Author's note: Hey everyone! This chapter took a while to complete and release but there is a reason for that. I released an update on my profile on the 28th of August addressing this and below is an abbreviated version of it.
Whilst writing this chapter, something didn't feel right and it concerned me to the point that writing became difficult. In order to find the answer, I looked into it further and did some brainstorming to help figure it out. After much thinking, I figured it out: this story originally featured three Jedi (Rahm Kota, K'Kruhk, and Rachi Sitra) active in the Alliance from the start of the series, but I came to realize that this felt out-of-place in both the time period and Luke's character arc.
Because of this, I have decided to edit the three Jedi out of my previous chapters and to instead introduce them gradually within my series. To the readers currently following my series, I understand that my decision may be upsetting to you. Since the Jedi were not present much in my already published chapters, the changes are not too drastic and do not impact their events too much. But as a heads up, the most edited part of my previous chapters is Chapter Six "A New Mission": Leia and C-3PO meet Luke at the shuttle instead of K'Kruhk and Rachi Sitra and Ahsoka has chosen to conceal her identity to the Alliance giving herself the alias of "Ashla" (a former smuggler who now wishes to join the Rebel Alliance) and only Luke, Han, Chewbacca, and R2 know who she really is.
I know that my decision is not ideal, but I believe that delaying the Jedi's introduction just a little longer will help benefit the series better in the long run. I thank you all for being patient and I really appreciate your support of my story thus far.
Home One
Luke lay on his bed thinking about everything he had experienced within the past few hours. Since arriving aboard Home One, Luke had given Ahsoka access to the Alliance database in order to research what had happened within the last twenty years to help her understand the current state of the galaxy and fill in gaps. She wanted to be alone as she did it so Luke gave her some space. Meeting Ahsoka was unlike anything he had experienced before; for the first time since Obi-Wan, he had met someone who knew his father on a personal level and it was someone who he felt was on a similar level to himself. There was so much he wanted to learn from her, so much about his father and about the Jedi in general. But as excited as he was, he knew that he had to be careful; Ahsoka had been through a lot and had had a falling out with the Order that she was unwillingly to talk about. Hopefully she would tell him more in time, but he was unsure how long he could wait for it. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door
"I was told I could find you here" said a voice. Luke stood himself up quickly, rushed over to the door, and opened it to see Ahsoka standing before him. "Sorry; I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?"
"No, not at all" replied Luke.
"Mind if I come in?" asked Ahsoka.
"Sure, come on in" replied Luke. Ahsoka walked in and began examining the room around her, taking note of how bedroomlike it was.
"So, this is where you live?" asked Ahsoka.
"After I joined the Alliance, I found myself going from battle to battle and mission to mission a lot" replied Luke "I couldn't really settle down at a particular base so I decided to just stay here"
"So I see" said Ahsoka.
"I trust that our database was helpful" said Luke "I mean, you were in there for about an hour"
"There was a lot, but I was able to make out the important stuff" said Ahsoka "It was…interesting" Luke could tell that she was feeling a little overwhelmed by what she had learnt but was keeping a calm face about it. "Hopefully it should count as common knowledge" She moved over to Luke's bedside table and picked up the model T-16 skyhopper that sat on top of it to have a closer look at it. As she placed the model back down again, she took notice of two more things that lay on the table: a medal and a framed photograph. She reached down and picked up the photograph to have a closer look at it. It was a photo of the Royal Award Ceremony after the Battle of Yavin that featured Luke, Han, and Chewbacca in the foreground and Leia, General Dodonna, C-3PO, R2-D2, and various other rebel personnel in the background.
"That's from the Royal Award Ceremony after the Battle of Yavin" said Luke "You…do know about the Battle of Yavin, don't you?"
"Of course" replied Ahsoka "That's when you became the big hero of the rebellion, right?" Luke found himself fighting back a blush.
"Well…I try not to brag" said Luke. Ahsoka smirked at him.
"Destroying a space station the size of a moon, Anakin would be proud of you" said Ahsoka "It's a real shame that Chewie didn't get a medal though"
"Believe me, there were a lot of people who complained; but apparently Wookiees don't really care for medals so Chewie refused" said Luke "We did give him one afterwards though"
"That's good to know" said Ahsoka as she placed the photograph down.
