Chapter 14
Truths and Lies
Leo and Ahsoka looked at one another, The Martez's and the Sun Guard also looked at them wondering if they'd have the chance to kill one another. Sighing behind him and wishing he had something to eat with the show. Turok walked up behind Leo and whispered "Say something idiot."
"… Hey." Leo said breaking the ice, Turok slapped his forehead with his claw. "Hey." Ahsoka said walking toward him the two looked each other over from top to bottom, Ahsoka looking at his wolf tail white hair.
"New hair cut." She said,
"New uh… look?" Leo said pointing to her one piece suit.
She looked at her own outfit and nodded "Listen uh… this is all a misunderstanding my friends ship got shot down while we were escaping." "Escaping?" Leo asked.
"You were the Pyke's prisoners?" Leo asked her.
"Something like that." Ahsoka said "Listen, my friend Trace built her ship by hand, it's pretty banged up."
Leo looked at Trace and then at Rafa who looked at him bug eyed "What kind of ship is it?" Leo asked.
"A nebula class freighter, one of a kind and you broke it." Trace snapped at him holding up her pipe, the Sun Guard held up their Pykes to attack but Trace stopped "… Wait a sec." Trace said lowering the pipe.
Ahsoka looked at Leo "I know your face, you were the jedi who returned the bodies after the terrorist attack." She said looking at Ahsoka "You never told us you knew this jedi when you were a jedi and… and… and…" The ticker inside Trace's brain started to go back and forth when she saw Leo and Ahsoka standing so close "…. Ooooooooooooooh, this is the guy." Trace said, pointing to Leo with her thumb.
"This is the guy, the guy." Rafa said standing up off the Legate who swiped the blaster from her."
Leo couldn't help but smirk "You talked about?"
Ahsoka didn't frown "Listen Leo, can you help Trace fix her ship or not? We need to get back to Coruscant."
The smirk disappeared, and he nodded "Yes of course, I'll have some of the Assault ships go out and tow it in, we'll assist in whatever repairs you need.
OBA DIAH
Spice Town
"That's it, that's it, that's it, bring it down nice and easy." Trace said to three Sun Guard assault ships that had towed the Silver Angel, what remained of it, into the Lightbringer. The Providence Dreadnought had landed by the Pyke Palace with their army loading up the spoils of the last of Pyke's treasury, weapons and the people they'd enslaved. Trace was standing in the hanger "Thats it that's it, nice and-" The Sun Guard suddenly loosed the Silver Angel dropping it like a rock on the hanger floor with a loud bang.
Trace winced hearing all the things she'd have to repair, "Eh I'm sure you can buff that out." Rafa said next to Trace holding her fur coat beside Ahsoka.
Grabbing her sister's fur coat Trace screamed into it so it was muffled before she handed it back to Trace, "Just find whoever these people have as a mechanic and tell them to bring me tools." Trace hissed at her sister's eyes bloody with anger.
"Dooooo you need any help?" Ahsoka asked.
Trace looked back with fire in her eyes burning at Ahsoka, "right." Ahsoka whispered, stepping back. Perpendicular to them standing in the observation window of the hanger, where anyone could oversee the area was Leo arms crossed looking at the three ladies.
Jinx walked behind him, in silence before he started "So, you haven't seen her for over a year, and you accidentally tell the army to shoot down her and her friends ship and are letting them repair it here, did you at least say hi to one another?"
"We talked." Leo said.
"He agreed to let them use the hanger to repair the ship, which I doubt they will do well." Both Leo and Jinx poked their heads out to see Turok was in the second window leaning on it, his arms crossed.
Turoks waved at him and Leo grumbled under his breath "Look, the last time we spoke she said she needed to figure things out, without me, so she needs… space."
"Urrrr whenever they say that they mean they want you to bug them, but when they leave them alone they get mad." Turok hissed.
"Excuse me, but when did the trandoshan bounty hunter become a ladies man?" Jinx asked him.
Turok bared his fangs smiling "I use to date a kaleesh girl, she said she needed space so I gave her space, week after that she tried to kill me and turn my skull into a mask."
"I don't understand women." Jinx said.
"No one does." Turok replied.
Leo groaned "Stars, when did my love life become such a priority to you two? When she wants to talk we can talk but I'm not going to force her into anything uncomfortable after what the Council did to her." Leo said to the two of them before he walked off.
Heading down the hallways, he passed by both Dogma and Fives "Dogma, Fives, glad to be back in the fight?" He asked.
"Actually General we wanted to talk to you about something?" Fives said.
Leo stopped to face them "I'm all ears?"
"In the battle, the Sun Guard leader Ra'Gun Bree, they killed the a surrendering Pyke, it's a war crime who knows how many more they slaughtered." Dogma said.
Leo processed it for a few moments "I'll speak with him, I will give you my word now the two of you go rest." He ordered before he walked to the brig.
