CH-16

Somehow Ahsoka suddenly knew that this might be the most important decision of her life, and a prelude to the most important thing she would ever do. Not just for herself but for the...galaxy, maybe even for the Force itself?

"What if I wanted to go with you?" She blurted suddenly.

Harry winced a bit, he didn't like the sound of that. "You want me to drop you off at Nar Shaddaa? Why would you want to go there? You realize that the heat on you there will be ten times what it is here?"

"I mean, I can hide your face with glamours, but that's only a temporary stop-gap, and its not permanent once you go on your way, it'll fade in time…" Harry trailed off. "There may be some biometrics that will see right through a glamour, I haven't really bothered to test it against everything and the bounty hunters there will be on your pretty little ass even faster than the wannabe hunters were here."

Ahsoka blushed slightly at the last comment before shaking her head. "No, I mean… " She hesitated and broke off a moment to compose her thoughts.

There weren't many options for her, in the wide galaxy. It was true, that she had a fair amount of technical skills that had been beaten into her skull in a do or die environment by Skywalker, but combine that with Jedi on her resume and most companies or groups likely wouldn't look twice at her. Most would probably think it was an undercover op and that she was actually still a Jedi sent there to spy on them for wrong-doing.

She could ultimately return to her homeworld, which would mean attempting to blend in with a world and lifestyle she didn't even know. She cringed at the thought of what many of her race did to leave their homeworld, and had no inclination to become a prostitute or dancer like many chose to do. They weren't quite at the same level of Twi'leks when it came to that sort of thing, but they weren't far off either.

That ultimately left trying to attach herself to those who would be willing to help her. She knew and trusted some people, but again, her background as an ex-Jedi now would be a liability for them, and Harry seemed to be completely unconcerned about the ramifications of having the Jedi council upset with him.

"Can you teach me how you do what you do?" she asked bluntly and gestured vaguely at the chair she was currently still sitting in. She never was very good at talking subtly and working her way into things.

Negotiations with Ahsoka Tano usually were done with a thermal grenade in one hand and a lightsaber in the other.

Harry blinked and tilted his head with a frown. He opened his mouth to reply and then shut it as his brow furrowed, as he truly considered the question. When he responded it was as much to himself as it was to her "I… don't know."

The question itself seemed to intrigue him. He scratched his cheek as he mused out loud, half to her, half to himself. "You're able to use Magic, and do so without a focus, so theoretically, I would guess you had the potential to learn."

Her expression grew excited but he held up his hand. "But… I don't think it would be easy or short. I mean children go to school for seven full years so they don't accidentally blow themselves or someone else up."

"That's just for basic competency." Harry ran a hand through his hair thoughtfully. "I mean, we're possibly talking several years to a decade, minimum of hard work here."

Ahsoka frowned, "I won't be a burden. I can earn my keep. I'm a decent mechanic, so I can help upkeep the ship. I have some connections all over the place after fighting in the war, and I'm not a liability in a fight…" She flushed a bit remembering the circumstances of their first interaction. "Though I need to get my lightsaber... or make a new one."

Harry was blinking in surprise, that was not the objection or response he had expected.

Ahsoka didn't take his surprise and silence for hesitation, but consideration, so she pressed forward. "Like I said, I promise I won't be a burden. But… the Force must have guided me to you because I… don't know that I have any other options." She finished with a quiet sigh and looked down at her lap while one hand idly stroked fingers up and down the lekku over her left shoulder. It reminded Harry of the way one of his old friends used to play with her hair when she was nervous.

Harry shook his head quickly and held up his hands in a calming motion. "Okay, okay. Miss Tano, I was merely concerned about the length of time involved and how magic would challenge the ideals you admitted to growing up with." He tapped his chin thoughtfully.

After a few moments, he took a breath and then involuntarily chuckled a little bit. "I haven't taught someone in a long time either. Never really had much interest in taking on a student or an apprentice. And never someone like this."

Ahsoka frowned at that comment, as he looked like he was in his mid-twenties, wondering what a long time might constitute, but her trail of thinking was disrupted as he grinned.

"At the very least this should be interesting. Alright Miss Tano, I will do my best to teach you, and you will be free to walk away at any time." Harry said earnestly, before his expression turned serious. "There is however one small caveat."

When she looked at him suspiciously at this statement, he continued. "One thing I'll require is an oath from you that you'll not teach others what I'm teaching you without my permission or until I release you from the oath or I find some way to get myself killed."

"Of course," Ahsoka nodded after only a moment's hesitation.

Harry shook his head. "No, I mean an actual Oath. A magical oath is not something to take lightly. Once taken, if violated, it will cost you your connection to your magic."

Seeing Ahsoka's startled expression, Harry shrugged slightly. "I do not want to be cruel, however there are people out there who could do very bad things and hurt a lot of people if they could do even a portion of what I can do."

Ahsoka swallowed a little bit and then nodded again.

Harry nodded and brightened. "We'll make that one of your first lessons… though later. First though, we should drop off Mr. Religious Desecrator over there off at the Bounty station."

Ahsoka glanced over where the man was presumably still unconscious before she nodded, somewhat nervously.

Harry grinned. "Relax. This should take 10 minutes, and you'll get to see some more magic."

Thirty minutes, a glamour charm, and two apparitions later they were 19,000 credits richer after the bounty hunter guild took it's cut. Twenty minutes after that The Gryffindor was clearing the Coruscant atmosphere, pausing only to transmit a brief message to the Jedi Temple communications exchange before it jumped to Hyperspace.

.

.

.

.

Subscribe to me Patreon for more advanced content ...🎉

patreon.com/Fictiontopia 🎉