The Weaving Force: Chapter 119 (Patreon)

Chapter 119:

Ahsoka Tano

“You continue to fail in your efforts. I remain unconvinced as to the merits.”

“You sound like Master.”

Ahsoka’s voice was unamused and utterly deadpan, rolling her eyes with a huff as she glared at her… great-great-great(?) grandmaster’s holocron.

The glowing pantomime of Dooku, to his credit, looked just as unamused as she.

“There is a reason, that in ten thousand years not a single Jedi Blademaster has wasted their time trying to utilize reverse grip as a legitimate style, Padawan. Perhaps you might follow their example as your own Master has?” The Makashi devotee said.

“It’s the duty of the young to question tradition. Else, how might new traditions be made?”

The calm, amused voice earned a glare from Dooku and a smug smirk from Ahsoka. 

“Do not encourage this, Master Plo.” Dooku answered his fellow holocron construct. “Our teachings have been effective for thousands of years.”

“You know,” Another smug voice cut in. “Our Masters would say-”

“-That our traditions have been in place for thousands of years.”

“-how effective they’ve been is completely debatable.”

Again, Dooku did not look amused, turning his glare on Iskt and Karla sitting beside each other.

Ahsoka, from her place sitting on the floor cross legged, pointed at them. “You know, you two have got to stop! Finishing each other’s sentences is getting creepy!”

“They’re reading each other’s mind with the Force to prank you.” Dooku explained with a roll of his eyes. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and, absurdly, Ahsoka wondered if holocrons could get headaches. “Crechelings amuse themselves with such… foolishness.”

Master Plo’s holocron chuckled, and Karla and Iskt looked both unbothered and smug. 

“It is a good practice for those who fight alongside one another.” Plo nodded. “Being so in tune can be very beneficial on the battleground.”

“Yeah, but they’re clearly enjoying just using it to freak everyone out!” Ahsoka complained as Karla grinned ever so smugly.

The Togruta decided to change the subject, or better said, to refocus it.

Grabbing hold of her lightsabers she waved the unlit cylinder that was the hilt towards the holographic Dooku. “Togrutas might be similar to humans, but our bones, muscles and physiology DOES let us use a lot more force when holding weapons like this.” She argued.

“Physiologically you are not so different from humans.” Dooku argued. “Your range, your balance, your control and dexterity with the tip of the blade, they’re all severely compromised.”

“Ahh, it’s so nice to see someone else sharing my invaluable wisdom.”

Now Ahsoka really did roll her eyes.

“Hello, Master.” She grumbled, unamused. “Stop ganging up on me with the ghost of Christmas past.”

Anakin marched over, patting his Padawan along the top of her head with a chipper smile. “Lucky for me, I don’t know that reference.”

“It’s from one of Master’s books.” Karla helpfully chimed in. “Think of it as Life Day!”

Anakin nodded. “Ahh. Is the book like that Lord of the Ring’s one?”

Iskt shook his head. “No. Shorter. A… folk tale?”

Anakin shrugged. “A read for another day. But anyhow, I’ve come to get you, my cute little Padawans.”

“We’re not cute.” Ahsoka protested.

“I’m also nearly as tall as you now.” Iskt pointed out

“Don’t we practically qualify as Knights already?” Karla asked.

“And it is my wisdom that you have been imparting, impertinent Padawan of mine.”

“Details.” Anakin dismissed everyone with a flippant wave of his hand. “NOW!” He pointed dramatically. “To the bridge!”

—

When the bridge doors opened with a hiss, Ahsoka wasn’t surprised to see Master Obi-Wan present in holoform already speaking with Miss Taylor. 

“I sensed it as well, even from here.” Obi Wan said quietly. “We should be within ship visual range in another three to four minutes.” 

“It’s strange.” Miss Hebert said. “Only thing I’ve felt that’s even remotely similar were Jorus’ creations.”

“Yes, well, let’s hope we’re not dealing with that. I heard there was yet another sighting of a Dragon by the Geonosian monitoring crews. Those beasts are breeding in those tunnels.” 

Ahsoka shuddered. She’d heard about the Dark Side monsters Jorus had made, especially the Hississ Dragons. There were only a few of them when Geonosis took place. If there were more…

Master Obi-Wan  sighed, rubbing his temple. “What a time for Master Yoda to have been on campaign.”

“Yoda can’t fight all battles for us.” She declared, turning to look at them over her shoulder and offering Anakin a nod as she patted both Karla and Iskt on the head. Which looked rather absurd, given that Iskt was going to be taller than her soon. Trandoshans grew fast, and very very big. 

“I take it Noble is prepared to deploy if needed?”

She nodded. “Always.”

“Let’s… hold off on that.” Her Master offered a bit of an awkward laugh. “The 501st and 707th should at least scout first when we reach the planet.”

“I have divisions prepared to do so, but I thought you were still organizing the newest 501st members from the last campaign.”

“They’re organized enough to contribute.” Anakin shrugged. “Would I have liked another week with them? Sure. But they will be deployed as they need to be.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “I trust your judgement in such matters.”

Ahsoka did too.

If her Master was good at anything, it was how seamlessly new clones were integrated in the 501st.

