Present Day

Aurora's POV

I stood towards the back as I watched the funeral take place. The bodies laid before me gave the stark reality that while it was a good thing, we figured out who bombed the temple, people still died. Death always made me fearful for the future, I've lost so many people…so many people that I've loved…death was one of my biggest fears. The entire Jedi order was present for the funeral along with a few Republic officials including the Chancellor and Mas Amedda. Korkie was standing beside me, and I could feel that he had similar thoughts as I did. Death made us fear the worse. I was snapped out of my trance as Yoda walked slowly forward.

"One with the Force, they are." He began. "And our job it is, to remember that we will, in time, also pass on. Luminous beings are we, but temporarily vessels, our bodies are. A moment of silence, I ask, to remember and to move on."

"Are you ok?" Korkie whispered to me.

I nodded. "I just can't shake the fact that one woman would cause all this pain. It's…inhumane."

Korkie nodded before he grabbed my hand.

"Live for the living Jedi, we must." Yoda continued. "Live through us, forever they will."

Yoda then tapped his walking stick onto the ground, to allow the bodies to descend into the floors, and thus various beams of light were shown in their place. As the various Jedi and dignitaries began to exit the room, I stood motionless in my place.

"Are you coming Ro?" Korkie asked.

"You go on without me. I'll catch up." I explain waving my brother off.

Eventually, I was the only person in the room. I felt a chill come over my body making me cross my arms as I slowly walked over to one of the graves. I stared down into the floor, at the beam, that signified someone was buried below it.
Eventually I walked out of the room and started to wander the corridors of the temple in loneliness and despair. For some reason, I felt empty. I felt like I was missing something. I felt like I needed something. I continued to walk down one of the corridors before a familiar voice called to me.

"Ro!" The voice said.

I immediately turned around to be met by Anakin and Tarkin…of all people.

"I've been looking for you." Anakin explained as he caught up to me.

"Why?" I asked.

"Just wanted to talk." He shrugged.

"Princess Aurora, how wonderful it is to see you again." Tarkin said with sarcasm dripping in his voice.

I turned to look at Tarkin. "How's your face?"

His once proud expression immediately darkened as I mentioned the last time, I saw him…unless he forgot that when I punched him in the face it broke his nose.

"We're needed for a briefing." Anakin explained.

"Of course." I said with a nod.

Anakin then said goodbye to Tarkin for the both of us, as the two of us started to head to one of the meeting rooms.

"Are you ok?" He asked. "You've been quieter recently."

"I'm fine, Anakin." I explained.

Since my mother died, I have been quieter, almost trauma driven, but I would never let him know that. That is a sign of weakness. We both fell silent as we entered the briefing room, and once there, the briefing began.

"We've uncovered a Separatist plan of attack. We shall travel to the Anoat system here, then move across to Saleucami." Obi-Wan explained via hologram as he was across the galaxy.

"So far out of your way?" Windu asked.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Unfortunately, we must avoid these neutral systems."

That made me smile. My mother would've been happy that he respects neutrality, even though he's not a fan of it.

Just as I was about to speak on the subject matter, a holographic image of Tarkin appeared next to Obi-Wan.

"Excuse me, Master Jedi." Tarkin began making me roll my eyes.

"Yes, Admiral?" Windu replied.

Tarkin turned towards Ahsoka. "Commander Tano, your presence is requested by prisoner Letta Turmond."

"The person who bombed the hangar?" I asked in disbelief.

"Why is she asking for Ahsoka?" Anakin asked.

"Not exactly sure." Tarkin explained. "But Commander Tano is the only person the prisoner will speak to."

Tarkin's hologram then disappeared and Ahsoka turned towards Anakin. "I'll report back with whatever I find out."

I watched her walk out of the room, and something in my gut told me, that something didn't seem right. I immediately shrugged it off as it probably was an upset stomach from not eating all day. We were about halfway through the briefing before I noticed what time it was, and that my brother was quite possibly wondering where I was. Once I explained the situation to the Jedi, I bid them goodnight and headed back to my mother's old apartment to find my brother already asleep in bed. In fact, everyone was asleep. That's when I realized it was past midnight. Alex had left to finish a shipment, so maybe that was the reason I felt lonely. Or it's the fact that I'm not over my mother's death.

