Chapter 14: The Realities We Seek

Anakin found Obi-wan on the bridge staring at a holo-map of the Onderon system. He marched over.

"Anything new?" he asked his master.

Obi-wan scratched his beard. "We have scouts all across the system monitoring hyperspace lanes. Our scans don't indicate any ship entering or exiting since the boy's capture."

"So, he's close then?"

Obi-wan sighed, motioning to the holo-map of the system. It was a cluster of about half a dozen planets and moons. The largest was Onderon. The smallest was a moon called Trica.

"We believe so. But still, there are a lot of places for someone to hide."

Anakin laughed. "How hard can it be to find one person?"

"Don't be too overconfident, Anakin."

He rolled his eyes at his old master. The blue map orbited in front of them with possible trajectories of Dooku's ship. Scouts were marked and blinking to their locations in real-time.

He thought back to when they were last on Onderon. It was almost a year ago at least. When they helped train those rebels to overthrow their oppressive Separatist government. He and Obi-wan had left halfway through the operation. Ahsoka had stayed all the way through and fought alongside the rebels.

A familiar pang hit his chest. It happened whenever he thought of his former Padawan, which was often. He missed her greatly. After she left the Temple Anakin took a meditative leave of the Order for two weeks. No one questioned it. He spent the time on Naboo. The first night he broke down. Padmé let him cry in her arms the whole night. He hadn't been able to shed a tear while in the Temple. As much as it hurt, it felt good to be able to let some of his sadness go.

But not all of it.

He put up a good front. But everyone knew he missed her. Even his men missed their Commander. It had taken them a while to adjust to not having her around anymore.

But eventually, they did. The Order stopped whispering about it. The Clones adopted new strategies. Obi-wan stopped looking at him with empathy. They all accepted her choice and moved on.

But not him. No, Anakin still held onto the small hope she would return. Somehow, he knew she would. The Force told him so.

"Generals," Captain Rex said as he walked into the bridge, snapping Anakin out of his thoughts. "Senator Bonteri is here."

Lux Bonteri entered the bridge right behind the clone Captain. He was taller than Anakin remembered. He also had a very serious look on his face. Despite how calm he was trying to appear, Anakin could sense otherwise.

"Master Skywalker, Master Kenobi, it's been a while. But please forgive me if we forego catching up."

He spoke with so much authority. It kind of reminded Anakin of how Padmé talked when she was in politician mode. When she did it, he found it inspiring. However, Lux's voice was much more forceful. Anakin contemplated if it would be rude to tell him to shut up.

"Of course, Senator. As you know, we have been tracking Dooku for ages. This news that he might have a new apprentice is disturbing," Obi-wan said solemnly.

Lux crossed his arms tightly to his chest. Anakin sensed there was something Lux wasn't telling them.

"Do we have any leads?" Lux pressed.

Obi-wan went on to explain what he had told Anakin earlier, but Anakin zoned out.

Anakin noticed how on edge Lux was. Given, his child was missing. The news that Lux even had a kid was surprising. Anakin would always think of him as the scrappy kid who couldn't throw a droid popper right. Now, he was a father and a Senator. How old was he, twenty?

Then again, Anakin himself was hardly twenty-three…

Rex explained a possible route they could take to investigate based on the ship Dooku had. "If this intel is good, Trica is our best bet," Rex finished.

Anakin nodded, turning to a clone behind him. "Do a planetary-wide bio-scan, see if you can pick up any signatures in isolated sections. Dooku wouldn't dare go into a populated area." The clone nodded. Anakin turned to the Captain. "Rex, prepare the ARC Troopers for a stealth mission."

Rex saluted and ran off the bridge.

"Sir! Scans indicate solitary life forms at these coordinates. A ship matching the profile of Count Dooku's is nearby," the clone trooper reported. On the holo-map, a blinking marker appeared over Trica. The holo zoomed in on the planet.

"Looks like our guess was right," Anakin said.

"I know that place," Lux said. "That was my mother's old house. I sold it after she died. Dooku is taunting me." He balled his fists.

Radar imaging of the area replaced the planet map. The house was a large fenced-in property in the mountains. Very isolated. It was the perfect place to hide.

