The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 142
Warnings During a Happy Day
Ben did not recall much when it came to Corellia, and even less when it came to the center of Corellia's massive population, Coronet City. He recalled that this city held most of the administrative elements for the vast starship construction industry that dominated the Corellia System's economy, but that was true during the days of the Republic.
Today, as he walked through the spaceport alongside Ahsoka and Gerome, he saw more advertisements for recruitment into the Imperial Navy or Army than advertisements for the latest speeder or freighter model. The red and black Imperial banners that were draped over some of the taller builders near the spaceport made Ben feel physically ill, but caused nary a reaction from Ahsoka, and that forced Ben to come to a startling realization.
He was behind the times. The galaxy he knew was long gone. In its place was a society he hardly recognized, despite a relatively short period of time passing in the grand scheme of the galaxy. In just five years, the Jedi were myth, and the Empire dominated all. In fact, the Jedi were so forgotten that he and Ahsoka could walk through Coronet City with only minimal precautions taken in order to avoid detection.
One of the precautions unfortunately involved a razor. Ben sighed and absently rubbed his fingers along his bald chin, grimacing at the naked feeling it gave him.
"You'll be able to grow it back soon, Master." Ahsoka said with a light snicker, "Don't worry so much about it."
"Easy for you to say." Ben remarked while Gerome marched in silence behind both of them, "Your only precaution is that hood."
"It works doesn't it?" Ahsoka said with a shrug.
"It does little to hide those montrails."
"Not like anyone cares about a hooded Togruta." Ahsoka replied with a wave of her hand, "And anyone who asks questions gets a mild force suggestion to forget about whatever questions they have."
Ben frowned a little at Ahsoka's admission to her more cavalier treatment of mind tricks, but he could not fault her for it. If anyone, Imperial or Civilian, managed to deduce who she really was then her life would be in mortal danger. Not just her life, but the lives of those she works for in the slowly growing Rebellion. Yet another fact that made him sigh to himself. When did the galaxy become dangerous to just live in?
When the Sith decided all Jedi needed to die.
The trio easily made it through the security checkpoint set up at the entry to the spaceport. Ahsoka got a strange glance or two from the young imperial soldiers working the checkpoint, but beyond that, no one paid them any mind.
As they entered the spaceport, Ben was briefly caught off guard by how massive it really was. The main terminal opened up to an immense dockyard, with hundreds upon hundreds of ships of all shapes and sizes docked. Even more floated above the spaceport, either slowly lumbering down to an empty docking bay, or quickly ascending to leave the planet's atmosphere. Corellia, even in the age of the Empire, remained a major hub for the core worlds. Not everything had changed due to the violent rise of the Empire.
"Why are we here again, Ahsoka?" Ben heard Gerome grumble from behind them, dragging him from his thoughts and back to the task at hand.
"We're going to move my ship to the Antilles residence." Ahsoka answered, "The longer it sits idle, the more suspicion it could arouse. Especially with your big lizard in the cargo hold."
Gerome muttered unintelligibly behind them at the mention of 'big lizard'. Ahsoka tittered at Gerome's grouchy reaction, making Ben arch an eyebrow at the two of them.
"His mount is on my ship." Ahsoka said, sensing Ben's confusion.
"Mount?" Ben glanced over his shoulder at Gerome, "You fly a Wyvern?"
Gerome nodded, but again said nothing to Ben. An awkward silence lingered between both of them, before Ben returned his attention to following Ahsoka along the long rows of docking bays. The Jedi Master got the distinct feeling that Gerome did not care for him, though the reason escaped him.
Then again, from what I've learned about my future self, I was probably not the most approachable person in his life.
"Here we are." Ahsoka chirped, approaching a rather benign looking cruiser. As she approached, the passenger ramp descended, allowing all three of them to have easy access into the cockpit.
The living quarters for Ahsoka's ship were smaller than the ones on the Ark, Ben observed. There were three seats in the cockpit; one for a pilot, one for a co-pilot, and one for a navigator. The empty space where a fourth seat usually sat was occupied by-
A blue and white astromech spun around, and a series of surprised whirs and beeps erupted from the excitable droid. Ben's eyes widened as the little, domed robot sped along the ground towards him, then bumped his leg with it's cylindrical body.
"Hello there." Ben said with a smirk, patting the loyal droid, Artoo Detoo, on the head.
"He's happy to see you." Ahsoka said with a smile as she sauntered towards the pilot's seat, "Gerome, the cockpit door is unlocked so you can check on Minervy-kins."
Gerome grimaced and pushed his way past Ben, grumbling something about how he was the only one allowed to call his Wyvern that name. Ben snorted as Ahsoka chuckled in the pilot's seat.
"Alright, Artoo, give Master Kenobi some space."
Short, sass filled beeps shot back at Ahsoka, making the Togruta roll her eyes. Ben sank down in the co-pilot's seat, quickly familiarizing himself with the controls in front of him.
"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings by telling you to stay with the ship." She huffed as her hands flew over the controls, priming the engines, "Go keep an eye on Gerome while I talk with the control tower."
Artoo beeped again, making Ahsoka bow her head.
"I get that the lizard already tried to eat you once, but last I checked you are very inedible, Artoo." Ben chuckled next to her, causing Ahsoka to give him a sidelong glare as she spoke. But she was unable to hide the ghost of a smile crossing her lips, "Get to work Artoo."
She reached for the ship's comm device and quickly radioed the Spaceport's control tower for clearance to take off. As she did so, Ben leaned back in his seat, hearing the engines thrum to life.
This moment reminded him so much of the old days, during the Clone Wars. He could practically see the scene now. Ahsoka would have been in the navigator's seat, next to Artoo, a small and inexperienced Padawan Learner with snark that matched the man in the pilot's seat. Ben's wistful smile fell a little as he thought of Anakin. Pain lanced through his heart as the face of his best friend morphed in his mind, twisted with hate as it glared at him from the banks of a lava river.
I should have finished him off. Ben thought with a heavy sigh, But… I couldn't.
"You alright, Master?" Ahsoka asked, concern etched on her face as she turned off the ship's comm and gripped the controls.
Ben ran a hand over his forehead, "I'll be fine. Just… still processing."
"It's been a week but…" Ahsoka trailed off, then shrugged, "Guess I shouldn't expect you to get back into the swing of things already. You were off on a mostly primitive planet for several years now, after all."
"Those years away have left me behind the curve, that is for sure." Ben breathed.
"Eh," Ahsoka bobbed her head. The ship slowly lumbered up into the sky, "You'll catch up eventually. If you want my opinion, take your time with everything. I can tell what happened to you on the Shepherd's planet, as well as the events of Order 66, are still weighing heavily on you."
"It's not that the events of Order 66 are still bothering me, it's…" Ben exhaled, "I could have finished off Vader, but I didn't."
Ahsoka raised a brow beneath her hood as she turned her ship towards the atmosphere, no doubt in an attempt to make the authorities think she was actually leaving.
"You could have finished him off?" Ahsoka echoed, "So you had a feeling you failed to kill him?"
Ben let out a heavy exhale, and Ahsoka quickly backtracked.
"I'm sorry, Master. I shouldn't be pressing like that right now."
"No, no." Ben shifted in his seat, leaning up against the armrest on his right, "You have nothing to apologize for Ahsoka. But, I would appreciate it if we discuss something else for a little while."
