"Are you kidding me!? There's a Sith Shrine buried right below our feet, and you never told us! What sort of stupidity is that!? Are there any other secrets the Council has kept from us!"
"Bil, calm down buddy!"
"No Masana! I won't calm down! This nerfherder has kept a very dangerous secret from all of us! Who knows what the Shrine could have done! What if it's been corrupting all of us in our sleep or something… or worse!"
"Bil… it's alright."
"Why are you so calm Masana?!"
"Because I'm a more patient person than you."
Anakin wished he could speak. He wished he knew what to say. But in this circumstance… what could he say?
One of the most respected Jedi Council Members had just told a group of people that they had been living directly above a source of pure evil for as long as they had lived in the Temple! For all they knew, the Temple could have been slowly corrupting them, influencing them to the dark side of the Force for years!
And Windu had known… and done nothing to stop it!
Why exactly was the Council in charge again?!
"Was the entirety of the Council aware of the Shrine's existence?" The Temple Guard was the first to speak directly to Windu. Bil had stormed off, his signature in the Force an angry storm, with Masana on his heels, trying to comfort him.
"No, just myself and Masters Yoda and Nu. The rest of the Council no doubt believe it to be a simple legend as the rest of the Order does. The information was deemed too important to release to the rest of our members."
"Jocasta Nu knew?! How typical." The Guard snarled before he too pivoted on his heels, marching out the same way Bil and Masana had moments earlier, leaving Windu alone with Anakin, Ahsoka and Rex.
Windu's expression surprised Anakin. Rather than the stern annoyance he expected, Windu's face was instead solemn, as if he knew he had made a mistake in keeping the information quiet. At any other time, Anakin would have relished the opportunity to point out Windu's mistake, but right now they had more pressing issues.
"I take it we can't ask Master Nu about it?" Anakin asked, knowing the likelihood of Jocasta sharing the same fate as the rest of the Order's members was high.
"Unfortunately not. Master Nu is, like many others, unconscious as of this moment. I'm afraid as it stands I am the only one who knows anything about the Shrine."
"Well at least we have someone Master. How do we access the Shrine to see if it is the source of our problems?" Anakin replied Windu, secretly proud of himself for keeping his tone calm and patient. Hopefully Obi-Wan would be proud of his attitude. Around Windu it was so easy to slip into the snippiness that Ahsoka was famed for.
"I suppose so. There is an entrance to the lower levels within the Temple. I will do my own investigations and contact you when I am ready. This was a secret that should never have been kept." Windu said, before nodding to the remaining trio and heading out the door himself.
As Windu left the room, Anakin felt himself release the breath he hadn't known he was holding. Was it really that hard for him to deal with Windu in a polite way?
"Well, a lead is better than none, even if we have to wait for a bit." Rex chose to speak first, addressing both his General and former Commander.
"That's true Rex. Now let's see what we can do to help in the meantime."
"You guys go ahead. I need to report to the Chancellor." Ahsoka interrupted, gesturing to the doorway in the process, "Save some good deeds for me though yeah?"
"Always Snips."
Ahsoka's smirk was all the response he needed. The Togruta turned her back and moved over to the nearby console that Windu had earlier used to contact Master Secura, her hands moving deftly over the console as she typed.
"Come on Rex. Let's go." Anakin said, nodding to the Clone in the process, an instruction to follow.
Ahsoka's report to the Chancellor was for them alone, and Anakin had full faith in the both of them.
It took a minute to enter the Chancellor's comm code into the terminal, and another minute for him to respond.
The holographic image of the Chancellor flared to life, towering over Ahsoka and bathing her in an illuminating blue light. His face was stern, though ready to listen.
"Agent Tano. What news do you bring my friend?"
"It is as you speculated, Chancellor. Master Windu has confirmed that there is indeed a Sith Shrine buried deep beneath the Jedi Temple. We are currently trying to work out how to access it to determine whether or not it is the source of this disaster."
"Hmmm. For a high ranking member of the Jedi Council, Master Windu has kept a very dangerous secret from all of us. I would be surprised by his lack of care for his people, but then we have evidence in the past that more than reinforces that idea, don't we?"
The Chancellor was obviously referring to her trial, a referral that sent a rush of anger through Ahsoka briefly. If Windu and Yoda were willing to keep a secret this dangerous, what else could they be hiding?
"Indeed Your Excellency. I will contact you again when we have a plan to investigate the Shrine."
