Padme groaned as she turned on her side, hitting her alarm with all of the force that she could muster in her sleepy state. Anakin stayed over one time and did the same thing. She had to buy a new alarm clock. Speaking of Anakin, he was downstairs. He had arrived here last night tell her that he left the Jedi. She didn't know whether to smile or frown.
On one hand, she was overjoyed that she would be able to see Anakin a lot more often because he wasn't off fighting in a war or dealing with whatever droll task the Jedi had him doing.
But on the other hand, he left the Jedi. Not only did he leave the Jedi, but he, under all intents and purposes aided a criminal's agenda. At least from Obi-Wan's account of what a specific clone did. That made him sound like a criminal; a rogue. By assisting him, that made Anakin an accessory. There was more than likely no way to fix what he had done. It would take a lot of forgiveness for the Jedi to take Anakin back. And even then, Anakin likely didn't give two credits about their forgiveness.
She rolled out of her bed and began to start her day the way she usually did. She got up. Showered. Cleaned her teeth. Dressed. Fixed up her hair. Then she looked in the mirror for a few seconds before taking a deep breath. Sometimes going into the Senate was like trying to wade through a particularly murky patch of quagmire. Today was probably going to be one of those days. She sighed again and walked into the living room.
And looked upon an adorable sight.
Ahsoka had her hands tucked in, but had one of Anakin's arms around her and preventing her from falling off the couch. Padme smiled. It was nice to see the both of them again. And they looked far more peaceful. Seemed like it was an overall thing too.
"Shh. He always wakes up around this time," Ahsoka said, her eyes open and scaring Padme slightly. She was smiling as she inclined her head towards Anakin. "Let him."
Padme smiled and nodded in understanding before looking at Anakin's face. It betrayed no problems. None. Nothing but a toothless smile on his face. She missed seeing him smile like this. Like it was just... there. He didn't need a reason to smile.
As long as the Jedi didn't find out that he was here, things should be fine. By all intents and purposes, she was aiding and abetting an accessory to a crime. She supposed the only reason she was doing it because she loved this man. More than anything.
As she walked out of the door, she knew this would be in the back of her mind all day; nagging her incessantly. Ahsoka looked back towards the man with an arm around before smiling and closing her eyes. At times, she regretted being a light sleeper. It would probably take her several more hours to fall asleep.
"Count Dooku. Lord Sidious is awaiting for you to contact him," a droid said in its usual slightly obnoxious tone. The Sith Lord turned, his face betraying no emotion, but his thoughts betraying a small bit of puzzlement.
His master often didn't contact him. Unless the situation seemed rather dire. It worked the other way around as well. So it was more than likely he would have some information that he that would be paramount in them knowing. So with a nod and a wave of the hand to dismiss the obedient droid, he smoothly moved in strides to get out of the room to find the secluded room he usually had prepared in case he need to contact his master at any time. Or if his master needed to contact him like now.
Hitting a button to cut on the digital projection, he backed a few inches before lowering himself into a kneel while waiting for his master to answer.
"Lord Tyrannus," Darth Sidious said simply.
"My Lord. You summoned me," Dooku said. It wasn't a question. He and his master were above stating the very obvious.
"A recent development has come to my attention. One that even I have not foreseen, but... it could work in our favor," Sidious said, taut lips coming together in a tight lipped smile. His master hardly ever smiled. This had to be something that could prove very prosperous for his master and their cause. So it was of his interest as well.
"My Lord?" Dooku questioned.
"Skywalker has done something... interesting. I'm sure you are aware of the trial that was conducted on his apprentice," Sidious said. Not a question. He knew the Count knew this.
"Where does that concern Skywalker? As I was aware, the Jedi sent him on a leave of abscence," Dooku said.
"A leave that Skywalker took a... particular liking to. Due to the confidement he has with the Chancellor, I learned that he did many things when tracking down the culprit who framed his dear, sweet Padawan," Sidious said, his teeth gently biting on his tongue as he spoke the last three words. It gave his voice more of a fluid sound, which caught the ears better.
"Such as..."
"Defying the Jedi. Tracking down your former apprentice who was involved in the incident and threatening the information out of her. Doing things that many of the Jedi would've found unfavorable had they found out," Sidious said in a monotonous tone.
"And this behavior lead to something that could prove favorable for us?" Dooku questioned.
"Very much so. The culprit was found due to Skywalker's rather... aggressive detective methods. The Jedi welcomed her back, but Tano had none of it. She left. Only she was not the only one to do so," Sidious said.
