Ahsoka had been in this position many times before. Back when she had first started, mission briefings had been one of two things for her. Boring…
Or, if she was the one giving the briefing, downright terrifying. Back then, she had been convinced that no one would ever want to listen to her in a million years. After all, who would listen to, and take military commands from, a fourteen year old girl, especially one of her stature?
But as time had passed, as campaigns had been fought and won, she had learnt to listen, learnt how to plan.
And while she would never think of herself as a strategic genius on the level of people like Yularen or Obi-Wan, she at least believed now that she was capable of leading, and that people would listen to her.
That, in turn, made meetings such as these far more interesting, and far less scary at the same time.
Standing tall beside Depa Billaba, Ahsoka faced the assembled Clone Troopers, some who had their faces exposed, others who did not. Each seemed to be listening intently as their Jedi General ran through the plan that they had decided upon earlier. Those whose faces were visible did not display any hint of doubt or anger at the plan and it's dangers. Each seemed willing to go ahead with it, and one or two looked almost excited to try something so unorthodox. Ahsoka hated risking the lives of anyone, but if it was their choice, then so be it.
She would have gone alone if necessary, but these men seemed to want to help her.
And who was she to deny them that opportunity. They had every right to be here too.
Even so, this moment also always unsettled her a bit, even after three years of constant war. She knew that no matter how prepared the Clones were or how good the plan was, some of them would almost certainly be wounded or killed, resulting in piles of white armoured bodies laying strewn around the battlefield, blaster marks and other egregious wounds marking their bodies whilst other troopers celebrated around them, rejoicing in their survival. It was a painful fact of war that sometimes made her wonder if it would all be worth it in the end.
"...once we are close enough to the facility, we will find a way inside. Stealth will be key and must be maintained as long as feasibly possible, even after we have entered the facility. If we are spotted beforehand…" Depa continued her explanation, drawing Ahsoka out of her inner thoughts. On the other side of Depa, Ahsoka spotted Caleb, a wide smile on his face, one that radiated confidence. She wouldn't be surprised if he was the true source of the Clone's willingness to help. The 501st had certainly taken her into their fold with open arms, doing everything in their power to help and care for their rambunctious 'Little Togruta Sister', as Fives had once called her.
'Except for help you prove your innocence that is. They didn't help you then!'
Shaking her head to rid herself of the darker voice in her head, one that had been popping up more frequently since leaving the Order, Ahsoka focused on the briefing at hand once more, catching the tail end of a comment made by one of the helmeted troopers.
"We become target practise. Wonderful." The comment was said with some sarcasm, something that got a chuckle out of a few of the assembled Clones, as well as a tug of the lips from Depa herself.
"Well Big-Mouth, as long as you keep quiet we should be fine." Commander Grey spoke next, slugging the trooper who had spoken gently on the arm with his fist, a smirk on his face.
"I'll try my best Commander." The Clone, Big-Mouth, responded, his focus shifting back to Depa.
Depa nodded again before gesturing to the pile of rappelling equipment that had been thoroughly sorted out nearby.
"Now, when the storm hits the wind speed will make the climb down the cliff face dangerous, so take extreme caution on the way down. A fall from this height will certainly kill you, though myself, Caleb and our guest here will do everything we can to prevent a hard landing if the worst comes to pass." During the Jedi Master's detailing of the plan, several of the Clones locked their gaze with Ahsoka's, some nodding their heads in a welcoming sign of respect, others simply staring at her, either judging her, or trying to figure her out.
Ahsoka understood. She had yet to prove herself to them. Hopefully she would do just that on this mission.
A light cough echoed through the open space of the cavern, gaining the attention of everyone assembled, each of whom turned to look at Captain Styles, who clearly had a question in mind.
"Not to sound impudent General, but how exactly are we getting out of that facility once we have whatever it is we are after? I don't think stealing a Separatist ship is really the best solution, and then there's that blockade in orbit to worry about."
This was one part of the plan that hadn't been actively discussed, a fact that was an error in hindsight considering the type of mission they were about to undertake.
Still, Ahsoka hadn't trained under the Masters of Improvisation without learning a thing or two.
"We'll use my ship for extraction. It has a prototype stealth drive that should allow whoever is piloting to just swoop down and pick us up. To the Separatists it will look like we vanished into thin air." Ahsoka replied, her comment gaining the attention of the troopers present, all of whom seemed to nod their heads in understanding and acceptance.
All except Styles that was.
"Well then if you've got an invisible ship why don't we just take it and land at the clanker's base rather than sneak in through a storm. We definitely won't be seen then!"
Ahsoka had entertained the idea already. At first glance it made sense, but upon closer inspection, there was one fatal flaw with it.
