Part IV: Soldiers' Counsel

Aboard the Venator-Class Galactic Republic Star Destroyer Resolute

"General Skywalker, there is a message for you from the Negotiator." Captain Rex said as he walked onto the bridge. General Skywalker was standing with his hands clasped behind his back, looking out the view port at the stars. Rex couldn't help notice that his commander's stance was peculiarly reminiscent of how Commander Tano used to carry herself. It was a stance Skywalker had only recently adopted, his arms no longer swayed at his sides as he walked when calm. They were clasped lightly behind his back. "General," Captain Rex broke off when General Skywalker's hands unclasped.

He turned around, trademark grin on his lips, though a bit more drawn nowadays. He followed Rex to the War Room, where the "Put Obi-Wan through," he said calmly.

Admiral Wullf Yularen had joined them, giving and receiving a respectful silent nod to and from Captain Rex and General Skywalker as the full-body hologram of General Obi-Wan materialized before them. "I got an interesting communication from Dexter Jetster on Coruscant. He received a communiqué from the Mandalore." Obi-Wan stopped for a moment. Anakin grimaced, as he couldn't imagine the pain Obi-Wan felt at losing the only woman he ever really loved. Obi-Wan, ever the Jedi, supressed his grief and continued, "It was a communiqué sent for and received by…Ahsoka Tano."

The air immediately grew frigid. Captain Rex actually flinched as he looked at his General's hardened expression. The expression was only there for a short time, but the room's temperature certainly remained lower than it had been before. "Ahsoka?" Anakin asked to no one in particular. On the hologram, Commander Cody briefly stepped into frame to hand Obi-Wan a telegram, and was gone. Anakin Skywalker recovered quickly, "Who on Mandalore knows Ahsoka? Lux Bonteri remained on Onderon."

Captain Rex was quite grateful his General hadn't mentioned the Duchess, Commander Cody had informed him after the fact how destroyed Obi-Wan was upon his return from Mandalore. General Yoda actually took him aside to grant him a week of meditation to come to terms with his loss. He wasn't allowed however, to attend the Duchess' funeral.

"So Ahsoka went to Mandalore?" General Skywalker asked General Kenobi.

"I don't know, she took the call in private. Dex doesn't monitor those calls, not even upon the council's request. Said it violated his customer's rights." Obi-Wan folded his arms, but Captain Rex and Anakin both recognized him well enough to pinpoint pride in his voice. Irked though he was that Dex defied the council, he defied the council, and that landed him on a very small list of courageous beings across the galaxy. Admiral Tarkin was also on that list, and despite Captain Rex's personal qualms about the man, sticking to his guns against the Jedi was nothing if not a bold move; even if it was a decision done to convict an innocent friend.

Obi-Wan took a moment to look around before judging that the two men in the Resolute's Room were trustworthy, before glancing off at Cody standing several metres to his side, helmet off, observing the holo-call. "I haven't told the Jedi council about this business yet." He had anticipated the reactions to this sentence well. Yularen failed to stifle a gasp, Captain Rex stood a little straighter, shocked face hidden behind his immaculately cleaned helmet, and Anakin's eyebrows almost disappeared in his hair. Anakin however was the quickest to recover.

"And just when I thought you were done surprising me, master, you do something I would do." There was no mistaking the gratitude in the young general's voice. There was really no telling what the council would do where Ahsoka was involved. Especially after it came to light that after her excommunication, offer of being Knighted, and subsequent departure from the Jedi, she had for a time worked alongside Asajj Ventress as a bounty hunter, at least before the Dathomirian was murdered by Count Dooku. Ventress' body had been returned to Dathomir to rest with her fallen Nightsisters. Master Quinlan Vos had insisted, and General Kenobi backed up the notion when the Jedi council were hesitant to treat a fallen enemy with such consideration.

"I think we should send Rex or Cody and a small squad–" Anakin began before Admiral Yularen cut him off.

"The Mandalore System is neutral. Republic forces there would not only be received quite poorly by the locals, but it would instigate a ground war there with the Separatists." The Admiral finished with a lower tone; after all, he greatly respected Commander Tano and wished to know of her safety.

Obi-Wan and Anakin both conceded the point in the way their expressions dropped. Cody however, stepped up toward Obi-Wan so that he'd become visible to the others and said, "Senator Amidala has shown in the past her willingness to bend the rules of neutrality if it means serving the greater good. Perhaps one of her contacts on Mandalore could tell us something about why the presence of a non-Jedi Force user would be requested."

Captain Rex's mind was following a similar angle, so he followed Cody's proposal up with, "We cannot spring into action right now. I agree with Commander Cody, that perhaps the senator could use her contacts to give us the vital intelligence we need to ascertain whether or not our presence is needed there at all. I miss the Commander. We all do, to varying degrees," he added as he saw the pain in Anakin's eyes. "And while we all care about Ahsoka, we need to think tactically about this as well. Our intervention could put her in harm's way."

Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Admiral Yularen all looked a little more flabbergasted than any of them would care to admit at this deft and somewhat tactful handling of the situation. At last, Obi-Wan spoke up, "I think that's a favourable idea if the senator is willing."

He nodded toward Anakin who responded with "I'll get on that immediately upon my return to Coruscant. And Obi-Wan, thank you for not getting Windu involved, he always had it out for Ahsoka."

Obi-Wan returned Anakin's gaze with and nod accompanied by sad eyes and said, "I know."


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