Chapter 67: 68. Chapter

 

Meanwhile in the Coruscant Jedi temple. Master Kenobi and Grandmaster Yoda are having a personal conversation in the meditation chamber reserved for the masters use only. The normally pristine and calm air in the chamber was strangely heavy and foreboding today. 

Master Yoda was sitting on a pillow while looking at his old friend Obi-Wan Kenobi. The man was currently sitting opposite to him in a similar meditative posture.

His eyes were closed but he could see his eyeballs frequently moving under his closed eyelids. He was struggling to keep his calm, his shoulders were tense, he was obviously restless and probably tired too. There were dark circles under his eyes, indicating that he couldn't sleep well.

Yoda took in the form of Obi-Wan, he was one of the exemplary jedi masters of the last generations of the order, a role model to everyone. It was a respected role for those looking at it from the outside, while it felt more like a heavy duty for the ones who actually hold it. 

There were not many who understood this in the order as clearly as Yoda did. He was practically the face of the order, he needed to live this role more often than he would dare to think of. However, the force was always mercyful towards those who accepted their duties, and so it was possible to find refuge in the company of those who bear the same, or similar burden. 

Yoda's ears raised a bit as he sensed the looming aura weakening around Kenobi. He even allowed himself a genuine smile, this was good. He nodded to himself while the dark aura was cleared from the room, as if it had been swept out by an invisible broom.

He was the one who confronted Obi-Wan after the last meeting of the Jedi High Council. It was obvious that he was troubled, haunted even. Everyone could sense it, we all know the reason, but nobody stepped forward to lend a helping hand to Obi-Wan, in his time of need.

Yoda knew that it was not for any malicious reason, the other masters wouldn't wish any harm on Kenobi. They treated it as another trial given by the force to challenge him and forge him into a better, stronger, wiser man. 

He understood it as well, as he also did the same for a while. However, the years of experience accumulated by him taught Yoda something. He knew that there were times, when one simply needed a guiding hand to push him or her into the right direction, or simply shared his troubles or worries with someone else willing to hear them. 

Yoda, as many times before in his years, volunteered to be that person. 

He sensed as Obi-Wan slowly came back from the meditative trance, after he substantially calmed down his mind. Kenobi opened his eyes, his eyes looked much clearer than before.

As Obi-Wan sensed the grandmaster gaze upon him, he couldn't help but look down to the floor in shame.

How could I be blinded by such foolish thoughts... I even worried the Grandmaster.

He smiled defeatedly as another thought came to his mind.

What a hypocrite I am... to have the face to so often scold Anakin, telling him, that he needs to learn to let go, when I similarly struggle with the thought. 

It was that time Yoda chose to interrupt. 

-There is no shame in worrying for your ex padawan Obi-Wan. What would we become if we would have to feel shame for such emotions... I wouldn't wish to imagine such times.

Kenobi looked up at Yoda with a brighter expression now. He accepted the light scolding of the wise master as he realized how foolish those thoughts were, yet again.

-I think... I need some sleep master, as I am now, I tend to see shadows in places where they are not. 

Yoda laughed warmly recognizing his own teachings, spoken by his good friend, but then he turned quiet as his words took on a more serious tone.

-It is not just you; I am afraid, we all feel the shadow of the darkside growing ever larger around us. Not just the jedi, even the citizens feel the ominous tension in the air. Our enemies are moving, preparing, while they gather their strength. The danger I fear is much greater than any of us could anticipate, and now with the disappearance of Anakin and Ahsoka...

Master Yoda sighed heavily as he looked into the eyes of Obi-Wan.

-It troubles us all, that is what I want to say. You don't have to carry this burden alone, we all share it, and hope that they will come to no harm. 

Kenobi seemed touched by such honest words from the Grandmaster, he blinked a few times as he looked aside while saying.

-It seems... that I have truly worried you, Master Yoda.

He took a few deep breaths before he continued.

-It is not the first time they disappeared for weeks, or months even. However, there is something different now... It's... I just can't feel their presence, not as I used to, there is only a shadow of it... I can't decide, if it's only my imagination, my hopes playing tricks upon me... or... 

Yoda seemed to seriously think through the words Obi-Wan offered. His connection with the force was greater than Obi-Wan's, but his personal link to Ahsoka and Anakin was far inferior. Therefore, it could be possible that Kenobi is able to sense them, when he is not. What he says, is also a possibility, that his emotions are misguiding his senses, but it is unlikely to happen with a skilled jedi master like Kenobi.

