Anakin spent quite some time communing with the spirits of the Kwa. He was quick to realize that many of the essentials of the Jedi Order had their roots within the ancient teachings that came before them. Such as the three pillars of the Jedi: The Force, Knowledge, and Self-Discipline. But one thing that was different was that instead of shunning all negative emotions, they instilled the proper use of that anger for a positive result.
The Kwa seemed to have taught that if you repress your anger that it could grow to the point of no longer being able to control it. He could see that. Yes, there have been times where he'd feel himself use his force abilities in anger and he'd always felt guilty for it later. Even if his use of the force in that manner had been for the greater good.
As he stayed in a strange room within the temple absorbing the teachings that they developed long before the Jedi were even founded, he felt himself becoming calmer than he could ever remember. He was then taken to another chamber where he would be allowed to learn even more of the teachings of the Kwa. He was told that he would be tested for his motives before taking him to the gateway where Kiara had gone to when they'd first arrived on the planet.
Palpatine eyed the Jedi who had volunteered to tag along as part of his personal security when it became known to him that Anakin Skywalker had mysteriously been absent from the Jedi temple. He'd put his feelers out but he'd yet to be able to discover the location of the missing Jedi. Even his inside man who was a temple guard couldn't learn of the young man's whereabouts. That disturbed him.
He'd been prepared to put into action his plans so that he'd be able to push the younger man further to the dark side. He'd felt that he was ready. He'd been able to put a distance between him and the other Jedi with various acts and comments; not just recently but over the years, as well. And he'd been able to get the young Jedi onto the Jedi Council through his machinations.
But the other man, Master Windu, Palpatine sneered as he looked over at him and couldn't help but look forward to the day when he'd no longer be an issue for him. He wondered if he'd be able to dispatch the man himself or if the man will be on a mission with his clones when the time is right for his order to go out. Perhaps he'll have to force himself to be patient enough to allow himself to be the one to kill the annoying man. Though he could only hope to hold off on acting for a short while longer.
Padmé had her driver take her to the area that she was told to go by Rex where there was a young man who needed to be found and cared for. He was a little vague about why, but he'd been insistent that no one should be told about his request. He'd been sure that she'd be able to send someone to retrieve him then send him to be cared for by her private Nabooian doctors if need be. Still, if the situation was this important where neither the Jedi nor anyone within the government should be aware of the clone's request then she felt that it required a personal touch.
The clone never asked for personal favors. Ever. But he was such a good friend to Anakin that she couldn't help but decide to seek out the teenager that Rex was so concerned about, herself. She had her driver wait for her since any closer and she was sure that there would be unwanted attention. She was dressed in the simplest clothing that she could find that would still fit her very pregnant stomach. Most of the clothing that she had for when she felt she either would want or need to sneak out without her guards no longer fit. Nor did her cloaks blend in well with the lower level of the city.
As she looked around while she walked down the pathway toward where she was asked to find the teen, she took in the plight of those who lived on this level of the heart of the Republic. Was it just her imagination or did the people here look as if they'd lost hope of having more than the meager belongings and opportunities they had down here?
Padmé wrapped her arms around herself as she wished that she'd been able to find a cloak that would have been appropriate for the environment. Even though the sun wouldn't go down for several hours it was already quite chilly down here. Of course, the strength of the sun didn't seem to actually make it down this far below the cityscape. She looked down between the buildings where she needed to go and saw how dark it appeared. She turned and started to walk in the direction of the decrepit and rundown area where Rex had indicated where the teenager who needed to be found would be located at. When she did, a Dressellian stepped out in front of her.
"I haven't seen you around here before. You look a mite out of place, little lady. Need a tour guide?"
"No, thank you. I won't be staying long." Padmé tried to step around the man but couldn't with the narrowness of the walkway of the lower levels as well as her rotund belly at the moment.
"Oh? And what makes you so special to think that you can just come down to where we live and gawk at us like vermin and leave to return to your comfortable home in the upper levels?"
Padmé lowered her hand to her blaster hidden within her layers of clothing. She swallowed hard since she knew that if the man had any intentions of harming her the blaster was her only protection or means to defend herself. In her condition, running away wouldn't be possible.
"Listen, I don't want any trouble with you."
"Then you shouldn't have come down here where you don't belong."
From behind Padmé she heard a familiar voice. "That's funny. I thought we lived on a free planet. Which means we can go where we want. Even here."
