Star Wars: Secret of The Force

Chapter 26

Ahsoka watched Czar as he left. Lena wasn't going to be happy, but she did feel that he had a choice. Whether or not Ahsoka agreed with it or not wasn't important. When bail entered her office, he didn't look anymore happy. "He didn't wish to join?" he asked. Ahsoka didn't need to answer, Bail already knew what it would be. He sighed. "He has left Lena in your care I suppose?" he asked. "Yes, he seemed to believe that I would make a better teacher for her than him... he doesn't believe in the Jedi Order anymore, if he ever even did" she explained. Bail looked curious. Ahsoka didn't elaborate, she didn't see the use in doing so. "So, what do you intend to do with the girl now?" he asked. Ahsoka considered her options, she could train Lena as Czar had asked, but doing so wouldn't feel right. "I intend to help her survive; I don't know if she deserves to go back into the field after how much she lied" Ahsoka answered. Bail nodded, trusting the assessment. "So what about Czar? Do you think he'll ever come around?" he asked. Ahsoka thought over the question for a long while. Czar's motivations, while in her opinion selfish, did make sense. Ahsoka could see all of the trauma in his eyes throughout the whole conversation. No small part of that was due to his master, possibly another, dying. Whatever else made up that trauma wasn't clear. Perhaps like Lena, Czar felt too much guilt for what had happened. Ahsoka finally shook her head. "No, but I don't think he'd be opposed to helping us on occasion if the need arose, that's the best we can hope for..." she said. Bail nodded, seemingly unphased, but Ahsoka knew better. Even now, she could clearly sense his disappointment. With the conversation over, Ahsoka decided it was time to go and inform Lena of her future. When she entered, she found the young girl meditating. Deciding not to disturb the meditation, Ahsoka sat down opposite Lena, and waited. The potential padawan opened her eyes. "Czar left me didn't he...?" she asked. Ahsoka nodded. "He seemed to think it was best, for you and for him" she said. it was only now when Lena moved her hand to it did Ahsoka notice the Lightsaber. "So, he gave you his Master's Lightsaber?" she asked. Lena nodded. "I thought he would have come back for it..." she said. Ahsoka had more than a few ideas why he hadn't, and she could sense Lena's anger at being abandoned by the man she believed would become her master. "Criffing coward!" Lena cursed angrily; all her composure was gone. Ahsoka didn't react. Lena stopped and stared. "You knew he would!?" she demanded. Ahsoka shook her head. "Its not what he's done that's important, its what you did!" Ahsoka said, her voice firm. Lena glared. "As if you didn't do the same thing!?" she shot back. Ahsoka shook her head. "No, I didn't, being a Jedi is not about revenge, its about doing whats right and being unselfish!" she said. Lena glared at her. "Save your speech for someone else, I'll teach myself how to be a Jedi and do it my own way!" she said, and stormed out. Ahsoka didn't bother telling security not to let her off the ship, they'd already made sure Lena wouldn't get off if she stormed away. Ahsoka found herself thinking back on Czar. Things with him were complicated, more so than with most Jedi. There seemed to be too much pressure that he was trying to carry. She knew that jedi life had always been complicated, she had been one. What she didn't know was how hard Czar seemed to feel it was hitting him. Anakin and Obi-Wan had felt the same kind of pressure, both had been recognised War Heroes. Ahsoka was a war hero too, though not in the same way as Anakin had been. Czar had been rumoured to be heavily against the war by other padawans; so much so he'd threatened the council with leaving the Jedi Order in protest. The rumour mill of the Temple had been amazingly efficient, and padawan gossip had said Czar had refused to fight for a long time. The council had tried to force him to a hearing, but the same gossip said that Orion, his master, and a Jedi named Hadigan Ventour had put up a defence that convinced them to back off. When Orion took Czar as his student, they both fought in the war like most other Jedi, although Czar's own vocal had landed him in trouble more than a few times. Ahsoka believed that it was his disapproval of that war that had led him to this decision not to join the rebellion. Ahsoka could only speculate. Czar seemed kind enough, being someone of few words. She wondered how he was going to hide after his mission was complete. If he survived, she was going to make good on her promise and help him disappear.  She owed him that much at the very least.