Betrayal (Star Wars Fanfiction)

Animosity

Ahsoka abruptly awoke from her meditation and looked around.

The sun was shining through the blinds, throwing only a few bars of light into the otherwise darkened room. For once, her quarters were actually tidy, or as tidy as they could get with a teenage Togruta living in them, with only some books and chips lying around, occupying half of her desk and glimmering in the light that reached them.

In front of her, her lightsaber was resting on a small pillow while her shoto was still clipped to her belt. The green and yellowish-green crystals were humming in sync with the Force, giving off the familiar presence they had since she had first built her standard saber as a youngling and that had only increased during the war. While in the crèche, Master Yoda had taught them that their crystals were, in some way, alive and connected to them - and there was no better way to feel them than to sink deeply into meditation.

But for some reason, she was unable to focus. Again.

Ever since the latter half of the war and especially during those testing last few weeks, she'd been feeling unbalanced and unsure in the Force. At first, she'd thought it was only because with each day the fighting went on, the losses of life were weighting heavily on her shoulders. Her master had tried to help after she'd asked him for some guidance, but ultimately he too had been too restless to really offer her any good advice and so she'd been left to find a solution on her own. By now, she was sure it hadn't been the battles that had kept her from finding inner peace, since it had only gotten worse ever since the Chancellor had been defeated.

Sighing, she stood up and brought her saber back to her belt before walking to the door that would lead her to the main part of the quarters she shared with her master. Maybe some food and something to drink would help with her fidgeting?

However, before she could even press the button to leave the room, she finally became aware of the voices outside. Out of reflex, Ahsoka used her montrals to focus on her surroundings and heard Master Obi-Wan, whom she hadn't seen in weeks, she realized with a pang of guilt in her stomach, speak to Anakin in the kitchen. It was probably about the Senate meeting just a few hours ago, she thought, and thus couldn't help but listen closer to what was being said. She reached out with the Force in curiosity to other presences, but drew back in disappointment when she only felt Master Kenobi and Master Skywalker on the other side of the door. Talon hadn't accompanied his master then. Oh well, she would just seek him out later. What were the two of them discussing anyways? Surely nothing major could've happened in these few hours?

"I'm afraid there's been a rather negative approach by the Senate as to how to handle the situation we've found ourselves in now that the war has ended," Obi-Wan said, an exhausted tone in his voice.

"What do you mean, Master?" Anakin promptly questioned. A slight clang signaled he'd just set something down on the table. There was a faint trace of berries floating in the air, perhaps he'd made tea? Ahsoka's master preferred caf over everything else to keep himself awake on late nights, never really having got into tea that much despite having been Kenobi's padawan learner, but he used the former drink often when meditation failed to ease his stress and worry, especially after hard battles and much bloodshed.

"Apparently the great majority of the Senate doesn't lay the blame with Sidious. Ah, I'm sorry Anakin, I know you're still recovering from his betrayal." Obi-Wan sounded sincerely sorry both in voice and in the Force. Ahsoka however could feel anger and some sort of helplessness over her and Anakin's bond, her master obviously still reeling from the treachery from the man he'd called his friend. Immediately she projected feelings of love and serenity to help calm him and smiled when she sensed him sending her some amusement right back. Now she just had to wait for him to call her out on eavesdropping on his conversation with his old master.