Chapter 20

The Duel

CORUSCANT

Jedi Temple

Leo was standing in front of the Jedi Council alone without his Master, Anakin or Ahsoka, the city was shaded in darkness with the only light coming from sky taxis and the city's skyline outside. The interior light spotlighted both the jedi giving the Masters a sense of mystery as they sat there with judging eyes as Leo looked at the floor after he had finished his report.

"So you claim that while you and the other Padawans were attacked by these worms, you were able to communicate with what you thought was the Geonosian Queen?" Mace Windu asked him.

Leo looked up when Windu said 'thought' as if Leo had lied to them "No Master, I did speak with her or at least the memory the worms had of her." Leo restated.

"Well, as Skywalker is not here to defend you I'm afraid I must cast doubt on your word considering Padawan Offee reported no visions of seeing the Queen." Leo's eyes got wide as Windu spoke and gestured to a hologram Master Unduli sitting across from them. Of the Jedi masters not present for the meeting being substituted as holograms were Plo Koon, Kit Fitso and Ki-Adi Mundi and among the Council only one seat was empty.

Leo gapped "I… can't vouch for Barriss' experience." Leo said.

"And yet you claim you let the brain worm enter your mind freely after Barriss was freed from it?" Obi-Wan inquired, Leo nodded at him "Yes Master."

"Curious, if I had been allowed to study it perhaps the mind control effects work differently with a willing host, what did the Queen say?" Obi-Wan asked.

Leo took a second to gather his thoughts "Its hard to describe masters, there was so much anger, pain, fear… she believed the Republic and Jedi abandoned her people and had to turn to Count Dooku so Geonosis would be strong."

"That we killed her children- I killed her children." Leo said avoiding looking at the Masters outright.

The twelve greatest Jedi of their age all looked at one another "The tragedy of war that is Padawan Rock." Yoda said from his chair. .

"Thank you we do for your report, rest and recover here till Master Krell returns." Leo felt as if there were more questions that the Masters wanted to ask but bowed respectively and walked to the elevator and left them.

"Master Yoda why did you dismiss him?" Windu asked.

Yoda turned his pointy eared head "Difficult war is to a Jedi, harder still on one so young."

"While I do agree he and the Padawans have faced much there is something he and Pong are hiding from us?" Luminara said to the whole Council.

"Hiding something, whatever could you mean?" Obi-Wan asked as Fitso spoke up "When he awoke at the medical station, the padawan was bereft at what had happened on Geonosis, I fear to say I felt the dark side of the force at that moment." Kit said causing every Jedi Master in the room to get deathly silence.

Windu leaned back in his chair "I concur, the dark side of the force seems drawn to Leo Rock like a moth to flame and he to it."

"Forgive me Master Windu but are you accusing the Padawan of dabbling in Sith teachings?" Plo Koon asked from his own seat furthest away from Windu along with his point of view it seemed.

"Only that we must watch him and his master, carefully many of us remember Pong in his younger years, his desire for conflict and a war seems to have stated that appetite." Windu said accusingly.

A long pause filled the room till Plo Koon spoke "Master Kenobi, when Padawan Rock was with you and Skywalker was there ever a time he was left alone, unsupervised?"

"Only one, when the Blue Shadow Virus was almost released on Naboo, why do you ask?" Obi-Wan answered.

"It is clear that Count Dooku and his Acolytes have taken an interest in the padawans, especially Padawan Rock to a certain degree and considering the boys heritage his turn from the Republic would greatly increase the Separatist's-" "That is a closed matter, one that is only coincidence." Windu suddenly snapped.

Plo Koon abated the interruption "Even so, I fear your dismissal of his claims will only lead to a mistrust of the Council." Koon said tapping his claws together.

"Trust is something earned not given." Windu replied.

Later, afte Leo left the council chamber he came out into the large hallway near the tower walking head hung low.

Among the Jedi in the hallway were Anakin and Ahsoka, speaking to Barriss no less when the three of them saw him, Ahsoka pointed it out to Anakin. "Leo got a sec?" Anakin asked him.

Leo turned before walking up this and standing at attention "Yes, General Skywalker?" He said coldly.

"At ease Leo, we just wanted to see how it goes?" Anakin asked him, Leo gave Barris a glare before he turned his head back to Anakin and replied "I'm to stay here until my Master returns."

"Looks like we're lol grounded again." Ahsoka said between them "You were grounded no me." Anakin said before he started to leave "Until then Padawans focus on your studies yadayada blah blah Jedi Master stuff." Anakin said before he left the three of them alone, his antics actually brought a smile to Leo's face before he remembered how harshly he'd spoken to Anakin on the medical station.

