xxxvii: Truth Will Out

                                    

                                          
***TW (kind of a spoiler): mature themes surrounding sexual assault (nothing graphic, I promise)



                          
The sun woke Ahsoka up. She yawned, stretching herself out. It was too early to wake up. It was always too early to wake up. 
                          
She rolled out of her bed in Padme's office and wandered to the kitchen, following the smell of fresh Iktotch toast. 
                          
"Good morning, Ahsoka," Padme said with a smile. She handed her a plate of food, which Ahsoka accepted graciously. "Are you ready for the big day?"
                          
Ahsoka felt her stomach tighten. Mandalore. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess." 
                          
"Good. Anakin left to go take care of something at the Temple. He said he'll be back to pick you up in a little while." 
                          
Ahsoka smiled. It was customary for Obi-Wan to beat Anakin at a game of Dejarik before every mission, and because Anakin was far better at the game, it usually took multiple rounds before he gave up and let Obi-Wan win. Before the Battle of Geonosis, Fives had even started a betting pool on how many rounds it would take before it was over. 
                          
She finished her plate and helped Padme clean up. After making her bed and packing her things for the trip, she hooked her lightsabers on her belt and made her way to Lux's apartment. 
                          
While they had said their goodbyes the previous evening, she knew he probably hadn't left yet to go to the Senate building for the day. If she hurried, she could catch him for one last kiss before she left. 
                          
When she got there, his apartment was silent. Usually, he already was up and working before she got there on days where she spent the night elsewhere. 
                          
"Lux?" She knocked softly on the door. "Lux, are you awake?" There was no response, but she heard movement on the other side of the door. "Lux?"  She slowly pushed the door open. "Lux, it's time for me to..." 
                          
Her blood ran cold. Phaedra was in bed on top of Lux. Articles of clothing were strewn about the bedroom, neither one of them covered enough for Ahsoka to believe that she'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time. 
                          
She cleared her throat, and Phaedra slowly tore her mouth apart from Lux's. Ahsoka's eyes met his, and his face paled.
                          
"Ahsoka, I can explain!" 
                          
She felt a surge of emotions as she staggered backwards. "I... I have to go." 
                          
"No, wait! Please!" 
                          
She ripped the locket her had given her from her neck and threw it at him before turning and running from the apartment, nearly tripping on an empty bottle of Onderonian whiskey on her way out. She hopped on a speeder and headed to the Jedi Temple, the image of Phaedra and Lux burned into her mind. 
                          
She closed herself off from the force, doing her best to expel the intense feelings of anger and betrayal that threatened to consume her. She drove on autopilot while her mind raced, trying to make sense of what she had seen. 
                          
She had tried so hard to convince herself that her gut instinct about Phaedra was wrong. As difficult as it was for her to trust people, Lux had fully earned it. She had no reason to doubt him. Not until now. 
                          
She jolted forward as the engine exploded beneath her, causing the speeder to hurl down towards the planet. Something had hit her. She braced for the impact and hit the ground hard, wincing as she felt a stabbing pain in her side from her scar. She rolled out of the way of the wreckage just in time to evade the small explosion.