Thanks, everyone... Keep up the guesses of who T.B. is!
And don't worry. This chapter, and the next few, will be a lot more lighter than the ones recently before.
Tandin's POV
I twisted a knob on my wrist comlink. "Sir." Came a familiar voice.
"Tack Bernard... I have another secret assignment for you."
"This late at night?!"
I sighed, "Crime never sleeps... Gather some probes, and set them on high security to spy on any suspicious activity so that not even the other droids would find them and send their coordinates and frequency to my wrist gauntlet. And keep it subtle, Tack. I don't want to have anyone hounding us down."
But the lieutenant did nothing of the sorts, his face gripe with disbelief. "You mean to involve me in treason?"
I tried my best not to glare. "It isn't treason if I am doing this for the greater security of Iziz. The King has already written a proclamation-"
"I know." He interrupted
"May I continue," I concealed from glaring that time, "His Majesty wishes to heighten his grip on this city to confound the terrorists..., with any luck so far." I muttered the last part under my breath. Looking back at the expression on his face again, I continued to assure him. " This warrantless act will do nothing to hinder his control nor would it go against him in any way."
Tack still shook his head in disagreement. "Other than prove that his Militia is deceitful..."
It was turn to sigh, "Lieutenant..., yo-you don't have to agree with this. All I ask for is a favor. You're my technology wiz... D-do you still wish to follow through with these orders or not."
His mouth squelched slightly but remained firm. "If this is for the greater security of the innocent, I will go to any paths to succeed with such..."
My large walrus-mustache hid a lot of my tanned face, but it all truths I was beaming from ear to ear. "Then you once again have my thanks."
I turned off the comlink in order to go back into the shady shadows of the nighttime hallway, lit with nothing more than a full moon... Tandin, you're raven of an opportunist. Why can't you ever have a conversation with that poor man without forcing him to do something for you. *Sigh* Like how Rash treats me...
But I didn't know how to start-up the probes. And I had to ask this to someone. He was the only one who fit the bill.
But can't you be a little considerate once in a while. The man is in quite a fix...
So am I, Minnie... So am I...
Ahsoka's POV
I woke up with the sun in my eyes and with what felt like a rock on my shoulder... Looking to my right I found the blaster-mark still etched into my shoulder... 'Eh, no blood. Barely of any concern.' I tried to piece together pieces of last night, but the last thing I remembered from the assault was a pain in my neck before passing out... Or was that just me.
But the shot was nothing compared to the boulder on my other shoulder. Looking to my left, I saw Lux placing his head next to mine, wrapping his arms around my body as if I were a large 'teddy bear', containing an etched smile on his face. But I wasn't so annoyed as I expected myself to be. No..., I kind of liked the feeling of his weight distributed on top of me. Like a cloud hugging a the top of a mountain, it felt almost natural to have him rest there. Like a little brother resting under a tree-, well, the exception is that he sees me a whole lot different from a sibling... He, he loves me (or so he says)... And whether I got frustrated about that in the past or not, now it felt much different. I was away from the Jedi's eyes, like on Raxus. Master Skywalker informed me that he had a spying network that told him that I was on Raxus, when I first met Lux; but I still wondered if it was only him who knew about my illegal absence.
Does he still have 'eyes and ears' here? But even if he does, he proven that he accepts Lux... I looked at the position we both were in, immovable because he was hugging me in a sleeping tightness... So, I sighed and brushed some hair out of his face, my touch only making him inhale deeply and only once, before staying in a steady slumber once more.
Looking to my left side, I noticed that his hands were... Well, I was almost sitting on them. And when I began to stretch, I felt a slight papery tingle within my... my... my cleavage?! Reaching in (and out), I found that there was a folded up note in, um, there...
LUX, YOU LOUT! You think this is funny, don't you!?
I glared at him, despite knowing that he not looking upon me, and grudgingly opened the paper, expecting it to be a love note of some kind... Instead, it was a proclamation from the monarch the rebels were planning on overthrowing.
His Majesty's
ROYAL PROCLAMATION
for the preservation of the
Security of Onderon and the Peace Within Iziz
Whereas We have taken into Our Royal Consideration the sanctity and wellbeing of Our loving subjects during times uncertain, and have in the interests of Onderon, our native land, allied our world united through the Treaty of Iziz to carry forth the banner of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.
Whereas the sanctity of life within the walls of mighty cities like Iziz was fundamental to the founding of our great civilization, and these ramparts form the basis of our morals, our peace, and our continued prosperity.
We therefore recognize the threats within Iziz are the acts of terrorists determined to upend our very way of life that has provided and nurtured us and our children through millennia. By striking at the heart of our city, these terrorists strike at Our loving subjects with the ferocity and savagery of the jungle beasts the walls were built to repulse.
