Interlude

ANNOUNCEMENT!:

I will be going on vacation next week. I will be gone for 2 1/2 weeks. In updating terms, that means 3 Wednesdays. I've written as much as I could, but don't have enough chapters to fill all those three weeks. Due to poor internetconnection at my destination, I won't be able to upload there. I've come to this solution:

22-7: no chapter, 29-7: NEW CHAPTER, 5-8: no chapter, 12-8: I will have returned from my vacation and updating will be back to normal from this week onward :D

reviews:

MalirBly: Ugh, I know right. She just attracts trouble like a magnet. You have no idea how much it means to me that you think this story is worth a reread. You've made my week with this comment!

littlesky33by: Thanks! We'll see how Ahsoka will fare in this new situation.

At that same moment, in another place in the Galaxy, we find R2-D2. Artoo had made a promise to Ahsoka. He would send her messages after two days from the moment she'd left. And now the time had come.

Artoo rolled his way over to communications and plugged in. He sent the two messages with the encryption Ahsoka had given him. And then they were on their way.

His promise was fulfilled. Now Artoo just hoped Ahsoka would do okay on her mission. He didn't want to miss her for too long. He'd lost Padmé and Anakin already. He wasn't ready to lose Ahsoka too. And he silently hoped that she would succeed. After what had happened with Anakin, he was traumatized – for as much as a droid can experience that, of course.

To see his friend return to normal was something Artoo desperately wanted.

=O=

Obi-Wan just got back from a trip into town. He arrived at his home only to see his commlink beeping.

Incoming message.

It was very obvious to Obi-Wan who it would be. Though, he couldn't for the life of him figure out why. Well, only one way to find out. He pressed his commlink and a Holo of Ahsoka sprung to life.

Ahsoka appeared to be seated on something and stared him right in the eyes. She looked determined.

"Hello Obi-Wan," her Holo started. "You're probably wondering, why this message? If I have something to say, why not just call? Well, Obi-Wan, I have something to say and you're not going to like it. But you are going to listen, because it would be in your best interest to do so."

Ahsoka's eyes flickered away for a second before returning to stare at him. A sign she was nervous. Obi-Wan listened intently to what Ahsoka was about to say, although he had an aching suspicion he knew what this was about. And he was indeed not going to like it.

"When I last came to you, I spoke to you about Anakin. I told you of my hope to save him. You squashed my ideas and my hope. I returned to you later and I apologized, sort of. You asked me to please don't do something reckless as to go after Anakin. I didn't reply. And I'm here to tell you why.

I'd already made up my mind when I stood in front of you, then. When I walked away from you in the desert, feeling hurt and betrayed, I thought about what you'd said. I came to the conclusion that I did not agree.

The truth is, Obi-Wan, that I am going to save him. I'm sorry to disappoint, but I've made up my mind. I have thought about this a lot in the past few days, and this is what I want. Luke and Leia deserve their father, and we deserve our brother and friend. If nobody else is willing to try, then I am going to.

You cannot stop me. Artoo will have sent this message to you two days after I have already left. Nobody knows where I will be at this point in time that you are seeing this. Even I don't know yet.

I'm sorry to have deceived you like this, Obi-Wan, I really am. But I hope that I can prove you wrong. I will show you that I am strong enough to resist the Dark Side and to bring Anakin home. I sent a message to Senator Organa as well. I'm sure he'll want to talk to you. You might want to contact him about this. Until the next time we see each other, Obi-Wan." Then the Holo cut out.

Obi-Wan stared dumbfounded at the empty space that just a second ago was occupied by his reckless grand-padawan. He won't deny that he hadn't seen this coming, but still. He really hadn't wanted Ahsoka to do this. He truly didn't know if she was ready to face this threat yet.

Ahsoka carried the Light of the Daughter in her, yes. But also the Darkness that had come with Anakin. Back then Anakin's teachings seemed innocent and harmless enough. But now, with the knowledge he had and looking back on it, it was obvious Anakin touched upon the Dark Side a lot. And he passed that down to Ahsoka.

She didn't know, of course. But Obi-Wan could see it. Ahsoka would either come out of this stronger than ever or lose herself completely. Obi-Wan wasn't afraid – never, he did not feel those feelings. He released them into the Force – but he did not want the day to come when the latter came to be true.

