Ahsoka Returns – Chapter 8: Operation Black Hawk
A couple of pieces fall into place, as the four Light Side Force adepts start to come together.
Thanks to followers: FanQuiet1991, greivergf.
Chapter 8: Operation Black Hawk
Chandrila, Core region, 5 ABY, 0 months, 9 days, 12 hours
About 48 hours after the attack on Hanna City, Chandrila's capital, by apparently renegade Imperial forces, the dust had settled and the New Republic authorities on the planet were assessing the damage and the time it would take to make repairs and return things to normal. The attack wasn't surgical in nature and there were various levels of destruction in different parts of town. Mon Mothma had been able to get to an underground bunker, as had most of the Senate.
Needless to say, there were more questions than answers at this point. Mon found herself in the situation of not knowing what she didn't know, and she had been joined by Leia Organa and Han Solo. They had just returned from Kashyyyk – a few months after helping Chewbacca free his fellow Wookiees from the forced servitude that had been a reality almost from the start of the Galactic Empire some 23 years earlier. After exchanging hugs and handshakes, the three went to the Senate offices, which were still in decent shape, the buildings being somewhat hardened as opposed to some of the older structures. The planet had been settled for over 25,000 years, going back well before the dawn of hyperspace travel.
Han and Leia were drinking some fine lager and discussing events with Mon and the three were trying to make sense of what had just happened.
"So sorry to have brought on the mess. I seem to have that kind of effect on things." Han chuckled.
"Well, it was likely nothing connected with you," Mon reflected. "It appears our Imperial adversaries haven't yet given up the fight."
Leia wasn't so convinced. "Mon, you had mentioned before that an Imperial Admiral had stopped by, supposedly willing to talk about a peace settlement. What happened to her?"
Mon nodded tightly. "Yes, her name is Rae Sloane and I was planning to meet with her yesterday, but that was before the attack."
"Well … do we know where she is now?" Leia asked, somewhat concerned.
"Yes. She's still on the planet, somewhere near the City. I still want to meet with her."
"And what about the Imps?" Han asked. "Seems like they made their statement, now they're gone."
Mon scowled, somewhat sardonically. "Something's off. But the message is plain. We need better defenses for the planet. We've contacted Admiral Ackbar."
Lianna, The City, 5 ABY, 0 months, 9 days, 12 hours
At the same time, Valles Santhé reached out to Senator Willis Dragoo on Chandrila.
"Willis, what is the status of the government on Chandrila after the attack?"
"Ah, Valles, how are you, my friend. Things here are settling down. Mothma is calling a meeting in about two hours."
She chuckled. "I would imagine so … do you think she has any idea yet why it happened?"
"If she does, she's not tipping her hand. The general impression here is that these were rogue actors."
"No one has connected anything to Rae Sloane?"
"Not that I'm aware of. Is she still on the planet to your knowledge?"
"She'd better be. Rae was supposed to be working out a peace agreement. This should now be a more pressing need …"
Willis laughed. "One would think … As you know, I'm not on board with the Chancellor's desire to demilitarize."
Valles returned the laugh. "I should think so, considering whom you represent."
"But of course, how can I forget …"
Chandrila, Core region, 5 ABY, 0 months, 11 days, 9 hours
The attack had caught Rae Sloane a little off balance, considering she was the one that ordered it. "Black Hawk" was Valles Santhé's code name for the operation, and this attack had opened the door for "Phase Two." The Admiral had been slightly injured by some of the explosions during the raid by the TIE squadron, mostly some lacerations to her back and arms, causing her uniform to be badly torn. But she had been patched up by the medics in Hanna City, and a fresh change to the white uniform of a Grand Admiral was brought to her from the shuttle by her longtime exec, Lieutenant Adea Rite. After Sloane had directed the SSD Ravager to the Jakku system, she soon left for Chandrila to meet with Mon Mothma and discuss the terms of a Galactic Peace.
