In the ten years that followed, I dedicated myself to peaceful missions from the Jedi Council. I refused to be involved in any disputes or warzones, deeming myself too unsafe to be of any use there as I feared continued exposure to confrontation would only destroy the progress I had finally made to recovery, but would gladly travel the galaxy helping those in need. I was a diplomat, a true peace keeper, bringing aid to those who were suffering such as medical supplies to the Outer Rim territories, and food to the poorer worlds when their crops and harvests were affected by a blight. I allowed the Force to be my guide, allowing it to take me where I was needed, saving lives and finding younglings from multiple worlds in order to bring them back to the temple in order to train as future Jedi.
For the first five years of the peace, I continually felt the sense that there was still danger upon the horizon, and so further distanced myself as some of my night terrors returned, adamant to not put anyone in danger, but eventually they calmed once more as I grew more used to them, and allowed myself back more often to the temple. Mostly to see my friends, my master, and little 'Soka. Having passed my Trials a few months after the Kiffex incident, I ascended into knighthood and became a Jedi Knight, much to my master's pride. We remained close even after I became a full ranked knight, and often took missions together just as we used to, and it felt the same as it always did.
In the final five years of the ten year peace after the blockade of Naboo, I took to teaching within the temple itself instead of venturing beyond the safety of its walls, training the younglings and was even one of Ahsoka's teachers in lightsaber techniques and general study as she grew older and closer to the age where she would soon become a padawan learner under a master. Other than becoming Jedi, the younglings needed to learn who to read, write, and speak languages of course, and I took pleasure in teaching them and watching them grow older and older.
Ahsoka remembered Master Plo Koon and I from when she was three, and every visit we paid her since then, recognising the close bond we all shared in the Force and told me often that she hoped I would take her on as my padawan. I admit that I may have shown a little favouritism towards Ahsoka over the years, but I ensured that I did not overstep the boundaries though Ahsoka often walked alongside me, clutching hold of my sleeve when she was smaller. I smiled at the memory, considering how much she had grown before I responded. "Little 'Soka, you do not know yet who your master will be. Have patience, your time will come." I said to her as she told me once again that she wanted me to become her master.
"But I know you so well, and I know I can learn a great deal from you." She reasoned, making me chuckle as I took her in. She was still a skinny little thing, but she was no longer small, the crown of her head beginning to grow from when it had once been nothing more than little bumps of white and pale blue. Considering her before me, my hand reached out in order to smooth my palm against her cheek and brush my thumb against one of her markings which made her expression relax into the affectionate motion.
"Ahsoka, it is because we are close that we may not be the perfect pair to become master and padawan." I warned her honestly, making her eyes flutter sadly. "It is the Jedi way not to form too close an attachment, and were you my padawan, I would find it difficult to let you go. Now, you wouldn't want to be stuck as a padawan forever, would you?" Reluctantly admitting that the idea of being an eternal padawan was none too appealing, I chuckled warmly as I lowered my hand to her shoulder. "Your master will be someone that will bring out your fullest potential. The Force is our guide, and it knows where you will flourish best. If that is not by my side, then do not despair. You will always have me, and I will give you advice and counsel whenever you should need." Now letting her go, I indicated that she should return to her class before Master Yoda noticed that she was late. Again.
She dashed off full of energy and I watched her go with a tender expression, the material of my cloak pulling around my feet slightly as I took a deep breath, sensing a strong air of foreboding around me. The Force was concerned, and I did not know how to interpret it's impressions except to know that something was swiftly approaching, and I feared that my visions from before would somehow prove correct. War was coming. It had been ten years since the death of Master Sifo-Dyas, and the only comfort I drew from that is that he had not lived to see his visions of war become a reality.
The rapidly turning tide of events soon overcame us, the presence of danger now fully recognised after the Senator from Naboo, Padmé Amidala was almost killed in an assassination attempt. From there everything seemed to continually interweave into a mass of subplots and confusion, as Master Obi-Wan followed the assassin to the planet Kamino, where he discovered the existence of a huge army of clones that had been ordered by Master Sifo-Dyas ten years ago. It was Master Plo Koon who brought me the news, quietly informing me about the clones as he came to realise that my vision had been correct. An army that wore the same face. I did not wish to believe it, but the facts were undeniable.
Master Plo acknowledged my distress and told me that I needn't worry yet, as there may not be a need for the clones though I did not need to be a Jedi to recognise that this was mere hopefulness. I appreciated my master's concern, assuring him that I was alright as I then learned the news that Obi-Wan had followed the assassin, who proved to be a bounty hunter that had provided the gene print for the clones, to the planet Geonosis where he was then captured. Over two hundred Jedi Knights and Masters went to rescue him as well as his padawan and his charge, Padmé Amidala, who had gone to his rescue only to be captured themselves. I was offered the choice to either go with them or stay at the temple, and I elected to remain. After all, with so many of us leaving, we still needed someone to guard the temple and the younglings, so I stayed behind though I went to Master Plo Koon with Ahsoka at my side as everyone began to board the transports in order to make their way to Geonosis. "Take care of yourself, master." I said to him softly as he paused to say farewell, Ahsoka looking worried beside me. "May the Force be with you."
"And also with you." He returned and in a moment of solace and feeling, we both leaned our heads together at the same time in order to feel the touch of one another's brows, leaning into one another as our hands took hold of the other's arm. "I will return before long."
