Disclaimer: I do not own any of Star Wars, the right of ownership of Star Wars belong to Lucasfilm and I guess Disney too. The only thing I own is the characters you do not notice and the plot.
Year: 10 BBY
Chapter 21: How it Happened
Jedi Master Mark Alan Zane is sitting in the Halls of Healing within the Jedi Temple. He got word that he may speak with Barriss Offee. Since he does not know that much about the young Jedi Knight, he decides to let Rachelle to come along. Besides Barriss help healing him during the Clone Wars and since then, that is just about it that he knows. What he does know about her is that she is a great Jedi Healer.
She is in a condition to talk, but sometimes Mark has to use the Force to sharpen his hearing up to hear her weak, soft voice. It seems like that fight at the 500 Republica have taken a lot out of her.
Barriss was laying on a hospital bed. Rachelle was sitting at the foot of the bed as Mark was sitting in the chair facing them. He has a Holorecording device on as he was talking to her about the event.
"He used me. During the battle at Aeten 2, he tricked me into believing that some of the Jedi that were with us have betray us and have me fight them and also along with the Clone Troopers. When senses… came to… me, I stop and demand why he lied to me. Master Hett then uses the Force to cloud me. He did this couple of times to get information." say Barriss as she looks at Mark.
"What type of information?" ask Mark. "He wanted to know about your whereabouts were. He forced me to tell him all I know about you being in the 500 Republica, the night when he let those people in. I had this feeling he might have been helping Darth Vader that night so to protect you and everyone else I try to stop him. Master Zane, you have to believe me, I did not want any part of this. I was tricked and force to do those things." say Barriss as she looks at Mark.
The thing that puzzled Mark was how she knew about his whereabouts that night. Only he, Rachelle, and a selected few of the High Council know where he was. Rachelle was there with him, and the only reason why he let the High Council knows where he was so they could get in contract with him much easier. All those he mentions he would trust with his life, so how in the Force have Barriss knows his location.
Mark notice Rachelle looks a bit nervous at this. His eyes look at her. Her blue eyes was avoiding his a bit. He thinks he might have figure out how Barriss have known of his location that night. Still he has to ask, just to make sure.
"How did you know about my whereabouts that night? Only a very selected few that I have trusted would have known of my location that night." say Mark. Barriss looks at Rachelle. She feels like she will be betraying her friend. She knows of the relationship between Rachelle and Mark.
"Rachelle told me, just in case if I need any help getting over the stress of this who investigation. I know I have nothing to be worry about, but I was scared that I would be found guilty of something that I was not exactly aware of me doing. Master Hett was in charge of me during that mission on Aeten 2. I was just doing as I was ordered." say Barriss.
Mark sensed that Rachelle is worry how he would take this news. She has gave information out that could have harmed him and his family to a suspected traitor. Mark will talk to her about that later.
For the next hour, Mark asked Barriss some more questions regarding her involvement with the events. With the answers he have gotten from her, it proves that she was unwilling involve with the events, so in Mark eyes she will be clear of any charges. At the end of the hour, Mark turns off the Holorecording device and walks out of the room while Rachelle stays there to talk with Barriss for a few minutes.
With this evidence in his hands, they can finally bring A'Sharad in. The problem is that neither Mace Windu nor Yoda is on the planet to call for a serious High Council meeting. It is not often when both the Grand Master of the Order and the Master of the Order is off the planet at the same time. The next meeting is not going to be the evening of the day that is 2 days way from now.
Mace had to leave due to the fact that Bail Organa is having a meeting with someone on Alderaan. The person that Bail is meeting is within the government of a planet that aligns itself with the Empire. Mace is there to protect Bail Organa just in case if the meeting will go wrong.
Mark is not worry about Alderaan leaving the Galactic Republic. Mark knows by now, as long as Bail Organa is the Senator of that sector and Breha Organa is the queen of that planet then the planet will remain within the Galactic Republic. In the case if the Galactic Republic falls to the Empire, he would know that Alderaan would try to protect the ways of the Galactic Republic by either publicly or secretly fighting against the Empire.
On his way to the central Security Station, Mark was found Rachelle was following him. He turns around and looks at her. He senses that she is upset a bit. "Rachelle, it is not your fault. Yes, you could have her contact you in a different way, like by giving her your Comlink number so you can talk." say Mark lightly as he walks near her.
"It my fault, I put your mother, my sister, in danger and everyone else in the building base upon my stupidity." say Rachelle lowly as she feels bad. "I am not going to lie, yes you put mother in danger and everyone else too, but that is not your fault. How would you know that A'Sharad would gain that information from her like he did? You were trying to help a friend out. Plus, with the troubling times that the galaxy is in, the chances of death is much greater. Do not beat yourself over it, I got something to do." say Mark lightly as he hugs Rachelle.
