Title: Deception
Description: Back from a mission to infiltrate the Black Sun crime syndicate Siri Tachi learns of Master Obi-Wan Kenobi's death at the hand of assassin Rako Hardeen – but something doesn't feel right. (set during The Clone Wars animated series episode 4.15 entitled Deception)
Author's Note: I know that Siri Tachi isn't canon anymore, but I thought it would be fun to fit her into some of the stories in the animated series Star Wars, Clone Wars. I do believe in the actual legends timeline by this point in the Clone Wars Siri was technically dead, but since she is no longer canon I decided who cares!
I haven't written fanfiction in over 10 years so I'm a little rusty (and learning all the new sites, tags and tricks) so please keep that in mind and if I forget something please let me know.
Narrator: A terrorist threat! Moralo Eval, mastermind of a Separatist plot to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine, has been captured by Republic forces. But even with the criminal behind bars, rumors swirl in the underworld of Coruscant that Moralo's plot has already been set in motion... With precious time running out, the Jedi Council hatches their own plot to keep the Chancellor safe.
*Chapter 1
The pain was excruciating, and the sensation of the shifting of bones within her face was one of the most painful yet oddest sensations Siri Tachi had ever experienced, and sadly this was not the first facial transformation she had sat through and probably wouldn't be her last. Once the pain subsided she glanced at her reflection in the chrome medical tray beside her, it had been a grueling couple of weeks looking like a Falleen noblewoman in order to infiltrate the crime syndicate group the Black Sun and she was happy to have her true appearance back. Her hair however, would take longer to go back to normal as it had been shaved on the sides up to a small mohawk then the remaining blonde locks had been pulled back into a traditional ponytail of the Falleen, not the weirdest haircut she had ever been forced to wear while undercover, but it was up there.
As she stood up from the exam table she noticed the medical droids hurrying to prepare the facial transformation system for another patient, this surprised her since the other Jedi Sentinels who were typically assigned to go so deep undercover that it required facial transformations were already out in the field. She wondered who it was being prepped for, and secretly hoped it wasn't her.
As she walked down the halls of the Jedi Temple, she noticed that it was eerily quiet, Siri took note on how few Jedi were roaming the halls, most were occupied by the war, not returning home for months at a time. This meant that keeping traditions and social interactions between the Force users were at an all-time low. In fact, it had been over six months since she had spent more than a couple of hours in the presence of another Jedi.
Siri wasn't typically called to the front lines therefore unlike most of her peers she did not have the opportunities for battlefield comradery, instead she fought the war by crossing enemy lines alone and bringing important intel to the war effort. Her latest was to infiltrate the Black Sun to discover if the crime family was aligning themselves with the Separatist cause or if they were truly neutral to the war.
She inhaled deeply as she walked down the familiar halls, enjoying the sights and smells of the temple, she also relished the comfort of the soft fabric of her Jedi tunic, embracing the fact that she could once again dress for comfort and mobility rather than form fitting dresses to impress sleazy crime lords. She couldn't wait to get back to her quarters so she could remove her restrictive boots, but otherwise she felt a sense of calm wash over her while putting on her Jedi attire. She allowed herself to live in the moment, she was home and she wasn't sure for how long so she would enjoy it while it lasted.
As she rounded the corner towards the central turbo lift which would take her up to the High Council Chamber she bumped literally into an old friend. He reached out to steady her, placing two hands on her shoulders.
"We really have to stop meeting like this my dear." A uniquely accented voice broke the silence, complete with its signature playful tone. "People may start to talk."
Siri, who had caught her balance immediately, played along and allowed him to steady her. "And we wouldn't want that." She teased him back, trailing a finger over the armor protecting his forearms.
"Hey you," Obi-Wan Kenobi smiled and bowed his head to her, letting her back up to her feet.
She smiled at him warmly and returned their special greeting. "Hey you."
He looked her up and down. "I simply love what you've done with your hair."
Siri fended laughter and flipped her ponytail at him. "Mark my words by this time next year all the ladies in the Senate will be wearing their hair this way."
He folded his arms across his chest. "Oh, I have no doubt, you have always been quite the trend setter."
With that she winked and moved towards the turbo lift. "I have to give my mission report to the Council," she turned and looked back at him. "Aren't you on the Council now, or was that just a joke they played on all of us?"
He began to stroke his beard as he looked at her. "Oh no I'm afraid I am indeed on the Council, which means the jokes on me." He shifted his weight and placed his hands behind his back, Siri could sense he was nervous about something. "Sadly, I won't be there for your briefing, I have to find Anakin and his Apprentice straight away." He avoided her gaze. "For an emergency session with the Council."
"I forgot; you have a Grand-Padawan now." She teased, hoping to help settle his nerves.
Obi-wan smiled, "yes, it appears that way, when ever did we get so old?"
She nodded, noticing the wrinkles around his eyes that now appeared when he smiled, and the white hair growing at his temples. "Well, you don't look a day over your knighting ceremony."
Obi-Wan chuckled. "I do hope you're a better liar than that if we have you working undercover Master Tachi."
She noticed an odd faraway look in his eyes for just the briefest of moments, she instinctively placed a hand on his arm. "Obi-Wan, you wanna talk about it?"
It irked him that after all these years and distance she could still read him like a book. He met her gaze and where there was once concern, she now saw nothing but resolve. "You mustn't keep the Council waiting, I hear they are an unreasonable bunch."
She nodded and entered the turbo lift. "Yes, especially Master Kenobi, he really is the worst."
As the doors closed, she could hear her friend chuckling.
"You don't believe the Black Sun has aligned themselves with the Separatists?" Plo Koon asked, his voice raspy through his respirator.
"Not that I was able to detect Master, they truly do seem to be remaining neutral." Siri confirmed as she stood in the center of the Jedi Council chamber. "I believe their only interest in the Clone War is the fact that they have more freedom now than ever before. They know our focus is on the battle and that we're stretched thin, so they are definitely using that to their advantage."
"Do you see them as an immediate threat Master Tachi?" Mace Windu asked bluntly, leaning back in his chair.
Siri glanced around the room, it didn't seem to matter how old she was, she always felt like an inexperienced youngling when addressing the Council. "Not to our efforts in the war per say, but if we continue to leave the crime families unchecked it could be impossible to reign them in once we aren't so distracted, their power and reach is growing rapidly. We are just lucky they spend most of their time fighting amongst themselves."
"A point Master Tachi has," Yoda chimed in "perhaps we should…"
The diminutive Jedi Master was cut off by the frantic beeping on the emergency com channel. The Masters all looked at one another as the holographic image of Ahsoka Tano appeared before them. Siri noticed the tears brimming in the Padawan's eyes.
"Little 'Soka, is everything alright?" Plo Koon asked.
"Masters, I am on my way back to the temple with Master Skywalker…there was a sniper here on Coruscant." Her voice cracked as she spoke. "Master Kenobi is down; I repeat Master Kenobi is down."
Mace looked intently at the apprentice. "We will dispatch a medical team at once to meet you at the temple gates"
Ahsoka shook her head. "That won't be necessary…Master Obi-Wan is dead."