Chapter 12 – Price of Prosperity

The next chapter for this story. A little note, there a lot of text in this chapter, but it's necessary to explain the changes that have happened on Shili and to set up the rest of the story.

Hope you enjoy.

;-

Queen Ahsoka Tano of Shili was sitting in the gardens of the royal palace, quietly relaxing after the day's discussions. She had now been queen for over a year and times on Shili were great.

With the senator, their advisors and trusted friends at their side, Ahsoka's rule became a prosperous one for Shili. Much of the damage that had been caused by the usurper's rule was now undone. A lot of the trading deals had been renewed, giving Shili a steady stream of goods and supplies to improve the planet. The once ruined economy caused by the usurper had been restored and the people were happy and grateful. They had most definitely shown that.

Three weeks ago, on the first year anniversary of her coronation, there had been a massive celebration. The entire city had been filled with people celebrating her rule. They had come from all corners of the planet. The leaders of the great tribes of Shili had all gathered in the palace as well, to show their own gratitude for her wisdom and leadership and give their support to her continued rule. The fears that she had felt when she was first asked to become queen were definitely proven to be unfounded. The people of Shili adored her and her rule was truly appreciated.

To see the celebration for herself had been a little overwhelming. She was truly touched by how much her people cared for her. The day after the celebration, after resting from it all, she had given a public speech to thank the people for the trust and love they held for her. Being queen fulfilled her in ways she had never known before.

But now, she was faced with a rather difficult situation. The rising prosperity of Shili had not gone unnoticed. In the beginning of the week, they had received an invitation to join the Republic. Considering their improved wealth and steady supply lines with other neutral words, Shili had become quite desired as a potential new member of the Republic. As queen, she had received an invitation to attend an upcoming Republic ball with her staff. However, it seemed that the Republic still had no idea that she was the queen of Shili.

It left her in a rather stressful position. Personally, she could do without ever dealing with the Republic again. At least, the majority of it. There were certain worlds, like Naboo, Onderon and Pantora, that she wouldn't mind dealing with. That said, she wasn't going to let her personal feelings ruin might could potentially be an opportunity for Shili.

With that in mind, she had requested senator T'Rani Corso to investigate the potential advantages and drawbacks of joining the Republic. She had full permission to consult with as many advisors or other experts as she needed for this matter. As queen of her home planet, Ahsoka wanted to make the best decision for her people, not just herself.

She was also going to put through a suggestion that T'Rani had made. Considering the magnitude of this decision for Shili, she felt that it was a good idea to also give the people input in this choice. Once they had gathered more information about the pros and cons of joining the Republic, they would give the public a referendum to voice their own opinions.

In the end, if it meant that joining the Republic was best for Shili and the wish of her people, than she would put aside her own discomfort and begin the process. For now, she would just have to wait for T'Rani's report about it all.

;-

Barriss Offee was currently making her way towards the garden of the royal palace. She could clearly sense Ahsoka's presence there. There was something she wished to discuss with her Togruta friend.

She had been on Shili for almost a year now. It had been a quite a struggle for her to adapt to this different life. It had taken her a bit of time to recover from the removal of the Nano droids, but she was immensely grateful to have those nightmarish devices out of her mind. Both her mind and body were now fully hers again and she hoped it would forever stay that way. There had been the occasional nightmare about it, as well as the Geonosian brain worm incident.

It had been very hard for her to move past everything that 'she' had done while under the influence of the Nano droids. The amount of death and suffering… it had haunted her on more nights than she cared to recount. Ahsoka, however, had been very insisting in the fact that she wasn't responsible for it. Her friend believed that it might have been Dooku's mysterious and unknown Sith Master who was behind the horror that had befallen Barriss. From the vile darkness she had sensed coming from the Nano droids, she couldn't imagine anyone else capable of it.

It had taken her a lot of time, but Ahsoka had been incredibly supportive in everything she could have needed. Thanks to Ahsoka, she had finally been able to move past it all. After that, she had to try and adapt to life on Shili.

It had been a massive change. She had no idea where to start at all. She didn't have anything she could have given Ahsoka in return for all her kindness and care. She only had the skills she learned in the Temple, but she hadn't been able to see how her Jedi skills could be of any help. She had been proven quite wrong.

It took Ahsoka to point it out for her, seeing as her mind was still struggling with everything, but all of the skills she had learned in the Jedi Temple could easily be used in other ways than just being a Jedi. Her friend had pointed out if she still remembered what kind of path she originally wanted to follow. Then it hit her: her talents as a Jedi healer.

