"Calm your emotions, Daesha. Everything will be fine. Trust in the Force."
"Yes… Master."
Both women were wearing their normal Jedi robes again, one was white and the other was brown and tan. Their tentacles and Lekku had long since healed from the trauma, but there were some wounds that couldn't be healed so easily. They stood outside the door for a minute or so before it finally opened.
As they entered the room, they saw twelve seats of various shapes and sizes to fit their very distinctly different owners. In the center of the room was a brown circle with a bunch of dark patterns on it. Around that were some more circles, with similar patterns not far from those fancy chairs… Or thrones.
Daesha couldn't help shivering as she felt those powerful gazes piercing her, scanning her body as if she was naked before them. She couldn't help looking out those huge windows towards the endless city and the lines of vehicles that stretched out farther than her pretty green eyes could see. The dark, cloudy and smoggy sky was illuminated by countless lights from the city below. And for the Jedi, they could see much more, 'feel' much more. So many Sentient lives in one place, so much darkness and sin. Yet their temple stood high above, but not quite in the clouds.
There were big reflective metal pillars between those windows. As she walked towards the center of the room, Daesha couldn't help looking around at the other 4 towers above the Jedi Temple. The High Council Chamber was basically at the very tip of the central-most tower.
Not everyone was actually 'there' in person, but everyone still showed up. From her right to her left was Plo-Koon looking somewhat menacing, though he was actually one of the kindest Masters on the Council. Mace Windu was glaring at them sternly, still fairly young, but technically the second in terms of seniority on the Council. On his right was Yoda sitting in his small and round egg-like metal chair, looking at the two grown women as if they were still only Younglings.
Then there was Ki-Adi-Mundi, Daesha heard that he had just rescued his daughter from Jabba the Hutt and had a baby on the way… But he still found time to join the High Council and come to this meeting in person. Saesee Tiin was far less famous than the others. An Iktotchi man with pale and brown skin, a bald head and two huge bull-like horns sticking down from the sides of his head.
Master Yaddle, a female of the same smalle green Species as Yoda, was looking at them with a hint of concern in her eyes. As for the others… Daesha didn't have time to think about that anymore.
"We're gathered here today for several matters. First, we have some unfortunate news that I believe Kikha and her Padawan should hear…"
Mace Windu's piercing brown eyes frightened even Kikha, not to mention Daesha. He stoic bald human man only paused for a moment before calmly explaining, "Padawan Eldra Kaitis is still missing, but… Presumed dead."
"How can you not know after all this time?" Kikha felt her Master join the Force more than a month ago now. They were knocked out of Hyperspace after about 2 days, spent several weeks before they reached the Trade Federation ship, another few days waiting for her to recover, finally about two weeks to return to Coruscant.
"We found the Xrexus destroyed and their leader Xev was already dead. Everyone who might know something about the Padawan Slave who was to be auctioned is either dead or we have no clue who they might be… Unless new evidence appears, we have to assume the worst and move on. There are far more pressing matters at hand."
"I see…"
With his elbows on his thighs and his hands together under his chin, Mace Windu looked around the room, then back towards the flinching Twi'lek girl and her Nautolan Master. Eventually he said, "Please start from the beginning."
"Yes, Master Windu." Kikha took a breath and looked around at the inquisitive gazes, "My Padawan was having… Disturbing dreams. Visions. I knew that it was very likely something had happened to her mother. In order to deal with her attachment and teach her to let go, I decided that we needed to visit Tatooine… To uncover the truth about her fate."
"Authorized this endeavor, I did." Yoda sighed and shook his wrinkled ancient green head, "Anticipate this result, I did not."
"Yes, and I still thank you for your trust, Master Yoda." Kikha smiled at the tiny old man who was the closest thing to a wise 'grandfather' she or many Jedi would ever have.
"Please continue." Depa Billaba spoke, she was a female human with a chair on the left side, right next to the entrance where they walked into the room. Though she only appeared as a glowing blue hologram.
"We were attacked several days after we left Mos Espa. It was a Chiss Bounty Hunter named Greef, one of the men who… 'Tortured' Giza Kalia before her demise. I managed to take down his ship in the middle of the Western Dune Sea. The man was injured when I reflected his blaster bolt. During the brief interrogation, he revealed some disturbing details about the death of Giza Kalia, which triggered my Padawan's emotions. However, she ultimately avoided falling prey to the Dark Side."
"She didn't kill that bounty hunter?" Master Windu asked, even though he obviously already read the written report beforehand.
"Indeed. Perhaps it was the will of the Force, but shortly after we left, his starship exploded. He was, however, alive before then. Daesha was able to let go of her loss and recovered fairly quickly. I don't believe I would have been able to do the same if our roles were reversed."
"After learning of your bounty, I ordered that you return to the Temple within the week." The bald man had a very calm expression, though his tone seemed a little harsh.
"Yes, Master. I plotted a course and we were scheduled to arrive on Coruscant within six days at most." Kikha hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke, "There was another minor issue. I entered my spawning period. Which might have clouded my judgment on some matters. For example… A certain stowaway."
"Asmodeus." Mace Windu sat up straight and took out a datapad, reading some basic information that was written down, "Age: Unknown. Origin: Tatooine. Species: Classified."
"What do you mean 'classified'? Why would a species ever be classified?" Master Mundi, the man with the particularly tall and bald pale head, looked over at everyone else. Some of the members were also confused, while others understood.
"Am I allowed to say it?" Kikha mainly asked the two highest authorities in the Jedi Order.
"Master Yoda, it's your call."
"A dangerous secret. A painful truth." Yoda sighed and shook his head once more, "Mmmm, speak, you may."
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