Chapter 40 – Departure to Kiros
This story is now at its 40th chapter and has hit 200 reviews. I can honestly say that I never really expected it would get this big. A big thanks to everyone who read, reviewed and favorited this story and my other stories. I hope everyone continues to enjoy them.
Black Magic99, I believe you mean Djinn Altis? I forgot to add that at the end of the chapter. He wasn't from the episodes. He's from a book called "The Clone Wars: No Prisoners". He and his group of Jedi cross paths with Anakin and Ahsoka, but I will not say more about that. It might spoil the book for others who've yet to read it.
General Ripper, I've decided on postponing Ahsoka's talk with Plo Koon. They won't see each other yet for some time (a number of months, not sure yet how many). I'm doing this for a reason, it will become clear when it all takes place. But that will be a different "arc" in my story. There are other things that will happen first.
Hope you enjoy the chapter.
;-
Ahsoka Tano stirred and awoke slowly. Something had caused her to wake up. She slowly opened her eyes and yawned softly. She looked at the display of the small holo-clock on her nightstand. It was little over three am. A slightly irritated frown formed on her face at being woken up at such a ridiculous time.
Ahsoka gently turned around in her bed to look for whatever it was that had woken her up. She didn't have to look long. Even in the dark of night, with her trained senses, she could easily make out the shivering form of the young Togruta lying next to her.
She looked at the young girl. It quickly became clear to her that Aisha was having a nightmare. "A pretty bad one at that." Ahsoka thought worriedly as she saw her shake. "Aisha? Aisha, wake up." She said as she shook the girl by her shoulder. Aisha muttered incoherently and stirred a bit before startling awake. She shot upright quickly, eyes darting around the room as she breathed heavily.
Ahsoka used the Force to quickly switch on the light on her nightstand. "Aisha, it's okay." She reassured the girl. "It was just a bad dream. You're here on Shili with me, remember? You're safe, don't be afraid."
Aisha looked at Ahsoka and embraced her tightly, sobbing heavily. Ahsoka placed her arms around Aisha and held her protectively. "Don't worry Aisha, you're safe here." She whispered into the girls montrals.
Aisha sobbed as she held on to Ahsoka. "He… He was after me again…" She said between sobs, her voice filled with fear.
Ahsoka instantly knew who she was talking about. During the first couple of months that she was Anakin's Padawan, a few of the enemies they had faced had plagued her dreams too. She gently rubbed Aisha's back to calm her down. "Don't worry Aisha." Ahsoka said softly. "It was just a bad dream. He can't hurt you anymore, you know that." She gently lifted Aisha's head to look her in the eyes. "He can't hurt you anymore, and, even if he could, I wouldn't let him. You're safe with me, okay?" She asked with a smile.
Aisha nodded slowly and calmed down a bit. Ahsoka used the Force to send her some positive feelings. The two of them sat on Ahsoka's bed for a little while. Aisha sobbing less and less as Ahsoka kept comforting her.
A few minutes passed and Aisha had finally calmed down again. She was resting calmly in Ahsoka's arms, savoring the warm feeling of safety she felt around the older Togruta. "Are you feeling better now? Ahsoka asked. Aisha nodded and smiled slightly. Ahsoka smiled back. "Good. Then let's get back to sleep, shall we?"
They laid back down again. Aisha was a bit afraid of falling asleep again, but Ahsoka kept her arms around her, comforting her enough to fall back asleep. When Ahsoka was sure that Aisha was resting calmly she rested her head as well.
;-
A strange but very similar sensation swept through her. Ahsoka opened her eyes and found herself in a familiar courtyard, awaited by a very familiar being.
"Good night Ahsoka," Daughter greeted her. "You have had an eventful week, haven't you?"
Ahsoka moved over the tree were Daughter was sitting. She sat down and mirrored Daughter's meditative pose. "That's certainly true." She replied. "Will the people of Kiros be alright?" She asked Daughter in return.
"You know that I cannot answer such questions about the future, Ahsoka." Daughter replied, the smallest hint of regret present in her voice.
Ahsoka shrugged. "Well, it was worth asking." She replied. "My people suffered so much. I don't want that to happen again." She said as she looked down.
