STAR WARS: CONFLICTED

CHAPTER XXII - UNEXPECTED, BUT NOT UNWELCOME

"Alright Admiral, what's so important you brough-"
"Ahsoka."

Nathan cut Anakin off, staring deeply into the transmission in front of them. Obi-Wan looked nervously at Anakin, so much so that he didn't notice a tear come to Nathan's eye.

"Hello, everyone." Ahsoka said, turning around to reveal her face. She stood next to a taller lady, one with Mandalorian armour, and red hair.

"Ahsoka? How are you? Where are you?" Anakin stammered, still unsure as to whether he believed his own eyes. He had not spoken to her in the near year it had been since she left, jumping down onto that freighter and leaving everything behind.

"I'm alright, thank you." Ahsoka said quietly, clearly nervous. She was wearing a blue outfit, with pads for her forearms and no sleeves, and she had grey boots on. Nathan couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"I wish we had more time to talk, but I have urgent information for all of you."
"What is it, Ahsoka?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Lady Bo-Katan and I have located the renegade Sith Lord Maul. And, if we move swiftly, we believe we can capture him."

There was a silence. Nathan was taken aback most by this news. She was out, finding Maul, whilst not even being instructed to by the Council? Her determination was beyond impressive. But why didn't she tell him?

"I see. Meet with us on our ship over Coruscant as quickly as you can, Ahsoka." Obi-Wan said, folding his arms. She nodded, and the call ended, leaving the three Jedi astounded.

* * *

Anakin, Obi-Wan, R2-D2 and Nathan all made their way along the landing pads of the Venator. Everywhere, people were busy, setting up to leave or land, and they seemed the only calm beings in the room. Ironically, that was not how any of them were feeling.

"It all makes sense now," Anakin said. "If Ahsoka hadn't left the Order, she wouldn't have been where she needed to be." He said, proud of himself, almost.
"That's one way to look at it, I suppose." Obi-Wan replied.
Anakin ran ahead and looked at him, stopping them.
"It's the only way to look at it."
"Anakin, Ahsoka didn't do what she did because of Maul." Nathan stepped in, folding his arms. "She did it to make a statement, to prove a point, that none of us want to admit."
"And that is?" Obi-Wan asked, but before Nathan had to answer, a ship with an unfamiliar design landed down in front of them. They knew who it was.

The ship's door hissed open and the figures of the Togruta and the Mandalorian stood there, their shadows looking daunting, almost. The former Jedi made her way down the ramp and R2 squealed at her, "running" over to her to greet her.

Nathan was taken aback. She looked more beautiful than ever before. The blue certainly complimented her lekku.
Her look stayed unchanged and professional as she made her way towards the Jedi across from her, with Bo-Katan and a few other Mandalorians behind her.

"Ahsoka, I'm so-" Anakin started.
"We'll have to catch up another time." Ahsoka said firmly, raising a hand.
"Things are moving quickly."
"Every minute we waste here gives Maul an opportunity to slip away." Bo-Katan said, holding her helmet by her side.

Nathan and Ahsoka exchanged an awkward glance from across the conversation. She smiled awkwardly at him, but he offered nothing back. Why would she keep this operation from him?

"We understand. Please, follow me." Obi-Wan said, and the group left for a holotable, with Obi-Wan and Anakin upfront, the Mandalorians and R2, and then Ahsoka and Nathan.

"What's the matter? I thought you would have been glad to see me." Ahsoka whispered to him.
"You didn't tell me you were off finding Maul."
"No, because the Jedi wouldn't share their secrets with me. Why would I share mine?" She defended, crossing her arms.
"Because, Ahsoka, we are supposed to trust each other. I would prefer if you could be honest with me about things like this." Nathan replied, in a low voice.
"It wasn't like I was in danger, Nathan."
"Yeah? What if you were? What if, he took you away, got a hold of you. What would I be able to do or say then?" Nathan raised his voice. Obi-Wan looked back at him, and Nathan offered a nod of reassurance, the best he could.