Chapter 36
It had been a day since the destruction of the Separatist base on Nelvaan. After returning the surviving test subjects to their village, Ahsoka and the others left the planet for the Star Destroyer at the edge of the system. Padme had informed the Destroyer, named the Allegiance, of what was going on and it had come to the edge of the system to provide support if needed. The Imperator-class warship had just been assigned to Ahsoka's command and was on its way to Coruscant to pick up her troops after rolling off the line at Kuat. While Ahsoka had been happy to receive such a ship, showing that she was indeed valued, she was not happy about who had been assigned as captain. Kendal Ozzel was the last person she would have chosen as her captain. She hadn't met him yet but what she had heard of him did not inspire confidence in him. Plo Koon had talked about how he had ignored a perfectly valid plan on the part of Plo and Kit Fisto during the Battle of Khorm for no discernable reason, getting Commander Wolfe's left eye destroyed and almost costing Republic forces the battle. They also reported that he had disregarded the wellbeing of clone troopers, considering them expendable. Admiral Yularen, who had studied alongside Ozzel, said that he had only graduated because of family connections and did not think women had any right to be on the battlefield. After hearing everything about him, she planned to remove him from his position as the captain.
"This is General Ahsoka Tano, requesting permission to land," she said over the comm channel. "Transmitting clearance code now."
"Code accepted," said the flight controller. "Welcome aboard the Allegiance, sir." Ahsoka guided the ship in and landed in the shuttle bay. She then helped Echo off the yacht to the medical bay. After leaving him with the medical droid, she walked outside to head to the bridge. She was surprised that Padme was just outside.
"Padme, I don't need you to hold my hand here, I can handle Ozzel, you can leave if you want," Ahsoka said.
"Before I could take off again, the doors sealed and we made the jump to hyperspace," Padme responded.
"Then come along as I ask Ozzel why he jumped to hyperspace without orders," Ahsoka said, annoyed that Ozzel had not even waited for her order.
"Don't be too hard on him," Padme said. "How is Echo doing?"
"He is going in for examination now," Ahsoka said as they walked to the bridge. Eventually, at the corner to the door to the bridge was an officer looking away. Through her montrals, she heard what sounded like mumbling about how she had wasted her time looking out for a single soldier.
"Captain Ozzel?" Ahsoka asked somewhat aggressively. The man turned around and looked at her.
"General Tano, I didn't see you there," said the mustached officer. "I didn't know Senator Amidala was coming."
"You took off into hyperspace before she exited," said Ahsoka, coming rather close to the five foot eight inch man, who she was three inches taller than. "Why did you not wait for my order? And where is your salute?"
"Sorry, sir," said Ozzel, bringing a somewhat relaxed salute up. Ahsoka could sense that this man had dismissed her as a little girl who he could ignore as he pleased, so she was going to show him who was in control. "I just figured that, with the Senator heading to Coruscant as well, she could leave the ship when we exited hyperspace. Unless, she wanted to attempt to negotiate with the Separatists?" Unlike his attitude towards Ahsoka, he didn't even try to hide his dismissal of Padme.
"I am done trying to negotiate with them," Padme said, ignoring his barb towards her. "The worst of the Separatists are in charge, the ones open to peace are powerless."
"Well, at least you will no longer be disappointed by their endless betrayals," said Ozzel. "Is there anything else, General?"
"Yes, write a letter of transfer, get off my ship as soon as we get to Coruscant," Ahsoka ordered. This shocked Padme, Ozzel, and the bridge crew as well. They had been expecting a reprimand but to relieve a captain for such a minor mistake was rather surprising.
"Are you retarded?" Ahsoka asked as she lifted Ozzel off his feet when she grabbed his uniform. "Write a transfer letter and then get off my ship." She then dropped him back down.
"Sir, if you are angry about me not waiting for your order, I can give you my word as an officer that I won't do so again," said the captain.
"Are you deaf as well as stupid?" Ahsoka demanded. "Go to your cabin, collect your shit, then write a transfer letter off my ship." Ozzel seemed to get the message that time, leaving the bridge rather humiliated in front of the crew.
"Was that necessary?" asked Padme. "Yeah, he was a bit of a jerk but you didn't need to fire him."
