[Closing days of 17 BBY]
[Jedi Temple, formerly Jedi Monastery Museum, outside Coronet City, Corellia, Corellian System, The Core]
It was strange to be back…
'Because this place doesn't feel like the Temple did on Coruscant. It doesn't feel like…home' Ahsoka thought as she strode back into the new Temple. Yes, there were Temple Guards, and, yes, it felt lived in now compared to before, but it still wasn't….something, something she couldn't identify. Especially when she wasn't sleeping here at nights, instead living beside Skyguy and Padme in a much nicer hotel turned strange Jedi/Senator/Politician housing building. Paid for by Corellia and the Order as best Ahsoka could tell, and she was already missing the comfortable bed back on Bariss's boyfriend's flying mansion/warship.
But, still….there were dozens of Jedi here even now, Knights at least, along with the feeling and sound of younglings being trained…
It made Ahsoka smile faintly as she walked on the path through the manicured gardens and pools, an actual sky above her head and fresh-ish air on her face. It was Corellia after all so atmosphere scrubbers in the Temple were a thing to make it 'fresh' so-to-speak, or at least fresh enough for the plants from other worlds that'd struggle with the world's 'regular' industry tinted atmospheric content. Or at least that was what the former tour guide turned helper had said months ago, before she'd left, and Ahsoka had no reason to debate that as she guided herself towards the 'Council Chambers'. Thankfully for meeting Anakin and Obi-wan rather than the entire new Council in an 'informal briefing' as his holo-avatar had phrased it as she been escorted into orbit by CorSec.
There would need to be an actual Council meeting over her…adventures as some would likely put it when the time came, and that was why Ahsoka had actually done her 'paperwork' before this. Bariss had helped with that before they'd been forced to part, and Ahsoka was almost disappointed now, thinking back, that she hadn't lingered to go to some fancy ball or whatever they were probably at. Leaving had been…harder than it should be for a Jedi Knight, like Ahsoka now was, even if…or probably because, they had helped her through the memories of the events on Mortis. Of how she had Fallen and Died…
'Alive and not Fallen now, so, good times' she reminded herself with careful amusement as she came up towards the entrance to the New Council Chambers, the doors opened for her so she could step through. It was all a bit formal for her liking still, but only Skyguy and Obi-wan were standing around inside, chatting and gesticulating at the air as she came inside "… she said no, and I agree. We are raising them and that…oh, hey Snips! Welcome back!"
"Hey guys!" she greeted with a grin, the took on mock formality "I mean….greetings Grandmaster Kenobi and Master Skywguy, Sirs!"
"I think it's meant to be Master Skywalker, but hey, we'll forgive you Snips" Skyguy agreed engulfing her in a crushing bear hug "Good you got back safe to us!"
"Uhhhfff!" Ahsoka protested back "Hey! Little air needed here!"
Obi-wan sighed, overdramatically and in amusement "Welcome back Ahsoka, Anakin let her go before you suffocate her if you please?"
Anakin huffed back at that, being his pouty but grinning self as he let go and stepped back "Hey, she's been gone for months, so…"
"Indeed" Obi-wan said drolly, smiling at her "It has been a long time for all of us, though I did not get the joyous reception either"
"Hey, I'm younger and prettier than you" she replied back with a smirk, arms together across her chest as she held the data-slate in her right hand "And someone was getting wined and dined with Senators while I sat around in dangerous systems"
"Judging from Daron's flagship I'm sure you were wined and dined plenty Soka'" Anakin smirked back, mirroring her pose, an eyebrow raised "Probably nicer than our current homes!"
She shrugged "Maybe"
"See!" Anakin nodded at her to Obi-wan "I told you"
"Yes, you did Anakin, a few times" Obi-wan replied in that amused yet weary tone he took with Skyguy from time to time "Again, good to see you back Ahsoka, I hear you had quite the adventure"
"Less me doing anything dangerous than being near people doing dangerous things…"
Obi-wan raised an eyebrow "And what's this about storming a Star Destroyer…"
Ahsoka flushed "…okay, maybe doing a few dangerous things. But I wasn't charging down to fight the Sith cult! Promise!"
