After Jedi

Massacre

The next few months were quite uneventful for Ventress and Ahsoka. They smuggled, didn't ask questions, and got paid. Ahsoka lived most of her life on The Sunset, even when they returned to Coruscant for supply runs. Ventress had a small apartment she offered up, but Ahsoka declined, preferring to live somewhat nomadically. On one such supply run, while waiting for Ventress to return, their tablet beeped, showing an assassination request. Ahsoka accepted and added it to their calendar. Ventress let her organize their schedule while she was away.

Ahsoka heard the cockpit door open.

"We've got another assassination," Ahsoka said without turning around.

"Where?" she inquired.

"Felucia."

"Isn't that a Republic planet?"

"For now. The blockade is probably still there as well."

"So how are we supposed to get past?"

"I might be able to use some Jedi codes that would allow us to go through, no questions asked." Ahsoka sighed thinking about how much of an abuse of power this was.

Ventress must have sensed her doubt because she put her hand on Ahsoka's shoulder and said, "Ahsoka, you're not a Jedi anymore. You don't need to follow their rules or their code."

Ahsoka nodded.

"When should we be there?" Ventress asked, trying to change the subject.

"We should be on the surface by the next rotation. I'll let you look at the details of the target and their exact locations. I prefer not to take part in these things, as you know."

"Set course for Felucia, then."

Ahsoka guided the ship out of Courscant's atmosphere and made the jump to hyperspace. She turned the autopilot on and joined Ventress in the living room area, sitting across the table from her.

"Sabaac?" she asked, moving to turn on the holo-board.

"No thanks." Ventress put her hand to her side and leaned back. Ahsoka released the tension she'd been holding in her shoulders and slumped back into the couch. It felt amazing to finally relax. Ahsoka and Ventress had been there a few minutes, just resting, when they both sat up very straight and met each other's eyes. The two former Jedi felt the chill that seemed to enter the room and Ahsoka shuddered. The Force felt different, darker, almost painful.

"What is that?" she asked Ventress. Her eyes were just as wide as Ahsoka's.

"I don't know...something is very wrong."

"It's everywhere. What's going on?" Ahsoka shivered again.

"We need to finish the job, Ahsoka," Ventress said shakily.

Ahsoka took a shuddering breath. "Okay, let's just do it and get out of here."

Once they were hailed by the Republic blockade, Ahsoka transmitted her Jedi codes and waited to be granted landing.

"Do not deviate from your current trajectory," Ahsoka heard a clone say from the other side. Moments later, he spoke again.

"We no longer accept these codes. The Jedi are all traitors. Please leave." What?!

She and Ventress shared a concerned look.

"No!" Thankfully, the com wasn't automatically transmitting both ways. Ahsoka opened the channel and said,

"Sorry, these codes are outdated. The computer must have glitched. Here are the correct ones."

Somehow, she recalled a Republic-wide code stating that they were bringing supplies to the armies on the planet.