Mygeeto
Ahsoka found herself lost in thought as she followed Chewbacca alongside Luke and Han. There was still so much she was finding out the hard way and she had a feeling that it was not going to end any time soon. But as she thought about the current state of the galaxy and what the future might bring; she heard the sound of a familiar beeping which caused her to stop in her steps abruptly, snapping out of her thoughts.
"What is it?" asked Luke.
"I…I know that sound!" said Ahsoka. As she turned around, a huge smile befell on her face at the sight of R2-D2 who was rolling up to them. Before he could even reach them, Ahsoka rushed over to the astromech, kneeled down to his height, and began rubbing him on the dome in a friendly manner. "R2!" Luke found himself confused by their interaction.
"I did not see that coming!" smirked Han.
"You know R2?" asked Luke.
"Of course, he was Anakin's astromech droid during the Clone Wars" replied Ahsoka. Luke was only more confused by her answer. "You do know that, right?"
"No" replied Luke while crossing his arms "Then again, there's a lot of things he doesn't mention until the last minute"
"Anakin?" said Han "As in "your father" Anakin Skywalker?" Luke nodded his head in response. "Wow!" A dreadful thought came across Ahsoka's mind, one that filled her with anxiety.
"Does he still have his memories?" asked Ahsoka "I mean, has he ever had his memory erased?"
"Not to my knowledge" replied Luke "He came into my care about a year ago and I've never had his memory erased; before that, he belonged to Captain Antilles of Alderaan. But from what I've heard, he has always had information that's proven vital to Alliance victories in the past so I doubt he had his mind erased, at least not within the last few years" Ahsoka turned back to R2 and looked deep into his sensor.
"R2, do you…do you remember me?" asked Ahsoka "I'm Ahsoka, Anakin's padawan. I know it's been a long time, but it's me. Do you remember?" R2 beeped affirmatively which relieved Ahsoka. She hugged him and found herself holding back tears of joy. "R2, I've missed you so much!"
"Okay, okay; I obviously missed out on something, so fill me in on this" said Han "You mean to tell me that you're not only a former Jedi from the Clone Wars, but you're also Luke's father's student or something?"
"That is correct" replied Ahsoka.
"Don't worry, she only told me this just before I introduced her to you" said Luke "This is new to me too"
"And R2-D2 originally belonged to Luke's father as well?" asked Han.
"By the time I first met him, yes" replied Ahsoka. Han began to stroke his chin in thought.
"Y'know; maybe she's what you're looking for, kid" said Han.
"What are you talking about?" asked Ahsoka.
"I imagine he would've already mentioned it to you, but Luke here is training to become a Jedi" said Han "Unfortunately however, Jedi are in…short supply nowadays; so finding a master to help with his training has been difficult"
"Han, it's a sensitive issue to her" said Luke "Don't phrase it like, especially about what happened to the Jedi"
"Eh, you're the one who wants to be a Jedi so bad" said Han "I just thought she could help; since she's, y'know, your father's apprentice"
"Han!" said Luke before turning back to Ahsoka "I apologise for his behaviour; he can be a bit insensitive at times"
"Don't worry, I understand" said Ahsoka "Without the Order and with most of the Jedi gone, I had a feeling that you'd ask me something like that eventually. But I'd rather discuss it later, if that's okay. Right now; let's take things one step at a time, okay?"
"Of course" said Luke "You've been through a lot and I imagine it's too much to process. Just…take your time, whenever you're ready"
"Thank you, Luke" said Ahsoka with a smile "Also, did you tell anyone else about my past?"
"No, I promise" replied Luke.
"Then if it's okay, could you please not bring up that I was once a Jedi unless…unless completely necessary?" asked Ahsoka.
"And why's that?" asked Luke.
"I…I know that it's probably unavoidable" replied Ahsoka "But for the time being, I would rather leave the past behind me and have a fresh start. Besides, we can all agree that it would be a bit less complicated"
"That's understandable" said Han "Still, you made quite an entrance and a lot of the soldiers are wondering who you are and where you came from. What should we tell them?"
"If anyone asks; my name is Ashla, I'm a former smuggler who was captured and imprisoned by the Empire here on Mygeeto and I now wish to join the Rebel Alliance" replied Ahsoka.
"Good enough" said Han.