"Fair enough." Ahsoka deftly guided the ship up into the top layer of Corellia's atmosphere. She reached to a series of switches on the console and flipped them upright, "Now they can't track us." She muttered, then cleared her throat, "Alright, so… Tharja?"
"Hm?"
"What's the deal with her?"
Ben's cheeks reddened, and a surprised look crossed Ahsoka's features.
"Really!?" She gasped, her shock now replaced by an amused expression, "Obi Wan Kenobi, consummate by-the-book Jedi Master, has a lady friend?"
"Oh, you have to make it sound that immature?"
"I'm not the one blushing like a teenaged padawan." Ahsoka snickered back.
Ben let out a long groan, "Am I allowed to change the subject again?"
"Only after I get all the good details." Ahsoka teased back, making Ben massage his brow, "So, how long?"
"How long what?"
"How long have you two, you know…" Ahsoka made a clicking sound, making Ben sputter.
"I- what- you-"
Ahsoka fell into loud laughter, one hand falling from the controls as she hugged her stomach. One foot stomped the floor, and Ben found himself chuckling along with her despite his initial embarrassment.
"Long time then, huh?" Ahsoka replied, "I'm gonna guess Noire will be along sooner rather than later then?"
Ben blinked, "I- well- we've never really discussed that bit."
"A bit irresponsible, don't you think." Ahsoka replied, her teasing smirk unwavering, "Wow, I'm lecturing Master Kenobi!"
"Enjoy it while it lasts, Ahsoka. I'm sure you'll do something foolish eventually, then I will be the one lecturing." Ben flicked his eyes back out the cockpit window, watching as the urban sprawl of Corellia slowly faded into sparse jungle foliage, which signaled they were nearing the Antilles Residence and Fuel Depot, "I take it we'll be lingering a little while longer here?"
"I can't fit all of you in here. Not with the big lizard in the back." Ahsoka replied.
"She's not a lizard!" Gerome shouted from the cargo bay, followed by a low growl from the Wyvern.
"So how do we get off planet then?" Ben asked.
Ahsoka arched an eyebrow, "Why are you so eager?"
"My friend's daughter from the future, and a student of mine, is not only alive-"
"Possibly alive." Ahsoka cut in, "I hate to pour water on the fire for this one, Master, but the Empire does not have a good reputation when it comes to prisoners, especially political ones." She grimaced, "Furthermore, she is force sensitive. I don't think I need to tell you what they'll probably do to her once they learn she's a Jedi."
"And as sensible as that argument is, Ahsoka, Chrom… the Shepherds, they've lost everything already. There is a faint ray of hope for them, and I cannot snuff that out now." Ben sighed and shook his head, one hand running over his chin, brushing over whiskers that were no longer there, "Besides, the Emperor has an interest in Lucina, for some reason. He won't kill her."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Instinct." Ben replied, his voice filled with certainty.
Ahsoka quirked her brow again, "Instinct? You're going to risk everything, and everyone you care about, on instinct?"
Ben nodded, and a broad smile formed on Ahsoka's lips.
"Anakin would be so proud!"
Ben's confidence wavered, not because he wasn't certain of what he wanted to do, but because of the pain lancing through him again. He thought he finally moved beyond Anakin's death, but the news that he survived Mustafar reopened a scar that had only recently closed. Not only had Anakin survived, but he led the attack against the new planet he called home. He was the one who captured Lucina. And likely, he would have to face him again in order to rescue her.
"Hey," Ahsoka nudged Ben's shoulder, "Cheer up. We'll figure something out. Besides, we still have your ship out there in the jungle. It may take a while to repair, but the Antilles' might help us do it. Then we'll be on our way."
Ben gave her a weak smile in return.
"Yeah… on our way."
A low groan slipped from Tiki's lips as aches and pains lit fires through her limbs and muscles. Cold stone kissed the exposed skin on her arms, palms, and lower legs. She kept her eyes closed, groaning again as she could feel consciousness returning to her. Naga above, she just wanted to stay asleep. The amount of power drain she just went through had been more exerting than anything she has done in many years.
A loud yawn came from her lungs, and her eyes slowly fluttered open.
The strange, metal interior of the Ark was gone. In its place rested a stone plateau, cold and gray. Thunder clouds rumbled out around the plateau, beneath Tiki's elevation instead of above her. A cold wind smacked into her, carrying with it a fell feeling that made goosebumps form on her skin.
I'm awake now!
Tiki pushed herself up, green eyes quickly scanning her surroundings. Some of the stone plateau had small patches of snow and ice covering it. A moonless, pitch black sky sat above her, without a single star to provide any light. And yet, a faint blue glow lingered over the plateau, even as thunder rumbled around Tiki. One great roll of thunder made the ground beneath her rumble, forcing her to jump to her feet, alert.
Where am I?
A faint feeling crawled up her spine. Like cold fingers brushing along her skin, making her shiver. The dark side of the force was strong here. But why?
Tiki gazed out from the plateau, looking out over the rolling thunder clouds spread out beneath her like an angry sea. She couldn't see any land beneath her, nor any oceans, just an angry sky that threatened to electrocute her if she drew too close.
Can't go that way.
Slowly, Tiki turned around, and her breath caught in her throat.
A massive citadel, pyramid in shape, with a great steeple that jutted up high into the black sky like a steel dagger, towered over her. Dark metals intermingled with grays, and faint blues, giving the citadel a dark, foreboding appearance. Massive stone steps led up to the top of the citadel, and Tiki found herself cautiously scaling them.
Her emerald eyes flicked back and forth, carefully scanning the shadows that enveloped the fringes of the staircase. As she ascended further something curious occurred in the force. She paused on a landing, one brow quirked as she sensed the Dark Side quickly retreat away, as if it were afraid of what resided atop the citadel. Even stranger, the light side of the force, which Tiki suspected to have chased away the dark, was absent as well.
The freezing cold that dominated the plateau gave way to an even stranger, more ominous sensation. A sense of nothingness. A complete lack of heat or cold. Simple emptiness that rattled the ancient Manakete. Her throat bobbed, she glanced around at the deep shadows once more, then carefully scaled the final steps chiseled into the mountain the citadel rested atop.
The stairs gave way to an expansive balcony, covered in black stone that was as smooth as glass. A catwalk crossed a great chasm in front of the balcony. Faint, ethereal light glowed from within the chasm. As Tiki drew closer, she noticed there were cracks and fissures within the catwalk. At one time it might have been as pristine as the balcony she stood on, but something had stormed over it. Something had tarnished the exquisite construction.
Tiki briefly suspected that the source of the emptiness, of the destruction in front of her, resided within the glowing chasm. She peaked over the edge, and to her confusion, saw nothing but shadows.
How can shadows glow?
"Who… goes… there…"
A weak, elderly voice hit her sensitive ears, making them twitch. Tiki flicked her gaze up to the balcony beyond the catwalk. A balcony that was actually a strange throne room. Tiki felt herself compelled to cross over the chasm, and as she crossed, more details emerged within the throne room. Massive, square obelisks lined the walkway to the throne; all of them in ruins. Some were toppled over, cracked in half. Others still stood, but were marred by scars in the stone, as if something had caused the stone to explode out from the pillars. Finally, the throne sat atop a great stone dais, cracked and scarred like the rest of the citadel.
