So this takes place during R2 Come Home

Chapter 23

The Tragedy of Pong Krell

JEDI TEMPLE

Leo and Ahsoka were eating breakfast in the temple cafeterium early in the morning when the hall was filled with jedi learners and elders alike. "Alright my turn, Master Vos or Master Di?" Leo asked her.

She stabbed at her food with her fork "Ugh tough choice, I'm going to go with Vos he may be a bit eccentric but I think that would take Di by surprise."

Leo nodded "Fair enough."

"Alright your turn?" Leo said as he sipped his cup of blue milk "Okay, two lightsabers or double bladed?" she asked him.

The boy gave her a finicky look "Are you asking me if I think you should start to use two lightsabers or a double bladed one?"

"This is who's better isn't it?" she asked him stating the title of the game "Hmmm I don't know, Master Pong uses two double bladed lightsabers?"

"Hard to miss, but he has four arms?" she stated "So what if General Grievous used four?" Leo asked.

Ahsoka didn't pay it much mind. "Then he wouldn't be able to do that spinning fan thing he does." She said, rolling her wrists to mimic Grievous and gave a frightening face as Leo drank some more milk before he spat it out through his nose. Ahsoka dropped her fork laughing as Leo couldn't help but laugh at himself for making such a mess before he started to clean it up.

Meanwhile, on a large staircase overlooking the cafeterium, Obi-wan and Plo Koon kept a vigil with Master Sinube. "Did my report from Felucia enlighten anything Master Plo?" Obi-Wan asked him.

"Yes, as did our discussion with Master Krell." Plo said looking at Ahsoka and Leo.

"If I may be so bold my old friend, this investigation you've undertaken into Pongs Padawan wouldn't have anything to do with Ahsoka?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Plo avoided the question at first but turned his masked head to Obi-Wan so he saw that the kel dor was serious "In part, she is an overall positive influence on him the same way you or Skywalker are."

"Tell me more of this pirate you encountered?" Plo asked him "Hondo Ohnaka, he and his pirates are growing more and more troublesome." Obi-Wan said crossing his armored arms "Ohnaka… now that's a name I hadn't heard in a long time?" Master Sinube said scratching his beak.

Which earned the attention of Obi-Wan and Plo "You know of him?"

"In part, when he was still a young quartermaster on another crew, in another time." Sinube said looking at Leo "You say he looked at the boy as if he knew him?" Sinube asked worried.

"It was rather strange, I sensed something stir in Hondo but the man is so unpredictable it's hard to say?" Kenobi said "However during the conflict Leo's battle meditation proved to be invaluable for the farmers to take on battle hardened Pirates." Plo said

"And Pong, hiding Leo's Battle Meditation?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Quite right, however I believe Pong was convinced of his doubt if it even was battle meditation." Sinube said leaning on his cane "Yet he threw the boy into battle after battle which created this mental state the boy seems to be in?" Kenobi said with concern

Plo and Sinube eyed Kenobi with interest now "Say the word and I will put the motion to the Council." Plo said.

"I beg your pardon?" Kenobi asked him "You have long been without a Padawan Master Kenobi, would you care for another?" Sinube asked looking down at Leo.

Back on the cafeterium floor, Leo was cleaned up and a small pile of napkins on his tray "I'm never going to forget that." Ahsoka said, finishing her food.

Just as she did, Leo saw Pong Krell walking in the hallway exit, "Excuse me Ahsoka."

"What- where are you going?" She asked as he abruptly started to leave "Just need to catch up with my Master, I'll see you later." Leo called out running out of the room.

Eventually Leo caught up to Pong who was already a good way ahead of him "Master." Leo said in greeting.

Pong barely acknowledged him "So you've returned no doubt another daring Adventure of Skywalker and Kenobi?" Pong asked.

Leo felt the chiding chill on Pongs every word "Our mission went astray, but my place is here as your Padawan."

"Ah is that so?" Pong asked as Leo had to take long strides just to keep up with the besalisk giant.

Leo didn't say anything about it "When are we returning to the fleet sir?"