Down in the hanger Trace looked over the ship rattling off all the damages to a Sun Guard with a holopad "I need fifty meters of wiring, quasar reroutes, a proton flux generator." She said as she opened up the haul of the ship looking at the ruined insides. Ahsoka and Trace sat across from her in a crate "So much for going back to Coruscant." Rafa said.
"Not without Trace and the Silver Angel." Ahsoka said.
"Speaking of without, are you coming with us?" Rafa asked.
Staring back at her, Rafa starred back, "Since the Pykes think I was an operative working for the Jedi, I don't think they'll come looking for you any time soon." Ahsoka said looking back at Trace who took out a spicier and put her goggles on getting to work.
"So, you're not going to arrest me for spice smuggling?" Rafa asked.
"Why would I do that?" Ahsoka asked.
Rafa looked at Ahsoka like she was playing dumb "Well, you're a Jedi, right, don't you make a living tracking down criminals like me?"
"I told you, I was a Jedi." Ahsoka said, looking up at Jinx and Turok talking, wondering where Leo had gone. "And as far as I can tell neither are the Jedi here, Leo included."
"I don't understand, why would anyone walk away from being a Jedi?" Rafa asked her.
"It's complicated." Ahsoka said.
Holding up her hand so she didn't get into it "I can tell, especially when you didn't tell us the guy you left behind was the same Jedi who returned the bodies to Coruscant and is now a wanted fugitive, did you know he had an army?" Rafa asked.
"A lot has changed in the Jedi since I left." Ahsoka said as she got up "I should see if your sister needs help."
Rafa stood up too "And I should go do something else." Rafa said, eying the spoils being handed around by the Sun Guard, Kage and Tuskens who had a large pile of goods they were guarding like hyenas after a fresh kill.
Ahsoka approached Trace from behind when she heard a shout "Ahsoka!"
In a rush Ahsoka saw Katooni, Petro, Gungi, Byph, Zatt and Ganodi all barreling toward her Katooni jumped into her arms followed by the others before Ahsoka fell down to the hanger floor the younglings all happy to see her. Ahsoka couldn't help but smile and laugh a bit sitting up "Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh your back, your back Ahsoka we missed you so much." Katooni said rapidly at her.
"Whoa all of you have gotten so big." Ahsoka said as she got up, putting her hand over Petro's head.
"In more ways than one, we're officially padawans." Petro said hands on the hips of his leather jacket.
Ahsoka blinked "Padawans?"
All of the younglings nodded showing off their braids, Petro being the only one with short hair had a small one on the back of his head. Gungi's was made up of fur on the back of his head. The others had made their out of different beads like she had with her selka beads, Zatt however had his made out of tangled copper wire dangling behind one of his Lekku tendrils. Ahsoka looked at them all stunned to see them all so grown. "But how- why are you all here with Leo?"
"Well?" Gandoi started to say "Master Rock saved us from Ruul after both the Separatists and Council came after us, you should have seen it he fought off half the Jedi Council then we went on a crazier adventure to Dantooine and-" "That's enough padawans, your Masters will be looking for you." A familiar voice said.
Ahsoka turned around to see Master Aayla Secura standing in front of her, the beautiful Twi'lek woman smiled at her "Master Secura." Ahsoka gasped seeing her.
"Yes Master." Katooni said walking up beside her, Katooni being her padawan.
"But she just got back." Petro said.
Aayla starred the boy down "Your Master is waiting for you, they've been very insistent to start your training all of you."
"Yes Master Secura." The younglings now Padawans all said before they shuffled off.
"Katooni, wait for me in the training room. I'll be there to spar with you after I've finished speaking with Ahsoka, I'm sure she has questions." Aayla ordered her padawan.
Katooni frowned seeing what she couldn't say but followed the others, immediately catching up with Petro "See I told you she'd come back." Petro said smiling.
When Aayla and Ahsoka were alone with Trace who was busy repairing the Silver Angel, Ahsoka turned to the Martez sister "I should really help my friend fix her ship."
"No you should really not." Trace said, still angry at her.
Aayla offered her hand out to take a walk and Ahsoka did so following her through the hanger "Like I said, I suspect you have questions?" Aayla asked, walking away from the Silver Angel. When they were a good distance away Ahsoka started to speak
"Like wouldn't believe, whats… what's happened to the Jedi?" Ahsoka asked her.
"So much has changed Ahsoka, the Republic, the Order, even the war." Aayla started "I wish I could explain it all, but it could take some time but what you need to know right now is that as terrible as it is to say, the Order is breaking Ahsoka."
Ahsoka stopped where she stood gawking at her "Breaking, what exactly happened?"
Hesitant to answer "I wish I could tell you more, I need to speak with the Council first?"
"The Council, but I saw on the holofeed-" "I'm sorry, we formed a separate Council one that stands apart from the one on Coruscant, they'll want to speak with you when you're ready."
Ahsoka's jaw dropped "A new wha- and you're on it?"
