**Chapter 615**
**Mern 13 Headquarters, Coruscant**
**Aayla Secura POV**
The Nu-class shuttle touched down with a soft thud on the bustling landing platform of the Mern 13 headquarters. Aayla Secura barely waited for the ramp to fully lower before she sprinted down it, her blue lekku swaying behind her as she moved with urgent purpose. The weight of the Council's sudden upheaval pressed on her mind like a physical force. She had to find Master Kit Fisto before the departing Masters left.
She moved quickly through the wide, well-lit corridors of the headquarters, her Jedi robes flowing around her legs. Officers and clones nodded respectfully as she passed — many recognizing her as one of General Dagon Marek's closest companions. The facility was alive with coordinated activity: tactical displays flickered on walls, logistics officers coordinated supply runs, and the constant low hum of a military operation in full swing filled the air.
Eventually, she ran into Admiral Grace O'Connor — Dagon's trusted Zeltron admiral in charge of the fleet he had stationed at Coruscant. Grace's vibrant pink skin and confident stride were unmistakable, her uniform crisp and professional.
"Aayla!" Grace greeted her warmly, a bright smile lighting up her face. "What brings you here in such a hurry? Is everything alright with Dagon and the others?"
"I need to find Master Kit Fisto," Aayla said breathlessly, slowing only slightly. "It's urgent. Council business — something major just happened at the Temple."
Grace's expression turned serious in an instant. She nodded without hesitation. "He's with the other departing Masters in the main hangar. They're preparing to board transports. I'll take you to him right now."
As they hurried through the corridors side by side, Grace glanced sideways at Aayla, her voice laced with concern. "The Masters looked… troubled when they arrived. Something big happened at the Temple, didn't it? More than the usual politics?"
Aayla hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. Bigger than we expected. The Council… it's changing faster than anyone thought possible."
They reached the main hangar just as several heavy transports were being prepped for departure. Master Kit Fisto stood near one of the ramps, speaking quietly with the other departing Masters — those who had chosen to leave the Order or take time away after the shocking events of the day. Their faces were a mixture of resolve, sorrow, and quiet acceptance.
Aayla approached quickly, her heart pounding. "Master Fisto!"
Kit turned, his tentacle-like head-tails shifting with surprise and warmth. "Aayla. What brings you here so urgently?"
She stopped in front of the group, catching her breath as she looked at each of them. "I wanted to speak with all of you before you leave. Dagon didn't mean to suddenly bring up Master Yoda's past like that. He was trying to find a path forward for Mandalore and the Order. But what made you leave… wasn't Dagon himself. It was who Dagon is."
The Masters looked at her with varying degrees of surprise and contemplation. One older human Master tilted his head slightly.
Aayla continued, her voice earnest and passionate. "He was nobody before the war — just another Jedi from the Balance Corps. But since the war started, he has done so much good. Compared to what the Jedi as a whole have managed, he's accomplished miracles. He always speaks with wisdom, even when the path is dark. I thought… perhaps you feared him. But Dagon would never betray us. He fights for the Republic, for the innocent, for all of us."
One of the Masters — a quiet Twi'lek woman — shook her head slowly. "It's not fear of betrayal, Aayla. It's fear of what he represents. The Jedi have always walked a careful line between light and dark. Dagon… he walks through both without hesitation. That kind of power, that kind of certainty… it changes things. We saw the Council fracture in a single afternoon. We saw Yoda step down. It's not that we don't trust Dagon. It's that we no longer trust ourselves to keep up with the changes he brings."
Kit Fisto placed a gentle hand on Aayla's shoulder, his expression calm and understanding. "We are not leaving because we hate what Dagon stands for. Some of us are leaving because we feel the Order needs time to breathe, to reflect. Others because our paths now lead elsewhere. But we do not hate him. Quite the opposite."
Aayla nodded, though her heart felt heavy with the weight of their words. "I understand. But I cannot join you. Dagon and the girls… they are my family now. With everything happening, they need all the help they can get."
Kit smiled warmly, squeezing her shoulder. "Then stay with them, Aayla. Protect what you love. The Force will guide you, as it always has."
The Masters boarded the transports one by one. Aayla watched as the ships lifted off, their engines flaring brightly before disappearing into the Coruscant sky. She stood there for a long moment, the weight of change settling over her like a heavy cloak.