They were constantly deployed, constantly on the front lines, right alongside the 212th and the 707th. Their list of victories was long, only matched by their attrition and casualty rates. 

Not to say that her Master, or Obi-Wan, were careless generals, quite the opposite. 

But casualties were unavoidable.

But for all of that, for all the thousands of clones they lost in deployment after deployment, for all the new ‘shinies, Ahsoka never once felt like it was… well, what it was. A mix and match hodgepodge of several different generations of clones. Once they were part of the 501st, Master Anakin always made sure they were 501st in every sense of the word. 

Right now, even when she’d made her way to the ship's bridge, she could see the shinies mixed in with the veterans. Clean and polished armor intermingling with groups of scarred and customized armor. And of those going without a helmet, the fresh surgical scar behind the ear marked them as those now free of the chips.

She wasn’t sure who started the practice. She heard several people get credited. The 501st said it was her Master, her Master said it was Master Kenobi, the 707th said it was Miss Victoria, Miss Victoria said it’d been ‘The Romans’, whatever that meant. And Noble team claimed Miss Taylor had given everyone the idea with the now infamous Wolf.

Regardless, its effects were noticeable and it was a practice that - last she’d heard - was being adopted by the Jedi themselves, where Knights or Masters with senior Padawans were beginning to take on ‘second Padawans’ that were much younger. 

Sort of like Master Dooku, Obi-Wan and Anakin had been before the Clone Wars, come to think of it.

“I should head down with the scouts.” Iskt said.

Miss Taylor raised a slender, challenging eyebrow. Her tone though was probably the thing that made Ahsoka wince just a bit. “And what makes you think I’m going to say yes to that?”

The Trandoshan averted his eyes from her glare. “That I’m… basically unkillable?”

“Oh, you are very killable.” She answered. “Last time we had our tactics discussion, I gave you a list of ways to kill you. And that was just my list. I’m sure Vicky has some extras.”

Ahsoka blanched.

She really would never get used to Miss Hebert’s brand of insanity. Skyguy insanity was plenty enough for her.

“The Separatists don’t have easy access to those methods, and we can’t simply send the clones down on their own! They’re not canon fodder.”

“No one’s saying they are.”

“Ahh.” Obi Wan chuckled. “It seems like yours have hit the rebellious stage, too.”

“Yes. And he was the obedient one.”

“Snips was never obedient, so no real change.”

She kicked her Master in the shin for his helpful comment. 

“Master.” Karla raised her hand, smiling nervously as Miss Taylor’s glare rounded on her.

The red Twi’lek offered her best, most pleasant smile.

It didn’t seem to help. 

Still, Ahsoka had to admire the gumption to press on.

“If I go down with the small scouting party, I can shield them from detection through the Force.” The Twi’lek nodded. “And any… influence the planet might have I can shut out of myself, along with my emotions. It can’t get its hooks in me easily. I’m the best choice.”

‘Why are the two of you so eager to do dangerous, stupid plans?” Miss Hebert shook her head. “Is there something in the Temple water?”

Before she could stop him, her Master decided to chime in. “Wait, according to Vicky’s stories, you did some pretty dangerous and stupid plans too when you were their a-”

“Not helping, Anakin!”

“Whoever we send down we better make it quick.” Master Obi-Wan called through the comms, a screen lighting up on the plinth beside him revealing the red planet hanging like a bloody pearl in the night.

Dathomir.

—

About an hour later, long after Miss Taylor, Karla and Iskt had headed off to finish their preparations, she was still on the bridge with her Master, watching the planet draw closer and closer through the bridge viewport.

There were no defenses in orbit, and their instruments were detecting nothing on the ground.

They’d dedicated two whole battle groups, Noble team and Master Hebert to this place due to a message that Ahsoka knew nothing about.

And there didn’t seem to be a single sign of any Separatist activity.

She didn’t understand.

But even so, she knew they had to be here.

Because the planet, it… it felt…  dangerous.

It was an odd feeling.

Like… stepping close to a poisonous snake. Hissing and coiled, it was warning you. You knew it was poisonous and yet you walked closer and closer anyway.  Or like trying to walk through a thorn bush.

The danger was there, the pain was there, clawing and scratching at you. But still… you just had to endure it.

Ahsoka had never… felt the dark side… not like this. 

But as they approached the blood red planet, she also sensed something else.

“It feels…“ She trailed off.

Only for her Master to put it to words. “Empty?”

She nodded.

He nodded back, eyes still fixed on the screen. “Yeah… It’s like… this place was picked clean. One by one.”

“Why?” She asked

“I think that’s what we’re here to find out.” Her Master answered, one hand rising to cup at his chin in thought. “This is… unique.”

She turned, tearing her eyes away from the main window and towards him. “Hmm?”

“There are ways to wipe out a planet.” He explained. “Orbital bombardment, of course. Or chemical attack. Quick and relatively clean. And so on. But this…” His eyes narrowed. “How many times can you recall feeling like… someone went down there. Like someone moved one by one to wipe them out personally?”

She shook her head.

He nodded. “Yeah… first time I’m sensing something like that, too.”