Chapter Text
“If there are no further matters to discuss, I move to adjourn todays council meeting.” Mace suggested. A quiet murmur of agreement sounded among the councilors.
The meeting had run late today. Master Tahl’s mission had hit a snag early that morning and the situation had only seemed to deteriorate over the course of the day. It’d taken hours to discuss and coordinate a response, their plans often needing adjustments as things worsened. Negotiations were still tense, but they were now moving in the right direction.
“Then adjourned, this meeting is.” Yoda spoke.
As his fellow masters stood at the dismissal, Mace relaxed back into his chair. He was hungry but he wanted to speak with Yoda about Depa’s upcoming Knighthood Trials before he went looking for dinner. His padawan wasn’t quite ready to undergo the trials, but the day was fast approaching, and it was time to start preparing.
Master Piell, not one to linger unnecessarily, was almost to the doors when the Force shrieked a warning. In near perfect unison, the twelve masters spun to face the center of the room, where a swirling portal of blinding light was manifesting. Lightsabers sprung to hands as a tumbled mess of limbs and cloth fell out from the portal. A second later an ivory and green feathered convor came shooting out.
The mysterious portal dissipated as the bird banked straight up to avoid ramming into Master Rancisis. Wary of an attack, none approached as what appeared to be a female togruta, attempted to sort herself out. After a minute and a few quiet, but very colorful curses the togruta managed to untangle her arms and lekku from her white cloak and flop unto her back.
She glared up at the convor as it took to circling around the ceiling. Unsure what it was they’d just witnessed the masters stayed quiet, observing the woman as she lay there. The convor hooted down and her glare seemed to sharpen at that, though it appeared to hold no real heat.
She opened her mouth as if to respond when Master Mundi adjusted his footing, causing the slightest sound of rustling cloth.
The woman’s easy posture tensed into ridged stone. Mace watched as her eyes slid towards their side of the room. Her gaze stopped before even reaching Mundi, instead zeroing in on the sight of Mace’s purple blade. It stayed there just long enough for him to process the blue of her eyes. The next thing he knew she’d thrown herself up off the floor and vaulted over Master Tinn’s head to land perched on the chair he’d just vacated. Ignited in her hands were two sabers of searing white. Her stance was defensive, though he noted the tightly coiled tension her muscles held.
Mace was impressed. He was also worried. She’d gone from leisurely sprawling on the floor to complex acrobatics in less than three seconds. The amount of not only speed and strength required to perform such an act, but the sheer amount of skill, spoke of an experienced warrior. Of a dangerous warrior.
He was relieved to find that her Force signature held no malice. Only confusion. Her eyes darted around the room taking in details. Instead of clarity at the information, her confusion only seemed to grow. After a few more tense seconds and a lingering look at Master Koon, she seemed to either come to a conclusion, or at the least a decision. Relaxing her stance and lowering her guard she took one last look at the council before closing her eyes and speaking.
“I’m going to ask a rather…out of place question…but an answer would be greatly appreciated.” She took a deep breath, bracing herself and asked, “What is today’s date?”
“Telona 8th, 3609 ATC.” Master Nu responds.
Eyes flying open, she sputters. “3609 ATC? But that’s…” Her face soured and her glare turned towards the convor again. “You karking little sithspawn.” She extinguished her blades and clipped them back on her belt before dropping down into the seat she’d commandeered.
The bird finally fluttered down to rest on the arm of the chair its owner(?) occupied. Mace extinguished his own blade as the togruta seemed to have a silent conversation with her bird. The other masters followed suit.
“Tell us who you are, you will.” Master Yaddle spoke. “How you are here, also.”
The togruta frowned, looking to the side before closing her eyes. He could feel her reaching out for the Force. Mace observed that the shatterpoints he normal saw around a person where contradictorily more overwhelming than any he’d ever seen before and almost completely nonexistent. It was as though she held a myriad of paths in every direction, but he had no idea of what those actual paths were.
