(Conference Room, Republic Venator-Class Star Destroyer Leveler)
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(Callista Masana POV)
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Callista had never been in a ship of the Leveler's size before, and it fascinated her.
It felt … alive.
She walked up the passageway behind Master Altis, distracted by the sense of nerves and blood vessels around her. It was the only way she could describe it; she'd felt the same sensation on other vessels to a lesser degree, but this ship, this self-contained city, was another order of magnitude altogether.
''What's wrong?'' Geith asked, nudging her in the small of the back to keep her moving. "What are you staring at?''
''Can't you feel it?'' She asked. ''The power in this thing? It's like a pulse. Like brain activity.''
''No, but that background hum is getting on my nerves.'' Geith gave her a playful swat on the backside. ''I think you're hypersensitive to electronics because you grew up sea-farming. Lots of fish and sea creatures depend on detecting charges and electrical fields, don't they?''
''That's true, I suppose.''
''If we ever need the income, you'd make a great electrician—''
She turned to make a stern comment back at him - they were on a serious mission, and he was in one of his rebellious moods — but when she looked back, she saw a little Togruta female walking behind them, looking quietly stunned. There was a man next to her looking mildly amused.
She quickly realized however…this man is a Jedi Master.
The Togruta was wearing a set of blue fatigues several sizes too big for her. A lightsaber hung from her belt. Her companion wore a distinct set of Mandalorian Armor, a pair of Lightsabers hung from his waist.
The electrum detailing on one of his hilts catches her attention, and she notes out of the corner of her eye that Master Altis is also intrigued.
''Oh.'' Callista said. ''I didn't realize that the Leveler had more than one Jedi on board." She stopped to let the Togruta catch up with them. "I'm Callista. This is Geith.''
''Ahsoka Tano.'' The Togruta said, incongruously adult for a moment. ''General Skywalker's Padawan. You're really Jedi? Not just Force-sensitives?''
She was looking at Geith suspiciously. Callista felt a strong sense of shock from her, and … guilt? Fear? Disapproval? Of course. She'd just seen Geith openly showing affection. Ahsoka was a mainstream Jedi, raised on scare stories of how attachment led to the dark side, so the child thought she was watching them falling to the Sith or some such nonsense. It was only when Callista saw Ahsoka's reaction that she realized how much of a gulf lay between the two schools of belief.
Strangely, her companion had no such feelings that Callista could sense through the Force.
''Ahsoka, ease off a bit. Their Altisian Jedi, the Padawans of the man before us. Jedi Master Din Altis.'' Her Companion said.
''You know of us?'' Asks Geith.
''Naturally. I'm kept apprised of every possible third party ally.'' The assurance in which he spoke. He wasn't arrogant, proud perhaps, but he was calm.
''We've never met before as far as I can recall, and yet, you do seem familiar.'' Master Altis says, thoughtfully.
''Not surprised you don't remember me master, we have met, but only through mentions of a late acquaintance. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn found me and brought me to the Temple. He and Dooku took a vested interest in my training, and Master Jinn often told me stories about your unique views. Considering my own circumstances, I share your views in large part.'' Says the man, and Callista notices he has a cybernetic arm, she feels her eyes widen with interest,
''Ahh, Kellian Ordo. I remember now, Qui-Gon spoke often of your progress. You were found on Concord Dawn at the age of six, and brought to the temple by Qui-Gon and his then Jedi Master, the Separatist leader, Count Dooku.'' That was…something.
''You were brought to the temple by Dooku?'' Ahsoka asked in surprise.
''Don't be so shocked Ahsoka, afterall, you belong to the same Lineage of Master and Apprentice as Dooku does. Dooku was trained by the late Master Thame Cerulian, who was trained by Master Unskette, who in turn was trained by Master Yoda. Dooku likewise trained Qui-Gon, who not only found Anakin and brought him to the temple, but trained Obi-Wan. You know the rest.'' Kellian said.
''Didn't need to know that, makes me feel ill.'' Says Ahsoka.
''Let's speak later Master Altis, there's an important and discreet matter I need to speak with you about privately.'' Says Master Ordo, and Callista doesn't need the Force to notice the tension in Master Ordo's body language.
Something was bothering him.
Geith, however, responded to Ahsoka.