"You mean when you are, the Council has asked me to stay here in the confines of the Temple to reflect and meditate away from the war… it sickens me." Pong said in disgust.

Leo looked up at his master who raised his head again "I'm sorry Master, but I'm sure the Council means well."

"Ha do they, squabbling old men thinking the know what's best has always been the enemy of the visionary. they'd rather debate and talk then see action." he proclaimed as they walked on "Master Kenobi told me that when talking stops fighting begins, it's how the war started?"

Pong squeezed his four hands into fists behind his back "Is Kenobi your master now?" Pong said walking out onto one of the corner balconies ot the temple overlooking a blue skied Coruscant skyline, there were pants in the corner with benches beside them.

"... no Master." Leo said.

"Yet you'd rather listen to him, or Skywalker then heed my teachings?" Pong stated.

Leo dropped his hands behind his back shaking his head "No Master."

Pong leaned on the balcony "Do you know your outburst on the medical station after Felucia is what cost my command boy?"

Leo felt a surge of shame run over him remembering "Master, the brain worms I witness what I believed to be the last force essence of the Geonosian Queen I felt her anger and sadness-" "You had a hallucination mixed with dark side magic from that Kyber crystal you kept on you." Pong hissed.

The padawan went ghostly white "You think I'm a fool Padawan?" Pong asked, turning to him.

'But you… you never said anything?" Leo asked him "And if I had, the Council already distrusts you if I turned my back on you what would that make me the way you turned your back on me?" Plo said looking away.

Leo's shame and fear started to turn "My back on you?" Leo asked him.

"You sent me away Master, twice now like you don't even want me as a Padawan?" Leo said his voice rising, Pong turned back around "That was for your own good, before Skywalker took you under his wing you were a shy timid boy, whimpering at my heel and when I thought you in combat you shined my boy like a flame." Pong accused with both insult and praise.

"Now the council questions my methods despite the fruits our labors have brought." Pong said, holding out one hand to him.

Pong shook his head "Damn the Council to think that to combat the dark side we must run away from it in fear, Force forbid I expose a Padawan to it."

Leo looked at the floor curling both fists into anger as he felt it start to overcome him "So you knew while i was fighting I'd draw on the dark side?"

The jedi master glared at the boy "I knew you'd do what was necessary in war, the same as I."

"The second I let you out of my sight I knew the Sith would be drawn to you like a wolf to meat, and every time you have overcome them through your own strength." Pong said.

"But we're Jedi Masters, doesn't that mean we should be better than that?" Leo asked him.

Pong shook his head as his words fell on deaf ears "We are at war boy, we can't afford principles to get in the way of the greater good. '

"Greater good, master on Geonosis I slaughtered them like animals, I'm a murder-" "YOU SAVED YOUR OWN LIFE!" Pong practically screamed at the boy "Then you moaned about it like a beaten animal, if not for your actions we would have been overrun." Leo was silent from his master's outburst but it was more than that, Leo could feel the pain and sorrow in Pong's voice as he paced through the chamber back and forth a mix of emotions seeping out of Pong. This was a side of Pong Leo had never seen before, the great towering besalisk Jedi Master was almost hysterical before he sat down, his massive size on the bench dwarfed the bench he sat on and he had to rest his arms on his large legs as he shook his head.

"We are Jedi yes, but we are Knights and Knights must face danger, evil and sometimes take life to protect it… it wasn't always like this…" Pong said breathing hard.

He kept shaking his head "There was a time when the Council knew what needed to be done, when no one dared to challenge the power of the Jedi nor the majesty of the Republic."

"First the pirates of the Stark Hyperspace War, then the Trade Federation and they all came like scavengers to nibble away at us while the Republic and Jedi stood idly by…" Pong said exasperatedly, then he turned to Leo lookin at him with a sense of longing.

"I would see the days of the High Republic restored, the days when our Order were champions where when a Jedi came to an alien world it was a blessing not a curse… now look at us, prideful decadent relics of a bygone era…" Pong said, shaking his head before he buried one of his four arms palms.

"Master…" Leo reached out for him but Pong raised his hand "No, leave me." Pong ordered.

