Back in the Game (COMPLETE)

9.14.4

"What?" How could that be? What else had happened that she had missed that so many of the Jedi had been killed?

Obi-Wan's face fell as he told her. "You are aware that Master Gallia died when our forces were ambushed on Corellia, but three more deaths have happened since then. Two weeks ago, Master Unduli and Master Fisto were killed in an attempt to hunt down and kill Count Dooku. Then today, Master Shaak Ti was killed while she was trying to protect Chancellor Kanai. Grievous killed her before Anakin and I could reinforce her."

She stood in silence, stunned. Four Jedi Masters were dead. Ahsoka knew the Council hadn't suffered losses like this in years, maybe even decades. How many Jedi were carrying the weight of their deaths, how had they handled this kind of burden? She looked solemnly up at him. "I'm sorry."

He moved on, refusing to linger on the fact. "Master Windu is on Coruscant in case of an emergency, but in the absence of so many of our leadership, Anakin has been stationed at the Senate Building, and will be until he can be relieved. I cannot give you any clue as to when that will be."

Ahsoka wanted to ask more, maybe to get more details about the attack that had killed Luminara and Kit Fisto, but Rex ran in at that moment. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but there's been an attack," he announced. 

"You had best go," Obi-Wan told Ahsoka, "and when you can, send Anakin a status update. He will want to know how your efforts are going."

She nodded and ran off to go with Rex. It was going to have to wait, but she understood why Obi-Wan wanted her to send the update. Anakin was going to get restless on Coruscant without a mission, especially if no attack came. 

I'll remind you later, the Sister offered. Just focus on your mission for now. 

Thanks, Sister, she thought back, and let the subject be. She needed to concentrate on this attack.

~

Author's Note: The next few scenes in the episode happen as usual. Sterling reports that Jesse was taken alive by Maul, and our wonderful trio goes to interrogate Almec before he's assassinated by Saxon. Almec still confesses that Maul wanted both Kenobi and Skywalker to come to Mandalore before he falls over dead (good riddance). Maul tells the Syndicate members to evacuate and sneaks into the throne room. Rex gets Jesse back, and Bo-Katan goes to deal with the fight outside. 

~

"Look at them," Maul told Ahsoka, as he observed the chaos reigning outside. "So blissfully ignorant."

Ahsoka wasn't interested. The sooner this fight happened, the better. "Care to tell me what this is all about? Or would you rather save it for the Council?"

Maul seemed amused, and he turned to face her as he spoke. "Oh no, no. You are the one that I wish to speak with. Were you not cast out of your Order?"

Of course, he would have asked Jesse about this. Careful, the Sister warned her. Sideous probably taught him to manipulate people using the Dark Side. "I left voluntarily."

"Yes, but you were motivated to leave by the hypocrisy of the Jedi Council," he predicted, and when Ahsoka didn't deny it, he sighed. "We were both tools for greater powers."

"I remember," Ahsoka told him, choosing not to explain the extent of his statement about her. She didn't like thinking about her own experience with manipulation. "You were Sideous's apprentice before Obi-Wan killed you. After your death, he took on Tyrannus instead."

Maul side-eyed her, not expecting her to be so knowledgable about his past. "I see you've done your research," he noted, folding his hands behind his back.