"My ship may be hidden from sight and sensors, but you can still hear it, and it will throw up a lot of dust, even during a storm. We'd be found out before we even got into the base. We need to use the ship as our means of extraction only. Gotta save some surprises for the Separatists after all."
Ahsoka's explanation seemed to be accepted by the irate Clone Captain. Styles may not have been the nicest Clone she had ever encountered, but he clearly knew his way round a battlefield and was adept at tactics and strategy.
That alone made him an excellent trooper.
That said, Ahsoka was certain he wasn't going to like his assignment on this mission.
"Now, our numbers are limited on this mission due to the injuries sustained by some. Two of our troopers need constant medical attention or they will die. That means our medic will remain behind with Styles, who will be in charge of piloting 'The Huntresses' ship to extract us. The rest of you will accompany us through the storm." Depa began again, issuing commands to all, which Ahsoka could see was received with nods of respect, as well as glances of concern towards where two troopers lay on makeshift gurneys in the back, tended to by a single Clone medic. Even Styles seemed to accept his orders with ease and understanding. Perhaps he was grateful for the opportunity to play the rescue party for once.
Glancing back over the rest of the assembled team, Ahsoka did a quick headcount, a habit she had picked up from Rex.
Sixteen of them would go on this mission. Thirteen Clones, two Jedi, and her. Not exactly what she would call an army, but a team both small and large enough to complete the mission.
Reaching down to pick up her helmet, Ahsoka threw an encouraging, if not slightly cocky smile at Caleb, one that he returned, before placing it over her head.
"Right then. Time to get moving."
The wind was, as expected, pure hell, especially when one was dangling from a long rope attached by a single hook to the top of a mountain as you abseiled. Even worse was the dust blowing everywhere. The wind was harsh, but as dust particle after dust particle grazed across the exposed skin of his face it felt like his face was on fire. He was almost certain it would be heavily swollen once this was all over.
To make matters worse, and not that he would want to, given the circumstances, Caleb could not open his eyes. He had to climb, down a sheer cliff face, attached to a frankly flimsy rope in the middle of a storm, completely and utterly blind!
It was times like these that he missed the warm comforting nature of the Temple creche. This was not the kind of adventures he had in mind when he had become a Padawan.
A warm comforting presence wrapped around him in that moment through the Force, offering nothing but encouragement and compassion. His Master was a welcome presence in the Force, and one of the few that he would openly embrace if she called to him. He only hoped she didn't think less of him for accepting her comfort. Attachment, in any fashion, was not the way of the Jedi after all.
Continuing to climb down the side of the mountain face, hands tightly gripping what outcroppings he could find with all his strength, Caleb focused himself, delving deep into the Force simply to see.
Around him he could feel the presence of the Clones, even if they were not sensitive to the Force themselves. They too were climbing downwards, some attached to ropes not his own, others both above and below him on the same rope. They had the luxury of wearing a helmet, meaning they could at the very least have their eyes open and their skin protected from the hazardous conditions. The thought that his troops, his friends, were at least safe spurred him onward.
Continuing to reach around in the Force he found the convoluted presence that was Ahsoka Tano. She radiated outgoing warmth, but deep within her presence there was something else. A sense of determination, of focus, one that was almost borderline obsessive in a way. He got the distinct feeling that she was a very different person when on a mission as opposed to when not. Hopefully she wouldn't turn into some scary order giving drill Sergeant like the ones the Clones spoke of sometimes.
Steeling himself to push onward, or downwards as the situation would have it, Caleb continued to descend, taking it slow and steady, yet fully aware of the fact that Commander Grey was directly above him, waiting for him. The Commander seemed to not mind however, at least that was the feeling Caleb got through the Force.
After several more minutes of harsh windswept abseiling, Caleb finally felt his feet hit solid ground, and nearly jumped for joy. His eyes were still clamped shut, his vision swimming in a sea of black, but that wasn't going to stop him. He had come this far, and had survived what he would call the hardest challenge of his time as Depa Billaba's Padawan so far.
Now all he had to do was survive the rest.
Behind her helmeted visage, Ahsoka surveyed her surroundings.
Dust, dust and more dust. That and the occasional dark outline of a figure before her, one that could be Clone or Jedi.
The wind was harsh, much harsher than she had been expecting, and no doubt the dust was making life a living hell for both Caleb and his Master. She shouldn't have asked for them to come along. She should have come alone.
But now wasn't the time, and there was nothing that could be done. She was here, and so were they. Now all they had to do was cross the storm ridden plains and sneak into the facility unnoticed. Hopefully it would all go to plan.
