Ahsoka mostly stared out over Coruscant during the flight to the Detention Center. It was easier than thinking about anything else right now. If she looked straight ahead and focused on their destination, it just made her feel uneasy. She didn't want to stare at Plo Koon while he was flying either, so over the side of the speeder it was.

It occurred to her that the last time she had seen Master Plo, other than the Lokori mission, was when he had protected the Twi'lek Youngling, Lura, from the Sister. Ahsoka had met Lura when she had visited and the girl had actually recognized her. It was so strange that the Youngling had known her secret identity and no one else had so far. She didn't move, but she became hyper-aware of how close she was to the Jedi Master. Had he figured it out yet?

She remembered how well he had defended Lura. The Sister never laid so much as a hand on the girl, much to Ahsoka's relief. The sight of the little one curled up in his arms came back to her, and she imagined a much smaller version of herself in the same situation. When Plo Koon had come for her, it was a band of pirates that had come to kidnap her instead of an Inquisitor. Had she looked that scared, the same way Lura had been of her? Had her soul shone with the same innocence Lura's had?

Closing her eyes, Ahsoka leaned her hand back on the headrest of her seat and breathed out. She didn't have pictures of herself as a child, but even if she had it would have been impossible to see herself as a toddler again. She was too scarred, too guilty, too knowledgable to be that small and innocent again. Although she didn't know what future lay ahead for Lura, she hoped she would have to live through the nightmares Ahsoka had survived.

She felt a large hand cover hers and squeeze it. Ahsoka glanced over at Plo Koon, who was keeping his focus on flying but comforting her all the same. He didn't know what was running through her head, but he could feel how hopeless her outlook was. Plo didn't want that for the girl who had brought so much joy into his life, so he tried to give back some of the comfort she had given him over the years. He didn't know how to take the burdens she carried away from her, nor how to make her face shine like it used to, but he could squeeze her hand as they flew. When he felt Ahsoka squeeze back, he knew that even that tiny gesture was helping.

Plo Koon set down by the entrance of the Detention Center. A small crowd had formed by the doors, mostly reporters and cameramen. Oh, great, now the press had caught wind of it.

It made sense, the Republic would want to advertise that they had caught a terrorist, but these people were being foolish. If a known criminal and murderer is being kept in a building they have shown to be able to escape from, your first course of action should not be to try to get in said building. It wasn't hard.

Ahsoka followed Plo Koon to the front entrance, and Ahsoka wished she had brought a cowl or something to hide her face. As it was, she only had her jacket and her bag, neither of which had a hood. Someone turned in their direction to see who the newcomers were, and as soon as they saw the Jedi Gone Rogue, they scrambled to get to her first.

To his credit, Plo tried to hold them back for her, but they were desperate for something to report on. All they had so far was the Jedi's announcement that no further details were available, but maybe she could give them something. Instead, though, Ahsoka jumped over the crowd, behind the Jedi line that had formed in front of the doors where the press couldn't get to her.

Anakin, who was one of the Jedi on guard duty, snickered and fought to hide it from Obi-Wan, who was standing next to him. Obi-Wan glared at her over his shoulder. "That wasn't very polite, Ahsoka."

"You want to talk about polite?" she retorted, pointing at the cameras. "Talk to them, not me. You'd think they'd have a bit more respect for someone who was rumored to be a Separatist for three months."

That shut them up for the time being. Anakin was losing his ever-loving mind, so, so proud of Ahsoka. Kit Fisto, who was also in the Jedi line, raised an eyebrow. "I see your opinion of them isn't very high, as of late."

Ahsoka shrugged as Plo Koon shouldered his way through the crowd. "They would say the same if you asked them. The feeling is mutual, I'm sure."

"This way," Plo told her, not having heard the bulk of the conversation. He opened the doors for her, and at the bidding of the clone troopers standing guard, Ahsoka walked in. On her way, she glanced back at Anakin. He caught her look and saw the dread on her face as she put one foot in front of the other. If he could have pulled her away and taken her home, he would have.

Inside, the droid at the entry point put out a dropbox. "Please surrender all weapons and personal belongings here. You may retrieve them upon exiting the building."

