[19 BBY]

[Overlook, Jedi Village, Temple Island, Ahch-To, Ahch-To System, Unknown Regions]

"Thank you Gar..." Jocasta Nu offered her old friend in thanks as she took the offered mug of tea into her hands, savouring the warmth as they sat in front of the crackling campfire as the night slowly began to fall "...these old bones need all the warmth they can get I fear"

He gave a huff of amused irritation at that, drinking down and then refilling his own mug as they watched the clash of training saber on training saber illuminating the beach below "Then those old bones as you call them should not be out in the cold night air on a primitive backwater that nobody remembers even exists"

"Ah, yes, to be back with my books would be such a joy I'll admit, but those days are done and gone sadly..." she replied sadly, then chuckled "Though, we at least brought comfortable bedding and blankets as these huts are rather less than what many of our charges would desire"

"Says the woman whose other choice for hiding out was an ice cave in the middle of nowhere"

"Only if it was myself, yourself and a few others Gar!" she tutted him back in return, amused as he rolled his eyes "Hardy old souls in the Force up for a challenge rather than these pampered younglings"

Gar shook his head, chuckling "You know Jocasta, when you asked for my help about hiding out in exile, I do believe the thought was of hiding out in...well, not luxury, but, you know, somewhere like a retirement home"

"Force forbid!" Jocasta answered with mock indication, then smiled softly as they watched the dancing of lightsabers come to an end between intitates as some local Lanai caretakers, looked on "And don't deny you don't enjoy the challenge my friend!"

Ensuring they all did not go mad from the boredom, and isolation, had been one of her priorities when she had fled here, to once, and was now again, a refuge for Jedi avoiding a galactic purge. Old friends, who were not all Jedi, had been important then; especially those like Gar who were strongly resistant to mind tricks and used to working with Jedi like herself. She'd reviewed the records of the last such...periods of horror...before purging the Temple data-banks, and done her best to compile what to do, and what not to do, in the years to come when they hid from...

'Everyone really' she thought sadly sipping at her tea, the cold late evening wind blowing in from the planet covering oceans of this ancient world that would be her home. The others on the Council had been certain they would triumph over the Sith, even if not now, then in the months that were to come, but Jocasta...could not take that chance, not with the knowledge of the Order in her charge. Even if the Sith was slain...or were slain as they'd apparently abandoned the Rule of Two she assumed having heard of several now...the Republic was split apart, and more worryingly against the remains of the Order. No, the histories spoke that these times would not be easy, and what emerged as the Order would be different than before as sects survived and amalgamated.

'Assuming we survive at all' she reminded herself firmly of the worst case scenario as Gar sighed, and replied after drinking his refilled cup "Perhaps, perhaps, though keeping the ship, and those two fighters, from turning into heaps of junk because we aren't activating them will be effort enough, even without the younglings and growing food the old, depressing, way"

"Heh, heh, ah, your complaints are as minor things to a Padawan or two below whining that they were Jedi not Agri-Corps. Such silly younglings, as if being a Jedi was merely swinging a lightsaber and running about the galaxy hitting droids and pirates with it!"

"Heh..cough, cough...sorry, spilled my drink!"

She gave her old friend a look of mild reproach "As I was saying..."

"Ehem, yes, of course" he muttered sheepishly and Jocasta nodded to him before continuing.

"Now, as I was saying, it is more than such trivial things. It is our duty to preserve the knowledge, and the understanding of such within the minds of our charges. Oh, and ensure they can act like normal sentients without Force Powers rather than robed Jedi wandering about is another should we have to risk supplies or news in coming years"

It wasn't something she planned to do for some time, not when attempting to hide from Dark Side wielders who might be attempting to track them free of this world's background interference on the Force. Sadly that meant lack of knowing went both ways; what hid them from others eyes also hid the galaxy from theirs. The same being applied to the placing their ship, a heavy freighter customised to the Order's needs for more long term secret missions, into a deactivated state for years to come. No, she suspected she would live out her life, and then die, here on this rocky outcrop on this ocean world, and merely hope her teachings would secure the future of her charges...

--

[19 BBY]

[Living Area, Offices of the Senate of the Galactic Republic, formerly Balahara Hotel Complex, Corsec Plaza, Coronet City, Corellia, Corellian System, The Core]

Becoming a live in babysitter hadn't been how she'd have imagined spending her time with the Order almost destroyed and the galaxy gone mad Ahsoka Tano finally escaping with Padme from the twins who'd finally fallen asleep. It was certainly...different...anyway, and it wasn't like she was completely trapped her as got to train with Rex and the others now that they'd been given security clearance to do their jobs. Still she collapsed unto the couch with a relieved sigh as Padme let out a tired chuckle and sat more elegantly into the chair across from her.

