"That was completely amazing", ahsoka cheered as she tore into the room tossing her day pack onto the counter.
"I know I still can't believe that you actually ate that whole massive hot dog, I didn't think your stomach was that big", I followed her into the apartment and letting my day pack join hers on the counter.
"Well when you eat military rations for so long food like that you scarf down", she proudly explained as she plopped down on the couch.
"Well whatever the reason I still owe you some credits, want a drink", I asked stick my head into the mini fridge.
"What you got", ahsoka questioned rather lax as she laid down on the couch.
"Well I have water, tap water, or iced water", I joked trying to get a goal was obtained as I walked towards the living room with two bottles of water.
"Just out of curiosity what happened to that stubborn and thick headed girl who left that door this morning", I stated trying to get ahsoka to admit that she had some real fun.
"I don't know she disappeared when I started walking and that store and relaxing a bit", she admitted letting a smile creep onto her face.
"Well I hope she is gone for good, it's time for bed you better get ready", I patted her on the back as she stood up to make her way down the for the second time I crashed on the couch for the time being.
The next two weeks soared by without even a small event of real sadness from ahsoka. For the last few week I had been mentoring her on how to behave in public and how to live off the streets. She enjoyed the lessons very much and picked up on things pretty quickly. I sort of feared that she might surpass me in a little bit. Thou the lessons on carefree days were over and I found myself packing my bag to head to work early in the morning once again.
"What you doing up so early", ahsoka yawn filled voice caused me to almost collapse to the ground.
"I have to head to work my vacation is over", I felt sorry to inform her and she seemed even more sorry in a way to hear that I was going. She turned back to head into the bedroom. I don't know what lead me to call out to her but I did.
"Ahsoka wait, how would you like to come help me work", I offered not sure of what response I was going to get from her. She spun around on her heals quickly with a very cheery look plastered all over her face
"I'll take that as a yes now get ready we have to get going", I nodded stuffing the last of my stuff into my pack at beginning to place things in Ahsoka's pack.
The temple was a quick walk around a few blocks but that's not where the problem would start.
We made are way among many other workers as they strolled out of nowhere and entered the growing mass trying to get past the security. The only thing I needed now was to try and convince the guards that ahsoka really was not ahsoka and that she was my assistant.
"Ahsoka follow me real quick", I said taking her by the elbow and pulling her out of the crowds.
"What's the matter", she asked me as I pulled her on to her knees behind a dumpster.
"There is something you need to understand, you can no longer be ahsoka tano beyond those walls", I tried to simplify my point as much as I could but ahsoka seemed to understand fine.
"So if I want to work with you and go into the temple I have to go by another name", she mumbled seeming to contemplate my words.
"Yes now remember that everything gets real after this no more fun and games you...", I didn't get to finish my sentence as I was rudely interrupted.
"I need start learning to live a new life and that starts with a name and a job", she finished my idea, not seeming to take her eyes off of mine after beginning to understand this revelation.
"Yes now what do you want to be called from now on", I questioned realizing how long this whole thing was actually taking making it clear I might be late for work.
"Steela... Steela Onderon", she seemed to let the name click out of her mind.
"If memory serves my right Steela and Onderon had to do with a rebellion training mission you were assigned to a few months ago", I rubbed my chin gentle as I watched her nod lightly at my statement.
"Well no time to reflect on the past it's time to get to work literally", I pointed out leaving the safety of the dumpster to head towards the temple.
Ahsoka, I mean Steela followed shortly after me following closely behind as we reentered the crowds. We made our way towards the security gate guarded by four palace sentinels. Ahsoka pulled closely behind me to where I could feel her breath as we made our way past the hairdos with a hitch.
We entered a thinly numbered elevator bound for the top floors. The ride seemed long and unsettling, even ahsoka seemed a bit uneasy. Probably from the fact that she was sneaking into her former home as a non-Jedi. As we arrived at our stop it suddenly occurred to me to give ahsoka my jacket to draw some unneeded attention away from us as she was without a uniform. I removed my jacket and tossed it over her shoulders as we entered the halls of the temple. She accepted the jester and understood it sourpuss as she slipped it on all the way immediately after the fact.