Right, I'm a civilian, she thought. No weapons on campus. She took off her bag and set it in the dropbox along with the blaster on her hip. Satisfied, the droid took the box back and stashed her things away. Ahead, the clone troopers held up a metal detector. "Arms above your head, if you will, miss."

Ahsoka complied, raising her arms above her head and trying not to be annoyed at the extra security measures. It was their job to try and prevent accidents from happening. It wasn't their fault.

They finally let Ahsoka through, and Mace Windu, who was waiting for her, led her to the elevators. "This way, Miss Tano," he told her, and Ahsoka stepped inside with him. She wasn't surprised by the escort. After all, she had escaped from here once too.

Ahsoka stood up straight, feeling tense, and not looking at Windu. She didn't want to know what he was thinking right now. She stared at the doors, then felt her breath catch in her chest when she felt the ghost of handcuffs on her wrists. She crossed her arms and tried not to think about her own arrest.

"I'm sorry you had to be pulled into this," Windu apologized, and Ahsoka turned to him. "I understand that you are supposed to be working right now. If necessary, we can speak to your employer and explain."

"I appreciate the gesture," she replied. "Thank you."

"Did Master Plo Koon explain the situation?" He asked, trying to pass the time.

Ahsoka nodded, thinking back to what she remembered. "He said that Barriss refused to talk to anyone except me and that she didn't respond well to Master Unduli."

Sighing, Windu looked away. "That's the just of it. There's no point in bringing you here, really. The Republic just wants a final statement from her, before they carry out her sentence. They're holding up the process until she talks."

She didn't even try to hide her annoyance from him, despite being well aware that there was a camera in the corner of the elevator watching her every move. "They just want to dangle it over her head, is that it? Why did I even come..." she groaned, shaking her head. Not counting her own interior motives, this whole visit was a waste of time.

"Believe it or not, we weren't the ones who summoned you," he confirmed, shifting the blame onto the Republic. "Personally, I wouldn't have called you here. I know your history with Miss Offee, I wouldn't want to put you, or anyone else, through that again."

"Then why bring her here?" she asked, wondering if she would even get an answer. "She's already escaped, so everyone knows she can do it again. As long as she's here, she's a threat."

"She's not exactly in the best condition to fight," Windu argued.

"That's not the point."

"We're trying to eliminate her as a safety concern," he explained, somewhat impatiently. "As soon as you finish speaking to her, she'll be taken to the execution chamber and she won't pose a threat anymore, but we have to do this first."

Ahsoka didn't agree. "She had her chance to testify, she did so the first time she was arrested. This is just a formality, meant to make the Republic look good. Every second she's allowed to live, she has more time to plan an escape and endanger everyone in the building."

Windu didn't respond right away, and when he did, it was in a low voice. "Yes, but she also has more time to turn back to the Light."

She didn't believe it. After all this time, they still wanted her back? They didn't want Ahsoka back, why Barriss?

Thankfully, Windu didn't leave her at that. "In the past four years, we've had two Jedi turn to the Dark Side. You've met the first, Asajj Ventress. She became Dooku's apprentice and fought against us for years before she disappeared underground."

Okay, Ahsoka couldn't argue with that. She didn't quite see where this was going yet, but it was more than she had thought Master Windu was going to explain.

"I knew her Master, Ky Narec, before he was slain in battle. I knew Ventress fairly well since she would come on the missions we went on together. Long before he fell, I told Master Narec that if he died, I would take on the responsibility of training his Padawan. I never got that chance, because as soon as that battle ended, Ventress vanished for years until she turned up in the Clone War as Dooku's apprentice."

He feels responsible, she realized. Did Ventress ever know? Ahsoka had a loose connection with Ventress in the Lower Levels and immediately felt the urge to tell her.

"Then the Inquisitor showed up, a little over eight months ago," he went on. "No one would outright admit it, but it tore the Jedi Order apart. Nearly everyone was convinced that we had lost you to the Dark Side. And Skywalker?" Windu shook his head. "He was still recovering from losing you. If Ky had still been alive to see Ventress fall, that's how I imagined it would go."

Ahsoka broke eye contact, staring off into space. "Sideous knew it was happening. He used it against you, and he brought down the Chosen One."

