-From the perspective of Anakin-

  A feassed by sinizzal had bee the new grandmaster of the Grey order. She decred that the order's iion with the outer world will be much more open from now on. This seemed to shock the residents at first but most of the people accepted the neily, if slightly worried.

  Sihen me and Ahsoka have been occupied by wandering the city looking at the many artistid historic sculptures and memorials scattered around. Most of the people immortalized through such artistic means were pletely unknown to us, but they were all important to the people living here. The sculptures and memorials were simirly representing civilians and force sensitives. There seemed to be no visible distin or discriminatioweewo group of people. The only thing that mattered, was the achievements and skills of those.

  For example, there was this mandalorian man called, Rhunimack Vuchaill there there is aremely rge aailed statue in the middle of the park. The man was a researcher, he wasn't force sensitive, yet he was the one, says the memorial that figured out how to recreate teleportation gates based on the alien teology found in this city. The man had died mauries ago, at the age of seventy one. Based oremely strict facial expressions carved onto the statue, I guess that the man was simir in temper to Master Windu.

  I was sitting not far from the statue, resting on the bench while looking around the park. The city of Unity wasly a city that was filled to the brim with throngs of people. No, there were people here, in a quite a rge number, but not to the extent to feel crowded. The atmosphere of the city was also very different, almost easygoing. It was extremely rare to see anyone who wasn't dressed in a military uniform move with obvious haste.

  The reason retty much presenting itself. Droids, every manual bor, jobs that were not needing human touch were done by droids. There were many type of droids, h above the ground or above our heads heading towards certain dires, doing jobs like ing the sidewalk or transp items, basically everything. The pce was filled with these automatic droids of many shapes doing most of the necessary jobs on their own.

  Only if the separatist were selling B1 for ing purposes instead of war... The gaxy would have been a much better pbsp;

  I also realized that the citizens did not hold fear towards force sensitives, they treated them just the same, as they openly used force powers oreets or even in children's games. This made me feel quite flicted... I couldn't help, but wonder if the difference from which many jedi suffer, a certain sense of exclusion was never really a thing. I mean, that it might have beeed by our own as, our chosen lifestyle, the seclusion we created among force sensitive and none force sensitive people. We were the ones, who hid behind our temple walls, we were the ones, who never opened up towards the public, but acted mysterious and aloof more often than not towards the citizens of the republic that we swear to protebsp;

  They did not ask us to protect them... ointed ourselves as protectors, and with the passing of time, the people grew to accept us as such. Until the day we ourselves believed that we were ihe protectors of the gaxy, chosen by a higher power to fulfill a more important role, and risked everything in the process. I always felt that our as were more often than not superficial. For example: we have waged war against svery for so long, yet svery still remains and even thrives at certain pces in the gaxy. It is not surprising, our missions were only treating the symptoms, and not the siess. Why was that, I asked many times from myself, or even Obi-Wan, but he didn't have a real answer, he only mumbled something about not having enough manpower, and the Republic expeg too much from a few thousand jedi, we ot care for aire gaxy.

  It was of course true, but that wasn't answering the reason why we didn't try to do a more detailed job at the times we had the ow I suspect that the reason was more sihe siess the corruption, has reached us too, we were effected by it and corrupted to a degree. We k, we se, as our e to the force dimmed over the geions, our force sights were ever more clouded by the shadows of the darkside. Everyone sehe growing tension around us, and the moving thiing darkness on the edge of our visions. What we didn't want to realize was the fact, that we didn't sehe darkhat moved somewhere around the gaxy. The Sith have hidden their presence masterfully, we couldn't sehem before, why would we be able to sehem now?

  No, what we sensed was the darkhat had already corrupted us, the darkhat was moving inside of us, the only reason we couldn't see it was our pride. We thought ourselves to be better than the simply people we wao save, such arrogance. We couldn't even save ourselves, how would we save others?

