Blurred Sides (COMPLETE)

4.1.1

Author's Note: This is how Ahsoka Tano first got to meet Caleb Dume. This will come up later in a sequel (I hope).

Ahsoka didn't know why Anakin was leading her to the landing platform of the Temple yet and she kind of wished he would hurry up and tell her. She kept quiet though. Anakin wouldn't say anything until he wanted to, and she trusted him. If he wanted to take his time, she knew him well enough by now to just wait it out. Not that she wanted to.

"Ahsoka, do you remember Caleb Dume from your Youngling training?" Anakin asked, slowing his pace slightly so he was even with the Togruta.

Ahsoka racked her memory. "He's younger, right?"

"He's thirteen. Brown hair, pale skin," Anakin smirked and glanced at Ahsoka. "Apparently, he likes to talk a lot..."

"That Caleb. Yeah, I remember."

Anakin faced the hall in front of him again. "Master Yoda assigned him to a master because he was distracting the other Younglings. He's not bad with his lightsaber, either, or so I'm told." Ahsoka smiled. She knew Anakin wasn't convinced.

"Who is his master?" She asked, following the Knight around a corner.

"Master Billaba, from the Council," he answered. "And because of her responsibilities, she hasn't been able to explain what being a Padawan means yet to him. She asked me if you could show him the ropes."

Ahsoka nodded. She remembered how she still asked Barriss about being a Padawan every once in a while. It wasn't uncommon that an older Padawan would take a new one under their wing. Sometimes a Master or a Knight would ask them to do so, and sometimes it just happened. Ahsoka remembered how Barriss had told her about her mentor, and how, sooner or later, Ahsoka would probably do the same.

"Why are we heading to the landing platform then?" Ahsoka asked.

"Master Billaba doesn't think that a lecture will do any good with Caleb, a lot like you, Snips."

Ahsoka wrinkled her brow, clearly offended but silent. Anakin smirked.

"The Council is sending the two of you to a system in the Inner Rim to help oversee negotiations between districts on the planet Fosin," the master explained. "Her idea is that you would set an example while you're there and explain a few things along the way about the clones, procedures, etiquette, that sort of thing." Anakin paused to look at his apprentice. "You think you can handle that?"

Ahsoka nodded and smiled at her master. "You taught me well. I can handle anything."

~

Depa Billaba was almost glad to hand off Caleb to Padawan Tano. She was quite fond of the child, but her patience was starting to wear off. She could see why Master Yoda thought it was best to separate him from his peers. She only hoped the Togruta was mentally prepared.

"So what is the mission, Master?" Caleb asked, jogging to keep up with his master's long legs. "Are we going to deliver a message to the Senate, like we did yesterday? Or are we going somewhere new on Coruscant? Or are we leaving Coruscant? Are we leaving?"

They reached the landing platform, where the ship was waiting for the Padawans. She checked to make sure all was ready for them before she turned to answer her new apprentice's burning questions.

"We are not delivering a message, Caleb," She answered in a steady voice. "We are actually not going anywhere. You, on the other hand, are going away from Coruscant."

Poor Caleb almost exploded with excitement. "REALLY?!?!?"

"Yes, little one," Caleb started jumping around in circles, "But if you don't listen, you won't know what you are going to do."