Blurred Sides (COMPLETE)

4.1.2

Anakin waited for Master Billaba inside the door. He had a feeling that the Jedi Master wasn't overly at ease with the mission they had just sent their Padawans off on. He didn't blame her; Caleb had been assigned to her only a few days ago. She had every reason to be nervous. The first time always was.

He stood near the door, waiting patiently for Depa to walk through. She was so lost in thought, that she walked right past Anakin without seeing him. He approached her from behind.

"Master Billaba?"

Depa jumped, her hand reaching for her lightsaber before she realized who it was. "Skywalker! Careful, if you please!"

He restrained a smile. "Sorry, Master. I only wanted to make sure you were alright."

Depa covered her pulsing chest with her right hand. "I will be, Skywalker. Thank you."

They continued their walk back towards the center of the temple. Slowly, Depa's heartbeat returned to a normal pace, but her mind did not cease to reel on at double speed. Caleb was inexperienced. If the negotiations proved unsuccessful, and the districts resorted to violence, there was no guarantee that-

"Are you heading back to the Council Room?" Anakin interrupted Depa's thoughts.

She nodded, trying to forget her worries. "Master Windu has the last of the details for the Ryloth mission. Once I receive those I need to set out immediately."

"How did we lose Ryloth? I didn't think the Separatists occupied that system anymore."

"I'm afraid the Separatists couldn't care less about what you, or anyone else, thinks of them."

Anakin rolled his eyes behind Depa's back. He respected the Master, but he knew that his opinions didn't affect the Separatists. He wasn't stupid.

Depa walked on in silence in front of him. She turned the down the hall leading to the Council Room, but Anakin called after her "You know Ahsoka will take care of him, right?"

She paused in her tracks and slowly turned to face the Chosen One, whose face showed no sign of doubt or fear for his Padawan.

"Ahsoka's done more dangerous things than this before. She won't let anything hurt Caleb."

Depa smiled at the young Knight. Despite her concerns, she couldn't help but be inspired by his optimism and trust in the Padawans. "I strongly believe that your Padawan is one of the few who can achieve that feat, Skywalker. I would have no one else do this for me." She turned back to her path. "You have taught her well."

And with that, she walked away, leaving Anakin with the proudest of smiles on his face.

~

"Wait until I say so, and then push that lever."

"All the way?"

"All the way, on my mark."

Ahsoka and Caleb were almost ready to leave the orbit of Coruscant. Caleb, with Ahsoka's help, had correctly entered the coordinates to the Fosin system and had a hand on the hyperdrive controls. Ahsoka had refused to let him fly the ship above the city-planet, due to the excessive air traffic above Coruscant, but that hadn't stopped Caleb from begging her to let him. Ahsoka realized that the more he was given to accomplish, the less he jabbered and the more he focused. Ahsoka made a mental note to tell Master Billaba once they met her in the Ryloth system later.

"Push it now."

Caleb obliged, perhaps a little too excitedly, but the ship jumped to hyperspace nonetheless. The stars blurred as the planet disappeared behind them, and after the initial jerk of the jump, Caleb stood up and leaned closer to the window of the cockpit. As he stared at their new surroundings, Ahsoka smiled and remembered her first jump. She had done the very same thing.