  Did we mystify our own powers, and abilities unsciously only to be able to feel special about them, to fuel our arrogahere was something terribly wrong with that thought. However, I khat there was truth to it, the feeling of being chosen to fulfill a greater purpose far beyond those of less important, less knowledgable, less wise or skillful people was known to me very well. And I also khat however hard I tried to act aloof about it, the thought that I was the chosen one many times made me feel a sense of invulnerability. I did many things that other jedi would tempt to do, because of that. Many members of my e troopers, lost their lives at those moments.

  From many of such situations I only came out alive by sheer luck, which I would have never admitted openly but in my heart I khe truth and that was enough. Even so I liked to believe that I was a chosehat couldn't be killed, because of some sort of prophecy... I of course khat it was self delusion, but it worked, and made me brave enough to do what I had to do anyway. It was nothing more than a way to cope with the ridiculous demands and expectations that the war and the cil pced on us.

  This was especially bad in my case, as the suspected chosen one. I was among the you jedi knights who had received a padawan... I never pined openly about that, as Ahsoka was someone who I cherished deeply. She has taught me just as much, as I have taught her over the years, and I never for a single moment thought of her as a burden. Of course, she was annoying at times, but who isn't? She was also stubborn as a mule, but I wasn't someone who could pin about that specific thing, not with a good sce at least.

  With all of our struggles and arguments it was a e I held dear. And now, she even knows about Padmé... and she didn't judged me for it, instead she was happy... this was something I will never be able to thank her enough. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be hated by Ahsoka for that... that lie, because it was a lie... I deceived everyone, and the sense of guilt that I felt for su act was simply suffog. That was what brought me ever closer to the darkside... the guilt from my own sins. The tower of lies I built was simir to the tools that the Jedi used, to deceive themselves and others around them, they needed people to believe io be better, after they themselves couldn't believe that anymore.

  I see, that I have done what the order did. We were skating on thin ice, we all know it, I k, yet I wasn't able, no... that's just a cheep excuse... I wasn't brave enough to choose between the order... between my carrier and my wife... I wao keep both, and I still want to keep them, but it is clear that I couldn't do such a thing. Not realistically. However, it might not be too te to choose one, before I lose both... that is the only thing I hope for, at this moment.

  I sighed heavily as the terrible yet invisible weight pressed down on my shoulders.

  -How am I going to tell this to Obi-Wan... and what will I do? I 't leave Padmé... then I only leave the Order, but... what will happen with Ahsoka then, and Obi-Wan... he will be so disappointed. I even leave it in the first pce? They believe me to be some chosen one... It's not even sure that they will let me walk away just like that... It might prove to be te of a blow to their ego and the military morale... e to think of it, I am a General now... Even if the order lets me go, I 't leave the army in the middle of a war. They will treat me as a deserter.

  The weight of the choice preseo the young man sitting in a sunny park in the heart of Unity was no easy matter. But even so, life goes on, as life itself doesn't care about the ones whle with heavy decisions. While one is haunted by the shadows of the past, or maybe burdened by the fears of an uain future, or for the most unluckiest of children, whle with both at the same time.

  Lost in long reag bony arms of transparent hopes, and suffocated by deep and dark fears that are created by our own mind's wild imagination only to up our present, making us almost entirely fet about its existehat we have a choice, ohat could not be taken away.

  Those who are bound by the memories of the past, or the terrors of the future yet awaiting, are simir to the hallow tree, that's truood tall, but its insides are slowly eaten by the swarms of worms. Do not judge my friend, those who have e to this fate. As you may yet share the sadness felt by the hollow tree, and for those who have known of the fate I speak of. Remember, that thy trunk may be empty, but the roots still reach deep in the soil. A tree always grow a runk while its roots still hold onto the ground.

  Life will go on, even when we ot be a part of it, just as it goes on after we stop being a part of it. Therefore, do not look for the things or peoples others deem worthy of your time. Instead spend it with those who you yourself feel worthy of it. Do not bound yourself with the expectations of others, do not be voluntarily imprisoned, eveherwise free.