"A detailed backstory" said Luke "You sure seem to know what you're doing"
"When you're on the run from the Empire, you get used to pretending to be someone you're not" said Ahsoka.
"You're gonna' need a lot more than a backstory if you're gonna' keep your identity a secret" said Han "A lot happened within the last twenty years, you'll be expected to know as much about it as the rest of us"
"Yeah, I figured as much" said Ahsoka "Is there any way I can get the information I need?"
"Sure, I can give you access to the Alliance database" replied Luke "That should be enough to fill you in"
"Thanks, that will be a real help" said Ahsoka "Okay, let's move on" The five of them walked on until they reached their destination: the rebel corvette Sundered Heart which was settled on a landing pad in front of them. At the bottom of the boarding ramp stood Leia (who was discussing information with a rebel sergeant) and the protocol droid C-3PO (who was observing his surroundings tentatively).
"Oh my!" exclaimed C-3PO as he caught notice of the five individuals who approached them "Princess Leia—"
"Just a minute, 3PO" said Leia who was too busy to pay attention to him.
"But Princess Leia, they're here" said C-3PO. This caught Leia's attention and she turned around in response to it. Realising who was approaching, she smiled and stepped forward to greet them.
"We'll discuss it later, sergeant" said Leia "You are dismissed" The rebel sergeant nodded and moved off. "Luke, Admiral Ackbar informed me of how troublesome the battle was. I'm glad to see that you got through it. You've accomplished a lot today"
"I accomplished my fair share of things too, y'know" smirked Han.
"True" said Leia "But Luke was the one who captured General Veers; with him out of the picture, we can now focus on other operations. Which brings me to—" Just as she started her next sentence, she took notice of Ahsoka. "Excuse me, but I don't believe you've introduced me to your new companion"
"Oh; Leia, this is—" said Luke.
"I'm Ashla" said Ahsoka whilst stepping forward and bowing her head "It is an honour to meet you, your highness"
"Please, call me Leia" said Leia "I don't recall seeing you amongst the rebel ranks before, are you new?"
"I was a smuggler but I ran into some trouble with the Empire and got locked up here" replied Ahsoka "Luke found and released me so we helped each other escape the fortress together. After a long talk, I've decided to join the Alliance" Leia began developing a suspicious expression on her face. She could tell that there was something not genuine in Ahsoka's voice.
"That was…fortunate" said Leia. A feeling of fear began to swell up inside Ahsoka. Would she have to reveal herself sooner than she intended? Unexpectedly, Han walked up over to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"I know what you're thinking: her presence was "awfully" convenient" said Han "Is it possible that she's not a smuggler and is in fact…I dunno, an Imperial spy?" Ahsoka, Luke, and Chewbacca gave him confused looks. "Don't worry; Ashla and I go way back, she's genuine. Never liked the Empire; did ya', Ashy?"
"Yeah!" said Ahsoka whilst catching on "They caused nothing but trouble for us back in the day!"
"How many shipments did I have to dump to avoid those sticklers and bucketheads?" smirked Han.
"So, you can vouch for her?" asked Leia.
"Of course!" replied Han "I'm like…her mentor!"
"He's like a big brother to me!" said Ahsoka "Man; we had some times, we had some laughs! Han, Chewie, and I, we're a trio!"
"It is awfully unusual that you have never mentioned her before, Captain Solo" said C-3PO.
"Eh, y'know; you never asked!" smirked Han.
"Well, then I apologise for the suspicion" said Leia, her smile returning "In the name of the Alliance, I welcome you, Ashla. Now, let us get back to business. Luke, our mission offer still stands; do you accept?" Thinking about her proposal, Luke took a good look around at his surroundings. The battle was far from over; but without Veers, the Empire would need to adapt if they were to maintain their foothold. With or without him, this was the turning point of the battle for them; and if this new mission was the key to stopping the sieges, then it was his duty to accept it.
"Yes" said Luke "I accept"
"I'll come too" said Ahsoka "I mean, if I can, right?"
"Of course" said Leia "This is a big operation; we'll need everyone who's available"
"What about you, Han?" asked Luke.
"Sounds like a real caper; but it's a pass for me, kid" replied Han.
"Really?" said Luke "I mean, you're always up for a new mission"
"Yeah, but Chewie and I haven't had a break in a long while" said Han "But…let me know how it turns out. Hopefully it's not just some wild bantha chase. Let's go, Chewie" Chewbacca grunted in response before turning back to Luke and Ahsoka.
