Chapter 10: Ahsoka Catering Inc.
It took a while to settle in with so many inhabitants. The first nights we stayed put, sleeping on the cold hard tile floors (the smallest initiates got my sleeping mat…) and teaching the younglings to shield, shield and shield once more. Every child was taught that as one of the first skills. It was simply needed in a world with so many force sensitives in one place, else we would likely have gone ravingly mad before the tender age of four standard.
Now we honed the skills to perfection. Master Yoda would have been proud.
The next problem to be solved was to get at least a minimum of comfort for all of us. Bant and I soon enough realised that trying to leave the place without having anywhere to actually go was not the best of ideas so we decided to stay put until the Force came up with a good idea, because surely we didn't have any ourselves.
I volunteered to scout.
The first night I set out to see Dex. It was more than ever important to stay out of sight since I had no idea how far the killings had spread and what I would meet above ground. Dex had (of course) heard the news about the attack on the Temple and through the Force I could feel his well hidden distress when I appeared. Obviously he was glad to see me because I immediately found myself captured in a four armed hug. Then he released me and began to ask.
"My…contacts have informed me that Jedi have been attacked in other worlds too. Any idea of what's up?" he asked.
"No, not really," I sighed and immediately decided to keep my knowledge about my Master's turning to myself, "well, I have a feeling that this has something to do with the Sith. I have felt pure evil through the Force, but apart from that I probably know less than you do."
"Is…Obi-Wan…?" he didn't finish before he seemed to choke up.
"I don't know," I said honestly. "I guess I would have felt it if he or…..Master Anakin…passed into the Force, but I don't know. Since I left the bond I had with them has become weaker. But…there are other survivors. The Jedi were able to extract some younglings and elders before…before….well, you know," I finished lamely. "I know where they are. They have shelter, but need food and other supplies."
It really was hard times since I couldn't even confide in Dex, but luckily he understood. He'd been around a cycle or three so he knew the tougher necessities of survival well enough.
"I see. I believe I can help with that. If you….or someone else from…them, can come here once or twice a week, -after nightfall, I believe can find some food supplies for you.
I nodded in silent approval and gratitude. One of the older younglings, Ramen Siin, was Iktotchi and his species telepathic abilities would be useful if he were to emerge to the surface. He would better than most sense other with bad intentions nearby and even better, he would be able to communicate with the elderly Iktotchi master in the group so we could actually stay in touch while he was out. That would be invaluable for both parts.
And with that matter settled I returned home for the rest of the night.
The following night I was off for a more somber exploration: I went for the Jedi Temple. Most likely the dark being that had been my Master would have left for other tasks by now, and I wasn't too scared of the clone guards that probably stayed put. After all I had grown up in the Temple. They hadn't. Everything was quiet when I emerged from the secret entrance beneath the central spire. I put Bant on the other side so she could open the door when I returned.
On the lower levels were no signs of human or other activity and I decided to take a quick peek further up. I didn't risk the elevators but the stairs were still unharmed.
For years to come, I'd wish I hadn't.
They had removed most of the bodies but not all. Let me put it that way, it was not a pleasant sight and even for me who had seen more than my fair share of dead bodies throughout the Clone Wars, it was horrific. These had once been my people. I didn't know them all in person, but my heart almost broke when I found Master Nu dead on the floor in her beloved Archives, lightsaber in hand. She had truly died as the warrior she was.
I wiped a stray tear from my face and continued towards the refectory. The clones were disciplined. Unlike many other attackers they would probably not have plundered the place. I was right, and more important, I was lucky. Obviously they were doing patrolling, they were not stationary guards so the refectory was empty. Some fighting had been going on because tables and chairs were in a total mess, but the food storage which was my ultimate goal was unharmed. I grabbed what I could find of well preserved food which could be stored down in the Bendu temple and for good measure I also grabbed some of the fresh food that still seemed edible. We all deserved a treat.
I took three more visits before I called it a luck was with me and I decided to use one of the supplying elevators going down to the depot. Hopefully that was too far down in the temple structure to be of much interest to the guards.
And by that we had food supplies for several days, even if Dex' supply chain would be delayed.