"Skywalker joined her," Dooku said, daring to draw himself about an inch. His master would not have missed the gesture, but he did not seem to mind.
"Correct. And now they are very much acting on their own agenda," Sidious said.
"On your demand, I can assemble Grievous as well as a substantial army-"
"You misunderstand me Lord Tyrannus," Sidious interrupted swiftly. Dooku drew himself back down that one inch before awaiting his elaboration. His idea was something that his master did not want at all. And if he tried to carry out his idea, merciless pain would be headed his way.
"Amass the armies and Grievous, but I am not looking to kill Skywalker nor his Padawan. Rather, if we strike the metal while it is hot, manipulate their standing with the Jedi properly..." The tight lipped grin began to show teeth as Dooku waited for his master to finish. "...then we have the potential for two very powerful assassins working for us. With training and the Dark Side fueling young Skywalker, he will be a very powerful asset. His Padawan would be significantly less valuable, but including her in this would prove beneficial. And as a bit of encouragement for Skywalker to join us."
"And if the both of them refuse the Dark Side?" Dooku questioned.
"The Padawan may suffer. But Skywalker will have no choice if we keep a blade at her throat," Sidious said. "Find them. As quickly as possible." Then the image of his master disappeared.
Manipulation. Power. Merciless cruelty. Cunning. His master was many things that made a man dangerous. Regardless of his master's insistence that they could be turned, he had more experience with the two former Jedi now. They were as stubborn as they were powerful. Well, Skywalker was. Tano did not have the strength to nowhere near compensate for her stubborness. Nevertheless, he would follow his master's instructions.
"General," Dooku said curtly as soon as Grievious showed up on the projection machine.
"Dooku. I assume you have a rather prompt task for me to assume to the role of," Grievous said. The general was never one for formalities, and neither was Dooku for that matter. It may be why their conversations usually went along so well. As well as swiftly.
"Quite. I need you to find Skywalker and Tano," Dooku told him.
"You would ask me to assault the Jedi Temple for two Jedi? If I were to succeed, it would be a pleasure to destroy all of them," Grievous said with a sadistic tone. If the General could smile anymore, he would be.
"Not quite. They are no longer Jedi. They are currently rogue and find the Jedi quite... unfavorable right now. Lord Sidious wishes to take advantage of this; turn them to our cause," Dooku said.
"I cannot speak for Skywalker, but I can certainly speak for Tano after several encounters with that insufferable brat. The idea of turning her to the Dark Side seems very slim. Even with her falling out with the Jedi filth," Grievous said with conviction in his tone.
"I believed the same thing when I resided with the Jedi. And Lord Sidious seems to believe that there is a possibility," Dooku reminded the General.
"Very well," Grievous said, cutting off the call. Dooku drew his robe completely around his front before leaving the dark room. Something told him that this situation could turn particularly sour.
"You think Padme'll mind us practicing in the middle of her living room?" Ahsoka asked as she moved her blade using this stiff moving Makashi style. She missed Ataru already. They had been at it for a few hours, but that was a consistent thought through it all. She was somewhat better with at using it, but it was such a contrast from Ataru, it was like she had a type of... block concerning the style.
"I'm sure as long as we don't destroy, break, or cut anything, we'll be fine," Anakin said as he went back to getting down the very basic Shii-Cho style. He never used it. Not even when he was little. He initially started with Soresu as his fighting style, but eventually grew to like Djem So more. Then Dooku made him combine the two as a different way of fighting. He didn't plan on changing his main style anymore, but learning all of the styles wasn't a bad idea at all. It worked for Grievous. It'll definitely work for him.
"Alright. Remember, it's your hide on the line," Ahsoka said as she forced to move her hand in subtle movements. The style... it felt wrong. It just didn't fit her at all. She was used to being free in her style; the battlefield being her limit to where she could move. Not moving her lightsaber in subtle strokes like this. She understood that knowing all the styles would prove advantageous, but... Force, she didn't like dueling like this.
"It's weird, I can tell. Moving from one style to the other," Anakin said as he moved his saber in simple movements to counter Ahsoka's effortless ones. But then he started to move on her more aggressively. She found that she couldn't move her hand in time intercept the saber that stopped an inch from her chest.
"I turned up the heat on you and that happened. This style is so simple. I don't like it," Anakin said with a frown.