Leo buckled his lip at the rebuked attempt to console him "By your will Master."

Later, Leo found his way to one of Master Yoda's youngling training courses; he waited outside the door patiently as Master Yoda continued the lesson in its entirety. When it finally needed the padawans rushed out to go play or onto another lesson. Inside the room Master Yoda began to clean up the various training equipment with the force, as he and the kids all left a stray training remote rolled out of the room up to Leo's feet.

He knelt down scooping it up before walking inside to return it "Master Yoda?" Leo asked.

"Greetings young one, of what service can I be?" Master Yoda asked him as Leo fumbled with the training droid in his hand.

"Master, does the Council mistrust me?" Leo asked directly.

Yoda continued to put the training helmets and balls away with the force "Mistrust, no mistrust only concerned with the well being of the Order."

"Then why have you grounded my Master?" Leo asked him, Yoda put the last of the training equipment away before turning around "In this how, are we mistrustful of you Padawan?"

"Because he trained me, I now fear he is being punished for my failures." Leo said, throwing the training remote into a bin for the other metal balls.

Yoda watched him make the shot from the other side of the room "Difficult was your Masters own padawanship, in a time of great turmoil did Pong Krell grow into a Jedi."

"Aren't we in a time of great turmoil Master, shouldn't he and I be out there fighting to end this war?" Leo asked him.

Master Yoda nodded "So eager you are for war?"

Leo felt his words turned against him and quickly retorted "No Master, eager… eager for it to end." Leo said.

Master Yoda saw the lies in his voice "What becomes of us, after the war hmmm?"

"We stay as we are, jedi." Leo said.

But Yoda shook his head "After war, never the same we are."

Leo didn't argue it any further instead he wanted to change the subject but failed to find the words "More you have to say?" Yoda asked him, promoting the boy to look at him and in the training room.

"Master, why was not brought to the temple like the other padawans?" Leo asked him.

"Hmmm?" Master Yoda asked scratching his chin with his claw "I was trained in the outer rim by Master Krell, he was the only Master I've ever known until recently yet all the other padawans I've met were trained here there must be a reason?" Leo asked.

Master Yoda nodded "Reason, yes lie to you I wish not to..."

Leo waited for Master Yoda to continue "Sent Jedi we did into the outer rim, seek out padawans to train away from the Republic, but foresee the war we did not."

"Why away from the Republic?" Leo asked him "A big place the Galaxy is, the need of Jedi many worlds have." Master Yoda said smiling.

"So I was special?" Leo asked him, Master Yoda waved his claw closer to him making Leo kneel so he heard him.

Master Yoda took tiny steps toward him "All special are we, now go speak to the Council I will about you and your Masters return service." Master Yoda said heading to the doorway.

"But I never asked-... thank you master." Leo said rising and slowly following.

After a while, Leo was sitting in the Jedi Archives reading through old files he slowly typed in the name of Pong Krell, his file came up and Leo started to read it intently. "Whatcha doin?"

"GYAH!" Leo nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Ahsoka looking over his shoulder "Ahsoka… please don't scare me like that?" he asked.

She just rolled her eyes again "Relax Rusty, what are you reading?" she asked him.

"Some stuff about my Master, I never knew he served in the Stark Hyperspace War?" Leo asked as he enlarged a picture of various jedi and Sector Security forces in blue uniforms. Ahsoka leaned in recognizing a few of the Jedi, there was Masters Plo Koon and Sinube, then Leo's own Master Pong Krell sitting with three younger jedi, two were brown haired boys with traditional padawan braids and hair cuts, the other was a kiffar boy with yellow stripe across his face the last two were three lder jedi masters one with green robes with gray hair in a ponytail the other a man with flowing brown hair and beard and a large nose, and a Wookiee jedi.

Ahsoka eyed the padawans next to Pong when her eyes got wide "Wait a second zoom in here." she said on one of the brown haired padawans, he had blue eyes and fair skin and Ahsoka's eyes got wide "Thats Master Kenobi?"

"What, no way?" Leo said looking at the younger Obi-Wan "Oh my god that is, he looks so young?"