Scarcely did Rae have time to recover, when she received a message from Lianna. She immediately responded.
"Chairman Santhé … what can I do for you?"
"Be on your way to Lianna – immediately."
"But I thought you wanted me to meet with the Chancellor …"
"You will, but I am changing the plan."
"Yes, milady. I understand. Anything else?"
"Yes, do not use an Imperial shuttle and do not show up in uniform. Wear conservative attire so you will blend in here. I expect you here in one-half rotation."
"Yes, milady."
Yavin IV, Gordian Reach-NE Outer Rim, 5 ABY, 0 months, 11 days, 17 hours
A few months after his daughter was born, Jarek Yeager caught up with former Imperial Captain Immanuel Doza, who had recently resigned his commission. It had taken a while for Doza to fully come to grips with his decision – calling it quits on the Empire wasn't easy. Achieving the rank of Captain by age 40 was a point of pride for him, but as he saw things falling apart quickly, it became apparent that joining the New Republic was the only course that made sense if he wanted to work to maintain order in the Galaxy. The fall of Palpatine had produced many opportunities for those willing to make fast credits as former Moffs and Governors still had (in some cases) vast resources at their disposal.
As he dropped from hyperspace, the huge disk of the gas giant Yavin was immediately visible and it was producing strong gravity waves. It took a few seconds to get his shuttle under control and then find the fourth moon, but Doza was an old hand at piloting and the feel of a small ship came naturally. Hadn't had to fly one of these for a long time. Soon the moon, verdant and lovely in its own unique way, came into view. Many thoughts went through his mind at this time as he considered the path his life was taking.
All this time, the Rebels had a base here, right under our noses. Remarkable in some ways – but I'm not all that surprised. The higher-ups in the Empire really weren't as concerned with finding the Rebels as they were about carving out fiefdoms in various regions. Old man Palpatine couldn't be everywhere at once, though it sometimes seemed like he could.
As he landed, Doza took the com. "This is Immanuel Doza, reporting in. I have an appointment with Captain Antilles."
Soon he was on the ground. The Imperial shuttle raised a few eyebrows, but Jarek Yeager went out to greet him. They went to see Wedge Antilles together – in order to welcome him to the New Republic military.
Wedge Antilles was one of the early pilots that had joined the Rebel Alliance a couple of years before the Battle of Yavin and the destruction of the first Death Star. At this point in his career he had been promoted to Captain, although he did not command a large vessel. He was one of the leaders among the fighter squadrons and reported to General Hera Syndulla. When he learned that an Imperial Navy captain wanted to join the New Republic, he was eager to meet him. As Yeager and Doza entered his office on Yavin IV, he rose from his desk to greet them.
"Hello, Jarek … is this the man you told me about?"
"It is, I present Captain Immanuel Doza."
They shook hands. "Good to have you aboard. General Syndulla will be here shortly to debrief you. She will have plenty of questions."
Doza smiled. "I would expect that. Looking forward to meeting her. The people I served with were grudging admirers of her ability."
Soon, Hera walked in. "So this is Captain Doza?"
He stepped forward and bowed. "It's good to meet you, General. Your reputation was well known among the more intelligent Imperial officers. I look forward to serving with you."
Hera nodded. "Our first assignment will be seeing to the reinforcement of the planetary defenses on Chandrila. They recently were ambushed by a cowardly raid from someone later claiming to represent the 'Imperial Remnant.' I'm looking forward to vanquishing this little band."
"I'm your man, General Syndulla. What used to be the Empire is now just a bunch self-important jerks trying to convince themselves they still matter."
"Captain, can you brief us on everything you know about those still out there fighting us? It would be a great opportunity for the New Republic to be able to roll up the 'Remnant.'"
"I'd be more than happy …"
Jarek then noted. "Well, looks like you will be getting off to a good start, Immanuel. I'll leave you three to talk shop."
"Where are you going, Lieutenant Yeager?" Antilles asked.
