Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars, etc.
2 Years After the Rise of the Empire…
A faint smile of pleasure found its way onto Ahsoka Tano's lips while she stood on the veranda of her modest cottage, and admired the rural scenery just beyond its steps. The small, inconspicuous abode had served as her home for two years now. It staggered her that so much time had already gone by since her departure from Coruscant, and the end of the life that she had once known. For two long years, she had been living in quiet solitude; passing the hours of the day by drifting off and daydreaming about what could have been… how different things could have turned out.
Presently, however, she was lost in another kind of dream. Gazing out at the turu–grass scrublands that surrounded her remote cottage, she imagined that she was not alone. Watching the tall overgrowth of vegetation, its red and white coloration not dissimilar from that of her own skin, she could envision a crowd of Togruta dancers waltzing in the warm sunlight as it swayed back and forth in the gentle afternoon breeze. Sadly, her smile faded a moment later. The fantasies only lasted so long. She would eventually return to reality, and remember that she was indeed alone… and in all likelihood, probably would be until death claimed her. In the beginning, seclusion had not been easy. The transition had been a difficult one, and she had considered seeking out Master Yoda and Obi–Wan on numerous occasions during the first year of her stay. But she knew that she still had a duty to fulfill. She was still a Jedi, and she would do what had been asked of her by her Masters. She would not fail them.
Releasing a heavy sigh, Ahsoka shut her eyes and attempted to clear her mind. The sudden tension in her shoulders somewhat lessened, and she lifted her eyelids a few seconds later to peer back out at the scrublands. No longer could she see the dancers. Once again, she saw only shrubs, grass and the trees; beautiful as they were. Reluctantly, she turned away from the lush countryside and made her way around the cottage to find her landspeeder. She had been putting off her trip for long enough…
When a decision had to be made as to where she would reside after leaving Polis Massa to go into exile, her home–planet of Shili had been the natural choice. Ahsoka had been tempted to track down her biological parents upon her return, but even then she had understood that reconnecting with her mother and father would only have jeopardized their safety. As a Jedi, she was still among the Empires' most wanted fugitives, and they would stop at nothing to catch her if they ever learned of her presence on the otherwise negligible world. Whispers and rumors had already spread about Darth Sidious' infamous second in command scouring the galaxy for Jedi survivors. He had already become the thing of nightmares… a cold and ruthless executioner, feared by average folk and Imperial officials alike. Who or whatever this dark hunter was, she knew that he must have succeeded Count Dooku as the Emperors' apprentice shortly after the fall of the Republic. How Sidious had found a replacement so fast, she couldn't be sure.
Focusing on the task at hand, Ahsoka instinctively brushed her palm against the hilt of her lightsaber before pulling her hood up. Other than her cottage, the market square in the center of Shili's capital city was the only sign of civilization that she had seen since her arrival. Nearly a two hour commute from her isolated dwelling, she had postponed her monthly visit to the metropolis so many times that she was now in desperate need of supplies. Because of the Empire and its aforementioned campaign against what few Jedi remained within the galaxy, she dreaded showing her face in public; even with her discreet appearance.
As a native of the backwater planet, she did have the advantage of blending in with the majority of its inhabitants. Of course, this fact did little to alleviate her concerns. Not to mention, the capital was the busiest location on all of Shili, and was comprised of a more diverse variety of species and races than would be found elsewhere. She had only elected to live so close to the city because she knew that its outskirts were generally overlooked and ignored by society. She had realized that one could easily live there without being noticed. And so far, she had yet to draw any unwanted attention to herself… she only hoped that her luck would last, and she would not make a mistake or arouse suspicion.
Taking a quick survey of the bustling market, Ahsoka cautiously left her speeder behind and started toward the many vendors and peddlers eager to make a profit.
She wouldn't be long.
