Blurred Sides (COMPLETE)

7.5.1

Plo Koon sat back in the seat of his ship and looked out at the hyperspace tunnel. It always calmed him to focus on it, and he could use some calm given recent events.

The better part of a week had passed since Master Depa Billaba and her Padawan Caleb Dume had returned from the Christophsis system, without their cruiser. Their report of the battle had unsettled everyone who heard about it and raised more questions than they had started with.

Only Padawan Dume had seemed to come out of the fight unbothered. Of course, with his own face-to-face interaction with the Inquisitor, nearly every Padawan and Youngling had come up to him at least once asking about the Sister. From what Plo Koon had heard, he never said much on the matter, but only reaffirmed his belief that she was not Ahsoka Tano.

The Knights and the Masters were not so convinced as he was. Master Yoda had talked with Caleb one-on-one and got the same answer that everyone else did, but it didn't seem to sway the minds of the Council. Depa had only shared that she was more uncertain than ever as to what should be done about the Sister. The Jedi Masters were still divided.

Plo Koon, apart from the debate of the Council, wished that there was some hard and fast proof about her identity. He, like Master Yoda, did not want to make another false move concerning Ahsoka's loyalty, but until it was proven one way or the other nothing could be done to solve the problem. All the Jedi Order could do was watch for her and wait for her next strike. 

If only someone had seen her in the past few months. If there was proof that the Inquisitor and Ahsoka were separate people, in separate places at the same time, then the arguing would subside and tensions would dissolve quickly. As it was, the former Padawan had not been seen since she had walked away from the Order. No one knew where she was. 

It broke Plo's heart to think that someone so joyful could possibly have become so dangerous. More and more pictures were popping up from around the galaxy, and in all of them, the Sister looked as menacing as Master Kenobi and Master Billaba had said she was. If it was possible for anyone to have been born looking like a Dark user, then the Sister definitely had been. The red skin added quite the touch to her armor and lightsabers. 

Although he hadn't voiced any of his thoughts, he knew that there were ways to prove the identity of the Inquisitor. If they managed to get a DNA sample they would find answers almost immediately. It would be easier if the Sister was human, because their hair had a tendency to fall out during fights, but she was a Togruta. The only sure DNA they would be able to find were blood samples, and no one had managed to injure her that badly yet. 

The monitor beeped at Plo Koon, and he prepared to drop out of hyperspace. He was arriving at the Birren system, located in the Inner Rim. Supposedly, there was a force-sensitive child down on the surface of the planet and Plo Koon had been sent to retrieve them.

He couldn't help but think about the time he had gone to Shili to meet Ahsoka for the first time. It had been a close call, and a dangerous encounter with the pirates, but he had managed to bring her safely to Coruscant. If only he could do the same for her now.

He shook his head and jumped out of hyperspace. He needed to focus on this child right now. He had to ignore his protective instincts. It was difficult, especially now, but there was no choice at the moment.

Plo Koon flew down to the landing pad next to the Great Hall and deactivated the engine. He walked down the ramp and checked in his ship, eager to finish the mission and return to the Temple. In five minutes, he was pulling the hood of his robe over his head, and walking down the streets of Birren. He followed the faint Force signature to the outskirts of the capital city, away from the hustle and bustle of the daytime rush.