"I am, for now that is." Aayla said, Ahsoka looked at her and then looked at the Sun Guard walking around behind her "And they raised an army?"
"Leo raised the army, you were held prisoner by the Pykes, have you heard of the Shadow Collective?" She asked her, Ahsoka nodded.
Ahsoka answered "Yes, I even caught Marg Krim speaking to their leader in Mandalore." Aayla was speechless after she heard that.
"You must come with me at once." Aayla said.
The Star Lark was attached to the Lightbringer and Leo was sitting in front of the Jedi terrorist and temple bomber Barriss Offee "So Ahsoka is on the ship." Barriss said.
"Yep, and I have no idea how to talk to her." Leo said leaning on his hand one elbow on his knee.
"And why are you talking to me about this?" Barriss asked.
Leo sighed "Because, out of everyone else on this ship you're the only other person who knows who she is more than I do." The prisoner sat on the bench looking at the floor, she squeezed the edges of her bench, the two sat there in silence for alone time "Why are you doing this." Barriss said, closing her eyes hiding her blak hair.
"What?" Leo asked.
"Why are you talking to me, why are you treating me like we're still friends WHY DON'T YOU HATE ME!" Barriss screamed, raising her head holding back tears.
Leo stood up quietly "Hatred is a poison, I turned it inward and it almost destroyed me like it did you. Barriss I know why you did what you did, I'll never condone it but I do forgive you for what you did." Leo said getting up from where he sat he paced a bit rubbing the back of his neck and a hand on his hip unsure of what to say next "But I want to help you, maybe offer you penance with the new council?"
"New council?" Barriss asked.
"You've probably felt a series of presences on the ship, the amount of people and moving we've been doing?" He asked her, she nodded "The Black Knights are growing. I've found Masters to join our cause but I need more Jedi at my side to accomplish my mission."
Barriss walked up to him "What mission?"
Leo nodded at her "We've declared war against a group of criminals calling themselves the Shadow Collective, there led by a Sith, our true enemy in this war. I'll tell you more when I ask the Council to let us redeem you if you let us."
"Redeem me, you think I want or-" "Barriss." Leo snapped at her, cutting her off.
"Just think about it, okay, I'll come talk to you later." Leo said before he walked away but before he could go Barriss ran to the entrance "Leo."
He stopped "please… don't tell Ahsoka I'm here, I'm not ready to face her after what I did."
"I promise." Leo replied before he walked out of the brig.
Meanwhile, up in the Lightbringer Ahsoka was walking with Aayla down the providence class ship's hallways "This feels so…. So weird walking down a separatist warship without fighting droids?" Ahsoka asked.
"I find it hard to get used to too." Aayla said.
"And these soldiers, who are they?" She asked.
Aayla and Ahsoka passed two on their way "The Sun Guard of Thyrsus, Leo convinced them and the Kage warriors they were fighting he's managed to bring them together under his cause."
"And what exactly is his cause?" Ahsoka asked.
She stopped in front of a large door. "That's what we're going to discuss, the Council wants to speak to you about him."
They walked into the large door down a short hallway into a large training room, each of the Masters standing with their recently assigned padawan. Katooni was sparring with Ganodi in front of Sian watching her new rodian padawan dueling her. Gungi was meditating with a series of weights around him while K'Kruhk watched over him. On the other side of the room Zatt and Dray sat with Tholme in meditation, beside them practicing their lightsaber forms was Byph and Master Hett, the Tusken raider moved one way and Byph did his best to follow him. But the most unusual master and padawan pairing was Petro who was standing on his hands upside down in front of his Master the Dark Woman, watching him like a hawk "One hand." She said Petro, already sweating, did so.
"So you're the girl?" Ahsoka heard someone next to her, she looked to her left to see Maris Brood standing off to the side.
"Excuse me?" Ahsoka asked Maris, glaring at her.
The zabrak shrugged, "That's what the twi'lek says." Maris said pointing with her thumb toward Jinx and his Master Vos who had his hand on the young twi'leks shoulder and Jinx actually smiled hearing what he said and nodded at Quinlan before he turned to see Ahsoka.
"Masters, I've brought her." Aayla said getting everyone's attention, the padawans all looked at Ahsoka warmly and when Jinx and Ahsoka's eyes met they both smiled. Jinx walked up to her "Ahsoka, good to see you again." He said smiling.
Ahsoka's smile turned into a smirk "Jinx, wow you've really grown." She said looking at how tall and large he'd gotten, the armor and robes he wore.
"A life on the run means you have to adept yes, I should know." He said.
"Where's Omir?" Ahsoka asked.
The Black Knights faces suddenly shifted into a remorseful expression, "He… didn't make it off Ruul, you didn't tell her Sister?" Jinx asked Aayla.
Aayla locked eyes with her "I've told her everything she needs to know?"