"So, Ahsoka; just so we're clear, how do you feel about—" asked Luke.
"If this is about your training, Luke; I'm sorry, but it's a no" replied Ahsoka. She turned around to face him. "I know you don't know what happened between me and the Order; but believe me, it still hurts. I'm not a Jedi anymore. What am I supposed to teach you?"
"Whatever you know" replied Luke "You've been with the Jedi almost your whole life, I only started training about a year ago"
"True; but I'm no master, not like Obi-Wan" said Ahsoka "I haven't even touched a lightsaber since the end of the Clone Wars"
"Obi-Wan guided me to you, there must be a reason for that" said Luke.
"Maybe he just wanted you to save me, I wasn't exactly in a good position when you found me" said Ahsoka "Maybe there was another reason, I don't know; but believe me, I'm not fit to be your master. Have you ever gone looking for other Jedi since you lost Obi-Wan?"
"Ever since I joined the Alliance, but I've been unsuccessful" replied Luke "If they were able to evade the Empire…and Vader, then I'm not sure how I can find them"
"But I read in the database that a Jedi was amongst the founders of the Alliance" said Ahsoka.
"Master Rahm Kota?" said Luke.
"Yes" said Ahsoka "I met him once at the temple during the first month of the war; from what I've heard of his reputation, I'm not surprised that he survived"
"I never met him myself, I only know of him through what Leia and others have told me" replied Luke "I know that he was with the Alliance from the beginning and played a big role during the early battles of the war"
"Then what happened to him?" asked Ahsoka "Where is he now? The database didn't cover that"
"I have no clue; but apparently, he disappeared right before the Battle of Yavin" said Luke "No warning, no reason, just gone"
"That doesn't sound right" said Ahsoka.
"After I joined the Alliance, I began looking for him in hopes of learning more about the Jedi; but there were no real leads and every search for him led to dead ends" said Luke.
"Do you think he's—" asked Ahsoka.
"I don't know" replied Luke "But he's been gone so long that he's been labelled missing in action. For a time, I remained on the lookout for other Jedi survivors as well; but they were all dead ends too" Despite Luke's optimism, Ahsoka was beginning to process the severe possibility that there were no Jedi left and Luke's hopes of meeting another Jedi were merely hopes. "Besides; as time went on, the war became my priority. Listen, I'm not looking for full formal training, at least not at the moment with my duty to the frontlines; I just want to learn what I can. I was hoping you could teach me at least a little; but if you're not up to it, I won't force you" Ahsoka felt relieved by this; but at the same time, she felt a sense of guilt. "However, there is something I want to know"
"And what is it?" asked Ahsoka
"What happened between you and the Jedi Order?" asked Luke. Ahsoka's heartrate rose as she heard this and anxiety filled her. "I know that you're upset and I know that you're uncomfortable talking about it, but I want to help you and part of that requires knowing exactly what happened" Ahsoka stood there silent with a blank expression on her face.
"Maybe another time" said Ahsoka "I'm still settling in. Hey, this is a pretty good ship; the Mon Calamari sure know how construct vessels. If it's alright, I'd like to have the grand tour; since, y'know, I spent most of my time researching in the database" Luke was disappointed but he understood why she was reluctant to share something that was sensitive to her.
"Sure" said Luke "Follow me"
Meanwhile on the Executor
"And remember, she is to be brought back alive" said Vader "No exceptions"
"Of course" said Fett. After his hologram deactivated, Vader typed into the panel again and brought up a hologram of two cloaked figures whose faces were barely visible beneath their shadowy hoods.
"What is thy bidding, my lord?" said one of the cloaked figures (who was normal height and had a feminine voice).
"As you know, I initially gave the task of attacking the Redemption to you two; however, there has been a change of plans" replied Vader "Go to the Socorro base instead and prepare for the rebel attack"
"And what of the Redemption?" asked the other cloaked figure (who was much taller and heavily built and had a bestial and animalistic (but reserved and calm) voice).
"I have given that task to the bounty hunter Boba Fett" said Vader.
"Him?!" exclaimed the first cloaked figure.