Daughter nodded understandingly. "The first invasion of Kiros took everyone by surprise. The Separatists attacked a neutral population not capable of defending itself against a such a large force. They had plenty of time to do whatever they pleased with the people." She recounted what had happened. "However, this time that's not the case. You know they are coming. Your people know that they are coming and the Republic will soon know as well. You will be prepared this time."
Ahsoka looked up as she caught on to the slight hint. "So you're saying that things will definitely be different this time." She replied with a small smile.
"I'm not saying anything." Daughter said. "I'm merely stating the facts that are known."
"Thank you." Ahsoka replied.
Daughter nodded slightly. "There is no need to thank me, Ahsoka. After all, I haven't done anything." She said with a small smile. "You have also met someone interesting."
Ahsoka nodded. "You mean Aisha." She replied. Daughter nodded. "She's a really sweet girl. I'm glad I was able to rescue her from Tatooine. She doesn't deserve such a horrible fate." Ahsoka said.
"There is more to your meeting than you know now." Daughter replied. "You were fated to meet."
"I already sensed that she is strong in the Force." Ahsoka said. "I'm going to try and teach her how to use the Force when I get back from Kiros." She smiled. "She's certainly very excited about it."
"She will make a fine apprentice." Daughter replied. "And she will help you more than you imagine right now."
Ahsoka looked at her. "So I can safely assume that she will recover from this traumatic experience? That is a great relief." Ahsoka said.
"Indeed it is." Daughter replied. "Under your tutelage, she will grow up to be a fine woman and skilled Force user." Hearing this earned her a smile from Ahsoka. "Now, let us focus on the present. Tonight, let us focus on perception and awareness. The Force can aid you tremendously during the upcoming battle." She informed Ahsoka.
Ahsoka nodded in return. "Alright, let's get started." She replied.
;-
Ahsoka, her family and Aisha sat in the living room of their house. They had just finished breakfast and took a little moment together before everyone had to leave. Marina and Lilo both had a lot of things to take care of as Senators. With the upcoming battle, they had even more work to deal with.
Ahsoka was about to head to the palace to try out the fighters of Eagle squadron. If she was going to fly with them, she had to know their equipment. Before she left though, there was something that she wanted to discuss with her mother.
She saw that Aisha was currently, much to her relief, playing with Rosette. It was a good opportunity to for her to have a little chat with her mother. She asked her mother to come with her a moment and they both walked into the kitchen.
"Is something wrong, Ahsoka?" Her mother asked as they both sat down. "Are you worried about the mission?"
Ahsoka shook her head. "No, it's not like that." She replied. "Well, of course I'm a bit worried about the safety of our people. The Separatists can be very cruel. But that's not what I wanted to talk about."
Yuae nodded. "Then what is it?" She asked.
Ahsoka looked in the direction of the living room. "It's Aisha." She replied softly. "I'm worried about her." She looked at her mother again. "She had a pretty bad nightmare last night. It really frightened her. Seeing as how I'll be away for a couple of days, I just wanted to ask you if you could keep a close eye on her, to make sure that she's alright."
Her mother nodded understandingly. "Of course, don't worry dear." Yuae told her daughter. "I'll keep an eye on her for you. She'll be safe here, I'll make sure of that." She assured her.
Ahsoka smiled and gave her mother a quick hug. "Thanks mom, that really takes a load of my mind." She replied.
Yuae patted her daughter's back. "Anytime sweetheart." She said. They separated from the hug. "Now then, you need to get ready. You have some flying to do." Ahsoka nodded and they went back to the living room.
;-
Ahsoka entered the palace grounds. She was looking forward to this. Flying always excited her and she really wanted to see what the fighters of Eagle squadron were capable of.
She looked around and spotted Silara, one of the H'Raani M'Kai warriors that had joined her last trip, walking towards her. "Hello Silara." She greeted the warrior.
"Good morning, Ahsoka." Silara replied. "Here to try out the fighters, right?" She asked.
Ahsoka nodded. "Yep, I sure am." She said with a smile. "But how do you know about that?" She asked curiously.
Silara smiled at her. "I'm part of Eagle squadron." She replied. "I'm at my best in the air. And, from what I've heard, you were quite the pilot yourself, right?" She asked.
