- Non-forgotten shattering. With the case of the bombing of the Temple closed, the Jedi Council is in no small turmoil over their future actions. The recent expelling of one of their most promising Jedi Order members has left a sour taste in several members' mouths. What will the continuation look like? -
Chapter 12. Moving on and out
"So... How do we proceed?" – Mace Windu asked the other seated members of the Jedi Council.
"Shouldn't we wait for Obi Wan to return?"
"No worries, Shaak. I'm afraid we won't have a majority decision by then."
"It is truly a severe setback in our capabilities of making the right decisions." – said Ki-Adi-Mundi.
"Come to that conclusion at least a few can."
The Grand Master's word left no confusion within anybody's mind. Naturally, conscious beings enjoy talking to each other, relaying interesting news. A discharge of the most powerful Padawan in the Order will make headlines at ease. The fact that she was proven to be innocent simply doubles the allure of the topic. The oldest member of the Council understood this. While wanting to express his own take of the situation, Master Koth stops and lets suddenly appeared Kenobi returns to his seat.
"Have you anything to report?"
"Not much, Mace. The Temple guards' story pans out to be true; it was Oswald that disarmed Barriss in the Room of a Thousand Fountains."
"Logical. My Padawan does have an attraction to that place in the Temple."
"Why?" – Master Yoda asked.
"The last time I questioned him about it, he stated that it is the best place for him to meditate and assess a situation in its eternity."
"It seems that he managed to dissect the case and came to a conclusion, which was dangerous for Padawan Offee. She somehow sensed this and attacked him, realizing that it wouldn't be long before her capture or death either way."
"While all that is most likely the case, I think are forgetting 3 undeniable facts."
"Go on, Master Plo."
"Thank you, Master Yoda."
A face of sternness entered the picture. The ambience of the room seemed to go down a level in joy.
"One – we didn't sense Offee's fall to the dark side. Two – we couldn't sense the truth in Tano's words. Third – we expelled an adolescent Force user due to circumstantial evidence."
"It isn't our finest hour, Plo, but she must understand that we have other duties than to be loyal to a Force user, who has a record of making a raucous in an unneeded situation." – Koth replied.
"That surely means were picking public image over the will of the Force, Koth."
"Not every decision will be met with appraisal, Kenobi."
"Enough." – Master Yoda said.
The remaining Council members turn their face to the little, old, green creature.
"Until 3 o'clock a decision made their must be."
"Agreed, Master Yoda."
"I suggest a bit of a change in the subject matter."
"Much appreciated, Tiin."
"Thank you, Fisto. Ahsoka is now not the only one, who is a wild card in the grand scheme of the War. Oswald is also in that category."
"I concur. I questioned him of the incident with Katooni and listened to Pedro's take on it. The two stories have a bit of an overlap."
"How so?"
"Well, Master Windu. Mundi's Padawan stated that all Katooni wanted was for him to be by her side, while she was extremely exhausted. When we get to Pedro's view, the site changes. Pedro mentioned that Kelan came into the Med Bay, talked a bit, than came to the side of her bed and had an exchange in whispering. Obviously, Pedro didn't hear the content of that."
"I get what are you suggesting, Shaak. If Oswald was telling the truth, then the Youngling shouldn't have whispered something to the other Padawan."
"She could just have been tired, Master Plo."
"Possible, but not the only answer."
"When it comes to Oswald, whatever we decide on former Padawan Tano's future, his appearance before the Council after said decision might be a necessity."
"I hope this is not the case, Mace. My Padawan might feel a drop in trust in the Council if we pursue that course of action."
"A probable outcome that is."
The discussion between the Council members continued. The way they handled the bombing case and how it all panned out had shaken some of them up quite a bit. The least stressed out about the past blunder were Koth and Windu.
30 minutes until midday. Ahsoka had walked through a large amount of halls, entered close to a dozen rooms. Her blue eyes were pointed horizontally & diagonally throughout the journey. She wished for a simpler time, a time, which seemed was already so far in the past.
"How much has changed. 3 years. 3 years have passed and my world in unmistakably different from that one."
She gassed.
"Yet a groundbreaker is incoming. I strongly believe that the Council has taken Anakin's offer and will decide on my future within the Order at that exact time."
She gassed again.
"I would be lying if I was convinced in a bright future. They … did .., after all, abandon me on the worst day of my life."
