No Going Back

by Miss Ink

Rex and Ahsoka are reunited by the Ghost crew. Together the friends investigate a Force mystery that leads them to a strange man living alone in a Jedi temple. Story contains: time travel, AU, Rex/Ahsoka centered relationship, Ventress/OC and OCs.

31. Chapter 31

Summary:

Ahsoka and friends goes to Endor.

Jinn calls Fives.

Maul is not happy.

Obi-Wan goes to Mandalore.

Fives talks to Jinn and Jinn reveals his plans.

.

31.

Once everyone was board, Maul's ship, the Sith headed to the cockpit. His ship wasn't every big. He wasn't expecting so many guests. His ship was built for two, three at the most. With the six of them inside the small ship, it was cramped. He didn't like it. He turned around to complain but saw that it wasn't Master Jinn sitting beside him in in the copilot seat. Instead, it was Ventress.

The female Sith sat casually with her legs crossed and her hands in her lap. She raised her brow and met his gaze and said, "What?"

Maul wasn't sure why he was surprised. After all, Zabrak females were dominate over males. He just didn't think the others saw her in the same light. Annoyed, he said, "Why are you here? You all can't fit inside my ship. Some of you will have to leave."

Jinn peered over Ventress' seat and said, "Miss Ventress gets top priority and we don't all have to fit inside your ship. I've sure Miss Tano has her own ship and I have my own. Let's land somewhere and exchange comm numbers. We can figure out where to go from there."

Maul groaned and said, "Fine."

The Sith frowned and landed his ship on a nearby landing platform. Once the hatch was open, everyone got out. He wasn't comfortable handing his comm overturned to Master Jinn. He offered his hand.

"Give me your comm. I'll give you my contact."

Jinn didn't hesitate and handed over his wrist comm. Maul quickly entered his contact into the comm and handed it back to him. Jinn then put the comm back on his wrist and sent a copy to Ahsoka, Rex, Ventress and Ezra. Jinn then sent their information over to Maul.

Ahsoka crossed her arms over her chest and said, "Well, where do we go from here?"

Jinn rubbed his beard and said, "We need a secure location. Perhaps Endor?"

Rex said, "Never heard of it."

Jinn replied, "It's a forest moon on the Outer Rim. It's relatively remote and normally overlooked. Also, if I'm going to spend a lot of time somewhere then I want it to be pleasant."

Ezra said, "What about Lothal? It's pleasant and out of way."

Jinn said, "We'll keep that in mind, Bridger but Lothal has a sizeable population and I don't want to draw unwanted attention to ourselves if we need supplies. I would prefer a place where we can be self-sufficient."

Maul said, "Alright, Endor it is."

XXX

Maul journey on ahead to Endor while Ahsoka and Rex traveled in one ship. Jinn, Ventress and Ezra decided to delay the trip for a moment. Jinn insisted on purchasing supplies before setting off. He didn't see the point in rushing off.

Ezra was puzzled by Jinn's purchases. The amber Jedi bought a cooking set, camp supplies, a med kit, a hydro-filter, several knifes, 2 kilos of dehydrated food, herbal tea and a droid. Ezra huffed as Jinn handed him the large bag of dehydrated meat. He noticed Jinn didn't give Ventress anything to carry. He figured it was because she was pregnant.

Ezra said, "Not that I'm complaining, but do we really need all this stuff?"

"It's always good to be prepared, Bridger. Which reminds me, I need to make a call."

Jinn then activated his comm and a blue holo-image of Fives appeared. The ARC trooper smiled when he saw Master Jinn.

"Master Jinn! It's good to see you, sir."

"Likewise, Fives. I want you to get in contact with the medic team on Coruscant. We're moving operations to Endor. I want it done discreetly. This will be an independent project. Is that understood?"

"Understood, sir. I'm glad you made up with your girlfriend. Does this independent project have anything to do with her?"

"I'll explain more later, Fives."

"Alright, see you soon, sir."