Ahsoka chuckled a bit. "You didn't tell me that when we first met." She said amused. Silara laughed a bit as well. "And yes, I am quite the pilot myself. I've been in a lot of space battles and I learned from one of the best pilots in the Galaxy." Ahsoka said.
"Well then," Silara replied. "I'm quite curious to see what you can do. Come on, let's head to the hangar." As she said this she pointed in the direction on the hangar. Ahsoka nodded and they headed towards the hangar.
;-
A few minutes later Ahsoka and Silara entered the portion of the hangar that housed the fighters of Eagle squadron. Ahsoka looked around in excitement. She knew that her species were generally seen as a primitive species that didn't use a lot of technology. It was a stupid prejudice. Several of the tribes on the planet didn't use technology, that was true. But that was because they chose not to use it, not because they couldn't use it. They preferred to live with nature.
Ahsoka smiled as she looked around the hangar. "Everyone that thinks that Togruta can't use technology should take a look at this place." She thought amused and impressed. This hangar was quite an amazing place. "We've made sure that we have the best gear available." Silara told her. "We had great problems with pirates about fourteen years ago. When that crisis was resolved, it was decided that we needed better ways to defend our people should the need to arise. Our new fighters were a part of that." She explained as she pointed at a series of fighters.
Ahsoka looked over at the fighters. They were a very sleek design, white in color with different colored stripes for each fighter. As she walked closer with Silara, she couldn't help but think that the fighters had a bit of a bird-like appearance.
She spotted another Togruta walk up to them. He had rust-colored skin and two white vertical stripes across his face by his eyes. He wore the same forest-colored armor as the H'Raani M'Kai, but it looked more like a light version, like a pilot outfit.
Silara smiled and turned to the newcomer, giving him a short salute. He smiled and returned the salute before turning his attention to Ahsoka. "So, you are the young warrior I've been hearing so much about." He said as he studied her a moment. "From what I've been told, you are stronger and a lot more skilled than your appearance would suggest. Is that statement true?" He asked a bit amused.
Ahsoka chuckled a bit. "I'm not really one to brag, but that's certainly true." She replied. "A lot of people have made the mistake of underestimating me." She told him with a smile.
He laughed briefly. "I like your confidence." He replied with a smile of his own. "My name is Varon Tynblade, squadron leader of the Eagles." He introduced himself as he held out his hand.
Ahsoka took his hand and shook it. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ahsoka Tano." She replied. She could sense that Varon was a skilled and confident leader, much like Shaden Zadane.
"The pleasure is all mine." Varon said. "You have not been back on Shili long, but you have already done so much for our people. I'm glad to have you on board with us."
Ahsoka smiled at the compliment. "I'm just doing what I can." She replied. "I've always been selfless and I enjoy helping others."
Varon nodded. "That's a good attitude." He said. "So, what do you think of our fighters?" He asked as he gestured at the fighters.
Ahsoka looked at the fighters. "They look pretty impressive." She replied. "But am I wrong in thinking that they have a bit of a bird-like appearance?" She asked, much to Varon's amusement.
"You're right about that, Ahsoka." Silara said with a smile.
Varon smiled as well. "Our fighters are designed after the Shilian Striped Eagle." He told her. "They were modeled that way with agility and aerodynamics in mind. Their design greatly improve their performance."
"I'm pretty curious to see what they can do." Ahsoka replied. "I've flown in a bunch of different ships, but nothing quite like these." As she said this, the image of Anakin's busted-up junk ship crossed her mind.
Varon's smile grew wider. "Well, there's only one way to find out." He said amused. "Ready to show us what you're made of?" He asked.
Ahsoka nodded. "Definitely." She replied with a smile.
;-
After a couple minutes of preparation and system checks Ahsoka had just boarded one of the fighters. The fighter she was in had blue stripes along the cockpit and the wings. Silara's fighter had green stripes and Varon's fighter had golden stripes and a few markings along the side.
The size of the cockpit was almost the same size as her old Jedi Fighter, but it was more comfortable on her legs and her rear lekku. She let her gaze drift around to get a feel for the controls. A number of the basic controls were just about in the same place as she was used to. "With the exception that everything is in Togruti, of course." She thought a little amused.