Barriss watched him go "He's a rather peculiar Jedi isn't he?"

"At least he doesn't lie." Leo blurted out before he started to walk off "And what's that supposed to mean?" Barriss asked, following him insulted, Ahsoka followed, rolling her eyes "oh brother."

"You claimed you weren't able to see the Queen like I was, how, we're both Jedi, both padawans, so you lied." Leo accused him of stopping before turning around to look up at Barris who was almost a foot taller than him.

She glared down at him and his accusation "Lied, why would I lie to the Jedi Council, I've nothing to hide." Barriss scoffed.

"Then how could you not see the Geonosian Queen, it was like she was standing right in front of me when I saw her?" Leo asked.

"Because there was nothing, the creatures were parasites, nothing more." Barriss tried to argue "Perhaps your Master was right to send you away from the frontlines, you may have been hallucinating when you were struggling against mind control, right Ahsoka?" she asked, making both of them look at the torgurtan in the background.

Ahsoka raised her hands "Oh please don't drag me into this."

"But you said it yourself, Leo was going berserk when the worm was in his head." Barriss said pointing at the boy.

Leo shot his glare at Ahsoka "Leo I-" she didn't get a chance to finish her excuse when they noticed three jedi masters running down the hallway.

"What's going on?" Ahsoka asked, glad to have a distraction.

The padawans followed the Masters into one of the transmission rooms it was filled with Masters, Knights and Padawans alike as all of them were looking at a holotable with a red hologram of General Grievous holding a Zarbark Jedi in his clutches everyone could recognize it as Eeth Koth "Greeting Jedi." Grievous taunted.

"It seemed once again one of your orders has lost his way." the cyborg said as Leo followed Barris and Ahsoka down the stairs into the room. "And even better a leading member of your Jedi Council."

Grievous pulled him up by his hair "Listen here Jedi, I do not care about your politics, I do not care about your Republic, I only live to see you die." he barked throwing Koth to the floor and having one of his bodyguard droids coming up with a shock staff stabbing at Koth in the back. The surge made the jedi master scream in agony, two of the younger younglings couldn't bear to watch. Ahsoka instinctively pulled them close shielding their eyes from the torture, Leodidn't look away he looked right at Grievous.

"But death will not come so easily for Master Koth, I will make him suffer endlessly because I know it is more painful for you all HAHAHAHA-" Grievous cut the transmission just as his mechanical lungs started to give way. The Masters all began to speak in a crowded murmur before Yoda looked back at the younglings.

"Away with the younglings." Yoda ordered, all of them started to pile out of the room with Master Tinn escorting them out Leo had taken his eyes off the hologram and was the last padawan in the room.

Windu noticed the boy's reluctance to leave "Padawan, Master Yoda told you to leave, do you have a problem with that?" Windu asked.

Leo raised his eyes and saw the Masters looking at him "No, I'm just wondering what could make a man like Grievous hate us so much?"

"He's more machine than man now." Kenobi said arms crossed, Leo gave a slight bow "Masters."

Leo walked up the stairs and when he came out he saw Ahsoka was trying to comfort the two young padawans. "It's okay, it's okay they'll rescue Master Koth." She said when she saw him, she nudged her head sideways trying to get him to come over and help but he just walked away.

After Leo stormed off he made his way to one of the temple gardens on the roof of the temple, Leo was laying on one of the garden benches looking up at the tree softly dancing in the wind, Leo had his hands behind his head thinking on something when he closed his eyes.

In an instant he saw the Geonosian warriors swarming over him trying to claw his eyes out

He opened them shooting up to see Ahsoka and smashed his forehead right into her "Ah Rust what the heck?" Ahsoka said holding her forehead as Leo held his "Ahsoka- ah what are you doing?"

"I came to check on you… don't know why?" She said rubbing her forehead as he sat up.

Leo clicked his tongue "Why do you always feel the need to check on me?" He asked "Well you didn't come down to the hanger to see Master Skywalker and Kenobi."

Leo's head twisted toward her "What they already left?"

"Yeah, you were asleep when I came up." She said.

Leo gaped at her when he realized the vision of the geonosians was a dream, more of a nightmare really as he thought on it. In an exasperated over the top sigh Ahsoka sprawled out on the bench leaning up on him "Oh no, I see it now woe is us the Jedi the Hero of Ryloth and Point Rain has gotten lazy, woe to the Republic these are…. Dark Times." She gasped throwing her arm on her head to pretend to faint. Leo did his best to hide her smile before he broke into a laugh, Ahsoka giggled two before Leo leaned back making Ahsoka fall right into his lap looking up at him. The two padawans felt the wind wrap around them, Ahsoka glanced up from his face into the sky no speeders or sky cabs were in Jedi Air Space and the blue sky of Coruscant was above with a few birds singing in the air.