"See that you do. I shall not be pleased if I must lead a second taskforce to rescue you all should you be captured." I told him calmly, though with humour. It made him chuckle, giving my arms a squeeze before he then turned to Ahsoka, who was not yet as adept at holding her emotions in check. She flung her arms around Master Plo Koon, embracing him tightly around the middle with a sniffle, desperately trying not to cry.
"There now, little 'Soka. All will be well. Make sure that you guard the temple well in my absence. I will be counting on you." Master Plo said to her, stroking the crown of her head as she continued to hold onto him.
"I will Master Plo, I promise." Seeing that we were out of time, I gently placed my hand upon Ahsoka's shoulder in order to draw her back, nodding my head to my master and seeing him off onto the transport where he looked back one last time. Aayla Secura was also one of the Jedi who had chosen to go, so I bid her farewell too, taking her hands as she approached and lifted them between us as I looked into her eyes imploringly.
"Be safe, and return home soon, Aayla."
"I will. The Force is with us." She vowed and I gave her a firm embrace before I had to release her as well. I could understand the feeling of grief and sadness from Ahsoka as she stood beside me, continuing to cry and sniffle as she held onto my hand, watching as the two hundred Jedi were carried away in the transport ships to go to the rescue of our fellows. I felt a pang in my heart as I registered the youngling's distress and it responded with my own feelings, but I controlled them from spiralling too far, maintaining a calm demeanour as Ahsoka continued to grip onto my hand, drying her eyes despite continually crying with the back of her hand.
"How can you stand it, Master Theca? Aren't you worried about them?"
"Of course I am, little 'Soka." I answered, turning in order to use the sleeve of my robe to dry her face and kneel down before her so that we were of a more even height. "But I have had many more years practice than you to temper my emotions. I feel as deeply as you do, but I know that they are going to rescue our own, and that is a good thing. No matter what happens, I am at peace that the Force will connect us, even beyond death. However, Master Plo is an excellent master, and is one of the greatest Jedi we have. I am certain that he will be back soon." Ahsoka sniffed, rubbing her face as she then looked at me.
"What about your friend?"
"Aayla is also a highly competent Jedi. She has always beaten me in duelling, so she would fare far better than I if I had gone. Come now, dry these tears and take heart. You must be strong both in heart and mind, and do not be afraid." Nodding her head, Ahsoka drew herself up and showed a brave face as we watched the last of the transports disappear out of sight before we both returned to the temple where I resumed teaching my classes, taking over some more of the younglings since their own teachers, including Master Yoda, had gone to the rescue of Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padmé Amidala.
After night had fallen and all younglings and padawans were in bed, I stayed up through the night to await the news of the battle's end, eagerly waiting by the transponder to receive word until finally, a signal came through. I quickly took the message and revealed Master Windu himself so I bowed. "Master Windu. Jedi Knight Theca Rouyn at your service." I supplied before looking up at his image on the hologram.
"We have sustained many loses, but the aid of the clone army from Kamino proved effective in the success of our mission." Master Windu announced as I sent out a signal to the other Jedi and masters of the temple to come and receive the message, feeling that this was something we all needed to hear. "The perpetrator behind it all is a former Jedi who now goes by the name Count Dooku, he now leads the droid army of the Confederacy of Independent Star Systems which has been founded, and the Republic is at war with the separatists." My heart faltered for a moment, bowing my head in acceptance of the news.
"This is grave indeed. War…after a millennia of peace." I murmured, wishing that it were not true, but I knew that Master Windu was not one prone to humour or jokes. If this was his word, then it could only be true. "What is to be done master?"
"We will be returning shortly. Ensure that the word is spread, and await our return. The Clone Army will be settling upon Coruscant as the Republic's new Grand Army." Nodding my head, I made sure to pass the message around to the rest of the Jedi in the temple as Master Windu signed off, leaving me to take a seat so that I could process the information. We truly were at war, it was just as my vision predicted. I was uncertain if it was lucky that Master Sifo-Dyas had gone behind the Council's back to order a clone army, or unfortunate that the Republic now had the means to accept war. I felt that we were rushing into this too soon, that war was the last thing that should be on our minds. I should suggest that we attempt to broker peace with the separatists, to find a means to coexist together.
So with that in mind, I awaited the return of the masters, and was filled with relief to see Master Plo Koon and Aayla among them. I greeted them both, each of us sharing a moment of quiet as our dead was brought out to be laid to rest, and we mourned their passing. Troubled times indeed, to lose so many in just one day, so I silently assisted in preparing the bodies for their funeral, and they were buried in the catacombs of the temple as the Council took up together in order to discuss what was to be done. I held to the belief that we should not enter this war as generals as the Republic requested, it was not our duty as peace keepers, feeling that we had not yet tried to resolve this conflict without bloodshed and violence, and although some shared my views, our voices went unheard amongst the many thousands of Senators who called for war.
And so to war we went, though I wanted no part of it. When the Council asked me to take up the title of a general, I refused and begged instead to be given diplomatic missions, to be kept as a peacekeeper and petitioned to the point of offering to lay down my own lightsaber to walk into conflict without a weapon in order to help those who would need us. Master Plo Koon stood by my side at that point, urging me not to put down my own blade but helped to persuade the rest of the Council not to force me to obey them, and Master Yoda kindly agreed that I could maintain my position as a teacher here at the temple instead and only go on missions for the purpose of peace and aid. The war had begun, but I was determined not to throw away my beliefs, difficult and idealistic as they might be, and soon enough I could feel the tremor in the Force as conflict seized the galaxy and held firm, the echoes of death and woe whispering to me in my sleep, joining the terrors of the night which now plagued me more fiercely than ever.