Chapter 270
Mon Mothma thoughtfully moved her spoon around her cup of coffee
"Unfortunately, the senators are increasingly satisfied with the current situation, where all military matters are being shifted to the Supreme Chancellor and the Jedi Order. No one wants to bear responsibility for what's happening. Especially after the negative reports from the front. Take Jabiim- despite the terrible losses of the cis the republic got mineral rights... Or the battle on Aargonar, which has been ongoing for seven months now.."
Nabuanka sighed heavily.
"It's bitter to admit, but you're right. Even some of our supporter....are hesitant' After a short pause she asked. - How is Bale?
-1 heard that he arrived at Christophsis with the lead cargo ships
- I wouldn't be surprised if he arrived on the first one..
The conversation between the two women was interrupted by the appearance of C3PO "My apologies, Mistress Padmé. The Separatists are transmitting an important message on
the Hypercomm Cartel."
"Put it on the projector" Amidala ordered. The SNC broadcast was carried out through the InterGalactic Banking Clan and was banned in the Republic. Any citizen caught viewing this information could lose hundreds of credits, and those who facilitated its distribution could be seni to Kessel. However, senators enjoyed many privileges...
A respectable-looking Neimoidian was speaking to some audience:
.. Long-range scanning has confirmed that the Republic is building up its defenses on the outer edges of Kuat space, increasing the number of warships stationed between Kuat ana Neimoidia. As a reminder, the planets are less than ten parsecs apart. Many experts believe that a fierce battle betweer the two shipbuilding systems will end the war...
"When the campaign to capture Coruscant occurs-and it certainly will-the first order or business will be to neutralize Kuat." said a Trade Federation official who wished to remain anonymous. "Until then, it will be a game of dejarik, with each player accumulating powerful pieces on their side of the board."
"..We know that last week, the Republic deploved an additional twenty-four Endorser-class warships to the outer edges of the Kuat system, in response to the appearance of a dozen Trade Federation warships in orbit around Balmorra. The planet lies precisely between Kuat ana Neimoidia. When Balmorra seceded from the Republic, Kuat abandoned its holdings on this factory planet, allowing the Techno Union to seize control of the local factories. And while this was a boon for Confederate intelligence, the assets captured here are of little tactical value in the standoff between the two systems..."
"Kuat left behind mostly ground walkers and heavy transports, which will be of little use in the coming space battle. Unlike other planets, capturing Kuat's surface is a pointless endeavor. Only the shipyards are valuable," said military strategist Dasken Hobiv. "Orbital stations have been established around Kuat's shipyards--some of the most heavily guarded in the galaxy--to prevent long-range scanners from collecting information."
.Besides protecting its interests, the Republic is actively engaged in intelligence operations. Kuat specialists attempted to infiltrate Neimoidia using modified worker droids equipped with spy equipment. However, the attempt failed. "The use of automated workers ana semi-sentient insectoids prevented Kuat thieves from attempting to steal any of our technological secrets," Techno Union Foreman Wat Tambor stated after the capture of fifteen spy droids, widely reported in the media last week
After the broadcast ended, the senators fell silent for a long moment, digesting what they'c iust heard. Finally, Padmé sighed
-The conflict is escalating.
"But it might serve our purpose," Mon Mothma replied
Under Amidala's surprised gaze, the red-haired woman explained
"Now that the CIS has the upper hand, all our talk of reconciliation seems futile: neither the Trade Federation nor the Techno Union will agree to a peace agreement. However, should the Republic deal a serious blow to the Separatists, at that moment-when the balance of power is balanced--they will be more accommodating. It's important not to miss this opportunity.
"Yes" Padmé quickly considered the idea, "That way we can end this war. However..." "We'll have to wait. That's all we can do for now. However.."
Amidala tilted her head expectantly. Mothma glanced around-which was very strange-and then began to speak, but almost in a whisper.
- Bale met with Valorum before his departure. "Finis Valorum?" the Naboo woman asked
"Exactly. They agreed to meet when our friend returned from Christophsis. You remember, of course, how Palpatine managed to avoid the election, citing extraordinary circumstances-the Separatist Crisis and the outbreak of war?"