Yoda decided to advice Obi-Wan, opening his eyes to other possibilities. 

-It is in our nature, that we always look for the best and the worst possible outcomes first. It might be prudent to take a step back and think of solutions we missed to take into account.

-Such as?

Asked Obi-Wan with a confused expression.

-Hmmm, for example what you described could also be the result of an unusually great distance between you and them, or they might have decided to intentionally suppress their force presence.

Obi-Wan's eyes widened as a new idea popped into his mind. One that was so obvious, he felt like a fool to not think about it.

-Or someone else has decided to hide their location from our senses. That girl was there! She must have a hand in this, how did I not see it! 

-You mean, Nizzal, yes. It is a possibility I thought of, but could she truly be capable of hiding all of their presence for so long? 

-If we believe only half of what she told us, then we should expect her to have friends. Friends that might be similarly capable as her. 

-An entire order of force sensitives, that were capable of hiding from our eyes, and even manipulating some of our archive information, what you say is more than likely, Master Kenobi. 

Obi-Wan's expression turned even more serious this time... as he stated.

-It is confirmed, then. 

-I am afraid, yes. The investigation has found undeniable proof that our electronic data was manipulated by someone... no, more than one people, it happened over the span of many centuries. 

-Impossible! Such manipulation can't happen in front of our eyes, I cannot accept this! 

-No, it is possible. You have to think with a wider perspective, and you will see it. 

Obi-Wan turned grim, as he began to think deeper into this. He decided to speak his thoughts out loud to share it with Yoda.

-How can you infiltrate the jedi order, without raising any suspicion... We have the best security systems and the temple is guarded by both regular soldiers and highly trained temple guards. You cannot enter this building without being seen... it is impossible. 

Master Yoda nodded to his thoughts with a proud expression appearing on his face, while signaling that he also came to the same conclusion.

-Therefore, you can only enter legally, in a way that you won't raise the alarm with your presence, but that means you need to act like jedi, you need to be force sensitive too, and be raised to the rank of a master. Otherwise you won't be able to change important data in the library's archive... But that means, that you basically need to live here your whole life... Who the hell would do something like that only to change some old files that might never get discovered on their own? This is ridiculous.

Yoda nodded silently, then added a few lines of his own.

-Ridiculous you say, but not impossible, unlikely, yet possible.

The grandmaster waited for his words to sink in, then continued his explanation.

-Some of them have lived here with us for who knows how long. They have worked with us, did our bidding, and likely affected our own thoughts from the background. That means, two things most importantly.

Yoda waited for a few seconds, before he eventually continued.

-One, they likely didn't wish harm upon us, since they did help our goals through the years as if they were true members of our own order. The second one, is that it is unlikely, if not entirely impossible for us to separate one from the other. It would only lead to unnecessary suspicion and even greater tension among us. We should not reveal this information to anyone beyond the members of the Jedi High Council. 

-Then what can we do? 

Asked Obi-Wan realizing the weight of the information he just received. 

Hearing the already expected question Yoda sighed as he slowly turned his face to look out of the window with a tired gaze. 

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-We can only wait and hope that they will eventually come to us, just like a certain twi'lek did. 

-I wouldn't exactly say, that she came of her own accord though... 

Added Obi-Wan appearing a bit sarcastic as he said the words. 

Both masters smirked loudly remembering the day when the scared child was literally dragged into the council meeting by two temple guards. She acted like a doe caught in the headlights of a speeder, while discretely looking for a chance to run away.

Who could have guessed the sort of trouble that this small kid eventually brought upon their heads. 

 

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In the halls of the Temple of Unity. 

From the perspective of Ahsoka.

I went to check over Nizzy, only to be discretely chased away by four guards reminding me of the temple guards of the jedi order. 

They were covered in armor from head to toe with their lightsabers hanging on their belts proudly for everyone to see. I was thinking to head back to my room only to bump into my master on the way.

-Greetings, master. 

I said feeling a bit guilty since I disappeared without notifying him directly... I could sense it in his eyes, that he wasn't really happy about that. However, I could also sense that it was not on the level that he would bring it up by himself. 

At this state there was only two ways to deal with him. Stay silent, and wait until he gets over it, or apologize immediately. This time, as I understood that I was in the wrong, I decided to swallow my pride and apologize. 