"With all due respect, my lord, the task of capturing the rebel leader Mon Mothma is too vital to leave to a mere bounty hunter" said the second cloaked figure "I urge you to reconsider our positions to insure a more efficient and reliable outcome"
"Boba Fett is no mere bounty hunter; I know this from experience" said Vader "Besides; whilst the capture of Mon Mothma is indeed the main goal of our operation, I have an equally important target for you two. I have been informed that rebel forces are gathering around the planet Ruusan and I strongly believe it is to prepare for their attack on Socorro. Luke Skywalker, the boy who destroyed the Death Star, will be among them"
"Skywalker, eh?" said the first cloaked figure.
"I have also been informed that Skywalker has a new ally who will be accompanying him there" said Vader "The former Jedi Ahsoka Tano"
"Her!" exclaimed the second cloaked figure "It has been about eighteen years since we lost track of her"
"Now is the chance to finish what you started" said Vader "Go to Socorro and take command of the forces there. As planned, keep the rebels occupied by any means necessary; but above all else, bring Skywalker and Tano to me alive. The Emperor has been keeping a close eye on my actions since the destruction of the Death Star; if he learns of this, my plans will be compromised. Keep this mission a secret and failure to do so will result in severe consequences. Understood?"
"With pleasure, Lord Vader!" said the second cloaked figure. From beneath his hood, the cloaked figure grinned his sharp teeth.
Meanwhile
Leia stood in a small dimly-lit room in front of a hologram of Mon Mothma and Tendau Bendon.
"And now we're on our way to Ruusan" said Leia "The system is located between Mygeeto and Socorro, so it should act as a good staging ground for our attack. With the help of Admiral Ackbar and General Rur, we have formed a battle plan with what we have available"
"Hopefully we'll find what we're looking for in that base and this nightmare will end" said Mon Mothma. She took notice of Leia's uneasy expression. "Is there something on your mind?"
"Well; we've got a new recruit, so to speak" replied Leia "While on Mygeeto, Luke rescued an Imperial prisoner who has come along with us"
"And who are they?" asked Mon Mothma.
"She calls herself "Ashla", she claims to be a former smuggler who now wishes to join the Alliance" replied Leia.
"And what upsets you about this?" asked Mon Mothma.
"Well; to be honest, a lot" replied Leia "She just came out of nowhere and Luke's only just met her yet he already seems to be trusting her completely. Maybe I'm looking too far into it, but her sudden appearance feels suspicious"
"And what do you suspect of her?" asked Bendon in Ithorese.
"Well; I know it may sound a bit paranoid, but part of me is worried that she might be somehow involved with the Empire" replied Leia.
"And what gives you that idea?" asked Mon Mothma.
"Luke found and rescued her within the Imperial base and she helped him capture General Veers and escape" replied Leia "It just feels…convenient"
"Veers is one of the Empire's best generals and I doubt even Darth Vader would sacrifice him merely to smuggle a spy in" said Mon Mothma "If she was going to betray and turn him in, their time in the base would have been the perfect opportunity"
"Perhaps, but it still feels strange" said Leia.
"Is there any confirmation that she is who she claims?" asked Mon Mothma.
"Han and Chewbacca claim to know her and have assured me that she dislikes the Empire" replied Leia "But…it still doesn't feel right. I've been involved with politics almost my whole life and my father taught me how to tell a truth from a lie, and something about Ashla's words feels insincere as do Han's" Mon Mothma tapped her chin lightly in thought.
"You have good instincts, Leia" said Mon Mothma "If you truly believe that something is not right, then I suggest that you look into it and keep a close eye on her for the time being; but try not to make her feel unwelcome. If she is indeed involved with the Empire, you could potentially give yourself away and make her aware that you suspect her; if she is actually sincere and wishes to join the Alliance, you could potentially frighten away a new ally"
"I'll…keep that in mind, thank you" said Leia. She bowed in respect as the two holograms deactivated.
A few minutes later
"Are you sure this is wise, Princess Leia?" asked C-3PO as he followed Leia through the hallways of Home One.
"If there is even a chance that Ashla is untrustworthy, then Luke needs to know" replied Leia "I won't let him wonder blindly into what could be a trap"
"Master Luke has a good judge of character" said C-3PO "Surely this is just an overreaction, right?"