Over the years, she had gained a lot of medical knowledge in her chosen path as a healer. She knew of many different forms of medicine. She could treat simple diseases and devastating poisons or infections. She was a highly skilled surgeon. She knew how to treat something as simple as a cut and complicated organ transplants in many different species. The Force had given her healing abilities that she had carefully cultivated with the Circle of Healers. It had helped her bring people back from the brink of death or heal their broken minds.

The path of a healer was the one she always treasured deeply. Ahsoka had helped her put her skills to a new use on Shili. She had taken on new instruction on Shili to learn more about the traditional forms of medicine that the Togruta used, especially the tribal ones. She had learned quite a bit from the tribal healers and shamans. With her new knowledge, she had given an official position as a doctor on Shili. The benefits it gave her, especially the salary, had been surprising.

Being paid was another thing that she had to get used to. Jedi normally didn't have salaries after all. One thing that it had allowed her to do was get herself her own place to live. Ahsoka had given her a room in the palace, but she just felt slightly wrong there. It felt like she was taking advantage of her friend's generosity. And, if she was honest with herself, having the palace staff there to take care of her made feel somewhat uncomfortable. She was a little worried about Ahsoka's reaction initially, but her friend had supported her decision fully. She should do whatever made her feel most comfortable.

So, she now lived in a decently sized house close to the palace. It was a very comfortable house and she had been able to decorate it nicely with touches of Mirialan culture. The result was a space that was truly hers. It gave her a welcome sense of peace. She still visited Ahsoka regularly in the palace and Ahsoka had come to see her in her home several times as well. If not for some of her duties and responsibilities as queen, she probably would have been by a lot more often.

From her new home she could easily get to the palace, hospitals and transport hubs by speeder. At times she worked at the palace or in a hospital in the city. Occasionally she also travelled to different areas of the planet if her help could be used there. There were times when her being a Force-sensitive healer and non-Togruta were very useful.

One of the clearest examples of that had been several months ago. A disgusting group of pirates had put together a horrid plan to try and extort Shili. They had apparently learned that the queen of Shili was young, so they thought that they could easily extort her. Their ship had already been detected on approach and Ahsoka had instructed her guards to intercept them, but the group had unfortunately already been able to put their scheme in motion. A biological bomb had been set off by one of the larger tribes of the planet. All of the people from the tribe had been infected by an unknown condition and it had spread to the others send to help. The pirates had a simple demand: massive amounts of credits in exchange for the antidote or the people would die.

It quickly became obvious that this unknown biological weapon only targeted Togruta, so Ahsoka had asked her to see what she could do for her people. With the pirates lounging casually in orbit around the planet, waiting for the queen to crack, she had been able to investigate the afflicted tribe herself. With her sheer amount of medical knowledge, she had been able to identify the type of poison that had been used and how they could make the appropriate counters to it. This information she had quickly shared with the others and they had instantly begun making as much of it as they could. In the meantime, Ahsoka had T'Rani arrange a meeting with the pirates to 'give them what they wanted'.

After being ambushed and arrested, the pirates were smug and arrogant, telling her that she had now killed her people. The antidote would be automatically destroyed. A search of their ship proved a different story: they never had the antidote in the first place. They had been intending to kill the people from the start, just because they could.

Because of Barriss' quick handling in identifying the poison, they had been able to make enough of the antidote themselves and treat everyone that had been affected by the attack. It took time, but everyone recovered fully without any casualties. She had been praised quite a bit for her actions and it had made her feel incredibly awkward. Nevertheless, she had felt pleased that they had been able to safe everyone.

She pulled herself out of the memories as she approached Ahsoka. A slight smile spread on her face when she got closer. Ahsoka was just a pure beacon of light these days, brighter than anything she had ever felt before. Her presence was reminiscent of the feeling when she had first learn to touch the Force at a very young age in the Temple. It was a wondrous sensation.

Ahsoka had told her about everything that happened to her with the Force. The unusual journey on Mortis and later the secret to her resurrection. Part of her logical mind felt that the story was impossible, but the proof in the Force was impossible to miss. Ahsoka had grown incredibly powerful.

But now, Barriss just couldn't help but be worried about Ahsoka. She too had been informed of the Republic's invitation to Shili. This would undoubtedly mean that Ahsoka's survival will soon become known to the Republic. She was still horrified by the way her dear friend had been treated by both the Republic and the Jedi Council. Especially the Jedi Council should have acted a lot better. They should have investigated the matter fully. Instead, they had been happy to just sacrifice Ahsoka for their own image.