"So what do you think will happen after?" Ahsoka asked him.

Anakin cocked his head looking back down "After?"

"After the wars are over, what do you think will happen Barriss and I talked about it before… you know?" Ahsoka said.

"To what?" He asked again dodging an answer, Ahsoka crossed her arms like Anakin bucking out her lower lip "Everything, the clones, the Republic, us?"

Leo didn't answer her for a while "I don't know, I guess we'll still be Jedi maybe?"

"Maybe?" Ahsoka asked him, still resting her head on his pants lap.

"Well of course we'll still be jedi- but I really don't think about it, this war has just been everything, I mean can we really call it a war." Leo asked her "Of course it's a war?" Ahsoka said, sitting up holding up her hands to show her visible confusion.

"But we're using artificial soldiers, all the wars in galactic history nothing like this has ever happened on such a scale, you remember the stories about the Mandalorian Wars, when the Sith Empire returned the Republic had a real army made up of every worlds races and Jedi were there too." Leo said leaning on his knees looking away from her.

Rolling her eyes Ahsoka leaned over "I'll remember not to tell Rex you said that."

"What I mean is those soldiers chose to be soldiers, Rex and the clones they never had a choice but I choose to fight this war to the end." Leo said sitting up to meet her gaze.

Scratching her chin "Hmmm well when you think about it, neither did we when we became Jedi. I don't even remember Shili, what about you?"

"What about me?" Leo asked her "Do you remember anything before being a jedi?" She asked.

Leo thought about it for a moment "No."

"What about if we could be something else?" She asked him,

Leo cocked a brow knowing she just wanted to tell him hers "Something else?" He asked.

"Yeah, if you didn't want to be a jedi what would you like to do with your life?" She asked him.

Leo leaned back on the bench "I don't know, what about you?"

Ahsoka got up standing on the bench scratching her chin while holding her elbow "Need some inspiration Rusty, no problem I think I'd be a great explorer, my own ship, go where nobody's ever been?" She said standing hands on her hips, cocksure of herself.

Leo looked up at her in awe, jaw open in a smile "Can I be your first mate?" He asked.

"Nah I think I'd like my own Astro droid like Artoo?" Ahsoka said sitting back down leaning back on the bench, "Alright your turn and you can't take mine?" She said pointing at him.

The boy got up, hands on his hips pacing , smiling before it disappeared "I… still don't know?"

"You don't know?" She asked, giving him a curious glance, he shook his head reaching for his lightsaber, squeezing it "Come on you must have thought about it?" Ahsoka asked him but no response came, he just stood there in the wind looking at the garden floor in silence before he cocked his head slightly getting an idea and his lip curled up a bit.

"Ah I see a smile, what is it?" She asked.

Leo crossed his arms "No you'll laugh."

"I swear on my honor as a Jedi I won't laugh." Ahsoka said, holding her hand over her chest.

Leo gave in to her promise of respect "I'd like to be-" "Padawans!"

The two of them looked up to see Master Windu standing at the entrance, Ahsoka got to her feet and stood up straight "Master Windu." She said bowing politely. Leo didn't greet him but bowed like her after she rose.

"What are you two doing out here, shouldn't you be focusing on your studies." Windu ordered crossing his arms as he walked up to them.

Ahsoka cocked her head sheepishly "Riiiiiight, our studies?"

"Well go then?" Windu told him.

The two of them walked out of the garden and when Leo knew they were out of earshot he grumbled "Never lets up."

"Master Windus stern but he's… oh who am I kidding he can be a real jerk sometime." She said agreeing with him.

Later, Leo and Ahsoka were sitting in a large auditorium with Jedi Master Plo Koon standing under a hologram. There were other Padawans in the room and younglings yet to be chosen by masters listening, down a few rows sitting between a twi'lek Padawan and weequay was Barriss who looked over at Leo and Ahsoka smiling at her, but frowning at him. Down below Master Plo continued the lecture Turing the holotable to show three Republic Cruisers and a Separatist fleet on opposite sides of an asteroid belt.

"Who can tell me the most effective strategy when engaging an enemy fleet when the field of vision is obstructed and you are evenly matched?" Plo asked the crowd.

A few hands went up and Plo pointed at Barriss "Padawan Offee?"

"Speed is paramount Master, gaining the high ground like in a ground battle the fleet commander would have to secure a position above the asteroid belt to protect the bow of their ship or underneath to protect the stop." She answered.