Ezra raised his brow and said, "What's the operation? And I didn't know you had clone friends."

"Fives is my personal assistant. He's in charge of operations to cure clone of accelerated aging on Coruscant. It's already developed and given it out to a few clones as a trail run, however it has yet to be approved by the Republic or the GAR. I figured we could run the operation ourselves on Endor."

Ventress said, "Perhaps we can persuade clones to defect if we can offer them something the GAR won't."

Jinn smiled and said, "Yes, I suppose we can do that as well, darling. Now, let's get going."

XXX

When the trio arrived on Endor, they saw that Maul, Ahsoka and Rex had already scouted a good site in order to establish a base. There was a mountain range with a large out crop of rocks near the forest. There were several large caves that provided shelter and a stream.

Jinn looked around the interior of the caves. His eyeshine gold in the dim light. He placed his hand on the cave wall and said, "It's better than I thought. I little remodeling and it will serve our purposes nicely. Miss Tano, Captain, I want you to know that I fetched for Fives and the medic team. I'm moving the machine to our new location. I want to distribute the cure without GAR consent."

Rex smiled and folded his arms over his chest and said, "I'm liking the new place already."

Jinn returned his smile and said, "Good, Miss Ventress said we could persuade a few clones to defect for the cure. I know clones are known for their loyalty, but if you can think of any that would be open to the idea, that would be helpful."

Rex said, "No problem. I know just the brother who could help with that."

Maul had been silent as he observed them. They seemed close and used to working together. They made interesting allies. However, he didn't care about clones or their problems. He approached Jinn and said, "I'm confused, Master Jinn. I thought you wanted my help to kill Darth Sidious, not help a few clones."

Jinn said, "Helping a few clones is hindering Sidious' plans. Though, I need to regain my strength before planning an attack. Being Dooku's prisoner has weakened me. It's the reason why I asked you to form an alliance. I'll need a strong ally."

Maul frowned and said, "What about your little friends? Couldn't you rely on them?"

He said, "To be blunt, you're stronger than they are right now. Also, you don't understand the full scope of Sidious' plan. He doesn't want to rule the Senate. He wants to use the clones to kill all the Jedi. He wants to remove all opposition and name himself emperor of the galaxy."

Maul was startled by Jinn's words. His sight turned inwards as he placed his hand under his chin. He didn't think such a plan was possible. There were thousands of Jedi. Yet, there were millions of clones. It was feasible, but the clones were loyal to the Jedi. Maul couldn't help, but stare at Rex. The clone remained at the Padawan's side like a loyal dog.

"It's an interesting theory, but I don't see how Sidious could enact such a plan."

Ahsoka wasn't sure if she should reveal the biochips to Maul. He was a Sith. He couldn't be trusted. He was only looking out for himself. Ahsoka wasn't sure what Jinn was thinking by making an alliance with him.

Jinn said, "I can assure you, nothing is beyond Sidious' ability. Though, I have an idea to undermine the power in the Senate that may appeal to you, Master Maul."

The Sith was intrigued and said, "Alright, what is it?"

Jinn smiled mischievously and said, "I want to establish a New Order. An Order that is neither Jedi nor Sith. An Order that accepts attachment and follows the teachings of both the Darkness and the Light. I want you to be one of its founders."

Ahsoka exclaimed, "You can't be serious! Maul is a Sith."

He turned to her and said, "That's exactly why I want him. If this New Order is to teach the Dark side, then it would be good idea to have a teacher who knows about the Darkness. We will syphon students from the Old Order. We will remove them from the Sidious' war."

Maul threw his head back and laughed. "Master Jinn, you are a mad man."

Jinn said, "The question is, are you a mad man as well?"

Maul liked Jinn's audacity. However, he had no reason to start a new order of Jedi. His only interest was getting revenge against his former-master for abandoning him and Master Obi-Wan Kenobi for slicing him in half. Jinn's ambitions to weather away Sidious' power was a distraction at best or an annoyance at worst.