The togrutan female was attentive to other's reaction towards her. They were mostly unpleasant. Some felt a surge of pity towards the wrongly convicted being, but others were either very suspicious or showed a tinge of disgust. A problem with an authority is that their mistakes are usually justified through irrational, biased ways; therefore, a distain angled at it is so hard to come by. Later Ahsoka decided to go back to her previous living quarters and meditate on her upcoming response. She wasn't a 'meditation fan'; unfortunately, the circumstances dictated a change in strategy.
At one of the training rooms in the Temple, Zane, Kelan were stretching their limbs, practicing some of their techniques. Both understood what the ending of the fiasco will lead to. The War hadn't ended in that time, so soon the Jedi Masters, Knights, Padawans will have to go back on Military campaigns, whether it be the Mid or Outer Rim.
"Oh yeah." – said Zane, while doing a hand-stand.
"Be careful. You don't want to fall down from disturbed blood flow."
His maintained an unnatural status for a few more seconds before returning to a normal standing position.
"Good point."
Instantly, the doors slide open, the two Force wielders turn their heads to the new person.
"Hey, Oswald." – Zane says.
"Hello."
"Were you successful?" – Kelan asked.
"Yes. The charges against her were dropped and Barriss was taken to a cell."
"What a relief."
The trio smile in unison.
"Now for the ugly part."
"I know what you mean."
"What do you think she'll do now?"
"It depends very heavily on what the Council comes to Ahsoka with, Zane."
"No doubt, my friend."
"What's the least that she would want to hear?"
"If I was her, I wouldn't take anything they had to offer without an apology." – Mundi's Padawan coldly responds.
"That maybe out of reach for her."
Menson's face showed an expression of sadness.
"That is what I fear will happen too. Then …"
"Then you believe she will decline the offer?"
"100%, Kelan."
Zane felt the Force pulsating through him; it was void of any positive encouragement. A loss seemed the most likely outcome.
"It is sad. How we've headed from being on top to being at the bottom is … unexplainable for me."
"They'll probably brush this all aside as if it's nothing with a slogan like 'the War still has to be won'."
"You're probably right, Oswald." – admitted Kelan.
The blue eyed human had an inkling of what Zane wishes to do very soon. Consequently, he changes the subject.
"So both of you were practicing?"
"As you saw when entering."
Oswald turns his head towards Zane.
"I would suggest it is your time to rest."
The white chocolate skinned human appreciated his friend's unforgotten interest in his health.
"You could say that."
A smile appears from him.
"Go on. Take some time off of training. You might be heading to battle again as soon as tomorrow. It would be unwise to over expend your energy today."
"I might just to do that right now."
"You deserve it." – added Kelan.
Padawan Farnos bowed to his friend, wished them luck in their day and left the room.
"What about you?"
"I can't now. I have a meeting with my Master in less than an hour."
"It might be a mission briefing."
"We think alike. That is my next work."
"Alright. I just want to warn you to be attentive to any peer's eyes."
"You believe they distrust me now? That's stretching it, Oswald."
"Hey, I warned you. It is your decision at the end of the day."
"Can't argue with that. As for you, I hope you will come down on making a raucous, scrutinizing the Jedi Council's decisions quite openly."
The male Force wielder just raises his shoulders.
"We'll see, Kelan. For now, I have an idea, where I want to go. It doesn't include the Council. Not one bit."
"Good to hear. Till next time."
"Bye, Kelan."
Oswald walks out of the training room.
A little past 12:00.
"Was your transfer successful, Commander Fox?"
"It was, Captain Trend."
"It is good to finally put this travesty behind us. My condolences for the loss of your men."
"Much appreciated, Captain. They will be remembered as being casualties of a traitor."
"Most likely, sir."
Commander Fox turns around, looks back towards the hallway.
"Is there something wrong?"
"No. I've just stepped up a gear in being aware of my surroundings."
"To avoid another catastrophe on the battlefield, Commander?"
"Precisely, Captain."
They lower their heads to each other and go in opposite directions.
Supply & demand are a constant of conscious beings' lives. Whether there is Galactic Peace or Galactic War, an economic state will not be abolished; rather, it will transform itself depending on the prevalent power. The upper level markets of Coruscant have sustained some capacity of business through the Republic's war against the Separatists. A simple rule – the higher you are, the safer you are. The Coruscant underground is far more violent than the commerce zone with only ships and sky above it. At one market, there was a being walking in a very subtle way, a brown cloak with yellow lines from both sides of the neck sliding down to both shoulders. Since the whole area was crowded, displayed hustle to any pilot from above, the being was sort of concealed, not jumping out from the masses. Soon an outdoor catering establishment was crossed, the brown cloaked person took a left and welcomed himself on the left most stool.