I was about to head into my bedroom when a loud bang came from the balcony. I immediately drew my lightsaber, allowing for its purple blade to be the only light in the dark apartment as I hesitantly walked toward the balcony. Upon seeing who was on the balcony made me extinguish my blade immediately. It was Ahsoka.

"Ahsoka?" I ask in confusion, as I brought her inside. "What's wrong?"

"I need your help. She's dead." Ahsoka explained frantically looking out the windows of the apartment and beginning to close the blinds.

"What?" I ask in confusion. "Who's dead?"

"Letta." Ahsoka explained. "Letta's dead. They think I killed her."

"Hold on, slow down." I explain. "Letta is dead?"

She nodded. "Yes, I went to talk to her, and just as she was about to tell me who the real bomber was, she began to be choked by the Force. The security cameras believe it was me choking her, but I would do no such thing."

"I knew something didn't seem right." I explained. "I had a feeling the other night that we didn't catch the real bomber."

"I need to get off the planet…and you're the only person I trust right now." She explained. "Can you help me?"

I smiled. "You're lucky I like to break the rules."

She smirked before I grabbed my black vest off the hangar as we immediately exited my mother's apartment. Thankfully we went unnoticed, until we made it to the industrial district. That's when the commotion started. LAATs and Clones galore were following us. Not just any clones…the Coruscant Guard Clones. The Clones that I can't stand. The Clones that my squad of Clones hate because they wear similar armor, and the guy my Commander Fox hates…the other Commander Fox.

Third Person's POV

"We found her sir." Coruscant Guard Commander Fox began from his position in the LAAT. "She's with Kryze and their headed towards the industrial pipeline."

Anakin immediately started running towards that direction with Rex and Aurora's Commander Fox following him.

"Set your weapons to stun. I want her alive!" Anakin firmly explained.

Just as he said those instructions, various gunships arrived and began to shoot at Aurora and Ahsoka, clearly showing the intention to kill the pair.

"Do not shoot to kill! Do not shoot to kill!" Anakin shouted into his commlink.

"Do we shoot to kill Kryze, sir?" One of the clones asked.

"DON'T TRY TO KILL HER!" Anakin shouted. "SHE'LL KILL YOU WHEN SHE HAS THE CHANCE!"

Within the next moments, Anakin's prediction came true, as from his position, he saw Aurora activate her vambrace and fire a small rocket from her wrist, right into the side of one of the gunships, sending it into a crash.

"Kryze has a rocket launcher, approach her with caution!" Anakin instructed. "Try to box them in. Don't let them escape. Tell me what you see, Oddball."

Aurora's POV

"When were you going to tell me you had a rocket launcher!" Ahsoka said in disbelief as the two of us ran towards the pipeline with our lightsabers ignited.

I shrugged. "I don't know, I was saving it for a rainy day. Windu's been making me train without them…saying Jedi don't use trinkets like that…but I am clearly ignoring him."

"Obviously." Ahsoka said with a smirk.

Eventually, we made it to the pipeline and both of us jumped down into one of the pipes. We ran for a while before we stopped, knowing we were in the clear for a few moments, at least.

I grabbed my spare commlink and gave it to Ahsoka. "Use this when you get to the lower levels. Tell them Torch sent you, and you should be clear to get off the planet."

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I'll draw them away from you as long as I can." I quickly explained knowing I could practically hear the Clones and Anakin in the distance.

Ahsoka looked quickly behind her before looking back to me.

"Go." I instructed.

She started to run but then stopped in her tracks.

"If this is goodbye…thank you…for everything." She explained.

I smiled. "Of course…you're my sister after all."

I immediately turn around and start to create noise as I run through the tunnels drawing the Clones and Anakin away from Ahsoka. Just as I was about to round a corner, I felt something sharp, pierce through the right side of my abdomen. I immediately grab it in return, only to find that I was bleeding. I've been shot. Nonetheless, I kept running. I don't know who or what shot me, but it wasn't pleasant. Just as I rounded another corner that led to an opening to the lower levels, I was met with a member of the Coruscant Guard.

