Chapter 27

Way of the Jedi

SERENNO

Courtyard of Count Dooku's palace

As Count Dooku strode through his courtyard, both his apprentices Tol Skorr and Asajj Ventress followed him "And you two are in agreement of this plan?" Dooku asked hands on his belt under his cloak.

Ventress and Skorr stood side by side as they followed "We are of the same mind, the padawans will be vulnerable and easy for us to take our spies from us that their own Masters will be away." Tol said.

"And what of other intervention by the Jedi Council?" Count Dooku asked.

"Many of the Masters are away, scattered across the outer rim those that are there will be too busy with our distraction to stop us once we commit." Asajj explained to him as Dooku stopped on the edge of the garden overlooking Serenno's valleys and mountains.

"And where… did you acquire the information to accomplish this mission?" Count Dooku asked.

Tol Skorr reached into his belt and pulled out a holodevice to reveal a blueprint of Republic Shipyards "A mutual partner with a mutual interest." Dooku looked back at his apprentice and the blue prints. Then the Sith Lord thought for a moment " stroking his silver haired chin "Very well, go and see it done but remember the price of failure will cost you dearly."

Both Acolytes bowed to him "Of course Master, we will not fail." Tol said before they turned around walking toward a large red freighter, it had elongated wings and a hammerhead-like bridge with cannons covering it.

"Does it feel good returning to the Jedi Temple Tol?" Asajj asked him "Only when I may burn it down will it feel good, assassin." Tol said as they boarded the ship.

JEDI TEMPLE

Outside the Temple Spa

Leo looked at the three Jedi before him both his Master and Anakin with Ahsoka in front looking at his haircut. "Be honest, how does it look?" Leo asked. Obi-Wan smiled, arm perched up against his chin as Anakin's eyes were wide followed by Ahsoka sharing his look. "Very appropriate." Obi-Wan said

"Well…" Anakin started "Pffffft-ahahaha!" Ahsoka couldn't contain her laughter as Leo looked in the nearest window at his own reflection to see the horrible crime committed to his once flowing locks of red hair where now shorn down to a sheared hair cut bordering on a buzz, except for the braid. Overall it made the top of his head seem very angular like a boy cringed at the sight of it running his fingers through the short trim feeling loose clippings of hair sticking to his fingers remembering the water like feel of his once gorgeous hair.

"No, no, it looks nice really." Anakin said, trying to be supportive.

Ahsoka had finished laughing "You look great Rusty, I needed that." She said, wiping a tear from her eye.

Anakin then flicked Ahsoka in the air "Be nice Snips."

"It's fine Master, it'll grow back." Leo said brushing his hand against his black pants to get rid of the clippings.

"And we'll cut it again, as a jedi Padawan one must always be presentable especially when royalty shows you such affection." Obi-Wan said, holding up his hand drawing back to the kiss that Leo got.

Anakin shook his head "The Duchess already went back to Mandalore Master, and speaking of going away we better get going too." Anakin said to Obi-Wan.

"I agree best to be off." Obi-Wan said.

"Where are you two going?" Ahsoka asked turning up to them "The Council has given us a special deep in Separatist Space." Kenobi told them.

Ahsoka leaned over to Rusty "Which means no padawans around?"

"Exactly, you two focus on your studies, we'll be back before you know it." Anakin told him before they started to walk off.

Leo and Ahsoka were then left alone to start walking the opposite way deeper into the temple "So tell me all about Mandalore, what could have made Master Kenobi look that exhausted?" She asked.

"Not really all that interesting." Leo said as they made their way to their studies.

"Well in case you don't want to go to the studies, I think I might have an idea." She said hands behind her back, smirking "And you're going to drag me along with you regardless if I object?" Leo asked him.

Ahsoka already grabbed his collar and pulled him into a run that he gave into "Hmhmm now keep up haircut."

Leo followed her almost in a chase "No, no way am I having that as my nickname."

Later, Anakin and Obi-Wan were leaving Coruscant in a shuttle. "So, how's it feel to be back in the saddle Master?"

"It's refreshing to teach again, you certainly did a fine job with both Ahsoka and Leo… so far." Obi-Wan said as Anakin flew them up to a cruiser.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Anakin asked him.

Back in the Jedi Temple Ahsoka and Leo walked into the Room of A Thousand Fountains, the giant green house's waterfalls roared into large pools of water surrounded by green vegetation of all kinds. The flowers and trees had a few birds flying around them as they walked into the garden, a large courtyard set aside of meditation with braziers on each corner was at the main entrance with the jedi order painted on it, waterfalls behind it fell into a large pool dug into the ground of the garden to resemble a lake. The yellow tinted windows surrounding the roof of the garden showed brightly on the lake's reflection rippling from the waterfall.

"Are we going to mediate?" Leo asked her walking over the courtyard sigil as Ahsoka walked out of the stone and came to the edge of the small jungle of trees. Ahsoka walked up to a large tree on the banks and looked in "There you are." She said.

"What?" Leo asked, walking up behind her, she waved her hand "Come on you have to look." She said pointing into the water. Leo walked over and looked in only seeing his reflection and glare of the sunlight "No look closer." She told him getting out of the way. Rolling his eyes Leo looked over the pool more trying to peer deeper into the water kneeling down he suddenly felt a boot kick him right in the rear down into the water with a splash.

The boy surfaced from the water to see Ahsoka laughing up against the tree "Oh come on really!" Leo yelled at her trying to splash her with the water but Ahsoka jumped up grabbing onto a branch hanging over the water and Leo "I thought the great Master Kenobi would have taught you to be aware of danger."

"And that's what you're supposed to be, dangerous?" Leo asked standing up in a shallow part of the water.

Ahsoka's frowned "Guess round three."

Leo's eyes got wide "No, no, that's not what I said." Leo said backing up in the water as Ahsoka perched up on the branch like a tigress about to pounce. Ahsoka groaned sitting back down on the branch "You're no fun."

He saw the branch wobble a bit and heard the wood snap under the bark before he flicked his fingers at the spot between the whole branch and main trunk. The wood cracked before it snapped entirely, dropping Ahsoka into the water with a massive splash; now it was Leo's turn to laugh at her when he stopped he smiled looking at the bubbling water before it steadied "Ahsoka?"

Out of the water behind him Ahsoka rose up from the water unamused, Leo backed up into the water before she used the force to lift up a floating galleon of water like a bubble ever shifting in the air above her palm with some loose seaweed in it

"Just do it, I'm wet as it is already." Leo said hands behind his back before she threw the water right in his face, Leo spat it out laughing as the seaweed covered the top of his head. Ahsoka laughed before she noticed a shadow over her, behind his back Leo was holding up his own orb of water but it was four times the size of Ahsoka's and filled with mud. He dropped it down on like it was its own waterfall caking her lekku and shoulders in the mud from the lake Ahsoka gave a fake laugh before she tackled Leo into the water trying to drown him.

Meanwhile, as Obi-Wan and Anakin left the planet none of them noticed the red long winged ship heading toward the planet with Ventress and Skorr flying straight down to the planet.

Back in the Temple, Leo and Ahsoka came out of the water completely soaked before Leo sat down and took off his boot emptying out the water alongside Ahsoka who did the same. "You know I think I'm going to ask Master Kenobi for an extended mission, one where I don't have to keep getting tricked by you every time we come back to the temple to 'recover'." Leo said.