"I think that has to be Master Vos next to him?" Leo added "Has to be?" she concurred.

Leo started to scroll through different images of and files "What are you hoping to find?" Ahsoka asked him.

"Master Krell and I are… look to General Skywalker talk about himself that much?" Leo asked her "Uh have you met the guy, he talks about how amazing he is all the time?"

"No, like his past?" Leo asked her.

Ahsoka's grin turned to a "oh… no not really."

Leo nodded and pointed back to the screen "When I was training with Master Krell before the war, he only ever talked about training, how I needed to improve to not be such a weakling."

"Leo you aren't weak." she said reaching for him but he got up "But I can be stronger and he knows that."

"I haven't been a very good padawan." Leo said crossing his arms "I mean, Krell may not be a very good Master?" Ahsoka said, trying to rationalize it.

"Who are we to judge, he fought in a real war here." Leo said pointing to the screen "Not really they were just pirates?" she asked Le o walked back to the screen and brought up a file "Look at the death toll."

Ahsoka sat on the desk and looked at the number "... oh."

Leo and her looked at one another "Well… I don't have the answers you're looking for, we should focus on the present. Come on Master Plo is doing a debriefing of our fleet movements." she said getting off the desk.

"Why would we go to that?" Leo asked "Beats sitting around here feeling sorry for yourself." she said, walking off, "True." Leo said before he followed her to the war room.

When they arrrived Leo and Ahsoka were listened to Master Plo's debriefing about a fleet with Masters Aayla, Ki-Adi and Adi Gallia attending as holograms "We shall reinforce or fleet along the Hydian Way." he gestured towards to the holographic ring with some planets alongside it when Artoo suddenly came crashing into the room and fell down the steps.

The Jedi all turned their attention to the droid. "Artoo?" Ahsoka asked in confusion before her and Leo helped him up. After shaking his dome, the astromech rolled up Plo Koon's astrodroid and rammed into it unplugging the droid from the holotable taking away Master Plo's presentation. So that Artoo could use the holotable plugged into the viewer out of the way, immediately the two droids started fighting like a couple of dogs over a bone bashing each other away.

Ahsoka ran up to them and pushed them apart. "Stop it!" she ordered before kneeling in front of Artoo.

"Artoo, what's wrong?" she asked the droid, who beeped frantically in reply.

"Ahsoka, you know this droid?" Plo asked her. "It's Anakin's droid. R2-D2." she answered. "Well then, Artoo deliver the message you so obviously need to communicate." he said to the droid.

Instantly Artoo plugged himself in and a hologram of Anakin trapped under some rubble appeared on the viewer. "I need you to go back to the fighters and call the temple for help, okay?" he asked the droid before coughing. "Okay?" he asked again.

Plo Koon looked at Ahsoka and Leo "Prepare my ship. We shall leave immediately." Plo said to the padawans before they left the room.

"Leo come on." Ahsoka said following Master Plo out of the room but Leo didn't move at first "I… I shouldn't."

"What, Anakins in trouble." Ahsoka urged him confused on why he'd hesitate.

Leo shook his head "He's not my Master."

"But isn't he your friend?" Ahsoka's words rang true in his ears "Your right." he said starting to follow "Of course I am, I'm always right." she said before the two of them started to run after Master Plo and Artoo.

When they caught up to Plo he was walking into the hanger with Artoo beeping frantically "The droid says that Skywalker and Windu went down above Vanqor with luck still alive."

"Master Kenobi says there's no such thing as luck." Ahsoka said getting onboard a gunship helping Leo on "Then pray." Plo said.

VANQOR

Later Plo's Star Destroyer came out of hyperspace above Vanqor and the Jedi along with a group of clones, including Commander Wolffe, boarded three gunships and made their way towards a Star Destroyer wreckage descending on from the clouds like angels from above. The gunship the Jedi were in hovered beside the command centre as it was starting to fall off.

"No damage from the outside, no separatists ships, this ship blew up from the inside?" Leo said looking at the damaged cruiser from the gunship.

"Very perceptive, but now we must focus on finding Windu and Skywalker." Plo said keeping them on point.