I guided her down several corridors towards my office taking note of how people were look at us. We arrived at the office without much of a hitch at all. As I let her into the office glancing around a few more times before entering myself. As I went in I actually relaxed enough to notice how the orange service jacket mixed with the new outfit made her look completely like a different person.
The stern and powerful jedi I had known only a few weeks before had worn away to reveal more of a dashing street girl. All the fears I had had about her being recognized off of the bat or in general nearly washed away at this revelations.
"What you staring at James", ahsoka raised an eyebrow at me.
"Oh it's nothing I just noticed how different you look, I believe we might actually pull this off", I proudly announced at the revelation to the whole predicament.
"Pull what off", the lifeless voice of my boss the archiver made me cringe in fear.
"Oh nothing boss I was just hoping that the new assistant archiver Steela Onderon would be up for the task", I referenced to ahsoka who sat perplexed on my desk.
"I was not informed of a new assistant and there is no other offices for her", he rambled to me as if he was speaking down to me an entire species wise.
"She has agreed to share his office with me and the leaders thought it would help things run smoother if we had a second AA down here", I explained.
We both held are breaths as we awaited him to finish thinking all of what I had said over. Finally he nodded his head shook her hand and left without muttering a word else wise. As the door shut behind him we both locked eyes and waited a few moments checking to see if that had really just happened
"I did it, your in, welcome to the job", I burst out in amazement as ahsoka embraced me in a hug.
"Wait what do you mean you", she backed away still holding her arms around me but seemingly questioning my statement.
"Hey I did all the talk you did not even say a word to the guy", I pointed out in matter if fact fashion.
"Whatever", she rolled her eyes then began to hug me again for a moment before it was broken up by the shouts of my boss of the holocrom.
"The younglings got into the library this morning and left a mess go clean it up now", his first words sent us sprawling all over the room in fright.
The holocrom shut off at the end of his dictorial orders.
"Is he always like that", ahsoka panted slightly pointing over to where my boss was floating in blue light a moment ago.
"Yeah basically", I could hold it back and in the middle of the statement I began to laugh slightly. Ahsoka gave me here now usual 'what' look that only made me laugh a little harder.
"We should get going the younglings never leave a small mess", I recovered from my laughter and proceeding to pick up my cap and head out the doors.
We arrived at the west wing of the library to find a large pile of holo disks flowing off of the tables and on to the floor stretching the length of 9 tables along the stretch of the room. Ahsoka just stood there arms crossed and mouth slightly agape staring at the mountains of clean up work.
"Come on let's get moving we got more than this to clean up today", I referenced openly to the mess with a swing arm motion.
"Ok we will split it evenly you take half, I will take half and I'll help you with your half when I get done first", now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow.
"You actually think you can do as much of this work as me", I challenge her determination with my experience.
"Yeah just watch me", she stepped towards the piles of chips unprepared for the job at hand.
I swiftly finished five of the tables in the matter of 30 minutes. By the time I stacked the last of my chips back on the shelf I checked up on ahsoka.
"So still think you can handle it", I taunted the girl who had just nearly almost finished her second table.
"Whatever it's harder than it looks", she pouted tossing more chips into her day pack.
"Your right, picking up the chips is the easy part, finding there exact spot on the shelf is the hard part", I publicly admitted while leaning down to pick up some chips off the ground.
"Want me to help you finish up your job", I asked having already started to pick up some of here work. The look on her faces as she looked over the rest of her work then back at me seemed very conflicted. It was as if asking for help was like a repugnant disease to her which I can believe see as she is anakin former padawan and he was as stubborn as a mule.
"Fine just help me get this all cleaned up", she finally broke down and admitted as she returned to her work.
"That's my girl", I freely said with much of a care till she looked up at me with a stern look.
"It's an expression Steela", I admitted receiving a eye roll from her as we both returned to our work.