The conversation with her teacher took place in the evening, and immediately afterwards she went to the dining hall, her appetite whetted by her turbulent joy. The dining room was empty, which was not surprising, as the younglings were at their evening training and the Padawans had already had their supper. Asoka approached the serving counter, which was almost empty, with only a plate of almost stale salad and a glass of almost colourless compote standing forlornly at the back. Anyone else would have been outraged, but Ahsoka just sighed, took what was on offer, and sat down at a table by the window. Her slave past had taught her not to expect miracles, but to take what she was given, knowing that something better might not come along. She was just about to put the spoon in her mouth when she heard a voice behind her:
"Hello, Asoka, may I join you?
"Anakin! Of course not, sit down next to me," smiled the girl, inviting him to the table. In light of recent events, her resentment towards Skywalker was gone, and instead she felt an overwhelming desire to share her joy with someone. No, not with just anyone, but with him. With Anakin.
"Ahsoka, I'm sorry, I got carried away," the teenager said, as if hearing her thoughts. "I shouldn't have said such terrible things to you."
"Come on, let's forget about it," Ahsoka agreed easily, as if it were nothing. "I'm going to be made a Knight. It might even happen tomorrow." At her words, Anakin's face lit up with a sincere smile, and he was truly happy for his friend.
"Ahsoka, did it really happen? I'm so happy, you've wanted this for so long," he finally said and reached out to hug the Togruta. She hugged him back and froze for a moment, pressing her head against her friend's shoulder.
"Where will your trials take place?" he asked again when they sat down opposite each other. "I heard that they traditionally take place here, in the Temple."
"Yes, that's right," Asoka said after a moment's hesitation. "Only this time, Master Yoda decided it would be better if we went to Tython, the ancient planet where our Order was founded, and conducted all the trials there, deep inside the Temple."
"That's incredibly interesting, I've never been there," said Anakin with a hint of regret. "I won't be made a Knight anytime soon, but I've already been promised the rank of Padawan.
"Do you know who your teacher will be?" asked Ahsoka, wanting to show at least a little interest in him.
"They won't tell me, they only said that I know him well. I hope it's not Master Windu," Anakin said, looking up at the ceiling with undisguised horror. "They also said that I will be assigned a teacher in the next few days, maybe even tomorrow. Do you think it's too early for me?"
"You know, they didn't want to include me in the group of selected candidates for the trials either," Ahsoka tried to cheer him up, but in the next second she achieved the opposite result. "However, the Supreme Chancellor managed to convince the Council that I was ready to become an independent Jedi. And I am very grateful to him for that."
As soon as she said that, Anakin's face flushed red, his lips pressed into a straight line, and his eyes took on an increasingly stern expression. He spent the rest of the day trying in vain to convince himself that he shouldn't read too much into Asoka and the Chancellor's conversation. He tried, but all his convictions were shattered when Skywalker saw how animated Tano's face became when she spoke of Palpatine. It flushed, her lips curved into a smile, and a secret, deep light appeared in her eyes. The teenager had never seen her like that when talking about other people or things. It stirred a very strange and unfamiliar feeling deep within him. It rose up in a heavy, suffocating wave, filling the air and obscuring his vision with a veil of smoke, causing everything that was happening to appear in a different light. A very unattractive light. The acrid smoke stung his nose and spread through his veins like bitter poison, depriving the guard named Consciousness of his ability to control himself. Soon the guard was completely asleep, and his emotions, freed from their restraints, rose to the surface with delight, rejoicing in their unexpected freedom. The first to emerge were, of course, the negative ones. The most impatient and passionate. But also the shortest-lived.
"The Chancellor again!" he shouted with rage, slamming his hand on the table, causing a glass of half-drunk compote to jump up and spill over. "Him again! We can't go anywhere without him!"
"Anakin, stop, I beg you!" Ahsoka pleaded with him. "Don't make a scene. I can't bear to see this."
"You can't?" Anakin immediately flew into a rage. "I'm not surprised. I know why! You have such a good and incomparable chancellor by your side, so why would you need me, a petty and clumsy man like me?"
"Stop it right now!" Asoka finally cried out. "If you don't shut up right now, I'll... I just don't know what I'll do if I stop being responsible for my actions."
"Haven't you stopped already?" Anakin knew he had to stop, but he couldn't help himself, carried away by a wave of razor-sharp jealousy. "Look at yourself! What are you turning into? All you ever talk about is your dear Chancellor! I can guess how you got on that list. Tell me, did you even enjoy it? Or was it better with Ferrus?