Plo Koon nodded "Thank you Barriss now onto the next scenario." Plo Koon said as the hologram changed to show republic forces surrounded on all sides.

"The enemy has cut off your escape, you and your fellow Jedi have been surrounded by an army of droids and the enemy commander is coming to face you himself?"

Ahsoka raised her hand "Are we alone or do we have friends with us?" She asked.

Leo and Barriss exchanged glances "As Jedi were never alone."

"Then we signal for an extraction and try to hold out till you can be rescued." Ahsoka said.

"A possible strategy, one that requires us to have hope in the face of certain doom." Plo Koon said before he started to fiddle with the holotable.

"Now for something slightly more complicated…" the hologram shifted to show a massive fleet of unusual make, the ships were mostly freighters and heavy frigates, that outnumbered three larger Republic cruisers.

Plo Koon looked up at the padawans "The sector you serve is in crisis, pirates have been raiding supply lines and selling off food and medicine to other sectors for cheaper prices, what is the most appropriate course of action and remember these Pirates are organized, confident and have been successful they will not give up their prize easily?"

On the entrance to the chamber, Windu was watching the class unfold next to Master Yoda.

Barriss raised her hand "Offee?" Plo asked her.

"If they are pirates they would scatter when facing a full organized force." Barriss said "A flawless answer, but incorrect." Plo said, making Barriss gap as everyone giggled at the trick.

"As the pirates are not formally military they would use unorthodox methods…" the freighters and frigates engaged the Republic ships, the freighters flew circles around the Republic fleet annihilating them. "Emboldened by the victory the pirates recruit smugglers, assassins and mercenaries to their cause while still raiding the supply lines, soon they seize control of a lightly defended but heavily defensible world to use as a base of operations, what do you do?" The Master asked the padawans, nobody answered as the situation became more complex.

Leo then raised his hand "Yes Padawan Rock?"

"I don't have an answer, Master, just a question." Leo said from above everyone looking at him "Yes?"

"If the supplies are too highly priced wouldn't it make sense to lower the price, they'd lose their value and the pirates their ability to sell them?" Leo asked him.

"These are battle scenarios not economics now do you have a strategy." Plo said as everyone snickered Leo looked down at Plo, the laughing and giggling only stung more when Leo saw Barriss snickering.

He curled his hand into a fist on his knee that Ahsoka noticed, Leo took one look at the world the pirates had taken then back at Plo "The enemy is chosen to dig into their position, they think nobody will attack them in their own fortress we destroy their fortress." Leo answered, up above them Yoda and Windu exchanged glances.

"Elaborate if you will?" Plo asked him curious.

Leo didn't answer at first before he rose to his feet "... destroy the planet and kill them all."

Everyone's smiles and giggles stopped after he spoke "Why such a brutal method, as Jedi we value life and we must always justify the use of force?" Plo Koon asked.

"You said diplomacy wasn't an option, we couldn't change the economics either if those options don't exist then overwhelming force is the only course of action Master." Leo said to him.

"And the fallout of this decision wiping out an entire world, what if there are innocent people on the planet?" Plo asked him.

Leo looked over his shoulder then looking directly at Windu "Acceptable losses."

"Class dismissed." Plo Koon said, turning off the hologram.

All the students began to leave the room and exited out into the hallways, Leo and Ahsoka walked out together "Alright what was that I know you'd never do anything like that not even Skyguy and he's crazier than us both?"

"I just wanted to get out of the room." Leo said shaking his head scratching his forehead "The situation didn't even have a chance to resolve it peacefully."

"Maybe you weren't looking hard enough?" Ahsoka said making Leo nod his head to the side "Your probably right as alway-" "Padawan Rock." Windu said behind them with Plo Koon and Yoda behind him.

Leo groaned "not-again."

Though Windu had only called Leo both Ahsoka and he turned around as Windu and the other masters walked up "Your answer just then raises concerns." Windu told him.

Leo looked up at Windu and Plo then down at Master Yoda, "Master Plo said what would be the best course of action, so I answered."

"Yes the best, which is not the most effective. You fail to grasp the concept of the scenario." Windu told him.

"Why am I not surprised." Leo grumbled rolling his eyes "Have something to say Padawan" Windu asked him sternly.

Leo stopped rolling his eyes and let them come to a glare "Leo don't." Ahsoka whispered to him.

"What is your problem?" Leo asked Windu rather loudly, passing Jedi and then leaving Padawan's stopped to listen "My problem?" Windu asked calmly.

"Yeah you clearly have a problem with me for some reason, I train, I fight, I obey just as good as any other jedi but for some reason you keep signaling me out so what is it?" Leo demanded.