  The greatest terror known to man is not looking into the eyes of what we fear the most, but to bee the source of it.

  On another side of the city, a togruta girl was walking with her human friend, they were speaking and ughing loudly enjoying the sunshine and the rexed atmosphere that was lingering around the streets. The girls couldn't help, but rex in this pce, after all both of them had bee aced to the stressful sense of purpose that filled Corust from the deepest underground caves to the tops of the highest of skyscrapers. People on Corust never seemed to rex publicly, they only did that behind the walls of their homes... or when they went to a local pub, after a few shots of alcohol that rexed the tense muscles with its own sinful intoxication.

  It is not that, the two girls have much to do with such experiences of course. Maybe the older one had a taste of it on a night when she may or may not have mao slip out of the sight of his master on a practice patrol session on the lower levels.

  His master might have scolded her for the entire way back to the temple after she became a bit tipsy... Even so, he did not mention it to anyone else, not even Master Yoda, or Obi-Wan. It was one of the many little things, gestures, that her master did for her, looking the other way iionally. She khat it was not just for her, as he would have been scolded likely even harsher than her, yet she couldn't really hold a grudge for that.

  Maybe it was not really a proper jedi act, but it was one she very much treasured, ohat was more human. Those were the times she really loved being Anakin's padawan, he was not as emotionless id as other masters, who always followed the script to the st sylble.

  He was much more flexible in his mi, and that was the exact thing that made him into a great general. He did make errors of course, but those were errors anyone could make, but not everyone would have the skill and resilienor the flexibility t a failed pn to fruition against such dire odds. No... it wasn't a proper Jedi act, but it was necessary to survive. Necessary to defend the Republic, to defend our home, our temple, everything we grow to know and love.

  Ahsoka looked at the bck haired girl, who was carefully watg her thoughtful expression. She realizing that her sneak peek didn't go unnoticed looked aside quickly. Then she began to shake her head and sighed only to ask a few seds ter.

  -Why the long face all of the sudden, we were having fun just now.

  -Ugh... sorry about that, I just got an urge for mencholy out of nowhere... it was kind of strao be ho...

  -Ah... I know those feelings, it's as if the thought nted in your mind.

  Ahsoka was surprised to hear the precise description of what she felt, she nodded as those words were perfectly describing the feeling she just experienced... and it wasn't really the first time it happeher.

  Rika seeing her surprise tihe expnation.

  -It's your force bond with your master, or maybe someone else, it act like a telepatic el, both ways when someone close to you is troubled by inteions reat burden. This way you affect the mi of those around you, subsciously leading them to share your emotional mi, be that may rage, doubt, sorrow... or anything else. That is the reason why the Jedi chose to suppress their emotions in the first pce, but you should know that already.

  -Yes, I know that. Does this mean, Skyguy is having trouble suppressing his emotiht now? Should we go see him, maybe we could help?

  Rika's answer wasn't immediate, as she thought over the possible choices the situation offered to them.

  -No, we shouldn't trouble him right now... Most of the times we struggle with making a decision, our decisions have already been made. We just o make up our resolve to push through what o be done.

  -But, how could you know for sure if it's one of those times?

  -Its easy, if he trusts you, and needs advice, he will e to you and hint at it, you will only have to be aware enough to see the hint, and ahe question behind the actual question.

  Ahsoka froze in the midst of their aimless walk. She looked at the still walking back of Rika while feeling her jaw drop slightly, making a face resembling a fish dropped on the shore.

  Rika sensing her friend's sudden halt turned back slightly and couldn't help but smirk at the stupid expression that the togruta was making.

  Ahsoka meanwhile shook herself out of her stupor and pined loudly in an iionally childish voibsp;

  -I thought that you said it was easy... there is nothing easy about that.

