Continuation of
"Padawan Plight"AO3 Link |
Chaos Behind Them (1263 words) by
MerfillyChapters: 1/1
Fandom:
Star Wars: The Clone Wars [2008] - All Media TypesRating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Barriss Offee/Ahsoka Tano
Characters: Barriss Offee, Ahsoka Tano, Luminara Unduli, Anakin Skywalker
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Kriffing Sith Plans
Summary:
The pieces have been placed, and while Ahsoka and Luminara are a part of it, neither lets it impact Barriss's peace.
Chaos Behind Them
Having aided the 501st in retrieving their man, and all the revelations that had brought, Luminara rested a hand on Anakin's shoulder, despite the fury and betrayal coursing through him.
"Do not let Tiplar's and Tup's sacrifice be in vain," she counseled. "Keep your men here in the field, with the 41st, to take advantage of Echo's intel. I will take him back to Corsucant, deliver him to Master Che for healing."
"But he—"
She squeezed, and Anakin was so unused to other Jedi braving his rage, touching him even!, that he subsided. "You cannot hide that knowledge. I, on the other hand, have no difficulty burying it beneath my Perfect Jedi Serenity," she said, her eyes amused despite the severity of where they stood in the war, to use that phrasing.
It worked, as Anakin sagged a little and huffed. "You and my Master."
"Sometimes, yes," she answered that, to add more levity, helping Anakin balance.
He groaned. "Don't … yeah, no, don't tell me any more about that." He searched her face, then took a deep breath. "Take Ahsoka. I have faith in your skill, Master, but you have seen her, you have worked with her."
"Her command of Teräs Käsi will protect the secret, and she is going to rival Kenobi for lightsaber skill, it is true." She inclined her head, privately thinking that if it grew too stressful, it would allow the padawan a chance to see Barriss as well.
"Don't tell me any of your plans," Anakin said, agreeing to the fact he was the major weakness in undoing it all, given who they knew the Sith was now. "She heard everything, made the jump to connect the pieces, so between the two of you — and Echo — I will trust in this being ended sooner rather than later."
"Thank you." She let go of him, then went to tell Gree he would be handling the battalion under Skywalker's command.
"No."
"He's my vod, my batch brother!"
Ahsoka looked at Fives and then moved to take his hands. "Trust me, Fives. You can't go along, none of you can. And you? I need you to look after Skyguy. You can't expect Artoo to handle it all by himself, and Rex is going to be busy without me here!"
She ached for him, where she wasn't a simmering cauldron of anger for all that she and the other Jedi had pieced together from Echo's intel. If they hadn't hit that listening station before the tragedy with Tup —
— well, they had. So Fives was distracted, and so was Rex, keeping them from putting the pieces together.
Fives had straightened, then he saluted her and left. She would trust him to stay close to Anakin, to keep her master calmer, even if none of the boys knew why he was so angry now. She finished throwing things in a bag, and headed to medical to catch Kix before she and Master Unduli took Echo away from him.
She had no doubt he was putting the pieces together… and she would warn him not to do anything risky until she got back.
The Master and Padawan, two pieces of different pairs, stepped out of the Council chamber and each relaxed from the strain in their own way. Ahsoka visibly sagged, then slumped against the wall without any cringing for what the Master might think. Luminara said nothing about it, still impressed by how well the girl had done under the long interrogation of all they had experienced. For her part, she caught the hem of her sleeve and started worrying at it, a small fidget that soothed her but could easily be stopped should someone walk out.
"When you go see Barriss, you cannot say anything," Luminara dutifully reminded Ahsoka.
"I know. Even if this didn't need to stay top secret, I wouldn't break her peace with it," Ahsoka said sincerely, knowing the words had to be said. "Will you be going there after they say we can leave?"
"I thought I'd let you have the first night back. I'll come tomorrow, if duty allows, and take her for a meal."
Ahsoka flashed a smile, wanting to hug the woman, but that was not Luminara's way, mostly. "Thank you, Master."
"Of course, Padawan."
Barriss did not betray her joy outwardly, too composed and controlled to be less than professional as she finished reviewing the medicine schedule with the family that had been her last appointment of the day. Ahsoka, however, could feel it in the Force, and relaxed even further to know that what they were was something that still mattered to Barriss. She really was grateful to Master Unduli for allowing her to come first.
Then again, no one on the Council really wanted the mere padawan to be as heavily involved in the operation they were planning as Master Unduli could be.
Commander Deron, Barriss's counterpart in this community outreach program, gave a brief nod to Ahsoka, then cleared his throat when the family left. "Ma'am, I can handle locking up with the others. Please go. It's not often Commander Tano is able to get back here."
Barriss opened her mouth, but the look from her right hand in all of this made her nod once, and turn to get her outer robe on, so she could go back with Ahsoka to the Temple.
"It is good to see you," she said, coming close enough that they were almost touching, walking out side by side.
"I'm pretty glad your master was willing to let me tag along," Ahsoka said blithely. "I've got to take an exam," she added, truth and her cover story for why she was on planet. In actuality, she'd had the pieces from Skyguy's side that made everything click into place, and had been the convincing part of their hours' long testimony to the Council.
"I'll help you study, if it is a subject I know," Barriss volunteered. "Your quarters?" she asked, a little shyly, but if her actual master was in Temple too, she wanted the privacy offered by Ahsoka's. "As it sounds like you are here without your master."
"Master Obi-Wan is en route, but not expected until tomorrow," Ahsoka agreed. He was coming to be part of the end game, she knew, while Master Tiin had been dispatched to help Skyguy, and their men, in the campaign against the Techno Union's latest captured planet.
"I… how soon is the exam?"
Ahsoka laughed merrily. "I won't need much study time."
Barriss blushed, but smiled down — not so far now — at her girlfriend.
Luminara took the fact that Barriss squeezed Ahsoka's hand in parting, in her own full view, as one more piece of her padawan's healing and growth from the awfulness of this war.
"I am looking forward to catching up on your life these last several weeks, Barriss," Luminara said once Ahsoka had left them.
The quiet smile she got in answer made her heart swell with pride for the padawan she did care for. If they could just shield her from the coming days' strife, all might stay on the best track.
"I wish to hear all about your weeks, and how our men are doing," Barriss agreed, as she did miss the people, if not the violence.
They settled into their catching-up, and Luminara firmly pushed away the horror behind why she was here, even as she decided to recommend allowing Barriss to help with the aftermath.
She thought her padawan would feel relief to save the men from their intended fate, after all.
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senmut) wrote2025-11-05 06:10 pm
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