Bad tidings to Tatooine

Summary: After Ashoka's fatal confrontation with Darth Vader, the rebellion must inform one of her associates of the news.

Kanan trailed his fingers along the doorframe as he entered the room. Judging by his voice, Commander Sato was sitting behind his desk, awaiting his arrival.

"Commander Sato," Kanan nodded his head as he scrapped across the room for a chair. He eased himself down in the chair.

"Jedi Kanan," Sato tried not to stare. "I trust you're doing well?"

The blind Jedi chuckled, "As well as I can be."

"Good, because I have a task for you."

"For me Sir?" The Jedi raised an eyebrow, but Sato couldn't see it under the dark mask. "Are you sure you don't want me to go grab Hera?"

"Captain Syndulla is already busy. What I have in mind dosen't require your whole crew or ship."

"What is it Sir?"

Commander Sato unlocked a desk drawer and pulled out a small box. Sabine's starbird was engraved on the lid as well as the word fulcrum. "When commander Tano joined the rebellion, she requested that should anything happen to her she wished that her old comrade be informed."

Kanan became very silent, humbled to be carrying out Ashoka Tano's last wish.

"Who is her associate?"

Sato checked his memory, "An old man on Tatooine, the rebellion stationed him there over a decade ago. He goes by Ben Kenobi."

Kanan's ears heated up at the name, "Kenobi? As in Obi-Won Kenobi?"

Sato smiled softly, "The one and the same." He passed over the box." The coordinates are inside."

Kanan rose to leave.

Sato looked up, "Thank you, Kanan Jarrus."

Kanan's fingers tightened around the box, "It's the least I can do for a friend."

"How long will you be gone?" Hera asked from beneath the ghosts controls.

"A day, two at the most. I just can't believe it. Obi-Won Kenobi, he's alive."

Hera smiled sadly, "It'll be good for you to talk to him."

"It will be. Speaking of which I'm taking Ezra. It'll be good for him to meet another Jedi. I'm-I'm worried about him Hera."

The Twi-lek rose and put her hand on the Jedi's shoulder. "I know, we both are." She pulls the Jedi into a hug.

Kanan relaxed, "I'm taking Sabine too."

"Sabine? Why?"

"Don't tell Ezra but his flying makes me queezy."

The Twi'lek laughed softly.

Kanan left the cockpit and banged on Ezra's door. "Ezra! Ezra!"

There was a mad rush of scurrying behind the door, and the padawan cursed as he fumbled in the dark. He opened the door slightly, his eyes red.

"Kanan," his face melded into the cool composure of a teenager up to no good. Kanan inwardly sighed, the boy as getting harder to handle.

"Pack for a daytrip, were taking the Phantom."

Th Padawan's eyes lit up, "Wait, is this Jedi business?" It had been months since they had done anything together, and secretly he had missed it.

"Yes. Kanan admitted, his eyes missing Kanan's fistpump. "Where's Sabine?"

"Right behind you," The mandalorian muttered over a pile of art supplies as she entered the ship.

"Kanan turned in the direction of her voice. "Pack enough for a day trip. Be at the phantom in a half-hour."

Sabine's eyes darted from Ezra to Kanan, curious. Over the past two years Ezra almost always accompanied Kanan alone on missions.

"Can I fly?"

"No!" Kanan rubbed his temples.

Sabine rolled her eyes, so that was why.

Sabine settled down at the controls, much to Ezra's disappointment. "Where to?" She asked.

"Set course for Tatooine, "Kanan brought out the black box.

"Why are we going to tatooine?" Ezra wondered.

Kanan rubbed his fingers over the lid. "We have to inform one of Commander Tano's associates of her death. He's an old friend of hers; they go way back to the clone wars.

Sabine's grips tightened around the controls.

They were in the middle of the desert, and after banging gently on the hermit's door, Kanan felt the urge to run his fingers through his unkempt beard.

The door opened, and the old Hermit peered cautiously out, his eyes scanning the odd trio, and his posture straightened. His grey hair had started to recede and his bead made Kanan appear clean shaven. His eyes however, were crisp and clear. "I see that you are obviously not the mailman." He muses.

The middle man stepped out in front of the two youths, a black box in his hands. "Master Obi-Won?" The Jedi cleared his throat. "I'm Kanan Jarrus, my padawan Ezra Bridger and over there's Sabine Wren. We're with the resistance, may we come in?"

Obi-Won nodded slowly, evaluating Ezra and Sabine closely. "Of course, no good drawing attention to ourselves out here."

They entered the dim hovel and Obi-Won guided the trio to his table. Kanan sat down leaving Sabine and Ezra standing. Coughing from the heat, Sabine took off her helmet, her purple hair frizzy in the heat.

"Please what brings you to Tatooine?" Obi-Won asked after bringing in refreshments.

Kanan took a sip of water, "I'm afraid we don't come bearing good news."

Obi-Won laughed but his eyes held no mirth. "Good news is as rare as the Jedi these days."

"There is no easy way to say this." Kanan passed over the black box. Obi-Won accepted the offering with shaking fingers. "But I'm afraid that Commander Ashoka Tano has perished."

The old man sighed a sound so sorrowful that it was familiar to him over the past two decades. When his eyes opened they were full of grief. He opened the box, his hands encircling a letter. "Oh Ashoka."

Kanan couldn't see the old man fighting back tears.

"How did she die?" Obi-Won asked.

Kanan bit his lip. "Ezra and I were there and from the start our luck had already run out. The three of us had been sent to the planet Malachor by Yoda in order to hunt down some information to defeat Vader's inquisitors. When we got there, the Inquisitors were the least of our worries. "Kanan took a deep breathe. "The inquisitors were there all right, and we managed to get rid of them. Ezra got separated from up-"

Ezra looked away.

"He ran into a sith, a man who calls himself Maul. Maul began to seduce the boy and all together we pushed back the inquisitors. He then turned on Ashoka and I. He- he blinded me. Yet Vader came to Malachor for the same reason Maul did and we ran into him. Ashoka confronted Vader, she pushed us back. She—she fought bravely, I wish she made it, but there was no way she could have survived." Kanan put his head in his hands.

Obi-Won looked up to the dusty ceiling of his hermitage. " Ashoka always was a fighter, ever since she was a little girl." He receded back into his memories. "Tell me, does Maul still live?"

Sabine and Ezra exchanged a look.

Kanan frowned, "I believe he does."

Obi-Won turned his attention onto Ezra, "You have met him?"

Ezra stood up straight, "Yes sir."

"Maul is a servant of the dark side. I would not want to see you go down that path."

Ezra just nodded.

Obi-Won sighed, but figured he had given the boy enough of a push.

Kanan's com link buzzed. Hera's voice came through, "Kanan the Commander needs you guys to return ASAP."

"We'll be there soon Hera." Kanan turned to the hermit Jedi. "Will you come with us? The rebellion could really use you."

The old man laughed, "That you for the offer. However, my place is here."

The blind Jedi nodded softly, and rose to leave. Ezra and Sabine followed behind. Obi-Won's hand rested on Sabine's shoulder.

The Mandalorian turned to the Jedi. "You're Bo's daughter aren't you."

Sabine nodded, a bit surprised.

"May the force be with you." He turned towards Ezra, "May the force be with you both."