Windu's eyes hardened "You forget yourself Padawan." Windu said down to him his tone shifting to a harsher one.

Leo looked away for a moment putting his hand on his lightsaber before he raised his head and took a step forward only inches from Windu as he looked up and said "Why don't you remind me or can I go Master?"

Windu looked around at the small crowd around them then back at Leo "As Master Krell isn't here to instruct you, I'm more than happy to oblige a lesson with respect and humility. You will meet me at the training ground after dusk for a lesson you won't forget."

"As you wish, Master." Leo said still looking up at him both of them looked at each other with menacing glares "Is that all Master?" Leo asked him.

"Dusk Padawan don't forget." Windu said before he turned around and walked through Plo and Yoda, both shaking their heads as the small crowd instantly started to murmur and speak at what they just turned around to and briskly passed through the small sea of padawans who got out of his way and Ahsoka had to fight her way through to catch up to him. She only did when Leo made his way back to the Padawan dormitory to his own room when he walked in Leo smashed his fist into the nearest wall "Raaaaahh!"

After he punched the wall both Barris and Ahsoka walked in "That could have gone better?" Ahsoka said.

"Better, better he wants me to fail, he wants me to get angry at him. I'm tired of all this?" Leo snapped at her "Tired, tired of what the Masters only want to help us?" Ahsoka asked him.

"Ahsoka they've been you and General Skywalker a million times and now they keep treating me like I'm some sort of criminal." He growled.

"Leo you talked back to a Master, Master Windu no less?" Barriss pointed out "What are you doing here?" Leo snapped.

Barriss and even Ahsoka were a bit surprised at his tone even worse when he was speaking to Master Windu "You challenged a Jedi Master to a duel?"

"Oh so now you care?" Leo said waving her off "Just because I didn't see the hallucination of an insect brood mother doesn't mean I want to see you make a mistake." Barriss said trying to reason with him, Leo held his anger back for when he fought Windu pacing away to the nearby window looking out at the city of Coruscant.

"I don't care, I'm going to fight him." Leo said, behind him Ahsoka slapped her forehead "Leo I usually trust you in a fight, but this is Master Windu you can't beat him." Ahsoka said as Leo looked at his own reflection.

He stared at himself in the hollow reflection "Leo are you listening to me."

Leo didn't say anything he just stared at himself in the reflection, "Come on Ashoka if he wants to do this let him." Barriss said, taking her hand trying to pull her out of the room.

She slipped out of her grip and walked up to Leo "Why are you doing this?" Ahsoka asked him.

Finally he turned around to look at her then at Barriss and her, "Please leave." He said coldly to her.

Ahsoka looked into Leo's eyes as if she was looking at a completely different person, slowly but surely she turned around and left the room unsure what to make of Leo's actions. "I'm sorry Ahsoka but some people can't be reached." Barriss said.

Dusk came after the sunset of Coruscant, and when it did also the return of the Jedi Strike team to rescue Master Koth. Ahsoka and Plo Koon were waiting for them as the ship pulled into the hanger. Both Anakin and Adi Gali were helping Master Koth down from the ship "Welcome back Master Koth, it's good to see you alive." Plo said as a medical team was waiting to take him.

"The praise goes to Skywalker and Gali for my rescue, but we failed to capture General Grievous in the process." Koth said as he limped to the medical team.

"His escape pods crashed down on Selucami, Master Kenobi stayed behind to hunt him down, Snips we should get going to help stop any chance of a Separatist relief effort." Anakin said down to her, Ahsoka and Plo Koon exchanged glances "About that Master there's something you should know about Leo."

Anakin gave her a puzzled look "Can't be any bad then loosing General Grievous?"

Ahsoka gave a weak smile "Weeeeeeeeellll….."

"HE WHAT!?" Anakin screamed before all four of the jedi ran to the jedi training grounds outside the temple's roof. The night sky was filled with brisk wind and Anakin, Adi, Plo and Ahsoka weren't the only Jedi on the roof. At the center of the training ground Leo and Mace were facing each other ten feet apart, surrounding the training ground on the upper part of the grounds were other jedi, Masters, Knights and Padawans alike, Barriss and Selene were among them. At the four corners of the training ground stood Jedi Sentinels as Cin Drallig was walking out in between them.

"This is insane, where's Master Yoda?" Anakin asked before he saw Master Yoda standing among other Jedi Masters watching "He's okay with this?"

Plo Koon scratched his mask "Not entirely, but Master Yoda understands the respect of Padawans and Masters is a sacred part of our order."

