A/N: Part II of the Mon Cala arc.
Chapter 11: Digging into the Past
STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS
Dark secrets of the past!
Jedi Padawan Leia Organa accidentally eavesdrops on a conversation between Anakin Skywalker and the Jedi Council. From the conversation it was clear that Skywalker already had a padawan.
With Anakin Skywalker not wishing to discuss it, Leia's other friends still try to keep her in the dark about as much as possible. Still, the young padawan decides to uncover the mystery, believing that she will know more about her master.
While Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi investigate the death of a long-lost Jedi named Sifo Dyas, Leia, desperate to find out who was this padawan, begins an investigation of her own…
Jedi Temple on Coruscant. 19 BBY.
Leia sat on a bench in the corridor as her master, Anakin Skywalker, attended a meeting with the other Jedi. From what she heard, Master Plo Koon found a wrecked shuttle of a Jedi believed to be lost and perished at least a decade ago. He found it on a moon of the planet Oba Diah. What was more interesting was that this Jedi, Sifo Dyas, was believed to be the one who hired the Kaminoans to build the clone army for the Republic.
As she sat there, Leia also recalled the lady that appeared to her, who took her to the past. She referred herself as one of the Ones. Leia didn't know who they were, but they were somehow associated with the Force. She was thinking of where to find information until she recalled that Master Nu was also attending the meeting. From what she understood, Jocasta Nu was the Chief Librarian of the Jedi Archives. She could help her if what. Leia decided that when she would have time, she would visit the Jedi Archives, find anything on her predecessor. Just then, the doors opened and the Jedi entered the corridor. As a padawan, Leia joined up with Anakin Skywalker. They silently walked through the corridors. No one said a word when Yoda left them, along with Jocasta Nu who left for the Archives.
'Looks like something important if they are not discussing it with me.' Leia thought as they reached the temple's hangar where a T-6 shuttle waited for them. Anakin suddenly turned to Leia.
"Lena, me and Master Kenobi are going on a mission to Felucia. I want you to wait for us here." Anakin told her. "Don't worry, it will be quick and I will return soon."
Leia nodded, she looked as if she was upset, but in reality, she was somewhat glad. With her master gone, she can spend her time in the Jedi Temple by searching through the database just as she planned. After assuring the young Jedi knight that she will behave, Leia watched as the T-6 shuttle left the hangar. With that, she headed straight to the Jedi Archives. What she saw made her jaw drop. It was large hall consisting of high shelves filled with blue, glowing records. From what she heard these were texts of knowledge of the whole galaxy. Ancient maps, scripts, historical records, etc.
Returning to her senses, Leia heads to one of the mainframes. As she sat down, Leia thought of what she was going to search. First, she thought of finding anything about that woman, the Daughter, or the Ones. She began typing the Daughter, but found nothing. Leia then decided to type the Ones. Nothing too, much to her frustration.
"Is there something I can help?"
Leia almost jumped when she heard that and looked up to see Jocasta Nu standing right beside her. "Yes, during one of our missions I found a picture of three people referred as the Ones, and they have something to do with the Force. I tried to find some information on them, but it's no good."
"Once I might have told you that if it didn't exist in the archives, it didn't exist. Since Kamino, since the removal of any mention of it from the archives, I cannot be sure." Jocasta told her with sympathy. "Who can we trust anymore? I thought Count Dooku one of our very best, and look at what he became. I must see my padawan. Let me know if I can be of assistance."
"Yes, I will. Thank you." Leia answered as the Librarian left her alone. With the Ones out of the question, Leia decided to find this mysterious padawan. She began searching anything about Aubrie Wyn. She found her file. Her early life is typical for every Jedi, she was taken in when she was an infant, raised at the Temple, doesn't know her parents. She read that Aubrie was a skilled healer. Trained under Jedi Master Sirrus, she was sent to Jabiim where she became a member of the Padawan Pack after Sirrus' death. She was then also killed along with her fellow padawans, apparently. However, she couldn't be Anakin's padawan since she 'died' before Anakin was knighted.
Leia thought about the conversation she overheard. Skywalker mentioned some Tano. She typed and almost squealed as she found the file on her, but she grunted in frustration when it said that the information was classified secret and she did not have access to it. However, from some little information she found, a Togrutan named Ahsoka Tano left the Order. Gathering all information she got, Leia left the library, deciding to contact the Republic Security Forces for information.
Level 1313 on Coruscant.
Leia walked through the dark alleys of the lower levels of Coruscant, chilled to the bone by the dangerous place. She hoped to find Ahsoka Tano here according to the last records of the probe droids of the Coruscant Security Forces. This was the first time she was at the lower levels, if not count the warehouse where she saved Fives. However, she heard about them from Han's stories. Her beloved told her that there are levers even lower where the sun rays do not reach that people living down there believe the sun to be nothing more than a myth, a fantasy.