"Except the jedi who died for us to be here, that's helpful." Jinx said crossing his arms.
"Peace Padawan Vao." Tholme said stopping his training with Zatt and Dray, Padawan Ta- I mean, Lady Tano will be told everything in due time, for now we hold Council." He said tapping his cane across the floor. Ahsoka watched the other jedi stop their training sheathing their lightsabers, Ahsoka watched as the Masters all gathered in a circle around the room and sat down their padawans behind him. Aayla stepped back to stand with Jinx and Maris. Katooni rushed over to join her before everyone sat down on the floor.
Ahsoka was the last to sit down with Aayla and the other non Council Masters, their padawans all sitting behind them. "I call this Council to order, as you know Sir Rock is overseeing our forces next target, he's relayed to me that he's seeking to move against the Black Sun on Mustafar in hopes of ending their criminal operations, do we support this action?" Tholme asked.
K'Kruhk raised one claw and everyone looked to him "The Black Sun have been a plague on the Outer Rim and galaxy for years, ending their operation would be the right thing to do, but it will not be that simple as we let Rock and his crusade attack criminal empires what are the chances we are not creating more chaos by allowing the criminal elements beneath them to fight against themselves to claim power?" He asked.
"He makes a point." Vos said with Jinx behind him, "The Hutts, the Pyke's we take out the Black Sun there will be a power vacuum in the criminal underworld?"
"If what the information about this Crimson Dawn is true, they may be the ones to fill it." Master Hett said across from him.
The Dark Woman smirked "And who knows, maybe we'll attack them next, how easy it is for us to pick and choose our enemies?" She said sarcastically.
Everyone paused, "Something troubles you Dark Woman?" Tholme asked.
Ahsoka blinked when hearing that "Thats the Dark Woman, I thought she was a myth?" She asked Aayla.
"No myth, we found her in a distant world along with Master Hett jedi Masters who chose exile over military service." Aayla whispered to Ahsoka.
"And what's this?" Ahsoka gestured to the council meeting "We aren't sure ourselves, but to Leo this is a crusade."
The Dark Woman sat upright as Petro watched her "I am all for ending corruption in the galaxy, but how we do it is important and the example we're setting for the Order back on Coruscant, what we're doing out here will spread to the Core, are we Knights or Vigilantes, where's the justice?"
"Justice is something all Jedi should aspire too, yes, but how can we be just if the systems no longer just" Sian asked speaking up "How many lives have been ruined by the Pykes, how many people overdosing, we ended that in one day what the Republic couldn't do for decades I say let the jedi and the Galaxy judge us and the people we stop from doing harm." Sian said back to the Dark Woman.
"Then we should discuss what Sir Rocks next move is in person, with the forces we've gathered we left the Order on Coruscant not to fight the Republic's war, if this is a war of our choosing it must be for the right reasons, all in favor of having Rock elaborate with us?" Tholme asked holding up a hand
Everyone nodded in agreement raising their hands that further discussion was needed, Ahsoka watched the motion pass before Tholme looked over at Vos, who turned to Jinx "Padawan Jinx, come forward." Jinx rose to his feet walking into the center of the council and dropped to one knee "Master Vos has asked this Council to grant you the right to take the Trials, and become a Jedi Knight is there any among us now who believe he is unready or worthy of the trials?" Tholme asked.
"I believe he is ready, Jinx has proved himself from Ruul when needing to fight to protect himself and other, to Oba Diah where he can heed our wisdom." Sian said in favor.
Ahsoka watched the Masters hesitate to answer "No, he is still too young a knight must have more than just experience in combat, but testing in difficult ways then one." Master K'Kruhk said.
"He has, surviving the horrors of Trandoshan hunters on Wasskah when the Masters on Coruscant forgot about him, and more so by my side as my Padawan, everything he has left to learn he'll do so in Knighthood." Master Vos said in agreement with Sian.
Tholme held up his hand to stop the debate "Padawan Jinx, you've heard both those who say you are ready and those who say you aren't, but what matters most for this Council is if you believe yourself to be ready to face the trials?"
Ahsoka looked at the back of Jinx's head he was silent for a long time before he took a deep breath "… I am Masters."
"Then we shall prepare the trials you must face, given what have already experienced you may not have to face the traditional five, but only a few but make no mistake we will test you without restraint." Tholme said, Jinxn nodded before he rose to his feet bowing "Thank you Masters."
Jinx walked back over to his Master, Vos patting him on the shoulder before Tholme looked at Ahsoka "Now, for our final matter Ahsoka Tano, will you speak to us?"
Ahsoka looked at Aayla and then at the other jedi all looking at her slowly she got to her feet and stood up walking to the center like Jinx but remained standing "What is this?" She asked.
"This is a Council, we have formed it because we believe that the High Council on Coruscant no longer cares for the Order or the galaxy's well being, but more for the Republic's status quo and politics." Master Sian said to her.
"So it's true, the order's broken? She asked.