"Yes, they were supposed to take place in 2011, but they were postponed indefinitely. What are you getting at?"
- Bail hinted that Valorum was ready to criticize Palpatine and compete for the Chancellor's seat.
Amidala grimaced. - Valorum? I don't trust him.
"I understand you, the Naboo blockade is still fresh in our minds, but... We can't miss this chance. Palpatine is taking too much power into his own hands. We need to get rid of him. Besides, Valorum is the one who can end this war. We need him. Padmé.'"
"It saddens me to admit it, but... I agree with you. We simply don't have another candidate Our opponents won't follow any of us, but they might vote for him." *
The scream of a tie fighter interrupted the senators meeting
As Amidala looked and observed the tie silencer general dagon fighter and a tie advanced with togruta colors of Ahsoka tano flying through the air
Scene 2
Ahsoka pov
Fast. That was the only word that fit as I slammed the throttle forward and felt the new starfighter surge beneath me like a living thing. The cockpit hummed with raw power, the stars outside the transparisteel blurring into streaks of white fire. I grinned so wide my cheeks hurt, lekku twitching with pure joy. This wasn't just any ship—it was mine, painted exactly the way I'd begged for. Bright orange and white with bold blue accents slashing across the wings, the same colors I'd worn as a youngling when everything still felt simple. I'd sketched the design on a datapad for weeks, half-expecting Master Dagon to laugh it off or slap on some boring matte black like he preferred. Dark colors. Cheap. Practical. That was his style—stealth first, flash never.
But he'd said yes. Just like that. I still couldn't believe it. One minute I was ranting through our bond about how I wanted my fighter to scream "Ahsoka Tano" from a kilometer away, and the next he'd handed the creds over without a single lecture about blending into the void. It made my stomach flip in the best way. Because even though he was my master—taller, older in every way that counted, with that quiet intensity that made the whole galaxy feel smaller—we weren't just master and padawan anymore. Not after everything we'd been through. Not after the girls and I had fallen so hard for him that it felt like the Force itself had rearranged our hearts. Stella, zeltron calm and steady; flare, graceful and fierce; even kayla with her wide-eyed wonder—they all loved him the way I did. Deep. Real. Messy.
Still… he treated me like a kid sometimes. I was sixteen. Sixteen! In the eyes of half the galaxy that made me an adult, ready to lead squadrons, ready to make my own choices. We'd already crossed that line weeks ago, the kind of closeness that left us both breathless and tangled in the dark after a mission, his hands steady on my skin while I whispered things I'd never said to anyone. Heat rushed to my face just remembering it—the way he'd held back at first, like I might break, even though I was the one pulling him closer.
I banked hard through an asteroid field, the fighter responding like it had been born for my touch. "You're perfect," I murmured to the ship, then reached through the bond without thinking. *Dagon? You still there?*
His presence flooded in instantly, warm and solid, that familiar rumble of amusement mixed with something softer. *Right here, little one.* The nickname made me scowl even as my heart skipped.
*Stop calling me that,* I shot back, but there was no real bite. *I'm not a kid anymore. You know that.*
A pause, then his voice—deeper in my mind than any comm could ever be—interrupted gently. *It is up to you. I never was in a relationship before this… any of this. So this is new to me as well. Plus, accounting for my previous life, if you use those memories I'm about seventy-seven years old mentally. Single my entire life. So just say what you need, and I'm okay with it. No games. No pretending.*
The words hit me like a hyperspace jump. Seventy-seven mentally, but here he was, letting a sixteen-year-old paint her starfighter neon and trusting her with his heart. I eased off the throttle, letting the ship drift through open space while I floated in the feeling of him—steady, patient, a little uncertain, but completely mine.
I smiled, lekku curling with affection. *What I need is you. All of you. Not the master who holds back. Not the guy who thinks I'm still the padawan who needs protecting. Just… us. Fast, bright, and real. Like this fighter.*
His chuckle echoed through the bond, low and warm. *Then that's what you'll get, Ahsoka.*
I punched the throttle again, orange and blue wings cutting through the stars, heart racing faster than the engines. For the first time, it didn't feel like I was flying alone.