  -Eh... I guess it isn't really easy after all... I was chosen among the infiltrator apprentice squads for a reason after all.

  -Aww... there you go again, remember Rika pride leads to the darkside...

  Rika blihen smiled suppressing a bumble of ughter.

  -It doesn't do that... not really. A healthy amount of pride for your achievements will only do good for you. Pride that es without proper, and reasonable restraints is the thing that leads to the darkside. The darkside is not a mystical thing that you have to fear beyond reason Ahsoka. Imagi as a k be used for cooking and many other things, while it also maim and kill people. Tell me, if someone cooks a great meal with a khe knife will be the ohat is praised or the chef who used it?

  Ahsoka rolled her eyes in monoyanbsp;

  -I see it from a mile where your lessons io go Rika... Oh, you know what? It might be both the knife and the chef that will be praised in such a situation, now what do you say to that? Hmmm?

  -Heh, it might be true, indeed, but not likely. Allow me to ask you a different question.

  -Do I really have a choice? Urgh... Go on...

  -If one kills with the same knife, who will be held responsible for the act, the knife or the individual who used it as a on.

  -You know who... You are enjoyiuring me way too much Rika.

  The smaller human girl blushed slightly at that ent as she stated in a panicked voibsp;

  -B-but... I 't help it... it's... we were friends for so long and I always had to act shy and childish...

  -You are shy and childish Rika.

  Stated Ahsoka with two ily raised brows and a teasing glint passing her light blue eyes.

  This time Rika was the one who rolled her eyes, while turning forward to tinue her walk. She also said in a gumpy tone.

  -You know what I meant.

  Ahsoka s the rea that was so simir to hers from a few seds ago, but she didn't tease her friend any further and in a few quick jumps she was agaio her, walking through one of the busiest streets around here. They tinued on their zy walk to look around the city.

  -From the perspective of Ahsoka-

  Both of them seemed to have talked enough for now, as they silently gazed over the vendors standing behind their market stands on the sides of the street iermined rows. They g the rushing and floating droids, then at the people who were mostly of mandalorian in.

  They were walking around speaking in a rexed manner, seemingly tent with how things were. The surprise of Nizzal's decration, to break the w of absolute secrecy was still in the air, and it will be there for a long time. Of course, Rika had already informed both Anakin ahat it won't be as drastic of a ge as we might anticipate. The sense of time ierritories of the Grey order, was a bit different. Here deg such a thing would only mean that diplomatical processes and openings towards the Republic would begin. It doesn't mean that the veil of secrecy will be dropped in one day from maximum effect to ground zero.

  It might never reach such a state, they only pn to offer an alternative, not to showcase their location and a way to get there whenever a possible enemy wishes so. They pn to build embassys and send official emissaries to important cils such as the Republiate and the Jedi High cil. They only pn to make their presenown, without revealing much of anything about their location, or weaknesses.

  Even as I walk the streets of Unity, I have zero idea of the military potential of the Grey Order, or what sort of threat they could pose to the Republic. However its clear, that this nation, if you call it that has a clearly trained army, and a rge amount of force sensitives. All traio use their abilities at least on the level of self defeheir military teology robably up to date as you could see a few mandaloriaroopers fly over our heads from time to time. Also there were ns of troops without armor marg around the less busy streets at times. They were probably young soldiers doing their drills.

  Even so, that much wasn't going to tell me anything crucial about their fleets the equipment level of their spaceships and the number of them. Frankly we don't know how many other territories they have, or if they have other alien teology used as ons aside from that thing that was already areme threat if fallen into the wrong hands. Using that teology they literally teleport bombs into state buildings, bunkers or any location they know of. It could be doh people too, ing an army into a bunker... or kidnapping unassuming people by ing them out of their own house.