"You may do as you like, Master Jinn but I expect you to help me kill Sidious when the time comes."

Maul then retreated deeper into the caves.

XXX

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan received an urgent message from Satine that Darth Maul had returned. He informed the High Council of the incident and immediately set a course for Mandalore. When he arrived, he and a group of clones greeted Satine at her residence.

"Satine, are you alright?"

The Duchess approached him and said, "Yes, I'm fine."

Obi-Wan asked, "Where's Maul?"

She said, "He's no longer here, Obi. Please, I need to speak to you in private."

Obi-Wan turned to Cody and said, "Commander, please sweep the area to make sure Darth Maul is truly gone."

Cody stoiclly replied, "Yes, General" before he left to organize the troops to do a sweep.

Once, Cody was gone, Satine opened the doors to her study and allowed Obi-Wan into the room. She shut the door behind her before she joined him. Obi-Wan anxiously turned to Satine and waited for her to speak.

She lowered her gaze and said, "Master Jinn was here."

Obi-Wan said, "What? When?"

Satine said, "Let me start from the beginning. Jinn and his apprentice, Ezra Bridger came here a few days ago looking for a place to stay. He said he needed time to recover from being Dooku's captive and he wanted to train Ezra. I offered to let them stay here."

Obi-Wan sighed. He was curious as to where Jinn had wondered off to after he stormed out of the ship. He should have guessed he went to Mandalore. He left quite the impression on them after the election.

The Jedi Master asked, "Did he tell you his reasons for coming here?"

Satine said, "Yes, he said he and Miss Ventress are expecting a child."

In response, Obi-Wan rubbed his forehead and then his beard. He wondered if he should have warned Jinn of where his relationship with Ventress would led. He knew they were intimate, but he never thought Jinn would be so irresponsible.

"I always thought Jinn was mature enough not to need the talk."

Satine smiled and said, "Well, he said he thought he was sterile because he was a hybrid."

Obi-Wan removed his hand from his face in shock. "What? He never told me that."

She said, "Yes, and apparently strawberries are an aphrodisiac to his physiology."

Obi-Wan was exasperated. He was a little disappointed that Jinn was more willing to open-up to Satine rather than with him. Though, Anakin hadn't helped matters with his tactless response. Obi-Wan felt he could have avoided Jinn's violent outburst if he had spoken to him alone.

"Jinn is like my son. Why didn't he tell me?"

Satine raised her brow and said, "Son? Don't you mean like a brother? Jinn is a little old to be considered your son."

He replied, "Well, I wasn't speaking figuratively. Jinn is from another timeline and in his reality a version of me is his father. At first, I didn't know what to make of our relationship. I never knew my own parents. It's hard to imagine that I would be a parent to someone else, but Jinn is the closest person I have to family."

Meanwhile, Satine placed her hand over her chest in horror. She remembered what Jinn said when she asked him about his relationship with Obi-Wan. He told her it was complicated. He said that if she knew then she would see him differently. At the time, she wanted to deny it. Jinn was beautiful and dangerous. He reminded her of Obi-Wan when he was a Padawan. Back then love seemed like a possibility. When she was with Jinn, he made her think it was possible again because he expressed his feelings so easily. She saw it in his eyes. She heard the longing in his voice. She thought they were the same.

Yet, Jinn was a version of Obi-Wan's son. She covered her hand over her mouth as she remembered the kiss that she stole from him. She didn't know what she was thinking. She couldn't have possibility have known, yet the kiss felt worse than a mistake. Somehow the kiss felt like a sin. She couldn't believe what she had done. Not only did she kiss a man in love with another woman, but she kissed the son of the man she loved for years.

"Satine, are you alright?"

She looked up and met Obi-Wan's blue eyes and said, "She came for him."

"Who?"

"Ventress."

"What happened?"

Satine said, "Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex brought her. She slapped him and then he proposed to her."

Obi-Wan raised his brow and said, "What did she say?"

"She accepted."

He sighed in relief and said, "Well, I'm happy for them. Tell me, when did Darth Maul make his appearance?"