"Nah you'd miss me." She said to him with a grin as Leo took off his green robe revealing a sleeveless undershirt, he rung it out letting the water drip onto his bare feet before he set it through it over a nearby branch.

"Keep telling yourself that snips." The boy said sitting down in the grass laying back so he could feel the warm sun dry him as he laid there hands behind his back.

Ahsoka sat down next to him as he closed his eyes "So, better then another lecture?" She asked.

"Hmhmm." Leo said getting comfy in the soft grass before Ahsoka turned herself sideways and let her head fall back onto Leo's stomach, "Oof." Leo felt almost all the air in his chest spit out as Ahsoka's head hit him "Why?" "Shhh your my pillow and pillows can't talk." She said. Leo swallowed in some more air and looked up at the serene vine covered glass smiling at the green house, listening to the running water of the fountains and waterfalls, the soft songs of birds.

The silence was not to last "So what made you get rid of it?" Ahsoka asked.

"Get rid of what?" Leo inquired "You know what, it, the red kyber crystal?"

"Are you still on about that?" Leo asked her sitting up on his elbows while she still used him as her pillow.

He sighed "I was hearing voices okay."

"Voices?" She asked sitting up on her hands and knees "When did this start?" She asked.

"... a little bit after Naboo, is that bad?" Leo confessed sitting up.

"Yeah its bad!?" Ahsoka said "But the Masters say when the force talks to it we should listen?" Leo asked her.

Ahsoka shrugged "I mean the force yeah, not the force from possessed rocks?"

"Then what makes a Holocron, it's kind of posed with information?" Leo said to her "Want me to throw water on you again?" She asked him.

Leo shook his head grinning before he fell backward on the lake bank, closing his eyes and hands behind his head "I don't see what the big deal is, I got rid of it."

"Leo I know it's not just that?" She said blocking out his sun, Leo opened his eyes to see a halo of light around her head coming down from the windows casting a small shadow over his head. His lips parted ready for him to say something but he didn't he just looked at her seeing her in a new light he'd never seen before, the small droplets of water around the sides of her face twinkling with some light they'd caught before one of them dropped onto his forehead "What did you say?"

Suddenly the moment was ruined when a loud explosion was heard like thunder, but on a sunny day. Leo and Ahsoka got up quickly looking around the garden "What was that?"

A minute later, both of them fully dressed ran out of the garden to the nearest temple, they and other jedi looked out to see in the distance of the temple four larger towers of smoke rising from the sky. "That's where the Republic shipyards are?" Ahsoka said.

"Separatists?" Leo asked as Master Plo and and Windu came running across the room toward the hanger.

"Only one way to find out, come on." Ahsoka said running after the Masters with Leo behind her like always.

When they caught up enough Ahsoka called out "Masters whats the situation?" She asked eagerly to help.

Windu stopped next to Plo "Saboteurs attacked our shipyard, Master Plo and I are going to investigate."

"Can we be of assistance?" Ahsoka asked the stoic master "No need, return to your studies." Windu said before continuing on without them.

Ahsoka' shoulders slumped "I think he has it out for us." Ahsoka said arms crossed.

"Maybe, come on we should actually get to our studies." Leo said to her trying to get her to do as their masters instructed "Oooooooor?"

"Or we follow you to do something else that will probably end in my suffering and your laughter?" He asked her.

"You know me so well." Ahsoka said before they started to go down the other end of the hallway.

Meanwhile high in the clouds, above the shipyards Tol Skorr's ship saw Jedi Starfighters approaching with Republic Gunships from all over Coruscant to see what they'd done "And the trap is sprung." Tol said flying over six scuttled Star Destroyers that had turned into a roaring inferno of fire and metal.

As he flew toward the temple Tol Skorr started to contact someone "Your information paid off, the transfer is complete." Tol said into the comlink when a deep encrypted voice "Much appreciated Mr. Skorr, you should hurry quickly, the Padawans are on the Temple roof you won't have a better chance than this."

"How does this 'mutual partner' know this?" Asajj asked the voice and Tol, "Because I'm watching them right now." The voice said.

And as the voice said, back at the Temple, Leo and Ahsoka were walking on the Temple roof but not in the training grounds, they walked between high walls and the five great towers overlooking them as they passed.

"I give up, where are we going now?" Leo asked as Ahsoka came to an access ladder with a lock on it.

"Up." She said as she undid the lock with the force.

When he did she started to go up first but Leo stopped her "Yeah, no I'm going first so you don't kick me down." He said climbing up the ladder before her. He climbed to the top of one of the temple's annex's toll he reached the top to see a dozen vents spitting out air before Ahsoka came up after him.

"Alright what is it?" Leo asked him to keep his distance this time.

Ahsoka looked at the vents "These vents have a failsafe, if one of the rails comes loose the vent it was on, turns off." She said walking to one and unclipping the locks it sprung open and the air coming out of it ceased, deeper in it got black as night.

"Oh no, no way the second I come over there you're going to push me down." Leo said, shaking his head, Ahsoka rolled her eyes before she jumped into the vent and screamed with delight as she slid down into it.

"She's going to kill me." Leo said before he jumped in after her.

First there was only rushing air and suddenly slivers of light coming in and out of view from other vents in the temple as it wound and turned, like a slide. Suddenly leo saw Ahsoka ahead of him as the vent got wider carrying them left and right around the pipe as it swiveled around into a spiral going deeper into the temple. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Leo yelled before they went into an almost straight drop, his shrieks only made Ahsoka scream in laughter.

The pipe shot upward then making them jump a bit skidding across the metal before the vent burst open and both Padawan landed on a pile of freshly dried robes softer than a cloud.

"What…. was…. that?" Leo asked seeing they were in the temple laundry room surrounded by droids cleaning and dressing jedi robes.

"Ah-hem?" Leo had landed right on top of Ahsoka before he got off rolling to the laundry room floor "That was a vent Master Plo showed me before I became Skyguys padawan." She said as he came down to join her off the pile of robes.

Leo shook his head but couldn't help but have his lips curl into a smile "I think you and I are destined to end up like Master Kenobi and Skywalker."

"I got to hear this?" Ahsoka said passing by the droids "Indeed I will grow to become one of the orders most respective Masters, you will do everything in your power to make me have a heart attack." He said to her.

"So long as I get to save the day every time and be the hero, that's fine." She cooed when they both stopped sensing a chill running up both of their spines.

"I doubt that very much." Leo and Ahsoka spun around to see Tol Skorr and Asajj Ventress standing there inside the Jedi Temple. The padawans drew there as the cleaning droids dropped their bundles and irons at the sight of the weapons.

Ahsoka took her shien style grip and Leo drew his own twirling it in the air mimicking Obi-Wan's style of saber overhead and fingers pointed at the enemy. "Ventress, Skorr What are you doing here!?" Ahsoka demanded.

"Now if we told you that it wouldn't be a surprise." Ventress said.

Ahsoka smiled "Well it's a good thing we're in the laundry room, considering you're a washout."