Upon the throne sat a solitary figure. Through the shadows, Tiki saw an elderly, emaciated man. Thin, wispy, white hair crowned a gray head, and a fraying white beard ran down to his belt line. He looked haggard, with deep lines running through his face. His eyes sat in hollow sockets. Blue eyes with black sclera gazed blindly towards Tiki. The clothes he wore, once regal and elegant, now resembled sackcloth, and were torn in several places. He raised a weak, trembling hand as Tiki drew closer, causing her to pause.
"Who… goes…"
"Um," Tiki began, her senses on high alert, "My name is Tiki."
The elderly man shifted in his seat, hooded gaze lowering in the direction of Tiki's voice, "Tiki… strange name."
"Isn't it a little rude to call a guest's name strange?" Tiki asked.
A quiet, wheezing sound came from the old man's lips. He sat up a little, and made Tiki realize just how tall he actually was. Clearly this elder was not human, or Manakete, and certainly not Taguel. Long, gray fingers pointed at her from the right armrest of his broken throne.
"Who said you… are a guest?"
Tiki frowned, "I had to have been brought here by someone."
She pursed her lips, mind racing. Something about this place felt vaguely familiar. She had already deduced that this had to be a vision of the Force. Unless she had somehow been transported to another realm, in which case, she would like to figure out a way back as quickly as possible. If this was a vision, or another realm, there was only one other she was familiar with.
"Is this place Mortis?"
"M-Mortis?" The old man repeated, head shivering as he stared with blind eyes down on her, "Mortis… yes… that is what this place was called, long ago."
He fell into quiet mumbling, voice so soft that not even Tiki's sensitive hearing could make out the words being spoken. She furrowed her brow, growing more puzzled by the moment.
This place was Mortis, but Naga was missing. The last time she had seen this strange land, Naga herself, or some strange version Naga, had greeted her. They engaged in a short conversation before Tiki's consciousness returned to her world. Yet, she was not here. Tiki couldn't even sense her presence.
"You seem… familiar, Tiki." The old man muttered, his heavy brow furrowing, "I sense… I sense… yes, my daughter. My-my daughter!?"
Tiki blinked, "You mean Naga?"
"Naga?" The man muttered, "Is that what she calls herself? No, she can't call herself that. She is gone… gone…" He sank into his throne, shriveling like a dying plant in the sun, "Dead… all of my children are dead. They're-" His eyes widened with sudden panic, "They're dead! Force they are dead! The barrier, it cannot hold!"
Tiki sensed great sorrow and alarm surge within the elderly man. With that surge came an eruption of raw, untamed power that stunned her. Her mouth fell open as the man shakily rose to his feet, the force swelling around him like an unstoppable tide. Tiki took a nervous step back. As she stepped back, a sudden warmth rushed by- no- through her. It felt like a mother's touch brushed against her heart, before rushing towards the elderly man.
The old man ground to a halt, shocked wordless by the sudden warmth that washed over him. The blindness in his eyes cleared, and the madness that lingered within his mind retreated away. The haggard figure now looked powerful, filled with wisdom and authority. The crashing waves within the force instantly stilled, turning smooth as glass. His suddenly sharp eyes snapped down to Tiki.
"My daughter…" He breathed, rising from a stooped posture, "I sensed her. She was here, where- you…" He ran a gnarled hand over his forehead, "I feel balanced once more, but I know it will not last long."
"Pardon?" Tiki asked, puzzled.
"I apologize, young one." The old man breathed, "I have not been myself for sometime, and I likely never will be again. I sense that we only have a short time before I am no longer lucid, so we must be brief."
Tiki gave the man a confused look, "Okay then?"
"And yes, it was most rude of me to question your name without also giving you mine. You may call me the Father."
"The Father?" Tiki questioned, "That's an interesting name?"
A good natured chuckle emanated from the Father, "Isn't it a little rude to call a host's name interesting?"
Tiki allowed a quiet laugh to slip from her lips, "Fair enough."
"May I ask you a question, before you ask any?" The Father replied as he sank back onto his throne, hands running over the cracked stone with loving care.
"Of course." Tiki nodded, "I don't believe I have much of a choice anyways. I'm not exactly here willingly."
"You are not?" The Father narrowed his eyes momentarily, then nodded, "Yes, I can sense it now. Your mind is here, but your body is not. A peculiar occurrence, but perhaps something I should have anticipated. Regardless, that is not the question I want to ask." His left hand ran through his fraying beard, combing it back into place, "What is your relationship with my daughter? I believe you referred to her by the name Naga?"
Tiki's lips turned into a frown, "Your daughter happens to be… happens to be my mother; in a strange, convoluted way that I still don't fully understand."
"Your mother?" The Father furrowed his brow, now just as puzzled as Tiki had been, "Strange. Perhaps my daughter inhabited another? One I am unaware of?"
"That is the impression I got when I last spoke to her." Tiki grumbled, folding her hands in front of her.
"Is that so?" The Father hummed, carefully observing Tiki, "I sense animosity within you, young one."
Tiki allowed a slight snarl to cross her lips, unveiling a glimpse of the draconic fangs hidden in her mouth, "There is good reason for it and-" She caught herself from speaking further, drew in a deep calming breath, and exhaled, "Forgive me, I thought I moved beyond such anger long ago."
"She abandoned you, didn't she?"
Hurt shot through Tiki. That was the terrible truth behind it all. Naga left her. Her mother cast her aside because she was too dangerous for Naga to control. Her own mother sealed her within an icy tomb, all because Tiki was prophesied to bring about the end of the world. How could a mother do that to their child?
"She did." Tiki muttered, ducking her eyes from the Father's penetrating stare, "In hindsight, it made some sense. But… it still hurts."
"It was a most callous decision, yes." The Father nodded, "But, often parents must make such callous decisions for our children, and for the greater good, as much as it may hurt them or ourselves. I feel that your mother did not make such a choice lightly."
I wouldn't be so sure of that. Tiki thought to herself, causing her heart to ache just a little more. An ache she quickly pushed to the side as the Father spoke again.
"I made such a decision as well, long ago. Long before even you, as aged as you are, were born." A heavy sigh left his wrinkled lips, "My children made such a decision with me as well, and through our balanced work, we were able to keep the peace within the force. However, that balance has been toppled, both with the deaths of my children, and with my loss of control."
The Father closed his eyes, and Tiki sensed the force rippled around him. The amount of raw power he wielded boggled her mind. She had not sensed such strength since the Great Schism on Archanea, when Grima first arose and attacked the living. Unlike those dark days, this power did not feel hostile.
"I sense… my son." The Father exhaled, eyes remaining closed as she delved through the Force, "He still lingers in spirit, just as my daughter does within you. And… and he has forgotten his place." The Father's eyes snapped open, "He has abandoned his purpose."
Tiki's confusion returned, "What purpose?"
The Father's presence flared for a moment, then it evaporated. The strange nothing returned, crawling along the floor and devouring the strength the father displayed for a brief moment. The ancient being's eyes widened, and Tiki could see panic flash over his face.
"The seals are breaking. The gravity wall has fractured. Chaos is coming." His sharp eyes rushed back down to Tiki. As he spoke again, Tiki thought she heard cold laughter on the edges of her senses, "Listen to me carefully, Tiki, child of my daughter. Balance in the force must be restored. My son actively works against it, foolishly thinking his power will be enough to stem the coming storm. You must bring him back into line. You must help balance the light and dark once more, else she will break free."