The girl looked around warily as various people looked at her, with danger in their eyes. The only thing that stopped them from assaulting her was the lightsaber on her belt and the few patrols of the Coruscant Underworld Police. Though they would also patrol the upper levels as Leia recalled from her time on Coruscant during the Empire. As Leia walked down the alley, she began feeling a presence in the Force.
'I hope it is her,' Leia thought to herself. She soon found the source at a small bar. The 14-year-old immediately saw a 17-year-old female Togrutan buying roast meat from a Myneyrsh, a tall, thinly build bipedal humanoid species with four arms with a smooth layer of blue crystalline flesh. The Togrutan paid the Myneyrsh with a few credits before taking a table. As she began eating, Leia approached the Togrutan.
"Ahsoka Tano?" she asked, making the Togrutan almost jump in shock. She turned around and saw Leia standing there. Her shocked look, however, immediately changed to a frustrated one once she saw Leia's lightsaber.
"You're mistaken, kid." She simply told her before turning back to her food.
"You're lying, I can sense it." Leia objected. Cursing slightly, Ahsoka put her fork on the table and turned to Leia.
"You better leave," she spoke. "The lower levels are not safe for a child like you."
"We need to talk…"
"I have no business with the Jedi." Ahsoka interrupted her.
"It's about Skywalker." Leia immediately answered, causing the Togrutan girl to look at her with curiosity and wariness.
"Is there something wrong with Anakin?" she asked Leia.
'Hmmm, they seem to be close if she calls him by his first name,' Leia thought. "Well, I'm his new padawan." Leia answered, which made Ahsoka frown much to her confusion. "And since I joined him on a mission to Geonosis, he was not pleased with the news. He began avoiding me. The clones too. Then I overheard his conversation with the Jedi Council, and I learned that he already had a padawan. You. However, no one ever tells me why you left. Not to mention they never talk about you, at least to me. Master Skywalker, Rex, Fives, Jesse, Kix, all of them. The Jedi Council also don't want to know about you too."
"So, the Jedi don't want you to know about the disgrace? Figures." Ahsoka said with anger in her voice.
"I want to know what happened." Leia simply explained.
Ahsoka sighed heavily before speaking again. "Listen kid, I want you to leave. I am working with two people who do not like the Jedi, and they do not know I was one. I'll tell you one thing; be careful of the Jedi, they will soon turn their backs on you. Just as they turned their backs on the common folk."
"The Jedi would never turn their backs on me!" Leia almost yelled. "They would never betray the people. They are peacekeepers!"
Leia, however, was confused when Ahsoka suddenly chuckled darkly. "Little one, I know what you think." Ahsoka spoke after she finished. "I was once a Jedi too. As a Jedi, we were trained to be keepers of the peace, not soldiers. But all I've been since a Padawan is a soldier."
"Why would they turn their backs on you?" Leia asked. "What have you done?"
"What have I done? I served the Jedi Order and the Republic for three years, that's what I have done. And when I was framed of a crime I didn't commit, they immediately dumped me like a rotten fruit." Ahsoka answered. When Leia still stood there, Ahsoka understood that she wouldn't leave until she would get the whole story.
"Okay," Ahsoka sighed. "I'll tell you the whole story. It all happened on Coruscant. Me and Anakin were investigating the bombing of the Jedi Temple Hangar. A few Jedi and numerous clones were killed. As we investigated, we have discovered that a woman named Letta was the perpetrator. She fed explosive nano-droids to her husband and while he was working in the hangar, they exploded."
"That's sick." Leia commented.
"I know," Ahsoka agreed before continuing her story. "After a short chase, we caught Letta and she was imprisoned at the Republic Centre of Military Operations under Admiral Tarkin's orders. He then told me that Letta wanted to talk to me. I visited her in the prison where she told me that a Jedi was behind the bombing. However, before she revealed the Jedi's name, she was choked by the very same Jedi hiding somewhere. The clone guards immediately took me in as the primary suspect since I was the only Force-sensitive in the cell.
Sometime later, I escaped from my cell and came across several injured clones lying next to my lightsabers and commlink. They were injured by the same Jedi that framed me. To make matters worse, other clones entered and immediately thought I hurt them. I had to flee, avoiding clone patrols until I found another group of clones, killed by a lightsaber. At the same time, Anakin and Rex joined the chase, though they believed that I was innocent. They tried to tell me to surrender, that they would prove my innocence, but I had to do it on my own. I ran to the lower levels of Coruscant, hiding from the police. There, I ran into Assajj Ventress, a Dark Sider who was the apprentice of Dooku turned bounty hunter. She thought of giving me away to the authorities for a reward, but I encouraged her to help me in finding the true mastermind. Also, I contacted Barriss Offee, a padawan and a close friend of mine."
Leia watched as Tano took a deep breath while a tear dropped from the Togrutan's right eye.
"She told me about a warehouse where Letta got the nano-droids, and Ventress took me there. Once we reached it, we parted ways. However, I was then attacked by Ventress, or by the Jedi who took her clothing and lightsabers, making it look like it was Ventress. We fought until I was knocked off by an explosion the Jedi caused, attracting the security forces, disarming me. The Jedi destroyed the warehouse, making an impression as if I was trying to destroy the evidence.