"Adorable, Ventress shall I or would you like to do the honor." Tol Skorr said holding up his right hand "I'll take Skywalker's pet, you can have your boy." From the fingertips of both Sith a storm of forced lighting burst out hitting each Padawan completely unaware, their lightsabers were zapped from their hands as the two of them were electrified from head to tone with excruciating agony before they both fell to to the floor slipping into unconsciousness. In a daze they saw the Sith standing over them before Leo saw Tol Skorr reaching for him as he slipped into the darkness.

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Ahsoka awoke in a darkened metal room, there was no light but a crack in what looked like a metal door. When she got up she couldn't see anything and felt around to get the size of the room which was no bigger than a closet "Leo!?" She called out.

"I'm here." She heard coming from the right side wall.

"Leo where are we?" She asked.

Leo was in the other room sitting on the floor "Well considering this is the second cramped cell I've been in, the rooms are cold and I don't hear anything outside but the roar of an engine I'm guessing hyperspace?"

"To where?" Ahsoka asked, sitting back down in her cell.

Leo was in his own cell sitting up against the wall "I don't know."

"How did Ventress and Tol Skorr even get into the temple, do you think that the Bounty Hunter who broke it helped them?" She asked him.

"Maybe." He said back as the ship flew on "I'm more curious of how they got out of the temple, did they take our lightsabers?"

"I don't know?" Ahsoka said back to him.

Up in the bridge, Ventress and Tol Skorr were slumped in their seats, their black robes torn as Asajj wrapped her arm up with a bandage. "I see Master Luminra remember our last duel." She hissed as she tore the banadage with her teeth.

Tol was sporting a bloodied forehead "And Master Mundi still has a nasty left hook."

The two apprentices sat there grunting "We have our prize, time to let our Master know." Tol said as he started to contact Dooku, soon the red holographic image of the Count was before them.

"My lord, we have the Padawans." Tol said back to him "Excellent, bring them to Serenno so I may inspect them."

"As you wish, my Master." Tol said cutting the transmission. They continued on through hyperspace as Tol leaned back on his chair, Ventress had mended the last of her bandages as Tol closed his eyes.

Asajj looked at him closely "You have no quarrel bringing two of your own order's younglings to the Count, to abandon them?"

"Why would I?" Tol asked.

"You hold no more loyalties to the Jedi?" Asajj confirmed.

Tol snapped his head toward her "Whatever you think you know of me assassin know this, the Jedi Masters have no loyalty to anyone but the chairs they sit on you say I am abandoning them, but it was the jedi who abandoned me on Korriban to die!"

Ventress glared at him "Maybe because they foresaw the power you'd have." She said reaching for his hand "We must be cautious, if the cycle of the SIth is true one day we will need to challenge Count Dooku."

He held her hand "We shall and the children will be our tools."

OUTER RIM

Open Circle Fleet

Anakin and Obi-Wan were far away in another system looking at a holotable planning their next move, Rex and Cody were with them "We'll need to move our ships here to break through their lines." Anakin said next to the Admiral when a clone trooper came came up to them.

"Generals, Admiral we have a message straight from the Jedi Council." He reported.

"Put it on." Obi-Wan instructed, in a shift of the hologram, the images of Master Unduli and Mundi standing beside Master Yoda, both Mundi and Unduli were covered in singe marks on their robes and scars.

The clones and Jedi were shocked seeing them in such a state "Masters what has happened?" Obi-Wan asked.

Each of the masters shared grave looks on their faces before they spoke "Dark tidings we bring Skywalker, Kenobi."

"Infiltrated the Temple, Dooku's apprentices did… stolen the padawans have been." Master Yoda said, Anakin and Obi-Wan's eyes were bigger than moons when they looked at one another "How did this happen!" Anakin thundered slamming his hand on the holo table so hard the holograms of the masters shook.

"A sabotage of the shipyards drew most of our forces and Jedi to the flames." Mundi reported to him "We tried to stop them but Tol Skorr knew the temple well."

"And our entire fleet wasn't able to stop them from escaping Coruscant?" Obi-Wan asked.

"It's clear now they had inside help from within the Republic, the fleet was moved to the other side of the planet and nearly all our Masters and Knights were either away or busy." Luminara said.

Anakin's gloves squeezed tightly the leather squeaking "Where, where did they take them?"

"Serenno Skywalker, there trajectory indicates Serenno." Mundi told them with a grieving heart.

"What's to be done?" Obi-Wan asked.

The masters didn't answer him "What is to be done Master Yoda?" Obi-Wan asked, leaning on the holotable.

"Nothing…" Master Yoda said "Nothing, but we can't just abandon them!" Anakin demanded.

"We will not Skywalker, but Serenno is guarded by a fleet that would require a massive force to break their lines, we do not have the resources the intel or-" "They have our Padawans!" Anakin screamed.

Obi-Wan grabbed Anakin by the arm to try and calm him "Anakin."

But he just threw his master's grip away and stormed off the bridge, before Obi-Wan shortly followed him "And where exactly do you think you're going?"

"To Serenno." Anakin said walking into an elevator, Obi-Wan had to almost run to get in beside him before the door closed on them. It started to lower itself down to the hanger level as Obi-Wan stood beside him.

Anakin looked at him waiting for him to speak but Obi-Wan said nothing "Aren't you going to tell me its suicide."

"It is." Obi-Wan agreed.

"And how I shouldn't go?" The Knight asked him "You shouldn't." Obi-Wan said.

"How I need to wait for the Masters to come up with a plan, before I do anything rash?" Anakin questioned "You should."

Anakin suddenly threw his arms in the air "Then why are you being so quiet, its freaking me out a bit?"

Kenobi turned slowly "Because this isn't about me, it isn't about you it's about the padawans and I'm going with you."

"Wait, you aren't stopping me, you aren't reporting me to the Council your just… tagging along?" Anakin asked him "Really Anakin you're a grown man, a Jedi Knight if I could stop you maybe I would but the fact is Leo and Ahsoka are our responsibility and if Dooku has them long enough he will turn them to the Dark Side, or worse."

"We won't let that happen." Anakin said as the elevator arrived in the hanger with the two of them walking out to "No we certainly will not."

SERENNO

Tol Skorr's ship landed outside Count Doku's palace, the acolytes left the bridge and returned to the cells in the main hold. Inside the cells Leo and Ahsoka stood up "We've landed, where do you think we are?" Ahsoka asked.

"Shall we." Ventress said as Tol pressed a button on one door, Ventress did the next one to it and inside the cells the padawans were suddenly gassed heavily by vents in the air. Outside the sith waited till they heard two thumps of bodies hitting the floor and opened them, both Padawans were incapacitated again before they were dragged out of the ship hands bound in force restraints with Magna droids pulling them buy their arms into the palace.

When they entered, Dooku was sitting in his throne behind his desk and gave a smile seeing the acolytes return with their mission a success. At the side entrances and shadows of the grand hall room other cloaked figures emerged before the padawans were dropped before the steps leading up to Dooku. "Well done my apprentices, I am most pleased."

"Rouse them." Dooku ordered the manga guards who ignited their shock staffs and stabbed each padawan in the back to wake them up.

They kicked and yelled before they came too on their knees, "How many times are we getting knocked out?" Leo asked before Ahsoka jabbed him in the elbow "Leo got up." She said urgently terror gripping her heart.

When Leo saw where they were he stood up beside her before they got back to back. Their alarm clock greeted them with chuckles and laughs from the other acolytes beside Ventress and Tol, "So many…" Leo said seeing they all wore black cloaks and those who didn't hide them had lightsabers at their belts.