Ahsoka noticed them first "There! On the bridge, I can see them!" she pointed to the spot. The others noticed them too soon after she pointed it, Anakin Skywalker and Mace Windu were both trapped under the bridge's collapsed roof out "Padawans, hold the ship steady." Plo told them.

All together, the three Jedi reached out with the force to uphold the bridge as it was already a crumbling wreck about to fall over from the damage, the clones shot ascension cables from their blasters to steady the gunship.

"Comet, lets go!" Wolffe ordered his brother as the two jumped onto the Star Destroyer, the clones slung across the ropes into the bridge and quickly started to lift the derby to free the two trapped generals.

"Hurry, Commander Wolffe." Plo urged.

"We're losing it, sir." the clone pilot warned over the com as the bridge shifted and the gunship swerved a bit. The gunship lowered as Wolffe and Comet helped Windu and Skywalker out of the rubble. Skywalker went first before part of the bridge crumbled making the gap wider for Windu and Comet to leap.

"Jump!" Wolffe yelled, both did so and the other clones helped steady them on before they could fall. "Cut the lines!" Plo ordered, Ahsoka and Leo ignited their sabers and cut the ascension cables.

"Go!" Plo ordered the pilot, who managed to move out of the way as the bridge finally collapsed, the other two gunships caught up as the Star Destroyer started to explode.

Soon they landed the gunships quite aways from the Star Destroyer and placed the two injured Jedi on stretchers to be taken to medical. The clones stopped moving them when the other three Jedi walked up to send them off. "Some pretty serious burns, but nothing a night in a bacta tank won't fix." Ahsoka said, giving him a friendly punch on the leg on Anakin.

Anakin took a sharp intake of air and gave her a pained look. "Oh, sorry." she apologized sheepishly. "We were lucky to arrive when we did." Plo pointed out.

"Guess we have Artoo to thank for that." she said smiling at the droid, who gave a happy beep. "Come here, droid." Mace said to him, Artoo rolled over to the Jedi.

"I can see why your master trusts you, little one good job." Mace praised with a small smile.

R2 gave another happy beep before rolling back over to Anakin. "That's definitely more praise than I ever get." Anakin joked before they took him away behind Windu.

The clones then continued taking them to the gunship, as the other three Jedi and droid looked on. Artoo gave another happy beep, "Come let us return to Coruscant." Plo said.

"Master Plo, may I ask you something?" Leo said abruptly.

Plo stopped, "Yes Padawan?"

"You and my Master served during the Stark Hyperspace War, I was hoping you could tell me about it, Master Krell never speaks of it?" he inquired.

Plo looked at Leo behind his masks goggles "For good reason, the Stark Hyperspace war was a needless conflict, one promoted by greed." he said walking on.

"But weren't fighting droids, pirates?" Leo asked him.

"Indeed, Master Krell acquitted himself well in the face of such madness, any man to face such death and destruction and able to preserve is worthy of being a Jedi is that comforting?" Pong asked him.

"Yes Master it is." Leo replied smiling

CORUSCANT

Jedi Temple

Once the jedi had returned with their wounded the blue sky's of Coruscant had started to fill with dark gray thunder clouds of an oncoming rain. Awaiting their arrival on one of the landing pads was Masters Yoda and Kenobi along with a staff of Jedi healers. As everyone exited the gunship Leo looked at Kenobi with a smiling face but could see something was off.

"Well Anakin you certainly know how to show Master Windu a good time." Obi-Wan jested as they took an asleep Windu away.

"Don't worry Master, nothing will happen to Skyguy while I'm around." Ahsoka said patting Anakin on the shoulder making Anakin hold in a yell of pain, again "Oh sorry, sorry."

"The padawans reacted quickly Master Yoda, without their help we could have lost them both." Master Plo said down to the little green jedi.

Yoda smiled at the two "Padawans, done well you have."

Leo looked around the landing pad half expecting to see Master Krell coming to greet them but saw him nowhere to be found "Masters, may I ask if any of you have seen Master Krell I should be getting back to him.

Yoda and Obi-Wan shot each other looks of dismay when Leo spoke of his master, "What is it?" Leo asked.