"Ready for takeoff, Ahsoka?" Varon's voice asked over the intercom.
She checked the fighter's displays and readings. "Everything checks out, I'm good for takeoff." She replied.
"Very good." Varon said. "Control tower, this is Eagle leader. Ready for takeoff with Eagle five and Eagle twelve." He informed the flight control.
The designation of the fighter that Ahsoka was using was Eagle twelve. The pilot that normally flew the fighter was on a long period of leave. She would soon have a new member in her family.
A moment later they were cleared for takeoff. Varon and Silara both started up their respective fighters. Ahsoka followed suit, a familiar rush of adrenaline went through her as she felt the engine activate.
In front of her, Varon and Silara lifted their fighters of the ground. She followed their example, gently activating the vertical thrusters to raise her fighter. She didn't know how powerful the thrusters were, but they were calibrated nicely.
Silara's voice sounded over the intercom. "Ahsoka, after we fly out, increase your forward thrusters to 8%. Keep at that speed until we're safely out of the hangar." She instructed her.
"Got it." Ahsoka replied as she readied the thrusters. Varon then signaled them that it was time to depart. His fighter flew out of the hangar, followed by Silara's. Ahsoka increased the forward thrusters like Silara had told her and flew after them.
The morning sun greeted her as her fighter left the hangar. It was quite a sight to behold.
"Ahsoka, increase the thrusters to 20% and move to a 40% upward elevation." She heard Varon's voice say over the intercom.
"Understood, I'm changing my angle now." She replied. Varon and Silara both accelerated and started flying upward. Ahsoka increased the output of her thrusters and angled her ship upwards.
They flew up into the sky of Shili. The scanners of Ahsoka's fighter showed that Varon and Silara were angling their fighters vertically so they would be flying west over the city. She altered her own fighter's direction and flew next to them. With the current of her angle, she could clearly see over the city.
"This sight will never bore me." She heard Varon say over the intercom.
Ahsoka smiled as she looked out over the city. Walking through the streets was one thing, but seeing it all from above with the morning sun illuminating the entire city was an even more spectacular sight. They flew over the city, making for the open areas a few clicks away.
;-
"Alright then Ahsoka, ready to show us what you got?" Varon asked daringly as his fighter suddenly sped through the air.
Ahsoka chuckled a bit. "Oh yeah." She replied. "Let's see what this baby can do!" A smile spread across her face as she increased the power of the thrusters. Her fighter shot forward, adrenaline rushed through her. "Now this is more like it!" she thought excited. She moved the controls and altered her direction, trying out what the fighter was capable off.
Varon smiled in his own fighter as he saw her accelerate and fly around, testing the capabilities of the fighter. He moved his own fighter closer to hers. "Alright Ahsoka, try to follow my lead." He instructed her.
Ahsoka saw Varon line up his fighter next to hers. "Lead the way." She replied. "This should be exciting." She thought as she saw his fighter pick up speed. She had already how just how powerful the H'Raani M'Kai were in combat. Now, she would see just how good Eagle squadron was in the air.
As soon as Varon saw Ahsoka's fighter moving into position, he accelerated. He knew what their fighters were capable of and didn't hesitate a single moment to fully utilize its speed.
Ahsoka smiled as Varon's fighter burst forward. She increased the thrusters of her own fighter and sped after him.
Varon send his fighter through a series of aerial maneuvers. He started with a number of swift turns and sudden climbs. Ahsoka followed after him perfectly. He noticed that she wasn't having any problems and decided to up the ante. He send his fighter into a number of more complicated maneuvers, combining sudden drops with spins and high-level evasive actions. To his surprise and enjoyment, Ahsoka was able to follow him through everything.
He activated the fighter's intercom. "Great work Ahsoka, very well done." He told her as he slowed his ship down.
Ahsoka slowed her fighter down as well and took up a position next to him. "Thanks, you're one great pilot." She replied. "That was a lot of fun." She added, laughing a bit.
Varon laughed as well. "I like your spirit." He said. "Now then, let's try a different exercise." He signaled Silara and she took up position behind them. "Silara will lock onto your fighter. You need to break the lock and lock onto her fighter instead. Do you understand?"