"After Miss Ventress and Jinn left. Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex decided to stay for the night. I was showing them to their rooms when Ezra came running down the halls. He said Darth Maul was here and that Jinn needed their help. Ahsoka advised me to stay away and call you. I don't know what happened, but when I went to investigate with my guards everyone was gone."

Obi-Wan said, "I'm sure the five of them could have taken on Maul. I'm disappointed that Ahsoka didn't inform me that she went looking for Ventress on her own, but I am pleased with the results. I trust they will find their way back to us. Now, if there isn't anything else Duchess, I need to speak with Commander Cody."

Satine raised her hand and said, "Obi, wait."

Obi-Wan stopped and turned around to face her. She lowered her gaze and said, "When you see Jinn again, please tell him that I'm sorry."

He frowned and said, "I can't imagine what you need to apologize to him for."

She said, "I acted without thinking."

Obi-Wan smiled and said, "Now, that doesn't sound like you at all."

She lifted her gaze and said, "What can I say? There's just something about Kenobi men that makes me forget myself."

He teasingly replied, "It must be our winning charm. Though, I don't know what Jinn sees in Ventress."

"It must be the silks and swords."

"What?"

"It's something Jinn said. He said I wasn't his type. He said he likes women who can pull off silks and swords. He was mortified to discover that he has bit of a complex with his mother. So, what about you, Obi? Do you like women in silks and swords too?"

Obi-Wan nervously took a step back and said, "I can't say I gave it much thought."

"I am curious. Who is Jinn's mother? Do you think she's like Miss Ventress?"

He wrinkled his brow and said, "No, she's nothing like her."

Satine raised her brow and said, "How do you know? Did Jinn tell you?"

Obi-Wan sighed and turned away from her and said, "No. I sort of met her in the Force."

"Then, she's a Jedi."

He turned his head over his shoulder and replied, "Not exactly. Though, I can assure you that Jinn may take after me in looks, but he takes after his mother in personality."

She said, "Strange, I can't imagine Jinn's personality in a woman."

Obi-Wan smiled and said, "Neither can I, but she looks human, well expect for the eyes. I can see why my other self would find her appealing."

"And why is that?"

"She's beautiful and dangerous."

Satine froze when she heard Obi-Wan's description. It was same way she thought of Jinn. He was beautiful and dangerous like the black sword he carried at his side. She had no idea that Jinn had inherited that trait from his mother. She tried to imagine a woman like that. A woman with shining eyes and a warrior's spirit. Suddenly it didn't seem so farfetched that Jinn would fell in love with Ventress.

"She's a kindred spirit."

"What do you mean?"

"Miss Ventress and Jinn are alike. They both like to fight. I can't understand it, but I know a man in love when I see it. You should have seen him. The moment she appeared on the balcony; he couldn't take his eyes off her." Satine lowered her gaze and said, "He told her that all he wanted was her. He didn't care about getting married or even their child. He just wanted her." She lifted her head and said, "Oh, Obi. He said I was dear to him because of you. I thought it was enough. I thought knowing how you felt about me was enough, but it isn't. It never was."

Obi-Wan took her hands and said, "Satine, I know now it wasn't fair of me to leave the decision to leave the Order up to you. It was my decision to make, but I can't act on my feelings, not while I'm a Jedi. I can't ask you to wait for me. Not when I don't see my circumstances ever changing, but I want you to know my feelings for you have never changed."

Obi-Wan gathered Satine in his arms and hugged her tight.

XXX

"So, is this the place?"

Fives turned to one of the clone medics and said, "Yes, Kip. For the last time, this is the place Master Jinn said to meet him."

Tranq gazed up and said, "It's so dark. You can see the stars. You can never see the stars on Coruscant."

Bones grabbed Tranq and Kip and said, "You, stop mouthing off and you, stop daydreaming."

Kip glared at Bones and said, "You're not in charge anymore Bones. Fives is."