Blindness crept back into the Father's eyes. The cold, evil laughter around Tiki grew into a chorus of shrieks and screams, intermingled with mad cackling that made her blood run cold. The Nothing crept along her consciousness, empty fingers peeling back layers of her mind even as she resisted.
"Get thee hence!" The Father bellowed, making the fingers grasping at Tiki quickly retreat for a moment, "And escape now, Tiki. Remember what I have tasked you to do. If you fail, The Nothing will consume all, until only it remains."
"What is The Nothing!?" Tiki asked.
"The Nothing is…" The blindness swallowed the Father, and he shriveled upon his throne once more, "The Nothing… The Chaos… the barrier has cracked. Her presence, I can sense it once more. My son, why have you forsaken your duty? Why have you abandoned your family?" He shivered in his seat, and a long shrill cry erupted from his lungs. A woman's enraged scream met it, and Tiki squeezed her eyes shut, fear lancing through her heart as the voices crashed against her mind and made her fall to her knees.
Her vision darkened, she felt ethereal, then she felt nothing.
The warm feeling of sunlight washing over her slumbering form stirred Tiki from her deep sleep. Her eyes gently fluttered open, blinking several times as sleep threatened to claim her again. She was not sure how long she had slept for, but it still did not feel like enough. Her entire body felt drained, though not completely exhausted anymore.
She stretched her arms over her head as she lay on her back. Strange, scratchy sheets shifted around her as she moved, making her tilt her head to the side even as her eyes threatened to close again. After several more sleepy yawns, she fought off her drowsiness and kept her eyes open, staring up at a strange, metal bunk over her head.
Curious.
Her green eyes flicked to the small window to her left. Frosted glass obscured the outside from her, but sunlight still managed to slip through and touch her. The bright light and warmth seeping through the glass caused confusion to mount in the Manakete.
The last thing she remembered, before losing consciousness, her and a few of her new friends were fleeing the otherworldly enemy simply known as the Galactic Empire. She recalled gripping the power pedestals within the Ark tightly as her vast magic reserves were taxed to their limit as the ship raced through the skies of her homeworld.
What happened next? What-
Flashes of pain ripped through her mind, and she shook as she attempted to tap into her powers, only to feel a nearly empty well instead of a vast ocean. She uttered a shuddering breath as she swung her legs out from the bunk she sat on, head bowed as she wracked her mind for what caused her to lose consciousness.
Something happened on the Ark. Did some sort of system go wrong that caused the power pedestal to go haywire? That was the only explanation that made sense to her. She doubted the ship could completely drain her of all of her power. In order for it to actually do that, it would've had to break many seals that had been in place on her for millennia.
The seals!
She closed her eyes, carefully combing through her powers and searching for the seals that kept her enormous strength held back. After several moments of searching, her heart jumped to her throat.
Nothing. All she sensed was nothing. Her hands shook in her lap as fear lanced through the very core of her being. Absently, she padded along her tunic, eventually finding the small pouch against her hip, which contained one of the most important possessions in a Mankete's life.
Power vibrated through her fingertips, like a gentle hum, as she withdrew a pale stone from the pouch. One of two stones she kept within that pouch, but the other could never see the light of day. This one though was like an old friend to her. Her dragonstone, the way in which Manaketes could turn into their true dragon form, without worrying about the madness that eventually stole their minds due to such massive power. A way to cheat degeneration, that was developed by Naga herself.
I will have to rely on it now more than ever. She thought, swallowing hard.
Her head snapped up as the door to whatever bunkroom she was in quietly hissed open.
"Easy there, Noire. Don't bump into the damn doorway again." Brady muttered as he guided Noire through the doorway.
Tiki winced as Ben Kenobi's future daughter smacked her elbow against the door. She hissed, recoiled into Brady, and caused the priest to roll his eyes.
"Funny bone again?"
"Isn't it always?" Noire said with a hiss, and a small snicker.
Tiki cleared her throat, and both teens jumped where they stood.
"L-Lady Tiki!" Noire gasped, staring at the bunk next to Tiki.
"Left." Brady said out of the corner of his mouth.
"O-oh." Noire winced, and refocused her blind eyes. Now she faced Tiki, "S-sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for, Noire." Tiki replied with a quiet laugh to herself.
She exhaled, hands folding in her lap as she quickly hid the worries and anxieties that she felt. Both made even worse as her mind recalled the strange vision she had while she slumbered. She blinked again, glancing at her strange surroundings. Her gaze roved over the sleek, metal furniture that seemed both impossible to be real, and incredibly simplistic at the same time. The cold tiles beneath her feet felt icy to the touch, despite warm sunlight running over them. Her mouth drew into a thin line, and she tilted her head, flicking her eyes over to Brady.
"Where are we exactly?"
Brady blinked, "Ah, well- it's pretty difficult to explain really. Hardly understand it myself, Miss Tiki."
"According to my father, and an old friend of his, we're on another planet called Corellia." Noire informed as she inched her way towards a bunk and sat down.
Tiki's eyes widened as she absorbed this new information. They were all on a new planet? If she hadn't had visions of Mortis, then she would have scarcely believed going to a new planet would be even possible.
Wait, an old friend of Ben's?
"Old friend?" Tiki questioned, brow furrowed.
"Weirdest damn lady I've ever seen." Brady muttered as he took a seat next to Noire, one hand kneading his healing staff as he took a deep breath.
"Brady…" Noire sighed, closed her blind eyes, and shook her head.
"What? Am I wrong? She looks weird."
"I never said she isn't strange," Noire huffed, "but you could learn to be less crass about it."
"I assume she's difficult to describe?" Tiki asked as she rose to her feet and stretched her arms to the sky. Her shoulders popped and she let out an audible, content sigh as the tension in her arms released.
"Yes. But just so you know, her name is Ahsoka. Her, Father, and Gerome went to get her ship and bring her back here earlier. They're not back yet."
"Gerome?"
"An asshole friend of ours." Brady grunted as he rolled his shoulders. He drew his mouth into a thin line and glanced at Noire, "Why're we in here again?"
"To check on Lady Tiki, of course." Noire replied.
Tiki gave them both a good natured smile, "Well, I appreciate your concern, but I am fine. Still a little drained, but I'll manage." Tiki sucked in a sharp breath as she recalled that she was not the only Manakete powering the Ark, "Nowi?"
"Awoke a couple hours before you did, hence why we came to check on ya." Brady explained, "Figured you'd wake up soon after she did, and turns out we were right."
"You mean my mother was right." Noire commented with a slight smirk.
Brady rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, your creepy ma was right." He coughed into his fist as Noire snickered beside him, "Anyways, Miss Tiki, Nowi is out in the common room with Noire's ma. Mrs. Antilles is cooking up something for dinner with Anna, Gaius, and Panne's help." Brady tilted his head, "As for everyone else, I think Luke and Cynthia are outside. He's got a bur up his ass about getting back into shape or something like that. Chrom and Severa's apparently helping out, sparring partners and all. Cordelia is outside watching them along with the little Antilles kid, what's his name again?"
"Wedge." Noire commented.
"Right, him." Brady cleared his throat, "And uh… the last one… creepier lady than your ma?"
"Aversa." Noire scowled.
"Oh! She made it too." Tiki said with a quiet, relieved sound and a small smile, "I was worried about what would become of her once it was discovered she was among our company. I understand feelings between the Shepherds and her are quite complicated?"