"I…" Obi-Wan started to say in a pained voice "Regret to be the bearer of ill tidings Leo, in light of recent events and the will of both the Council and Master Krell, he has requested to go on an extended retreat." Obi-Wan said, Leo's cheerful demeanor started to head south.

"Oh, of course probably for the best." Leo said up to the Masters not questioning their wisdom "I"m afraid… there's more." Obi-Wan said but also showed he wasn't comfortable.

Ahsoka could see the pain in Obi-Wan's as he'd taken upon himself to deliver this news "What is it?" Leo dared to ask as lighting clapped behind them

"Before he departed Master Krell forfeited himself as your Master to the Council." thunder struck in the distance as Leo's eyes got wide, he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

Both green emeralds in his head looked to the floor "He… doesn't want me as his Padawan anymore?"

"I'm afraid not, the Council will deliberate on who will be the new Master in time." Obi-Wan told him but Leo ignored him and started to walk away back into the temple. Ahsoka quickly started to follow but Master Plo stopped her "Attend to your own Master lil'Soka, we will tend to Leo."

Later, when day was shed and night ahead thunderous rain poured down from the heavens in the outside training grounds of the Jedi Temple.

The masterless Padawan was outside with his lightsaber fighting a training droid, it had two energy sword arms and was attacking Leo relentlessly set on a high level of combat. His white lightsaber lighting up the rain around him the boys clothes were soaked through with rain like his hair as he dueled the training droid. He hacked and slashed on the training swords, yelling as he did before he flipped over the droid and used the force to push it onto the wet stone before he jumped up to stand down on the droid but it moved out of the way and attacked him again.

Leo held his ground locking his one blade against the training droids two, the droid clearly stronger than him pressed the blades closed, each one cutting into Leos arms before he summoned the force and repulsed the droid away and cut it in sparked for a few moments before turning off and Leo let out a furious scream as lighting cracked and thunder roared above his head.

He collapsed to his knees in the rain dropping his lightsaber and looking down at his own reflection, he looked at how pitiful he was and how pathetic and weak Leo Rock was. The shallow pool of rainwater being rippled by raindrops when someone pulled something over his head to stop the rain.

Leo looked down at it and his pity turned to anger, "Graah!" Leo smashed his fist into the water meeting the stone with a loud 'thok' sound, cutting his knuckles before he got up and grabbed his lightsaber.

Taking a stance he turned the lightsaber on and started to practice his form, swinging and lunging moving his feet around to kick up small waves of water. The storm raged around the temple and around him as he picked up speed, memories of Mardun, Geonosis, of all the battles he'd fought started to flash between his eyes as he practiced so hard he was like he was fighting an invisible enemy.

He swung his lightsaber in different directions, the lightning almost on the temple itself when his lightsaber locked against the green ones. "Rusty." Ahsoka said out in the rain, she was wearing a cloak of her own to keep most of herself dry. Her own hood was down showing her raindrop covered face, she could tell from the light of the green and white lightsaber Leo's own face had more than just rain, it also had tears.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked him.

Lowering their lightsabers Leo answered her over the wind "Training, go away."

"No, you need to come inside." Ahsoka told him "Just leave me alone Ahsoka." Leo shouted over the rain.

"I'm sorry about Master Krell. I wish it was different but-" "But it's not, he's gone and abandoned me because I was a terrible Padawan." Leo yelled at her cutting her off over the storm she tried to grab him before he could get any further away from him. Ahsoka was about to say something "Didn't you hear me GO, GO AWAY!" Leo screamed at her holding his hand up and a wave of the force pushed Ahsoka back, Ahsoka was knocked off her feet and tumbled into the wet training ground. Leo didn't even realize what he did when he saw her hit the ground Leo froze petrified in fear as Ahsoka got up "... I'm sorry Leo." She said turning away, "I just wanted to help…" He watched her go inside as the storm drowned and he wanted to follow but his legs were like jelly, he slumped against the training ground tree and dropped to its roots and closed his eyes listening to the storm around him.

Lethal Trackdown is next, any ideas who Leo's next Master should be?