Believing that I was the mastermind even more, I was expelled from the Jedi Order so I could be tried by a military tribunal. Senator Amidala, Anakin's close friend, represented me in the trial. Admiral Tarkin, on the other hand, represented the prosecution. On that day, I basically lost everything; my home and my family. I served the Jedi Order and the Republic, but no one believed me. They betrayed me, even Master Kenobi and Master Plo Koon. Skywalker was the only one who was there for me. He believed in me, supported me. He was the one who found the true culprit."
"And who was it?" Leia asked.
"It was Barriss, my friend. I'm still shocked that she betrayed us, and me. She was my best friend in Jedi Order after Anakin. She framed me, used me. I was proven innocent, and the Jedi Council immediately offered to re-instate me to the Order. As if I will easily do that after what they did to me. So, I left. Even Anakin's pleas did not help. Though he admitted that the idea of leaving the Order was something he himself struggled with."
"Why would he leave the Order?" Leia asked.
"I don't know," Ahsoka answered. "Maybe because of how they treated me, maybe for another reason. You see, little one, everyone has flaws, especially the Jedi. Sometimes the Jedi Council makes wrong decisions, though I'm afraid they are too arrogant to admit it."
"So, the reason why Master Skywalker didn't welcome the idea of having a new padawan was because you two were close." Leia stated. "I would never replace you, even though I am not thinking of doing that. He misses you a lot. They all do."
"I know, but I can't return. This is my life now." Ahsoka replied.
Leia thought for a moment. "What was Master Skywalker like to you when you were his apprentice?"
Ahsoka looked at Leia as if the girl gave her a hard question. Finally, the 17-year-old Togrutan sighed. "Alright, I'll tell you about my time as Anakin's padawan." She said and Leia leaned closer to her, eager to listen. "It started on the battle of Christophsis, a couple of months after the war began..."
They talked for hours about their lives and became quick friends, until the sun was about to set according to the time and Leia head back to her speeder, bidding farewell to Ahsoka. However, her smile faded when she rode through the streets of Coruscant to the Jedi Temple. It was getting dark, but Leia was already on the surface and the lights turned on.
'So, Tano was unjustly expelled from the Jedi and that angered Anakin,' Leia thought. 'In other words, Anakin betrayed the Order because they betrayed her. Well, maybe that is one of the main reasons, but not the primary one.' She tried to picture Anakin and Ahsoka together according to the stories the Togrutan told her. From her words Anakin seemed to be a friendly, kind, and loyal person, not the one who would betray the Order and become Darth Vader. But he may have changed after Tano left the Order.
'What the Jedi Council did to Ahsoka, and Anakin was wrong, but that doesn't serve as an excuse to plunge the whole galaxy into terror and oppression,' Leia muttered to herself. She arrived to the Jedi Temple just in time as when she parked her speeder, Leia received news that Skywalker and Kenobi have just returned from their mission on Oba Diah.
'Seemed to have something to do with the Pykes,' Leia thought. "Master Skywalker, may I talk with you alone?" Leia asked as soon as she found the two Jedi. Anakin looked at her in surprise before turning to Obi Wan Kenobi. The Jedi Master nods in response before leaving them two alone.
"Alright, what do you want now?" Anakin asked.
"Master, remember when I arrived on Geonosis you were displeased that I was your new padawan?" Leia asked and took a breath after Anakin nodded. "You wouldn't tell me the reason. So, I had to find out myself the reason. I know about Ahsoka Tano."
Leia looked at Anakin who had a disturbed look, so she continued before he could say anything. "I found her in the lower levels on Coruscant. I know what the Council did to her, and she didn't deserve it. I know that I will never replace her and you really miss her. She misses you too. I know what you were feeling when I took her place. You think that I would never replace her, and I agree with you. I am certain you are angry at me for interfering in your life and I guess you want to send me to another master, I understand."
Anakin looked at the girl with shock, which turned to sympathy. He placed his hands on Leia's shoulders, much to her surprise. "Lena, you are not a burden to me." He spoke in a soft tone. "Yes, I was close to Ahsoka and I miss her. She was like a daughter to me. You're right, you will never replace her, but that doesn't mean that you constantly remind me of her departure and that I will never accept you. If the Council decided to give me another padawan, it could've been anyone, but it was you. Yes, our relationship seems to be rough, and sometimes you can be a pain in the ass, but you are my responsibility now. I failed a padawan once, and I will not fail another one. You are part of my life too, Lena."
Leia was then caught by surprise once again when Anakin pulled the 14-year-old into a hug. However, he soon released her when they heard footsteps. The two saw Obi Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu approaching them.
"Skywalker, Luce, I need you to prepare your men." Windu told them. "The Separatists have invaded Anaxes, we've been assigned to defend the planet."
The four headed to the hangar. Leia looked at Anakin once again. She have gained some sympathy and respect for him, but she hasn't forgiven him. Not yet.