Brady scoffed, "Bit of an understatement there, considering she helped kill Exalt Emmeryn." Tiki's gaze hardened a little at that, but she said nothing in reply, "Pretty sure she's keeping to herself, not talking to anyone really. Not sure where she's at right now."
"Does it matter?" Noire grumbled, her hands folding in her lap. She drew in a deep breath, and quickly changed the topic, "I'm guessing you want to go check on Nowi?
"That would be good, yes." Tiki started towards the door, but paused in front of it, "You said we're in the company of a family named Antilles?"
"Oh, right!" Noire jumped in her seat, "Friends of Ben's friend, Ahsoka. At least I think they're friends. They're being kinda secretive about it all."
Tiki nodded, still puzzled by the new circumstances she woke up to, but nevertheless grateful that everyone seemed okay. She drew in a deep breath, then left the bunkroom.
The common room of whatever building she was in sat a short walk down the hall from the bunkroom. It was a quaint common room, with a small kitchen space, a circular table with several chairs around it, and a sofa against a frosted window that allowed sunlight in but obscured everything outside. She could smell meat of some sort cooking, and heard it sizzling and popping on a skillet nearby. But before Tiki could observe anything else, a green blur smacked into her, wrapping slender arms around her waist.
"Tiki!" Nowi cried, squeezing Tiki into a tight hug, "I was so scared!"
Tiki froze for a moment, smiled, then returned Nowi's embrace; holding the smaller Manakete gently as the swell of Nowi's belly pressed against her tunic. After a moment, Tiki pried herself free from Nowi's vice grip, chuckling quietly at the younger Manakete's visible pout.
"Forgive me, but I'm still a little sore, Nowi."
"That's what hugs are for." Nowi grumbled, folding her arms over her chest.
Before Tiki could respond to Nowi, a woman with short black hair and a tired look in her eyes noticed Tiki.
"Oh, you're awake, good." The woman said as she stepped away from Anna and Gaius, "Make sure the meat gets up to temperature." She told Gaius, who simply nodded as she stepped towards Tiki, hand outstretched, "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Tiki. Your friends speak very highly of you. My name is Zena."
Tiki took her hand and gave it a warm shake, "The pleasure is mine, Lady Zena."
Zena chuckled, "Lady Zena? Hmm… I think Jagged might have to hear how you speak to me. I've never been called a lady in my life."
The door to the common room hissed open, startling Tiki as she didn't see it swing, nor heard a doorknob jiggle. A very sweaty Luke stepped in first, his long blonde hair plastered over his forehead as he took deep breaths. Cynthia burst in after him, a broad smile on her lips, especially when she saw Tiki. If she wasn't pregnant, Tiki had a feeling she would have bounced all the way over to her before wrapping her up in a hug.
"You're awake!" Cynthia exclaimed, squeezing Tiki tightly.
"Indeed I am." Tiki hugged Cynthia back.
Luke simply nodded to her, and Tiki nodded back. As the young man trudged his way over to a seat at the nearby table, Chrom and Severa entered, with Severa pushing Cordelia in on her wheelchair. Tiki was greeted with warm smiles by all of them, but Chrom had a noticeable tinge of sorrow lingering in his aura despite his grin. She was tempted to question the Prince on it, but heard Gaius's voice ring out.
"Dinner's almost ready!" The red haired thief peaked over his shoulder to the door, "Whiskers, do ya smell Benny nearby?"
Panne shrugged, "All of the scents around here are unfamiliar to me."
"You'd think that it would be easier to pick out the familiar ones." Gaius teased back, nudging Panne with his elbow.
In response, Panne smacked his shoulder. Tiki had a feeling it was meant to be a good-natured pat, but judging by how hard Gaius hit the countertop, Panne put a little too much force behind it. The other Shepherds chuckled at the thief's expense, and Tiki found much of her worries fading away.
Amazing how the company of good friends can make all problems seem so small.
Her ears twitched as she heard a faint rumble approaching, like a distant roll of thunder. She tilted her head to the side, and Nowi did the same, mimicking the older Manakete as the other Shepherds sat down at the table. To Tiki, it sounded like how the ark sounded through the dense metal walls of the ship.
She flicked her eyes to the window, only to mentally smack herself for thinking she could catch a glimpse of the outdoors through the frosted window. The rumbling grew louder for a moment, then faded away with a soft whine. Nowi's lips twitched as her head remained tilted.
"Weird." Nowi mumbled, a slight wince passing over her features.
The door to the common room hissed open. A middle aged man waltzed in first, with a young boy on his shoulders. The boy whooped loudly as the man sped inside, making a strange buzzing sound from his mouth as they rushed towards the table, much to Zena's amusement. The man dumped the boy down onto a chair at the table, then ruffled the boy's black hair.
"Flight finished, Wedge. Time for supper."
Ah, this must be Jagged. Tiki thought.
As Jagged moved to kiss his wife, the door hissed open one more time, allowing Ben, Tharja, a masked young man with rose hair, and a hooded figure to step inside. The masked man grimaced when he saw Tiki, and refused to make eye-contact with her as he moved to an empty spot at the table. The hooded figure, meanwhile, made her way to the sofa by the window, much to Tiki's curiosity. Briefly, Tiki attempted to sense the aura of the figure, only to find a strong wall of light blocking her attempt. The hooded figure's head turned towards Tiki, revealing an orange chin with white lines running over it, but no words were said.
"Oh, Tiki!" Ben jumped as he noticed the now awake Manakete, "It's good to see you up and about."
"Likewise, Ben." Tiki nodded back to him, taking her gaze away from the hooded figure, "I feared the worst when I woke."
Ben grimaced, "It could've been much worse, but… it is still bad." He sank down to a seat at the table, along with Tharja, as Panne, Gaius, and Anna dished out plates of food to everyone. A strange meat that Tiki had never seen before rested on all of the ceramic plates, and her mouth salivated at the sweet aroma. Her stomach rumbled loudly, making Nowi giggle in between a pair of winces.
"Hungry, Lady Tiki?"
"After how long I've likely been sleeping, I'm famished." Tiki replied with a smirk as she guided Nowi over to the table.
As Tiki pulled out a chair for Nowi, she stole a glance back at the silent, hooded companion of Ben's. She had to assume that the figure was the old friend Brady and Noire mentioned.
Only one way to find out.
"Care to join us, Ahsoka?"
Ahsoka jumped a little in her seat as Tiki addressed her, and Tiki did her best to hide a wry smile. Ben chuckled next to Tharja and Noire as Ahsoka reached up and drew her hood back, revealing the blue and white montrails typical of her species.
"I think this should be a meal between friends and-"
"You are an old friend of Ben's, therefore you are a friend to us as well." Tiki cut in, nodding towards an empty spot at the table. There was no chair there, but Jagged had been gathering more chairs from a storage room off to the side of the common room, "Isn't that correct everyone?"
A chorus of "yeses" and nods of approval came from the other Shepherds as they dug in for their meals. Ahsoka smiled, and reluctantly moved to join them, taking a seat in a chair Jagged pulled out for her.
Both Tiki and Ahsoka sat at the same time. As they sat, Tiki once again attempted to gauge the aura of Ben's old friend, but in a more subtle manner. As the currents of the Force flowed through the room, Tiki was struck by just how calm and collected the young woman was. Furthermore, Tiki could not shake the feeling the wall of light within Ahsoka's mind gave her upon brushing up against it. It felt so intense, and so familiar to Tiki. Very few people in her long life felt as pure as Ahsoka did in the Force, and it made Tiki very curious to learn more about her.