"Very good Agent Tano, but before you go I have one question. How many other Jedi are currently conscious?"
"That I've seen so far? Three others, possibly more. This effect is planet wide."
"But why have they not been affected?"
"That we do not know, Chancellor."
"How… intriguing. Very well Agent, continue your investigation. I will be waiting for an update."
"Of course Your Excellency. We will speak soon."
With that, Palpatine nodded his head, a gracious smile present on his lips before his hologram faded away, leaving Ahsoka alone once more.
Content that her job was done, Ahsoka turned on her heels and made for the doorway.
It was time to find Anakin and Rex, and see what help she could offer.
Several hours and several good deeds around the Temple later, Anakin finally received a call from Master Windu.
Rounding up both Ahsoka and Rex, the trio proceeded to the meeting spot which happened to be in the Temple library. According to Windu there was a route of some kind deep into the lower levels of Coruscant, but one that needed explaining first.
Usually Anakin would not act on such limited information, but in a situation such as this he had no choice but to. Hopefully Windu knew what he was doing though.
Moving into the central atrium of the Temple library, Rex and Ahsoka flanking him, Anakin spotted Windu at the far end, in conversation with what looked like another conscious Jedi.
Wasting no time, Anakin led the way over to Windu and his companion, who were still yet to notice the trio's arrival.
"If the Shrine is indeed the source of this situation then our best bet would be to destroy it completely. We cannot allow such a relic to exist below us!"
"I agree, but that is a feat easier said than done. The legends suggest that the Shrine itself serves as the foundations for a large portion of Coruscant, the Jedi Temple included. If we destroy it then there is a good chance we destroy a large section of the planet above too!"
"I know it is a risk Mace, but the influence of such an artefact could easily corrupt many. It might help explain why Pong Krell and Barriss Offee fell into darkness so easily!"
"Have faith Prosset. We will resolve this situation. We only require patience."
"I wish I had your faith Master Windu, I really do."
That seemed to mark the end of the discussion, as Windu turned his head towards the approaching party, nodding at Anakin once before gesturing to his companion.
"Knight Skywalker, Captain Rex, Tano, this is Jedi Master Prosset Dibs. He has been helping me research the archives for more information about the Sith Shrine we intend to investigate."
The Jedi Master, Prosset Dibs, bowed his head once to the three, a warm smile upon his face. Anakin could see that he was a member of the Miraluka species, and thus possessed no external eyes. Still, despite being physically blind, Anakin knew that as a Jedi Master, Dibs would be a formidable opponent for anyone to encounter. His lack of one key sense likely meant that his others were strengthened tenfold, and his connection to the Force was likely more controlled and precise as well.
"My friends, it's an honor to meet you. Master Windu has informed me of the plan and I have managed to procure some interesting information regarding our intended destination." Prosset spoke, his voice calm and controlled, his presence warm and understanding. Beside him, Anakin could have sworn he saw Windu smirk briefly, before the Jedi Council members' usually stoic expression returned. What was that about?
"What have you found out, Master Dibs?" Ahsoka inquired for them all, ignoring the way Windu had earlier forgone her title when introducing them all. Despite that, Anakin had felt a rush of annoyance through Ahsoka's Force signature. At least she was keeping it to herself.
Dibs glanced over at Windu briefly, waiting for confirmation that he could divulge the information he had discovered. To his credit, Windu did not hesitate.
"From my research, it appears the Sith Shrine was constructed eons ago. When exactly I cannot place, but it comes from a time before the 'Rule of Two'. The Shrine acted as an anchor for the world constructed above it, and upon its discovery by the Jedi Order, it was decided that a Temple of our own should be constructed above it to drown out the darkside radiating from the Shrine. Thus, the Jedi Temple of Coruscant was built, and the Sith Shrine lost to the annals of history, until now." Dibs began to recount, rewriting a lot of history with one simple speech. How did the rest of the Temple not know they were living above a dormant Sith Shrine?!
"However, the Jedi who constructed this Temple left in a failsafe should the power of the Shrine ever seep through. They constructed a secret passageway, accessible only from within the holocron chamber of the Jedi Temple itself. Thus, in order to access the Shrine, and hopefully resolve this predicament, we must use this passageway."
"Are there no other routes into the Shrine or the levels around it?" Anakin questioned, the plan becoming clearer in his mind, for which he was grateful. Anakin hated being blind.
"That we are aware of? No. However, we should assume that there are, just to be safe. The holocron chamber passageway is simply the fastest way we can access the Shrine." Dibs finished, gesturing across the library to the large sealed doors that led to the holocron chamber.
