-Trip to Naboo-

"Did you know about this mission?" I asked Ahsoka.

"No, I had no idea until after you left to get debriefed. Anakin and I were told by Master Obi Wan to go the Council right away," she replied honestly.

"That reminds me," I said, turning to Anakin to hold out my hand. "I don't believe we've met, Master Skywalker. I'm Tokrin Helturus."

"So, you're Ahsoka's new friend. Good to meet you. Ready for the mission?" he asked me.

"I definitely hope so; what do you mean?"

"You haven't encountered General Grievous before have you?"

I shook my head, "No. Thankfully my Master and I have been able to avoid him thus far!" I said, hoping very strongly that the General wouldn't be on Naboo.

"Well then, Snips here will fill you in about Grievous on our trip out there. He's one tough cyborg. No one has even been able to come close to taking him down in this war. Ahsoka battled him alone," he said, shooting a look at Ahsoka. "At Skytop Station and Florrum. She can give you a few words of warning, you know, just in case he is there."

"Any advice would be great!" I told him nervously, my gut clenching from the possibility of seeing Grievous face to face.

Anakin and Otarri ignored us to speak privately, while I leaned in with my shoulder and bumped Ahsoka on hers. "You didn't tell me you had a reputation with General Grievous. That must've been a really fun day," I said sarcastically. The elevator doors opened and we all began our hike through the Temple to the hanger.

"Don't remind me," Ahsoka said through clenched teeth, rolling her eyes. "Master Skywalker chewed me out for going after Grievous alone. He was glad that I was ok, but still wasn't happy about my "recklessness." I mean, I saved lives! I don't know why he was so upset; I lived didn't I? It doesn't matter now anyway," she said, looking away in shame for losing control of her emotions, both on Skytop Station and in front of me. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

I ignored her last comment, but instead responded to what she said about fighting with Grievous. "I'm surprised that you lived-" I told her, quickly catching myself before continuing, as she looked up at me. "Not that I am doubting your abilities. It's just, the General has killed so many Masters that a Padawan would seem to be a piece of uj cake to him!"

"Thanks," Ahsoka said, trying to change the subject. "Have you had uj cake? I can't remember that last time I had it. It must've been while I was an Initiate. The flavors...I have never experienced anything so sweet."

"Ah, I know. That's a dessert that I would trade my lightsaber for, anytime!" I said, a bit too loudly.

Master Otarri heard this and turned to me, eyes wide, "I certainly hope you're kidding Tokrin! Trading a lightsaber for cake! Bah!" he threw his hands in the air for dramatic effect. I smiled; Master was never one for extravagant things in life.

Anakin laughed, "I see we have something of a chef among us! Let me think, the last time I had uj cake would have been when I went to Naboo as a kid."

Ahsoka chimed in, "Maybe we could get some! Do you think we could Masters?"

"I don't think so Snips, maybe some other time. We need to focus on the mission. By the way, Master Otarri and I were just discussing our roles in the operation. Ahsoka, you and I will be with Senator Amidala as her guard. Master Otarri and Tokrin will be searching for any information regarding General Grievous."

"Tokrin, you and I will be in the city. We will explore-ahem!-I mean, search the streets and cantinas for any rumors about Separatists, droids, or Grievous," he said, sending me a discreet wink. He knew how badly I had an interest in the culinary arts. One day many years before, not long after I was assigned to him as a Padawan, I shared with him how I wanted to leave the Order and become a cook. I frequently watched the diners far below the Jedi Temple with my macrobinoculars whenever I had the chance. By sending me that wink, I knew that we might be able to get some of that cake.

"Do you two have any questions or, concerns?" Master Skywalker asked.

"Yeah, what if one big trap is waiting for us somewhere in Naboo? Are we going to spring it or...," I asked.

"I believe you and I will be the ones to spring any trap laid before us, as Master Skywalker and Ahsoka are going to be watching Senator Amidala's every move," Master Otarri stated.

"Sounds good I guess."

Shortly after, we arrived at our ship, a T-6 shuttle, and Anakin reached the loading ramp first, moving to the side to allow everyone else aboard before him. Ahsoka and I took the two seats adjacent to each other behind the pilot and copilot chairs. Master Otarri made his way to the copilot chair, and of course Master Skywalker, having a reputation for being the best starfighter pilot in the entire Jedi Order, took the pilot's seat. Otarri began to check the ship's systems and complete smaller task, such as raising the loading ramp while Skywalker warmed the engines for takeoff.

I glanced at Ahsoka, "Don't you usually have a droid with you? R2...D2 right?"

She nodded her head, "Yep, R2 is almost always with us, but he's busy being debriefed and repaired." She gave me an embarrassed smirk, "He got a little beat up on our last mission...partially my fault."

"Yes it was, Snips," Anakin said looking back at her from his seat. It was clear that he wasn't too happy about how their last assignment had gone.

Master Otarri hit the repulsors and the ship lifted off the hanger's platform. Anakin fired the ion engines and our ship shot off across Coruscant. He leveled off and I unbuckled my seatbelt so that I could go explore the rest of the small stuttle. I didn't see Ahsoka try to get my attention, but just as I stood, Anakin yanked the small ship up, sending me flying back into my seat. The blow actually knocked the wind out of me.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves Helturus. Aboard my ship, we wait until we're in hyperspace to get up...unless there is an emergency," he said, laughing while looking over his shoulder.