Gesturing to one of the shadowed figures before her, one that she was just able to make out as Commander Grey, she indicated towards the general direction of the facility, one that was equally hidden from view. Chances were they wouldn't know it was there until they walked right into one of the walls.
Or right into a battledroid.
Grey nodded his helmeted head in confirmation, before disappearing into the storm before her, no doubt to inform the others. Content that they were ready, Ahsoka too began to push through the harsh winds of the dust storm, heading in the direction she had previously indicated. She had no idea how far they would have to walk, despite seeing the distance earlier in the day. Even if she could remember, the storm around her had a way of disorientating people. It was quite possible that she was simply walking round in circles.
It was quite possible they all were… but still she pressed onward through the storm, her arms coming up to shield her face on instinct despite the helmet. She still wasn't used to it being over her head, though it was certainly proving its worth right now.
As she moved slowly and steadily through the storm a pair of figures appeared before her, walking side by side keeping one another balanced in the harsh storm. As she neared them she was able to make out their identities. One was the Clone referred to as 'Big-Mouth' whilst the other was Caleb. Clearly the two were sticking together in hopes of success. Reaching through the Force she subtly brushed her presence up against the young Padawan's, informing him that she was there, as well as trying to reassure him. Through the Force she felt him acknowledge her, his ever bright and warm signature flaring even in the storm.
Moving up alongside them they continued onward, Ahsoka's eyes darting side to side behind her helmet, looking for something, anything. A sudden shadow could be a Clone trooper or a battledroid. It would be hazardous to approach anything right now, especially if it turned out to be a droid. She had taken a great risk simply by approaching Caleb and Big-Mouth. If they had turned out to be droids…
It was then that another shadow appeared before them, this one much larger, and directly blocking the route in front of them. For one brief moment, Ahsoka began to think that she was hallucinating.
And then she realized what it was, and gasped beneath her helmet.
She had clearly lost track of how long she had been walking through the fierce wind and dust, as before them now was one wall of the Separatist base.
Now all they had to do was find a way in.
Tapping both Big-Mouth and Caleb lightly on their shoulders, she directed them to head along the wall one way, whilst she checked the other. Through the Force she felt Caleb acknowledge her suggestion, promising to contact her if he or Big-Mouth found anything.
Splitting up, Ahsoka watched as the duo disappeared into the storm again, keeping close to the wall they had found, before she too turned and proceeded in the opposite direction. Keeping one hand steady on the wall as she moved, Ahsoka pushed forward, searching for something, anything that might have resembled a way in. Right now she would take even a ventilation duct, as long as it was something.
And then she saw yet another shadow, no… two shadows before her, their backs to her. She debated approaching them, trying to see who they were… that was until she heard them speak.
"Why do we always get stuck out here on guard duty during a storm? It's not like we can see if anything is coming anyway!" The high pitched borderline squeaky voice of a battledroid echoed across the storm. Upon hearing the voice Ahsoka crouched, one hand on the hilt of her sabre, before she began to back away, the shadows of the two droids slowly fading into the storm. Even then, she could still hear them talking.
"I know right, and all this dust is corroding my servo motors. And my paint job!"
"But you're the same colour as the rest of us, why would that matter?"
"I meant the yellow stripe on my head idiot!"
"Ohhhhh!"
Shaking her head at the antics of the now unseen droids, Ahsoka began to debate her next move. She could try to sneak past them, or stealthily disable them with a well placed Force push or something. A lightsaber would give her and the rest of the team away.
Or, she could just turn and go in the opposite direction and hope that Caleb and Big-Mouth were having better luck than she was.
It took several slow and steady minutes of walking before Ahsoka found both Caleb and Big-Mouth, and when she did they were not alone. Another three Clones had joined them by now, each covered head to toe in dust coated armour.
And there, right in front of them was what looked like a door. If anything, Ahsoka would have called it a back door, or perhaps an emergency exit if of some sort.
Now it was their way in.
Crouching down beside Caleb, who was sitting on the ground, clearly trying to catch his breath, even in the harsh wind, Ahsoka placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently, trying to give him a gentle sign of encouragement. The young Padawan's eyes were still clamped shut to block out the dust as best he could, but upon feeling her presence he allowed a smile to appear on his face, his presence in the Force flaring in happiness.
Moving her gaze from Caleb, Ahsoka spotted Commander Grey, also crouched down beside what appeared to be a terminal, fingers hard at work trying to cross some wires inside of it. No doubt he was attempting to slice the door controls so it would open.
Ahsoka only hoped that it wouldn't set off any alarms within the base.
It was then that another signature in the Force flared in her mind, one that was familiar to her, but not at the same time. It was warm and welcoming, and very very powerful. Far more powerful than most Force sensitive she had ever met.