We ask you to remain vigilant. Report suspicious activities to the security droid legions tasked to guard our way of life. Cooperate with security patrols and keep your identification records current and ready to present.
Together We shall preserve Iziz for the future.
Onderon prevails.
Your King, His Royal Majesty, King Sanjay Rash
Well, that was quite an odd message for someone to put in my- Then I saw another note, this time written, with black ink.
'To be read in moonlight'
A peculiar instruction. I turned over the parchment to see that it must have already been opened at that time, because there were words outlined there. Extremely hard to read since it was snow-white text written on a faded tan paper, forcing me to squint in order to see what was to be read.
Dear Friend,
Yes, I know where you are tonight. Just to cure your caution, your secret love with the Jedi is safe with me. I know you share feelings with the Togruta, I understand... You wish you have a family again and the only way you can picture that is to start a family with her... That is unnecessary. I have been keeping information from you for far too long! The truth is, despite losing both your father and mother, you, my Friend, still have a family. I will not say any more, but to ease your sense of attachment, your family still walks about the grounds of Onderon, as well as walk the grounds within your heart. Know yourself, and continue your dutiful mission here in Iziz. I have faith in you, my Friend.
Sincerely,
T.B.
T.B.?! Who's T.B.?! It was the initials of a name, of course, but I couldn't think of anyone with those initials, even if it was that of a nickname. Not one... I mean, it had to be someone close to Lux if the message was so obviously sent to him... I suppose that I could easily wait for him to wake up... It looked half past noon, so chances are that it will be soon...
Soon... Soon... Yeah, soon... soon... Alright, time for a wake up call!
I levitated him in the air, still sleeping swell, but I kept a humorous expression for what I planned on doing next... I was going to drop him on the mattress face first to wake him, but not in a way that would be crude like on the hard floor... But the childish idea still had a level of prankishness, whether it was crude or not...
But the idea was quickly faltered when the door shot open like a pop-gun, with Lando racing feverishly through the door... and making me lose my focus. "Say, Commander, me and Saw were wondering now that- You see I have a bacta tank that can help clean that messed up shoulder of your's, or whatever venom that went into your-"
He stopped upon seeing us; or rather the scene I was in. When Lando opened the door, I (for a second) lost my focus... But that was enough time for Lux to plop down at a ramming speed, quickly waking him from his easy-going sleep... A plan I had all along, except he landed on top of my resting form... Our lips met.
"Well, good morning you two." Lando chuckled. "Ahsoka, my princess, it seemed you made a rather marvelous recovery."
Lux was too shocked at the sudden wake-up to say anything back at him. Nor did I expect him to want to. When I tried to push him off to end the intimate embrace, Lux stopped me by wrapping a hand around my back montral to deepen the 'smooshy' kiss. And my body seemed to have betrayed my thoughts for my eyes started to slither to a close...
"Okay, okay, people! As much as I enjoy watching this, I have a message to deliver." I couldn't tell if he was sarcastic or not, but I didn't care much.
As soon as I deepened the kiss for one last second (I did that for him, right?), I answered back, still having Lux lay on top of me. "Alright, bring him in." I imagined that it was going to be Steela who would configure from the imagecaster, but instead it was... my Master! My heart dropped to my stomach and my stomach dropped to my legs that were starting to feel like jelly at the sudden confrontation.
"Ahsoka. Wh-what's going on?" His voice sounded like a cross between a scowl and a taunt. I immediately pushed Lux off me and shooed him out of the room (with some effort).
"Oh, uh, um, nothing, of course, Master... I- we- there was... Nothing happened, okay!" I nervously convulsed and contrived.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to press matters..." He spoke softly, "I have someone who wishes to see you."
And before I could ask away as to who, a familiar Mirialan came on screen. "Barriss!" I shouted in happiness to see my best friend.
"Ahsoka, I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, but-"
"No, I'm just glad to talk with you again. It's been too long!"
She shook her head in a polite mannerism, "You're still as outspoken as you were on Geonosis."
I shrugged in mild arrogance with myself. "Some things never change."
Her face grew slightly pale, and after a moment she said, "I heard about last night."
"What!?"
"With the assassin and the power generator... Don't worry, only me and Master Skywalker knows about this."
"Who told you?"
Then there came comical frown. "The one who's holding me." I glanced to see Lando was indeed still holding the imagecaster... Honestly I have nothing against him, but why does he have to be such a kid!? How come he didn't bother to tell me who was calling before connecting the line with Anakin and Barriss!
"I see." Was all I could say for I began to grind my teeth. I grabbed the imagecaster from Lando's hands and hastily motioned him to leave the room. He did so without complaint.