She plucked her fork from the table and took a bite of her meal, savoring the tough, gamey taste of the meat. Most of the other Shepherds appeared to be enjoying the food just fine, but Tiki found the food to be delightful. After all, even if she had a human form, she was still a Manakete. There was always something delicious about fresh game meat to her, that topped anything pasture raised. She took another bite, then glanced over at Ahsoka as the table remained eerily quiet.
"So, I'm a bit out of the loop." Tiki muttered in between bites, "Firstly, Prince Chrom."
Chrom froze as he ate, jaw fixed between bites as a piece of food lingered in his mouth. To Tiki, he looked terrible. Dark rings rested around his eyes from a clear lack of sleep. His blue hair was frayed and messy. And the sorrow she sensed in his aura earlier worried her. Something terrible happened back on their homeworld, and all she could do was brace herself for the horrible news.
Chrom swallowed the food in his mouth, then drew in a deep breath, composing himself.
"Sumia is gone." He said, voice a whisper over the table. His fork tapped against the ceramic plate as his mouth creased into a thin line, "We… we cremated her about a week ago."
Tiki's eyes widened. She gently placed her fork down, and drew in a deep breath.
"I am so sorry, Chrom." She said, doing her best to sound as gentle and comforting as she could.
Chrom shook his head, "Not your fault." His jaw clenched tight, and so did his fist around his fork, "It's the Empire's. And we'll make them pay for what they have done."
Tiki nodded in agreement, and chose not to press the matter any further. In her experience, humans were quite fickle about how they talked in regards to the dead. Especially when it came to dead family members. Personally, after living for thousands of years, Tiki had seen so many friends pass on that she no longer felt horribly affected by their deaths (except in rare instances like Marth's… and Robin's). It was part of the cycle of life, and now those old friends she had so long ago moved on to the next life. She would join them one day, but that day may come centuries from now. That perspective was not one normal humans shared, so Tiki tended to try and avoid talk of death with them.
She did feel quite sad to hear of Sumia's passing though. Tiki may not have known her for long, but she knew her long enough to like the young Queen of Ylisse very much. She was a sweet, caring soul, if a bit of a clutz. Tiki bowed her head as she took a breath between bites, whispering a quiet prayer to Naga on the late queen's behalf, for what little it was likely worth. Sumia deserved that much at least.
"Do we have a plan of action?" Tiki asked.
Chrom flicked his blue eyes towards Ben. Ben quickly swallowed his own bite of food, used a napkin to wipe his now beard-free mouth, then nodded.
"For now, yes." He folded his hands in front of him, "Luke and I were able to deduce that Lucina did not escape the massacre, but she was also not killed in Ylisstol."
"We believe she has been captured by the Empire." Luke nodded, "The Sith have an interest in her for some reason that we are still trying to figure out."
"Ah, and we aim to rescue her?" Tiki asked.
"Easier said than done." Ahsoka added in. Tiki glanced over at the orange skinned woman as she leaned forward in her seat, "If your friend really is alive, she will have been taken directly to the Emperor by Lord Vader. You would have to rescue her from the heart of the Empire."
"Coruscant…" Ben nodded, a grim expression passing over his features.
Ahsoka nodded, "If any one of us force sensitives steps foot on Coruscant, the Emperor will know. He'll either detect us through the force, or his many eyes on the planet will see us. We may be able to slip by Imperial eyes here on Corellia, but Master Kenobi and I will not get that lucky on Coruscant."
"There is no such thing as luck." Ben muttered as he resumed eating. Tharja nodded in agreement. And beside Tharja, Nowi winced and squirmed in her seat, one hand falling to her belly as she picked at her food.
"Exactly." Ahsoka nodded in agreement, "You have to make your own luck in this galaxy. Which is why I want to propose something to all of you."
Ben's gaze hardened on Ahsoka, while Chrom set his fork down and listened intently to the Togruta. Tiki, as well, stopped eating so she could focus all of her attention on Ben's old friend.
"I currently work as a shadow operative for a slowly growing Rebellion against the Empire. I cannot reveal who my boss is to you, yet. Such information is very sensitive, and frankly, the less people know about his involvement, the better."
"Is he a bad person who could bring a damning reputation to this rebellion?" Tiki inquired.
Ahsoka vehemently shook her head, "Not at all. He's just too close to the Emperor. Too risky for him to be openly involved, especially this early on. Although, all of this is besides the point. As a shadow operative, I work to bring resources to the Rebellion. The greatest resource we could possibly have right now, are competent fighters, and Jedi." She glanced around at Ben, Noire, Luke, Nowi, and then finally her eyes landed on Tiki. At that moment, Tiki knew that Ahsoka detected every attempt she made at sensing her aura, "Master Kenobi, your expertise as a General during the Clone Wars would be invaluable to the Rebellion. Luke, that raw power I sense within you would be more than enough to rattle any Inquisitor sent to harm us. The rest of you will need further training, probably, which is why I propose that you join the Rebellion. I can get all of you in contact with a strong cell who can provide training and resources so that you may strike back against the Empire, and hopefully rescue your friend."
Ben furrowed his brow, leaning back in his seat as he carefully considered Ahsoka's proposal. Before he could say anything though, Chrom nodded.
"Let's do it."
"Chrom?" Ben questioned, one eyebrow raised.
"We cannot just stand by while the Emperor has my daughter, Ben! We cannot take the loss of our home lying down. We need to fight back." Chrom replied.
"I do not disagree," Ben replied, sitting upright in his seat once more. Nowi winced and shifted in her seat again, eyes squeezing shut for a moment before opening wide, "But we need to be cautious, now more than ever. Declaring our intentions to fight is one thing, actually doing it is another."
"Which is why Ahsoka's offer to get us trained for the fight is a good one." Chrom argued back.
Ben sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Perhaps it is." His fingers drummed against the tabletop as he pondered the proposal for a moment, "What cell would it be Ahsoka?"
"I cannot say. I'd have to get in contact with my boss and see what he can arrange."
Ben nodded, "Very well. In the meantime, I have another way of getting the help we may need to rescue Lucina."
"Oh?" Tiki replied, her eyes briefly looking to Nowi with worry as the littler Manakete winced again, dropping her fork onto her plate as her eyes squeezed shut with visible pain.
"Yes." Ben drew in a deep breath, "What I am about to say cannot leave this room. All of you must swear to never say a word to anyone. I'm… I'm about to break a lot of trust, but I do feel this may be the best course going forward."
"That being?" Ahsoka asked.
"Ever heard of the Dagobah system?"
Ahsoka face screwed up in confusion, "Dagobah? Dagobah… I don't recall that one."
"I doubt you would. I'm not even sure if it was listed in the Jedi Archives." Ben remarked, "But… there is a powerful Jedi Master there. One I made contact with before the events of the past few years came to pass. He may be able to help us."
Ahsoka furrowed her brow, uncertainty on her face, "Are you sure the Empire hasn't-"
"Unless things went as poorly as I fear," Ben interrupted, "then he will be there. I know the coordinates. He told me them before we agreed to part ways. Just in case the need ever arose for me to reconnect with him."
"Which Jedi Master is this, Ben?" Tiki pressed.
