Chapter 4.
I felt at peace with myself. My ear pressed to Lux's bare chest; the sun blurring my vision and the noise of the delivery droid taking away the restaurant dishes. I groaned uncomfortably, pulling Lux closer to me. I used the force to open the patio door and a warm breeze flooded the room. His hand found the back of my head as he began to wake up. Lux mumble some words and I smiled, tugging the blanket up and over my shoulders. A flutter of wind blew in a coloured bird that appeared at the end of the bed.
It stared at me and an uncomfortable feeling began to collect in my stomach. It tilted its head and blinked twice as if it expected an answer.
'Ship approaching,' came a muffled robotic voice.
I frowned, fear adding to the pool in my stomach. I reached for my wrist guards on the bedside table, responding to the built-in AI security detection that came with the chalet. The bird cooed at me, tilting its head again.
"Do I know you?" I asked it as I hailed the incoming ship, "identify yourself, you're in restricted airspace".
"Ahsoka! It's me Katooni! Something terrible has happened," I cut the connection as the bird cooed again somehow annoyed.
Morai? The bird ruffled its feathers and cooed again. It was then that I realised it was a convor and it radiated the presence of, The Daughter of Mortis. It was Morai!
"Morai, do you have guidance for me? Is this why Katooni is here?" I didn't get to finish my list of questions as Morai flew out the door.
"I thought Katooni was supposed to be on Coruscant?" Lux thought aloud as he touched my shoulder.
"Yeah, me too…"
I ran down the hall and grabbed my bag as well as Lux's before running back and locking the door. I threw his bag at him as I panicked, dressing in the first two matching items of clothing.
"Soka, relax," he said tugging my arm until I collided with his chest, his arms enveloping me, "you're not a Jedi anymore".
I breathed out; one icy tear climbed into my eye. He was right. I am no longer a Jedi. I'm an advisor to the King of Onderon now. I let him go, walking down to the main entrance and letting Katooni in.
Katooni barrelled through the doorway, a look of confusion and worry sprawled across her face.
"Obi wan and the entire crew aboard that starship have disappeared," she blurted out, "it's just gone. I just don't understand! They should've been caught in the outer rim scanners and the military outpost scanners but there's ju-"
Katooni was pacing frantically, frustrated, "slow down! What do you mean that an entire ship has disappeared?"
"I got to Coruscant and went to the address Obi wan gave me and they weren't there. Mas- Obi wan, Senator Binks, Anakin they weren't there. They should've been! Petro and Zatt were the only two there..."
I swallowed. My thoughts began to race as an all too familiar presence began to creep up the back of my neck. Remnants of the past needling their way into my eyes. Morai? Is that why you came here?
I sat Katooni down and asked her to get the others from the ship. Lux came out to the dining table and stood with me as I leaned against one of the chairs for support. He squeezed my shoulder and I looked up at him with a weak smile.
As soon as the three former Jedi entered the room, I used the force to hide their force signatures as well as simultaneously locking all possible exits.
"Hand me your lightsabre's," I ordered rather than asked. They all laid them out on the table, standing nervously directly across from me.
With a wave of my hand, I dismantled them and collected their crystals, "no one is to go looking for them. You are no longer Jedi. The Republic and Galactic Federation can handle this. You either go back to Coruscant and back to your studies or you stay here. The choice is yours".
Katooni and Petro argued furiously demanding their crystals back. Zatt silently watched and pulled a small smile, understanding the gravity of the situation.
"Now is not the time to act impulsively!" I yelled, demanding silence upon the house, "they may need our help but we are no longer the first to go running to the Republics' aid. We're not warriors and the clone wars have ended".
I walked to the elevator and keyed in the code, gesturing to the younglings to get in. I took them downstairs to the lower section of the chalet and allowed them to rest in the bedrooms and secondary living quarters. I came back up and sighed deeply, a strong sense of anxiety encapsulating my chest. Lux was standing holding a holoprojector in his hand, turning to face me, Chancellor Organa welcoming my presence. I swallowed my emotions and stood back up to my full height.
Bail Organa explained his attempts to contact Yoda and any of the former Jedi Masters which all had failed. The disappearance of Obi wan was also his main concern as he reiterated everything that Katooni had said.
"Is there any information you have that may help us in locating them?" Bail asked, desperation clear in his tone of voice.
"Not at this point, I'm afraid. Keep me informed of any developments," I replied bluntly.
"Ahsoka please, I'm asking as a friend".
"Dispatching forces to locate the Sith Acolyte movements may provide you with more information and scout Obi wan's flight plan radius. That is all that I can advise. I am no longer a Jedi and I refuse to get involved. This is a Republic, Confederate matter," I reaffirmed myself, standing my ground.
"I understand," Bail replied defeated in his plan of action, "as you were, Lady Tano".
The transmission ended and I flopped onto the plush lounge as the midday sun streaked through the window. I used the force to collect my boots from the main entry, tapping the heel twice to reveal a secret compartment. My lightsabre fell into my hand. I slipped the three Kaiber crystals into the compartment and resealed it with my lightsabres back in each boot. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to relax into a meditative position.
"Soka," Lux called, "you can't abandon them. They're your friends".
My eyes snapped open, staring lasers deep into Lux's whimsical brown eyes, "Can't I?!" I raised my voice, "Obi wan abandoned me to the politics of the Senate where I would have been executed! Anakin betrayed me for Padme! And Maul has disappeared! What more do you want from me, Lux?!"
He remained silent, deep in thought before blurting out "put the hangar under ray shield and let the kids have their lightsabres back. Teach them why you don't want them going after Obi wan and Anakin".
I digested what Lux proposed. He was right and I know that saying no won't stop them.
I took them younglings up to the rooftop where we sparred all afternoon. I explained what happened on Mortis and what I had learnt from the grey Jedi and showed them how dangerous and deceptive the force can be. Without the proper guidance, they would have endangered themselves more than they realised. Obi wan and Anakin didn't just disappear, the same energy for Mortis oozes from it. It soon settled upon them and me what it is to be helpless. We don't have The Order anymore, Obi wan or Anakin, nor hold rank in the Galactic Army of the Republic. Onderon will not spare bodies in this time of uncertainty. Who will honour trust and loyalty?