She was afraid of what might happen to Ahsoka once they learnt that she was still alive. Would they demand that she was executed again? Despite being innocent, she had originally been convicted to death. Would they try to force her into revealing how she survived? Or perhaps attempt to capture her to try and figure it out themselves? The images and scenarios that plagued her mind were rather horrifying.

Besides the threat to Ahsoka, she was also worried for her own safety. After all, she was still on the most wanted lists of the Republic, with a bounty that seemed to get higher every month. She didn't even want to know what it was at now. Ahsoka's protection had helped her and given her a safe new home on Shili, but she feared if it could continue if her presence on Shili was discovered.

If there were going to be negotiations about Shili joining the Republic, well… She couldn't shake the fear that the Republic would demand that she be turned over to them to face justice for what she had been forced to do on Coruscant. Would they go as far as to potentially threaten the people of Shili? If so, then she would ask Ahsoka to just surrender her. She wouldn't let herself become a danger to the good people of Shili, not in any way. Especially not after all of the kindness they had shown her.

She just didn't know how this would all play out. She really hoped that Ahsoka had a better idea about it all.

;-

Ahsoka smiled and looked to the side. She had sensed Barriss approach earlier and had already asked one of the palace staff to prepare some tea for her. It was easy to sense the worry plaguing her friend and she could understand it. Yes, she also had no idea how everything was going to play out. This was an unusual and unexpected situation. "Then again, so was becoming queen," she thought with some mixed amusement.

"Hey Barriss, nice to see you," she greeted her friend. She gestured for her to take a seat next to her.

Barriss smiled. "Hello Ahsoka," she replied. Ahsoka had made it quite clear that she didn't want Barriss to continuously address her as queen. At times, she did do so just to tease the Togruta, but now it just didn't feel like the right time. She took a seat and right after that one of the palace girls placed down a cup of tea for her. She chose not to comment and instead thanked the girl.

"I can tell you have a lot on your mind Barriss," Ahsoka commented. "Then again, so do I right now. I wasn't really expecting to ever deal with the Republic again. However, like I told the others, if joining the Republic can be beneficial for Shili, then I won't let my feelings stop it."

Barriss took a sip from the tea, one of her favorite blends, and looked at her. "Do you think it will be? I mean, the war is still going on. There's no telling what will happen. Some senators are just consumed by greed. I don't think they'll care for the wellbeing of the people of Shili like you do."

Ahsoka hummed thoughtfully. "Yeah, you're right about that one. I still recall some of the pointless missions that were basically helping types like that get richer instead of actually doing our duty as Jedi. The Council is just letting the Senate push them around," she replied. "I don't really know if joining the Republic will be the best option for Shili. That's why I asked T'Rani to look into it. She'll get to the bottom of it and advise me in what our best option is. Besides that, we'll also ask the people for their opinion. I suppose we'll see in the coming days."

Barriss smiled slightly. "I have a feeling that a lot of people will vote against it, mainly because of what they did to you. They love you far too much to make you feel uncomfortable. They certainly proved that during that celebration." She shook her head. "But I'm glad that T'Rani is looking into it all. If anyone can work it out, it'll be her. I hope that she also takes your safety in mind."

"And yours as well, Barriss," Ahsoka added to that. She could tell her friend was about to protest, so she cut her off. "No Barriss, your safety is important to me as well. You are a dear friend to me and a trusted friend of Shili. You were not responsible for what happened on Coruscant and I will not allow you to suffer for it any longer. You are under my protection, that's final."

"Ahsoka, thank you," Barriss replied softly. She really hoped that everything would work out well. She liked the new life that she had on Shili. It was a lot nicer, more peaceful and fulfilling than her life as a Jedi during the war.

"Don't worry about it too much now Barriss," Ahsoka told her friend. "How is everything going with your students?" she asked. She wanted to distract her friend from this topic, but she was also eager for an update.

Barriss smiled at the question. It was something that had become clear during Ahsoka's reign. Ahsoka wasn't the only one strong in the Force. Shili herself had a unique connection to the living Force. With Ahsoka's support, she had become very attuned to it as well. The Force was vibrant and alive on this planet. In some ways it was similar to the Temple, but without the feel of the ever more present corruption. This was just the pure energy of nature and life.

The people of Shili themselves also had a strong connection to the Force. Ahsoka and her had found numerous people of all ages that had a varying amount of Force-sensitivity. Together, they have been instructing these people in different aspects of the Force. A couple of them, especially those aiming to join or already were a part of the royal guards, would no doubt become strong warriors with the Force on their side.