"Ahsoka?" The senator turned and saw where the young woman looked defiant at the alien. "What are you doing here?"
"I saw you arrive and thought that you could use a little help... with whatever errand you are running." Ahsoka narrowed her eyes at the Dressellian whom she'd had several run-ins with since she'd left the Jedi Order. "After all, what are friends for?"
The man looked between the women and practically growled. The young woman had been a thorn in his side since she had first shown up in the lower levels. And he had the bruises to show for it.
"So, she's a friend of yours?"
"She is. And you know what that means. You leave her alone or you learn if you can fly down to the next skywalk." Ahsoka watched as the despot turned to leave. She put her hands to her hips to glare at those around who appeared to have started to take an interest in the interaction. When the man was out of sight, she turned to the woman whom she'd not seen since her trial that led to her leaving of the Jedi Order. "Now, care to explain what it is that you are doing down here? This is no place for you. Especially now."
Ahsoka motioned toward the other woman's obviously pregnant belly.
"Rex sent word that a boy a few years younger than you needed to be found and taken somewhere safe." Padmé started to walk down the pathway to get closer to the address that she'd been given. "We both know that he wouldn't ask for a favor unless it was important, so I figured that-"
"That you'd take it upon yourself to put both yours and your child's life in harm's way. I can only assume that Master Skywalker isn't on Coruscant if you are down here. Otherwise, he'd be here instead of you. Because he wouldn't want you down here."
Padmé rolled her eyes. "And I suppose that he'd want you down here, instead?"
"Our relationship is different than yours."
"That doesn't mean that he would want to know that this is where you stay, now. If he knew you lived down here, he'd likely come for you and find you a different place to live, himself."
"How about neither of us tell him?" Ahsoka smiled as she glanced around and saw where Padmé had come to a halt. The door no longer closed fully, and the place looked abandoned. "What is this place supposed to be?"
"According to Rex, several teens have banded together to live here. The one that I'm looking for is named Kallus."
Ahsoka eyed the other woman then said, "Perhaps I should take you back to your speeder first."
"No. I'll be fine. Let's just go ahead and ask for this Kallus and figure out a way to convince him to come with us."
"Okay." Ahsoka pressed the chime button but didn't really expect it to work. After the cursory attempt she pounded on the doorframe since she knew that if she had on the door, it would have come off of its hinges. When a young man roughly her own age answered she rolled her eyes at the look he gave her. "We're here to see Kallus."
"You sure you wouldn't rather see me?" When the boy asked that it earned him a soured look.
"Sorry, but no. Where is he?" Padmé suppressed a laugh at the Togruta's reaction to the boy's interest in her.
The young man sighed and stepped aside to let the two females in and motioned toward the back of the old, abandoned store shop that had been converted into a place to sleep by several teens. "He's asleep. Or sick. Not sure which. Just sort of came up on him pretty sudden a couple of hours ago."
"And you aren't worried about him?" The senator carefully picked her way across the littered floor.
"Not much I can do either way." With that the young man headed back out, unconcerned for the females or why they may be there.
"What a good friend," Ahsoka said with a sarcastic tone.
"Agreed. Let's go see what we can find."
Kallus carried young Kiara as he led Ezra back to where he'd left the Shadow Chaser. They would wait to see if his theory was correct before involving Ziarah. To be honest, Kallus figured that it would be better for him to return to the ship and remain there since he wasn't sure if he'd be able to look past what he knew about Kiara's parents to remain civil. As they walked toward the outskirts of town the man looked to the Jedi and raised a brow.
"Is that cat going to follow us all of the way back to the ship?"
Ezra glanced down to his feet where the white Loth-cat was keeping pace with him and Kallus. He seemed to be acting as if he had no doubt that he would go wherever he was going. "Probably."
"Wonderful."
When the two men got to the ship the cat followed them all of the way up the loading ramp and behaved as if he'd owned the ship. Kallus placed the girl in Kiara's cabin on the lower bunk and left her there. The Loth-cat hopped up onto the bunk and curled up beside the child. He then took Ezra to the common room to discuss with him not just how he and Valour had come to this time but all that he'd missed since he disappeared with the purrgil from Lothal.