"Indeed young one, behold the Order of the Dark Acolytes." Count Dooku said, getting their attention.

"Count Dooku…" Ahsoka gasped seeing him "Before the rise of the Separatists many of these men and women were prisoners or criminals doomed to die, forgotten by the jedi who failed to see their potential." Dooku said looking around the hall "But they will be the first of many to train a new Order of Sith!" He said holding up his fist, the Dark Acolytes all let out thunderous yells and roars besides Tol Skorr.

"And one of you will join us." Dooku said, smiling down to the two of them.

Ahsoka's fear forced her to smile "One, don't you mean two?" She asked him.

"No Ahsoka Tano I do not." Count Dooku informed her.

Leo could see a very visible chill run up her spine hearing the man say her name "You know me?"

"Indeed I do, I know of Leo Rock out of all the padawans of the Jedi only the two among you have stood out from other Jedi." Dooku said, making his way down from his pedestal.

"Such a tragedy it will be for the Jedi to lose such promising students." He said making his acolytes all chuckle and snicker.

It was Leo's turn to talk "Whatever you do, whatever your planning we will Never-Join-The-Sith!" He barked defiantly.

"One shall or both will die." Dooku said, towering over them, he waved his hand under his cloak and both their restraints fell off before he turned around. Skorr and Ventress backed up before two lightsabers hit the floor in front of each padawan. "You think we'd fight each other, for some scheme you have!?" Leo asked picking up one of the lightsabers and throwing it at Dooku who caught it with the force and it flew back at Leo past his head and then back around to hit him in the forehead knocking him out to the Sith Acolytes amusement.

He heard the click of the activation switch and a lightsaber blade emerging from its emitter but it wasn't the one Leo had, he saw the red hue on the floor beneath him and when he looked up he saw Ahsoka holding her lightsaber over his head "I'm sorry Leo."

RESOLUTE

Hanger

Anakin and Obi-Wan were aboard the Twilight looking at a holographic map of Count Dooku's palace on the cliff side. "Even if we get past the fleet we'll never make it inside the Palace, Dooku has chosen his stronghold well." Obi-Wan said scratching his beard getting on one knee.

"If we scale the wall from here, any Separatist forces on the ridge and in the skies will shoot us down when they are alerted to our presence?" Obi-Wan added.

Anakin walked around the room pacing "We can't waste much more time Master, we need to go now."

"I know Anakin, I know but if it's just us we need another plan." Suddenly the doors to the Twilights bridge opened up, Rex, Cody, Boil and Waxer walked in "Generals?" Rex asked walking in.

"Rex, what is it we can't really talk about?" Anakin asked "You're going after the kids General, we'd like to volunteer to go with you."

The four clones all nodded "Cody?" Obi-Wan asked.

"With respect General, I don't know Commander Rock very well but he saved you and a lot of my men on Geonosis and the last thing I'm going to do is let the Separatists lay a finger on him."

"Waxer, Boil?" Obi-Wan asked, looking at the two "It's like he said General." Waxer said "Plus we have a rep to keep as the two best." Boil added.

Anakin and Obi-Wan smiled "Alright then, I've got an idea but it's risky, Rex you remember how we got past Grievous's fleet at Selucami?"

"Uh yes General?"

"Well this is way worse, so make sure the Twilight is packed with plenty of ammunition." Anakin said smiling "This is a bad idea, do I even want to know?" Obi-Wan asked as the clones went out to get ready."

Anakin looked at him, "Do you want to save the kids or not?" Anakin asked him "More than anything right now if Leo is turned to Dooku's side his Battle Meditation will wreak havoc on the clones." Obi-Wan said.

"Wait, battle meditation?" Anakin asked him "That's why the sith are after him, what about Ahsoka?"

"It's like you said Anakin, her skills are more advanced than any Padawan of her age more than Leo's, I can only imagine what she'd become if she turned." Obi-Wan said dread the thought "Ahsoka would never join the dark side, never."

SERENNO

Count Dooku's Palaces Grand Hall

"Ahsoka no!" Leo yelled jumping out of the way of her first swing, the acolytes all cheered and roared as she chased him with her red lightsaber. Tol Skorr and Ventress stood on the floor edges with the other Dark Acolytes but didn't cheer; they only watched the two duel, or Ahsoka duel and Leo trying to evade her.

She swung at him again and he moved to the left before he flipped over a low strike where she force pushed him back onto the floor. He hit it hard, tumbling before he got on his feet "What are you doing?!" Leo barked at her.

"What's it look like!" Ahsoka yelled attacking him again, he moved left and right to avoid her swings leaning back to avoid a furious spinning swing. He rolled out around her backing up.

He raised his hands "No, no this is wrong this isn't you snips." Leo snapped.

"How do you know, the darkness is always around you, maybe it's in me too!" Ahsoka snapped at him as Dooku smiled seeing her commit to the death match.

"Yes, good youngling focuses your anger and your frustration to kill him." Dooku said over them as Leo walked up to Leo who stopped "I'm not going to die here Leo, I don't care what it takes." She said using the force to knock him off his feet and holding her lightsaber over him, "These are Dark Times Leo, remember?" She said, giving him a look that only Leo would know, on instinct Leo used the force to summon the saber hilt and caught her blade before she could finish him. His joining of the fight made the Dark Acolytes scream even louder as he got up.

Leo snarled at her "You betrayed me!"

"Ha like I ever owed you loyalty." Ahsoka snapped hacking at his lightsaber, he blocked and side stepped trying to take her head off but she parried "Leo Rock the Berserker, Leo Rock the Hero of Ryloth that's all I hear day in and day out how so important you are!"

She jumped up to kick him away "My own Master decided to take you as an apprentice when he already had me."

"Probably because you weren't worthy!" Leo barked at her going on the offensive pushing her back up closer to Dooku "You're not worthy of him or the Sith."

Ahsoka held up her lightsaber "This is the end for you my old friend."

"So be it." Leo said running at her before he jumped but instead of blocking Ahsoka grabbed his I'm with the force and hurled her over herself right at Count Dooku "DIE TRAITOR!" Leo yelled attacking Count Dooku with his lightsaber, the Count didn't even budge from his spot or draw his lightsaber instead he grabbed Leo with the force by the neck choking him in mid air at the gasp of the entire audience of Sith and Ahsoka, eyes wide seeing the entire facade of their fake duel wasn't even worth it. "Such spunk." Count Dooku said before he through Leo back into Ahsoka he hit her hard and the two of them fell back onto the floor at the roaring laughter of the Dark Acolytes

Dooku looked at the two padawans "Very well if one will not serve both shall die."

"Kill them." Dooku ordered, in unison the entire hall was filled up with the light of the Dark Acolytes lightsabers, Tol Skorr and Ventress to among the masses of black cloaks and red lightsabers surrounded Leo and Ahsoka who were on their feet back to back, regardless of the color both of the padawans reactivated their red lightsabers.

"Well it was worth a shot?" Ahsoka said "More than that you had me convinced."

"Think I can convince you we'll get out of this?" Ahsoka asked as the Dark Acolytes started to get closer to envelop them, they were back to back forcing the Sith on all sides.

Leo shrugged "It would be an act for the ages."