"Are you alright?" Barriss questioned with sincere empathy.
"I'm not dying, Barriss. I will be A-OK, okay?"
"Okay, okay," She got annoyed with my straightaway tone of voice, "that's the only good news I need to hear."
I fiddled with my lekku before asking the next question I was dying to ask. "Barriss, can you do me a favor?"
My Master Skywalker stayed motionless as we were trading remarks. "Anything, Ahsoka, anything!"
"You sure! Do you have any patients to heal-"
"THEY CAN WAIT!" She shrilled with a sudden undignified shout, very unlike her. I remembered how being a healer disturbs her point of view with the war, and I was quick to cool her down.
"I know it's frustrating to see them suffer, Barriss, but hang in there."
"It's not that. You are much more important to me. The star system you are serving to help gain is of strict importance to the Jedi and the Republic that shall guarantee a quicker victory in this horrible war...! Of course I'll help you!"
I shrugged at her flattery and pressed on with my conundrum, "Ca-can you go on the Archives' database and search up anything you can think of about the assassin that attacked me last night?"
"But... but that's too vague! Where do I start?" As much as I wanted to give an answer, I had nothing.
"I don't know. But please, as a friend, help me..." I begged. I trusted Barriss as much as any Jedi in the Council. As much as my Master, in fact!
"I... I'll see what I can do... But don't expect any quick finds..."
"I won't be expecting any of that... All I want is some back-up information while I do some digging on location here... After Ventress, I can only assume that this may be Dooku's new assassin." I muttered for most of that sentence.
"What makes you think this is Dooku's acolyte?" Barriss raised an eyebrow, while her voice cracked at the same time.
This conversation went from being a simple discussion to a full-on debate. "From what my memory serves, the person was cloaked... and had a lightsaber."
"Lightsabers could be fake." True... I remember one time, years ago, when we planned on capturing Dooku by using Anakin as bait to sneak aboard his ship and purposefully get caught. It appears that Dooku is learning from his enemies, explaining the possibility that the lightsaber wielded by the assassin might have been a fake... But either way, he or she was a formidable foe.
"I'm afraid that's all I know. Find what you can, Barriss..."
She gave a curt nod, "Best friends."
She made a fist in one hand before bowing. I did the same, accustomed to her methods of 'hello' or 'goodbye' "Best friends." I muttered as well. I knew she was an expert in the Archive studies. And she was a healer, so that makes her adept in medicine... She was the perfect investigator for me (as well as the most convenient at the time), which made me assured that she will not fail.
She turned to leave, but looped back to face me before doing so. "Oh, and to leave on a light note, I have special news... I'm a Knight!"
From the dark disturbance of talking about a person that was trying to torture me, the swift change of conversation to her promotion didn't hit me as it should have.
"Oh, well, that's great news, Barriss..." I remarked, rather backhandedly.
"Isn't it! I finished my last Trial a month ago, so it's official: I don't have to visit the dreadful forests of Drongar ever again... I heard that the Council might even give you a Trial."
"Now, Barriss!" My Master interceded.
"Really!?" I said at the exact same time as my Master spoke. I couldn't believe that the Council would pit a Trial on me already, with only two years as a padawan learner.
"Barriss Offee, can I talk with my apprentice in private?" I could tell that Master was trying to shoo the conversation away from where it is now.
"I understand. I'll be seeing you soon, Ahsoka." And with one finalizing curtsy, Barriss walked out of the hologram's screen.
It was just me and my Master left. "That was a close one." He said gravely.
I didn't want him to worry for me again (like how he treated me after being kidnapped by Trandoshan hunters on Wasskah) so I tried to ease his burden. "Don't worry, Master. I'm fine. Please don't regret giving me a mission of my own."
He looked into my eyes a bit, conflicted of almost losing me without his ability to take matters into his own hands. "Then I guess there is nothing more for me to say..." I was only glad he understood my partake of this. "But if you ever need my help, regardless of the politics, just know that I will do anything it takes to help you and your mission on Onderon with the click of a call."
I gave him a reassuring nod, "I will keep that in mind."
The message flickered and died, leaving me to simply stand alone, away from prying eyes, in the wadding troubles of burden.
'Am I ready for the Trials? I can hardly deal with my feelings for Lux and his own feelings for me.' He loves me! It felt good knowing that... So how can the Jedi treat that as an evil!?
Mystery, mystery... Got to keep it that way to make stuff suspenseful without misery. (Yeah, I intended that to rhyme!)
Oh, and PLEASE read my other story that I recently finished, The Last Memories of Gregor... :) It would mean a lot for me.
Please review your thoughts about this chapter!
