Je'daii Deku 2: The Clone Wars

The True Suspect

Arriving back at the Senate building, Hizoshi found that Ochako was following Padme Amidala. She wore a more reserved, gray colored dress with her hair back, while the violette's friend was still in an earth style suit. They were clearly headed some place. "Hey Ochako. Mind if I join?"
"You probably should." Padme said for her. "You were helping General Skywalker with Ahsoka, right?"
"I was." She responded, nodding slowly before shifting her attention to the obvious next question. "Why?"
"I have been asked to be her defense. The Jedi handed her over to the military for a tribunal... and with evidence the way it is..."
"She doesn't have a good shot." Ochako summarized. It was a depressing situation through and through. They all knew she was innocent, but the circumstantial evidence was too damning.

Hizoshi asked the senator. "Did Anakin contact you? I sent him on a lead."
"Not yet. We're going to have to presume that he won't find anything." Padme admitted. Reaching the outside, Padme organized private transport, which two teens boarded, and departed for the detention center.

Hizoshi had to ask, her voice slightly sharper than before. "Did the Jedi even try to defend her?"
Ochako answered that particular question, "They were forced to hand her over to the Senate, due to questions of bias in an internal Jedi trial. They exiled her from the order, and handed her over to a senate tribunal."

"I... see..." the violette cursed inwards. Izuku's cynicism is completely justified here... This couldn't have happened to a better person.

Meanwhile, Anakin Skywalker walked towards the Padawan sleeping quarters. They were a section in the Jedi temple designated for initiates, with access to natural light and a decent view of Coruscant... but the Jedi Knight was not focused on that for the current moment. Right now, he was completely focused on the only lead he had. The witness testimony of Ventress indicated that a "Barriss" talked to her before they got to the warehouse... and the only Barriss he knew that Ahsoka remotely knew was Barriss Offee. The Padawan of Luminara Unduli. To be honest there was very little that would make her stand out from the rest of the order... if not for Ahsoka's friendship, that was. That, and the circumstances of the night. Both Ventress and Banshee had seen his padawan call her. If Ventress' lightsabers, stolen that night, were there, he'd have her dead to rights. It would then be a matter of getting a confession. Reaching the door, he paused for a moment, thinking of a plan. Then he remembered his greatest strength: improvisation. Pressing the call button, he waited for the mirialan to respond.

The padawan's voice called through the door. Her voice was calm and collected... and her presence indicated that as well. "Enter."

Taking that as his permission, he opened the door, seeing the green skinned girl kneeling before a statuette. He thought it was ugly, but didn't voice his opinion. After all, his actions now would save his apprentice. And that mattered far more than a trite little statue. "Barriss, I need to talk to you." He walked a few steps into the admittedly small room. Barely enough for a bed, a pot in the corner by the door, and the small table with the idol. She turned and stood up, her eyes opening to see his face. She smiled warmly, but her eyes were elsewhere.

Clue #1. Her eyes are lying.

"Master Skywalker, how can I help you?" He looked into her eyes, and saw that she was saying that as a mere pleasantry. Not because it was genuine.

Clue #2. Her words are untrue.

Anakin looked down to the small table, and noticed that her lightsaber rested in front of the statuette. It was smoother than his, with a couple dials, and adjustment settings, just like most Jedi, and he continued, walking past it as he spoke: "I was told that you spoke with Ahsoka..." He pulled her lightsaber up to his robotic hand with the force, and inspected it closer, "...before she was arrested." Now at the window, Anakin held the lightsaber handle with both hands, before glancing back at the padawan, "What did you say to her?"
Her answer was robotic, but it was crystal clear that she did not like where this conversation was heading already, "We've been friends a long time. I was only trying to help her. I hope I'm not in any trouble."

Clue #3. She's telling me what I already know to derail the conversation.

"It's no trouble." He looked down at the blade, as if inspecting it for evidence, and he turned back towards the window. Its shades were down, but angled so that light could still enter the room. Anakin continued, "I just need to know what you told her, and if you told anyone else."

Her blue eyes instinctively widened, and she countered quickly, "No. I thought I had a clue for her, but I really couldn't tell her anything."

Clue #5. She did have a clue. The warehouse had the nanodroids. Clue #6. She is too hasty in her own defense... but his analysis was interrupted by a question from Barriss. "Who told you I spoke to her?"

Anakin spoke honestly, looking back at her. "There were multiple witnesses at the time. A private investigator and Ventress..."
"Ventress?" She latched on to that detail. It was a possible lifeline from the trap she was metaphorically stumbling into. "Isn't she the one that Ahsoka said is really behind all of this?"

He agreed, maneuvering the girl into the breaking point. His voice was somber as he responded, "That's what Ahsoka says, but I think she's wrong. Ventress thinks someone else is involved."

"Who else could it be if it wasn't her? Surely not Ahsoka." Anakin turned back to the window again, seemingly in thought, but he knew for sure now. She's almost there... just one final test is all that's needed... He did notice her move slightly, putting the pot from before behind her. "No. I don't think it was Ahsoka either. I think Ahsoka and Ventress are telling the truth. But..." His voice turned dark as he said the last few words, "There's only one way to find out." Igniting Barriss' lightsaber, he swung as she met her jedi blade with a pair of crimson ones. Seeing the distinct curved handles, he immediately recognized what they were, and more importantly, who they belonged to. Final Clue right here... "Funny." He noted, "Those belong to Ventress."

She broke the clash, and slashed a couple of times before getting bladelocked again. Anakin scolded her for keeping a trophy, "You should have gotten rid of them!" This time, Barriss spoke back, still with her quiet voice, "I think they suit me." She swung a few times before Anakin caught one of her hands with his free one, and kicked her out of the room. Looking around, she ran down the hall, with Anakin soon after her.