"I may not have to." Ahsoka said sensing something in the force.

In another part of the galaxy far far away, Anakin and Obi-Wan were behind the controls of the twilight as the four clones were strapped in or holding on when Anakin made the jump to hyperspace. "Artoo be prepared to cut the engines on my mark." Artoo beeped at him plugged into the control, as they started to near Serenno "Now!" Anakin ordered as they came out of hyperspace above Serenno right in front of a Separatist dreadnought before they sipped past thanks to Anakin's quick reflexes. To the droids they were nothing more than a blur of metal that not even their scanners picked up as they zipped past to Serenno "Did yo use that?" The droid commander asked "See what?" Another asked.

"Nevermind?" The droid replied.

The twilight broke through the atmosphere of Serenno and its clouds like they were nothing zooming straight toward Dooku's palace at lighting speed "Everyone hold ON!" Anakin yelled.

Back in the palace Dooku, Skorr and Ventress sensed the incoming danger, aka the incoming ship that was right in front of the grand halls green tinted window, Dooku ducked as the Twilight tore into the grand hall sending the entire room into chaos as it flew over crashing onto the floor past Leo and Ahsoka before it rammed into the entrance. The doors of the Twilights hanger opened with Rex on a mounted E-web turret hooked up to the ship's generator "SUCK LASER!" He yelled opening fire on the Dark Acolytes, Tol Skorr and Ventress dove to cover from the recently made rubble as Rex started to mow down the sith wannabes.

Some of them tried to scale the ship from the top but Anakin and Obi-Wan burst out followed by Waxer and Boil, Waxer had a heavy repeating blaster cannon he immensity used to spray the room with blue laser fire as Boil was wearing a flamethrower which started to ignite entire scores of Dark Acolytes. Cody hung back in the ship's rear turret shooting from inside as Anakin and Obi-Wan did what Jedi did best, fight Sith.

Leo and Ahsoka watched their Masters jump right over them "Kill the Jedi!" Ventress yelled as the acolytes charged the two Jedi. Anakin and Obi-Wan were like a hurricane their blue lightsaber a blur of carnage hacking and dismembering anyone in there way, Anakin blasted three acolytes away with the force as Obi-Wan held back two at once before he sliced off both their heads with a single swing. Anakin kicked another one back before he smashed his is fist into the closet Acolyte.

"Padawans, get on the ship!" Anakin yelled at them when one larger Ventress and Tol Skorr appeared over Obi-Wan and Anakin. Leo and Ahsoka jumped over both their Masters and kicked each apprentice back before landing between their masters lightsabers ready.

"You were saying?" Ahsoka asked him.

"We can't do this for long." Obi-Wan said as the Dark Acolytes started to regroup, Anakin held up his wrist communicator "Artoo get the Twilight ready to go."

Artoo heard him from inside and started to prep the ship as the Jedi held the line against the sith, Anakin, Ahsoka, Leo and Obi-Wan held their ground against the onslaught of Dark Acolytes. Anakin swung his saber down from overhead using his towering figure to hold back swaths of the acolytes, Ahsoka back flipped and used her smaller body to evade the larger sith jumping over their blades to swat them away. Leo locked one blade head butting the owner and force pushed them away, Obi-Wan kicked another down stabbing him in the ground before he parried two oncoming blows and saw they couldn't keep this up forever.

Ahead of them Dooku had recovered from the sudden interruption to the ceremony with Ventress and Tol Skorr in front of him "We can't do this much longer, if these acolytes don't get us the droids will." Obi-Wan told Anakin.

"Then go I'll cover you." Anakin told them.

"We aren't leaving you master!" Ahsoka snapped at him.

Up at the front of the great hall covered in glass Dooku frowned "Skorr, Ventress I tire of this."

"As you wish, master.' Ventress pressed a button on her, suddenly from one of the side halls of the doors commando droids ran out with rocket launchers and took aim at the jedi and dark acolytes.

"LOOK OUT!" Leo yelled when the droids opened fire, Anakin and Obi-Wan grabbed their padawans shielding them from the blast. The explosion shook the entire room even the clones were staggered till they took out the droids before they could shoot the twilight.

Cody looked out from the cockpit "Rex, we need to leave, now!"

"I can't see the Generals or the commanders?" Rex said as the Jedi were lost in the cloud of smoke and dust.

Anakin came to first slowly getting up to see almost all the dark acolytes were either dead or wounded, the other jedi were alive too battered but not broken from the blast. Then through the smoke Anakin saw Tol Skorr and Ventress walking through the smoke with their lightsabers drawn.

Then Dooku appeared in "A valiant effort Skywalker, truly worthy of the Jedi of the Old Republic." Dooku praised him as Leo was helped up by Ahsoka and Obi-Wan got to his feet he suddenly grabbed his side his body glove and robe cut leaking blood onto the floor. Anakin was injured to the back of his robes were torn to shreds bleeding from open burn marks.

"Master." Leo said coming over to aid him but Obi-Wan held up his lightsaber hand and turned it on "I'm fine Padawan."

"Surrender and you four shall be spared." Count Dooku requested.

Anakin smiled and winced at the same time "Not gonna happen."

"A pity, finish them." Dooku said, turning around "Artoo, fire the engines!" Anakin ordered.

The Twilights rear engines came to life "Move!" Anakin ordered, Ahsoka and he went right, Leo and Obi-Wan left. The sheer force of the engines blasted Tol Skorr and Ventress back up against the wall but Count Dooku spun around and used the force to hold himself in place, his brown cloak flowing behind him as he took the full gust of the engines power.

"Time to go droid, activate the weapon systems." Rex said in the pilots seat opening fire not he walls in front of them. When the first wall down the Twilight started push through scraping against the floors burrowing to the other end of the palace.

"Come on." Anakin told everyone, the Masters and padawans followed the twilight as it broke through the main entrance out into the courtyard before the ships engines gave out.

Inside Cody was slamming at the controls, "No, no, no General Skywalker the engines are overheating."

"Artoo get those engines cooled, we need to get out of here now." Anakin said coming out of the palace into its courtyard, overhead they could see the separatist fleet starting to descend.

"Leo get inside." Obi-Wan ordered him still holding his side now gushing blood "Master I won't leave you." Leo told him.

Anakin and Ahsoka came over when they saw him lagging behind "Anakin you need to take the padawans and go I'll hold off Dooku and his lackeys." Obi-Wan said weakly.

But the Knight shook his head "No we're all leaving or none at all… so sorry about this" Anakin said "Sorry about-" Anakin drew back his gloved fist and threw it across Obi-Wan's jaw knocking him out.

"Boil, Waxer come get General Kenobi inside." Anakin ordered catching him.

The two clones ran out and grabbed Obi-Wan carrying him inside. "If we make it out of this, neither of us are reporting General Skywalker agreed." Boil asked

"Agreed." Waxer replied as they laid Obi-wan down on the medical bed as Rex came out with two heavy blaster rifles. "Less talking, more blasting, we got droids coming up to the perimeter." Anakin came back out as Dooku walked out with Ventress and Tol behind him, "You two handle the lackeys… I'll take Dooku." Anakin said as his back wound dripped onto the courtyard floor around them and as the Sith emerged so did the sounds of clanking battle droid feet marching towards the palace from the fields outside the palace.