That was the last straw. Unable to hold back any longer, trying not to pay attention to these openly nasty and humiliating words directed at her, which were completely undeserved, Asoka rose sharply from the table and lashed out, slapping the teenager across the cheek. Anakin flinched and immediately fell silent, his body shaking slightly, his right cheek burning brightly against his pale complexion. He blinked rapidly and couldn't find a response, but Asoka, coming to her senses more quickly, felt a sharp pang of remorse.
"I'm sorry, I don't know how it happened, I didn't mean to, really," she said softly, timidly touching her friend's shoulder. Anakin jerked away from her as if he had been burned and, turning to face the girl, pierced her with a sharp glance:
"Ask the Chancellor for forgiveness. For sitting with me just now.
His voice was cold and harsh, leaving no room for argument. Ahsoka still tried to approach him and take his hand, but Skywalker pulled it away and rushed out of the dining room. Tano was left alone, confused and with a bitter feeling that what had happened was irreparable. Only the realisation that she was the only one who could still change the situation prevented her from quietly going to her room to get some sleep before the trial. Was it really necessary? Ahsoka followed him, going up to the younglings' floor, but the teenager was nowhere to be found. The corridor was deserted and quiet. The room where he lived with his friends was also empty. Anakin's bed, near the wall at the end, looked made, the blanket was neatly pulled over it, with no dents, which meant that Skywalker hadn't been there either. And then it dawned on Asoka: secret passages known only to him! He must have used them! Without a second thought, she followed the trail, hoping that the hangar was not locked. But she was even luckier — one of the speeders was standing next to it, not driven inside. There was no time to think, and Tano jumped into the cockpit, started the engine, and flew a safe distance away from the Temple, not hearing the indignant cries of the unlucky owner of the transport. Using the Force, she tried to find Anakin. And she found him, in a place she would rather not have found him. The path lay to the Lower Levels. Evening was turning into night, and a dark mist spread through the streets. There were no stars visible tonight, and the only light came from the streetlamps. People were also reluctant to go out at such a late hour and in such bad weather, but Togruta decided to venture out. She felt as if she were completely alone in the world and that only she could decide what would happen to her friend. Just like back then on Ilum, after which he began to change so much. Because now, just like that day, she was guided by the bright glow of the Force beacon. Only this time, the dot glowed bright orange, even tinged with red, which indicated the emotional instability of the one whose life it represented.
"That's putting it mildly," the Force would have said to Ahsoka's thoughts, because as soon as he left the dining room, Anakin felt the strongest desire of his life to get away from the Temple. And from Ahsoka. Emotions were raging inside him, demanding release. He was shaking with rage and wanted to punch the despicable Chancellor who had taken Anakin away from him, then rush over to her and try to talk some sense into her, telling her over and over that Palpatine was not right for her. He was older than her and would never be able to understand or accept her for who she was. He would never love her either, only take advantage of her trust and then abandon her without regret. It was as clear as day. So why did she spend hours in his office, looking devotedly into his eyes? Big, insincere eyes. It seemed that if he told her to kill someone, even him, Asoka would just smile in response and say, "It will be done," and go towards Anakin with a naked sword. She. His Asoka. The one he simply adores and loves most, after his mother. Like an older sister, like a best friend, like... Even in a way that was forbidden by the Code. He proved it to her day after day, thinking that she noticed. But no, Asoka had only one person on her mind. Only him, and no one else. These thoughts made him even angrier and drove him to do something truly terrible — to hurt himself even more, just to spite her. To show her what he would become now, if she didn't care about his efforts to become better. Without thinking about the consequences, Skywalker headed for the secret passages and, as usual, took a speeder from the hangar, this time one that belonged to Master Kenobi, and flew to the Lower Levels, wanting to have some fun. There were many entertainment venues at this level, but Anakin was not allowed in because of his young age. Of course, he was tall and looked a few years older than his thirteen, but his face, which had not yet lost its childlike innocence, instantly gave away his true age. After being refused entry once again, Anakin muttered angrily, "What a day, I can't even get drunk!" and headed for the nearest doorway to take out his frustration on some drunkard. The doorway led to the courtyard of a small, dilapidated house that was slated for demolition but was still inhabited. There, at the edge of the sandbox, sat a group of teenagers, Enakine's age and a little older, engrossed in a card game. Skywalker knew that it was called sabbaq and was strictly forbidden in the Order. He wasn't very good at it, but since he always learned everything easily, he thought he could play a game or two if the opportunity arose. As if sensing his hesitation, one of the players, a skinny Twi'lek of about sixteen in a greasy jumpsuit, called out to Skywalker, patting the sandbox with his hand:
"Hey, Jedi, come on over and try your luck! The Force loves people like you!"
