It wasn't long before the pair found themselves back in the ship and swiftly shooting off into hyperspace. Anakin could hear Ahsoka's boots tapping the metal floor as she ran to him. He greeted her, tightly wrapping his arms around her small frame. Anakin had to admit, it felt perfect having her back in his arms again. They had achieved a successful infiltration of the Jedi Temple, the second duo to have done it after, Cad Bane. A smile tugged at his face as Ahsoka pulled back, her force presence immediately growing lighter.
He reached behind her and took out the holocron, it hummed the same melody of the lightsabre crystal. Frowning he looked at Ahsoka who took the glowing green cube from him.
"My cube," she said playfully, hugging it to her chest, looking up at him with a smirk plastered across her face.
Anakin shook his head and smiled, "come, we best try and open this thing and see what it has to say".
"But it's pretty," Ahsoka whined, trying to be cute and Anakin was succumbing to it, "you don't think we should just wait and take it back to the Rahvin?"
The word hung in the air, stale and unfamiliar, out of place.
"I don't think he can be trusted, Ahsoka," Anakin sighed as he turned and began walking towards the cockpit.
"I think we can," she said, following him, "people change, Anakin".
He kept his vision forward and wouldn't make eye contact with Ahsoka. He was filled with rage, anger, hate. It had been brewing inside him for months but now at the very sound of anything from the past, Anakin just wanted to forget, he wanted nothing more than to put things back into order, but not like this.
"No Ahsoka," Anakin replied sternly, "I won't risk it. I already lost you once, I will not allow us to become victims, a ploy of the dark side".
"Anakin, we don't have a choice".
Anakin blew out a sigh. He knew that Ahsoka was right. The grey Jedi were guardians of both the light and dark side, they knew every teaching, every whisper of the force, they felt every disturbance and yet; still find peace and carry on.
They both knew that this was something that they had to do, together. With the knowledge of light side teachings and being exposed to the teachings of the dark side at the grey Jedi homeworld. Anakin and Ahsoka both knew that they held a responsibility unlike anyone in the universe. There was a prophecy. The prophecy of two. It had been the constant chatter of the temple itself as they passed through its body. The whispering of the Force, 'the chosen one and the fearless…balance will be restored' had flown in and out of their ears as they were leaving the monastery. Anakin and Ahsoka had to admit, that everything they were experiencing was so surreal, yet it felt so right, it was the will and the way of the force that was allowing them to surpass Jedi and Sith and save the galaxy and themselves.
After discussing what to do with the holocron and a few jogan fruit later, they decided to open and unlock the holocron.
"We'll do it together," Anakin said, nodding to Ahsoka.
She nodded back enthusiastically, kneeling next to Anakin and focussing her energy on the holocron. They both sat there, unmoving in the small galley of the ship, minds focussed on the intricate sequence of locks guided by whispers of the force.
***********
Obi wan Kenobi and Rahvin Takan meditated in their respective rooms on opposite sides of the galaxy. They both sensed a tremendous shift in the force colliding with them as Anakin and Ahsoka finished unlocking the Tedryn Holocron. Obi wan had only ever glimpsed at the secrets kept within it whereas Rahvin had longed to view its entirety and exploit every secret maintained inside.
Obi wan swallowed, an overwhelming sinking feeling gravitating to the pit of his stomach. He knew that the great knowledge was now out of his control and the fate of everyone within the temple had been sealed.
Rahvin, grinned however rage boiled inside. They had opened the holocron without him, yet he hungered for knowledge, the knowledge to destroy the sith.
"What does it mean?" Ahsoka asked no one in particular as she stared at the luminous holocron floating in front of herself and Anakin.
She furrowed her eye markings, confused and conflicted of the images of Obi wan and Rahvin sensing the immediate shift in the force. On one hand Rahvin would help them as long as they maintained control of the holocron and they were now definitive enemies of the Jedi and the Republic and could no longer count on their help. They would be out looking for them. Soon there would be nowhere to hide, the republic forces would be everywhere, far and thin. It would give opportune time for the Sith to strike at the republic and the systems would fall. The sith would also be out for them, in the hunger for power, however would they be able to control them, Anakin and Ahsoka highly doubted it.
They had but one choice, a choice which they hoped to avoid. They needed allies, allies of the shadows and the strength of the once great Darth Maul.
"I was afraid it would come to this," Anakin dipped his head in frustration, calling upon the force that connected the essence of the ship to the terraform of the grey Jedi monastery.
In a bright flash of stark light, Anakin and Ahsoka found themselves back in the atmosphere hovering above the monastery, a hooded figure standing stock still on the landing platform. They landed the ship and carefully, hid their force signatures, descending the landing ramp.
"Skywalker, Lady Tano, we must leave. There is little time," the voice of the once Darth Maul resounded from the cloaked figure on the landing platform which quickly moved to ascend the ramp.
Anakin held his arm out in front of Rahvin, stalling for Ahsoka as she descended into the force, cloaking the holocron into the force. Now only she could see and sense the holocron as she placed it back into her belt pouch.
All three grey Jedi stood in the cockpit, cautious of each other's movements. Rahvin broke the ice.
"You opened the holocron without me," he began.
Anakin's emotions flared, "I'm just want Ahsoka to get better as soon as possible".
"Of course, Skywalker. I too had someone I wished to save a long time ago… I wish only the same for you. Quickly, we must set a course for Malacore".
"Malacore?" Ahsoka questioned, "what's on Malacore?"
The ship slowly began to leave the ground, the three of them taking their seats and buckling in.
"Malacore was once a battleground, Ahsoka, a temple that wiped out hundreds of Jedi in an instant. It's an old Sith temple," Anakin's voice fell dead in the void of the ship as they shot off into hyperspace, Rahvins' awareness heightening, waiting for the two former Jedi's reactions.
After a moment he spoke, "Malacore is the home of knowledge, knowledge of the Sith and their unnerving ways".