Anakin, Leo and Ahsoka started to walk toward the Sith, Dooku, Skorr and Ventress mirrored them drawing their lightsabers. Blue, white and green facing four red blades till they charged. Sabers crossed and flashed Anakin using both hands to fight Dooku with his single grip elegantly balanced and deadly. Leo met Tol Skorr head on spinning around him to evade the giants powerful strikes across from them Ahsoka flipped over Ahsoka who caught her first strike with her red lightsabers behind her back.

The twilight was another fight, the four clones were taking up positions as Cody's was inside trying to get the ship back on "Come on, come on hurry." He told Artoo who beeped at him "At least get the shields up."

Just in time when the droids opened fire, Artoo turned on the Twilights shields giving the clones and Jedi some cover. Back with the battle of light and darkness, Leo and Tol Skorr were furiously attacking one another "There is no escape Leo Rock, join us or die." Night

"How many times do I have to tell you, I-WILL-NEVER-BE-SITH!" Leo yelled at him through each swing.

"But your anger, your hate, you use them well even if it is hate for the sith." Tol Skorr said, breaking off the duel walking around them.

The others were carrying on banter as well, Dooku and Anakin had locked swords "Master Kenobi has trained you well, perhaps Qui-Gonn was right to see something in you."

"Don't you dare say his name." Anakin grunted through the lock.

Asajj was toying with Ahsoka too laughing and cackling as Ahsoka chased her, Asajj swung her lightsabers down on Ahsoka forcing her almost to her knees laughing when Ahsoka suddenly clocked the assassin right in her narrow jaw "Laugh at that you evil bitch." Ahsoka snapped.

Ventress spat out some blood, her smile and laugh gone, she shrieked running at her driving her fury right at Ahsoka.

No longer toying with her, Ahsoka started to get pressed back by the older, almost more skilled woman. Leo noticed both Anakin and his padawan were faltering. Tol saw it and rather then attack he spoke "Look at them, they will die yield now and I know my Master and the assassin will let them go."

Accept your destiny

Leo snapped his head back to Tol and he was holding the red kyber crystal containing the ancient Sith Lord "Embrace who you really are." Tol said.

Embrace the dark side, save your friends with your fury and hatred

The words of the kyber crystal reached Leo as he saw Dooku overcome Anakin and push him back onto the ground before Anakin got up. Asajj grabbed Ahsoka with the force by the neck and threw her down before Ahsoka had to catch the assassin's next strike on the ground. Leo squeezed his fists tight around his lightsaber before he turned it off "Your right, we can't escape…. and I'm so tired of fighting it…" Leo admitted.

Yessss

Leo held out his hand to Tol Skorr and the red kyber crystal started to float toward him "I don't want to fight anymore…. I don't want to try… I know what I am." he said

His allies saw him doing it "Leo!" Anakin called out but Dooku suddenly appeared "It is over Skywalker, he is lost to you and the jedi lies."

Yes, yes take me in your hands I will grant you all the power in the galaxy.

The red kyber crystal was almost toward Leo "Leo, Don't do it!" Ahsoka tried to yell at him while she fought Ventress "

Together we shall unravel the darkest secrets of the galaxy, the ways of power will be ours and ours alone we shall-

…. no….

Leo's eyes cracked open, not yellow but bright green, he turned on his lightsabers and yelled slashed the red kyber crystal with his lightsaber.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo...

The kyber crystal exploded in a bright red surge of energy knocking everyone back from the blast except for Leo who was standing across from Tol Skorr. "What, no you fell, I could feel it you are one with the darkness you are SITH!?"

"I AM A JEDI!" Leo yelled at Tol Skorr "Yes, I have anger and hate, I fear and use my pain but I deal with it and right now I'd rather see you lose then live."

Tol Skorr snarled "And you'll die as one!" Tol yelled, running at him the blast has taken its toll on Leo when Skorr struck, Leo almost fell to the ground being pushed back by the massive strikes.

Dooku had seen the whole thing as did Anakin, who started to laugh "See Dooku… you can't break them, neither of them you failed." The Count turned his lightsaber back on and pointed it to Skywalker "The day is not over yet Skywalker."

"Well bring it on old man, I'll go easy on you." Anakin said, fighting through the pain of his wounds.

Ahsoka and Asajj hadn't even paused their duel "Kill you, kill you kill you!" Asajj shouted frantically as she attacked. Ahsoka backed up Asajj in rage of dark side madness and was almost too much for the girl, behind them the clones were holding off the advancing droids who seemed to be without end. When Asajj made a high slash from above Ahsoka blocked but Ventress took her other lightsaber and drove it into the left side Ahsoka's stomach "AHSOKA!" Rex screamed so loud it halted the entire lightsaber back.

Anakin turned his head over from Dooku and his jaw dropped, he broke off his fight with Dooku and hit him with a force push so hard Dooku was knocked off his feet and sent straight into the "GETAWAYFROMHER!" Anakin roared, grabbing Asajj Ventress with the force by the neck and slamming her into the ground before he flung her through a wall of the palace.

Leo looked over and even only for a moment when he was distracted Tol was there and when Leo turned around all he saw was a red lightsaber coming right at his face. "GRAAAHH!" Tol's blade had cut Leo across the face and the boy slapped his hand to it the smell of his own flesh and bone burnt made it almost unbearable to stay standing.

Across the courtyard Rex was running up to Anakin who cradled Ahsoka in his arms "Ahsoka, Ahsoka can you hear me."

"..rrrr Master… it hurts." Ahsoka said looking at the wound "Get her onboard Rex." Anakin ordered "Sir, yes sir." Rex raised Ahsoka up in his arms before Anakin turned his attention toward Tol Skorr and Leo who could barely see.

Tol Skorr laughed as the boy swung at him wildly holding his hand over his face un able to see. Tol dodged a close strike before he kicked Leo to the ground and when Leo held up his lightsaber Tol took care not to lop off any limbs rather he cut Leo's lightsaber in half rendering it useless before kicking it from his hands.

"You wanted to be a jedi, well embrace the force as one." Tol said ready to drive his lightsaber down into Leo who looked up at him, Tol's attack on Leo's face had missed the boy's green eyes and was directly across his nose and cheeks leaving a blackened burnt scar still bleeding. Tol smiled seeing Leo would look him in the eyes smiling the dark jedi got ready to drive his lightsaber down when he felt something around his neck.

Tol's lightsaber was ripped from his hands and flew behind him to the approaching Anakin Skywalker who had his other hand clutched in a claw choking the life out of Tol "You break into our home."

"You kidnap our padawans..." Anakin added.

"You try to make them murder each other for your own perverted games." Anakin said, squeezing the air around Tol's neck making him choke, suddenly Tol Skorr was lifted off the ground, his feet dangling as Anakin choked him. His legs kicked and thrashed as he grabbed his neck "This… is not- the jedi way-ack." Tol tried to say before Anakin yanked Tol right toward him, Anakin activated the red and blue lightsabers and dropped Tol right at his knees between the two blades ready to execute him "MERCY!" Tol screamed

Leo rolled over weakly looking at him "Mercy, you betrayed the order, the Republic tried to kill my padawans and now you expect mercy?"