"I take it then the usual rules involving only Jedi Council Members being allowed access to the vault are out the window?" Ahsoka quipped from beside Anakin with sarcasm in her tone.
"In this instance Agent Tano. I have begun to assemble a team of volunteers to travel into the Shrine and find the source of this mystery. Myself and Master Dibs will lead this expedition, and we would like yourself and Knight Skywalker to accompany us as well if you are willing?" Windu finished, extending the offer to join the mission to the person Anakin expected he would like the least to join him.
Still, the Temple and its inhabitants were in danger, and Anakin would do anything to protect his people, even if he disagreed with them often.
"I'm in Master Windu." Anakin replied without hesitation, bowing in a rare sign of respect, one that earned him an even rarer appreciative nod from Windu.
"As am I." Ahsoka's response was just as swift as Anakin's, though unlike her former Master she did not bow, instead choosing to stand to her full height, hands clasped behind her back.
Anakin doubted Ahsoka missed the way Windu's expression flashed with sternness briefly, before he nodded in her direction, accepting her response. Windu obviously didn't want Ahsoka to accompany them on this mission. The offer had clearly been extended as a pleasantry.
Still, he had at least extended the offer to Ahsoka. He could have just as easily ignored her.
"Excellent. I shall assemble the rest of the team promptly. Gather what equipment you may need, and perhaps a ration pack of two as well. Who knows how long we will be down there." Windu said, gesturing to Master Dibs to follow him in the process.
Anakin watched in silence with his companions as the two Jedi Masters began to head towards the archive's exit, no doubt in search of the others that had been recruited for this mission.
"I hope you don't intend on leaving me behind on this mission, General?" Rex's voice broke the silence that had been left in Windu's stead, drawing the attention of both Anakin and Ahsoka to him.
"As if I would Rex. We might need your help down there after all. Something could change that leads to us being affected by the Shrine the same as everyone else. Having a non Force-user with us could be helpful."
"Plus he's less likely to get lost than you are. Rex at least has a sense of direction and common sense." Ahsoka's response to Rex's inquiry was a lot different from Anakin's and honestly, he appreciated that. He could always rely on Ahsoka to make the situation lighter in dark times like these. He knew she understood the seriousness of the situation, but even still, he was grateful for the distraction, even if it was at his own expense.
"In that case Commander it's probably a good idea I come along. The General is getting a bit slow in his old age." Rex replied, removing his helmet in the process, a wide smirk on his face as he joined in with Ahsoka's jibe towards Anakin.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks he's getting slow. I think I even saw a grey hair or two the other day."
"Laugh it up you two." Anakin said, fake annoyance in his tone as he rolled his eyes in the process to play along, seemingly offended by the remarks made by his two friends.
"Hey, just saying Anakin. Seems like you're the one trying to keep up with us these days rather than the other way around." Ahsoka responded, nudging Anakin with her elbow in the process.
"I swear one of the two of you are gonna be the death of me one day, Snips." Anakin replied, nudging the Togruta back in similar fashion, the smirk never leaving his face.
The wait for Windu to gather the team he had formed would be quick, that much Ahsoka knew, but the time left her with an opportunity to update the Chancellor on what they had found, and what their next course of action would be. The elderly man had asked for frequent updates after all, and as his personal agent, it was Ahsoka's duty to respond.
Excusing herself from Anakin and Rex, Ahsoka made the call.
"Agent Tano? You bring more news?"
"Yes Your Excellency. We are forming a team to enter the lower levels of Coruscant to investigate the Shrine. There is a strong possibility we might be out of radio contact for a bit however, so apologies in advance for any lack of communication."
"No worries my dear. I understand completely. The lower levels of Coruscant can disrupt even the best communicators. Do what you can to assist the Jedi and find out what is causing this issue and rectify as soon as possible. Every minute the Jedi sleep we are vulnerable to attack."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"Take heed Agent Tano. From my understanding, Sith Shrines are not for the faint of heart. I would hate to lose my prized agent."
"I appreciate the concern, Chancellor."
"Good luck Agent Tano."
It didn't take long for Master Windu to return, the Jedi known as Prosset Dibs following swiftly behind him. Behind them, two others entered the archives, annoyed looks on both of their faces, and for good reason.