"Dooku is setting a trap for us. Why can't he ever do something new or unpredictable?" Anakin said humorlessly.

But he received a dark glare from Lux. "If Dooku is so predictable, then why haven't you caught him yet?"

Anakin's smile faded. He didn't mean it like that. But Lux had a point. Count Dooku had escaped their capture too many times now. If they had caught him a while ago, Lux wouldn't be missing his son.

"I think you should go prepare with your men, Anakin. I'll stay here with the Senator and monitor for any hyperspace traffic," Obi-wan stated, breaking the awkward pause.

Sensing Lux's hostility, Anakin was more than happy to leave the bridge behind. As he made his way to the hanger, he tried to ignore a sudden nagging feeling. He recognized it as the Force trying to tell him something. Anakin didn't have time to meditate on it before the mission. He figured whatever it was, could wait.

Little did he know that wouldn't be the case.

She heard her communicator beep a familiar tone and answered it.

"You know where they are headed?" Ahsoka asked the hologram of Lux.

"Yes, Trica. They are gearing up and leaving within the hour. Sending coordinates."

Ahsoka put in the coordinates into her ship's navicomputer.

"Who did they send?" she asked, not looking away from the screen.

"That's what I need to warn you about," Lux said. "Your old masters."

She sighed heavily. Just one more complication she would have to face. "It's official then, the Force hates me."

He laughed and for a moment she saw the carefree man she met back on Raxus. All those years ago he flirted with her boldly despite knowing she was a Jedi and on the opposite side of a war. But his face dissolved quickly.

"The Chancellor requested them personally. And if you want to beat them to Alek, you'd better hurry. The Jedi are taking a few clones too. They'll be there soon."

Her ship's engine roared, lifting off of the large meteorite she had been resting on.

"Thanks for the warning."

"I trust you," Lux said seriously.

Trust. Lux had always trusted her. He knew she would be okay.

"I'll find him," she promised. "And bring him home."

Lux looked at her, gazing through her eyes across the galaxy. "I know you will. Stay safe, love."

She felt the headpiece on her lekku grow warm as it sat comfortably on her head. She remembered the day Lux put it on and smiled. He was counting on her.

"I will, love."

Trica's forests were different than Onderon's, Anakin observed from where the gunships landed. Where Onderon had large tropical trees and dense foliage, Trica had tall pines. It was much colder there as well. A thin layer of snow dusted the forest floor.

They landed one click away from the Bonteri property line. The tall fence marked the edges and poked out from the trees. Their vantage point of the high ground gave them a clear view of the land.

"Looks like a pretty easy entry," Rex said, looking through the scope on his helmet. "No guards, watchtowers, or munitions of any kind."

"It's a civilian residence, Captain," Anakin pointed out. "They have protection from the wilderness, not armies." He turned to the men. "Okay, from the scans, we have only two life-forms inside. They are in the center of the house. We don't know what kind of droid presence is in there. Be on high alert. And if any of you find the kid, grab him and run. The rest of us will follow when we can. Understand?"

"Yes, Sir!" the clones echoed. Including Rex, there were a dozen of them.

He looked back at the gunship. R2-D2 sat waiting. He turned to Anakin and beeped at him.

"Don't worry about us, R2. Just keep the ship running. We'll be back soon."

Anakin faced the Bonteri house again. The nagging feeling from the Force wouldn't go away. He shook his head, clearing it, and focused on the mission at hand.

Finding the way inside the boundary line and the house was so easy, it made Ahsoka mad. She'd have to talk to Lux about the severe lack of security around his former home.

The house was dark inside. No one lived there, so the power had been switched off. She pulled her cloak tighter around her, shivering in the cold air of the hallway she stood in. Ahsoka closed her eyes again, trying to reach out to her son like she did when she was tracking him on Onderon right after he was taken. She felt nothing.

Why would the scans show there to be beings here when there weren't? What was Dooku's game?

She unhooked her sabers and continued searching the house. But as much as she tried to will her son to be there, he wasn't.

Ahsoka stood in the sitting room. The tall windows overlooking the mountains cast enough light for her to see. Dust filtered through the air. It had been a while since anyone had been inside. She ran a finger over the mantle. A layer of dust covered it.