"It's the jedi way… " Tol begged looking up at him, "You are no jedi." Anakin hissed

"I WAS A JEDI KNIGHT!" Tol screamed up at him water forming in the corners of his eyes "Ever since I was a child that's all I wanted to be, a Jedi Knight a champion of the Republic, I passed the trials I fought in the Stark Hyperspace War I shed blood, sweat and tears for the Republic and for what?" Tol asked Anakin his neck an inch from the two lightsabers.

Tol looked over at Leo then at Anakin "For what!? To be abandoned on Korriban by the Jedi Council, bereft and forgotten because they too afraid to even come near the darkness to try and save me…. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO SURVIVE!" Tol yelled up at him, tears streaming down his face.

"So please…. my jedi brother… spare me." Tol begged Anakin, "General Skywalker we need to go now the engines are ready!" Rex yelled out as the droids were closing in.

Anakin looked back at Tol and was about to cut the man's head off "Master!" Leo called out to him on his feet picking up the remains of his broken lightsaber "... he's not worth it." Leo said wobbling over to Twilight. Saying nothing Anakin tossed Tol's lightsaber aside and turned around, in an instant Tol summoned his lightsaber and tried to attack Anakin from behind but Anakin was ready he spun back around and sliced both of Tol Skorr's arms clean off before he fell back onto his knees.

"No…" Tol said before the jedi ran back onto the twilight.

Anakin saw Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were strapped in the medical room breathing apparatus on their face as a medical droid dressed Ahsoka's wounds. When Leo saw her he fell to his knees at the table "Ahsoka… no, no, no." He said, grabbing her hand, squeezing it.

"Artoo, get us out of here." Anakin ordered, Waxer and Boil got on board just in time as the twilight started to take off among the sea of droids.

Tol SKorr watched the ship go still on his knees as Ventress came up behind him covered in dust her forehead bleeding "We failed." Tol said as Asajj held up her lightsaber behind him and turned it on "No, you failed." She said.

Sighing, the disarmed man turned around to look at her and said, "You really are an evil bitch."

Asajj only smiled "There can be only two." She said before slicing his head off.

Up in the clouds Anakin was at the controls of the twilight with the clones strapped in at the rear guns. Rex was in the cargo hold shooting his turret outside at the clouds filled with vulture droids.

"General Kenobi always said you were an excellent pilot." Cody said holding on "Does that mean you can get us out of here?" He asked.

Anakin swirled upward past a barrage of cannon fire from the Separaitst fleet closing in on all sides "Or die trying."

"That's not as encouraging!" Cody yelled as they went higher "I can't do any evasive maneuvers till we're out of the planet's atmosphere." Anakin said, running away. Back in the medical hold Leo looked at Ahsoka through his bloody cut face "Can you save her?" Leo asked the twilight medical droid who was attending them.

"The wound is too severe, she will no longer function soon." Leo looked back at the unconscious Ahsoka as Anakin broke through the upper atmosphere only to be greeted by the full force of Serenno's Separatist flotilla. Anakin started to do his best dodging the unending wave of vulture droids and red cannon fire "Artoo get us ready to jump."

The droid responded from the nav computer Waxer was sitting at "What he say?"

"He says there are too many ships in the way, we can't make the jump." Anakin said as the ship was hit on the broadside by a droid cannon.

In the back room, Leo squeezed Ahsoka's hand tighter "No, please start no." Leo prayed as he put his other hand on her wound "Listen to me Ahsoka… if this it… you asked me why I got rid of the crystal."

"It was you, when the sith spirit was trying to take control of my mind I was trapped in darkness then I heard your voice calling out to me." He said while the Twilights shields were starting to fail from the bombardment of enemy fire, one of their engines caught fire then.

"Cause no matter how bad things got, now matter how many enemies I faced I knew you'd always be on the other end of it waiting for me… because I…" Leo trailed off for a moment looking at her pale face, the orange had gone out of her cheeks her heart beat growing weaker by the moment.

Behind him on the other medical bed Obi-wan stirred his eyes closed "...say it… say it…" Leo looked back at him then the medical droid "Is he awake?"

"He has been prescribed ample pain medication, he is delirious." The droid reported as Leo looked back at Ahsoka, summoning every last ounce of force he had he channeled it into her wound.

"Because I can't live without you Ahsoka."

Up on the bridge the Twilight had no way out, every alarm and siren it had was going off as they were about to be blown to oblivion "General Skywalker we've got ships coming out of hyperspace!" Cody said to him.

"Like we didn't have enough problems." Anakin said "No sir, there friendlies, there friendlies." Out of hyperspace dropped an entire fleet of Republic Cruisers nearly colliding with the separatist dreadnoughts at the head of one of them was Admiral Yuralen "All ships open fire and watch your aim, General Plo you are cleared."

Soaring out of the ship's hangers was a swarm of clone straightens with Plo Koon at the vanguard in his Jedi Starfighter "I see the Twilight, all fighters follow me and punch a hole." Plo ordered as the clones drew the attention of the separaitst fleet. Back inside Anakin was able to push the remaining engines into overdrive "Master Plo I could kiss you." Anakin said.

"Let's get out of here first Skywalker, where are the padawans?" Plo asked him.

Inside the medical room Leo had his hand over Ahsoka's wound trying to channel the force into it before he… before he… passed out.

Leo was falling, but it wasn't a terribly frantic fall; it felt soft and graceful as if he were sinking to the bottom of a pool. Instead of it becoming colder or darker it was the opposite, he was heading straight toward a dim light that got brighter every second.

When he saw it Leo felt a sense of relief, peace and warmth, the light was radiant and welcoming to the sight and soon started to fill the void he was in. He saw his wounds were gone and he felt no pain, even his green robes were replaced with white ones.

Then he heard it, out of the light came the most angelic sounding voice he'd ever heard and it said "hello."

It made him smile seeing it, Leo started to reach out to the light ready to embrace it when someone grabbed his other hand. Leo turned around to see Ahsoka behind him, her wounds were gone, the color returned to her face, her red top and skirt were white like his robes and her smile was even warmer than the light.

"Not that way." She said.

"Why not?" Leo asked.

She started to pull him up "Because if we go that way we can't go back."

Leo looked back at the light, it said nothing only glowed with this warmth diminishing it as Ahsoka pulled him back up, up and up….

"He'll be fine, it'll leave a scar but he'll live…." A voice said.

"What about her...?" Another voice asked, it was Anakins.

There was shuffling "The droid indicated her wound was fatal and she should have survived, but she's stable I suggest replacing the droid Skywalker."

The two padawans woke up in white sheeted beds, they were back in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, when they woke up they saw each of their Masters fast asleep across from them in separate chairs inside the same medical room Windu and Anakin had shared early in the morning. Ahsoka and Leo shared looks of "We're alive?" Leo said, his head was wrapped up around his nose and cheeks with some around his head too. They both had on white medical robes like Anakin and Mace had worn when they were injured.

Ahsoka winced, sitting up grabbing her stomach where she'd been stabbed "I think we're pushing our luck Rusty."

Anakin woke up first "Master, there awake." Anakin said gleefully.

Obi-Wan rose beside him "Padawans how are you feeling?" He asked.

Leo rested his head on the pillow "Like I was stabbed." Ahsoka said, falling back into her pillow.

"Guess Ventress took away some of your snippets Ahsoka." Anakin said leaning on her bed.