Ben pursed his lips, mentally debating whether or not to reveal the Master's identity. He opened his mouth to reply, only for Nowi to squeak. Her head fell to the table, and a long groan rushed from her lips.
Ahsoka raised a brow, "Is she…?"
Brady jumped from his seat and rushed around the table, healing staff in hand. Tharja instantly rose to her feet as well. Once Brady reached Nowi's sigh, a ragged gasp left the little Manakete's lips and her head rose shakily.
A lump formed in Tiki's throat as Nowi's pale face looked directly at her.
"It's moving." Nowi whimpered.
"Ah shit!" Brady exclaimed, "Clear off the table, quickly!"
Jagged, Zena, and the other Shepherds raced to clear plates and food from the metal table. Meanwhile, Tharja lifted Nowi onto the table and set her on her back.
"Alright, men gotta leave, save for me cause-well… priest." Brady said with a grimace, "Ladies, if ya want to stick around for the show, I only suggest doing so if you have strong stomachs."
"What is going on?" Ahsoka asked again, rising from her seat.
"Labor is going on, lady!" Brady barked back, "Now if ya ain't gonna help, then please give Nowi some space."
Ahsoka visibly paled. Before she could say anything, Tiki rushed past her. The older Manakete slid to a stop by Nowi's right side, instantly reaching out and taking the younger Manakete by the hand.
"I'm right here, Nowi."
"Tharja, you stay too, just in case." Brady said with a grimace as he lifted Nowi's dress. His face paled considerably, and Tharja rolled her eyes.
"Out of the way." She shoved Brady out of the way, looked down, and paled, "Oh Grima…"
Zena Antilles cleared her throat, rolled up her sleeves, and shooed Tharja out of the way.
"Z-Zena?" Jagged muttered as he lingered near the door. Meanwhile, the other Shepherds were all filtering outside, mostly because Ben and Chrom barked at all of them to give Nowi space and privacy.
"What?" Zena asked, "Can't be too different than farm animals right?"
Jagged swallowed hard, and Tiki glanced over at Zena.
"If you can help, then do so." Tiki breathed as Nowi's grip on her hand tightened. Sweat beaded on Nowi's forehead, and Tiki gave her smaller hand a reassuring squeeze, "Tharja, be ready with a pain and clotting hex. Brady, healing staff, and assist Zena with whatever she needs."
"Water and towels, Brady." Zena ordered.
Tiki closed her eyes and allowed some of her power to bubble to the surface. She had never witnessed the birth of another Manakete before. Given how rare her kind already were, she wondered how safe labor for a Manaketer really was, especially for one as young as Nowi. Carefully, she attempted to channel a feeling of calm and peace into Nowi, hoping that would help with some of the fear and pain she was in.
Nowi whimpered and writhed on the table, her hand nearly crushing Tiki's. Tiki grimaced and placed her other hand on Nowi's sweat soaked forehead.
"I'm right here." Tiki reassured her.
"You're… not… going… anywhere right?" Nowi asked as her eyes widened.
Tiki shook her head, "Of course not."
The door to the bunkhouse hissed shut, leaving Zena, Tiki, Tharja, and Brady alone with Nowi. Tiki winced as the first ear piercing wail of childbirth hit her sensitive ears. Still she kept her grip on Nowi's hand firm, and did not waver even as Nowi threatened to crush the bones in her hand. She could hear Tharja muttering hexes under her breath, while Brady rushed to assist Zena. Once more, Tiki found herself bowing her head, her worry consuming her as she did something she rarely did personally anymore.
Please help us out… mother.
Ben paced back and forth outside of the bunkhouse, the twilight shadows cast by the fuel depot buildings and the nearby Corellian Jungle masking much of the worry he held, but unable to keep him from feeling restless. The other Shepherds appeared to be equally anxious, with Noire lingering closest to the door, along with Panne and Gaius, who were doing their best to put Ben's future daughter at ease. Luke and Cynthia lingered a bit away from the rest of the group, with Luke still trying to catch his breath from the training he did with Severa and Chrom. Severa, Cordelia, and Anna were near the main depot building, chatting as they did their best to disguise their worries from everyone else, with Cordelia being the most obvious about it as she wrung her hands in her lap. Finally, Chrom and Ahsoka lingered near Ben, with Chrom matching Ben's pacing; and Ahsoka simply sitting criss-cross on the ground, hands on her knees, and eyes closed.
"When did our roles switch, Master Kenobi?" Ahsoka suddenly asked, making Ben double take as he paced beside Chrom.
"Whatever do you mean?"
Ahsoka cracked an eye open, "Last I checked, you were supposed to be the calm master; and I'm supposed to be the anxious, inexperienced student?"
"Well, it's not just Nowi on my mind at the moment." Ben rebutted, his pacing ending as he leaned up against the bunkhouse, one hand running through his hair, "I worry about this rebellion business."
"Why?" Chrom asked, his pacing stopping as well as he glanced over at Ben.
"He's right to be worried, your majesty." Ahsoka cut in.
"Just Chrom, Ahsoka." Chrom replied, "I've never been much for formalities."
Ahsoka smiled a little, "Very well. But Master Kenobi is correct to worry, and you should be just as cautious, Chrom."
Chrom raised his brow, "And why is that?"
"Because while some rebel cells have begun minor armed resistance, most notably on Ryloth," Ahsoka began, "Nothing about this rebellion is organized. Meanwhile our enemy might be the epitome of organized. It still blows my mind how swiftly Sidious was able to get the galaxy brought to heel."
"After seeing how Coronet City is nowadays, I'm just as shocked." Ben nodded, "The military recruitment efforts are mind boggling."
"Mhmm," Ahsoka nodded, "Which means the Imperial Army may be as massive as the Grand Army of the Republic was. The one advantage we may have is that they cannot possibly be as skilled as the old Clone Legions."
"Numbers still matter." Ben muttered, sinking down to a crouch as his anxiety grew. Through the Force, he briefly attempted to sense how Nowi was doing. He felt pain surrounding the young Manakete, which made sense given the situation. He also sensed that Tharja and Tiki were both worried, but calm, which eased his mind a little, "That, and if we join the Rebellion we will still be contending against Sidious, Vader, and likely another young Sith that we know next to nothing about."
"That being?" Chrom inquired.
"A girl named Ragana." Ahsoka replied, "Or Morgan. Really depends on which imperial channel you're listening in on."
"Have you discovered anything else about her?" Ben asked as Chrom stepped closer to join the conversation.
Ahsoka shook her head, "No. The Emperor is keeping any records on her very secret. Nearly as secret as Vader." She sniffed and shook her head, "Strange how two of our most powerful enemies seemingly appear and disappear like puffs of smoke in the wind. One moment, Vader shows up out of nowhere, then he's gone and Ragana appears. Now both are at large and we have no idea what they're up to."
"We can reasonably say Vader is on Coruscant. The Emperor does have an interest in Lucina, which means the apprentice will want to deliver her to his master." Ben muttered, face grim.
"All the more reason for us to get involved and take down this Empire." Chrom growled, "We need help to get Lucina back. And if this Jedi Master on… on… where again?"
"Dagobah." Ben muttered.
"Right, there." Chrom nodded, "If he can't help, then we need a backup plan."
Ben had to laugh a little. Chrom thinking things through and developing back up plans? Have banthas started flying?
"Robin and Frederick would be proud of you right now." Ben said with a wry smirk.