He then lightly kisses her on the lips where she only kisses him back a little bit. She still felt bad about what happen. In her eyes, it is her fault that she put not only so many people in danger but also Amelia Zane.
Mark walks into the room that all the security for the Jedi Temple exist. There is where all the monitoring does. Everything thing in the temple is being monitor besides the restrooms, changing rooms and private quarters. Mark looks over and see bunch of Holograms of footage from the security cameras all over the temple. A little droid was standing there looking at it. The droid is a SP-4 Analysis Droid.
"Master Zane, what are you doing here?" ask the droid as Mark steps into the room. The droid was watching the holograms of the security cameras, to alert the Temple Security for any trouble that might be brewing. Mark looks down at the little droid who did not take it eyes of the various of holograms that is rested in front of it.
"I want you to alert me anything that you see is strange or weird being committed by Jedi Master A'Sharad Hett. You have my number for my Comlink. If he leaves the building, planning something dangerous, or acting strange contact me right away." say Mark. The droid nods and Mark walks out of the room and finds Rachelle leaning against the wall.
Rachelle decided that it might be best that she does not know the entire plan that Mark had set, because A'Sharad Hett might used her to find out the plan. Even without knowing the whole plan, she will still be willing to help Mark out. It would not be the first time she tries help him with plan without knowing the whole plan. In 20 BBY to 19 BBY, she did not know that much about the plan to get rid of Palpatine, until it was closer to the end.
Also there is another reason for this, she does not feel like she deserve to hold such information after how her actions almost cost the lives of not only a lot of Galactic Senators but also Amelia Zane, who acted like nothing but a mother for her, just like her first mentor, Celestia Aluna. Then her own sister that she did not know she had until her mission on Corellia back in 14 BBY. Since that meeting Lillian Hunter have been nothing but a loving sister and look how easy she put her in danger.
"You're okay?" ask Mark with a slight of concern. Rachelle looks down a bit at this. She knows it is pointless for her to feel upset, Mark told her that he was not upset or angry with her. Yet, she feel like she deserves that type of anger, but she does not deserves any type of anger. It was a simple mistake that lead to a big problem. Anyone could made a mistake like that.
Mark sighs as he pinches his nose a bit. "Rachelle, we been through this, none of it was you fault. It not like you came right up to A'Sharad and told him where we will be." say Mark. "I matter as well." mumble Rachelle.
Mark did not need the Force to know that Rachelle feels guilty about all the destruction that had happen. Still he does not see how it could have been avoided, even if this was an attack on him, it would not be too hard for A'Sharad to realizes that Mark spends a lot of time in either Padme or Amelia's apartments. It would not be hard for him to hazard a guess that if Mark is still on the planet but not in the Jedi Temple at night, he is most likely at the 500 Republica.
He told Rachelle this, but it was as if he was talking to someone who is deaf and cannot read lips. Rachelle had his back when he felt down, he will have her back. Mark remembers how he felt bad about his brush with the Dark Side when he told her about his mission to Corellia, because he almost killed his father out of anger and hatred, which letting his actions fueled by them could lead him down the Dark Side. She even had his back all the times when he was physically hurt.
As much as he wants to help her, the best thing to do is to let her come to terms with it a bit on her own. Right now, she is not in the state of mind to listen to sense. "Come on Rachelle, let's head to the dining hall for something to eat, you seem to not be in the mood to want to cook." say Mark lightly as he puts his right arm around her shoulders and walk down to where the dining hall is.
During the supper, Mark notices that Rachelle is being even quieter than usually. Normally when they eat, they talk to each other. The hurt that is coming from Rachelle eyes were plain to see from anyone. Even Ahsoka who was walking over to join them, notice them and Mark look. With that, Ahsoka walks away knowing that her friend is in hurt and by Mark's look; she could tell that Rachelle wants to be alone.
Mark senses through the Force that A'Sharad was walking over to him. Mark keeps his eyes on him as he walks toward the table. The look in A'Sharad eyes remind him how Palpatine looks at him before the fated duel that ended Palpatine's life.
"Zane, I demand to know how come Ahsoka Tano is not in a cell. I have gotten word that it was her who betrayed the Jedi Order." say A'Sharad, he knows that Mark is in charge of the ongoing investigation.
Mark rubs his fingertip along the ring of his cup, trying to hide the smile from his face. With all he have found out, it somewhat silly how A'Sharad. Mark notice Rachelle was about to snap at him. Besides the High Council, Rachelle and Mark, only they know which of the suspects have been cleared of charges.