Before the words could gain wait Tholme said "We hope we can avoid that our goals are to remind the Jedi of it's true purpose to protect the innocent and uphold the principles we were founded on, our actions on Oba Diah what did you make of them?" Tholme asked her.
Ahsoka thought on the question "I've been hearing stories, stories of you being called the Black Knights, traitors to the Republic and the Jedi but I don't think I can judge you just by being with you for one day, I've been trying to figure out my own problems first before I even think of something like… whatever this is?"
"We appreciate that so we'll try our best to be honest with you Lady Tano but there are some things we can't share with you just yet." Master Tholme said back to her "We are aware of the High Council wrongfully accused you of bombing the jedi temple and banished you from the order, and only after the real killer was caught were you offered to return this Council wishes to make the same offer, to join us as true jedi if you agree we will tell you everything." Tholme said.
Ahsoka's eyes widened at the offer, "I-" "please." Tholme held his hand up before she could answer.
"We know this isn't an easy answer, or that we aren't aware you and Leo Rock were trained and fought together, consider our offer as you repair your colleagues ship, should you wish to return to the fold or to Coruscant it is your choice." Tholme said, smiling at her.
Ahsoka glanced back at Aayla and the council "Thank you… but I'm still confused if this is a separate Council from the one on Coruscant, what do we call you."
Everyone snickered hearing that "Guess it can't he help, having a name would help figure that out." Sian said.
"Agreed, she makes a good point well since the High Council is a name already taken, perhaps we can give you an answer when you give us one, fair?" Tholme asked.
Down in the hanger, Rafa was walking through the busy hanger of the dreadnought passing by some Kate sharpening their blades giving her nasty glares. Returning to them with a sneer of her own she wasn't looking where she was going and bumped into someone. Followed by the sound of somebody dropping something heavy, Rafa saw she'd bumped into two Tusken Raiders who'd dropped a large chest onto the hanger floor spilling out a pile of loot scattering credits, shiny things and other treasure all over the floor where they stood. "Uh excuse me, watch where you're going." Rafa said to the Tusken.
"AARRRK uuurrkk iiirask trrru uurruk rrurruk uurrrsrk. Trrru'uunqa uuutryyku!" The tusken yelled at her in its own language making Rafa step back as the other came up to join in. Rafa stood still jaw open before she asked flinging her hands out wide "What?"
The raiders kept shouting at her and the second even shoved Rafa "Hey watch it!" Rafa pushed back, knocking some of the treasure kicking it over to the Kage. The one who'd glared at Rafa picked it up holding a golden plate with a jewel incrusted nebula on the center, the Tuskens looked at the kage who held the plate looking at it and held out their hand for the warrior to return what they'd rightfully stolen. The kage pulled the plate closer and the other warriors stood up behind him as the Tuskens took a step toward the kage who'd taken the plate.
"You want it savage, come get it." The kage taunted, Rafa backed up gulping seeing more Tuskens starting to come over and more kage began to argue. Rafa watched one Tusken push a kage and then the kage punched the one who shoved him "Uh oh." Rafa said as more from
Both sides had started to converge pushing her into the middle.
In a matter of parsecs the kage blades and Tusken war clubs were out swinging at one another. Rafa dove out of the way to avoid a Tusken rifle butt hitting her in the head letting it hit the kage behind her, dropping on all fours she crawled out of the melee and ran back to the silver angel as the hanger fight started to spread across the hanger "Trace- Trace!" Rafa shouted while her baby sister worked on the ship.
"Uuuuurrr what…?" Trace lifted up her goggles and looked back to see the battle heading right for her ship "Rafa what did you do."
Elsewhere in the ship Leo, Pluma and Ra'Gun were still talking, they were standing around the Holotable looking at star charts "The Black Sun are our next target, no doubt word will reach the Collective's other syndicates soon so we should head there as soon as possible, we take the leadership hostage and see how much they know about this Crimson Dawn." Ra'Gun said across from them.
"We should strike their base on Mustafar, send a ship ahead to scout their defenses, the Rogue Shadow should do." Leo offered bringing up the lava planet.
Pluma looked at it wide eyed "How could anyone live in such a place?"
"Mustafar is inhospitable yes, but an ideal spot for putting a fortress, the terrain acts against any large scale army that would attempt a ground assault and a prolonged seige would decimate our forces, once the scout team returns I suggest another shock attack, overwhelm their key defenses and take them head on." Ra'Gun said to Leo confident in his strategy.
Leo was hesitant to answer thinking about what Dogma and Fives "About that, my troopers told me you killed a surrendering Pyke?" Leo asked
"I did, you said no prisoners?" Ra'Gun asked.
"As slaves, take them as prisoners of war?" Leo countered.
