Chapter Fourteen

Mutiny? Anakin's not going to like this. Everything's so black. Can't see a thing.

The sound of the door opening captured Ahsoka's attention. The sudden urge to move was stifled by the restraints on her body. Okay, don't move; maybe they don't know I'm awake yet. Where am I tied down? Legs, arms, across my chest, my head. Am I a prisoner? There's more here. It's machines, like some kind of …

"Vital signs are good." The news was reassuring for Ahsoka, even if she didn't know where she was.

"She's recovering very well. Even in this amount of time, I don't know how many would have survived." The two optimistic voices were unfamiliar to her.

Just wait it out and see. Stay calm.

"I'll go and inform… oh, wait, he's here now."

Ahsoka could hear the door opening and multiple footsteps entering the room.

"How's she doing?" The voice was recognizable. An ally, a friend, had come to her rescue.

Before allowing anyone in the room to respond, Ahsoka couldn't help but shout, "Lux!" Even with the commotion going on around her, she could hear the sigh of relief coming from Lux.

"I guess that answers my question. Stay calm, Ahsoka. You're back on Onderon, and you will be all right." There was a brief silence, during which she imagined Lux was verifying his statement with the others before continuing. "You're going to be all right."

"But I can't see." After making the comment, she realized she was stating the obvious. "Where am I, and what happened after the explosion?"

"Where you are is in a secret location. I won't reveal it, for the protection of those caring for you. They don't even know where they are. Things have changed, Ahsoka. A lot of things have changed."

A voice from one of the other men, whom Ahsoka could only guess was a physician, reassured her. "Just relax, Master Ahsoka. You've got a ventilator mask and a hermetic collar on. We'll have those off in just a short while, and you'll be able to see again. We're going to remove the containment straps now, but we'll have to sedate you for the mask and collar."

Ahsoka lay still on the medical bed, as she felt the straps being relaxed. As they were loosened and removed, one by one, she felt relief – at being alive, at being with friends. As the last of the straps were removed, Ahsoka felt the physicians begin to work on the mask. Lying still, awaiting the ability to see her surroundings, she felt someone take her hand. She didn't need to ask who. Then she slowly drifted off to sleep.

Later that evening, Ahsoka sat leisurely across the chaise lounge that was truly built for royalty. The comfort of it would have lulled her to sleep at any other time. But this was no other time. This was a time for the truth to be told. The truth was the Republic she had believed in and fought so hard for was gone. It had given way to an Empire ruled by those whose ideals were far from her own. Friends that she had fought with to free systems from such rule had now either turned against her, or faced the same fate she was destined for on the 2323. Lux, Saw, and Teloant recounted how Saw had pulled her from the wreckage of the 2323, and told her of the events since the explosion. As she listened with tears rolling down her face, her one desire was to disappear into the royal robe provided for her. The pattern was from the clan Bonteri, and Ahsoka could only imagine that it had once belonged to Mina Bonteri, Lux's mother.

"To the best of our knowledge, there are no Jedi left." Lux, sitting in a matching chair to the left of Ahsoka, could barely get the words out as he looked upon her pain stricken face.

"And they called all Jedi to return to the Temple, and then changed the transmission?" Ahsoka was trying to put the pieces together as best she could. Her recovery was not yet complete, and she had a hard time concentrating. "But that must mean there was someone left."

"Ahsoka, Anakin's gone." Teloant had a soothing diplomatic voice, but the realities of what had happened were not lessened by his tone. "We haven't heard from Obi-Wan, and now there is a new assassin named Vader searching out every place where even a rumor of a Jedi is heard."

"And that's why I was hidden away for weeks?"

Lux reached his right hand to Ahsoka and took her hand. "You were knocked unconscious from the explosion, and we destroyed the ship. No one knows you're alive. We've kept you hidden for your own safety."

Ahsoka fell upon the side of the lounge, and Lux placed his left hand on top of hers.

"We'll talk more in the morning. We still need to discuss where we go from here."

Ahsoka lifted her head to look at Lux. "You mean where I go?"

As the words to continue became impossible to find, Lux ended the night. "Ahsoka, let's get some rest, we'll walk you to your room."

Lux stepped backwards out the door of Ahsoka's quarters. "Get some sleep, Ahsoka. We'll talk more in the morning, when you feel better." The door shut, leaving Lux Bonteri, senator and public speaker, staring at it speechless.

"When will you tell her?" The voice from behind Lux broke his focus.

"We'll tell her in the morning." Lux looked to the floor with a blank stare. "But is there any other way?"

The tone of his voice became direct speaking as one with authority. "There are events that have to happen before she can return. Besides, the Emperor is sending Vader to verify her death. You can't believe that just because you told them you destroyed the ship, they'll take your word for it, do you? She either has something they want, or she can do something to them. They want it, or they want her gone. I told you in the beginning I could save her. I didn't promise anything more."

Lux raised his head and turned to see the figure walking away. The sound of boots echoing through the hall grew quieter as he turned the corner, leaving nothing but a shadow for Lux to gaze upon.

Inside her room, Ahsoka sat on the bed holding the locket Lux had given her. Everything that happened … and I remembered to grab this. What now? What now, Ahsoka?