"I demand an answer Zane, as a member of the Jedi Order, I have the right to know why something is not being done that will harm me or anybody else within these walls." say A'Sharad. Mark stands up to face the slightly taller A'Sharad Hett. "Who are you to go around and demand anything from me? I have the right to withhold any information from anyone if it will prove that if that said information might cause more trouble for the investigation. I do not have to explain anything of the investigation to a suspect of that said investigation. Trust me, Hett, I know who it is and I am awaiting a Council Meeting. As far as I see it, if you are not the traitor you have nothing to worry about. Now I am asking you to leave me be, so I can enjoy my meal in what sense of peace that I can obtain these days." say Mark before sitting back down and turning away from A'Sharad.
"You and your stupid superiority complex. There you go again walking everyone. Rachelle, if I were you, I would get away from him as soon as possible, because he might drag you down with him." say A'Sharad with the last part soft as he looks at Rachelle. The upset look from Rachelle turns into an anger one. Mark saws Rachelle is clamping the fork she was using to eat in a tight fist, so tight that the knuckles on her hands were become pale white.
"HOW DARE YOU!" roar Rachelle as she launches at A'Sharad Hett. Mark knows he would not be able to prevent by getting up. He closes his eyes and put his leg in her way, which made her tripped. Hopefully Rachelle will be able to see his reason for this or he might be in for a long night.
Rachelle stumbling and falls down to her knees. "If I were you Rachelle, I will choose my friends wisely. You in love with a wannabe Jedi Master, friends to suspects and traitors, if I do not know any better I bet you were also someone behind those attacks." say A'Sharad before walking away. Rachelle glares at him as she punches the floor. She then stands up and glares at Mark. "Why you trip me?" demanded Rachelle forcefully.
Mark looks into the eyes of Rachelle and she is very angry. "You need to calm down. I trip you for the reason that I did not want you do something that either you will regret doing or fall to the Dark Side while doing it. I have sensed your emotions and I was afraid that those emotions will influence your acts." say Mark.
Rachelle sighs and just walks off to their quarters. Mark finishes his meal and was about to head back to his quarters, when he was stop by a concern Ahsoka. "Master Zane, what is wrong with Rachelle? I sensed through the Force that something is disturbing her." say Ahsoka.
A long sigh escape from his lips as he looks at one of Rachelle's friends, who happens to be the former Padawan of his best friend, Anakin Skywalker. Mark decides it is best to tell her, because he knows Ahsoka will stress herself out trying to find what is wrong with Rachelle. So, as he sits there, he told Ahsoka all about how they talk to Barriss Offee and find out that the traitor had used her to gain information about his location at the 500 Republica and the reason why Barriss knows this was due to the fact that she was told by Rachelle. Then he told her how Rachelle seems to be very upset at the thought of putting all those lives in danger, including Amelia and Lillian.
After that, he went got up from his seat and head to the quarters he shares with Rachelle. He walks into his bedroom as he was taking off his robe and tank top and notice that Rachelle was not even in bed. He opens himself up to the Force and senses that Rachelle is laying in her bed crying. Mark walks out of his room, steps near the door to her bedroom, and presses his hand against the pad to open up. There was a beep and the door remains down. Rachelle must have locked him out.
With a low sigh, Mark walks back into his room to lay down. As he was laying down, he took off his Comlink from his wrist and tossed it on the nightstand where his alarm clock was. He feels so bad at how Rachelle has been feeling since hearing the news about how it was her words that got the 500 Republica in trouble. Mark knows she was not aware that what she said to Barriss could have been used in that way.
Mark roll around to lay down. It feels so strange to be in his bed, with Rachelle not that far away but not within the same bed. He punches his pillow in frustration as he wished he help Rachelle with her suffering, but she is not in the state for anyone to help her, so any attempts will most likely do more harm than benefits.
Okay, I know I am late posting this story. This week has been a bit hectic for me. First of I have been experiencing some internet problems that it says Limited on it and would not used the internet. Also I watch movies when that happen so it took away some time with me.
Basically this chapter is does a few things. First of all, if you haven't figure it out yet, you now know that the Jedi Traitor is A'Sharad Hett. It act more like, what I would called a boiling chapter, it sets up for a confrontation that is bound to happen. That does not mean that confrontation will happen in the next chapter. Also I figure to show a side of Rachelle that I haven't put in the series.
The reason why Rachelle did not feel upset about her telling Barriss about the where they were, was because she never thought that the traitor will gather the information. So she feels guilty, because if she haven't told Barriss the location, she figures that the attack on the 500 Republica would never happen.
For those who think that it seems like A'Sharad Hett has it in with Mark, I tended it to be like that.
Until next time, enjoy!