"Freeze, on authority of the Coruscant Guard, you are under arrest for helping a wanted fugitive." The clone began.

Still clutching the right side of my abdomen with my left hand to try and stop the bleeding, I immediately ignited my lightsaber and angrily swung it at the clone. Within a few moments, the clone was dead, as I felt a wave of anger come over me…like the wave of anger I had when my mother died. Just as I was about to turn around to face the rest of the clones that were behind me, I felt another sharp feeling in my abdomen before everything around me became black.

As I slowly returned to consciousness, I felt something cold beneath me. My eyes immediately snapped open and that's when I realized where I was…in a Republic cell. I was arrested. I slowly lifted my shirt, to see a small bandage there from when I was shot, but knowing how I can heal myself, I immediately removed the bandage to see the small scar forming just above the scar I received when Bane tried to kill me on Correlia. I slowly reached up to touch my neck, when I noticed a large device around my neck. Just as I did so, two clones came in, and put handcuffs on me, before leading me into an interrogation room.

They forced me into the chair, and no sooner they did, Tarkin walked proudly into the room.

"I am only going to ask you this once…where is Ahsoka Tano?" Tarkin asked sternly as he leaned across the table.

I said nothing, but just stared him in the eyes with a blank stare.

"WHERE IS SHE?" He shouted at me.

I was silent for a moment before replying. "You said you were only going to ask me it once, that's twice."

He groaned in anger and annoyance. "Princess, I am trying to lead a murder investigation. One that involves the death of Clones…my Clones. One that died at your hands. You will be placed in a supermax Republic prison, where your Royal lifestyle will be forgotten. Do you really want that? Do you want to be known as a criminal to the entire galaxy?"

I looked over his facial features. He was frustrated that he had to interrogate me. It kind of was giving me a little bit of joy in every emotion he had.

"You got a rhinoplasty done after I broke your nose." I explained with a small smirk. "I can tell because it's slightly botched…not really the biggest bang for your credit."

He frowned before gesturing to one of the clones to bring him a remote. My eyes watched as the clone handed the remote to Tarkin, and as soon as it was in Tarkin's hands, an electrical pulse went through my body.

"I know how dangerous you are, hence, why the Chancellor made me take every precaution. Hence why you are wearing a shock collar." He explained as the electricity fired through my body. "Now tell me, where is Ahsoka Tano."

Once the impulse stopped, I started to hyperventilate. It was painful, but I would never talk and he of all people should know that I would never talk. Sure enough, a couple more rounds of torture occurred before he had the clones literally throw me into a cell. Once I was alone, I began to groan in pain. My entire body felt weak and famished. Almost like I'd gotten kicked and thrown all over the place. It was awful. That night, I wondered how Korkie was. If he had been taken in for questioning, I was praying with every single good thought I had left that Korkie and Zara were safe, and Ahsoka had successfully made it off world. Even if that meant that I was going to be tortured in a Republic prison for the near future.

The next two days went on the same as the last. The clones came in, Tarkin tortured me into trying to get me to talk, but nothing worked. I wouldn't budge. Honestly, they'd would cut out my tongue and I still wouldn't talk. That's how much faith I have in Ahsoka. She's like my sister and she's also one of my best friends…other than Zara. I would never betray her. Tarkin thought I'd talk once he'd taken away food and water, but little does he know that my Death Watch training taught me how to prepare for moments like these. I could survive a week without food and water. Bring it the fuck on Tarkin. Bring it on.

By the third day, I started to feel weak. Weaker than normal, but I still wasn't going to talk. Just as on schedule, the clones arrived, but this time, took the shock collar off my neck.

"More interrogations?" I weakly ask as the led me out of the cell.

"Negative Princess." The clones explained. "You are being taken into Jedi custody."

I rolled my eyes. "Great."

We walked through the base before I was met by a familiar face.

