When Anakin Skywalker himself came to me in a vibrant storm of emotions which overcame even the tempest that wailed outside, I knew then that something was wrong. "Anakin?" Rising to my feet from where I had been meditating, it was all conveyed through his expression, his feelings, the powerful sense of urgency and loss which told me that something had happened to Ahsoka. It did not take long to tell me all, that the culprit that had been caught in relation to the bombing of the Jedi hanger, Letta, had been killed in her cell with only Ahsoka present in the room, and she had been blamed for the murder. Now, she was suspect to be the orchestrator behind the entire bombing itself.
The situation became worse when Ahsoka somehow escaped prison and went on the run, running to the lower regions of Coruscant in order to hide herself, and not even Anakin's pleading had brought her back. We now stood side by side, present in the council meeting in which Admiral Tarkin delivered his report as I felt Anakin's rage and unwavering anger radiate from him. "After further investigation, there can be little doubt that the clone officers murdered in the escape were killed by none other than Ahsoka Tano herself. She used a Jedi mind trick to convince the clone to open the door and then proceeded to cut him down along with five other clones along the way." Affected by Anakin's state of mind, my own anger spiked.
"I do not believe that Ahsoka could have fallen so far." Master Plo murmured in disbelief, the entire Council heavily troubled by this startling new revelation, which I suspected was as far from the truth as could possibly be.
"Tell me Admiral Tarkin." Despite knowing it was not my place to speak, I could not hold my silence as I addressed the admiral himself, who turned in order to see me. "How do you propose Ahsoka Tano was able to cut down the clone officers, when her lightsabers were being held in security and she herself was still locked in her cell?" I questioned him, narrowing my eyes as I received a strong impression that Admiral Tarkin had no love or respect for the Jedi Order. "Unless you think they just so happened to drop conveniently into her hands."
"Rouyn." Master Windu said to me sharply, ordering me to be silence as Admiral Tarkin drew himself up.
"The beliefs and opinions of the Jedi Council are irrelevant. We deal strictly in facts and evidence, and the evidence points to Padawan Tano being guilty of the attack on the temple and the murder of the Republic officers. This is sedition." I refused to believe this. Ahsoka may have strong feelings and little inclination to check them, but never would she harm a clone. She cared for them too much, having grown up with Captain Rex and his troops. It was not in her nature to kill wildly, and as the communication was cut, everyone in the Council chamber shared a grave expression with one another.
"Skywalker, was there no way to stop your padawan before she escaped?" Stepping forwards in order to answer the master's question, Anakin shook his head.
"No, Master Mundi." I breathed slowly, regulating my intake and exhale of air in a bid to keep myself calm from the anxiousness I felt as Master Yoda then spoke.
"The Council believes that Ahsoka may be guilty of the crime, still believe they are wrong, do you, hm?" Gripping my hands behind my back, it took every ounce of self-control I had in order to not bite back and shout at the complete and utter foolishness and blindness of the Council.
"I believe she didn't kill the clone troopers or the woman who used the nano-droids to blow up the temple. That's why she's running. To prove her innocence." But no one seemed to take in this reasoning, utterly convinced in their own belief that Ahsoka really was to blame for all this. I refused to think the same way. I have watched her grow since she was an infant. I had a hand in raising her, nurturing her. I tended her illnesses and taught her how to first grip a lightsaber. She was no murderer.
"Now she's in the lower depths. With her skills, she will be hard to find." Master Windu noted as Master Yoda nodded in agreement.
"Two teams, we will send. Master Skywalker, and Master Plo Koon, with clones, you will go."
"I think it would be best if Skywalker stayed here. Having you involved may actually make things worse." This was…this was not going well. I could sense the feelings of most of the Council, and I feared that even if Ahsoka were able to find the evidence to prove that she was innocent, there would be so much prejudice against her that it would be near impossible to convince anyone to believe her. Anakin argued coldly that since Ahsoka was his padawan, he needed to seek her out, but Master Windu maintained it would be unwise of him to go. Obi-Wan supported Anakin, and as the deliberation continued, I feared for Ahsoka's chances. She needed to go free, I knew of her innocence, there was no doubt in it, and for Anakin to find her, bring her back and ensure that the truth was found, he needed to be with her.