Skyguy nodded, hand on her shoulder while Obi-wan emitted an unhappy sigh as she offered him the data-slate with everything she'd been told to give over on it "All I have to do is give you this according to Bariss, and, no, she wasn't down on the terrible place either, but she has been healing the the younglings…it was not pretty what I heard"
Obi-wan took the data-slate, looking at her "And this has?"
"Records of the operation according to Stormy…crow and Gr…ah, Knight Kota"
He gave a snort at that, shaking his head "Don't worry about that now, he's one as much as I am…what with Yoda retiring off to Kashyyyk, just, remember not to do it with the rest of the Council. Please. It'll save us all so many headaches"
Ahsoka winced faintly, giving a weak chuckle "Oh, heachaches, yeah, Aayla said…"
Obi-wan looked at her "Knight Secura said what?"
"Well…." Ahsoka scatched at her arm, still chuckling weakly "…there's a holo-shoot, and…it's…tab three and…"
Across from her friend and Grandmaster of the Order used his fingers on the device, then watching as a holo-image showed up of a starfighter with a twi'lek draped across it wearing a flight helmet, a smile, and a very strategically place arms and knees. Anakin let out a cough that was probably stifling a laugh, while Obi-wan looked at the image, sighed, muttering unintelligible mutterings a moment, before then pinching the bridge of his nose, finally speaking "What is this?"
Ahsoka chuckled again "Ahh…it's a recruitment poster for the Imperial Starfighter Corps, and Master…I mean, Knight Secura and her fellow pilots, she wanted to give…ahh….well…a warning?"
She gave a helpless gesture. Anakin was not giggling at Obi-wan, certainly not…despite what Ahsoka felt through the Force and way his jaws were clamped down. Especially as Obi-wan groaned "Oh, why do I feel the Sith cult revelation is going to be less divisive than…I blame Quinlan Vos. Somehow this is Quinlan's fault…"
--
[Closing days of 17 BBY]
[Heavy LAAT 1st Strike Brigade, Grand Army of the Republic 764th 'Dark Hammer' Division, frontlines North-Eastern Hemisphere, Coruscant Prime, Coruscant System, Corusca Sector, The Core]
Turbolaser fire and artillery illuminated the skies as General Rom Mohc descended with his veteran division, with the support of multiple other returning divisions, unto the traitor's zone of control. Venators and Acclamators hovered in the skies above, but just out of range of the planetary defences in this sector under rebel control. Eliminating those nest of scum were his and his warriors role, and today he would get a chance to deal with this degenerate filth that had cost them the war. Cost the Republic and all those who had died under his command, so very much, all so they could bawl and wail about democracy and their rights. Kriffing namby-pampy traitorous whiners the lot of them. Worse even than the Seppies they were in being a dagger in the back rather than fighting like true warriors of the Republic!
"RIGHT MY TROOPERS!" he, Rom Mohc bringer of Justice, spoke into the command suit of his power armour as shields flashed and illuminated, as massed blaster fire was thrown up at them. But, here and now, it was running into the counterfire and discipline of a veteran division, hardened by years of shattering droid armies and crushing the organic traitors that commanded or hid behind them "NO BIG SPEECHES HERE! WE'RE GONNA BREAK THESE KRIFFIN TRAITORS SO THEIR ANCESTORS FEEL IT! REMEMBER! THESE TRAITORS LOST US THE WAR! WHILE YOU WERE BLEEDIN! WHILE YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WERE DYIN! THESE KRIFFERS WERE STEALIN WHAT WAS YOURS BY RIGHT! SO LETS PURGE THESE TRAITORS! PURGE THE ROT, BURN IT OUT!"
"PURGE! PURGE! PURGE! PURGE!" echoed back on the division comms as the troopers, from every creed and species of the Galactic Republic united by One Order, One Cause, as the Heavy LAAT's obliterated nearby enemy heavy defences on buildings. Now was the moment as the central enemy formations were spotted, Rom updating targeting coordinates on the fly, and then stepping forward with the rest of his men within the Heavy LAAT. Then triggering the JUMP order even as the spoke. Where his boys went, that was where he went – for only the Worthy were fit to lead.
