Chains of Destiny

Author's Note: There are a few characters from the Jedi Quest books around but it's not important to know anything about them to understand the fic. Without any Force users, the universe is a bit a different anyway. :3

Warning: Child slavery/child abuse, abusive relationships

~ Tirana Sorki

"Is this really real?" Nine-year-old Ahsoka looks up from the history lesson on her datapad screen, to where Plo is going through some paperwork on the opposite side of the room of the small apartment they share together.

"What are you learning about?" Plo inquires, standing and approaching her table next to the window. Coruscant's sky is cloudy, endless lines of traffic passing the window outside.

"The Jedi and Sith," she explains, pushing the datapad toward him, to show him the drawings of them, something of long ago.

People with unexplained, mysterious powers like telekinesis. It sounds kind of cool but she's nine now and she knows when things do and don't make sense. "It says they mostly wiped each other out in some war to the death thousands of years ago, something called the Great Hyperspace War. But there were still a few of them up until a thousand years ago. That's when they last were seen."

"There is always some truth in legends, little Soka," Plo replies, "But perhaps what makes legends fascinating at times is never knowing how much of it is real."

She makes a face. "Maybe."

She thinks it would be cooler to know but whatever. Not that it matters because in the end, it's history of something gone looooong ago.

"I need to leave on my next bounty," Plo tells her, turning and crossing the room to the closet where he keeps his equipment. "Be sure to study while I am away."

"Can I go with you?" Ahsoka asks, jumping to her feet.

"We've discussed this before, haven't we?" he asks, tone faintly amused.

"Yesss but it's so boring here when you're gone," she whines, trying to give him her best puppy eyes face, "And I never get to anything fun or go anywhere. Even Jango takes Boba on easy missions and he's younger than me."

"And that is one example I never intend to follow," Plo replies firmly. "If that is really true."

"Well... Boba told me he went on one." He's about six, she doesn't know exactly. And the mission had barely sounded like a mission at all but it still counts.

"You will have your chance, little Soka," he promises, "But not yet. At least not a mission like this one."

She huffs out a disappointed breath even if she expected as much. She argues with him about this nearly every time now but he still maintains that she's too little.

"What is the mission this time?" Ahsoka inquires, though she's sure the details won't make much sense.

"Criminals attacking another Republic world. The planet has been considering seceding along with the rest of the growing Separatist movement. The Senate is hoping to prove, if I'm able to deal with these criminals, that the Republic is still strong enough to protect its own."

"I don't even understand this Separatist stuff anyway," she grumbles.

"The Republic is... not in a good place, Ahsoka. It is full of corruption, even if the Separatists may not be handling it right."

Plo's comm beeps suddenly. He pauses, looking down at the message on it and stiffens.

Ahsoka frowns. "What's happening?"