Pushing those aside for now, he reached out to feel her presence. She was strong in the Force. Not the strongest he’d ever felt, but still very powerful. Her connection was deep. Exceptionally so. And rooted firmly in the light. A light that almost burned as he reached to explore it.
Her communion with the Force ended as her eyes fluttered open. A strange mix of sorrow, joy, and anger swirled in her eyes before it resolved into determination and she spoke.
“I am Ahsoka Tano, and I am from the future.”
Mace held in a sigh. His night was about to get so much longer.
************
Obi-Wan stared at the Yuli noodles on his plate. Despite being one of his favorite dishes the mess hall served, he couldn’t bring himself to eat any. His stomach had been in knots since his encounter with Master Gnost. The older miraluka, had been blunt in his rejection, and it had stung more than usual.
‘Begging for masters and knights to take you only proves how unfit you are to be a padawan.’ Had been Master Gnost’s words.
He knew the master was right. It was undignified. But Obi-Wan was running out of time. One week was all he had to find a master. One week and he’d be shipped off to Bandomeer to become a farmer. He was more than willing to give up his dignity to avoid that fate. Obi-Wan Kenobi was not meant to be a farmer.
He had tried gaining the attention of knights and masters the normal way. But none had taken notice of him. It didn’t seem to matter how good his lesson scores were or how skilled his blade work was. So, as time slipped by, he’d taken more and more drastic measures to get them to notice him, until eventually he’d come to the point of just outright asking.
“You need to eat at least some of your dinner.” Bant said from his right interrupting his brooding.
“I’m not hungry.”
“I know. But you didn’t eat lunch because you were too nervous to talk to Master Gnost. You can’t skip two meals, Obi. It’s not healthy.”
Obi-Wan sighed but twirled a small forkful of noodles up. He chewed them robotically before swallowing. She sent him a small smile for the effort, though he could tell his friend was still worried.
“Don’t give up hope yet, Obi-Wan. The tournament duel is in two days. You still might catch someone’s eye during that.” Garen Muln brought out, pulling his stolen soup back from Quinlan Vos.
“Rumor is, Master Yoda somehow talked Master Jinn into attending.” The Kiffar said, stealing Garen’s maja juice in retaliation of his lost prize.
“Master Jinn?” Obi-Wan asked in disbelief. “The same Master Jinn who publicly swore to never take another padawan again. That Master Jinn?”
“Yep.”
“He’d never take me.”
“You never know.” Bant, ever the optimist supplied.
“Hey, if all else fails, you can always ask Master Hist.” Quinlan choked out from the headlock Garen had him in.
“That’d be worse than farming.” Garen said, reclaimed drink in hand as he pushed the older boy from his chair.
**************
Stillness hung in the chambers as the masters absorbed what she had told them. Shock was the most prevalent emotion she could feel infusing the Force around her. Though fear and sorrow, even anger, swirled stronger as the minutes ticked by and the masters managed to shake off the numbness, they’d all fallen into. She could tell they believed her. They didn’t want to. But they did.
“Knight Tano thi-“
“I am not a Jedi.” Ahsoka cut off Master Tinn. Her tone came out harsher than she’d intended, but Tinn had be one of the first masters to agree to Tarkin’s demands for her expulsion. Hearing the title from him was…difficult.
“A Jedi, you once were. But a Jedi no more, you say?” Yoda questioned.
“Yes. I chose to leave the order.” Ahsoka responded.
“Tell us why, will you?” Master Yaddle requested. “Disillusioned, angry with this council, I sense you are.”
Ahsoka took a moment to consider the diminutive master and her request. She had only met Master Yaddle a handful of times, when she had taught a unit in some creche class Ahsoka couldn’t even remember the subject of anymore. Having left the High Council long before the Clone Wars had begun, Yaddle hadn’t been involved with her expulsion. It gave Ahsoka a measure of comfort to have someone to focus on who wasn’t tainted by her memories of that ordeal.
Reaching for the Force, she sought guidance. If she had her way, she’d say, ‘Kriff these guys.’ Walk outta the temple again and leave to start her own little army to take on Sidious. But that was reckless Padawan Tano talking. Experienced rebel spy Fulcrum was saying, ‘You need allies. You can’t afford to alienate such a strong one. You don’t have to agree with everything they believe. You just need to find a middle ground with them.’