"Well; I guess this is goodbye for now, Chewie" said Luke.
"It was nice seeing you again" said Ahsoka. Chewbacca wrapped both his arms around her and Luke and hugged both of them tightly.
"Alright, alright; that's enough, Chewie" said Han "I mean, they do need to breathe" Chewbacca let Luke and Ahsoka go and turned back to Han. "C'mon, let's get moving" And with that, the smuggler and the Wookiee were off.
"Alright, where to next?" asked Luke.
"To Ruusan, where our assigned forces will be gathering" replied Leia.
"And when do we leave?" asked Ahsoka.
"Whenever you two are ready" replied Leia "The sooner we leave, the better"
"Then let's go" said Luke. Leia turned back to the boarding ramp of the Sundered Heart and entered it with Luke and Ahsoka following close behind.
"It is always good to see a new face amongst the Alliance" said C-3PO as he turned to face Ahsoka "Allow me to introduce myself; I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations"
"At least you haven't changed" smirked Ahsoka.
"I beg your pardon" said C-3PO.
"Nothing" said Ahsoka. Unbeknownst to her, Leia overheard this and her suspicions arose. As R2 rolled up to the boarding ramp of the corvette, he beeped at C-3PO.
"It is good to see you again, R2" said C-3PO "I trust that you've been taking good care of Master Luke?" R2 beeped in response. "Princess Leia has mostly been involved with planning and politics. It's not so bad, at least I don't have to worry about being shot at all the time" R2 beeped in response. "True, I do miss our old missions together" As they finished boarding the Sundered Heart, it lifted up and flew off to Home One in orbit. But as the corvette took off into the sky, the Prowler 1000 that was watching them turned away and flew out of the city. Disappearing into the clouds and snow, it traversed the frigid and perilous terrain until it reached a nearby mountain. It lowered down until it reached a foothill where a landed green, white, and red Firespray-class starship sat. As the Prowler 1000 neared the landed ship, it hovered down into the hands of the Mandalorian bounty hunter Boba Fett.
"Time to leave" said Fett. He turned back to his ship, boarded it, and lifted off.
Meanwhile in deep space
Within the emptiness and vastness of the Outer Rim Territories, an armada of Imperial-class star destroyers gathered together accompanied by squadrons of TIE fighters and TIE bombers that swarmed around them like flies. These ships had become known as the titans of the Imperial fleet, but they were all dwarfed by the Executor. The super star destroyer loomed over the Imperial fleet like an overlord and covered it within a shadow. Aboard its bridge, Admiral Ozzel approached Captain Piett who stood by the bridge's holotable.
"What news from the battlefields?" asked Ozzel.
"I've received word that General Veers has been captured by the Alliance" replied Piett "He is being held prisoner by them and the Mygeetan front is having trouble adapting to his absence"
"This is not good" said Ozzel "Stretching our forces across the galaxy and occupying random planets is giving the Rebel Alliance too many openings"
"But isn't this all part of Lord Vader's plan to preoccupy the rebels?" said Piett.
"It is, but that's beside the point" said Ozzel "Veers is one of our best generals; if we continue to lose men like him, we may as well give this war to the rebels. It is not tactically sound"
"Well; whatever the endgame is to Lord Vader's plan, I'm sure it will worth the sacrifices" said Piett.
"Is it?" said Ozzel "I'm unsure if you've noticed, but Lord Vader's behaviour since the Battle of Yavin has been growing increasingly…questionable. As the rebels prove to be more and more of a threat, his tactics have been become much more ruthless and risky; I'm concerned if we'll even live to see the end of this war"
"The Emperor was very displeased by what happened to the Death Star, perhaps Lord Vader merely wishes to make up for its loss" said Piett.
"Whatever his reasonings, I do not like where he is heading this war" said Ozzel. At that moment, an Imperial officer rushed over to them.
"Admiral Ozzel, Captain Piett, an Imperial shuttle has come out of hyperspace and is en-route to the main hanger" said the Imperial officer "It's him" Ozzel was overcome with anxiety but maintained a calm appearance.
"Prepare the main hanger for Lord Vader's arrival" said Ozzel.
