HEROES AND VILLAINS By Kondoru.

Alternative ending to RotJ

Standard Disclaimers.

Thanks to Budgie for Beating.


Interlude. Just Ashoka.

Ashoka sat alongside Leia.

"Now. Concentrate on the pencil." She said. "Not the table, nor me."

Leia watched the pencil with wary intensity. She had been put in a new cell for the afternoon, and was slightly unnerved by the change in routine.

Or was it unnerved because she was now out of the range of the Ysalmiri? Leia was starting to notice the Force, something that had been with her all her life. Being blocked from the Force…Well, now she could feel what she had taken for granted.

Ashoka was teaching her how to use the immense power that was hers by right of birth.

Anakin was helping her with theoretical force lore, and meditational practice. Leia, much to her secret shame, was getting to enjoy these daily sessions with her poor maimed sire. Anakin for his part was enjoying having a pupil all over again.

"My daughter will need to have practical lessons" He had told Governor Norran tersely.

It was out of the question that the notorious Force user be permitted anywhere near the Force, so Ashoka helped on her weekly visits. Leia would be moved away from the Force blocking creatures, to a cell that she was assured was surrounded by armed warders, should she decide to make mischief with her new found powers.

"Move the pencil." Commanded Ashoka.

But, of course, at first Leia could not. After a few false attempts, Ashoka tried a method that Plo Koon had practiced with her. She moved the pencil, and Leia guided it. This practice went very well, with Leia laughing merrily over the game. (She had not laughed in some weeks). Pretty soon, she was using the Force all by herself.

Ashoka took advantage of the break to tell Leia stories of her life in the Temple. These lessons reminded her of the happy days of her childhood…And the bittersweet memories of a life long lost.

(Also a life in the future. Ashoka had no precognition, but she could see herself, dressed in a brown robe, surrounded by Force wielding younglings).

(And, was one of the younglings a stripy montralled little Togruta?)

Only too soon was their session up. The warders unlocked the door, and filed silently in.

Leia gave a gloomy sigh and stood up, presenting her hands for the handcuffs. (For, out of her cell she was always restrained). She was hooded (another sad certainty) and led off, down the corridor, up two levels to her familiar cell.

Ashoka followed on, trailed by two unfamiliar armed warders.

"Ysalmiri!" Leia said thoughtfully as they returned to the creatures force denying bubble.

Ashoka nodded to herself.

Inside the day quarters Anakin sat ensconced in his hover chair. The old Ex-Jedi smiled happily at his family; If Anakin was jealous at Leia being permitted a Force using session, he gave no sign.

"Some progress" Ashoka reported.

"She needs more practice." Anakin said, predictably. "And are you teaching her to fence yet?"

"Do I need to learn to use a lightsabre? I thought the Jedi were pacifists?" Leia said finally.

Anakin sucked in his lips.

Ashoka just shrugged.


"Come on in." called Mon Mothma.

Ashoka Tano sidled in, none of her usual confidence. Her orange skin was peachy pale. The Togruta had got back from delivering Anakin to the Shard.

She sat down, eyes not leaving her feet.

Eventually she began to weep silently.

The silence gave ways to sobs and then to outright howling.

Mon Mothma was glad her office was soundproofed. "Get it out of your system." She said wearily. She passed the tissue box to Ashoka, and went back to her paperwork.

Ashoka wept for nearly an hour, emptying the full tissue box in the process. Eventually she simmered down.

"I'm not usually like this." she told the Alliance leader. "It's just...Anakin..." Ashoka began to weep all over again.

"He slept with you, didn't he?" Mon Mothma had to ask.

Ashoka nodded. She was not sure what to say.

"How old were you?" She had to ask.

Ashoka curled her lip, "old enough to be sent to the front line, apparently." She said grimly. "And old enough to have fought my Akul." she pointed to her Akul tooth headdress. "You're not going to say anything, or take any action?" she asked meekly.

Mon Mothma shook her head gravely, "not unless you wish it so." She smiled. "Then we will have to send Anakin to the whipping post again."

"No, I don't want to have to see that. For Padme" Ashoka sighed. "I can't imagine Padme would have been at all happy to see her husband treated so..."

"I can't either."

"And it was all your planning?" she had to ask.

"My idea yes" the old senator told her. "But I would have not gone through with it if others had objected." She smiled benignly. "Both you and Luke agreed, did you not?"

Ashoka had to nod at that. "He's done some pretty awful things...But striking Padme. How could he?" She bared her fangs and gestured angrily with orange fists. "He was always devoted to her, I mean, I had no idea they were married but I did suspect a relationship..."

Mon Mothma lifted an eyebrow. "No Jedi celibacy?"

"Where did you get that idea from? The Jedi invented sex!" she giggled. "Anyway, I had plenty of Clones for boyfriends." The Togruta gave a slight laugh.

"Are they all?" The lady could not bring herself to say it.

Ashoka nodded. "Rex was the last. He died about five years ago." She gave a little laugh. "Of old age." Ashoka rubbed her face again. "In my arms." The grim Togruta sniffed. "I have had so many of my brothers die in my arms." She blew her nose again. "Do you know what he said, at the end?"

She shook her head.

"He told me I was now free, and I was to go off to become a Togruta." Ashoka said weakly.

"Oh"

Ashoka started to cry again. "But i don't know where Shili is!" She snivelled. "And my Skyguy! I missed him so much. And to get him back like this! He's..." She could not continue

Mon Mothma hugged her striped companion. "I knew Anakin too, it hurts me awfully to see him laid so low." She sighed. "He once was a great man..."