Obi-Wan would pretend he never noticed the way Ahsoka's voice wavered at the end of her message, or how her face got less stony the farther she got into her justification. Whereas he just said he wasn't afraid, she obviously was.

He could only hope she was okay. And that it would stay that way.

Obi-Wan picked up his commlink again and chimed Bail Organa. Ahsoka was right, they needed to talk about this.

=O=

Bail Organa was in his private residence on Coruscant. He just got back from his office. He still had work to do, but the Senate was hardly the place he wanted to do that these days.

Bail was fully aware of the fact that the Senate was only a front nowadays. A way for the Emperor to pretend that the people still had something to say in his Galaxy. But Bail would never leave voluntarily. He would keep fighting for his people, even if it didn't bring much.

After getting some work done, Bail sought out his secret comm unit that he used for his rebel connections. He went through his messages. Almost all of them were expected.

All but one.

It was a message from R2-D2, but with a different encryption code. That was Ahsoka Tano's personal code. He was curious now. Ahsoka had gone on a spontaneous Jedi related mission, with every detail about it unknown to anyone else. Bail very much wanted to know how she was doing. Having a Force-user on their side was beneficial, so he would be lying if he said he didn't want her back as soon as possible.

Bail decoded Ahsoka's message and played the Holo. Ahsoka's sitting figure appeared before him in blue. She looked completely calm and collected. All business-like. The Holo started talking.

"Senator Organa, sir. I imagine you are surprised I'm suddenly contacting you like this. But I can assure you this is important and something you will want to hear." The Ahsoka in the Holo stopped talking for a second and took a breath.

"The easiest way to say this would just be to confess the truth first. I lied to you, Bail. And I'm sorry. I'm recording this before I've even left, so I have no idea what exactly I told you. But I can tell you it wasn't the truth.

I'm currently on a mission of my own. Something I knew you wouldn't approve of. I told you I encountered Darth Vader on Onderon. But again, I didn't tell you the whole truth. He asked me to join him. I refused, of course. But I'm going back on my decision.

Before you start thinking the most horrible things of me, it's not what you think. I believe Anakin Skywalker is still in there somewhere. I plan on getting him back out. I plan on bringing him back. I believe the only way to do that is by going with him. I'm not giving up my fight against the Empire, and I will send as much information to you as I can – if I'm able to, of course – but I will not be returning anytime soon.

I've sent a message to Obi-Wan as well. I'll tell you what I told him as well; you can't stop me. This message was sent to you two days after I have already left. I have no idea where I am right now, and I told no one. I'm sorry, Bail. But if I succeed, we'll have gained a massive ally, and Luke and Leia will be able to know at least a part of their biological family.

I wish you good luck. I'm sure we'll see each other again." And just as with Obi-Wan, the Holo cut out after that.

Bail had not expected this at all. Ahsoka had given no indication that this was something she was planning.

But before he could ponder about it more, his comm chimed. This time it was a call. And he wasn't surprised to see who it was. He answered it immediately.

"Ben," Bail said. "Senator Organa," came the reply. They stared at each other. Neither really knowing what to say to the other.

Obi-Wan was the first to speak again. "I take it you got the Holo as well," he said. It was more a statement than a question. Bail nodded, but before he found something to say, Obi-Wan spoke again.

"I will be upfront with you, Ashla told me about this. She didn't tell me she really planned on doing it on her own, but she did say she wanted to and that she believed she could. I told her she shouldn't do it. That it was a lost cause. As you've seen, she ignored it completely."

Bail nodded again. "I had no idea she planned this. She told me she had something Jedi related to figure out. But it appears that she lied about that. I can't excuse that, but as she said: there's nothing we can do about it now. So I ask you Ben, what kind of chance does Ashla have of succeeding?" he asked.

Obi-Wan seemed to think real hard about it for a second. "I want to say her chances are high. But as I just said, I'm afraid that it's a lost cause. We have all heard rumors of the things he's done. I have no idea how Ashla will get herself out of this intact," he eventually said.

Bail looked at Obi-Wan's Hologram intently. "What do you mean 'intact'?" he asked. Obi-Wan seemed to sigh on the other side. "Either physically… or mentally," he finished. Bail understood what he meant; the implication was clear. He voiced it out loud. "Then I guess all we can do is have hope for her."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Hope and pray to the Force she will get out okay." He finished.