"I need to be at home, Captain. My wife recently gave birth to our daughter, plus my brother has returned after a long time away. I'm planning on taking my retirement soon, but I won't leave you stranded."
Hera stepped forward, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jarek, we understand. And we want you to have this time for those important things. But I have a feeling there is still one more battle ahead of us."
Lianna, The City, 5 ABY, 0 months, 12 days, 2 hours
Grand Admiral Rae Sloane felt somewhat humbled as her ISD Acuity II approached the Allied Tion Sector. She tried to tell herself that this was the best course, that Valles Santhé had the best plan … but, some things about it didn't feel right. Having to go incognito was strange, but she understood the reasoning.
Emperor Palpatine is dead, we all have to face that. But what does Valles want to do – take his place? I will admit, she's a very smart lady. Plus, there's something about her. I've studied this concept of The Force, and I think it's more than just some crackpot religion. Could it be …? No. I'm not ready to accept that yet. But who else has any kind of plan right now? Valles is the only chance for now. I need to hear her out.
Rae went to the ISD bridge and placed a captain in charge of the ship until she returned. They were to maintain position some five light years away from the Lianna System. She then checked out a small unmarked shuttle for the trip to the planet. Despite its size, this craft had light shielding and full hyperdrive capability. The admiral came onboard and there was an astromech R4-series droid already there.
"I'll take the con, thank you," Rae stated. The droid gave an acknowledging beep and rolled along behind her as she came on the flight deck.
Seemingly minutes later, the ship had dropped from hyperspace. Rae contacted Valles, as directed.
"Hello, Admiral …" Valles chuckled, speaking from her office.
"Do you have landing instructions?"
"I do. Proceed to Port 3-1-7, Bay 69. They will be expecting you. A limousine will take you to our assigned meeting place."
Rae nodded, to no one in particular. Soon the ship was approaching the assigned spaceport facility and a tractor beam took them in to the landing bay. Soon, the admiral, having changed into a dark dress of medium length, was boarding the limo speeder. She carried a small blaster pistol in her purse "just in case."
The trip took about 15 minutes as they whistled down the elegant boulevards of Lianna City, but it was the early morning and traffic was rather light. Soon they came up a massive, yet elegant, building and disappeared into it. The limo came to rest and entered a lift, that descended a few levels underground. Rae stepped out into a well-lit area, whereupon she was greeted by a protocol droid, an RA-7 unit, the kind she was accustomed to seeing aboard Imperial craft and ships-of-the-line.
"This way, Admiral. Chairman Santhé is waiting."
She followed around two corners and down a long hall. Then a portal slid open, and inside a spacious conference room, Valles was seated, wearing a bright yellow and white dotted dress and long boots of shiny black leather-like material. Her luxurious hair seemed shinier than ever, and she had a big, wide smile on her face. She gestured for Rae to be seated, and turned to the droid.
"Leave us."
The droid bowed, then walked away as the portal closed.
"Good morning, Rae. I do hope it hasn't been too much trouble."
"Not at all, my Lady. It's good to see you again. I am hoping we can get everything taken care of. I sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding on my part."
Valles sniffed the air for a second, then shook her head sharply, causing a strong aroma of perfume to permeate the air. Rae inhaled it and took notice, but remained quiet.
"Grand Admiral Sloane," Valles noted, with emphasis on the first word of the title. "I am putting a good deal of trust in your ability … but I feel certain you will not disappoint me."
Rae nodded, then slowly shook her head. "No, my Lady. I am up to the task."
"Very well, then. What we are going to do is set a sort of trap for the New Republic."
"How, exactly?"
"A battle that they will believe they have won. But they will not have an easy time, nor will there be anything like general approval of this course of conduct from the Senate."
"I see. This sounds … a bit … complex, my Lady."
Chairman Santhé laughed openly. "The problem with people like you, Admiral, is that you weren't rewarded for bold thinking. It's hardly your fault, however." She paused for effect. "I, on the other hand, prefer to take the long view. It's a new era, which I shouldn't need to remind you."
