Chapter 4

Ahsoka sat in her quarters alone. It had been just over a year since Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka responded to the call from Onderon. A small group of loyalists to King Dendup had reached out for help to the Jedi Counsel, upon being overtaken by Count Dooku's droid army. Dooku had set up a puppet king in the place of Dendup, by the name of Sanjay Rash. Rash neither had the support of the people, nor was he a leader. At best he was a dictator who would not make a move without Dooku's direction or approval. This proved to be an asset for the rebellion, trained by the three Jedi to free Dendup and retake the planet. As in any conflict, there were casualties. There were civilians and there were fighters whom Ahsoka never had the chance to get to know. This was customarily what Jedi encountered. But there was also Steela. Steela Gerrera and her brother Saw were the leaders of the rebellion against Rash. A courageous leader who knew the cost of retaking her country, Steela gave her life to see her homeland free. The relationship between Ahsoka and Steela was rocky at first because of one person. Lux. Being a Jedi, Ahsoka knew acting on the feelings she felt for Lux was not an option; and Steela did not make it any easier by letting her feelings for Lux show during training exercises. Still, she was a true warrior who was faithful to the end.

Of all her experiences, there was one that stood out the most. It was not the missions, the people and natives she had met, or the countless planets she had visited. It was the funeral of Steela Gerrera that stood out the most.

"No one blames you, Ahsoka." The memory of the funeral was clear in her mind. "The blast from that gunship could have killed you too." Saw, Steela's brother and ally during the fighting, stood by Ahsoka trying to comfort her. "We all knew what we had to do, no matter what the cost." Saw himself had been captured, but Steela refused to avert the mission to free her brother.

"The cost of war doesn't make it any easier to accept." Ahsoka looked down, wishing she could disappear inside her robe. As the procession and the music stopped, King Dendup stepped up. The words he spoke never made it to Ahsoka's ears. Instead the murmurs from the crowd drowned out everything around her.

"How often does a king speak at a funeral?"

"We need to stop by the market before heading home."

"Mommy, who was she?"

"Daddy, I'm hungry. When are we going to leave?"

What could I have done differently? If I were stronger…what if I… no… there's no sense in beating myself up over this. What's done is done.

The events after the funeral were just as memorable: the recognition of Ahsoka and the Jedi for their part in the occupation, the reinstatement of Lux to represent Onderon in the Galactic Senate, and - the most memorable - saying goodbye to Lux.

"Ahsoka, I'll be coming to Coruscant regularly and will be able to see you more." As fate would have it, this was not the case. With Ahsoka on missions to remedy hostile situations or sitting in on peace treaties between warring nations, and Lux commuting back and forth between Coruscant and Onderon, the meetings never came.

"Well, I guess I will see you when you get to Coruscant."

Lux reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, which he handed to Ahsoka. Hesitating, she took the box and opened it. Inside she found a small gold locket carved with intricate details of Onderon's native flora, bomas, zakkegs, and drexi, Onderon's native and deadly beasts.

Out of habit, Ahsoka began to hand it back. "Lux, I'm not allowed to take payment. I mean, this is beautiful and all, but I just can't take something like this. It must be worth a lot."

"This is worth more to me than you know. But it's not for helping us to take back our homeland, Ahsoka. It's not for opening my eyes to see the truth about who my friends are and who they are not. I'm giving it to you because you are my friend. It belonged to my mother, and I want you to have it. Please don't say no. I've lost my mother and now Steela to this war, and I don't want to lose another friend."

As she closed her fist around the locket, she pulled it back closer to herself. "I don't know what to say. I've never really been given a gift. Not that I can remember, that is. And my list of friends - real friends - is kinda short."

"Well, add me to that list."

Ahsoka reached up and loosed the chain from around her neck. On it hung a small gold medallion. "This is a Shili family plaque. It holds my family's history and I want you to hold it for me."

The quarters on the 2323 were soundproof up to the point of total chaos; and by the sounds Ahsoka heard coming from outside her quarters, she knew chaos had ensued. She could hear the troopers shouting as they ran down the hallway. What she did not hear was the emergency sirens. No attack siren, no damage siren, and no mechanical siren.

Something is wrong. If we're under attack, I should hear something more.

Grabbing a green lightsaber in each hand, she turned towards the door. Ahsoka's stance when in battle was different than other Jedi. She held two sabers, ignited and facing to the rear, as she stood with feet apart and her body leaning forward. More often than not, her foes took the stance as a weakness, assuming the placements of her weapons would give them the advantage. They were the first to fall. Using the Force, she pushed the door open to see the last two troopers, who apparently didn't have time to suit up, clear her doorway in a dead run towards the dining hall. Stepping forward, Ahsoka leaned a little farther out to try and see around the doorway.

Nothing. I don't sense anything either. I can't believe the troopers would turn and run… unless they were running into whatever it is… but without battle gear? And there's no siren. No warning. Something's just not right. All right, this is it.

Ahsoka took a step outside the doorway, looking both ways quickly to make sure the hallway was safe. Moving down the hall towards the barracks, she kept her lightsabers at the ready for whatever she might run into. The entrance to the barracks was only a few meters down the hall. Ahsoka stepped closer, listening for any sound that might give her a hint of what was happening. The silence was deadening, as she peered into the barracks only to find them empty.

Only one way left.

Turning back towards the dining hall, she saw shadows playing on the wall.

Someone's coming from around the corner. Get ready.

The sound of footsteps could be heard getting closer, as Ahsoka gripped her weapons and prepared to use them.

Whatever it is, it's in a hurry... Time to meet this thing head on.

Ahsoka sped down the hall towards the shadow maker, with intentions to stop whatever had the fleet up in arms. Just as she reached the corner…

"Ahsoka?!"

"Hergo! What's going on?"

"Come to the dining hall quick! Everyone's watching the news feed. Chancellor Palpatine's been kidnapped!"