka?" he frowned, "What are you saying?"

"I…" She sealed her lips and held her breath, clearly wrestling with herself, obviously unsure about her frustrations.

"What's the matter here?" Everyone turned to Obi Wan's voice, "We're ready to move forward. I managed to…persuade our good friend to let us through."

The Mirialan captain eyed Kenobi bemusedly, "Traditional Republic exercises."

"It's about time." Anakin muttered darkly, "I think I'll be tagging along with you from here on. You won't be too lonely on your own, will you Snips?"

Ahsoka offered nothing more than her unwavering frown.

"I see." Obi Wan turned towards the clone, "Errr…Cody, stay with the prisoner. Anakin and I will explore the ruins beneath this facility. Just make sure she doesn't get up to trouble."

"Yes sir." He responded, an agitated tone creeping from somewhere beneath all that practiced discipline. There followed a moment of uneasy silence as the married couple held hostile gazes at each other.

"Come along, Anakin." Obi Wan pulled an arm around him and the two Jedi Knights marched off. Cody switched his attention over to Ahsoka and she knew he was struggling to think of something to say, but whether it was words of comfort or simply trying to suggest something for them to do, she wasn't sure.

"Great," Ferry shrugged, "Now what are we supposed to do?"

Ahsoka walked off the platform towards a doorway and into a vast, dimly lit glass cavern that arched endlessly. Despite the initial exquisitene impression the city gave her, she was overcome by how grim it now appeared. The depth of the ocean above allowed no light to break through the glass ecnasing them, and the little illumination that was guiding the road ahead was few and far between.

The most thing that struck her was how silent the place was. It actually pulled her out of her thoughts and made her stop. Cody spoke, "This place gives me the creeps."

Ferry sighed then stepped in beside her, "I never saw what you liked about him anyway." She said, but again Ahsoka didn't respond, until Ferry put a hand on her shoulder, "But I can tell you still like him."

Ahsoka pulled her arm away and faced her, "Why do you care?"

"I'm…just trying to make conversation." She shrugged, her red eyes tilted into a grimace.

Ahsoka sighed, "I'm sorry, I've just been so flustered by him lately."

Ferry offered a slow nod, "I can see that."

They journeyed a little further down the glassy cavern, occasionally admiring the beasts of the sea hovering over them and disappearing into the abyss. One particular monster caught Ahsoka's eye. Its description resembling that of a legend that she heard had existed on Velusia about a giant who was said to have been the cause for the destruction of the ancient city. The underwater people had been hunting her children for generations, until they fell under her wrath. It is said that she still exists.

Ferry's suggestive voice pulled her out of her thoughts, "Ahsoka, I need to speak with you for a moment."

Her eyes indicated for Ahsoka over to Cody, who watched as the two girls threw a suggestive gaze at him. He sighed frustratingly and walked to the side.

Ahsoka shook her head, "What is it?"

Ferry's eyes scanned their surroundings. The crowd was light and several metal platforms and chrome railings were stacked upon each other across the cavern, but it was clear she sought something more elusive. She looked back at her and whispered, "Stick with me if you want to live."

"What-?" But before the words could escape Ahsoka's mouth an explosion of blasterfire erupted from across the path they were walking on. The few around them panicked and ran in all directions, but Ahsoka could not see the culprits through the smoke. She felt a hand grab her from her shoulder and the nozzle of a blaster pistol fixed against the side of her head, Ferry's voice followed, "Just play along and you and I can get out of this. Trust me!"

From the edge of her eyes she could see Cody pinned down beneath the metal platforms, she cried out to him, "Cody!"

But Ferry knocked her head, "Don't! You'll get us both killed!"

"Why are you doing this?" Ahsoka yelled.

"There's no time to explain- just do as I say, I'm going to get you out of here." Ferry began to pull her backwards into the doors beside the path, but Ahsoka hesitated to comply, "And how can I trust you?"

Her reply was cold and blunt, "You don't have a choice."

The doors slid shut and the alarms began to blare all across the facility. Commander Cody brought his blaster rifle around the side of the railing and unleashed bolts at his opponents, hoping to pin them down.

He couldn't quite make out through all the smoke who they were exactly, until he heard a familiar high pitched robotic voice, "Go around him, I'll cover you!"

"Roger, roger!"

"Battledroids!" Cody hissed and then his intercom beeped, "Yes sir?"

"Cody! We've got a situation here."

"I know, Sir." He flinched as a bolt exploded beside him, "The Separatists knew we were coming!"

"Is Ahsoka with you?"

He shook his head, he knew there was no easier way to say this, so he just answered the question, "I'm afraid not, sir. I lost her when all this happened, she must have escaped."

There was silence on the other end, long enough to unnerve him, "Sir?"

"Get yourself out of there, Cody. Obi Wan and I are on the lower levels, we need to regroup."

"Right away!" he twisted upon hearing the clanking steps of a droid running behind him and brought his blaster around towards it before it could lift its own to blast him- upon pulling the trigger the droid's head exploded.


Day 10; The Commenor System, Space

Assajj Ventress' hologram sat upon Dooku's armchair aboard his starship. Through the viewport he could gaze upon his immense Starfleet gathered and prepared for the moment he gives the order to attack Coruscant.

But before they could do so, he needed to know that his plot to bring an end to Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker was proceeding well. He had no doubt Assajj could take them both on sufficiently, but only with the appropriate distraction in place.

He hoped his other contact would pull off her end of the bargain.

"We've engaged them, My Lord." Assajj explained, the sounds of blasters erupting behind her, "There is no Republic presence here. Velusia will be ours before nightfall."

Dooku leaned forward in his seat, "And what of Skywalker and Kenobi?"

"My droids tell me they've encountered a clone on Orr'Corra. I suspect that the Jedi will not be far behind, I'll be heading there immediately."

"Keep me updated." He ordered. She bowed and disappeared.

Despite this positive development, Dooku couldn't help but wonder what the Jedi expected to gain from going to Velusia. The planet was nothing more than a resort. He sat back and stroked his beard, pondering further about its resources, its citizens and its endless oceans and handful of islands.

Orr'Corra, the city beneath the ocean; it was a curious thing, but he hoped this mystery will resolve itself in due time.


Trivia:

1. Many of my readers may recognize the vision Ahsoka had from one of my previous stories. Try not to spoil too much in your reviews!

2. Orr'Corra is a city I made up for this story. There's a little bit of Ahto City in there, but gloomier.

3. In my original plan, Orr'Corra was going to fall under attack by a sea monster. The same sea monster referred to in the legend.

A.N.

Many, many thanks to newfoundspartan, general joseph dickson, The Once And Future Thing, cHr0n0sPh3r3, Ebony Wave, BKipper and Major Mike Powell III for their very kind reviews! And to all my readers for their unrelenting patience!