"What will it be?"
"The usual."
"Hah. The usual you say."
The catering establishment's employee was of alien race, sex – male, 6ft 1in tall, build resembled a moderately active case, skin was crude, coal black, eyes – tiger orange, little developed in vertical movement. As soon as he turned around, he knew the customer's identity.
"Oswald."
"The same."
"It is good to see you again. How much claif in the soup?"
"Two teaspoons."
"You got it."
The Padawan was speaking in a toned down voice to his natural one. Quite an understandable strategy – a Jedi would attract a lot of attention. This is why it was best to have conversations in the marketplaces short, quite silent, preferably with coded names. Oswald remained opened to the Force signals; he believed that an overseen detail in an unclear environment could lead to drastic conclusions. A dual front requires more energy, no one doubts that. Sometimes that more depleting strategy proves to be worthwhile, although, a direct correlation is impossible.
"I think this does call for a celebration."
"Perhaps, Padme."
"Ani, what's the matter?"
She comes up to him from behind. Now both stand on the balcony of a huge skyscraper on Coruscant.
"You've saved her from prison. You did well."
Senator Padme Amidala looks at the concerned face of her guest. Master Skywalker was still in a perplexed state, when it came to Ahsoka Tano's status. Even though, she was expelled today, he refused to refer to her as 'Miss Tano' or 'former Padawan Tano'. A forced to the edge of the mind hope fed him visions of a mission in the future, where the 17 year old togrtuan female was by his side. However, this wasn't the overwhelming thought within his mind. That honor went to a future without her by his side. Consequently, that part of the situation caused him the biggest quantity of pain.
"But I still sense waves of loss from the Force."
Anakin turns his head, now their eyes are embedded in each other.
"It couldn't be about you, since I'm with you now. So then it only leaves Ahsoka."
"Anakin. As sad it is to tell you, you can't control everything. Somethings are just decided without your involvement. You can't be everywhere at once." – explains Padme.
"That … seems … right."
"That's because it is. Look, you're going to be attending the Councils reply to her wrong discharge from the Order in less than 2 hours."
"True."
"There's no way they'll forbid you for avoiding that."
"Understandable, Padme. But I fear they will not make the correct decision. They have been wrong very recently. Who's to say they won't screw up again?"
"It can happen, but I trust Master Yoda won't make a bad decision for a 2nd time in the same day. He is the wisest Jedi of them all, isn't he?"
"He definitely is."
"So just relax for now. You'll feel better and more prepared. I promise."
Several minutes passed 3 o'clock. The blue eyed, foresight dominant human was walking back to the hangar, where he left his speeder. The conversation with cook-waiter of the catering establishment had filled up his emotional tank with decent quality joy.
"That soup was delicious. Worth every penny."
It was good to treat oneself to an uncommon meal in a rarely visited place. Most Jedi just stuck to confides of the Jedi Temple, very few took a trip outside the Temple for an authentic meal by their standards. When Menson's speeder came to his field of vision, the Force struck him like lightning.
"It's … of … loss … and suffering."
Without much hesitation, he looked at the time. The realization was of a vexatious nature.
"Oh no. Please don't tell me I was right."
During a recomposing attempt, his large communicator starts blinking. Mundi's Padawan answers an incoming call.
"Yes."
"It's me."
"Let me guess. It's about Ahsoka."
"Perfect 10. Good work. Yes, Ahsoka has declined the Council's offer and now is making her way out of the Temple."
"How do you think she will depart?"
"As much as I could make out, she was in a sad state and walking quite slowly to the main entrance into the Temple."
"Not to a hangar?"
"No."
"Thanks for the info. I know how she'll be leaving the Temple. I'm on my way."
"You have a plan?"
"Semi-plan."
"Better than nothing. I have to get back to my work."
"Understood."
The signal dies. As he thought a new bright future was on the cusp, a crippling blow was dealt to that view. Moreover, this move had a far reaching repercussion on his trust of the highest authority of the Jedi Order. Quite remarkably, Oswald took a bit of an optimistic stance on this unpleasant stream. It might be a small rock now, but a time-lapse can make it big enough so that a seismic shift can be made permanent when it comes to the previously mentioned bond.