"I can only know that after I make sure she can be trusted" said Leia "Until then, I have to make sure Luke is aware" When the two of them reached Luke's quarters, Leia knocked on the door to get his attention. "Luke, it's Leia; I need to talk to you about something" There was no response. "Luke, it's about Ashla; I think you need to be careful around her" There was still no response.
"I don't think he's here" said C-3PO. Leia sighed.
"Where could he be?" said Leia "We have to find him" At that moment, a WED-15 Treadwell drove up to them and began beeping at them. "What is it?"
"He claims to have seen Master Luke" asked C-3PO.
"Really?" said Leia "Where?" The Treadwell beeped in response.
"Apparently, Master Luke is giving someone a tour of the ship" said C-3PO.
"To who?" asked Leia. The Treadwell beeped in response.
"A young Togruta woman" said C-3PO "Oh…"
"Where are they now?" asked Leia. The Treadwell beeped in response and pointed down the hallway in front of them.
"That way" said C-3PO whilst gesturing towards the hallway. Without hesitation, Leia stormed off in that direction. "Princess Leia, wait! It's only a tour"
"He's showing her the ship, she'll likely keep note of the vulnerable areas for a sabotage" said Leia.
"S-Sabotage!" said C-3PO "Oh no!"
Meanwhile
"And that was the engine room" said Luke as he and Ahsoka exited the door of the engine room.
"Big ship needs a big engine" said Ahsoka.
"Believe it or not, we're not even a quarter of the way through" said Luke.
"And I thought charting your database took a long—" said Ahsoka. Before she could finish her sentence, she and Luke stopped in their steps as they encountered Leia standing in the middle of the hallway with her arms crossed and C-3PO by her side. "Oh, Princess…"
"Leia, what are you doing here?" asked Luke.
"I was informed that you were giving our new recruit a tour of the ship" replied Leia.
"Ahs…Ashla simply wished to know the place better" said Luke.
"Yeah; it's quite a ship, I must admit" said Ahsoka.
"Luke, would it be okay if we talk about something…alone?" asked Leia.
"But what about the—" said C-3PO before getting his mouthpiece covered by Leia.
"Go to the bridge, 3PO" said Leia. As C-3PO reluctantly turned and made his way to the ship's bridge, Luke looked back to Ahsoka.
"I'll meet you in the main hanger" said Ahsoka.
"When I'm finished, we'll do the rest of the ship" said Luke.
"Right" said Ahsoka. As she turned and walked off down the hallway towards the main hanger, she briefly glanced back and took notice of Leia grabbing Luke by the arm and pulling him away quick. After moving off out of sight down a hallway, Leia stopped and pinned Luke against the wall.
"So what is it?" asked Luke.
"Luke, I think you should be more careful around Ashla" replied Leia.
"And why do you say that?" asked Luke.
"Luke, don't you find it a little suspicious that you met someone imprisoned in the Imperial base who just so happened to want to join the Alliance?" asked Leia.
"And what makes you say that?" asked Luke. Leia breathed a sigh.
"What if she's with the Empire?" asked Leia. Knowing what this was leading to, Luke wanted to tell her the truth; but he also wished to uphold Ahsoka's wishes. He had to think of a way around this.
"That sounds…unlikely" replied Luke "I mean, you know what the Empire thinks of Non-Humans"
"Which would make using one the perfect setup for an infiltration" said Leia "Think about it, she just asked you to show her the ship and apparently you gave her access to our database too"
"There were some things about the Alliance that she wanted to learn more about and she wanted to become acquainted with the ship so she could find her way around and not get lost" said Luke whilst thinking on his feet.
"Luke, I want to believe that she's genuine; but don't those sound a little…odd to you?" said Leia "She could be a spy trying to learn our secrets or a saboteur trying to damage our war effort"
"Han and Chewie know her well and have confirmed that she's no fan of the Empire" said Luke.
"Well…people can change" said Leia "I'm sorry if I appear cynical, but I'm just trying to be realistic here; neither of us know her and Han and Chewbacca haven't seen her in a long time. Just…be careful, okay? For me?"
"Well, I'll keep an eye out" said Luke.
"Good" said Leia "Listen, I believe we should be more accepting towards others than the Empire is; but right now, the circumstances are suspicious. I'll see what I can find out about her; in the meantime, let's all tread carefully here" She turned and walked off down the hallway. Luke had kept his word to Ahsoka, but now he was unsure whether it was the right decision.