Anakin didn't think twice, if he was going to fall, he was going to fall to the very bottom, and soon he was sitting on the dirty sandbox, counting the cards he had been dealt. The rules of the game weren't that complicated, but he had little experience, and his companions were skilled cheaters. In short, Anakin's luck was short-lived, and he gradually began to lose ground, losing game after game. Incidentally, the boys weren't just playing for fun, but for small coins and other valuables they had, and at one point, Twi'lek said to Skywalker:
"Come on, brother, pay up, you've lost everything!
Anakin shuddered, not thinking for a second that he would have to pay for the thrill.
"But I don't have anything, I didn't bring any credit with me," he tried to resist, but Twi'lek's gaze had already scanned his thin figure and lingered lustfully on the teenager's waist.
"Come on, give it to me! That thing is worth more than you!" he said, pointing to the sword.
"But I can't..." Skywalker began, but then decided, what the heck, and placed the silver hilt on the edge of the sandbox, but before the Twi'lek could take it, a thin but nimble orange hand suddenly came down on it.
"Right! What the hell is going on here?" The voice rang out above the players' heads, and they all looked up to see a tall, slender Togrutta, about eighteen years old, with an angry face, followed by a short, skinny boy, dirty and tearful, shifting nervously from foot to foot. He was the reason Asoka had come to this courtyard, the reason that coincided with the flash of the orange force point. She left her speeder near a building where the signal was strongest and walked through the gateway, where she heard muffled sobs coming from near a dirty wall. Asoka approached and saw a boy of about ten years old, rubbing his face with his fists. Her duty as a Jedi, and simply sympathy, compelled her to approach:
"What are you crying about?" she asked a little mockingly. "Aren't you ashamed of yourself, a big boy, crying like that?"
From her childhood experience, the Togruta knew that children from the lower social classes should never be pitied, as this would only make them angry. They had to be treated as equals.
"I lost my money," he sobbed. "That Bick always beats me. He cheats and robs me blind!"
"It's your own fault for getting involved with him," Asoka tried to appeal to his pride. "You knew it would happen."
"I knew," the boy had to admit, "I wanted to earn some money. For a present for my mother.
"Yeah, right," Asoka whistled, "what a great present! How much did he get out of you?
"Ten credits," the boy cried, hiding his eyes.
"All right, let's go," sighed Tano, taking pity on the little loser. "Show me who hurt you!"
It wasn't far, just a few metres, and Asoka saw even more.
"There he is, Bick," whispered the boy, pointing at the twilek.
"I'll deal with him!" she said belligerently, putting her hands on her hips and walking towards the sandpit, grabbing Anakin's sword at the last moment.
"And what do you call that?" she said menacingly, grabbing the twilek by both horns with her free hand and lifting him slightly above everyone else with the Force. "Aren't you ashamed of playing for money with little kids?
"What, me? I didn't do anything," said Bick, no longer so decisive. "I'm not forcing anyone, they sit down to play themselves!
"What if I do this!" she added, stretching out her arm and hitting the Twi'lek against the wall.
"Ouch! You can't do that!" he squealed like a girl.
"Yes, you're right, you can't do that," Asoka agreed unexpectedly. "But you can do this!
And turning it upside down, she hung it by its feet on the window grille.
"See? He won't touch you anymore!" Asoka said to the children and whistled to call the guard on duty. "Take this guy away, he's playing with the children for money," she explained when the guard appeared. "And take ten credits out of his pocket!"
The criminal was taken away in a police speeder, and the children scattered to their homes to tell their parents about their unusual savior.
"All right, now run to your mother," the Togruta told her little companion. "She's been waiting for you for a long time! And I'll have a word with you later," she said to Anakin. "And take your sword with you. I don't need it. I have two of my own!"
"Why are you scolding me?" he said discontentedly as they sat in the speeder. "You're not my mother, you can't do that."
"Thank the Force, otherwise I would have lost my temper," she replied in a gloomy tone. "If I see that again, it won't be me who returns you to the temple, but Yoda himself, whose speeder you stole!"
They didn't say another word for the rest of the journey, their hurt and anger still too strong. It was well past midnight and Asoka was dying to sleep, but she wouldn't be able to close her eyes that night.
***
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