  It was clear to me, that the reason they never really got caught by anyone was this teology. You literally disappear from any tight spot in seds thanks to that. I only hope that there were some actual limitations to its use, I mean I got a strahing that supposedly makes it possible for me to be individually ed from anywhere in Unity to a predetermined location I chose, and have the verification to chose. There are ohat only be reached by having a certain rank. iven validation by someone who has that rank.

  My eyes turowards Rika who didn't seem to notice my lingering gaze.

  -So, how do you like the market Ahsoka?

  -Eh... ah, its fine... e to think of it, I wao ask you about the droids... are they doing all the jobs here?

  -Yes, I imagihat you find it pretty strange, or even disturbing after fighting against separatist droids for so long... Even I would have to indulge in droid dismantling if I wouldn't be pulled out of my infiltration. There is a length you pretend to be depressed... it doesn't work forever and you will be seher to the farming corps or to the battlefields. I personally never uood why you guys hated the farming corpse option so much, if it to me, I would jump headfirst into it. Of course you have been raised and taught with precise tinkering to subsciously look down on the farming corps, as the Republieeded its iic psionic fighters to boost its morale and self image.

  I opened my mouth with a spike of disbelief and anger even for the suggestion, but then... I actually couldn't really oppose it. I thought back to the treatment we received iemple, the masters, the ones we looked up to always spent their time on the children who were talented or worked hard... maybe even both. While the ones who weren't that promising never got their attention. We were children and as children ripped away from their families, obviously thrived for the masters praise and every drop of their attention we received. They old us with words that the farming corps was bad for us.

  But the way, they acted, the disappointed gowards those who had eventually ended in the farming corps were a much clearer message then simple words could give us. When we eventually became padawans, chosen by a master we eve so far as to joke about those who ended up in the farming corps.

  In the end, subsciously or sciously we all decided to treat those of the farming corpse as failures. Even as we never even saw them again, I meaerally didn't know jackshit about what it was like to be in the farming corps. They were off Corust, os where agriculture was the main industry.

  But now it was clear to me, that they iionally made it so, the farming corps rarily or never could meet with those who had bee padawans. It was a sort of exile for them. The reason was also obvious, they couldn't let the carefully created mystery break apart. Those who live in the farming corps have to think themselves to be failures who deserve to be wasted on a backwater farm, and those who live iemple have to believe that they are the winners who are living their purpose filling in the pces of those who were less skillful less able. It was a game of intricately created traps, that were based on psychology. Everyoen ying their roles, either scious or subsciously. It was a trap you may never even know to exist, yet your life and thoughts are very mufluenced by it.

  I felt flicted at the end of my line of thoughts. It felt s to do such a thing... It was so hard to believe that such a thing happened, and it was dohat way with iion in the Jedi temple. I didn't want to believe it, but now that I knew of it, I wasn't able to u anymore. I couldn't help, but frown with a sense of lingerirayal.

  Rika seemed to g me worridly from time to time, seeing that her hint had mao push me towards a certain dire. Seeing my deep frown she smiled at me apologetically.

  -I am... sorry. I probably shouldn't have said that... it's not my pce to...

  -No... it's quite alright.

  I interrupted her calmly. Then added after a short pause.

  -Thank you, I appreciate you making me aware of this... I should have realized it long ago, there is no free meal in this world after all. The republic paid extensively for the training of force sensitives. They o keep them in line one way or another... preferably from their free will.

  Rika o that still a bit worried sensing my forced ess. Then she said.

  -You shouldn't suppress yer...

  I interrupted her driven by a spike of anger.

  -Should I start dismentling the vendors stands, then?

  Rika felt embarrassed as the vendor closest to us sent a death gre in our dire. She quickly looked down to her feet while grasping my arm and starting to pull me in a seemingly random dire.

  -No... I didn't mean anything as drastic as that, Ahsoka...

  Now sensing the gres on my skin I also began to feel bashful for my momentary e so I let her lead me away obediently.

  -What I meant, was to release it in a trated way.

  I blinked...

  -What do you mean?

  -It would be better, if I showed you instead, e.