A few minutes later
An assembly of stormtroopers and Imperial officers lined up in the Executor's main hanger as the Imperial shuttle approached the super star destroyer. As the shuttle landed, Ozzel made his way over to it and watched on with veiled unease as its boarding ramp lowered. He knew who was within the shuttle and he knew he had to be careful with his words. First came the breathing, which sent chills down his spine, then came the footsteps followed by the appearance of a dark silhouette that walked down the ramp and made its way towards him. The Supreme Commander of the Imperial Military and Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader now stood before him.
"Welcome back, Lord Vader" said Ozzel as the dark lord revealed himself "I trust that you encountered no difficulties"
"Dispense with the pleasantries, admiral" said Vader "How goes the operation?"
"As expected, the rebel army and fleet are now stretched thin across the galaxy, battling our forces on various fronts" replied Ozzel "It has not been without its losses however; the latest of which is General Veers, who has been captured by the Rebel Alliance. If we are to organise a rescue mission, I suggest that we do so as soon as possible"
"Continue with the operation and proceed as planned" replied Vader "We have now brought the rebels into a state of instability, we cannot compromise our position for one general"
"But, my lord, General Veers is one of our best commanders and strategists" said Ozzel "With him, we might be able to bring this war to a closer end"
"General Veers knew the risks of his position the moment he accepted it" said Vader "Besides; the battles were never about beating the rebels, they were about distracting them. In that regard, he has served his purpose"
"But…But he knows valuable Imperial information!" said Ozzel "What if the rebels make him talk?"
"If he ever wishes to be accepted by the Empire again, he will remain silent" replied Vader "He knows this fact all too well. And if he does give in and talk, then it will prove that he was never worthy of the position of general to begin with. Inform all other battlefields to keep their attacks going and to keep the rebels at bay"
"Will do, Lord Vader" said Ozzel.
"You are dismissed, admiral" said Vader. The dark lord turned and walked out of the hanger. He hastily walked through the various hallways of the Executor until he reached his quarters. Upon entering, he turned to a computer panel at the wall, typed into it, and brought up a hologram of the bounty hunter Boba Fett. "Have you completed your mission, bounty hunter?"
"I watched and recorded Skywalker until he left Mygeeto" replied Fett "Per your orders, I did not interfere with anything"
"Did anyone notice you?" asked Vader.
"No" replied Fett "I kept a low profile"
"Send me the recordings immediately" said Vader.
"As you wish" replied Fett as he typed into an unseen ship console.
"Before I watch and observe the recordings for myself, there are some things I would like to know immediately" said Vader "First, it has come to my attention that the rebels have captured General Veers. Tell me, did Skywalker play a role in this?"
"He did" replied Fett "He infiltrated the Imperial base and escaped with the general as his prisoner. I got it all on camera. I might have been able to stop it if you had allowed me to interfere"
"I made it clear to you that the mission was to watch and record Skywalker only" said Vader "No interference at all. Any deviations from that and you would not be payed. In any case, what you mentioned before intrigues me; it would seem that young Skywalker is becoming more and more powerful. Where is he now?"
"Last I saw him, he was heading off on some mission to the planet Ruusan with Princess Leia Organa" replied Fett.
"A location?" said Vader "This is valuable information, bounty hunter"
"One other thing; Skywalker wasn't alone when he captured Veers, he had help" said Fett.
"From whom?" asked Vader.
"A young Togruta woman who appears to be Force-sensitive" replied Fett "The Imperials appeared to be holding her prisoner within a stasis pod; and from what I've made out, Veers claimed it was under your orders. She claims to be Ahsoka Tano" His words lit up a curiosity within Vader, one that the dark lord wished to sate before examining the Prowler's recordings. "She's joined the Alliance and is going to Ruusan with Skywalker and Organa"
"Tell me more" said Vader.
CT7567Rules: I'm glad that you're enjoying my story so far. I intend to introduce Rex in my series eventually.
Guest: My series is set in my headcanon which is mostly based off the pre-Disney canon now titled "Legends" so my Rebel Alliance origin story will be The Force Unleashed.
Martin: Luke and Ahsoka finding out about what made the clone troopers turn on the Jedi is definitely a storyline I would like to explore for my series. Thank you for bringing it up :)
Lawrence HBain: If you are referring to Luke and Ahsoka; then yes, that is the direction I intend to take my series in.