𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 - 𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐤𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐬

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ⸺ 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐦.

2200 hours. Year 7963 (14 BBY.)
Raada, Outer Rim.

⸺ VÆMAS.

⚡︎ ⁺.  ◍ 。

       𝓐HSOKA STAGGERED BACKWARDS as if she'd been hit by a blaster bolt. "How do you..." She blew out before getting herself together and straitening her shoulders and keeping an alerted pose. "Who are you?"

Væmas released a breath, still processing what had just happened. Standing in front of her was Ahsoka Tano, former Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, him being one of the most famous and powerful Jedi of the Order, and then framed for bombing the Jedi Temple and expelled of the Order. Væmas was just a child when it happened and had heard rumors that Ahsoka had rejoined forces with the Republic for the siege of Mandalore, but she had assumed Ahsoka was killed, like all the others. The silence stretched as Væmas was lost in her memories, before realizing Ahsoka had to be as shocked as her upon seeing another Jedi, who, on top of that, knew her name.

"I... I'm Væmas Eason. I was Master Plo Koon's Padawan."

Ahsoka remained quiet for a moment and slowly took a step forward, carefully studying Væmas until her gaze lit up. "Little Vae..." She murmured.

Væmas winced, feeling her heart pinching. Only Master Plo called her that. The though brought once again the dark emptiness that had filled his comforting presence in the Force. Like all the others. She swallowed hard as Ahsoka continued in a distant tone, her gaze fixed on the ground as if she was rewatching old memories. "I remember you now. How did you survive?"

There was no need to precise what she had survived. Væmas had questions too and the last thing she wanted to do at the moment was to dive back into the past. "It's a long story." She ended up answering. "This is BD-1." She said, nodding towards the droid. "I'm here because I need your help."

Ahsoka nodded imperceptibly, probably understanding her uneasiness about the Purge, uneasiness she most certainly felt as well. Instead, she gestured to a flat rock and bent to turn on a portable lantern which lit up the cavern as Væmas sat down. Ahsoka took place in front of her and set her forearms on her knees, the ends of her lekkus grazing her thighs. "Tell me."

Væmas picked her words carefully, not wanting to say any more than she had to. She could tell Ahsoka was interested, a spark of hope lighting up in her mind when Væmas mentioned Cal and Cere. She must not have encountered many Jedi during the five past years. "He was captured by the Empire on our way off Christophsis." Væmas finished, rubbing her hands together. "Senator Organa told me you could help me find out where he was taken."

Her heart rate accelerated as she waited for an answer. If Ahsoka couldn't help her...

"I sense a lot of fear in you." Ahsoka finally said instead of answering the question, Væmas' eyebrows raising. "You bear a great attachment to your friend, don't you?"

Væmas opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her look diverted towards the entrance of the cave, where the sky had taken all shades of pink and oranges. "More than I should." She finally admitted slowly. "More than the Order would've liked."

"Hm."

Ahsoka stood up and headed outside, joining her hands in her back. She looked behind her shoulder and invited Væmas to follow her with a movement of the head. Væmas complied, part of her hoping that the elder Jedi would give her advice.

"I am no longer a Jedi." Ahsoka said as if she had read Væmas' thoughts as she joined the Togruta just outside of the cave. "I left before the end of the war and am certainly not the best person to defend the Order's teachings. But I can tell you this. Through the war, I often found out that those attachments are more a source of strength than weakness."