"Anakin would not want to be in prison. He would try to find a way to escape."

"I can't see him being co-operative either." Mon Mothma said. "Which is why I made sure he ended up in a facility designed to contain the Force sensitive."

"But he's so resigned."

"He had been imprisoned in that suit now for over twenty years." Mon Mothma said sadly. "I think Anakin is used to bonds by now. His spirit is broken."

"You're right about that" Ashoka groaned.

"I will do all in my power to see your former master is well treated, he will be given the best care, both mentally and physically to heal him up."

"I trust you...But as for his freedom?" Ashoka said with some doubt.

She shook her head. "Anakin will never be freed. He's done far too much for that." The lady said.

Ashoka stared at her boots for a long minute. "Then its better if he had died." Was all she said.

"He is too far gone to ever be allowed back in normal society. But that doesn't mean to say we couldn't send him to a research station on a thinly habited planet; He could roam as he willed there, I think he might like that."

"Luke wants him for his new Jedi order." Ashoka said.

"And you?"

Ashoka shook her head. "I think he wants me too."

"How do you feel? You rejected the Jedi; remember?"

"Yes, I did, but I might be ready for a fresh beginning." Ashoka had to smile. "I think Luke's vision might be new." She grinned. "To be one of the founders of the New order..."

"And a fitting role for he who destroyed the old order..."

"But if Luke restarts the order then there will be younglings...And Anakin is a known youngling killer." Ashoka said.

Mon Mothma shook her head sadly. "Do you think he is a risk?"

Ashoka drew her birth marked brow into a frown. "No, he's too beaten for that. He also now knows the New Republic has a whip."

Mon Mothma gave a grim smile. "Yes, we made quite the impression on him, did we not?"

"You've not licked him yet for losing his lightsabre."

"Oh, is that what got you flogged?"

"Don't remind me!" Ashoka was still too ashamed to mention this misdemeanour in public. "But Ani lost his several times."

"How did I guess? You pretended you had forgotten."

Ashoka went red. "I knew I couldn't fool you." Was all she could say.

"Never mind. That is in the past. We are here to discuss your future." Mon Mothma picked up a piece of flimsi. "Our members have voted you a long overdue military pension, for your loyal services in both our conflict and the Clone wars."

"Oh?" Ashoka was surprised.

"How have you earned a living since you left the Temple?"

Ashoka looked very sad. "A scraping here and there...Stayed in monasteries. I've worked a bit as a mechanic...I have Ani to thank for those skills. I've begged a bit."

"I think you deserve it, you, Luke, Han and Leia." she said. "We have also granted you a carers allowance."

"Me, caring for who?" She asked, rubbing at her lekkus.

"You're poor helpless Ex-Master, of course."

"Isn't he being looked after at the Shard?" Ashoka said.

Mon Mothma added. "Yes, but this is for any extras that might assist in Anakins rehabilitation. Some comforts that will remind him of his humanity again. Governor Norran will look after him and see to it his healthcare is of the best, but Anakin needs love."

"I noticed that his cell has bare metal walls." Ashoka was thoughtful, "Perhaps a redecoration in soothing shades?"

"Yes, that's it, little things like that." Mon Mothma nodded. "You will be visiting Anakin every week." She told the Togruta Jedi in a manner that suggested it was an order.

Part of Ashoka was pleased to be back with her master, the other was annoyed at being tied down. Still, she was entering a new phase of life...As a Jedi all over again. She had been trying to integrate with the Togruta...But Ashoka for all her natural fearlessness, was secretly terrified of the judgements of her own kind. Togruta were a very unimaginative and conventional race. Just being a Force user marked Ashoka out as unnaturally different, let alone her unconventional upbringing.

She was not ready for Shili and her family yet.

And now Anakin was back in her life.

What was left of him.

Everyone knew that she would not deny her Ex-Master anything. (Including aid in his escape. Ashoka was well aware the New Republic regarded her as a potential security risk).

"Try to smuggle in anything the Governor disapproves of and he has been authorised to thrash you and detain you for a few weeks." Mon Mothma said sternly. "You and Luke have both been warned."

Ashoka nodded.

"And you will be getting him a top of the range datapad. The work I have planned for him requires him to have access to the Holonet."

"The Holonet? And he's in prison?"

"His access will be very closely monitored...But not restricted." Mon Mothma said. "I want to see just how trustworthy your old Master really truly is."

Ashoka breathed in deeply. "He can slice." She said finally. "He's no expert but yes, I have seen him slice." Ashoka stared at her hands. "I'm sure the Shards systems are secure but if he wanted to, Ani could wreak havoc."

"Not try to escape?"

"At the moment he is a broken man...And of course helpless...Get away from the Ysalmiri he would have the Force again." Ashoka looked thoughtful. "Do you know, I would like to see him try to escape...The old Anakin would not stand to be locked up...The new..." She sighed.

"But if he escaped he would no longer have access to our medical care." Mon Mothma shifted the papers on her desk. "This is part of his rehabilitation. To get him functional physically as well as mentally. Nor would he have access to the Twins."

"Anakin is devoted to Luke...And I think he's fond of Leia too."

Mon Mothma nodded. "We assume that he has spare equipment hidden away."

Ashoka gave a wry look, "that's one thing Ani does not want...To have to put that nightmarish hame on again." She gave a slight laugh. "And he would have to wear it if he wants to live any length of time. He needs it to breathe, and his immune system is not at all healthy."

"I doubt that it would make an at all effective disguise either."

What both of them knew and neither of them dared to say was they were well aware that should their new responsibility attempt escape, that would be a positive step in his rehabilitation.