Both Masana Tide and Bil Valen had not taken the news of the Sith Shrine's existence beneath the Jedi Temple well, not that Anakin blamed them whatsoever. Keeping it a secret had been stupid, and it could very well cost them dearly if they didn't resolve whatever disaster had occurred soon.
Still, despite their annoyance, both Jedi seemed willing to assist on the mission beneath the Temple. Perhaps, like Anakin, they knew what was important right now.
"Knight Skywalker, are you ready to proceed?" Windu asked as he and his entourage approached, coming to a halt before Anakin.
Glancing over at Ahsoka, and then Rex, receiving nods of confirmation from both in the process, Anakin replied.
"Ready as we'll ever be Master Windu."
The nod Windu gave in response was an indication to follow, something that the trio did, falling into step with the council member and those that were already accompanying him.
As the group moved towards the entrance to the holocron vault, Anakin found himself walking side by side with the towering Dowutin known as Masana. Glancing up at her face briefly, he saw her throw a smirk his way, before she indicated her head towards Master Windu's back.
Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Anakin titled his head, as if asking a question.
Recognizing this, Masana's facial expression changed again. Her face contorted into a humorous expression, before she briefly stuck her tongue out at Windu's back, before chuckling softly to herself.
Anakin had to refrain from laughing at the obvious disrespect the Dowutin was showing Master Windu without him realizing. Either Masana really did not like Windu, or she enjoyed mocking him immensely.
From his first impression of Masana, Anakin had gotten the sense that he would get along with her just fine. Now however he was certain they would become fast friends. He always did with the more unconventional Jedi, and clearly Masana Tide was one of these.
"We are here. Ensure you show respect in this place. You especially Valen." Prosset Dibs spoke, breaking Anakin's focus away from Masana and back to the situation at hand. In the time they had their short interaction, the group had reached the entrance to the holocron vault.
"Hey! I'm not that bad!" Bil's response was tainted with aggravation, despite the clear jest made by Prosset at his expense.
"So you say."
As they spoke, Master Windu moved toward the control panel for the door, waving his hand over the sensor.
Seconds later, the panel beeped in acknowledgement, the large doors of the holocron vault opening to those outside.
"Stay close, and do not touch anything you shouldn't." Windu said as he passed through the threshold of the doorway, Prosset following swiftly behind him.
"Ugly humans first." Came Ahsoka's voice from behind him, her tone teasing and her signature in the Force ready and alert.
Anakin was about to respond to Ahsoka's jibe when Rex moved between him and Masana, taking the lead instead.
"Sure thing Commander. Ugly human leading the way."
"I wasn't speaking about you Rex! Everyone knows you're the best looking human around!"
"Thanks for the compliment Commander. Still gonna take point."
Rolling his eyes at the interaction between his former Padawan and second in command, Anakin moved to follow behind Rex, Masana, Bil and Ahsoka bringing up the rear.
The holocron vault was usually protected by a series of traps and defense networks, each next to impossible to break through.
Unless you were Cad Bane apparently. That had not been a good day for the Order.
Moving through the long tunnel, Anakin began to memorize the vault. He had been in here once before, when Bane had stolen the Jedi holocron from within the vault during his heist. That had been a special occasion of course. He doubted he'd ever be allowed back in after that.
Not until he was a member of the Jedi Council of course… and he would be one day. After all, he was the prophesied 'Chosen One'. It would be a great insult not to welcome him onto the Council one day.
Continuing to follow Master Windu into the vault, Anakin found that the group had deviated from the path he had expected them to go. Apparently they were not going into the vault directly, but rather a small side room.
Said side room was tight quarters, with barely enough room to fit himself, Rex, Windu and Dibs inside of it. There was no room for the others, who were instead forced to remain outside the threshold of the doorway.
Confused as to why Windu had brought them into the small side room, Anakin raised his brow at the Jedi Master, who simply responded with a stoic expression.
Rather than verbally respond, Anakin watched as one of Windu's hands extended, palm facing the ground. The Force swam around the Council Member as he manipulated and controlled it, using its power to do something.
Seconds later, what Windu had been doing was revealed.
The ground beneath them seemed to shift, forcing them all to take a step back into the corners of the room to avoid falling down the newly exposed hole that had opened out of nowhere.
Taking a moment to get over his surprise, Anakin leaned forward and peeped down the hole.
It was a long drop, one that was barely illuminated by what looked like emergency lights. Lucky for them all a ladder was present. At least they didn't have to make a leap of faith. Anakin doubted Rex would have been comfortable with such a thing.
