Hi guys! School's finally over and I'm doing a camp that ends at 1:30 PM, so I'll probably be updating once or twice a week (depending on how lazy I am) in the afternoon.
Hope that everyone enjoyed last chapter, and that you enjoy this chapter as well. It has a bit more of the Ahsoka novel in it, but not enough that I could mark for spoilers. It just says how she got the name Fulcrum and joined the Rebellion, except Padme's there. The dialogue is not directly from the book, I tweaked it a bit, for... purposes. I had a really good time writing "Act II" of this chapter, you'll see why.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed! It brightens my day to see that people are enjoying my story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Those rights are to Disney and Lucasfilm. I also don't own any dialogue or events from the book Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston.
(published 6.26.18)
Chapter Thirteen: To Rebellion
18 BBY
Walking into Bail Organa's office for the second time in the last week, she made sure she didn't barge in.
Crackled babbling lined Ahsoka's ears. It almost sounded like… a child?
"Tell your mother I'll see you soon," came Bail's voice. Oh. Leia Skywalker. Organa? Yes, Organa. She wasn't a Skywalker. A hologram shut off and without looking backwards, the Alderaanian senator stated calmly, "Do I have another Jedi break-in to report?"
Ahsoka laughed. "No, Senator. I see that you've humored yourself with speaking to an infant who can't understand a word you're saying."
Bail raised his eyebrows. "I have no clue what you're talking about, Miss Tano. She's already shaping up to be quite like her mother." His eyes lit up. "Speaking of her mother, she's staying on Alderaan. But when she heard about a Togruta Jedi, she couldn't resist coming."
"Padmé is here?" Ahsoka gasped hopefully. Bail nodded.
"Yes, I can have someone go get her now." Bail whispered something inaudible to Ahsoka into his wrist.
Ahsoka grinned as the ex-senator strode into the room, her formal grace still there if not her elegant dresses or hair. Padmé returned the smile and ran to embrace Ahsoka. "Ahsoka," Padmé said. "I'm so glad you're alright."
"I'm glad to see you here," she answered quietly.
Bail gestured to some seats. "Come, ladies, sit. We have quite a lot to talk about." Padmé and Ahsoka both sat down as two guards left the room.
"Senator, I wanted to talk to you about what you're doing to fight the Empire," Ahsoka blurted out.
"I thought you might ask that," Bail smiled. "Captain Antilles sent an amazing report; the only casualties were one of his A-wing pilots and fourteen evacuees. I'm glad that the medics were able to save your friend from Raada."
"Oh yes, Vartan, was it?" Padmé cut in and Ahsoka nodded hopefully. "I checked in on all of the patients recovering. He's a bit of a mess, but he'll make it." Ahsoka breathed a sigh of relief as Bail continued.
"There was a creature with a red lightsaber there… what was he like?"
"Not a Sith, for sure, he was too sloppy with his weapon. No, he mostly relied on brute strength," she explained.
Padmé cocked her head. "Not a Sith? Then why did he have a red lightsaber? I mean, Asajj Ventress had red lightsabers, but she wasn't a Sith, was she?" Ahsoka almost chuckled.
"I think that our dear Emperor has some trust issues," said Ahsoka. "Sidious may be recruiting units of Dark Force-users." But then again, maybe Ahsoka was kidding herself. Hopefully her theory wasn't true, because if it was…
"You think there are more of them?" Bail said, worry laced into his voice.
"No one can be sure," Padmé said while glancing threateningly at the Togruta. "We'll have to see." An eerie silence filled the room.
"Anyway, I feel like this small Rebellion needs a better form of communication." When both politicians looked at her strangely, she continued, "I mean, if we're gonna do this thing, for real, we can't just dive in headfirst."
"I agree," said Padmé. "We're fragile. With one slip-up, the Empire could find us and sever us in half. And it's hard to accomplish anything split in half."
"I think I can help," Ahsoka said, earning another perplexed look from the senators. "During the Clone Wars, I worked with a lot of people. I fought alongside clones, who took orders from me even though I lacked experience. I watched politics on a dozen different worlds. I helped train people who'd never held a blaster in their lives. Back then, I had the Jedi, but I'm sure I can do the same for you, Senator." The Tantive dropped out of hyperspace, revealing a green, blue, cloudy, planet. Alderaan. Where this rebellion would begin.
"So you'll recruit people?" Padmé questioned.
Ahsoka thought about it. "Well, no. I mean, if I see a good person, I'll try my best to bring them in, but my main job will be to listen to what people need, find out what people can do, and then help them do it."
"At this time, that's exactly what we need," Padmé nodded. "You know, Ahsoka, you could have been a politician."
"I learned from the best," she smirked, then turned back to Bail. "Who runs your intelligence networks?"
"Now?" he laughed ruefully. "No one. That's most of the problem."
"Then that's where you can start, Ahsoka," Padmé reasoned. This Rebellion was sounding more and more convincing every day.
"I'll need a ship."
"We can modify something for you," Senator Organa said. "And I know just the droid for the job."
Ahsoka grinned. "Thank you. You know, it's good to have a mission again," she said thoughtfully.
"That's good!" Padmé said. "I think we'll need all the help we can get with this."
"And what about Leia?" Ahsoka asked. "Will she know?"
"When she's old enough," Bail and Padmé said defensively at the same time, and then laughed. Padmé said, "She doesn't even know about her true parentage yet, so when the time is right… she will be open to join us."
"Now, what am I going to call you if I can't call you Ahsoka? You'll need a code name at the least, so you can deal with other operatives," Bail pestered and the Togruta thought for a moment.