''Yes, we're Jedi.'' Geith's tone had the faintest tinge of impatience. He rarely met orthodox Jedi, and Callista hoped his urge to point out the narrowness of their ways didn't get the better of him now that he finally had a target. ''There's more than one way to use the Force for good.''
Ahsoka said nothing more. She simply walked ahead of them in silence. Though Callista noticed the side eye in which she glanced at Master Ordo, as well as the slight blush. Progress perhaps?
Nevertheless, the impression she left in the Force was more eloquent than any comment: she was confused and embarrassed. Callista waited for her to disappear into the doorway at the end of the passage, then caught Geith's sleeve. She waited for Master Ordo to move ahead before speaking.
''You know very well what happens…'' She said. ''Other Jedi see us, and we scare them. There's no point arguing about it.''
''Okay, okay …''
''Promise me.'' She insisted.
''There's no point debating it with a kid, either. But it's more than the fact that we can marry and they can't. Oh, and how many Padawans a Master can take. Like any of that matters. No, this is about dogma. About control.'' He argues.
''Like I said, we unsettle them, and the best thing we can do is to let them go their way while we go ours.''
She gave him her I-mean-it look. He sighed, then smiled and nodded. There was a time and a place for ideological debate, and this wasn't either the time or place.
But then they walked into the meeting room, and she felt Geith react again. Not to a shocked little Padawan this time; to the clone troopers sitting in a group by the holochart, helmets off, deep in conversation. It wasn't so much their identical faces that got her attention as how very young they looked, even the shaven-headed one who had the captain's insignia on his armor. It was more than a little unsettling.
They were all younger than her. Younger than Geith. But otherwise—just like them racially.
No Altisian Jedi had come across clones before setting foot on this ship. Everyone in their community had their views on the ethics of breeding combat troops, but views were just empty theories until the subject of those views sat right there in front of you. Callista could have predicted what was going to happen
without any assistance from the Force. Geith walked straight over to the clones and held out his hand for shaking. Then he sat down with them. It was a statement—not to everyone else, but to those men—that they weren't just a means to an end. It's a gesture that goes a long way, even For the more cynical types of people.
That's just one in a long list of reasons why she loved him. He lived what he believed.
Captain Pellaeon activated the holochart and got the immediate and silent attention without saying a word. Some of his senior officers sat at the table watching him intently. Master Ordo stood beside Ahsoka, while Callista focused on the senior officers' name tags.
''Ladies … gentlemen.'' Pellaeon used none of that: shut your mouths, listen up, people tough talk she'd seen on several holovids. Despite looking somewhere in his thirties, Pellaeon seemed an old-fashioned man. And he also looked like an anxious one. '"We've been tasked to extract one of our agents from behind what's now enemy lines. We don't know if she's alive or dead, or even where she is. That puts us at something of a disadvantage.'' He paused. ''And it's only fair that I tell you she's a very close personal friend of mine. I mention that not to encourage you to try harder, but because I need you to tell me if and when my judgment's clouded, and my emotions put you or this ship in unreasonable danger.''
Callista took a liking to Pellaeon instantly. A courteous and decent man. She could see that Altis did, too; he smiled to himself.
''We're volunteers.'' Master Altis said. ''Agent Devis shouldn't have less expectation of rescue simply because her lover happens to be the first command to respond. If we didn't allow those we love to help us, think of the faith we would have to place in those who hate us.''
Pellaeon still looked stricken, but the frown lines in his forehead relaxed slightly.
''Indeed.'' He said. ''And that means that I expect to shoulder the risks in this rescue.''
''You don't mean go on the mission, do you, Captain?'' The clone with the shaved head and captain's insignia folded his arms across his chest. ''It's not really your job. It's mine, in the absence of any embarked troops. And I've done extractions before. Except we'll do this one my way, and with any luck it won't turn out like Teth." There was a few murmurs of agreement from the senior offices and the other clones.
There was some unspoken debate going on between them. A Hands-on commander, Callista thought. Doesn't want to look like he's letting others do the dirty work. Ahsoka watched, eyes unblinking, clearly still unsettled by the new Jedi, though she seemed nervous and kept glancing at Master Ordo, there was something going on there.
''Of course, Rex.'' Pellaeon said at last. '"I'm just indicating my willingness to front up and do what you require of the ship. Your Plan?''
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And so begins my first foray into limited word count for this story. It won't always be the case, especially while we're in Book Cann, but it's what I feel is necessary to do.
See you guys next chapter.
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