"I take that as a conditional 'yes' to my proposal." Ahsoka asked, a hopeful look on her face.
Ben gave her a weary glance, but Ahsoka's smile did not waver. Ben then glanced over at Chrom, who gave a firm not to Ahsoka.
"You'll have our allegiance. We'll see what happens going forward." Chrom said, his voice filled with a conviction that had been lost in the days since Ylisstol's fall, "So long as you help us rescue Lucina, I'll be more than happy to fight in this Rebellion."
"Great!" Ahsoka chirped, "So then, first things first is getting all of you off of this rock without drawing too much attention."
"Buy a ship?" Ben suggested.
Ashoka cringed, and Ben's face fell.
"Ahsoka, can we not buy a ship?"
"Yeah, well…" Ahsoka scratched the back of her neck as a sheepish laugh slipped from her lips, "I was given enough funds to buy parts for the Rebellion, not full on ships. I'm already on somebody's hit list, because I had some bounty hunters come after me on Kuat when I went there to make orders for the Rebellion."
"You what!?" Ben cried, causing Chrom to look confused and concerned.
"Don't worry, I'm fine now, and they weren't able to track me. Your friend Gerome helped by the way." Ahsoka pointed out, "Anyways, I need to be very careful with what acquisitions I make right now. If I'm being watched, that means what I purchase is also being watched, which means-"
"Whose money you spend is under scrutiny." Ben nodded.
"Exactly." Ahsoka exhaled, "So while we could buy a ship, it would be very costly and it would draw the exact opposite kind of attention my boss wants right now. That being, of course, no attention."
"We can't all fit on your ship?" Chrom asked.
Ahsoka shook her head once more, "Nope. There's barely enough room in the cargo bay for Gerome's lizard. And I don't exactly have crew quarters."
"What about our ship then?" Chrom suggested with a shrug, "Can't we patch that up here and get her flying again?"
"Patching up our… ship…" Ben trailed off, one hand stroking his bare chin as he thought about it a moment, "You said you were here to buy parts, right Ahsoka?"
"Correct." She replied.
"Then there's a way for us to get the parts we need to get the Ark in the air once again." Ben said, "It'll take time to make the repairs necessary, but I'm sure you have ways of helping with that, right Ahsoka?"
Ahsoka furrowed her brow, one hand going to her chin as she thought for a moment. She hummed to herself, clearly running through some mental calculations as she thought about the idea. Her eyes flicked to Ben, and a smirk ran over her face.
"I think that can work. We'll go check on the Ark in the morning. Hopefully it has avoided any prying eyes out in the jungle."
Ben nodded in agreement. As he sank down to a seat alongside the bunkhouse, the door opened, causing him to shoot to his feet. Tharja stepped out, a long breath slipping from her lips. The other Shepherds quickly gathered around her as well, waiting with baited breath for any news from the dark mage.
Her shadowy eyes flicked around at everyone.
"Well… there's a baby Manakete in there now."
"Out of the way!" Cynthia bellowed, shoving past Tharja while dragging Luke after her.
"Cynthia, wait! They might need time to- damn it she's already in there." Chrom said with a shake of his head. He quickly followed.
Ben chuckled as the other Shepherds weaved their way around Tharja and surged back into the bunkhouse. He waited a moment with Ahsoka and Tharja outside, smiling a little as his worries faded.
"Healthy?" He asked Tharja.
Tharja pursed her lips, "Oddly quiet newborn. Wasn't screaming when she came out. Then again my ears are still ringing from Nowi's screaming, so maybe I couldn't hear her."
"Her?" Ben replied, "A girl then?"
Tharja nodded, "Everyone else is already in there, and Tiki hasn't thrown them out yet. So I'd assume it is safe for us to go in and see now."
Ben nodded eagerly, took Tharja by the hand, and walked in alongside her. Ahsoka trailed in after them, choosing to stick to the fringes of the large group that gathered around the sofa. Nowi rested on the Sofa, a blanket over her as her sweaty brow glistened in the light from a lamp beside her. In her arms was an incredibly small bundle. A little baby girl with a small tuft bright green hair on her head, and closed eyes, already fast asleep.
A quiet child indeed.
"She's so adorable!" Cynthia said, her voice quiet as she stooped over Nowi and the baby. Before she could get her curious face any closer, Tiki gently pulled Cynthia back.
"Make sure she has space." Tiki cautioned the boisterous Princess.
"Oh! Sorry!"
"Geez, Cynthia… how airheaded can ya get?" Brady grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose, "It ain't a puppy to gawk at."
"Right, it's more interesting." Severa snarked back as she took a close look, "Gawds, I can't even remember how Nah looked when she was born. Guess I know now, huh?"
"How old were you again, Sev?" Cynthia asked.
Severa shrugged, "I don't know."
She noticed Ben looking at the baby over her shoulder, then moved out of the way. As soon as she did, Nowi's tired face lit up. She gave both Ben and Tharja a weak smile, then lifted the baby a little higher for them to see. A slight yawn slipped from Nowi's lips, and her eyes started to droop.
"Hey…" She muttered weakly.
Ben chuckled a little, "She looks beautiful Nowi."
Tharja arched an eyebrow, "She looks odd."
Ben glanced over at Tharja, to which Tharja merely shrugged.
"What? Am I wrong? Babies look weird."
Ben just shook his head and laughed quietly, "What are you going to name her, Nowi?"
Nowi uttered a louder yawn as her eyes drooped further, "Nah…"
Ben raised an eyebrow, "Nah?"
"Don't... feel like... it." Nowi mumbled.
A quiet snore signaled that the exhausted young mother had fallen asleep, leaving Ben a bit baffled as he drew back.
"So… did she just-"
"Yup!" Noire chirped as she moved up alongside Tharja, "Nah is named Nah."
Ben blinked, gave Noire a look of disbelief, then glanced over at Brady, Cynthia, Severa, and Luke. All four of them nodded to him, and his jaw fell open; right into Tharja's waiting hand as she gently closed it for him.
"It's going to be weird seeing me as the younger kid compared to Nah now." Severa grumbled, folding her arms, "Ah crap, I'm younger than Nah now."
"Everyone except Lucina and Laurent are younger than Nah now." Brady deadpanned. He blinked, "Ah shit…"
"What?" Ben asked as Noire snickered next to him.
Noire turned her head to her father, "Whenever we find our Nah, she'll never let them hear the end of it." She snickered some more, then took in a breath, "Regardless, this is nice. It's… happy, for a change."
Ben smiled back, "Yes, it is. Isn't it?"
One of his arms gently wrapped around Tharja's shoulders drawing her in close as warm smiles abounded among the Shepherds. For the first time since Ylisstol's fall; any worries, anxieties, fears, and sorrows were forgotten. Even Chrom had a small smile on his face as Cynthia stood next to him. Ben had a feeling that tonight there wouldn't be any tears, for the first time in a long time. They had hope, and now they had new life.
And chapter! Whew… it's been a while hasn't it? Sorry for the wait folks, I needed to take a break from the story to avoid burnout. Reasons for the burnout worry? We are currently in a big transition part of this story, where I need to somehow get this falling action we're kinda in right now back into rising action, immediately after an enormous climax in the story (Ylisstol's fall). So my momentum feels very off when writing this story at the moment, and it's taking me a moment to get back into the groove of things. With that being said, I'm not 100% happy with this chapter, but I want to get something out so we can get back into the good stuff soon. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!
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