-... Master... 

-Do you want to say something, padawan? 

Uugh... he just has to make it more difficult right... 

-I... I am sorry that I left the temple without saying anything... I shouldn't have done that... I apologize.

His strict expression seemed to crumble away, and a weary smile took up its place. He seemed tired, unusually tired now. Normally he acted like it was nothing, even when he was really hurt or worried, but now he didn't act like that.

His expression this way looked much older. There wasn't any sign of the childishness and his usual haughtiness I was used to seeing. 

This face of his simply disturbed me, as if I saw behind a curtain that I wasn't supposed to see. 

I couldn't help but step closer and give him a hug. 

-I am really sorry if I worried you, master... It won't happen again. 

He was surprised as his whole-body tensed up from my unexpected hug, but eventually he decided to hug back lightly, as discreetly as possible and only for a short time, before we separated. 

He looked at me, we exchanged a thoughtful expression, then he said. 

-Thanks, Ahsoka. This place, it gets on my nerves for some reason... I sense eyes lurking in every corner, and I think... that I might have started hallucinating. 

My eyes opened wide as I looked at his confused expression then I asked.

-You too master? 

We looked into each other's eyes with complicated expressions. Then Anakin turned in a way that he could look out on a nearby window over the city of Unity. As he said. 

-It is getting dark, we should get something to eat, come to my room, I think we can order something through the droids and share our new experiences while waiting for it. What do you say Snips? 

He looked at me with a half-smile, it felt genuine. Not as perfect as the usual one he used to make, yet it was honest this time. I think, I like this better. 

-It is a great idea, Skyguy.

I answered to him, while teasing him back, and we soon began to walk towards his room, already beginning to talk out our unique and strange experiences. 

 

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In a secret location on Coruscant. 

An old man was walking through a dark corridor, his form was covered in dark robes, his face hidden under a large hood. The spring in the step of this old man was far from fragile. Every step he made was full of confidence and power, his very presence demanded fear and respect from everyone who knew what was good for him. 

Especially now, as the man seemed to be nearly overcome by anger. The deep gold eyes hidden in the shadow of the hood were shining dangerously strong with their ominous light. 

From the perspective of Darth Sidious.

I can't believe that my inept apprentice has decided to grow something resembling of brain cells at the worst possible moment of all. If this goes on, he might become something more than a momentary tool in the end...

Tyranus, I might have underestimated him, could he possibly betray me, and order the execution of Anakin, because he realized my plans of replacing him? That idea seems beyond his limited imagination, then again, if he hadn't done it, then where did Anakin disappear? 

He even realized my influence over him and fought back just before he disappeared completely. Could it be that twi'lek again? Heh... what am I thinking... It is one thing to destroy my technique created around the jedi temple... but this, kidnapping Skywalker and his annoying padawan without a trace. This is a completely different story, yes it must be Tyranus hand in it, there is no other explanation. 

Hmmm... but now, as things stand, I have no more need for Padmé. She has annoyed me long enough in the senate too, and since my scrying cannot find even a trance of Anakin basically anywhere in the whole cursed galaxy, I might just accept that he indeed died. 

The man covered in dark clothes stopped in his strides to think. 

-A pity, but if he was that easy to destroy, then I might have overestimated his capabilities. Raw power is not everything after all, isn't that the truth my dear master... Plagueis the Wise... Keh-he-he... cough...

The man's dry laughter echoed through the empty corridor. 

Then just as suddenly as it began his laughter died out. He took out a mobile holocommunicator device from a pocket hidden in his sleeve raised it in front of his face and started a call. 

Soon the familiar kneeling form of Darth Tyranus appeared in the form of a blue opaque hologram.

-What is your wish, master. 

-There is a change in our plans Lord Tyranus. 

He began slowly. 

-I have decided that we have no more use for such an annoying pest as Senator Amidala. Her pitifully idealistic approach to politics has amused me for a while. Yet she has contradicted our plans more times than I am willing to tolerate. Tell your lap dog, that we no longer need her alive. This should substantially shorten her requested time to prepare for the infiltrating mission.

-I understand master. 

-Good. There might be more to you, then I initially expected Lord Tyranus, but do not fail my expectations, this is your last chance. You will be wise to remember this.

-I won't fail you, my lord. 

The call ended as abruptly as it began. While the shadowy form of Sidious continued his path on the long corridor belonging to one of his secret bases. 

 

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