"Speaking of Masters where in the galaxy is Pong?" Anakin asked him "Enroute now but he'll not arrive soon enough." Pong said as Cin came into the middle.

Cin Drallig waited till the murmuring crowd had stopped talking "For the official archive and the witnesses here, this is a sanctioned duel between Master Mace Windu and Padawan Leo Rock, the winner will be determined by yield or if the other is unable to continue." Cin said holding up one arm with a closed fingered but open palm to show the sign of forfeit "As our tradition, duels of the nature require lightsaber intensity to be turned down." Both Windu and Leo took out their lightsabers and twisted the intensity knob but didn't turn them on.

Cin turned around and walked to the edge of the training ground raised his arm and chopped it down "Begin!"

Windu unsheathed his purple lightsaber taking a aimed stance pointing his lightsaber at the boy, Leo turned his lightsaber on to take a high guard. Neither of them made the first move, Windu then took a step to the left and Leo went right, when Windu moved his blade high, Leo went low trying to mirror the Master before it happened. Leo kicked off faster then anything any of the padawans had seen he moved so fast Leo didn't even have time to raise his guard he only dodged as Leo swung at the air beside his face. Instead of getting a chance to recover, Leo felt Windu kick Leo straight in the gut knocking him to the ground. On his back Leo saw the purple lightsaber coming straight for him before he rolled out of the way and back on to his feet. Master Windu had no second thought of attacking again, striking hard and fast on Leo's lightsaber defense. The sparks of purple on white flashed brightly against the night sky as the jedi watched the duel with Windu clearly the superior swordsman. Twice as deadly as either Karoc or Vinoc and ten times as powerful.

Knowing he'd never be able to stand against the attack for long, Leo got distance between him and Windu before he could attack again. "Someone needs to stop this." Anakin said about running into the fray.

Plo Koon suddenly grabbed his arm "If you do this you shame yourself and the boy, Windu has a plan."

"A plan?" Anakin as Windu continued to push Leo's defenses to the brink "This is a test to see if the boy is truly tempted by the dark side." Ahsoka heard them talking and remembered the red kyber crystal and the private discussions between Leo and her, but more importantly the promise she made to him about not telling the masters.

"Maybe if you stopped prodding the boy like the next Darth Maul he wouldn't be so eager to spit in your face." Anakin hissed yanking his arm away. Leo and Windu locked blades for a moment and the boy could see there was no emotion behind Windu's attack, the mans face was harsh and stiff as stone and every strike he made was like a boulder on Leo's wall of defensive moves.

Leo broke the blade lock and tried to go on the offensive this time, striking from above then below on the right, he jumped over Windu's counter strike. Leo thought he had an opening to hit Windu in the arm but he saw the mans open palm and the force that erupted from it was the strength of a cannon. Leo flew from the spot he was into the wall of the training grounds, the jedi on the wall walking up to see him hit the stone floor.

"Yield Padawan, you cannot win." Windu said as Leo felt the wind had been knocked out of his lungs.

Swallowing in as much air as he could, Leo used the wall to climb to his feet when he was steadied he held up his lightsaber with one hand and the other open.

"As you wish." Windu said charging him, Leo didn't move except for planting his heel on the wall and waited as Windu fully committed to the attack and when he swung down at him. Leo kicked off the wall to the left and started to back up getting distance between him and the Master. Windu looked at the hold in his robes as his face showed no ounce of pain or sign he'd been cut. Windu resumed his attack on Leo striking from below this time to cut up the earth sending dust into Leo's eyes, he raised his arms to protect his face and Leo kicked him square in the chest sending Leo back onto his backside, he kept rolling though so he could get to his feet. Windu raised his hand to force push Leo almost off his feet but the boy stayed low letting his boots get worn down on the stone till he came to a halt. When he stopped Windu was in the air coming down on him. Leo got out of the way of his strike and tried to attack Leo from the rear. Windu's lightsaber and arms appeared behind his back to catch Leo's lightsaber.

Windu swung at Leo's legs but be flipped away landing on one hand before Windu was up again walking toward him, Leo wasn't ready and Leo only swung with one arm in furious hacking as Leo tried to hold his lightsaber to catch him. Windu spun his wrist, cutting Leo on the wrist making him lose control of his lightsaber. Leo stumbled back grabbing his wrist as Windu stood there waiting for Leo to concede defeat.

"This is madness." Anakin said, continuing to protest, "No, this is discipline." Anakin looked over his shoulder and suddenly saw Pong Krell had returned from Geonosis with Luminara at his side.

"Master Krell, you have to stop this." Anakin insisted.