Ra'Gun paused for a few moments "if we are going to fight this war, we need more provisions to keep prisoners fed, sheltering a war fought on honor is good in theory but we need resources, benefactors General." Meto said beside Ra'Gun holding up a holopad. "And there are few in the galaxy would dare back a rogue army like ours against the major syndicates of the outer rim, nearly all legitimate governments and combines here are loyal to the separatists or in bed with the syndicates."
Processing it Leo leaned on the table "All surrendering enemies will be taken prisoner, we will not become like our enemies."
Another long pause "General Rock, I'm new to the greater galaxy but even I know taking prisoners isn't easy."
"The quick and easy path is for the weak, we have ample room in our ships' brigs to accommodate and we'll resupply from our next raids." Leo asked her "Is that clear?"
"Then what about those three new people?" Ra'Gun asked.
Leo cocked a brow "One of them has a name, Ahsoka. I'm not sure about the other two but they won't be here long after they fix their ship." Meto approached from behind Ra'Gun "Maybe, but we looked through the stolen files from the fortress."
Meto pressed on the holotable showing security recordings of Ahsoka and the Martez's speaking to the Pyke's then them as prisoners, and then when Ahsoka was making her deal " All I want is my cut." Ahsoka said. Before Meto turned it off.
"They're smugglers and-" Before he could answer, a legate burst into the war room running up to Meto whispering to him "Leaders, there's a problem in the hangar."
Minutes later Leo, Pluma, and Ra'Gun burst into the hanger to see the entire army was in an all out brawl. Rafa and Trace were swinging a pipe and a wrench at any Kage, Raider or Guard near the Silver Angel. The Sun Guard had been dragged into the fight, fighting both the Tuskens and the Kage. All three of the commanders jumped into the fray trying to pull people apart.
"Break it up, break it up!" Leo shouted, pulling a Tusken off a Kage, and pushing two Sun Guards away.
"Legionnaires stand down, I said stand-" Ra'Gun almost had a Legionnaire off a Kage before a Tusken tackled him.
Pluma was already joining her Kage fighting a group of Tusken Raiders trying to take back their loot as Leo tried to hold two Sun Guards back "I told you to… oh forget it-" Leo jumped up onto the nearest ship and looked at the sea of battle before he held up his hand, unleashing a storm of force lightning "ENOOOOOOUGH!" The cracking of lightning thundered across the hanger, all eyes on Leo, eyes burning red and gold. The entire hanger was frozen like it was Hoth even as they were tangled into one another. The Martez's sisters dropped their weapons, shocked at the sight of him and the power he just demonstrated. "Who started it?" Leo asked.
Every single arm and finger pointed over to Rafa and Trace like a classroom tattling on the students. Leo looked at at her getting off the ship he walked through his army parting for him his eyes were still burning sith, making Rafa back up a bit "Hey, I just bumped into one of your mummy freaks and he dropped a plate, before one of the ninjas picked it up." She said pointing to a Tusken with half of his wrappings torn and a Kage who had two black eyes holding a twisted golden plate that had started it all.
When he heard this Leo took a deep breath exhaling out his nose, the yellow in his eyes turning green again, he used the force to snatch the plate "Is this all it takes?" Leo asked them. "We just won a great victory and you're fighting among yourselves for loot?" Leo asked, throwing the plate in the air and slicing it in half with his lightsaber before he raised the purple blade up to the army.
"Spoils huh, that's what you want?" Leo asked, still holding the lightsaber at them making everyone back up away from him. "Save your anger, for our enemies and the spoils you'll take from them if any of you do something like this again, the ones who started it will deal with me— now clear off." Leo shouted at them. The army didn't say a word, they just went back to their corners so to speak before Leo was back in front of the Martez's sisters alone. Turning off his lightsaber he put it back on his strap and looked at them.
Rafa and Trace looked at the young knight, he stared back, unsure what to say he looked at the ship, "Uh…. Hi." Leo said.
"Uh hi?" Trace said still holding her wrench like a bat.
"We haven't been introduced, I'm Leo… uh has Ahsoka talked about me at all?" He asked.
The Martezs looked back and forth at one another "I mean she talked yeah but uh… we didn't know you were uh, you?" Trace gestured to him.
"Me, I don't understand?" Leo asked, confused.
"Your Leo Rock, the Leo Rock the Jedi Knight who everyone's talking about on Coruscant, they were literally showing your wanted poster all across the holonet and in the undercity they were cheering." Trace said back to him.
Leo scoffed at that "Cheering for what, being a fugitive?"
"For stopping a slave ring on Malastare, people haven't forgotten what you did for the temple bombing victims' families." She added.
Leo's face hardened, remembering the day he'd gone door to door returning the bodies of dead temple workers, civilians, and citizens of the Republic Barriss had killed. "Whatever my sister tells you, we had some mixed feelings on jedi but uh…. Look, can you help us fix our ship or not?" Rafa asked him to change the subject.
"Of— of course, Proxy!" Leo called out to his protocol droid, walking over from the Rogue Shadow.
