Hello!

I certainly hope all of you have had as great a week as me. Despite it being the first week in this chaotic void between Thanksgiving and Christmas, this was seriously cool. After misspeaking in debate class (Said CLONE war instead of COLD war... you've probably done it too!) I found a bunch of fellow Clone Wars enthusiasts!

On that subject, I want to thank all of you who reviewed, followed, or read my story. You guys seriously made my day. As for the requests and suggestions, I'm in the process of researching them and maybe including them in the future.

For now, happy reading!

She paused. It was only a fraction of a second, but she paused. The senses, the very same ones that were causing her to fear for her life, had alerted her, the observation ringing in her head like a clamor of bells.

The sensation reminded her of peripheral vision, she mused. It would be impossible to describe the fleeting feel of a person to non-force-sensitives. You would only create cyclical illogic, akin to trying to explain a color to the blind, a sound to the deaf.

This was the very same ability that had caused most of her trying life. The so called 'gift' that caused her to cut herself off emotionally, made her dedicate her childhood to that very cause.

Ahsoka Tano knew that she shouldn't feel resentful to the order. Leaving was her choice, after all.

But it would be impossible not to relive her sixteen-year-old thoughts in this situation. It would be impossible to ignore the words she had spoken, the beliefs she had voiced.

"Well, I certainly never expected to see you again." She struggled to get the words past her closed throat, rushing them out to the person she could not see.

"Say I feel differently, I cannot." Master Yoda confirmed. "Felt the disturbance in the Force, I trust you did?"

"Yes. It was unalike anything I felt before. So much has happened lately. The Temple's been burned. The Jedi massacred. The Republic and Separatists fallen to crumbling pieces, haphazardly patched into an empire."

Yoda nodded. "Trying times, these truly are."

"It's amazing," A slightly hysterical laugh rang into her words. "There is only one thing I cannot believe. Nearly everything I have ever known, or supported, or hated is gone, and arguably the most believable part is what I cannot bring myself to face."

"Agree, I do, with your assessment. Noticed his drift to the Dark Side, we should have."

Ahsoka swiveled lightly, dragging the elderly Jedi into her view.

"So he has turned."

Yoda gently implied his affirmation, fearing a crippling onslaught of emotion from the former Padawan.

Ahsoka's hand flew to her mouth. "I just… All those times… I thought I knew him."

"Thought the same, all of us did."

"Are you the only survivor?"

"No. Survived also, Master Obi-Wan has. His idea, this all was. Directed us to Duchess Satine, to begin this, he has."

The chuckle flew from her lips. "Big surprise."

"Powerful, you and young Bonteri are. Able to fight Vader, you will be."

"Is this an invitation?" Amusement graced Ahsoka's features.

"Yes."

Ahsoka's wistful expression wilted into a more mournful one.

"I… I don't know. I don't know if I can fight him."

"His old Master can."

"Yes but Obi-Wan…" Ahsoka's voice trailed off, deprived of its direction. "He's disconnected. I'm not."

"Connected to this Sith, you cannot be." Yoda reasoned. "Stop him, for his own good, we must."

A soft sigh escaped her mouth, fingers flying to massage her temple. "Fighting Anakin… I've done it once, Master, and it's not something I'm proud of. There's something you need to understand. The Dark Side does make you stronger. It amplifies power, it leads to manipulation. It does bring its drawbacks, like the rule of two, but you, me, and Obi-Wan? We can't do it, Master."

"Me, you, and Obi-Wan it is not." Yoda wasn't eager to distribute information freely, but the crucial goal of convincing Ahsoka goaded him on. "A force, Obi-Wan and Satine are looking into. Alderran too is helping. Experience with rebellions, Onderon has. Need you to succeed, we do."

"It seems like an awful lot to place on our shoulders." Ahsoka's thoughts nervously nudged into the conversation. "But Anakin… he's probably inferred where I've gone. He knows… I guess I'll have to fight him anyways, and I'd much rather do it with you and Obi-Wan."

Master Yoda's head bobbed gently.

"But it's not my decision to make. Wait here, I, err, need to find someone." Ahsoka's back glided back into Yoda's perception as she traveled down the front steps of the marble vestibule, new confirmation shading her world.

[]o[]

"I knew I'd find you here." The corners of her lips quirked, then remained in their smile.

The head of black hair jolted in a shocked movement, slowly turning around to face her from the half-moon shaped sofa.

"Oh, hey 'Soka." The part-ruler of Onderon smiled. She knew him so well.

"Why do you keep on coming down here?" Ahsoka ducked her head beneath a low hanging bough, swiping at a spider web with her hand.

"Nostalgia. It reminds me of that week we spent as rebels." Lux's eyelids slid closed, a door shutting on the now and thrusting him to another time. This had been their secret base for that week. It was a small, dark alcove in the city, good for nearly nothing but meeting secretly.

"What about that day we spent as fiancées?" Ahsoka jokingly reminisced.

"We certainly have worn a lot of hats." Lux couldn't disguise the amusement in his voice.

"This setting gives me the feeling that you're ready to dust of the rebel hat." Ahsoka's demeanor stiffened, the refuge of her and Luxs' conversation forgotten.

"What are you talking about?"

"Master Yoda just came and visited me. Him, Obi-Wan, and some others are forming a rebellion against the Empire and Vader." Ahsoka was losing control of her monotone voice, defenses crumbling against the current of emotions vying for her pain.

"So he really- Oh, Ahsoka." His voice shuddered, overcome by compassion. Lux felt himself rise from the sofa in an unnerved walk, embracing Ahsoka, his chin comfortably fitting itself in the dip between her montrals.

"I-I- There were so many clues, Lux!" Her shoulders heaved, hands flying to catch the tears flowing from her eyes. "I should have known, I should have stayed, I should have helped!"

"Ahsoka, you should especially know this as a Jedi. It does no good to dwell on the past." Lux gently chastised.

"But we need the past. Without it, how can I plan for the future? How can I fix the mistakes I've made?" Ahsoka had never quite surrendered her complete adherance on that ideal.

"You can stop him." Lux's opinion shed what unclear shape it had.

Ahsoka dug her palms into him, applying force as she watched him shrink in her view. Cautiously, she matched his eyes with her own. "You think we should join?"

"They're doing what's right. They're going to need all the help they can get." Lux decided. "He'll come after you, Ahsoka. He's going to come after you, and Obi-Wan, and all those who escaped."

"But I don't want to fight him! It will just feel wrong… Especially with the reminder Obi-Wan and Yoda will give me. It'll be just like old times… With a single, glaring difference: We're fighting Anakin!"

"Ahsoka. We have to stay in the now. I know it'll feel wrong. I know it'll be hard. But would you rather let millions die because of your personal conflict? Ahsoka, I only want what's best for you. This news is going to emotionally hurt you either way- don't deny it, I know you too well. But you can survive it on your own, or with old friends to be there and help you. We can make it easier. We need to join."

Ahsoka nodded slowly. She didn't usually let Lux win her over this easily, but now she realized the truth of the matter had resided within her all along. The emotional stress wouldn't let her fight Vader on her own… and then what? She would be killed? Onderon destroyed? Lux dead?

She needed to face it. She needed to help.

She needed to fight.

Another exposition chapter... Sorry. They'll have their first lead either Chapter 3 or 4. Then we'll segway into a battle.

Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend! :)