Ahsoka had also been teaching the members of the royal guards about ways to better protect themselves from and shield their minds against Force users. She wasn't sure if it would be needed, but she preferred it that her warriors were prepared. The war was still going on and there was no telling if Dooku would try to send dark operatives to Shili for some reason. Especially now, with the invitation from the Republic. Apart from them, the Sith Lord Darth Maul was also still running around the galaxy. Rumors about sightings of the Zabrak Sith were floating around from time to time.

With her powerful connection to the Force, Ahsoka was well aware of how the Force flowed on Shili. Should any unknown Force sensitives arrive on Shili, she would know.

The royal guards were now much better prepared to potentially fight Force users. They knew how to shield their minds from either being read or attacked. Ahsoka and Barriss had also given them instructions on how to fight against an enemy armed with a lightsaber.

It had been surprising for her, to say the least. After one journey to a smaller tribe, she had heard a very clear singing calling to her. Tracking down the source of it had led to her finding a new lightsaber crystal. With Ahsoka's urging, she had constructed herself a new lightsaber. She couldn't deny it, having the forest-green blade in her hand, with the crystal's warm and gentle song, had made her feel complete in a way she hadn't realized she was missing.

Besides from teaching the warriors and other interested, Barriss herself had also found a group of potential healers. Some were still young but showed great interest in helping others. A few of the older ones were already in a position where they were helping people, like healers in their respective tribes. Instructing them in the Force and teaching them how to heal others with it was a very pleasing and fulfilling experience. Healing was her gift from the Force and she was eager to share it with others who had received similar blessings. And as their lessons progressed, her students got more eager to learn.

T'Rani had organized everything for her. The senator was very good at her job. She would get together with all of her students for two days every other week. Transports would bring them all to the city so they could attend. A place to stay was also provided within the palace. Once the lessons were over again, they were all brought back home. It worked out great for everyone that way.

Barriss smiled at Ahsoka. "I think it's going well. Everyone is enjoying the lessons and their skills in the Force are growing stronger. With time, I'm sure that all of them will make excellent healers."

Ahsoka smiled widely at the news. "That's great to hear. With you teaching them, I'm sure that they will all flourish in the Force," she replied. She sensed the slight pulse of embarrassment from her friend, but chose not to comment on it. "Everything on Shili is going well. Sometimes I'm still amazed by everything. It seems like yesterday that I was asked to become queen and being shocked by the very idea of it."

Barriss hummed in agreement. "I feel that I would have personally reacted a lot worse to such a question," she admitted. "But I feel that you have certainly made the best of it. I would only need to step outside to see the prove of it. The people of Shili are happy and the planet is prosperous and peaceful." She paused as some memories of her journeys as Luminara's Padawan came back to her. "You definitely are a better ruler than several others I've seen in the past. They could learn a lot from you, but I doubt that they would be able to comprehend such lessons."

Ahsoka couldn't help but laugh at her friend's words. "Yes, I've met such types as well. Good grief, I can't imagine how some worlds can continue to function with an incompetent leader at the top of it." She shook her head. "Still, there's no way that I can take all of the credit. I have had a great deal of support. Senator T'Rani, our advisors, Silara and the other royal guards," she paused, turning to Barriss, "and you, of course."

Barriss blushed at the praise. "Thank you Ahsoka," she replied. "I'm just glad that I've been able to help you in return for all of the help and kindness you've given me." She paused a moment. "And just so you know, whatever happens next on Coruscant, I will do my best to keep helping you however I can."

"I know you will, Barriss. I know I can count on you. And don't worry, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. I won't just let the Republic harm you. Not after everything that happened and the truth we both know," Ahsoka told her with a determined voice. "And I won't hear any arguments from you about it," she added with a slight tease. "We'll face whatever comes next together."

One of the palace staff walked up to them then. "Excuse me milady," she said with a bow. "Dinner will be served soon."

"Ah, good. Thank you Alisa," Ahsoka replied with a smile. The girl bowed again and stepped away from the two. Ahsoka turned back to Barriss. "It's been a long day for me and I'm famished. Will you join me for dinner?"

"Of course. I'd love to," Barriss answered. Ahsoka's dinners were always in good company and the food was excellent.

Ahsoka smiled and the two of them got up to head to the dining room. They weren't sure what the future would bring now that they would become known to the Republic again, but they will face it all together.

;-

That's the end of the chapter.

An invitation to join the Republic, something that Ahsoka certainly wasn't expecting. In the next chapter, Ahsoka will go to visit the ball she had been invited to. How will the senators and Jedi react to her being alive? Will it be a long stay at the ball? And just how will Anakin react to everything?

I'll be switching a bit between this story and my other two main stories. Not sure which update will come first. After all, the next chapter for this one should be fun to write.

Until next time.