"The Shrine is down there?" Anakin questioned, bringing his head up to lock eyes with Windu.
"Supposedly. I have never ventured down there myself. This is new territory for us all." Windu's response was filled with a hint of trepidation and concern, something that Anakin rarely saw from the man. Usually Windu was a man of complete confidence. Anakin might not have liked him that much, but he admired that aspect of him greatly. To be so resolute in the face of danger was an awe inspiring sight for many. To see the Council Member now however, Anakin was reminded of the dangerous situation they were in.
"Well, we aren't going to find any answers waiting around up here." Anakin replied, before moving towards the hole.
Reaching one foot down, he balanced himself on the first rung of the ladder. Content that he was ready, Anakin then brought the other foot down, moving his hands to grasp the ledge in the process before he began his descent.
It was time to find out if the Sith Shrine was responsible for the disaster that had been inflicted upon the Temple. If it wasn't, this could very well turn into a wasted trip, and that was the last thing they all needed right now.
Author's thoughts
Last exposition chapter for now... I promise. I know most of you are bored of the dialogue centric chapters that don't really go anywhere. I know I am. The next one is when this arc picks up in term of action and mystery, though there will be more character stuff too, including a bit of a plot twist that I hope you guys enjoy when it comes.
That said, this chapter does show us a bit more of the Ahsoka/Palpatine dynamic, as well as brings in another new character in Prosset Dibs (who in canon ends up becoming the Tenth Brother). Plus we get more Skyguy, Snips and Rex teasing, which is always a good thing I think. XD
So yeah, not much else to say really. Sorry for the slow start to this arc, but I had to get all the pieces in place in the Temple section before we got into the Shrine itself. Things do pick up from here, I promise. XD
Thanks again to my beta reader 'ArrinSnyders' for all his hard work in helping me make this story cohesive. I'd be lost without your help pal.
Next time round the team descends into the lower levels of Coruscant in search of the Shrine, but find themselves needing to split up in the process. I' sure that won't go wrong for them at all! XD
As usual, comment and speculate at will. Speaking of which:
Dream Plane: Not good indeed. But then, when does anything go to plan in Star Wars?! XD
Anakin and Windu working together is a powerhouse team flooded with awkwardness. It's gonna be fun that's for sure!
As for Bil... he might seem shady, but he's just a bit paranoid. No backstabs are coming from him anytime soon, despite his actions in canon! Glad you liked him though. He's fun to write. XD
Ghost14lebi: Glad you are enjoying it enough to stick around. I'll do my best with Windu. He's not a bad guy, but sometimes he can be a bit too harsh for people to actually like him. He means well though. :)
whiteabyss89: That's an interesting piece of speculation you've got there. I guess you'll have to wait and see how accurate it is. XD
Cat-Gods-Of-The-Cat-People: Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, even if not really happened. :)
I'm not feeling burned out, progress has just been slow at the moment, and I like to stay a few chapters ahead in terms of drafts. Hopefully my pace picks up shortly, or I have a good set of writing periods. Fingers crossed at least. XD
And thanks again for your kind words. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the next few ones as well. XD
Dressyone22: Your not wrong there. A lot of people, both in universe and out of universe do thing the Jedi (Yoda especially) are all seeing, but they aren't. They were easily fooled by Palpy in canon, and people seem to forget that. The same can be said for Ahsoka's trial. She was made to look very guilty through circumstances around her, so it's no surprise that they sided against her really. Just the way things go sometimes. NO one except for Barriss is really to blame for those events, and even then Barriss was right in her motivation, just wrong in the path she took.
I'm glad you enjoyed the dialogue though. I honestly enjoy writing that more than action, but I try to balance both of them out for those that like the action more. As for why the Shrine existing is a surprise, hopefully this chapter and the next few reveal some insight. :)
1saaa: You aren't wrong there. I do have a rough plan, but one that can be altered if new ideas come my way. :)
Glad you enjoyed the chapter though, even if I was unsure about it. Hopefully this one is well received too, as well as the ones after it. :)
And believe me, there are some plot twist dams coming soon, some character related, others story related. XD
tf330129: Doing my best! XD
TaitanoRules555: Thanks! I never expected to get this far with this many reviews. That's what keeps me going honestly, so thanks! XD
RyanSquad: The Chancellor? A Sith Lord?! Don't be ridiculous! He's such a nice guy! He wouldn't hurt a fly! XD
I mean... it's obvious who the Sith Master is isn't it? That Plo Koon dude always seemed a bit too nice! XD