"I was going to remove him regardless of how he acted," Ahsoka said. "Let someone else put up with him, because I won't."
"That is a little harsh," Padme said. "You haven't even given him an opportunity to prove himself. I suggest you give him the opportunity to command in battle, he might be the sort of person you want commanding your ship."
"Do you think I haven't put any thought into this?" asked Ahsoka, somewhat annoyed. "I want him off my ship and that is final."
"You are in command, so if you want him removed, I guess you can remove him," said Padme, somewhat disappointed Ahsoka had rejected her advice.
"Commander," Ahsoka said to the nearest officer, a Lieutenant Commander.
"Yes, sir?" said the man, ten years older than Ahsoka but still rather afraid of antagonizing her.
"I am going to my quarters," she said. "If there is any trouble, inform me."
"Understood, sir," said the man. Ahsoka then walked off the bridge.
"What is your name, Commander?" Padme asked.
"Needa, Senator," he answered.
"Don't be nervous," said Padme. "Ahsoka has had a rather stressful day, I am sure she will be more reasonable after a good night's sleep."
"If you say so," he said. "I have heard nothing but good things about the captain. If she gives him the chance, I am sure she will have no problem with him."
Coruscant, one day later…
After arriving on Coruscant and delegating the landing of the Allegiance to Lieutenant Commander Needa, Ahsoka hitched a ride down to the planet with Padme. Instead of landing at her private landing pad, Padme landed at the Executive Building itself. After touching down, Ahsoka and Padme walked out, where they were greeted by several senators.
"It is nice to see you again, young Tano," said Bail Organa.
"I am a Jedi Knight now," Ahsoka retorted. "You will call me Master or General."
"I am sure that Bail didn't mean anything by it, Ahsoka," Padme interjected.
"I am sorry if I offended you, Master Tano," Bail apologized.
"Just don't call me that again and I won't be offended," said Ahsoka. "When is the next bus for the Temple district arriving?"
"In two minutes," said Mon Mothma. "Padme, if you will follow us, I have an idea to open negotiations with the Separatists." Ahsoka rolled her eyes upon hearing that. From what Anakin had told her, Mothma was a barely functional retard who stubbornly tried to hurt the war effort in the hopes of making negotiations with the Separatists necessary, even though they had repeatedly shown how untrustworthy they were.
"I am done trying to negotiate with the Separatists, Mon," Padme said. "The ones willing to meet us are powerless, the rest are barbarians who should be caged like the criminals they are." Ahsoka smiled, it was about time that Padme showed she was smarter than the idiots she worked with in the senate. Before Mothma could continue, Padme walked away, towards where Ahsoka sensed Anakin's presence. Ahsoka smirked at the knowledge two of her best friends would be able to spend time together as she headed for the speeder bus. Before she boarded, however, she bumped into someone she herself was pleased to see.
"Ahsoka?" Lux Bonteri said rather surprised.
"Hi Lux," she said to her friend. "I just got back from dismantling another Separatist war crime factory."
"That is great to hear," he said. "You look great, by the way."
"Thanks, Lux," Ahsoka said as her stripes darkened. "You are looking rather good yourself." After the Onderon operation, Lux had kept up with the training administered to him and the other rebels. He had clearly benefitted from it.
"Well, I figured I should impress you after you took off after that interrogation session," he said.
"You are lucky you have," she smirked. "I am going to the Jedi Temple for debriefing. After that, I would like to go on that date I promised you."
"My pleasure," he smiled back. "I'll see you then." She then surprised him by kissing him on the cheek before getting on the speeder bus.
Jedi Temple, forty five minutes later…
After arriving at the Jedi Temple, Ahsoka went to the Jedi Council chamber to tell them what had happened on Nelvaan.
"So, it was another of Durd's war crimes projects," said Obi-Wan, having seen Durd's bioweapon project on Lanteeb and read the report of his activities on Maridun. Apart from herself and Anakin, he had the most experience with Durd. "How are the natives doing?"
"They are all free of Separatist control, master, but they are still seven and a half feet tall, three times as big as the average Nelvaan male, and missing their right arms," said Ahsoka. "Padme wanted to request aid for them but it will take some time to get the necessary healthcare for them."