She knew Lux had sold this place after his mother was killed. It was a shame in her mind. With some cleaning, it could really be magnificent. She loved the dark wooden walls, the ornate furniture, and the beautiful gardens out behind the house. They were covered in snow now, but in the spring she could imagine the soft green grass under her feet. Ahsoka could see Alek running around with her. It was the perfect place to begin his training. Lux would probably sit at the gazebo near the house, at a table working on Senate business. Ahsoka could imagine Alek changing with the seasons, growing bigger and becoming strong with his abilities. When he was old enough she'd take him to some of the temples she found. And maybe, just maybe, she would reach out to the Order again.

She could see her life in the house. One of peace. One where she could live connected to others and serve the Force.

But then she blinked, and it was gone.

The house was empty, the ground was frozen, and she stood alone.

A single tear ran down her cheek.

She moved away from the window, giving the room a last once-over. Her eyes landed on a large mirror on the wall. Ahsoka walked over. Her image looked back at her. She straightened her cloak. Then stopped. Leaning closer, she squinted at the glass.

There was a handprint in the dust. As if someone had pushed on the mirror.

Ahsoka's heart picked up. At the same time, she heard the sound of an approaching ship. It was the Jedi. She didn't have much time.

She placed her palm where the handprint was, leaning forward and pushing the mirror back. It swung on hinges, revealing a doorway. Behind it, a set of elevator doors stood open and waiting.

Someone was down there. And she was going to find out who.

They found no one in the house. But Anakin sensed that they weren't alone. He ordered the men to do another sweep.

"They must've fooled our scanners somehow," Rex stated. They stood in the main living area of the house.

Anakin shook his head. "Dooku is toying with us. He sent us here. There has to be something to…find." He trailed off.

"Sir?"

Anakin ignored his Captain for a moment. The nagging feeling in the Force was back, telling him to turn around. He found himself staring at a reflection. It was a large mirror. The kind Padmé insisted they have in the apartment. But this one was at an odd angle. He stepped toward it.

It was a door.

Rex tapped the glass carefully. It swung backward to reveal an elevator. "It must lead to a panic room of some kind." As he spoke, the doors opened.

"Someone's down there alright," Anakin said. The nagging feeling grew. It was like the Force was tugging on his ear and wouldn't stop.

Rex took out his blasters. "Good news is we've got 'em trapped. Only one way in or out."

Letting the men know where they were going, Rex and Anakin took the elevator down. The feeling got stronger as they descended. Anakin flexed his hands a few times, still trying to shake it off. His senses alerted him to a presence as they got closer. When they hit the bottom level, he grabbed his lightsaber. Rex took the cue and pointed his blasters at the doors, ready to fight.

The sight they saw, they did not expect.

The doors opened. Battle droids filled the hallway. But they were slashed to pieces already. A few destroyers lay motionless as well.

"What the hell?" Rex asked.

Anakin's senses went haywire. He vaulted over the mess of droids and made a run for the vault door at the end of the hallway. It had a large hole cut into it from a lightsaber.

He stopped dead in his tracks, looking inside.

She disengaged her new lightsabers just as the elevator doors opened. Her breathing was heavy. Ahsoka sensed his approach. Her master would find her in seconds. And she had no way to escape.

The empty carrier lay on the floor at her feet. Ahsoka felt a deep part of her heart break. Alek wasn't there. She had been too late. Or maybe he was never there, and this had all been a set-up. The Force was still trying to tell her something, but she didn't know what.

Anakin's Force signature ran up to the doorway. He stood just outside of the hole she cut in the vault.

"What is it, General?"

Her head picked up. She recognized Rex's voice instantly. Even though there were millions of clones in the galaxy, she'd always be able to tell when her Captain was speaking.

"Commander?" he said, stunned.

She took a deep calming breath and turned around.

"Ahsoka?" Anakin croaked out. At that moment she realized how grateful she was for Lux's warning. She had mentally prepared herself. But clearly her old master wasn't.

"Master," she said. She clipped her sabers back to her sides and walked as swiftly as she could to the door. "Captain."