Meanwhile
"Now pass me the hydrospanner" said Wedge as he repaired damage on his X-Wing.
"Here" said Ahsoka as she handed a hydrospanner over to Wedge.
"Thanks" said Wedge as he grabbed the hydrospanner and began working on the starfighter with it.
"Y'know, I've repaired my fair my fair share of speeders and shuttles; do you think maybe I can have a try?" asked Ahsoka.
"If you think you know what you're doing, then you're welcome to try" replied Wedge "But remember that this is my X-Wing; and if you screw it up, you're paying for it"
"Well…never mind then!" chuckled Ahsoka. As she turned herself around again, she noticed that Luke had entered the hanger and was walking towards her.
"I see you've been keeping yourself busy" said Luke.
"Wedge here was doing some repair work on his X-Wing so I decided to give him a helping hand" said Ahsoka.
"If you'd like, we can continue our tour" said Luke "I mean, if Wedge doesn't need—"
"Nah, I can handle the rest from here" said Wedge "I do appreciate the help though, thanks" As he turned back to his X-Wing and carried on with his repairs, Luke and Ahsoka began walking away. When they believed that they were out of earshot of Wedge or anyone else in the hanger, the two began talking again.
"So what did you and Leia talk about?" asked Ahsoka quietly "I mean, if it's not top secret or something"
"Actually, it was about you" replied Luke quietly. Ahsoka almost froze when she heard this. "Leia is a little sceptical about you, she's worried that you might be a spy or someone else affiliated with the Empire"
"Did you—" asked Ahsoka quietly.
"No, I didn't tell her the truth" replied Luke quietly "But I think that it's only made her more suspicious. She's told me to keep an eye on you while she looks for more information on you"
"Not very trusting, is she?" said Ahsoka.
"Leia's not that bad, just a little cynical" said Luke "Before the war, she was senator for her home planet of Alderaan; she's well versed in politics and is careful not to trust people straight away. And I have to admit; to her, you just turned up out of nowhere and she doesn't know what we know. I understand why she wants to make sure that you can be trusted" As the two of them reached the door out of the hanger, they stopped beside the wall next to it. "I understand that you want to keep your identity secret for now; but if we want Leia to trust and accept you, I think we may have to tell her the truth sooner rather than later"
"I know, I know; but still—" said Ahsoka. Before she could finish, she was cut off by an announcement on Home One's intercom.
"Attention, all personnel, attention" said Admiral Ackbar through the intercom "This is Admiral Ackbar. We will be approaching the Ruusan system shortly. All military personnel must report to the bridge as soon as possible for the mission briefing and our plan of attack. Admiral Ackbar out"
"Well, I guess we'll discuss it later" said Luke.
"Alright" said Ahsoka. The two of them exited the hanger and began making their way to the bridge. But as they passed through the hallways, Ahsoka came to a stop and turned back. For a brief moment, she believed that she had passed by someone familiar: a young Togruta girl dressed in a red tube top, skirt, gloves, and boots with white leggings. She turned back and looked down the hallway that the girl had appeared in, but found nothing there.
"Ahsoka?" asked Luke as he took notice of her disbelief "Are you alright?"
"I thought I saw…never mind, let's go" said Ahsoka.
Later
Home One sat in orbit above the planet Ruusan with various MC80 Liberty type Star Cruiser, Recusant-class light destroyers,, GR-75 medium transports, and CR90 Corvettes gathering around it. Within the bridge of the great Mon Calamari cruiser, various rebel soldiers, rebel pilots, and rebel officers gathered around the bridge's holotable and prepared for the mission briefing. Among them, Luke and Ahsoka sat in the front row with C-3PO, R2-D2, and R2-KT.
"Well, now comes the moment of truth" said Ahsoka "Now we'll see what your special mission is"
"I hope it was worth it" said Luke.
"I'm sure it is" said Ahsoka. The two R2 astromech droids that sat beside them beeped in response. As Leia walked up to the holotable, everyone who was chatting amongst themselves went silent.