Alderaan grew in the distance. I am a part of this Rebellion and I will work to save you and other planets, she thought.
"Fulcrum," she said confidently. "You can call me Fulcrum."
"Welcome to the Rebellion, Fulcrum."
Later that afternoon, Bail sat with Padmé discussing the Rebellion.
"We'll need food, fuel, a base, operatives, but I guess Ahsoka has got that covered by now, recruits, which Ahsoka might also have covered - "
"Padmé." Bail put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Relax."
She sighed. "I'm sorry, Bail, but I was so excited, and then I realized we actually have to take care of our recruits."
"If hope is what we must feed off of, then so be it," Bail muttered darkly.
"You're right," Padmé nodded, pouring herself and her friend Alderaanian wine. She handed him a glass. "Cheers, Senator. To rebellion." The two clinked glasses.
"To Rebellion."
One year earlier
19 BBY
Tatooine was a desolate place.
It was also quite sandy.
As soon as the shuttle was close to the ground, Anakin groaned. The shuttle was dirty and filled with smelly beings who cursed for no apparent reason. Anakin complained, "I almost forgot how sandy this kriffing planet was." He paused. "I don't like sand. It's coarse, and rough, and irritating, and - "
Baby Luke was sobbing. All heads swiveled towards the two men holding the baby.
"Anakin…" Obi-Wan growled under his breath. "Make him be quiet."
"I'm trying!"
Thankfully, the shuttle landed before any suspicions could be brought up. Luke continued to wail as Anakin stepped onto ground all too familiar to him: "Ugh."
"How did you stand the heat for nine years?" Obi-Wan asked while fanning himself. However long he would be here for, it wouldn't be good for his health. "I'm surprised you don't look like a crippled old man with the amount of sun."
"There are two of them," Anakin said wryly. "Shh, Luke, shhh." He looked helplessly at his old master. "Well? Would you be kind enough to assist me?"
Obi-Wan grinned. "Oh no, I'm enjoying this far too much."
Anakin muttered, "I don't know how to do this. How am I supposed to raise a kid when I was taught that I would never need to?" It was true. Something uncalled for had happened, and no one was prepared.
After buying a landspeeder, the trio made their way to the Lars' homestead. It was far, but not completely isolated from the Mos Eisley spaceport. The entire homestead covered a small amount of land, but their farm was vast, stretching across the desert.
"Thank you, Beru," said Anakin. "I know that it's sudden, and we've hardly formally met…"
"No, Anakin, it's fine." Beru Lars, recently married to Owen, was holding her nephew and staring lovingly at him. "We're still family." She smiled at her brother-in-law. "Come inside."
Owen Lars was thinking this wasn't the best idea. Scratch that, he was one hundred percent sure this wasn't the best idea. Two Jedi and a potential Jedi? Owen didn't know about the Force, but he could tell that it wasn't safe.
Right as Beru put Luke into his father's arms again, Owen pulled her aside. "Beru, I don't think this is safe. For us."
She looked affronted. "Do you think I don't know that? I want to do whatever it takes to help out against whatever Anakin is running from, and this is something we can do. Besides, Anakin and his son are family, and I'd like to help them, too."
"I know, but…" Owen sighed. "You know me. I worry."
"I know," Beru said, placing a hand on his shoulder. She smiled lovingly at him.
Anakin tentatively stepped out from where he was failing to feed Luke. "We won't be staying here," he explained. "I'm out to find a job in town, and… well, I'm not sure what Obi-Wan will do, but we hopefully won't bother you too much."
Surprisingly, Owen spoke up. "It's not a problem, Anakin."
"Thanks," the Jedi smiled. "It's nice to have family here."
Anakin went out to speak with Obi-Wan and found his master sitting in the shade of the house, not being able to stand the heat.
"You'll get used to the suns," said Anakin, sitting next to him.
"You were born here," Obi-Wan pointed out. "I wasn't."
It was the two brothers. Two brothers, by themselves again, in a galaxy where everything that was theirs had been stripped from them, except for each other. They sat there in silence, thinking of what the Clone Wars had taken from them and how it had changed them.
"Obi-Wan?"
The older man jerked his head up.
"I need you to help me with something."
He raised his eyebrows. "Ask away."
"Come with me," Anakin said.
"Mom?"
Anakin and Obi-Wan stood near the humble grave of Shmi Skywalker. A gray slab stood crooked across the sand where the mother, wife, and friend stood. A former slave.
"It's Anakin. It's hard to believe, but… I have a son now! And a daughter. Your grandkids." He sighed. "Force, Obi-Wan, I can't do this. I…" He trailed off.
"I know. I know," the Master soothed. "I never met your mother, but… I could tell."
"On Mortis," Anakin painfully remembered. "I saw her. I saw my mother. I was convinced it was her, but it was really the Son. He was twisting my mind and my emotions to what I wanted to see."
"Try again, Anakin."
"Mom." He breathed in and out. "I love you."
Suddenly, a peace came over the man; it was a peace that he had honestly never felt before.
"Thanks, Obi-Wan," he said.
The two brothers stood near each other, knowing that they had a chance in Luke and Leia Skywalker.
Hope.
A new hope.
So, not too much action, but I hope that you guys enjoyed anyway! It tore my heart to write about Shmi's death and Anakin's encounter on Mortis. I will DEFINITELY be getting back to Mortis in later chapters. Surprisingly, this is my longest chapter so far (and that's saying a lot)! They'll be getting longer, I promise.
Hope you caught the sand joke, that was rudely cut off by Luke, and 'A New Hope' reference in there.
Make sure to review, follow, and favorite. Again, it means a lot to me.
May the Force be with you and God bless!
-HH