"I do." She replied. "Let's get started." The sensors of her fighter informed her that another fighter had locked on to hers. Beside her, Varon pulled away to give them some more space.
In her fighter, Silara smiled. "Alright Ahsoka, it's my turn to see what you can do. Do you think you can escape me?" She asked in a challenging tone.
Ahsoka's response was to accelerate dramatically and shoot up into the sky. Silara accelerated as well and chased after her. The tracking systems of their fighters were very difficult to escape, so Ahsoka would have to get creative.
Ahsoka checked her radar. Silara was following right behind her. From her flight with Varon, she knew just how good they were in the sky. Fortunately for her, she had quite a few trips up her sleeve. She stopped climbing and used one of Anakin's tricks to quickly turn around. She quickly entered a spinning dive in Silara's direction.
Silara banked away in response and performed a quick corkscrew turn. She got behind Ahsoka again and was able to maintain her lock-on.
Ahsoka quit her spinning maneuver and straightened out her fighter. She pulled a number of other tricks that she had picked up from Anakin, but Silara kept close behind her. An idea came to her mind as she recalled a little trick that Plo Koon had told her.
Silara was still right behind her, giving her the perfect opportunity to perform her next trick. She switched off her engines, leaving her momentarily floating in the air.
In her fighter, Silara was shocked as Ahsoka's fighter suddenly stopped moving and she shot past her. Her lock on the other fighter was immediately lost.
Ahsoka smiled and reignited her engines, speeding after Silara quickly. Silara tried to get behind Ahsoka again, but she wouldn't have it. Ahsoka stayed behind Silara and locked on to her instead.
Varon's voice sounded over the intercom again. "Nice flying, both of you." He told them. "Now, let's head back to the hangar." The three of them got back in formation and flew back to the city.
;-
Ahsoka sat in the hangar with Varon and Silara. She and Varon had just landed after their little test flight. "So Ahsoka," Varon began, "what do you think of our fighters?" He asked curiously.
Ahsoka smiled, she didn't need to use the Force to tell that Varon was immensely passionate about flying. "I think they're great." She replied. "I'm used to my old Jedi fighter, it was a great flight craft. Your fighters aren't as fast, but they are more maneuverable. That definitely has its uses."
Varon nodded. "Like I told you before, our fighters are modelled after the Shilian Striped Eagle." He replied. "Small but fast aerial predators, whose unique wing-structure grants them great agility. We studied them and found a way to imitate their wings, making our fighters incredibly agile too."
Ahsoka chuckled a bit. "I love it." She replied. "I've always appreciated nature. This is one great way to combine nature with technology." She said with a smile.
Silara nodded. "That was the idea." She said. "Our people have always lived with nature. Finding ways to learn from nature and use its gifts is something we something we've become very good at."
Ahsoka looked at the fighters. They were expertly designed, but still, she was curious about something.
Varon noticed that she was thinking about something. "What's on your mind, Ahsoka?" He asked.
"Well, it's just…" She replied. "Anakin always loved to tinker with all kinds of machines. We experimented a lot with a bunch of different things." She explained. "I learned a lot of tricks. I may be able to make a few modifications to the fighters to increase their speed."
Varon smiled when he heard this. "Do you really think that you can power up the fighters?" He asked.
Ahsoka could sense a hint of excitement in his voice. "Maybe." She replied. "We used to tinker with our Jedi Fighters. Their design is different, but there is a good chance that it'll work."
"Well then, shall we give it a shot?" Varon asked. Ahsoka nodded and they went to work on the fighters.
;-
A couple of hours had passed and Ahsoka was back in her house. During dinner, she and her family had discussed a few more things regarding her mission. After that Ahsoka had packed her bags and prepared for her departure. In order to get to Kiros in time, they had to leave late in the evening. Right now, she was sitting in the living room, waiting for the shuttle that was going to pick her up.
"Nervous sis?" Lilo asked next to her. She knew her sister was strong, but she still worried about her safety and that of the people of Kiros. She just hoped that everything would work out alright. And that her sister came back safely this time.