"Yes, Master," I replied, breathing heavily from the sudden decompression in my chest. I looked at Ahsoka wide-eyed and she just shrugged: I tried to warn you.

I decided to keep still and stay quiet until we were in hyperspace to avoid any more embarrassment. Ahsoka and I watched the city pass below us as the shuttle blasted through the atmosphere, and into space. Once clear of the other trading vessels, assault ships, and transports, Anakin engaged the hyperspace drive. Stars blurred as we accelerated to faster-than-light speed.

Almost immediately, the shuttle leveled off and remained still as we passed through hyperspace. I carefully unbuckled my seatbelt and stood, being very mindful of Anakin's every move behind the ship's control.

"So what did you need to get up for?" Ahsoka asked.

Skywalker and Master Otarri's seats unlocked from their forward positions and spun around. "I have Tokrin meditate, to learn to focus the Force, whenever he can; at least, that is the goal. Tokrin, did you not meditate when we were at the Temple?"

I quickly glanced at Ahsoka and said, "I was...a bit preoccupied, Master."

"There's the loading ramp area that you could use," Ahsoka offered.

"Go meditate Tokrin, I'll tell you when we are entering Naboo's orbit," my Master instructed me.

"Ok, Master." I nodded to Ahsoka and followed her through the bulkhead leading to the back. "This'll work," I told her, motioning to the junk lying in the corners and small crates scattered across the floor.

"Ok," Ahsoka said slowly; she had yet to find out what happened when I meditated. "Do you want me to go back up to the cockpit or stay here? I'll leave you alone if you want but I figure we could make good use of the time before we all split up; I'd be happy tell you what I know about Grievous while you meditate."

"Stay here; your presence is reassuring. I need to learn about Grievous anyway. So, is it true that his arms separated into four arms?" I said, sitting with my back straight up in the middle of the floor and closing my eyes, putting my hands on my crisscrossed knees.

Ahsoka walked to the hull in the doorway leading to the cockpit and sat down, leaning up against it, pressing her feet flat against the other side. You would have had to step over her to enter the "room" where I was.

"Yeah, it's all true. Defending against four lightsabers is nearly impossible, even with several Jedi," she began.

I reached out with the Force, in essence spreading my thoughts and feelings across the floor of the ship. Each object and piece of junk suddenly became a particular feeling or thought. I felt these objects with the Force. It almost felt like I was lifting each one individually; as if my hands were actually reaching underneath them, trying to get a grip to move them or lift them. With a small push in my head, all of the objects in the room were lifted off the floor and organized. For instance, durasteel pieces lay scattered on the floor, symbolizing the droid army and the possibility of Grievous on Naboo. In another corner, two types of ration packs were put together, one colored blue, the other orange. I had a feeling I knew what those signified. Two more ration packs were also present in the room, colored green and red. The red, I moved next to the others, and the green as well, but it got stuck on a sharp piece of durasteel and ripped open. Ugh, I need to be more patient and not move the pieces so quickly.

I figured the green signified Master Otarri because of his green lightsaber, but who was the red? Along with these groups, I created others across the room while listening to Ahsoka. She began her next sentence slowly; I felt her observing me and the other objects, wondering what in the world I was doing. "So, Grievous, he's got strength because he's a cyborg, mostly made up of droid parts, and is super fast. Watch out for his more aggressive attacks, which he uses all the time; they'll cut you into pieces if you aren't careful. His feet are just as dan-"

"Duck," I told her out of the blue.

"What?" she asked, trying to get my angle.

"Duck!"

She did and a rather large durasteel plate came in from the cockpit, just missing her head, and joined the others. "Oh. Thanks, I guess. Well anyway, his feet are deadly. They can grab you and throw you very hard; learned that the hard way. Grievous is deadly anywhere and at all times so just, be careful if you see him."

I reached out to the cockpit with the Force and found more little pieces and parts laying on the dashboard. I grabbed those and brought them over Ahsoka's head, to float in front of me. I began spinning them faster and faster and lifting them up and pushing them down, creating a sort of rapidly rotating sphere. I had to open my eyes to see for myself what I had done when Master Skywalker came in, stepping over Ahsoka's legs, with a small tool in his right hand.

"Alright, very funny who just stole the pieces to my new project?" he asked.

I looked up at him and stopped the pieces from moving. "Sorry Master, didn't know you were using them. Here you go," I said, sending the little pieces into his left hand. The other objects in the room remained in motion and Master Skywalker watched them all moving about, apparently impressed. He stood where Ahsoka's feet were and even leaned against the hull, arms crossed, to watch the bustling pieces. My eyes closed again and I continued to focus on the junk flying around me.

-POV Change to Ahsoka-

It truly was amazing, watching every object in the room float around. Tokrin had such concentration. To be able to lift that many objects, even if small, and then control each one, organizing it into his own strange way, was astonishing. I felt envy for his control, his patience, and his focus.

I wonder what he's thinking about, I thought. What the-? I suddenly felt my Padawan braids lifting up as well. I looked up and they were slowly wrapping themselves around my montrals. I smiled, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tokrin's slightly opened left eye blink closed. He was watching me, and what's the deal with the braids?

Master Otarri appeared behind me in the cockpit. He whispered, trying to stay out of Tokrin's earshot, "He is one of the best Padawans I've ever seen at focusing the Force to use telekinesis or the other movement abilities. He would be a very dangerous Sith, so be glad he's on our side."

Anakin just humphed.

We are lucky to have him, I thought, closing my eyes to try to get some sleep.