The Besalisk looked over at Leo then at Windu "I cannot, Master Plo have informed me of my Padawans indesgreation if this is how he must be taught then so be it."

"He won't stop, you know this." Anakin told him "Come now Skywalker, Windu will not harm the boy needlessly." Luminara said.

"I'm not talking about Windu." Anakin said as Leo walked around to his lightsaber and bent down picking it up his back turned to Windu.

Leo took a deep breath and focused himself, gripping his lightsaber only Pong Krell knew what Leo was doing since he wasn't attacking "Do you yield?"

When the boy didn't answer him, Windu engaged him and struck from behind, Leo dropped low spinning his feet around and engaging. He swung his lightsaber at Windu in full motion from every direction he could think of, the sudden flurry of Leo's attack took Windu by surprise. The second wind smashed against Windu making him back up now and getting the audience of the duel to murmur wondering how Leo was able to get Windu off his guard. Windu dodged and did a full three sixty degree spin and smashed his lightsaber against Leos forcing the boy to retreat but not before Leo shot both his hands forward blasting Windu with the force. The Jedi Master jumped letting the push send him across the training ground when he landed the entire mood of the 'arena' had changed. Leo spun his lightsaber in his wrist and held it up with both hands then pointed it at Windu with a twist beckoning the Master for more.

Windu who had landed on his feet took his own stance and ran at him, Leo ran to before they both met lightsaber to lightsaber neither one of them backing down "I must say Pong your padawan is far more skilled in lightsaber combat then I first assumed." Plo said as they all watched.

"Master how long do you think he can keep this up?" Ahsoka whispered to Anakin "As long as Windu decides to go easy on him." Anakin said "This is easy?" Ahsoka asked him.

She received her answer when Windu parried one of Leo's blows and slashed the boy across the stomach, the boy never got a chance to yell from the pain before Leo drew back an open fist and punched him in the stomach. When the boy keeled over Windu grabbed him by his collar and pulled him forward and smashed his lightsaber on Leo's back when he caught himself on the stone floor. Leo started to stand up but Windu came back and swung his lightsaber into Leo's right arm. Anakin couldn't bare to watch as Windu began the final attack "Master this is starting to look like lurmen village." Leo fought his way to his feet before Windu came at him again, he blocked Winud's next strike but the next one took Leo in the leg making him collapse to one knee unable to stand, dropping his lightsaber. Windu walked by him kicking away his lightsaber as he approached Cin and the other masters. That's when Leo started to feel it, that thing that drove him, the primal feeling he felt in the village, the sunken temple on Naboo and Geonosis.

He wasn't the only one to feel it either, Windu being so close started to feel it as well, the pain fueling the anger, the drive to kill or be killed; Leo spat gritting his teeth holding in the growl or the beast within getting out. He glanced back at Leo who fought not only the pain he was feeling from Windus brutal attacks. Even his own friends and Master watched with bated breath as if Leo were about to unleash his nicknames meaning but something they couldn't see made Leo hold it in.

"Masters, as you can see my opponent cannot continue, this duel is finished." Windu claimed victory, Cin looked at him then at Leo behind him, eyes widening. As he gazed back Windu watched as Leo was on his feet again, he turned on his lightsaber one more time and held it up. Windu turned around to face him and Leo weekly raised his other hand to grab hold of his lightsaber ready for another round.

But then something that nobody expected to happen did, Windu turned off his lightsaber and raised his hand, fingers closed and said "I yield."A soaring gasp took over the training ground, every jedi in shock as Jedi Master Mace Windu forfeited the duel on purpose. Windu gave Leo a formal bow before turning around "Master Drallig please let the archives know the outcome of the duel and that Padawan Rock distinguished himself well."

"Of course Master." Cin said as Leo dropped his lightsaber and slowly sat down turning off his lightsaber. Many of the other jedi started to leave as the duel was over and so was the show, the only Jedi who remained behind were Ahsoka and Anakin, with Pong Krell standing where he had been the whole time.

"I got to say to Leo that may have been one of the most impressive things I've seen?" Anakin said "And I've seen a lot, but I think you just earned Master Windu's respect." Anakin said kneeling down beside Leo.

"Thank you sir." Leo said weakly smiling, his face had gotten a few new bruises from Windu and was covered in sweat.

Leo smiled at him out of breath and then looked up at Pong who only nodded and started to walk away, "I'm sure your Master will want to speak with you, after you've healed up." Anakin said standing up.

"Ahsoka help Rusty here to the medical wing will you?" Anakin ordered her before he walked off "On it Skyguy." She said holding her hand down to Leo "Come on Rusty."

