Characters: Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, Hinort Lex, Kia Orrlif
Disclaimers: I do not own Star Wars, The Clone Wars, or the characters within.
Summary: Ahsoka and Anakin discuss relationships whilst the final battle will be fought
Chapter Nine
Ahsoka was meditating in her quarters of the ship. They had just made the jump to Hyperspace, but her thoughts were not on the mission ahead, but rather on the man she left on Coruscant. Rex had proposed to her the day before the preverbal fodder hit the fan, and though he understood the need for her to go on this mission, they both lingered in each other's arms until Hinort called her aboard. Her thoughts were cut short upon Anakin's entry. "Master, I thought you would be in the cockpit still." She remarked, not quite drawing herself out of her meditation.
Anakin chuckled "Apparently Obi-Wan has told Hinort of my dismal flight record, entrusting only himself with Kia's safety during flight." He remarked, kneeling next to her, bring himself into a meditative posture as well.
They remained there for but a moment before Ahsoka brought herself to ask the question in the forefront of her mind. "Master, how do you and Padme handle the separation from each other?"
Anakin took a moment before answering. "In all honesty Ahsoka, I don't think either of us handles it well, Padme buries herself in work, and you know of my rather reckless behaviour, it's all just to get home faster. However, I think the reason we endure it is our love for each other. Is this separation from Rex getting to you Ahsoka?"
"Partially, but there is another thing as well, Rex proposed to me the night we went to Dex's, I said yes of course, but how will we be able to endure separation once we are married? What if we end up having children at some point?" She began.
Anakin stopped her "Padme and I had a similar discussion prior to my shipping out for the war, in the end, we both came to terms with the state of the galaxy and our little power to change things, we swore to make the most of what time we would have together. It is never easy, our farewells, but they strengthen our resolve to improve the state of things and to ensure that this farewell will not be our last. This may not be what you were hoping to hear, but it is the best advice I can offer. Know that should something happen to one of you, Padme and I will take care of the other, whatever they may need." He did not glaze over the two major points she had brought either. "Rex proposed?"
A smile crossed her face. "In the traditional Mando'a way."
Anakin smiled, Ahsoka was like a daughter to himself and Padme "I'm glad for you Ahsoka, I take it that you two have not had a chance to discuss the particulars about a wedding?"
"Not yet Master. We had intended to do so today, but the fodder hit the fan." She remarked.
Several hours later, Hinort announced that they were exiting Hyperspace. The blue-green world of Odessen had been abandoned roughly three and a half millennium ago, after the destruction of the Eternal Alliance following the betrayal of one of the Lieutenants of the Commander. Since then, only the Jedi Order expressed interest in the rediscovery of Odessen, and that had been nearly forgotten with the start of the Ruusan War. Prior to the Clone War, Hinort, then a mere Padawan, had joined the archaeology team as a leading historian, considering he had the journal of the Commander of the Eternal Alliance in his possession. However, they soon completed the various excavations needed and left, mere days before the Clone War. "It seems like a lifetime ago since I last laid foot on Odessen, even if it was only three years ago." He murmured.
Anakin had re-joined them in the cockpit prior to their exiting Hyperspace. "Why were you selected to join the archaeology team as the lead historian in the first place Hinort?" he asked.
"My ancestor was the Commander, also known as the Hero of Tython. Prior to the Eternal Empire's emergence, he and his former Padawan cultivated a romance behind the backs of the High Council of the time, though they later found out that the Grandmaster of the Order not only knew of their relationship but approved of it." He answered before putting on a smirk. "Reminds you of another Jedi Knight does it?"
Anakin turned slightly red, he had thought he was a unique Jedi, at least when it came to breaking the Code. "Why was their romance forbidden?"
Hinort face fell "Kira Carsen, the Hero of Tython's former pupil, descended from a proud house of Sith Lords, she had even been named 'Child of the Emperor' a rather fancy title for the select few beings allowed to be in the presence of the Sith Emperor to conduct his will for the galaxy. However, she wised up and stowed away to Nar Shaddaa where Master Bela Kiwiiks discovered her, from there, her life has little documentation, not even her Master's journal remarks much about her, except when they fell in love, and when she told him that she was with child. Following the invasion from the Eternal Empire, they never saw each other again, Kira died less than a year later, their child did not know of either of them."
"What a sad life, I can't imagine what the Commander went through," Kia muttered.
"It was hell based off of what he wrote." He replied. "Secure yourselves, we're making our final approach."
As they approached the old landing pad, they noticed that there was a shuttle in a nearby clearing. Exiting the ship with Lightsabers drawn, they took into consideration the sheer size of the base, Hinort determined that it would be quicker to split up the party. An hour in, they had all but confirmed Knight Arkab's existence on the base when Hinort and Kia reached the Commander's quarters. "Well this is odd, there should be a bed in here, or at least a frame; it was here three years ago," Hinort remarked when ray shields separated himself from Kia.
"All these years, and yet you still fail to search for traps." Lasche's voice remarked, it was hard to determine where it came from.
"Well I took a page from Anakin's book and chose to spring the trap, I thought that it would be different though, come on, Ray Shields, that trick is the oldest in the book," Hinort replied igniting his Lightsaber, a pink glow encases the room.
Lasche laughed "And yet here you are, your girl separated from you. Though I can't decide, torture or death, what should a traitor get?"
"I see no traitor as you have yet to reveal yourself, and you shall get no quarter from me!" Hinort all but yelled.
"Tsk Tsk, Hinort; death it is then," Lasche said igniting her blue saber.
Ray shields blocked the exit and left Kia outside whilst Lasche and Hinort duelled in the room. Lasche had been a student of Juyo whilst Hinort studied the defensive Soresu with Master Kenobi. Hinort found himself surprised at her ferocity and struggled to keep up. And so it would go, pink on blue, even Anakin and Ahsoka had reached them and still, no one was any closer to being declared the winner. It was over an hour since first clashing blades that Hinort attempted something Master Kenobi mentioned and opened his body to the Will of the Force, but he did something that not even Master Yoda accomplished. His body began to glow as every cell in his body flowed with the Force, guiding his actions and soon he found what he had been seeking, and with one strike, parted Lasche's head from the rest of her body. Slowly, the glow subsided from Hinort's body as he sheathed his Lightsaber and the ray shield collapsed allowing Kia to reach his side as he collapsed from exhaustion and his last sight before fading to unconsciousness was Kia concern.
Unconsciousness was rather white, unlike the black Hinort had been subjected to during the War. Well done my child.
Upon hearing a voice Hinort spun and saw two people manifesting as blue spirts, recognition soon kicked in. You look like me, are you one of my ancestors?
A chuckle came from the female ghost. You could say that his journal is in your possession still isn't it?
The man turned to the woman. Now Kira, be nice, he did just literally wield the entire power of the Force and blackout because of it.
Kira Carsen and the Outlander, or Hero of Tython, which do you prefer? Hinort asked.
This time the chuckle came from the Hero of Tython. Actually, yours. The Force whispered my name to your mother upon your birth, Kia is worried about you, though not nearly as bad as Kira was after my disappearing act.
It is time for you to go back, we're proud of you Hinort, May the Force be with you. Kira said.
Author's Note: The Penultimate Chapter! Goodness, fight scenes are not my forte, though I hope to improve that eventually. At this rate, this will be done prior to Thanksgiving, my new project may very well be published prior or on Christmas Day. Until next time...