"These are the Martez's sisters, please take a list of everything they need to repair their ship and give it to Meto." Leo said to the droid.
Nodding Proxy looked at the Martezs "Yes Master."
"I apologize for my men's behavior, their blood is still high from the battle." Leo said before he came on.
He held it up, answering it "General Rock, we've cleared out all our forces of the Pyke Palace, we're ready to leave." It was Ra'Gun's voice.
"Thank you Sun Guardian, let's get out of here."
Leo walked over to the hanger entrance, a shield holding back the void of thin air before it rose from the ground, Rafa and Trace followed him. Soon enough the fleet started to rise from Oba Diah's canyons, the ships taking off into the sky leaving the world behind until they were back in space.
"So you're the guy." Rafa said beside him, he glanced at her hands behind his back "The guy?" He asked.
Rafa nodded "Ahsoka talked about you, not by name of course but… you know." She said winking at Leo and smirking.
He smirked back, "Did she?"
"Not in depth, truth is we just found out she was a jedi and she left, did you leave too, or are the jedi not using clones anymore?" She asked him, pointing back to the soldiers in the hanger.
Leo glared into Rafa's brown eyes making her see something primal in them "It's complicated."
"Heh." She relaxed, putting a hand on her hip. "She said the same thing."
Leo took a breath "Shouldn't you be helping your sister?" He asked.
"Trace no, she's mad enough at me already for getting us into this mess since I agreed to smuggle spice for—-" Rafa stopped herself short "Smuggling spice for the Pykes?" Leo asked her.
Rafa looked over her shoulder to see the Meto and a squad of Sun Guards standing close to a doorway watching her "Well, not for the Pykes to the Pyke's?"
Leo walked up to her "From who?"
"The… Yaruba… family." Rafa said Leo's piercing eyes glaring into her "Ya-what?" Leo asked her.
"The Yaruba family on Kessel, they have spice mines and we were hired to take it to Oba Diah." She said as Leo crossed his arms, giving her the same look Ahsoka gave her about smuggling. He thought for a moment "Hmm, thank you Ms. Martez." Leo said before he turned around walking away, Rafa watched him go and she sighed in relief thinking they were going to get thrown into another cell. Leo walked to the hangar exit alone seeing things had calmed down he saw Ra'Gun and Pluma speaking to their respective forces scolding them for their lack of discipline. He'd meet them on the bridge later to talk about Oba Diah, when he reached the elevator leading into the rest of the ship he pressed the button waiting.
The door opened for him to come face to face with Ahsoka and Aayla.
The two stared at one another before Leo stepped aside for them to walk out, Aayla watched curiously to see what would happen. Ahsoka looked up at her then back at Leo then back at Aayla "Will you give us a minute?"
Leo walked past the two of them as Aayla walked by, Leo standing in the elevator before Ahsoka got back on. He pressed the button that would take him to the lower levels "Which level?" Leo asked.
"What, thats it?" She asked.
Leo glanced at her "What do you mean?"
"We haven't seen each other in almost a year, and now we just say 'which level'?" She asked the elevator door closing and the lift beginning to move.
"… what do you want me to say Ahsoka, you said you needed to figure things out, without the jedi, without me?" Leo asked her, recalling the last time they had spoken, the last time they were together.
Ahsoka gapped but she knew she was right "Yes, I did and I… I still am, but Leo what are you doing, I've seen the holorecording they say you attacked the jedi masters, now your leading a rogue army and jedi?" She asked.
"You were with Aayla, I assume she told you enough?" Leo asked her not to talk.
"Barely, why did you leave the order, I told you they needed you I begged you to stay?" She accused before Leo slammed his hand on the break button making the lift stop. He turned to face her snarling at her "You think I wanted to?"
Leo stepped toward her "I was forced out."
Ahsoka looked at him stunned. "What?"
Leo paced back in the elevator rubbing his lip trying to think of what to say "What do you mean forced out, what did you do?"
Punching the metal wall in front of him his cortosis gauntlet leading a dent "Why does it always have to be what I did!?" He shouted. Shaking his head fist still in the wall "It's what they didn't do?" He hissed.
"What do you mean, Leo talk to me?" Ahsoka asked reaching for him, he pulled away.
"Talk, now you want to talk?" Leo asked her pacing away "After your little adventure with spice smuggling?" He asked.
Ahsoka sighed shaking her head "You spoke to Rafa?"
"Yes, the spice mines on Oba Diah?" He asked.
"You know, it hasn't been easy for me either?" She stated hands up Leo, gawked at her shaking her head "Oh yeah, well let me fill you in since your so eager to know what happened." Leo said.
Ahsoka's planted her hands on her hips "I wish someone would?"
Leo looked her dead in the eye "It's all lie Ahsoka."
"What is?"
"Everything, the war, the clones, the Separatists, the Damn Republic, it's all a lie created by the Sith." Leo said his voice raising "…. I don't understand?"
