Title: If I Leave Here Tomorrow
Author: TheMacUnleashed
Genre: Angst; tragedy
Timeline: When Order 66 is executed
Rating: PG, for character death
If I leave here tomorrow
Would you still remember me… ©Lynyrd Skynyrd; 'Free Bird'
LB
The terrain beneath Ahsoka's feet was rough and rocky. It was only her Jedi training that prevented her from tripping on a stray stone and twisting her ankle, or worse.
Behind her, she was certain that the platoon she was leading was experiencing the same difficulties. Their heavy white armour might be of use in some situations, but it couldn't possibly help them have the spryness to navigate the rough ground. She felt lucky to have the freedom of movement allowed by her form-fitting clothes.
Ahsoka realized that her mind was getting off task; she could almost hear Anakin –or Master Kenobi- scolding her. She focused her thoughts onto the current situation: Her first time leading the Clones alone, and on such a high stakes mission! She knew that the Republic couldn't afford to lose the planet of Typykkä. The natives here were miners of many sorts of rare minerals, several which were key in creating the Kivi'tta brand fuel. That was the primary power source of most workplaces on Coruscant, and the Togruta apprentice could only imagine what disaster would befall the capital planet if it were to be lost.
The Togruta was proud to have been selected as the sole commander of the squadron. This was her chance to make a real impression on the war! Before, she was credited merely as a Jedi Padawan for her help in aiding Skyguy, Master Kenobi and all the rest of the Jedi; never being mentioned by name. Now she would be remembered! She would leave her own signature on the war effort, instead of leaving a mark that could have been made by anyone.
(A proper apprentice didn't crave such things, but she had always been slightly unorthodox.)
A Kotka bird shrieked above her; she sensed surprise flair from the troops behind her. Having centered her mind in the Force, it hadn't startled her, although she could still understand why one might react in such a manner. The huge feathered creatures were bordering on three meters across, and that was without having their wings extended! The bronze-colored birds were strong enough to navigate the strong winds that so often plagued Typykkä, and yet, despite their intimidating appearance, they never attacked sentients. Instead, they preferred to prey on the large bantha-like creatures that wandered around the seemingly-endless plains.
Strange as it was, Ahsoka admired the huge creatures. Revered by the natives, many took them to be a symbol of great strength. It was said that the person who tamed one was a Lähetti, a messenger from the Gods.
She wished that she could meet one of the honored Lähetti, but, like the rest of the native warriors, they had all perished attempting to stop the droid army that she was now going to defeat.
Stumbling over a small ditch in the crumbly ground, she swore under her breath. How she wished that they could have arrived by ships and ambushed the droid armies! Unfortunately, due to the hurricane-like winds that swept the high atmosphere, such a thing was impossible. It had been hard enough landing the ships; she definitely didn't want to repeat that incident!
And then Ahsoka Tano really did fall down, but it had nothing to do with the ground.
She was standing amidst a large, dark, enclosed area. She knew it to be another of her strange premonitions; nobody looked or even acknowledged her presence.
Like the visions come before, this started out with the sounds of blaster fire and lightsabers crackling. A battle, perhaps?
Ahsoka remembered what Master Yoda had told her when she spoke to him about the hazy premonitions and let go of her thoughts, the dam that blocked the river of the Force from flowing into her.
The smoke-like film that had always been present until the vision's end before was starting to fade away. She started to recognized the tall room she was in to be one of the great halls within the Temple. Had the war come to Coruscant?
Let go of your emotions…
There was a tall, robed figure amongst the clones. His back was turned to her. The Padawan knew him to be the clone commander; she had gathered that from her previous visions.
And then the last fog disappeared, and everything showed in crystal-clarity. It evaporated without a sound.
She would have thought that when the world reversed itself, it at least gave a warning.
This was the Crèche, where the youngest of younglings were kept. None of them were over five Coruscanti cycles; most had never held a training lightsaber!
A voice reached her ears: Although she had never met the speaker, she was familiar with it. "Lord Vader! I don't mean to question orders, but these are Innocents. It goes against our basic training to kill one."
He turned away from the body of a Knight that he had been standing over. "They are Jedi. Do you wish to withdraw your words?"
His eyes were yellow.
The clone stuttered. "No, milord! I only meant that…" He was choking before he had time to finish his sentence.
The man she knew as Anakin Skywalker faced the remainder of his troops: By their insignias, she saw them to be members of the 501st, as were the ones she was leading to battle now. "Let that be a lesson to you all. Operation: Knightfall is a just name. Anyone that is associated with the Jedi is to be killed on sight. Knights, Masters, contacts-" he took a breath, and just for a moment, his eyes flickered. "And Padawans."
With a gasp, Ahsoka was pulled out of the vision.
She wished she hadn't been.
The Padawan was lying on the ground, her skin scratched by the sharp stones. Standing above her was Rex: Rex, her friend. Rex, her loyal soldier. Rex, her brother in a strange way that disqualified bloodlines.
Rex, the unwavering clone that would always follow the highest command, no matter how much he disagreed with them.
"You heard him, boys. Execute Order 66."
As her red skin was torn by the azure fire, she thought about all of the sentients that had gotten involved with the war. About all of the ones she had killed in "self-defense".
(She wasn't sure if that had fooled anyone. Force knew that she had really done it for the glory of eradicating the Separatists… Because of her longing to make a difference.)
She was lying on the ground, blood leaking in a sluggish trail from the blaster wounds. The Togruta didn't attempt Force-healing.
She didn't deserve it.
"Leave her, boys." From above her, Ahsoka heard footsteps walking in the opposite direction. She fought the urge to reach out with the Force, to destroy the traitors that walked away from her.
Her eyes closed.
………
Ahsoka was astonished when she opened them again. By all means, she should be dead, and she knew that she would be soon.
From near her came an ear-shattering cry. She gasped, reaching instinctively for her lightsaber.
Before her hand could close around the cylindrical hilt, a large, feather-covered head swam into her hazy view.
She would have gasped, but as soon as she started to, she began coughing blood onto the tawny ground.
As if sensing her pain, the Kotka bird crooned again, this time, much softer.
In all her pain, she couldn't help but smile. The bronze creature was even more handsome up close than they appeared to be from the sky: Their feathers looked sleek and soft; their wings and talons long and deadly.
"Have you come to escort me into the Netherlands of the Force?"
The creature turned to look at her from an intelligent black eye. It cawed slightly, seeming to affirm her words.
Reaching out a trembling scarlet hand, she rested a palm on the right wing of the bird. Gently, she plucked out a single feather: The trial that so many of Typykkä's natives had tried, and failed.
She smiled as she held it, knowing that at least when the indigenous people found her, she would have made an impact on their lives.
His –at least, she assumed it to be male- eyes never left her as he took a running start and caught the air with his glorious wings.
And Ahsoka Tano died with birds in her eyes and a feather in her hand.