The Force seemed to agree with Fulcrum, whispering to her to tell them. Morai hooted from her shoulder as if to affirm the choice.
“I was framed for a crime I did not commit.” Ahsoka began. “And this council did not stand behind me. You expelled me from the Jedi Order without my entitled trial with the Council of Reconciliation and instead chose to throw me to the senate wolves. Had my master not uncovered the true culprit, or even had he found the evidence a few hours later, I would’ve been convicted and sentenced to immediate execution. I would be dead.”
From the corner of her eye, Ahsoka saw Plo’s hand clench. She hadn’t been shielding much of her mind in an effort to allow the council to sense the truth of her words. He’d undoubtedly felt the bond they shared. Despite having never met her before today, their connection was strong. Weaker than that of a master/padawan bond and weaker still for the distance caused by his lack of familiarity with her, but still far stronger than most. It seemed even time travel couldn’t break a bond formed in the Force.
Plo Koon, contrary to his intimidating stature, was an incredibly caring and gentle soul. He’d likely guessed that as a member of this council, he would’ve been a part of the decision that almost cost a fellow Jedi her life. Knowing he’d done so to someone his future self obviously cared deeply for, would be devastating for the man.
“And when all was said and done, only one of you apologized.” At this she turned her head away from Yaddle and stared directly into Plo’s eyes. She opened their bond fully. Pushing at him her sense of betrayal and hurt at his part in what happened. But also, her gratitude and forgiveness for being the only one, save maybe Obi-Wan who’d felt deep regret over their actions.
He needed to know that she had not forgotten his part in that whole mess. He needed to know she had forgiven him for it.
He sent back a wave of remorse and gratitude. The masters before her had not yet committed the acts that had stolen her innocence in a way the war never had. But to ensure they never did; they would need to face the mistakes they were on course to make. She would not coddle them.
“You told me it was simply my Trial of Knighthood. I could not accept that reasoning. Not when you refused to acknowledge your own mistakes.” She took a deep breath, expelling the tension that had built in her muscles during the retelling.
“But what happened to me was not the problem. It was a symptom of a much larger one. Our enemy is cunning and far more dangerous than you realize. They are however…” Ahsoka broke off, reconsidering her wording.
“The death of the Jedi Order starts here.” She pointed to the chamber room floors in emphasis, letting the moment drag to get her point across.
“When you expelled me, there were some on this council that had no faith in me. Who disliked my unorthodox master and by extension me. It hurt to see that those I’d looked up to for my entire life, could look at me and think I was capable of committing such a horrible crime. What hurt more? What hurt more was those whose decision was based not on a lack of faith, but a fear of lost reputation in the Senate.” A few masters tired and failed to hide winces. 'Good.' Ahsoka thought. Their loyalty to the Senate wasn't yet completely blind.
“This council has lost its way. And if you refuse to change you will only lead the Order further and further astray. The Jedi will weaken and the Sith will use that weakness to destroy you.”
Ahsoka observed their grim faces in the silence that followed her monologue. She’d been cautious over what to tell them and what not to. Giving great details in some areas and staying vague in others. It would be a careful balance she’d need to hold, if she wished to succeed in her mission. She only hoped that the scarcity of information would not persuade the council to decide to forego her warnings.
“Hmm.” Yoda hummed sometime later. “Much to think on, we have. Much to discuss. Give us time to do so, you will.”
“Of course, Master Yoda.” She would give them time. These were decisions that should not be lightly. “I will await your call in the lobby.” Ahsoka bowed slightly, out of habit more than respect, and turned to leave.
Exiting the chambers, she was relieved to discover the lobby void of any council attendants. She needed time alone to think and meditate. The Force had clearly wanted her here. Wanted her to change things. She’d followed her instincts and the nudges in the Force over what details to tell and what to keep. But she still felt unbalanced and unsure. A deep meditation would do well to center herself while she sought a clearer path forward.