Rex holstered his blasters and took off his helmet. He was beaming. "Commander Tano, good to see you."

Ahsoka didn't expect to feel so refreshed at seeing Rex again. He was a presence that she could rely on. He was constant. She could always count on him and trust him.

On the other hand, she had several mixed feelings about Anakin. Of whom still hadn't moved. She tried to pull all of her emotions in, not wanting to give him any reason to suspect her.

"You too Rex. Master, are you going to keep staring, or are we going to get moving?" Ahsoka said curtly.

Anakin finally found his voice. "What are you doing here? Why-"

"I think we should head back to the surface," she said as if that explained everything. "The boy is not here and time is short."

Without waiting, she left the vault and made for the elevator. Rex jogged up next to her. Anakin fell in behind.

"Wait, how do you know about the kid?" Anakin asked hurriedly.

Ahsoka entered the elevator. Again, she had to bury her emotions. It took more energy out of her than she expected to do so.

"Senator Bonteri called me. I owed him a favor."

"How did you know to come here?" he questioned. The elevator began to rise.

Ahsoka crossed her arms under her cloak. Her master was one of the most persistent Jedi to ever exist. He was known to find creative ways to extract information or to defeat his opponents.

Lucky for her, she had been trained by him. The elevator opened on the top floor.

"I think it's more important to know where to go next. Dooku knows by now that we are on to him. He'll keep the boy moving."

She was right and Anakin knew it. She pretended to miss the quick apprehensive look he gave her. She had a feeling her detached attitude wasn't fooling him.

They regrouped with the clones and made their way to the gunship. Ahsoka felt the Force tug at her again. She closed her eyes as the doors sealed and they flew into the upper atmosphere. Using the small moment to herself, she reached out. Alek wasn't on Trica anymore. In fact, she sensed he wasn't on any planet at all. That thought sent a bit of panic through her body.

But she had no time to process it. The ship landed in the hanger and the doors opened.

She was greeted by all the faces of the 501st.

She hated the brat. She really did. Ever since she snatched him from his bedroom window, Barriss wanted to throw him out of the nearest airlock.

Currently, he was silent. He had been cooing and crying for the past three hours until the nurse droid fed and changed him. It really pissed her off that her new master still had her doing his grunt work. But he promised things would change after this mission. She would finally get the revenge she wanted.

The Republic ships hovered in high orbit over Onderon. Barriss watched them through her viewport. Just as she had fooled their scans of Trica, she was masking her ship's signature now. As long as they stayed out of visual range of the cruisers, no one would find them. All she had to do was wait for her master to make the next move.

The brat wiggled in his carrier. She tensed. He only did that when-

"WAHHHHHHHHH!"

"DAMNIT!" she screamed over the loud crying. She pressed the button to call the nurse droid again and covered her ears. She tried to ignore him, but the boy kept screaming and screaming.

"Ugh, fine!"

She went over and picked up the child. The crying didn't stop. She held him at arm's length.

"What is it? Are you seriously going to keep doing that?"

He kicked his feet and waved his hands. Suddenly, a tool from a nearby worktable floated into the air. It flew at her. Barriss ducked. It hit the wall behind her and clanged to the floor.

"What the-?"

Then another object, a large bolt, missed her only faintly.

Barriss dropped the child back in the carrier. The nurse droid rolled in. She moved away to let it do its job. She stared at the items on the floor, then to the baby.

She pressed her communicator. "Master, do you copy?"

"What is it Barriss? I am busy," Count Dooku replied.

"Oh, I hope not too busy to know what I've just learned about our littlest prisoner. I think you will be most pleased…"

*cue Clone Wars theme*

Fuck Barriss.

Hope you enjoyed! I think I rewrote this chapter about seven different times. For some reason, Anakin and Ahsoka's reunion was tricky to write. It dawned on me that the reason the writers had him meet her again over holo-transmission was because Anakin could sense her. That was the only way we could get that genuine shock from him in that scene. It is established that they could sense each other in season 7. When writing I had to figure out a way to not have Anakin sense her right away. So, I put her a few hundred feet underground.

Anyway, now they are together again. But Anakin already knows something is different…stay tuned lovelies!

Follow and review!