She pried her mind, trying to remember where she had felt it before. It wasn't Depa, or Caleb, or even her own, but she had felt it before, around her, guiding her.
In fact, she could have sworn it was the same signature she had detected earlier, when surveying the facility from afar with Caleb. Something had been watching them then. And now it was watching them again, even in the storm.
The signature got bolder all of a sudden, as if it had realized that Ahsoka had picked up on it. Caleb too lifted his head, a perplexed expression on his face, even if he could not see.
It came from behind them, from within the dense dust storm raging around them. And it felt like it was coming right towards them.
For the second time in the last few minutes, Ahsoka's hand rested on the hilt of her lightsaber, just in case. For all she knew it could be some darksider coming for her, using the Force to distort their signature and fool them into letting their guard down.
Ahsoka waited, her eyes studying the dust, watching for anything that might give something away. A shadow, or a sound, or a light. Anything!
And then there was movement. A small shadow came swooping overhead, far enough away that it was concealed within the storm, but close enough for Ahsoka to make out the outline. She couldn't identify what it was, only that it was small and fast. In a way it reminded her of a bird, swooping overhead.
But it couldn't be. No bird would dare take flight in a harsh storm such as this.
"Master!" Caleb's voice echoed out suddenly, the young Padawan instantly regretting his call out as dust entered his mouth. Glancing back in front of her, the swooping shadow out of her mind, Ahsoka watched as Depa Billaba advanced towards them, the rest of her Clone troopers following behind her. No one looked injured, and there were no signs of a battle. Hopefully they had managed to sneak past without alerting anyone.
"Ha ha! Got it!" Grey said behind her, the sound of the door he had been attempting to open doing just that. Ahsoka allowed a wide smile to come to her face at the sight of the interior of the facility. It may have been a dark and downright creepy looking hallway, but it was better than the storm they were currently in.
Reaching down, she grasped hold of Caleb's arm, pulling him up and into the facility, the rest of the Clones and the Padawan's Master following suite. When all were inside, Grey closed the door behind them, sealing them away from the harsh storm outside.
They had made it, despite every element working against them. That in itself was an accomplishment. Now all they had to do was find the information they needed and get out.
Hopefully everything would go to plan, because if it didn't…
Ahsoka didn't even want to begin to think of the consequences.
Author's thoughts
And they are in without anything going wrong right? Right?
This was a fun chapter to write, especially with the danger posed by the storm and how both Ahsoka and Caleb react to it. Putting my favourite characters into annoying and dangerous situations is fun, if not slightly terrifying at the same time. Hopefully nothing bad happens to any of them. XD
So yeah, I don't really have much else to day about this chapter... though I feel like I should.
Addendum: I have remembered something important: No doubt some of you will question why Caleb and Depa didn't just use the helmets from the injured clones to protect themselves. While logically this would have made sense I have a simple reason for why they did not.
During the first and second battle''s of Geonosis, no Jedi wore a helmet during the duststorms that occurred there. Luminara wore some goggles, but that was about it. Thus, in order to keep up with their stupidity... I mean consistency, neither Caleb nor Depa wore a Clone helmet.
That and it was more fun to write them experiencing the storm without protection for their face, as well as foreshadow Caleb's eventual loss of sight. Hope that's reasonable enough for you. :)
Once again, thank you to my beta reader 'ArrinSynders' for all his help. His critical analysis is matched only by his politeness and willingness to help. (That's a good thing)
Next time round the team begins to explore the facility... but not all is as it seems.
As usual, comment and speculate at will. Speaking of which:
1saaa: Well I'm glad you liked the first impression of the story. Hopefully it meets all expectations.
Still, glad you have enjoyed it so far, and thank you for your kind words and patience. I am trying, really I am.
As for your speculation about 'Dark Ahsoka', all I will say is don't rule anything out She is the apprentice of Skywalker after all. and look what happens to him.
Mysterious guest one: Caleb is trying to control his inner fanboy. How well he is doing this remains to be seen.
Glad you enjoy the interaction between Ahsoka and Caleb. They are great fun to write together.
Juxshoa: An interesting piece of speculation you have there, and one that may be more right than you possibly realise.
That said, I wonder what sort of organisation it would be? XD
arrinsnyders: True, but your help is greatly appreciated nonetheless. Thanks again.
And I hope you had a good weekend.
SWGoji2001: Hey, no worries. I am the same, both in commenting on yours and uploading mine. XD
Glad you are enjoying the interactions between Ahsoka and Caleb. He's trying his best, really, and that probably reminds Ahsoka of herself more than anything else.
'Everything that can go wrong will go wrong'... talk about pessimism. That said, wait until you see some of the upcoming chapter names. XD