Chapter 30 - Trouble Brewing

DISCLAIMER: We (unfortunately) do not own Star Wars. :P

Author's Note: In which familiar faces are around... and the true (?) climax begins! There are 34 chapters total and then an epilogue. ;)

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~ Amina Gila

To say that Ahsoka is surprised when Anakin comes back with a Zabrak and four young children in tow would be an understatement. Still, she goes along with it, welcoming them all warmly. "They were meant to be the Emperor's Hands," Anakin confides as soon as they're settled in the living room. Obi-Wan is still in the bacta tank, though he'll be removed shortly. "They've received some Dark Side training, but we can still help them move past their traumas."

"What are their names?" she wonders. Watching them navigate their new surroundings with no small amount of apprehension, a familiar surge of protectiveness, one which she's felt towards Luke and Leia surges up.

"The eldest boy –" Anakin motions to the brown-haired one, "– Is Galen Marek. His parents were Jedi from what I heard. A couple Inquisitors brought him back from Kashyyyk. The other boy –" Here, he points to the black-haired one, "– Is Ezra Bridger from Lothal. His parents, I believe, are dead now, traitors to the Empire." Ahsoka winces at that. These children are so young, yet they're probably all orphans.

"The elder girl –" Anakin indicates the black-haired one, "– is Aralina Silk, and the other is Mara Jade. Unless I am mistaken, they were taken from their parents after being identified as Force sensitives. I am unaware if they have any living relatives."

"And how old are they?" wonders Ahsoka, a new loathing for Sidious hissing to life, anger burning deep within her. They're far too young to have their childhoods taken away in this manner. They should have grown up with their families.

"Ezra was born on Empire Day, a day or two before Luke and Leia. Galen is a couple months older than that, while Aralina is currently ten, and Mara is nine," Anakin informs her.

"What will we do with them?" she wonders, though she thinks she already knows the answer.

"We'll keep them, of course," he answers. "We can train them to use the Force properly, to be Jedi if they so choose. And we can hire a therapist or something to help them deal with their trauma."

She hums quietly, moving forward to sit in the middle of the floor so as to be less intimidating. "You've given this some thought, haven't you." It's not a question.

Ahsoka feels more than sees his nonverbal acknowledgement. "I'm going to contact Owen and check on Obi-Wan," he tells her before leaving the room.

"I'm Ahsoka Tano," she introduces herself as soon as Anakin is gone. The four of them gather around, lingering some feet away from her, and it hurts her to see how uncertain they are of her intentions. Sidious is a sadistic monster, and if he weren't already dead, Ahsoka would gladly drag his death out, making it as painful as possible.

"You have lightsabers," comments Ezra, leaning closer with curiosity.

"I – I'm a Jedi," she explains, feeling oddly reluctant to label herself as such, though it'll be easiest for now. "You know Master Skywalker. Lord Vader," she clarifies at their confusion.

Galen nods his head. "He helped train us sometimes. Lightsaber practice."

"He's scary," whispers Mara, flinching as she says it, and Ahsoka's heart breaks all over again.

Aralina shifts protectively in front of Mara, and Ahsoka is glad to see it, being as they've hardly known one another. They're obviously recognized that they have shared trauma and bonded because of it.

"I know," Ahsoka tells the little girl, trying to figure out how to explain it to her. "You met the Emperor, of course?" They all nod, and she can feel their spiking fear. "Lord Vader –" And doesn't it irk her to use that name on Anakin again? "– He killed the Emperor. You're safe now. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."

"I was supposed to be the only one," Ezra says miserably, glancing at the others.

"The Emperor hurt all of you," Ahsoka replies simply. "He lied to you. He wanted to control you." They might be young, but they're not as innocent as they should be. She won't insult them by sugar-coating the truth.

She can feel them being overwhelmed, so she looks to their Zabrak caretaker who is looking on silently. Anakin trusted him enough to bring him here. That means she can trust him to ensure the children remain safe. "There's a guest suite just down the hall," she informs them. "Why don't you go there and settle down?"

He nods sharply to her, motioning to the four. "Come," he tells them simply. They follow him without any need for explanation, and Ahsoka wonders how long it will take before they trust her, or even Anakin. When Luke and Leia arrive, it should make the situation easier on everyone.