"I barely do sometimes myself." Leo said, reaching into his belt, pulling out a small capsule of bacta of a clone biochip, "They implanted biochips into every clone, even into Rex. These codes in here force them to obey orders without question, Anakin and I watched as Tup shot down a jedi general right in front of everyone." Leo said
He handed it to Ahsoka who looked at him shocked "But, how did the Sith do this?"
"It was Dooku, he killed another jedi Sifo Dyas with the help of the Pykes and stole his name, he went to Kamino to create the clone army while his master, Darth Sidious has been pulling the strings in the outer rim for decades to create the war."
"Sidious but Dooku killed him, we saw the holorecording?" Ahsoka asked recalling the events on the Malevolence II, where Leo had returned to the jedi after saving them from Dooku.
Shaking his head "Another lie, Master Yoda took me on a journey with him to discover the source of a mysterious voice, together we learned the truth and he chose to hide it from the Republic, forcing us Jedi to play the Siths game. But I'm done being their pawn." He said putting away the evidence
"But Leo, if they had told the truth it would have been chaos." Ahsoka said trying to look at it from the Masters point of view.
Throwing his hands in the air "You-don't-know-that." He said pointing at her with a knife hand "Nobody does, but you want to know what real chaos is?" He asked.
Ahsoka didn't ask to answer, she was too afraid sensing the pain and anger in Leo, he stood back, eyes watery "They gave me to Krell, knowing what he was, saying he wanted to create a warrior jedi… they sacrificed me to that monster like they've been sacrificing every jedi to the war." Leo held back the emotions. "They used us, children for their games, and when I couldn't be silent anymore they demanded my lightsaber, they pushed me because I wanted to save Jedi lives, I wanted to save everyone from them."
"From them, Leo, this is the Jedi Council you're talking about, they're innocent of this."
"No one is innocent anymore!" Leo shouted at her making Ahsoka step back at the outburst "Any one of the jedi masters on the Council could have stood up and said no, anyone of them could have said "'No we won't be part of the Siths game' but did any of them, did Obi-Wan, did Plo Koon?" He asked her walking up to her panting his heart beating fast "Did Anakin?" He asked his voice cracking.
"Oh no… what's happened to Anakin?" She asked.
Leo backed away letting the elevator go on "…. He knows."
"Knows about the plot?" She asked.
"Knows about us." Ahsoka pressed her hands to her head walking back and forth, before she walked back up to him "Leooooo I told you not to-" "YOU LEFT!" Leo grabbed her by the arms and pushed her against the wall.
The two of them were face to face again closer than ever they had been in the past year, "You left us… did you think things wouldn't go wrong, we needed you and you left because the Jedi didn't show faith in you, even when everyone who cared about you the most did."
He let her go seeing how tight he was holding her arm "What happened between you and Anakin?" She asked.
"We fought, a lot…. Then after Ruul…" Leo trailed off.
"What happened on Ruul?" She asked.
Leo didn't want to answer "What happened on Ruul?" Ahsoka asked.
"There was a Jedi Master, Sora Bulq… I thought he was helping me uncover the plot, training me in Vapaad to help me understand why the dark side calls to me." Leo held his hand up to show her he had more control over force lightning now, Ahsoka's eyes filled with wonder and terror before he closed his fist. "But he used us, Dooku had broken him and used him to create a fracture in the Order that I was all to eager to expand the rogue Masters you see on this ship were tricked to and jedi died… O-Mer died."
Ahsoka's face went pale hearing that, O-Mer their friend dead.
The elevator door opened into an empty hallway, Leo stepped out of it "Leo." Ahsoka called out, reaching for him.
He stopped outside the elevator door and Ahsoka grabbed the edge so it wouldn't shut. "Someone has to make it right Ahsoka, someone has to take a stand and tell the galaxy enough." He said back to her "And it has to be you?" She asked
"No, but I choose to." He said back to her, his back facing her and voice rising. "I won't fight anymore wars for anyone else but myself, I won't see another jedi die for a false Council or a corrupt Republic." Leo added he turned back around and held out his hand "But I know I can't do it alone, are you with me?" Ahsoka looked at his hand her own starting to tremble at everything she'd just found out but before she could take it the elevator door closed sending her back up and Leo alone. Leo dropped his arm and turned around as Ahsoka went back up to the hangar she leaned back up against the wall of the elevator and slumped down to the floor. She couldn't believe it, she couldn't believe everything that had happened to the Jedi, to her Master, to Leo.
Continuing on down the lower levels Leo made his way to the brig where he saw two Sun Guards guarding one door in particular, they opened it for him and inside Marg Krim was sitting "Ah all hail the conquering he-ack." Leo grabbed Marg Krim's throat with the force and lifted him up against the wall "Your going to tell me everything you know about the Shadow Collective, and your spice deals on Kessel so I can burn both of them to the ground."
A/N: Glad this chapter is over.