"Greetings, everyone" said Leia "We have gathered you all of you here today for an important mission, one that requires everyone available. As you all know, the Empire has been striking swift and strongly ever since the destruction of the Death Star and have been launching numerous random attacks and subjugating various systems with seemingly no reason and no end in sight. Due to this, both our fleet and our army has become scattered across the galaxy over the past months. But recently; our Chief-of-State, Mon Mothma, began suspecting that there was a real reason behind these attacks, so she began looking into it further. Thanks to work from the Bothan Spynet and Alliance Intelligence, we may finally have a lead" She pulled out a holodisc and inserted it into the bridge's holotable which brought up a hologram of the Imperial base on Socorro. "This is a secret Imperial base on the planet Socorro. Although the planet is not truly occupied by the Empire, its status and reputation as an unimportant and isolated world no doubt acts as a good cover for people not to suspect the Empire's presence there. Various communications have been intercepted going to and from this base; and although hard to decipher, there are two things that keep reappearing in them: the random attacks and a secret operation that may be linked to them. General Rur, take it from here" Leia stepped back as a male Shistavanen stepped forward towards the bridge's holotable.
"What a small isolated base may lack in numbers it more than makes up for in preparation" said General Solvif Rur (the Shistavanen) "The force that we have gathered here today is more than enough to overwhelm a small base like this; but if we reveal ourselves too soon, the Imperials will evacuate their base. They will take as much vital information or valuables with them; and whatever they cannot bring, they'll destroy beyond recognition leaving no trace of what they were up to there. That is why we have gathered here in the Ruusan system so as not to alert them. Now, onto the plan of attack; we have discovered that the base has a routine supply import schedule for every two weeks. We have obtained the schedule and have captured the shuttle designated for the next import as well as the right codes and passwords" A hologram of an Imperial shuttle flew down towards the hologram of the Imperial base and landed on a landing pad. "What we have obtained should be enough to get a small strike team into the base; from there, they will get inside and capture the base"
"That's it?" said a rebel pilot "You gathered an entire fleet together just for a…an infiltration mission?"
"Unfortunately, this will not be a mere infiltration mission" replied Ackbar as he walked up to the holotable "Despite its remoteness, the base still has a considerable defensive force" The hologram panned out and showed various Imperial vehicles surrounding the base. "If the strike team is discovered, they'll be outnumbered. When the shuttle leaves for Socorro, the rest of the fleet will remain here; but after arriving at Socorro, the shuttle will alert the fleet. When we arrive, we will blockade the planet and launch an all-out attack against the base to distract and divide their forces" Rebel vehicles appeared on the holotable and began attacking the Imperial vehicles. "Whilst dealing with a battle on two different fronts, the Empire will be too preoccupied to focus on their evacuation; and if any do escape, they will not get past our fleet. They will be trapped on the planet and the base will be ours; and hopefully, we will find out the cause of these attacks and put an end to them"
"It sounds like an awfully big risk" said C-3PO.
"Good point" said Hobbie (who was sitting within the back row alongside Wedge, Wes Janson, Nien Nunb, and Ten Numb) "If there isn't anything of value there, then this will have all been for nothing"
"Forming this Alliance was a big risk, capturing the Death Star plans was a big risk, launching an attack on that dreaded space station itself was a big risk" said Leia "We have taken on things much greater than what we will take on today and we still came out triumphant. We are stronger now than we have ever been before; and if we continue to push forward, this war will one day end. Now, onto positions: Admiral Ackbar will command the fleet, General Rur will head the ground assault, and Commander Skywalker will be in charge of the strike team" Luke lit up when he heard this, so that was the mission Leia wanted for him. Ahsoka placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him an appreciative smile. "Commander Skywalker, we have assembled a team for you. With you at the helm, we will have the Force on our side. Now get ready, you ship out in four hours"
Author's note: I hope Leia didn't come off as too mistrustful in this chapter; given her past in politics and the early days of the Rebellion, I felt it was realistic for her to be sceptical of Ahsoka (especially given her sudden appearance and unclear background).
Guest: I've never thought about uploading my work onto other fanfiction sites. Do you recommend it?
scottusa1: I'm glad that you're enjoying my story so far. I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter.
Martin: Rahm Kota will be introduced in Season One and him telling the story of Galen Marek will be one of the first things I do with him.
X: Yes; it was a difficult decision, but I felt my series would work better off if the Jedi characters were introduced over time.