"The prisoner as requested General Kenobi." The clones explained taking off my handcuffs and pushing me towards Obi-Wan.

"Thank you." Obi-Wan replied.

Obi-Wan guided me out of the base and into a speeder. I was too tired to care. He took my back to the Jedi temple and ushered me into the office he shared with Cody. Once we were both inside, he closed the door shut and I slumped down in the chair due to exhaustion.

"What were you thinking?" He asked and I didn't reply due to exhaustion and knowing that he was going to lecture me. "I cannot believe you! You killed a clone! That is a federal crime, Aurora! A federal crime! You won't believe the things I had to do to get you out of Republic custody!"

I just sat there and looked at him with a monotoned expression on my face. Here it was. The lecture of all lectures. The lecture in which I Aurora Kryze finally get teared a new one by the man I consider to be my father. Sit back ladies and gentlemen, you're in for a big show.

"I am tired of you being reckless. Do you know that you were unconscious for 2 days! 2 DAYS! NOT 2 HOURS! 2 DAYS!" He continued now raising his voice. "You are so reckless! Every time you leave…every time I see you, you're either shot at or getting shot at, or ending up in the infirmary! What would've happened if we hadn't found you? You'd bleed out and die! You are always likening yourself to the brink of death! Do you think of what will happen to those around you if you die? Do you think of anyone other than yourself?"

I nodded. "I do."

"Who?" He asked as I crossed my arms.

"Everyone." I explained. "Death is my biggest fear. I have lost so much recently. My mother, my home, my planet…everything I touch, I lose. I am afraid of losing the ones I love. It's the things we love most that destroy us. And yes, I am attached to those I love."

My voice started to raise as I felt tears well up in my eyes.

"I am sick and tired of playing the game where I can save everyone." I explain with tears rolling down my cheeks. "I know I can't save everyone. But I try. I try, so hard. I tried to save my mother but look where that ended up. I tried to save Mandalore and look where that ended. I tried to save Ahsoka, and I hope with every power that she got off the planet before Tarkin could do the same things to her that he did to me…she doesn't deserve this. ANY OF THIS!"

The look on Obi-Wan's face changed from anger to somber in a matter of seconds. He knew where I was coming from.

"This entire system is rigged!" I continued as I know was full on crying. "You are all deceived. Who comes out on top at the end of the war? Not the Jedi, not the Separatists, but the military. Ahsoka did not murder that woman, but because she was the only one there, all signs are pointing to her. If you honestly believe that, then you are lying to yourself!"

Obi-Wan took a step forward and engulfed me into a hug. I didn't reply but just cried into his shoulder. I felt him place a kiss on the top of my head as I continued to cry. He was the only person in the entire Jedi order who understood my frustration. Probably because he felt the same way when my mother died.

He pulled away from me and looked at my neck.

"Let's get you to the infirmary." He said quietly and I nodded allowing for him to lead me out of his office.

Once in the infirmary, I was immediately given an IV due to my dehydration and was receiving medication for my neck, as I had a heavy bruise on it from the shock collar. I knew in the back of my mind that Ahsoka was most likely in Republic custody, but that didn't stop me from wanting to find the real culprit behind all this.

Third Person's POV

Obi-Wan sighed as he stood on the other side of the glass as he watched the doctor examine Aurora's neck.

"Reckless, she is." Yoda explained as he came to stand alongside him.

"Indeed, she is." Obi-Wan said with a nod. "I wonder if she gets that from her mother…or her father."

"Stand trial for her crimes, she should. But not, she will." Yoda continued.

Obi-Wan nodded. "She's done enough for the Republic in her aid of bringing down other criminals."

"Attachment to her, you have." Yoda explained turning to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan sighed as he glanced to Yoda before glancing back to Aurora. Though he'd never admit it, he did have an attachment to Aurora. And to her brother.

"Perhaps I do." Obi-Wan quietly replied.

"Dangerous, that is." Yoda responded before turning and walking away.

"Dangerous, indeed." Obi-Wan remarked continuing to observe the doctor, to ensure that Aurora was healthy enough to continue the mission.