Master Windu nodded. "No one will ever speak of it, but Anakin Skywalker did fall to the Dark Side that night. It was mainly because of Sideous himself, but the Inquisitor helped him build up to it. And now, we have to deal with a third lost Padawan."

"You think she's going to turn to the Dark Side, to the Sith," Ahsoka completed, instantaneously fearing the same thing. She had considered it before, but now that she saw the pattern it felt much more real.

"We haven't heard from Dooku since he escaped on the night that his master died," Master Windu told her. "It's been five months, Tano. I don't think he's gotten her hands on her yet, but if he's looking for an apprentice, we have a very eligible candidate in our custody right now."

Ahsoka's eyes widened. Tyrannus couldn't be the Lord of the Sith until he had an apprentice. She had learned all about Sith custom from Sideous and knew it better than any Jedi. "She could complete the Sith Rule of Two."

Master Windu nodded, then looked at the doors to the elevator. "I would rather she be killed, here, than to let another Jedi be lost to the Dark Side."

Her mind began racing. The press was reporting on Barriss' capture right now. There was a chance that Tyrannus could see it, and he had doubtlessly heard about her first trial. If he had been able to pick up Ahsoka after she was expelled, he was more than capable of doing the same to Barriss if she managed to escape.

There was also the chance that Tyrannus would figure out Ahsoka was alive, but that was priority number two. Her top priority was making sure Barriss didn't leave this building alive.

Even if I have to step in? The Sister asked, a bit hopefully.

Ahsoka considered it. It wasn't preferable, with the Jedi Council here, but...yes. IF it's necessary.

"Between you and me," Master Windu concluded, as the elevator began to slow, "I'm thankful that you're here. You understand what is at risk here, past all the politics and the procedures. If it comes to it, you could be essential to stopping her escape."

"I think it will come to that," she advised, warning him. "She told me yesterday how desperate she was not to be executed. If we give her any opening, she will take it."

Master Windu nodded, and right before the elevator doors opened, he leaned over and quietly said, "We have Jedi spread out in the building, but I'd say you have a better chance of catching her."

The doors opened, and they walked out as if he hadn't just given her permission to take down a murderer.

Master Yoda and Luminara were waiting in the control center for the floor. Security for the whole level ran through here, and the live feed from Barriss's cell was also streaming into the room. When Master Yoda saw Ahsoka, he went with Windu to speak and left Ahsoka with Luminara and the troopers on duty.

Ahsoka took a minute or so to examine Barriss's cell. It was definitely upgraded and engineered to keep a Jedi contained. It reminded Ahsoka more of the types of cells the Separatists used for captured Jedi, ones that were meant to torture them. This one wasn't torturing Barriss, but then again, at the moment she wasn't struggling to escape.

Luminara stood next to her, waiting patiently for Ahsoka to be ready. Quietly, Ahsoka asked, "How are you taking this? Honestly?"

The Jedi Master spoke in a broken, passive voice. "This is my consequence for neglecting my student. I wish that this wasn't the reality I face, but if it means that things will be made right, then I will bear this consequence."

"It's not all your fault," Ahsoka told her. "There will always be more that everyone could have done, but it was Barriss's choice."

"Your master was confident that you were innocent, and his trust in you proved to be with good reason," Luminara replied. "I had that same faith, and yet.."

It hurt to see her so broken. Ahsoka remembered how proud of Barriss Luminara had once been, even if she never showed it. Now, though, her greatest pride had become her greatest sorrow.

In the end, she turned to Ahsoka. "I will watch from here, and if any trouble happens I will be the first to come."

One of the troopers piped up from behind them. "We will have hands on the controls. If she tries to fight you, we'll restrain her. Hopefully, you won't have to worry."

Ahsoka nodded and began to walk to her cell. Before she left, Luminara pleaded, quietly, "Try to find the Light in her, please. If anyone can, it's you."

She didn't know if she could, but she smiled for her sake and kept walking. A trooper escorted her to the doors to her cell. "When you are ready to leave, just announce it. I'll hear it out here and get you out."

"Just tell me there isn't a release button I can press," Ahsoka told him, and the trooper shook his head.

"Not a chance. Although, since it's her, it might not make a difference."

Ahsoka sighed. "That's what I was afraid of," she admitted, and she nodded. "Let me in."