"I'm not a big fan of Makashi either. I find that I can't move my hand as fast I want to. I can move my entire body faster than I can move my hand trying to deflect a saber," Ahsoka said as they both deactivated their sabers. "Let's take five."
"My thoughts exactly," Anakin said as he moved the furniture back to its original spot. He'd been here enough to memorize where everything was. Then they sat down on the couch heavily. Not out of exhaustion. Just because. If this was the couch they had back in Naboo, it probably would've had two different sized lumps from all the times they did they that. And they did it at the same time. Always. It was somewhat strange.
"Any ideas as to how we can pass the time? We can't just sit up in your wife's apartment doing nothing. That's boring," Ahsoka said.
"We could become bounty hunters. Perhaps the first ones in history that have any morals," Anakin suggested.
"You think we'd run into Cad Bane on a job?" Ahsoka questioned.
"I certainly would hope so. I still wanna pay him back for the time he almost ejected you out of an airlock," Anakin said somewhat darkly.
"You still remember that?" Ahsoka questioned.
"I can't forget all the brushes with death we've had. You. Me. Obi-Wan. Others. It's all in the back of my brain," Anakin said, tapping the back of his head. "Trust me on this. We meet Bane, hope he enjoyed the last job he took. It'll be his last."
"I definitely wouldn't mind doing that. Well, you doing it. I'm not quite used to the idea of killing in cold blood," Ahsoka said.
"You will. Trust me, you'll learn. Under normal circumstsances, I'd say it's something I really don't want you to know, but know this. I do people that I trust and that I believe can handle it the honor of not sugar coating what needs to be said. And whether you do or don't like it, you need to be able to kill. In some cases, the idea of sparing some people who do wrong is just dumb," Anakin said, his hands in front of his face like he was putting together a very intricate puzzle. "Petty criminals. Thieves, things of the sort. They can get mercy. They're not doing anything that hurts anyone. They're just looking to get ahead. Whether the motivation is greed or poverty. But people like Cad Bane, General Grieivous, Wat Tambor, pitful slavers like the Hutts..."
These were moments when Anakin got so angry, you could feel it. The air around them seemed to heat up from how angry he was.
"Those are the people that don't deserve jail time. They deserve no mercy. No quarrel should be given to them. They need to be put down," Anakin said before taking deep breaths to calm himself.
"Sooo... bounty hunting then?" Ahsoka said somewhat awkwardly. This caused a smile to come on to Anakin's face, which in turn, got Ahsoka to relax.
"Selective bounty hunting Snips. Believe me, we get a job from somone who targets the Republic, we'll kill the person who hired us instead. It'll make for good practice for you," Anakin said.
"It's amazing how you talk about killing someone so casually," Ahsoka said.
"My Jedi career wasn't exactly the most spotless in terms of sparing people. I stabbed a man in the back when he planned on blowing up a ship full of people that included me, Obi-Wan, and Satine at the time," Anakin said, saying Satine's voice somewhat quieter than he said everything else. The volume change was not missed by Ahsoka. "I also did other things that Jedi would've found more than questionable, but now that I look back on it, I don't regret it. They're dead. Now they can't use their resources to try and kill anyone else or to free himself and not recieve penance for what they did. Don't worry. We'll take on the task."
"How do you even become a bounty hunter?" Ahsoka questioned. Anakin sighed before leaning back further into the couch.
"You suppose we oughta hang around in the underworld and just ask around like we're looking for a lost pet?" Anakin questioned.
"We gotta figure out something. We're not gonna find anything we can prevent or do for someone that could have a good outcome just sitting here," Ahsoka said.
"We've been down in that part of town before. We know how to handle ourselves down there. All it takes is to work a little magic with anyone who looks like they know where we can get information on things people want done," Anakin said.
"And then we need to try to work something out with Rex. We need to try and get some information on something more important than the average criminal. We're practioners of the Force for Force's sake," Ahsoka said.
"Oh, don't worry. I know. Trust me, if we can get our hands on someone like Nute Gunrary, Wat Tambor, or the ever so slippery Grievous if we're lucky, we can send the heads back to the Jedi. That's a nice way to tell them that we're willing to do what they won't," Anakin said, making Ahsoka grimace slightly.
"Again, I don't know how you talk about something like that so casually," she said.
"Again, I watched a man get blown to pieces at six. After that, it's kinda hard to be bothered by anything. Moving on," Anakin said, waving an arm. He definitely didn't want to talk about his past as of now. She'd push the subject a little bit more. He had accepted it, but he hadn't dealt with it and healed from it. It was something Master Plo did with her at one point. He told her the history of her race. A lot of them were divided and enslaved. The idea of that happening to her parents hurt her very dearly. But she had moved on from that pain. She dealt with it. Something Anakin didn't seem prepared to do yet.
