~Obi-wan's POV~
"This is an interesting development," Master Fisto said slowly. Obi-wan nodded. The other holo-graphic Jedi masters all stared at Lux Bonteri thoughtfully. "He genuinely intends to marry her?" Master Windu wondered. Lux nodded.
Obi-wan sighed, and how in the universe was he supposed to tell that to Anakin? Or, worse, to Padme?
Force, he thought. Padme and Anakin together? Why in the universe must I be tasked these unpleasant responsibilities? He wondered miserably.
"What can we do to help her?" he asked, instead of asking the questions inside of his mind. Lux shook his head. "Right now? Nothing much. She won't turn to the Dark Side, trust me. She's already gotten beaten for making it clear to him. She's…. relatively safe," he said.
Obi-wan sighed; worry pricking at him, relatively safe? That did not sound so reassuring to him, and it would by no means reassure the others either.
"Use this to our advantage, we can," Yoda contemplated. The other masters looked at him. "Master?" Adi asked. "A perfect position, young Tano is in, to spy on the Sith. Retrieve her now, we cannot. However, use her information we might be able too. Closer to the Sith; she has become. A pawn in Sidious's game, so suspect her they will not," he pointed out.
"Master, do you really think that is wise?" Obi-wan spoke up; wondering what in the universe Yoda could be thinking using an eighteen- year- old battered girl as a spy. Then again, this was Ahsoka they were talking about.
"Ahsoka is undoubtedly surrounded by the Dark Side's influence. Moreover, she is being tempted by her torture and… Whatever else he might be doing to her," his stomach lurched with both disgust and anger at the thought. Sith were cruel, he had learned that the hard way after Jabiim.
"Should we put more pressure on her?" He asked. "She is just a child, a padawan," he pointed out. There was a disturbed silence. "I think it will do her good," Lux said slowly. Obi-wan cocked an eyebrow.
He was a brave child, if he was speaking out amongst the Jedi council. Most others would not have dared. Obi-wan failed to see why Anakin did not like this boy. He was very much like him. "She needs something to keep her mind off of where she is," he told them. Obi-wan nodded, he imagined she did.
"It's decided then," Mace said with a nod. "Mr. Bonteri, you will tell Ahsoka that she is to be our personal Jedi spy on Courascant," he ordered. Lux nodded. "Yes, general," he agreed.
Obi-wan sighed, worried, how would Ahsoka handle all of the added pressure? She was like a little sister to him, despite the fact that she was Anakin's apprentice. Anakin, He thought. How in the universe am I supposed to tell Anakin?
Anakin was not happy. Neither was Padme. Nava was scowling and Intrepid had long shut her face off to the world. "A Sith wants to marry Ahsoka," Padme groaned.
"What's wrong with him? You know what this is, don't you? Its Sidious's sick, twisted way of getting at me!" Anakin, who was currently pacing growled.
And he wants to make sure we don't have both ends of the Nexus Route, Obi-wan thought, but did not say out-loud. It probably would not help in Anakin's increasing anger.
"Calm down, Ani," Nava advised. Anakin did no such thing. "Calm down? Calm down? My Apprentice is being basically… Sold away as a slave to a Sith; and you want me to calm down?" he demanded. "Yes," Nava said, perfectly calm. Anakin's shoulder sank with incredulousness.
Obi-wan sighed, he could understand Anakin's anger, he had once been a slave himself, after all. And the thought of Ahsoka even being such a thing made Obi-wan's stomach clench in knots, so he had no clue what it could be doing to Anakin. Nevertheless, being angry was not going to help his apprentice. He should know that.
"The council officially decided to make her into a spy?" Intrepid asked, breaking the silence. "Ahsoka can handle it, of course, but isn't it a bit too dangerous?" She asked.
"Ahsoka should not provoke Sidious. Trying to get at Anakin, or controlling Starkiller or not, he still will not hesitate to kill her if she presents a threat," Nava pointed out. Obi-wan shrugged.
"It might help to keep her mind off of where she is," he offered. There was a dead silence for a minute.
The truth sank in. Ahsoka was on Courascant, surrounded by Sith. Their family was missing a member. For a moment, the pain this thought caused hung in the air like a venomous gas.
"Did Bonteri at least say she's alright? Not bleeding or dying?" Anakin asked at last, calmer now. Obi-wan turned to him with sympathy; he understood what it was like to be worried for one's padawan along those lines.
"No, Anakin, according to Lux she's fine," He told him. "Knowing Lux," Padme sighed, her chin in her hand. "Ahsoka probably told him that and he passed on the word to keep us calm," she said. "I wish he'd just tell us the truth," Intrepid groaned.
"Almost every night I dream of what she might be going through," Nava put a hand on her shoulder. "Me too, padawan," she agreed sadly.
Obi-wan wanted to put his arms around Nava, to make her smile again. She did not deserve to frown; frowning was for people who were unhappy. She should never be unhappy. She didn't deserve it.
Obi-wan hated that with the line of work they had, she had to be unhappy a good most of the time. They all did, and none of them deserved it.
Anakin let out a sigh and sank into the seat next to Padme, which was so like Anakin; to be infuriated one moment and desolate and silent the next.
The anger in his heart disintegrating like eroding dust and then flaring up again like boiling magma. So unpredictable, and with his power? That was what the council had always feared him for.
Padme gently ran a hand through his hair, stroking his neck and shoulders. "I miss her," she said softly, looking out at the dark night beyond the window, straight at the landing yards.
The lights from landing and taking off ships lit the night frequently, despite being three miles away. She looked so solemn. Anakin nodded. The rest of them stayed silent, but the words hung heavily in the air. They all did.
Ahsoka, he thought. Be careful; be safe. We need you here.