The conversation ended not long after that. Bail slept terribly that night. The implication that they'd lost Ahsoka to the Empire hang like an anvil above his head. Along with the question of how he was going to bring this to her crew.

=O=

It took 5 more days before Bail arrived back on Alderaan. He took a little time for himself to get settled, to see his wife and daughter, etc. But then he had an urgent meeting to attend. He called Lorey, Thea, Deo, Jax, Dara and Cornan to his office. He waited there for them to arrive.

Once they were all inside – some seated and some remained standing – Lorey was the first to speak. "What did you call us here for, Sir?" she asked.

Bail knew it was best to tell them without spinning around the subject. "I called you here in regard to Ahsoka. You all know she is off-world on a personal mission," he started. The others all nodded at that statement. Though Bail was sure he saw Lorey's eyes harden when she'd heard it.

"Five days ago, I got some news regarding the status of her mission," he continued. He quickly debated what to say next. "It appears she's not coming back. Ahsoka has been picked up by the Empire."

Everyone in the room showed shocked faces. All except Lorey.

Then came the flood of questions.

"What do you mean 'picked up by the Empire'?" Cornan asked. "What will happen to her? Do you know?" Jax asked. "Is she okay?" Dara asked. And with that a lot more questions.

But before Bail could answer them, another voice spoke up with authority. "Ahsoka's fine, isn't she? Because she wasn't arrested or anything, like you're having us believe. She joined them willingly," Lorey simply stated. Everyone quieted down and stared at her. Bail didn't know what to say.

"What are you talking about, Lorey? Ahsoka's a Jedi. She has no business with the Empire," Deo said.

Lorey shook her head and turned to Bail. "If it isn't true, then why aren't you denying it, Sir? Is it because you can't? because I'm right? Tell us," Lorey demanded.

Bail didn't want to get into this. He wasn't one to let himself be coerced into admitting something. But all of them were staring at him expectantly. He started thinking. Maybe it was better for them to know the truth… but they can't know about Anakin Skywalker. He admitted defeat. "Yes, Lorey is correct. From what I know, Ahsoka joined the Empire willingly-"

The room erupted in chaos before he could continue further. "Why would she do that?" "She turned traitor!" "I can't believe that someone like her would choose the Empire over us," and all other kind of statements were thrown around.

Bail held up his hand and slowly it quieted down. "I know what this may sound like. I wasn't planning on telling you like this. All I can tell you is that she's not on their side, but she's on a personal mission," he said.

Again, Lorey interrupted the rest of the statement. "I would like to believe that Viceroy, but I know a little too much to accept that explanation." That statement caused the others to stare at her in confusion. This really was an emotional rollercoaster for them.

Lorey explained further. "I was there when Ahsoka spoke with Vader on Onderon. I know what he said to her. He asked her to join him," Lorey started. Gasps were heard throughout the room. "Ever since he said that to her, she's been acting strange. I believe she took him up on his offer. But let's not dwell on it. She betrayed us. I couldn't care less about what happened to her now." And with that Lorey turned around and walked out.

=O=

On her way back to her quarters, Lorey took the time to think. So, she had been right. Ahsoka really joined with Vader. All these days that Ahsoka had been gone now, she'd thought about it. She'd hoped that she was wrong. And now here she was proven right.

Organa had to know the true reason why Ahsoka joined the Empire, right? Ahsoka had told her that he knows who Vader was before this. He must know about their past acquaintanceship. So how could he just simply believe that Ahsoka was truly still on their side, if Vader would welcome her into the Empire?

Lorey hated herself for it, but she could understand why Ahsoka would do it. No more running. No more fighting for her own life. It was a great solution for Ahsoka. Lorey had only hoped that Ahsoka wouldn't take that easy way out.

She was wrong.

Lorey was angry, but deep down she was also very sad. She'd become great friends with Ahsoka. To be betrayed by a friend… that hurts. Lorey was sure she wouldn't sleep well the coming days.

In all her anger and sadness, Lorey at least hoped Ahsoka could live with her own decision.

So, again:

22-7: no chapter, 29-7: NEW CHAPTER, 5-8: no chapter, 12-8: I will have returned from my vacation and updating will be back to normal from this week onward :D