"FOR THE REPUBLIC!" he roared out as he jumped, then igniting his jumppack, though not to slow his descent, but instead to adjust it as needed so that he physically landed on some little spoiled kiriffer who'd been cowering from the fight. Some kriffer 'holo-journalist' from the traitors he figured for a moment as he righted himself after the squelching sound of her body being impacted by his Heavy Trooper armour. Even as his troopers roared back their own 'For the Republic' his weapons were rising, heavy blasters roaring along with a dozen others as they cut down the traitors in this 'base camp' of theirs. Or 'treason distribution centre' as Rom would call it.
"FORWARD! SHOW NO MERCY!" he commanded, noting his unit positions and revelations of enemy forces his warriors came down like the hammer of vengeance. Scattered enemy fire met them now, their fear almost palatable as they met not the green troopers they'd been dealing with the last few months, or the overly considerate and gentle local Corusca forces themselves. These kriffers had doomed themselves by their very betrayal as Mohc's division, along with many others, had been pinned down fighting the Seppies…
But now that war was over for now, and now…now, the Rot that had grown inside the Republic would be excised as he drew his blade-cutter with one armoured hand, heavy auto-blaster in his left still cutting down traitor troopers and their supporters as he went. Root and Branch, that was the way to deal with filth like this, and his unit knew what to down, even the two former Jedi 'pada-whatists' but who were now proper troopers, proper warriors, serving the Republic. Watched as one of them cut down a former clone trooper in traitor colours, then cut the head off one of the kriffers who'd thrown down their weapons, now trying to weasel out of their treasons. Rom nodded mentally at that, and the iron discipline shown, in dealing with this as…
Then found himself smiling grimly…then grinning harshly, charging forward as ahead actual resistance came to meet his boys and girls. Dozens of properly equipped enemy troopers, many of them former clone troopers, were coming forward just in his own sight, led by a human female with a crimson energy sword. It wasn't their leader, Malorum, but clearly one of the 'Sisters' of the 'Liberating Brothers and Sisters' as the called themselves…a worthy challenge then. Even if they weren't supposed to be a fraction as strong as some Jedi or Sith or whatever name the traitors wanted to call themselves. The Republic represented Order, the Sith could talk of Freedom all they want…but Order would be restored, and Freedom was Freedom to kriffing Obey or Get Dead as Traitor filth!
With a roar then Rom and his nearest guard charged forward, using personal shields and cover as they moved as a team, encountering accurate enemy blaster fire….but it wasn't enough. Not against those that had better armour, better weapons, and experience in dealing with much heavier blaster fire responses than this. No Spider Tanks were charging at them here after all, not massive droid warmachines. No…here and now he and his Troopers were the big bad droid monsters for once as his chain blade bisected one clone, then another as he concentrated his auto-blaster canon on the Sith-Jedi female. She did that blocking thing with her sword, sending blaster bolts away from her, even back at him as he closed.
Then he was swinging his heavy blade down….
KSssssssccchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
…and then crimson blade came up to block, to cut through his….
Then the female's eyes widened as the metal shrieked loudly, the mix of beskar he'd taken from Mandalorians he'd killed and cortosis weave he'd acquired resisting the energy blade easily….
Something slammed into him, but his suit's systems adjusted as they'd been designed, but still driving him back a step as battle raged around to him. That red blade of light slashed through his auto-blaster, and it made a hissing, shrieking noise, as it was partly bisected…
Rom discarded it immediately, swinging his blade, increasing the cutting speed as he did, taking a step toward the shorter enemy, his weight behind the blow. She blocked with a two handed grip, then he blocked as she tried to swing at him. Blow after blow meet as he laughed in bloodlust…
Then he was suddenly held, body struggling to move as the enemy warrior changed to a one-handed grip, free hand gesturing at Rom, and he snarled in distaste…
"Tak-Ill-02" he commanded and sonic weapons ignited as the enemy warrior smirked….
Then she screamed as the sonic weapons caused her agony the moment they struck her…
…and, with that, the invisible grip was broken…
"THAT THE KRIFFIN BEST YOU GOT!" he barked at her his blade taking her own blade hand at the wrist, then his armoured fist on his other hand punching off her head "IS THAT THE BEST YOU GOT!"
Then gestured, kicking the headless corpse out of the way "FORWARD! NO MERCY! PURGE THE ROT!"
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