Fives shook his head. The medic team consisted of a 5-man team. Fives made a total of 6 members. Bones was second in command. He had terrible bedside manners, but he really cared about his brothers. Kip was always asking questions and was good with numbers. Tranq as a total airhead, but when he focused, he was brilliant. Then, there was Mute and Hugs. Mute didn't say much. He had a nasty scar on his throat and face, but he was Hug's vod. Hugs had excellent bedside manners but normally had no concept of personal space. Usually, the two worked together.

They had landed their ship near the mountains and followed Master Jinn's instructions to his location in the caves. Fives was checking the topography of the land on his scanner. He always looked around with his night-vision on in his helmet. He didn't think there would be any trouble, but it was always good to be on your guard just in case.

Suddenly, Master Jinn appeared in front of him and gave him a fright.

"Basted, sir! You nearly gave me a heart attack."

Jinn smiled. His amber eyes glowed gold in the night. He patted Fives on the shoulder and said, "Sorry, Fives. It's good to see you again. I trust you were able to move the machine without any problems?"

"Yeah, no problem. I learned a thing or two about smuggling while I was bounty hunting with Ventress."

Jinn said, "The Mando armor suits you. I also want to thank you for looking after Miss Ventress in my absence and for recusing me."

After Jinn greeted the others, Fives fell into step beside him. The rest of the medic team followed. Fives liked that Jinn never looked down on clones. He knew that Master Jinn trusted him. He probably trusted him a lot more than most Jedi would. He also appreciated the fact that he never asked for a military title.

Fives said, "You don't need to thank me. What are friends for?"

Jinn said, "I'm glad you think of me as your friend. I consider your friendship a great honor."

Fives rubbed the back of his head and replied, "Oh, now you're making me blush. Still, if you don't mind me asking, why do you treat clones differently than most Jedi?"

"My mother wasn't natural born either. Except instead of living a short life, she was made to live a long life. She once had thousands of sisters. There isn't much difference between you and her."

Fives paused for a moment stunned. Master Jinn's mother was a clone. It certainly explained why Jinn had a knack for clone medical technology. However, the amber Jedi wasn't done shocking him. He turned to face him after he stopped.

"Fives, I want you to keep looking out for Miss Ventress."

"Of course, but she doesn't need it. She can take care of herself."

"I know, but it would put my mind at ease to know you had her back. I'm sure you heard about what happened before I left the ship."

Fives said, "Yeah, I heard you two had a fight."

Jinn frowned and said, "I suppose you could call it that. Anyway, Miss Ventress and I are expecting, and we are now engaged."

Fives smiled and without warning, gave Jinn a hug. Jinn was so shocked that he didn't even managed to hug Fives back before he let him go. The ARC trooper placed his hands onto Jinn's shoulders and said, "That's great news! I always wanted to be an uncle."

"Yes, thank you, Fives."

"I always knew it was either going to be you and Ventress or Rex and Ashoka that would eventually have a kid. So, do you know yet if you're having a boy or a girl?"

"It's too soon to tell."

"I need to start making bets."

Jinn said, "Hold on, Fives. I need to tell you about my plans for the machine. I want to start mass producing the cure and distribute it without GAR authorization. I was hoping you could figure something out with Rex's help."

"Sure, is there anything else I should know about?"

"Yes, I've made an alliance with Darth Maul to help us take down the Sith Lord. I also plan to take a trip to Coruscant. I want to start a new Jedi Order that permits attachments and practices both teachings of the Light and the Dark. Ahsoka has agreed to arrange a meeting with her friend, Padawan Barriss Offee and other members of the peace-movement."

Fives was taken back and said, "Well, you've been busy."

Jinn said, "We're on our own now, Fives. You and the medic team are considered deserters now."

Fives said, "Don't worry. There's a lot more to being a good solider than following orders."

XXX

TBC

XXX

Note: I have some real life issues I have to take care of so I probably won't be able to keep up my bi-weekly updates. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update, but hopefully it won't be too long between chapters.

.