Hard Choices & Decisions

The next day, the terminal began to beep in the silent Council Chambers in the middle of a Council meeting and Master Yoda answered the call. A holo image appeared of a middle-aged man who had a solemn look on his face which did not comfort the Jedi Masters in relation to the news they had been waiting to receive back from him.
"Agent. Your report you have to give us, do you?" Master Yoda prompted.
"Master Yoda, we have tracked a large majority of the missing members of the Jedi Order to a Zygerrian slave processing facility," the Agent revealed.
Master Yoda sighed heavily as Master Windu asked the next question, "Have you been able to determine whether a rescue would be possible?"
The SIS Agent shook his head and replied, "It would take three times the amount of Jedi you have that aren't imprisoned here and even then you would lose more even if you managed to get a few out alive."
"Why do you say that?" Master Mundi inquired.
"There are thousands of those droids surrounding the facility as well as gun turrets and a ray shield surrounding the entire facility," he answered, "The shield generator is inside the facility itself and it is on an island in the pit of a volcano," he added.
"Thank you for investigating this for us Agent you may return back to your other duties," Master Kenobi said.
"Of course Masters," the Agent farewelled before cutting off his end of the transmission.
The Padawans all stood around the room behind their respected Masters in shock but a few of them would soon snap out of it when Master Windu spoke.
"We have no choice but to leave them there," he said forcefully.
"No we do have a choice," David growled angrily.
"Padawan, enough," Master Unduli reprimanded David for the outburst.
David clenched his jaw in response and looked around the room before stalking out of the room and growled, "I am not abandoning my best friend to those slavers."
The room was silent for a few moments when Master Windu turned to Master Unduli with a questioning look.
"Who is this best friend he just referred to Master Unduli?" Master Windu asked curiously.
"Padawan Bramax Hawkens," Master Unduli responded softly, "From what their Crèche Master told me they have been friends since they were bought to the Enclave on Hoth and were inseparable," she added in explanation.
"Yes well if your Padawan does not learn to let go of his friend he will very likely be removed from the Order," Master Mundi stated pointedly, "I suggest you continue to help him with the task," he suggested.
Master Unduli nodded in agreement and then the meeting was called to an end. Ashlyn followed her Master into the lift in complete silence as she sensed he wanted to talk to her in private for a little while.
"What did you want to talk to me about Maser?" Ashlyn inquired curiously and almost afraid to hear what he had to say. They were now sitting in their living chambers after a long silent walk back to the destination the Jedi Master had selected.
"Ash, you know about Padme and me. The Council is willing to tolerate and accept that you and Daly are prophesied to be together but-," he paused for a few seconds trying to figure out how to say what he needed to, "-is there something else that you are not telling us?" he asked seriously.
Ashlyn frowned in confusion, "What?"
"Don't lie to me Ash, you've always been terrible at it," Anakin reminded her.
"Well-," Ashlyn stopped as she thought about whether she really wanted her Master to know let alone the Jedi Council as a whole, "-there is another bit of the prophecy that Master Yoda didn't see," she admitted.
Anakin raised an eyebrow, "And?"
"Please Master I don't want the Council to know, I don't know why but I just have this really bad feeling about it and the last thing I want to happen is the Council to take them away from me," Ashlyn said in an almost pleading sort of way.
"Them?" Anakin asked looking at his Padawan with a look of deep concern.
"I saw a vision of mine and Daly's future children," Ashlyn said.
If Anakin was expecting anything it wasn't what Ashlyn had just told him, "Future children?" he asked double-checking that he had heard correctly the first time.
"Yes," Ashlyn mumbled as she nodded in added response.
"How many?" Anakin asked.
"Six children, four boys and two girls," Ashlyn revealed cautiously, "You're not going to tell them, are you?"
Anakin shook his head, "No, there is a reason that the Force showed you this vision and not Master Yoda. I think the only Council Member you would have to worry about in terms of this would Master Windu," he said thoughtfully.
Ashlyn sighed in relief, "Thank you, Master," she thanked him gratefully.
Anakin nodded, "Of course Ash. Just remember that you can tell me anything, okay?" he asked her seriously, wanting his Padawan to understand and trust him.
Ashlyn nodded, "Could I go now?" she inquired curiously.
"Sure, catch yah later Tiger," Anakin said and Ashlyn left him alone to his thoughts about what she had just revealed to him.

Meanwhile, Jania entered the engine room of the Millennium Falcon and found Inoma hard at work fixing something that looked like it didn't need any repairing at all.
"Hey Inoma," Jania greeted and Inoma looked out from underneath the Hyperdrive.
"Hey Jania," Inoma said, "Shouldn't you be studying?" she asked curiously.
"Well not exactly," Jania replied, "I was just out in the hangar with the others and Eric said you were in here," she added.
"Well until that Can of Corrosion is off this planet I am staying on my ship where hopefully he won't dare show his face," Inoma growled under her breath as she turned the hydro spanner in her hands harshly.
"Oh come on he's not that bad, he's quite funny actually," Jania admitted.
"I wouldn't fall for the façade if I were you," Inoma advised strongly.
"Can you please come out into the hangar with me?" Jania asked pleadingly, "Mayken is in class and Ash is with her Master."
"And what about Alazea?" Inoma inquired.
Jania sighed, "In the middle of a holocall to some random guy."
Inoma laughed, "Do you realise who that random guy is?" she asked in amusement.
Jania looked at Inoma with a curious look and shook her head.
"That random guy is Mayken's father," Inoma revealed causing Jania to gape at her.
"Really?"
"Yes but he doesn't know Mayken exists, from what Alazea told me about him it's probably best for it to stay that way as well," Inoma explained.

Out in the hangar, the Padawans were talking to Eric, Stones and Gilgaro which was turning out to be a very interesting conversation so far.
"I don't agree with the Council in not doing anything to try and rescue the Jedi who have been captured," Ancor said in distaste.
"None of us do Ancor but there is nothing we do about it," Daly stated pointedly.
"Well I'm glad I don't have those old windbags telling me what to do day in and day out," Gilgaro said casually as he leaned back against the crate behind him.
"That must be nice, being able to do what you want and when you want it," Ancor said almost dreamily.
"Sure is kid," Gilgaro said, "If you're unhappy with your lot, feel free to leave and join me. Just so happens I've been looking for a co-pilot," he offered.
Ancor thought in silence for a few minutes and then replied to the offer sounding very unsure about what to say, "I don't know, I've been raised in the Jedi Order my whole life and I don't think I could just leave."
Gilgaro shrugged his shoulders and responded casually, "If you ever change your mind, be sure to let me know kid."

A/N: I'm sorry, I will keep going with posting chapters until you all are reassured with how Raven is going. It should have happened by now, although this book was written quite a few years ago so I could just be thinking of the major events in the book while forgetting all of this in between stuff.

Ashlyn Dubreas.