Ezra was happy to hear that Kanan and Hera have adapted to becoming parents well. He explained that he had a vision that Kanan was going to become a father which is why he'd stunned him when they were on their way to face Thrawn. He didn't want the man to miss the birth of his child. The young Jedi did wish that he hadn't had to leave his family but at least he knew that his sacrifice had been worth it. He could imagine the pair being parents and he hoped to be able to see it for himself.
"So," Kallus started changing the subject. "How did you find the Dumes?"
Ezra shrugged. "I spent most of my time trying to stay under the radar once I realized where, or should I say when, I was. I only went to town when I needed to swipe some food. I actually stayed over in the mountains."
"With the Loth-wolves," Kallus said more of a statement rather than a question. "And of course, the cats."
The younger man chuckled. "Sometimes it comes in handy to be able to communicate with them. And I had experience with hiding out with them from the crew's time stranded on Lothal, before. The only difference this time was that I didn't have any of the others in the local cell to contact." Ezra sat in silence for a moment before he said, "But one day, I came across the girl, and it was clear that she was upset. It sounded like her parents were punishing her for her use of the force. That, of course, didn't help since she didn't have any control. I felt that it couldn't hurt to help her, so I spoke to her, helped to calm her down. After that, she started to find me when I was in town, and it was sort of like having a little sister." Ezra smiled. "It made the time a little less lonely."
Kallus nodded his understanding. Yes, he knew how lonely it can get with no one that you can really talk to. "And eventually her parents learned about you."
"Yes. It was after her father left back out. He serves on board a ship here in this time during the war. Not really sure of his rank. It doesn't matter, anyway. But her mother found Kiara meditating and asked how she learned to do it. So, she told her mother about me. She thought I was sent by the Order to reevaluate her daughter and I just never bothered to correct her. It would be difficult to explain how I could be a Jedi but not associated with the ones on Coruscant."
Rex had joined the two during some point of the conversation so he offered, "I could probably find out what ship the father is on, if you want."
"No," Kallus was quick to say. "It would best to not involve him if we can avoid it. Otherwise, I may have to kill him."
Both the clone and Jedi expected for him to make light of his comment as if he had been joking but he was dead serious. When they realized that, they exchanged looks with one another but didn't ask for further explanations. After all, Rex had heard about the injuries that the man had inflicted on his daughter's romantic interest in the future.
Down the hall, young Kiara woke up and found herself in a strange room that she'd never been in. She sat up in alarm and looked around. The Loth-cat that tended to follow Ezra around was curled up beside her, so she rubbed the cat's fur as she took in the strange room that she'd found herself in. It looked to her that she was on a ship. She'd only left Lothal a couple of times. She would pester her father to allow her to go on archaeological digs. She was always amazed at how long forgotten towns and buildings could be hidden below the ground on distant worlds. He had a friend who had let her go on one and she'd been told that there was another that she could go on if she minded her mother well enough. It was due to start in a couple of weeks and she'd been preparing for her trip. Then she felt so tired and sick. How long ago had that been? Had she been sent on the trip despite her being ill?
She stood from the bunk and opened the door that led to a corridor just outside of it. She poked her head out and wondered which way to go. She listened and heard voices coming from the far end of the corridor. One of them sounded as if it belonged to her friend, Ezra.
"Ah. You are awake." A techno-service droid popped out of nowhere, it seemed, from the other end of the corridor. "I was asked to check in with you periodically. Are you feeling fully functional again?"
The twelve-year-old girl giggled at the question. "I guess I am. I don't feel sick anymore. But can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Actually, I have two somethings. First, how did I get here?"
The droid tilted his head and spun his body. "Master Kallus and the Jedi named Ezra brought you here hoping that you'd feel better. Which it seems that it has worked. I will need to tell them that you are awake now."
"Oh." Kiara felt better knowing that Ezra was here. If he trusted this Kallus person then he must be alright, too, if he was one of his friends. "Okay, well, my second question would be, where is the refresher?"
"That is an easy answer. The refresher is the next door down this way on the same side of the corridor as the room you came out of." The droid floated over to the door and activated it to allow it to open to reveal the refresher to the child. "When you are ready, I will show you to the common room where the men are at."
"You are going to just stay outside the refresher until I come back out?"
"Unless you feel that you would rather that I wait inside, of course."
The girl raised her hands and waved them slightly. "No. I'll be fine. Outside of the door would be better." The girl stepped inside and then added, "I won't be long."