"Well, I'll see if I can work it out with Rexy. I think you should handle the job of finding us some jobs. Ones that fit our description of a job worth taking," Ahsoka said, making Anakin nod as Ahsoka got on the comlink. Anakin then hopped out of the window before using his lightsabers to ascend the building like a spider. Good thing no one noticed the holes. On the other hand, who would?
"Captain Rex speaking," Rex said over his comlink.
"It's been a good while Rexy," Ahsoka said with a smile on her face. The clone in question nearly tripped over his feet in shock. The thing is that he was sitting down.
"Commander Tano!" Rex exclaimed softly.
"Please Rex. Call me Ahsoka. Please skip the formality shit," Ahsoka said bluntly, making Rex laugh shortly. Mostly at her choice of language.
"Well I can hear the change in your voice and language. I heard you were with General Skywalker," he said.
"You must've talked to Fives," Ahsoka said. "How is he?"
"In a cell. But fine. They keep interrogating him about General Skywalker's whereabouts. But Fives doesn't have a single clue as to where he is," Rex said.
"I'd like to think that no one but people we care about to know where we're at. Well, people we care about that aren't more directly tied to the Jedi," Ahsoka corrected.
"How is he anyhow?" Rex asked.
"Good. We're kind of hiding out in his wife's apartment," Ahsoka said, making Rex's eyes widen.
"He's married?" he said in shock.
"Uh huh. I won't tell you who in case someone asks and you have to follow orders, but she's quite the lovely lady," Ahsoka said.
"That's amazing. Must've killed him not seeing her as much as he wanted because of this war. How long has he been married to her?" Rex asked.
"No one's listening in on your conversation, right?" Ahsoka asked.
"I'm alone in my room. We're fine," Rex assured her. "One of the few moments I'm not on a battlefield. I don't expect it to last long."
"Alright, I don't want to you to have to answer any questions that may lead to awkward situations. But he's been married to her since the start of the Clone Wars," Ahsoka said.
"That's a fair amount of time. And it's got to be hard on him and the woman," Rex said, his voice sympathetic.
"They're happy to finally get to spend some time together," Ahsoka said with a smile.
"And you can't give me a little hint that'll help me figure it out?" Rex asked, making Ahsoka laugh airly.
"If you figure it out, I may as well tell you, which would negate the purpose of me not telling you in the first place!" she exclaimed, her tone very amused. Rex chuckled deeply.
"Alright, I won't ask again. You doing alright?" he asked.
"Very much so Rexy. Thanks for asking. But I have to say that my reason for calling isn't necessarily for pleasant conversation. I'll make a note to do that more often though," Ahsoka said.
"Alright, what do you need?" Rex asked.
"Information. Me and Anakin don't plan on just sitting in this apartment and letting the war pass us by. If there's any chance of you passing on any information that we could use to try and take a chunk out of the Separatists' hide, we want it," Ahsoka said, making Rex smirk.
"Still can't resist chopping clankers to pieces, huh?" he questioned rhetorically.
"It's the only thing about the war I actually enjoy!" Ahsoka said, her grin getting wider as Rex laughed a full, loud laugh. "Can you make it happen?"
"I'll do what I can. A couple of bases. Maybe even the locations of some of some leaders. Targets that you may be able to make a plan for faster. If you can find the resources, the strength, and the time to do it all, you can make our job a lot easier. I recall several Jedi Masters telling me this phrase: 'Help may not come in the form that you expect it to or that you want it to, but when it comes, take it,'" Rex explained.
"About one of the wisest things they've said. Mainly because it fits this situation, but you know. Now it couldn't hurt to keep talking a bit longer. Anakin's out doing his part, so I'll wait until he has something to get us going to get off," Ahsoka said.
"Suits me just fine," Rex said.
Hood up. Footsteps more silent than some peoples' breathing. Shoulders taut and alert for anything that may come his way. But down here on this side of Coruscant, no one cared who you were. Unless you had something that interested them. Depending on the situation, that could be good(profitable) or bad(you were on their hit list or you were about to be robbed). So no one gave Anakin a second look.
Blood red robes were drawn in closer as he walked inside a type of bar. People of all different races and genders were drawn in their own spots. Twi-Leks, humans, Gamorians, you name it. But quite a number of eyes wandered towards the presence in the blood red robe. But his concern was finding anyone with a job for him. One that would fit his purposes. What better to start with the bartender.