Obi-Wan came up to Leo "And you Leo?"

Leo looked up at him "How did we escape?" Leo asked him.

"I believe I can answer that." Master Plo walked in through the medical rooms doors with Master Yoda beside him "When Admiral Yuralen informed me that Skywalker and Kenobi were planning a rescue, I joined my fleet with his to… assist Skywalker almost regretfully with what happened after." Plo said as Anakin smirked at him knowing Anakin had kept good on his promise of thanks.

Ahsoka snickered but groaned "Ow… bet Master Windu loved that."

"You four always seem to find yourself in trouble don't you." Plo Koon said jolly as Master Yoda approached them.

"Master Yoda." Leo said seeing him "Many perils you together you have faced, many dangers gone, the threat of the Dark Acolytes I sense."

Anakin smirked "Well that's some good news."

"Now two there are, a Master and an Apprentice no more no less." Plo said beside him.

"Yet grows the shadow of the dark side ever more…" Master Yoda said looking at the padawans "Rest now you will, speak to your Masters i would know that you have awoken."

Master Kenobi and Skywalker reluctantly agreed "Oh before I leave." Obi-Wan said walking over to Leo, he held up a small cloth pouch and rested it on his lap "This is your Leo, I'm sorry about it."

Leo unfolded the package with wrapped up fingers to see it was the remains of his lightsaber, split in half by Tol Skorr, the crystal was still intact but everything around it was cut to scrap "Guess I'll need to make a new one." Leo said.

"Focus on that till you can move more, Master Yoda?" Obi-Wan told him before he followed the other masters out of the room.

When they were alone Leo looked at his broken lightsaber "Sorry about your lightsaber?"

"I'm not, I'm just glad we all got home." Leo said, smiling at her as she got up and walked over to the window, she rested one hand on her hip looking out the window.

Leo sat up to throw his legs over the bed as he put the lightsaber parts aside "Leo?" She asked.

"Yeah?" He responded by getting up to stand next to her.

She looked over at him standing close to him "When we were escaping, I thought I was going to die. I must have blacked out… then, then I heard your voice."

Leo smiled and nodded bashfully "Yeah we thought… I thought I lost you."

"Guess you were wrong." She said reaching up and pressing her palm on his own, their fingers locked "Guess so…" he said leaning in.

Suddenly the door to their rooms beeped to let them know someone was coming in, the two padawans split a part immediately before they saw Barriss and Selene walk in with Master Sinube too "Ahsoka, Leo you're alright." Barriss said running up and hugging them.

"Sorry to disturb you young ones, but your friends were eager to see you." Sinube said before Captain Rex walked in behind them "Good to see you on your feet Commander."

"Rex, you too." She said as Barriss broke the hug, rejoiced to see they were okay "I want to hear all about it unless you don't want to then that's fine." Barriss said as Leo and Ahsoka looked at one another thinking about what might have been a tinder moment.

ONE WEEK LATER

Leo was sitting in the temple medical room, different from the suit wearing fresh green robes with his red hair starting to fill out more from the haircut to a neat comb over. Across from him Ahsoka was wearing fresh clothes as well Anakin and Obi-Wan stood behind her as a medical droid unwrapped the bandages around Leo's face till the last one fell off, "Hmm I think the scar makes you look rather dashing?" Anakin said.

"You would." Obi-Wan said as Leo was handing a mirror, Tol Skorr's final strike had left a scar running across Leo's cheeks and nose just under his eyes. Any higher and he would have surely been blinded.

"Nothing a few sessions in a bacta chamber won't fix, lucky it didn't break your nose." Obi-Wan added the scar had inly cut flesh "No." Leo said drawing his fingers across the scar "I want to keep it." Leo asked as he set his mirror down and stood up.

The Masters looked at Leo puzzled "Very well, have you begun reconstruction on your lightsaber?"

Leo reached into his robe and held up the two pieces still broken "I haven't decided on what it should be, I don't think I want it to be like my older lightsaber could have been useful on Kamino though."

"I'm still bummed we missed out on that battle, I would love to pay Rex, Cody and the other clones back." Ahsoka said to them.

Anakin smirked "I'm sure, almost had Ventress too before she escaped I guess she's the only apprentice Dooku has now." Anakin said.

"Well you'll have plenty of time to decide where we're going." Obi-Wan said.

"Master?" Leo asked.

Anakin and Obi-Wan shared looks knowing something the padawans didn't "What is it?"

"The Council have given Leo and I a special assignment, we'll be heading for the outer rim soon for… some time." Obi-Wan said.

"How long is some time?" Ahsoka asked looking over at Leo who shared the same question as her.

Obi-Wan sighed "Hard to say, but at a minimum over a year maybe more, we won't be seeing much of each other I'm afraid."

Leo looked at the floor knowing this meant he and Ahsoka wouldn't be around, Leo looked over at her and she knew the same thing he was thinking. "We'll be here when you get back." Anakin said, putting his hand on Ahsoka's shoulder.

Obi-Wan was already heading to the door "Gather whatever you have in your room and meet me at the landing pad."

Leo didn't move at first looking at Anakin and Ahsoka "May the force be with you Leo." Ahsoka said "And with you." Leo said before he followed Obi-Wan out of the room.

Later Leo had on a backpack walking next to Obi-wan outside the temple "Master?" Leo asked after they were outside on the landing pad "Before we leave, I was hoping to make a stop at the prison."

"Prison, whatever for?" Obi-Wan asked him to turn around.

Leo reached into his bag and pulled out the book that Vizsla had given him. "It's a book on mandalore, I wanted to give it to the boy Boba Fett."

"Jango's son why… very well." Obi-Wan conceded.

Eventually they arrived at the prison where Leo was walking in and Obi-Wan stayed outside, the clones led Leo to the visitor center which had two way glass windows with desks for people to sit and talk too. When Leo sat down two clones brought out Boba, his head had been shaved and he was wearing a bright orange jumpsuit.

"When they said I had a visitor you were the last person I expected?" Boba said, sitting down "Nice haircut." Boba joked.

"Really?" Leo asked, looking at his bald head.

Leo nodded "I figured, I have something for you."

"I don't want anything from you jedi, you killed my father." Boba spat at him as Leo put the book in a shelf and slid it to the other end of the window for Boba "I'm sorry about your father, I never knew mine but I visited his world Mandalore or at least I think he was a mandalorian since he wore the armor." Leo said as Boba picked up the book.

"This is a book on the ways of the Mandalorian, it was given to me when I visited it. I read it and thought it was pretty good though you might like it." Leo said to him Boba flipped through the pages eagerly reading it "... I don't know what to say." Boba said shutting it.

Leo hardened his glare at him "I think you do, you said you had something to tell me last time I saw you."

Boba's face was blank for a moment. "Oh yeah, Hondo said he wanted me to tell you, guess since you gave me this book it's only fair."

"What is it?" Leo asked him "Ironic really, considering the circumstance you Jedi took my father now I'm givin you yours."

"... what?" Leo asked Boba "Stark." He said.

"Your father's name is Iaco Stark, the man who started the Stark Hyperspace War, heard he cut some kind of deal and joined the commerce guild the same one that created the Separatists and I thought my family was weird." Boba said before he stood up "Thanks for the book Jedi."

Leo sat there in his chair stunned realizing his father was a Separatist.