Ahsoka looked at her sister. "Not so much, I've grown used to waiting for a battle." She replied honestly. She couldn't help but feel a hint of regret. "What a thing to get used to." Then another thought crossed her mind. "Hey Lilo, how are Ellona and Edea doing?" She asked. The two Twi'Lek girls had been among the slaves that they had rescued from Tatooine. They didn't want to go back home because of their father. "You went to look for place for them to stay and see if could hire them as your assistants, right?"
Lilo sighed and Ahsoka could sense some mixed emotions from her. "Well," her sister began, "We got them a nice apartment a few blocks away from the palace and the other governmental buildings. That way they can easily get to my office." A small smile spread on Lilo's face. "They were really grateful that they could stay on Shili. I think that they'll be great help to me and that we'll become good friends. It's just…" Lilo paused and took a deep breath.
Ahsoka sensed the sudden shift in her emotions. "What's wrong?" she asked concerned.
Lilo looked a Ahsoka. "I'm afraid that it will take them a while to recover from being slaves." She replied sadly. "Even though they are free now, it's difficult for them to get used to the idea. When I was showing them their new apartment and around my office, they often hesitated and I had to ask them for their opinion occasionally. It was like they were afraid to say anything."
Lilo looked down and shook her head. "After I showed them around, we were having a drink in my office. They both finally loosened up a bit. But then…" She paused briefly. "Ellona accidentally misplaced her glass and it shattered on the ground. I was worried that she would cut herself on the shards, so I told her to be careful. But she…" She took a shaky breath. "She immediately dropped to the ground and begged me not to hurt her. It was awful, I took me several minutes to convince her that I would never hurt her."
She looked back at Ahsoka again. "I can't even begin to imagine what kind of horrible things they've been true, but I really hope that they can recover from it." She said.
"I'm sure they will." Ahsoka replied encouragingly. "I could sense a certain strength of spirit in them both. It will take some time, but they will be able to recover."
Lilo smiled slightly. "Thank you Ahsoka." She said. "I'll make sure that they get all the help they need."
Ahsoka smiled back at her. "I know you will, Lilo." She replied.
;-
About thirty more minutes passed and the transport had just arrived to pick Ahsoka up. She stood just outside the door with her family. Aisha was standing right in front of her, a worried look on her face.
Ahsoka kneeled down so she was at eyelevel with Aisha. "Don't worry, I'll be back in a couple of days." She said with a smile. "After all, I promised that I would teach about the Force, didn't I?" She asked. Aisha nodded slowly and pulled her into a tight hug. "Don't worry, you'll be safe here." She whispered into Aisha's lekku.
They separated as Ahsoka's parents walked up to them. She gave both her parents a hug as well. "Try to stay safe, alright?" Yuae asked her daughter.
Ahsoka nodded. "I promise." She replied with a smile. "I'll do my best."
Yuae nodded as well and smiled at her daughter. "Alright, may the Force be with you Ahsoka." She told her daughter. She looked to her side and saw Aisha standing by nervously. She gently offered her hand to the young girl. Aisha looked a bit surprised, but took her hand, albeit a bit hesitantly.
They walked back to the house and Ahsoka picked up her bags. She walked to the transport and got onboard. She gave a quick wave to her family and the doors closed. The transport took off and headed towards the hangar from where they would depart to Kiros.
;-
I'm going to end this chapter here.
I hope everyone likes the fighter idea. I figured that the Togruta would combine nature with other things, technology as well. So, a fighter based on a bird would suit them well. I tried looking up some bird creature from the Star Wars universe that could work nicely, but there were a lot more than I thought. In the end, I decided to make a bit of an original creature. Still, I think it worked out nicely.
A number of people seem to like the vacation idea, so that is definitely taking place. Johnt12345 suggested that she should run into Windu. I'll admit, he's not really the Jedi I had in mind in the first place, but I'll see how it'll play out. It would be rather funny to see his reaction.
The next chapter of this story and Barriss' story will be their flight to and arrival on Kiros. The chapters after that will be the battle. Seeing as the events in the stories take place at the same time, I will upload both chapters at the same time. However, it will take time to write everything. So I hope everyone bears with me, it may be longer than a few weeks (I hope not, but I don't think it will be any sooner).
I believe I have said everything I wanted to say now and I don't think I'm forgetting something again. Thanks again for the 200 reviews and the support.
Until next time.