Leo waved her hand away "Not yet, give me a minute." He said

Sighing Ahsoka sat down next to him looking up at the sky like he had earlier that day, now the two of them, the only jedi left in the training room "I swear Leo one of these days you'll be the death of me."

"I'd never do that." Leo said still exhausted "Then why do you always do these things, throw yourself at the biggest baddest enemy you can find do you want to die, but what can I expect when you've got that… thing?" She asked him not bringing up the red kyber crystal

Leo looked at her "... I got rid of it, the 'thing'." He admitted.

A wave of relief rushed over Ahsoka "You did, good." She told him, Ahsoka waited till Leo was ready, he looked up at the sky which was a mix of black and orange from the city lights.

"You know you don't need to worry about me so much Ahsoka, I'm pretty selfish actually." Leo said dismissively looking away from her "Bane, Geonosis, even just now I don't do it for you or General Skywalker I was doing it cause I wanted to, its who I am." Leo said.

"So that's why, you chased after a bounty hunter across the city, fought a hundred warriors and challenged a Jedi Master to a duel you couldn't win because it's who you are?" Ahsoka asked him looking at the training ground floor holding her knee resting her chin on it. Leo's eyes focused on her and she looked into his green eyes and he into her pale blue ones, both of them for a long time.

"Yeah pretty much." Leo said looking away again as he held his lightsaber "But to be more honest, before we left for Geonosis, Master Yoda asked me to not forget you all or forget who I was in these days ahead… I'm not really sure what that meant?" He said thinking out loud "It's given me pause to think about what you said, about what comes after." He said.

Leo lurched to his feet with Ahsoka helping him up again. "No, not the medbay, I want to look at the city." Leo said.

So she helped him up onto one of the walls and let him sit with his legs over the side of the temple looking out across the horizon, the lights of the skyscrapers and ships on the background of night an amazing sight to behold. "Its sights like this that help bring things into perspective you know?" Leo said.

"Uh maybe, you sure Windu didn't hit you in the head?" She asked him "Oh he did, three times in fact." Leo said "But I don't have a concussion, when I look out at Coruscant at the Republic, me doing all those things all this fighting it doesn't mean anything?" Leo said.

"How can you say that, we helped save a Lurmen village, you rescued Senator Amidalla and if you hadn't held off those Geonosian reinforcements master Kenobi may not be alive?" Ahsoka said trying not to let him water down his achievements but Leo didn't deny any of it or argue with her he just looked out at the city.

"Leo?" She asked trying to get him to say something "That's the thing Ahsoka, the reason I never did it to save anyone… anyone but myself?" Leo said holding up his lightsaber "So long as I have my lightsaber I've always survived, battle after battle I keep proving that thing to be true, that's what drove me; my battle meditation or whatever you want to call it before I met you and General Skywalker I always made it in whatever battle Master Krell put me into." He said raising his lightsaber hilt skyward looking at the basic lightsaber construction with no unique traits about it other than the scuffs and scratches running down its hilt.

Ahsoka thought he was done. "I don't want to die, but I don't want to live without meaning either and if I'm to fight it has to be for something more than just this war to end. I need to know all this death and destruction will mean something in the end."

She looked at Leo intently her mouth ajar "I… never knew you thought so much about this?"

"Heh yeah if you haven't guessed it I'm not really good about talking about my feelings?" He said snickering the last part before he got up on his own wincing a pit "Anyway this must all sound pretty dumb, sorry for talking your ear off it sounds pathetic now that I hear myself blabbing." He said trying to forget what he just said and how awkward it had made things.

Ahsoka got up to hold her hands out to help but it didn't look like he needed it "No, it doesn't. I don't know what I'll do with myself after the war."

"There's always exploring?" Leo said to her "Yeah, by the way you still never told me what you wanted to be, if you weren't a jedi?" She asked him.

Leo rolled his eyes, shaking his head "That again."

"Either tell me now or I'll let you limp to the medical wing on your own." She said offering him an ultimatum.

Groaning Leo turned to her "Fine and you promise you won't laugh?" He asked her.

"Jedi's honor." She said one hand over her heart the other fingers crossed behind her back.

Leo sighed "... Restaurateur."

"A what?" Ahsoka asked "I'd like to own my own restaurant, cook food, serve drinks and listen to people talk about where they've been… maybe you'd come by and tell me of all the things you've seen." Leo shrugged.

Ahsoka looked at him blankly before giving a soft giggle "You said you wouldn't laugh." Leo snapped "I wasn't laughing I was giggling theres a difference and besides that sounds great I mean last thing I expected, just make sure the foods good." she put her hands on his shoulder "Now come on, time to make that doctors night miserable."