"It was me." I spoke before I had even formed the thought in my head, instinct taking me forwards as everyone fell silent and turned to me in shock as I wrapped an arm around myself and tried to look as guilty as possible. "I am the guilty one. I admit my involvement, freely and willingly. I was the one to suggest the bombing on the temple, I encouraged Letta to feed nano-droids to her husband, I am the one that killed her before she could admit the truth to Ahsoka, and I was the one who killed the clones so that Ahsoka could escape. It was all me." For a long time, there was utter silence.
"Theca, you cannot possibly hope that we will believe this." Master Plo said to me quietly as I refused to glance in Kit's direction, unable to bring myself to see his expression. "We all know very well how close you are to Ahsoka."
"Which is precisely why I must admit the truth, before she is landed with the blame." I answered, drawing up my head and walking forwards. "I have watched her grow ever since she came to the temple, and think of her with fondness and cannot bear the thought of her being blamed for my actions. I do not believe in this war, I feel that the use of clones is an abhorrence against nature, forcing them to fight our battles and wars with no thought to their own free will, I am against the violence and destruction, and I have seen the impact this war has made upon many thousands of innocent lives. Master Plo Koon has no doubt already told you that I do indeed often visit the Underworld. I go there to teach the unfortunate and poor, and there, I learn of their sufferings. Their predicament made me angry, angry enough to want to make a statement, something that will be taken note of. To get the attention of all to signify that this war is senseless. It is through them that I acted, and I am ready to face the consequences. I have always been prepared for this eventuality, though I hoped it would not come to be. If it were not for Ahsoka…I would have kept my silence."
"Theca…" Anakin began but I sent him a glare, ordering him to remain silent.
"Find your padawan, Skywalker, and bring her home. Tell her that I am sorry, I never meant for this to hurt her." He gaped for a moment before closing his mouth and stepping back, allowing me to face Master Yoda and Master Windu. "I have spoken my truth, and now I seek the answer of the masters. What say you?"
"As convenient as it is to say that you are the guilty one, I cannot deny that I find your words believable. I have always thought your loyalty to this Order to be questionable at best. Now it appears my concerns have had foundation." Master Windu admitted honestly, narrowing his focus upon me as I sensed his distrust towards me. "It is my belief that Jedi Knight Theca Rouyn should be stripped of her rank and weapon, and taken to be held for questioning to the temple's prison cells below." There was a general murmur of agreement from the council, though some did not concur. Master Plo Koon voiced his conviction that I was only speaking to protect Ahsoka, just as determined that his former padawan was as innocent as Anakin's current pupil. Kit also spoke, sounding calm and reasonable to remind everyone that although I had always stood against the war, the violence and deaths which resulted in the attack were not in correspondence of my beliefs to seek peace through a non-violent means. I glanced at him then, and for a moment, our eyes met, and I wished more than anything he was not a mere hologram but real, so that I could go to him.
"Theca, are you certain this is the path you wish to take?" Obi-Wan questioned, also with a tone of uncertainty and disbelief. "If this is your confession, then this matter will eventually have to be handed over to the military police. We will not be able to protect you from them."
"My words stand unchanged." I informed him, knowing that if this was the way I could give Ahsoka a chance to prove herself innocent, then I would give it to her. Even at the cost of my liberty. No, even my life. Master Yoda was left with the final say, and with the majority of the Council in favour of my banishment, he was left with little choice. The Temple Guards were summoned whereby they placed themselves one either side of me and took my lightsaber away before escorting me from the council chamber. I looked back only once, glancing between the faces of my friends, and then finally at Kit. I wished I could tell him that I was sorry and a great many more things besides, but I remained silent. Our look was brief, but it conveyed enough through our connection, and I was then pulled away out of his sight, to be placed in holding until the decision was made on what was to be done with me.