"Perhaps provide aid ourselves, we could," said Yoda. "Look for volunteer healers, we will."
"I am sure that we can find volunteers," said Obi-Wan. "Unfortunately, from the way Ahsoka described it, they will likely need biologists, conventional doctors, and advanced medical equipment to treat them effectively. With the war on, that could prove difficult."
"Perhaps Tryn Netzl will help, as he did with the last of Durd's projects," said Kit Fisto. "Speaking of which, Ahsoka, what happened to Durd?"
"He tried to flee again, so I destroyed his ship before it could take off," Ahsoka lied, as she didn't want to hear an endless lecture criticizing summary punishment. "He and all the Skakoan scientists were killed in the explosion."
"I suppose it is best that he didn't escape," said Plo Koon. "There is only one more matter."
"Echo is recuperating just fine and he will soon receive a prosthetic arm to replace the one he lost," said Ahsoka.
"That is good but not what I was referring to," clarified the Kel Dor. "I have just received a message from Admiral Nils Tenant. He wants to know why you have relieved Captain Ozzel from duty without so much as a battle."
"You made it pretty clear in your description of him that he was an incompetent officer, Master Plo," said Ahsoka. She didn't mention that he only received credit for the victory that promoted him because of Plo's excess modesty. "That is not the sort of person I would entrust with my ship or army."
"I suppose that I didn't paint a very good picture of him when I talked about the Battle of Khorm," Plo answered. "Still, that was a ground battle and Ozzel was a naval officer, so he was likely out of his depth."
"I heard he only graduated because of family connections," Ahsoka answered.
"Admiral Tenant is right outside, so you should talk to him about this," said Plo. Nils Tenant was an officer who had little, if any, combat experience outside of some anti pirate missions early in his career and was promoted to rear admiral when he showed up with a Star Destroyer that ended a battle that had already been won. It figured he would stick up for another officer unworthy of his position. "I suggest you at least hear him out before you have Ozzel transferred." Ahsoka walked out of the council chamber, seeing Tenant at the end of the hall.
"You must be young Tano," said Tenant. "I assume that your masters have told you why-"
"It is General," Ahsoka cut him off, reminding the Rear Admiral she technically outranked him. She had no patience for people who didn't respect her. "I have nothing to say to you. I want Ozzel off my ship immediately."
"You haven't even heard what I am going to say," Tenant said.
"I don't need to, I made up my mind and I have probably seen more action in the last year than you have your whole career," Ahsoka said. "I don't need the input of Ozzel or you, admiral. Now process the paperwork for his transfer, it is all you are good at anyway."
"I was here to tell you that Captain Ozzel was the chancellor's personal recommendation for your captain and that he asked you give Ozzel a chance as your captain," said the admiral, clearly angry at how her flagrant disrespect for him.
"And you will tell Palpatine I appreciate his input but Ozzel is a worthless officer unfit to command a scout ship," she retorted. "If he wants to keep idiots like you and Ozzel around, fine, that is his prerogative. I, however, will not put up with him. And where is your salute, Tenant? Should I have you detained for your disrespect?"
"No, sir," Tenant said, saluting after realizing the reality of the situation. "Is there anything else you need, sir?"
"Only for you to stay out of my way," Ahsoka said. She then walked past him, heading for the landing pad. It was time for her and Lux to officially become more than just friends.
Imagine Lux being as muscular and athletic as Mako from LOK, since I have already made Ahsoka into a Jedi Korra. I haven't read Tarkin, so sorry if I got Tenant wrong. I also figured it was time for Padme to grow a brain regarding the failure of diplomacy. Needa is a young officer who doesn't know Ozzel very well, only that he has Palpatine's favor. Also, in Legends, he was close to Ozzel for whatever reason by the time of EMPIRE. I named the Star Destroyer Allegiance in reference to the novel. If you think that Ahsoka is acting a bit out of character, she is only hostile towards those who she thinks don't respect her and she has been under a bit of stress recently. I made a few references to the Gambit duology, if you can spot them. My friend 1-1 Marines will be writing a Luxsoka smutfic that will take place immediately after this.