A sudden flare of alarm through her bond with Anakin draws her attention instantly, and she rises, making her way up the stairs to where he is. He meets her half-way there, a panicked look on his face. "I just spoke to Owen," he tells her, voice coming out in a rush, "Luke and Leia were taken by stormtroopers less than a day after we left them there. All Owen knows is that the Emperor wanted to meet them." Oh. Oh no. "Solo won't be there for another hour, but he'll be bringing them to Coruscant," he adds almost as an afterthought.

"Where are they now?" she demands.

He shakes his head, seeming shaken. "I don't know. I'm going to contact some Imperials to see who might have been in that region. We'll find them, Ahsoka."

She manages a smile. "Of course, we will." Sidious might not be able to harm them, but there are plenty of others who can.

**w**

Obi-Wan had known something was wrong before he'd fully regained consciousness – Anakin's fear was flooding their bond, and he could feel Ahsoka's worry. They'd explained the situation as soon as he'd been sensible enough to understand, and of course, he'd refused to "take it easy" like Anakin was insisting. His nephew and niece were kidnapped, and their locations are still unknown. If he has to scour the galaxy in a shuttle, he'll do it. And he does, in fact, know how to take care of himself, thank you very much, Anakin.

He'd suggested that they contact Bail, something which Anakin did immediately, and here they are, meeting him in the sitting room. "I'll speak with all my contacts and see what can be done," Bail declares, already typing on a datapad.

"I spoke with the now Admiral Piett, who now commands the Executor with a recent promotion," chimes in Anakin, brow furrowed as he looks been at least four datapads laid out in front of him. "I'm missing some of the data and clearances for some reason, but he has learned that Grand Moff Tarkin was above Tatooine in the Death Star."

Obi-Wan frowns. The Death Star? He can't recall Anakin ever having mentioned something like that. "That had better not be what it sounds like," he comments dryly.

Anakin blanches. "I'd forgotten," he mutters, rubbing his forehead. "Sidious told me about it after the Purge and…" he pauses, swallowing hard, "I objected strongly against the construction of a space station which has the ability to destroy an entire planet, but he overruled me. When I became… erratic a few years later, he stopped mentioning the progress to me. Apparently, he realized that he would be unable to rely on me to enforce his will, so he stepped up the construction. It has obviously been completed."

Obi-Wan isn't sure what to say to that. To be honest, this whole situation has fallen onto him far faster than he's been able to process it. Part of his mind isn't sure if it's just a horrible nightmare being created by Sidious. He shakes the thought away and refocuses, trying to concoct some way of locating the twins and taking them to safety. They must be terrified right now.

"And we're under the assumption that he has taken the twins aboard that monstrosity," Ahsoka states flatly. "Is there any way to confirm that?"

"Bail, do you have a way to contact Commander Cody?" Anakin questions suddenly.

Obi-Wan jerks in surprise at the name, surprise mounting when Bail nods. "He and the rest of the 501st met up with Captain Rex. As far as I know, they're still together."

Anakin leans forward. "Contact him immediately. I need to know if he has any men who chose to stay behind and 'serve' the Empire with the intent of obtaining and passing intel."

"Consider it done," the Senator replies, glancing up before returning his gaze to the datapad. Obi-Wan can see his tension. Leia might be Anakin's daughter by blood, but she'll always be Bail's daughter too. He loves her as his own, and Obi-Wan is grateful that Anakin has come to accept it.

Ahsoka rises. "I have a couple people I can contact, though I haven't spoken with them as Fulcrum for a year now. I'll let you know if I get something concrete."

Obi-Wan watches her go, a strange numbness settling over him. He has no one to contact, no one who might be able to help him find the twins. But he does have the Force. Closing his eyes, he drifts free for the first time in years, the comforting embrace of the Light Side curling around him. It's so freeing, so relieving, and he nearly forgets what he's supposed to be doing.

In the time he's spent with the twins, he's formed a bond with both of them, though his bond with Luke is far stronger, having formed when they were still on Tatooine. He reaches towards it, feeling it drift off. Luke's too far away for him to reach. He delves deeper, seeking out a way to touch him, to assure him that everything will be alright. But the distance is too far, and he eventually gives up, an unfamiliar frustration filling him. He wishes he'd been there when Sidious was killed. He could have used the closure, but it's no use crying over the past, especially not something like that.

Anakin's sudden movement catches his attention, and he looks over at his brother. "Did you get something?" he asks.

When he replies, his voice is strained. "Tarkin is challenging my position as Emperor. He declares that I betrayed Sidious and as such, the Empire should go to him."