"Thankful for the droids?"

Ahsoka nodded "Ugh, yeah, thankful for the babysitting droids"

"Just remember, thank you for the help Ahsoka..." Skyguy's wife muttered sitting up and stretching out her arms, before reaching down and picking up a bottle of wine and a glass "...it is beyond a lifesaver. Things are...not good, and I don't think myself and Anakin could handle everything, and the twins, without you. Here, have a drink and I'll have some food delivered"

Ahsoka gave an embarrassed smile back at the praise, accepting the second, proffered, glass "Umm...thanks. You said there was bad news earlier?"

"Yes, word reached Mon...Mon Mothma I mean, that Chandrilla has been occupied and placed under martial law by the Junta's forces, just as they've taken Denon..." Padme sighed looking into the glass of shimmering, and probably expensive, orange-crimson liquid "...and that Chardaan fell days, perhaps even a week or two ago, to forces loyal to Eraidu. That...isn't good, we'd all hoped to keep away from clashing with the Tarkins militarists, or them deepening a relationship with Coruscant"

"Helped by Jedi at that by all accounts..." Obi-wan's voice agreed coming out from the other side of the apartment with Anakin in tow, Skyguy holding a tray of food since Obi-wan's right arm was in a sling still healing from being injured over Kuat "...as it seems Kota and Quinlan, and...Siri...have thrown in with Anakin's friend Daron's bosses on Eriadu full as well. It is worrying to see the Order..."

Padme frowned at them, giving Skyguy a look "Were you two hiding in the kitchen while I and Ahsoka changed diapers and put the younglings to bed"

"No...no, I was...um...cooking you dinner, see?" Skyguy huffed back awkwardly, holding up the tray of food before putting it on the table between them. Master Kenobi merely looked at Skyguy, glanced at Padme and Ahsoka before sighing as he sat down.

"Yes, he was..."

"Obi-wan!"

Obi-wan ignored Skyguy's protest and continued on calmly and tiredly "I had just arrived, and have a healing arm, so merely supervised your husband...in case he burned down the kitchen like his last adventure into culinary territory"

"That was an accident, and look, everything's perfect...okay, not burned, but good! See!"

Padme gave Skyguy an exasperated look before he gave her a kiss and slid into the chair beside her while Obi-wan sat on the other couch in the spacious senatorial suite that'd become Ahsoka's home along with Padme, Anakin, and the twins these past weeks "I'm sure it tastes lovely Anakin. Now, we were talking on the bad news of recent days, though it's often word of weeks ago with the holo-net falling into ruins"

Obi-wan nodded in response to Padme's words just like Ahsoka "Yes, frightening how fast everything can slow down when everyone appears to be targeting the holo-net relays, and no-one wants to maintain them outside of war. Even if I, and the other Jedi here, are more worried about the unwanted schism we survivors seem to be undergoing"

Ahsoka glanced at Senator Amidala, Padme slipping into official mode with a curt nod "And it has likely cost us any chance of peace with the Separatist thanks to the actions of this Master Jerec and...whatever madness possessed him to assault the Separatist Parliament and murder so many. It certainly gave Palpatine a public boost when his Inquisitors put Jerec down when arriving on Kuat to likely try the same again"

Skyguy went quiet at the hissed name of the Supreme Chancellor, Sith Lord, and formerly everyone's friend...and currently the hero of Republic according to parts of galaxy who Ahsoka was fight. Obi-wan and a dozen other Masters and Knights had tried to take him down, even allying with that monster Maul and the Mandalorians and they'd...

Lost.

If she'd been there, and Skyguy...but they wouldn't let them go, and Anakin...didn't want to fight the Supreme Chancellor either...

Obi-wan sighed deeply "Perhaps he Fell, I don't know, and we can't take the words of the Separatists or of the Sith Lord at face value. Not when...well, we failed to see so much, his Battle Meditation and sheer power amongst them. Master Jerec was supposed to be on a mission to the Unknown Regions I believe, but must have returned to..."

"To the end of the universe" Ahsoka muttered looking at the carpeted floor and running bare feet over it, fighting down memories of Moraband, and the dark whispers of that Sith ghost-witch there. The Jedi were the good guys, they definitely were, even if some Masters were failing "and then...Fell to the Dark Side"

"Perhaps Ahsoka, we'll never know I suppose, as what's done is done" Obi-wan replied sadly using his uninjured hand to rub at his face "...but avoiding Jedi fighting Jedi is now something we, and the others, seemingly must discuss with our little Conclave"

Anakin shook his head "We don't have to fight..."

Ahsoka frowned "Bariss, and her Master, and others are with..."

Obi-wan held up his good hand "I know, I know, that is why we need to debate how to avoid just a terrible fate occurring..."

--