He strode up to the bar and was stopped by a rather bulky looking person. Zygerian. This reminded him of a slaver they dealt with at one point. Anakin didn't like that.
"You lost pal?" he asked Anakin.
"My business here does not concern you," he told the man, who tried to grab the front of Anakin's robe. Repeat, tried. Anakin stopped his hand from moving without even moving his hand. Then his eyes moved to meet the Zygerian's. Then the man felt his throat close off.
"It's funny. You remind me of a slaver I met once," Anakin said with a grin. The invisible grip on the man's throat only grew tighter as he felt cold, relentless metal on it with a pair of cold blue eyes locked on him. "He was scum. He deserved to die. I get that same feeling from you too."
The Zygerian's words came out in chokes; his eyes were wide and bulging and his arms twitched as Anakin forced him to his knees. Then he pushed him to the floor before putting a firm boot on his chest before summoning his blaster to his hands.
"Excellent toy you have here," Anakin said idly, taking the blaster apart in less than five seconds. "Put it back together again."
Then he removed his boot before sitting at the bar and removing his hood, looking at the bartender with a serious look. The man who ran the bar nearly jumped in surprise once he got a more clear look at his face.
"You're..." Anakin raised a hand to silence him. After he nearly choked that Zygerian to death, he was not going to talk back to this guy. Plus, leaving the Jedi meant he had no morals. Meaning he would kill him. That was all he needed to know.
"Me. Who I am is unimportant to you. I need information. Information that I can only get from a shit-stained place like this," Anakin said, looking around the bar in distaste. The bartender wanted to be more offended, but terror of what he would do to him overrode that.
"Whatever you need," the bartender said quickly, making Anakin smile. His smile wasn't a warm one reserved for people he cared about. It was a pleased one that looked slightly eerie. That was it.
"The bounty hunting career sort of interests me. When I'm hunting the right people," Anakin said.
"Separatists," the bartender said.
"Correct. Or jobs that involve street scum like you. Do you... know of any jobs like that?" Anakin asked in a slow tone that unnerved the bartender.
"It's rare to find people who'll pay top dollar to assassinate people who represent the Separatists. People don't have that much of a death wish. But as for 'street scum' as you put it..." the bartender was cut off by Anakin idly punching one of the random onlookers who tried to see if he could pickpocket him. Not only could Anakin sense him, he could smell him. Idiot.
"Continue," Anakin said as if nothing happened.
"Anyway, on Coruscant or beyond?" the bartender asked.
"Doesn't matter the where. As long as the pay compensates for how far I have to travel and how troublesome the mission. Make sure they know I have a partner. They pay her what they pay me," Anakin told him firmly.
"But what makes you think they'll..." Anakin swiftly moved from his place where another person tried to stab him where he was sitting, but Anakin drew his lightsaber and liberated the man of a hand before decapitating him within the same second. His body crumbled like a boneless animal. Everyone in the bar looked at Anakin and seemed amazed by his lightsaber. That and the fact that it was black.
Anakin looked around to see if there were any other people who dared to attack him. There weren't. So he spun his saber in a stylish circle before deactivating it.
"Now, what makes them think that they'll want to come to me?" Anakin asked rhetorically before pointing at the remains of the man's body. "That. I don't care what you say. How often can you hire two Force users to assassinate a target for you?"
"That would definitely sell them. I'll keep my ears open for more, but this may interest you," the bartender said, writing a number down on a piece of paper. "This is the number he wishes for anyone he hires to call him at. But if there are two of you, you'll need to make a name for yourselves."
"Making a name for ourselves creates attention. Attention we don't want," Anakin told him.
"But if you keep taking jobs like this, people will start to know who you are. Regardless of whether you create a name. You may as well make a name," the bartender said. Anakin pondered it slightly. He did have a point. People focusing on a name rather than a description was better for preventing people from finding out who they really were. Seperatist or Republic.
"You may call me and my partner..." Anakin grabbed the piece of paper before standing to his feet. "The Shadows of the Force. We reside in the light and dark." That was a suffient name for them. Vague, and suffiently awesome.
Then he took his leave. People wathced him as he left and drew his hood. But not before taking the cell off the unconscious pickpocketer so he could make this call. The bartender looked down at the dead drunkard and sighed before shaking his head.
"Anyone got a mop?" he asked.