Sloane was more than a bit confused. "My Lady, I'm not sure I follow you."
Valles stood and gestured with her open arms.
"No? All right, then, I will spell it out for you. Palpatine was a bold leader, but overall, he had the wrong approach. All that unnecessary cruelty spawned millions – nay, billions – who were ready to take him down. I don't yet know exactly what happened – and neither do you, I would wager – but I know this much: if he were still around, Mon Mothma and the Rebels wouldn't be celebrating victory and writing a constitution."
"I'd have to agree with you, there."
"Naturally. So, let me explain what's going to happen. Jakku will be seen as the Republic's great confirming victory, after the founding victory at Endor. The Imperial remnant will slink off with its collective tail between its legs to usher in a new era of peace. And, as history has shown us, there will of course be a desire among many to put away the guns and decommission the remaining armaments."
"That sounds like trouble for your firm, wouldn't it?"
"Many might agree with you, but years ago, when my grandfather died, I had a vision of the type of organization I wanted to lead. I set about consolidating as much of my home planet as I could – and you may see the results. Liannese live as well – collectively – as anyone in the Galaxy. Of course, I am obscenely rich, but I know how to spread it around. No one on Lianna lives in poverty, and though we work hard, we have plenty of time off to enjoy life. I probably work harder than anyone. The armaments manufacture will scale down as we turn to commercial applications and buildup of infrastructure on our tributary worlds – at least that will be our public position."
Valles laughed long and loud over that seeming insight, but then her mood swiftly changed. She seated herself again and continued in a low tone.
"Rae. You and Galli will draw up a plan to pull in as many Republic capital ships as possible to the big showdown at Jakku. By the time it's over, perhaps 20 percent of the forces will remain. You will then – and only then – agree to peace, upon which the remaining capital ships of the Remnant will disappear into the Western Reaches."
"When shall the battle begin, my Lady?"
"In about three months – give or take. Now, you shall head for Jakku and meet up with Galli. I will summon him a bit later. The New Republic will then receive a communique that the Empire is not ready to surrender or agree to a managed peace, and that the Rebel government is illegitimate and must be opposed, as its current course will lead to disorder and widespread suffering in the Galaxy."
"I see. Well, Lady Valles, I cannot say I disagree with this course. I suppose you have longer range plans for what happens after Jakku."
"I do, indeed, Rae. But I am not prepared to discuss them at this time. Besides, they will likely have to be adjusted as circumstances dictate."
With that, Valles rose and Rae did as well, pausing to curtsy before the chairman.
"Thank you, Rae. It has been a worthwhile meeting. I will be in touch."
The admiral headed off down the hall, assisted by the RA-7 droid. Valles gazed at them, then picked up her com.
"Lasivia? Sorry to awaken you, dear, but we will be starting earlier than normal today. I shall see you in about two hours, as the sun comes up."
Valles switched off the device, then summoned a repulsor chair via the Force, then rode down the hall, her big smile having returned to her face.
Aboard Super Star Destroyer Ravager, Jakku system, W Inner Rim, 5 ABY, 0 months, 17 days, 0 hours
The star destroyer Vigilance returned to the Jakku System after a few days away. Gallius Rax was in command and he ordered the ship to be brought into formation with the five other ISD craft that were escorting the Ravager, an Imperial Super Star Destroyer, one of three known to be remaining in the Galaxy. The Arbitrator had joined the Remnant somewhere in the Western Reaches, while the Annihilator had been commandeered by a confederation of pirate groups in the Outer Rim. No one had yet found the Eclipse, which was presumed lost. Some 1000 ISD were also in the Western Reaches but 90% of these had been essentially mothballed, kept running at low power somewhere among the nebulae.
Yes, Palpatine was gone, and the remaining Grand Admiral from his Empire, Thrawn, had returned to the Chiss Ascendancy group of systems, which appeared to be biding its time, waiting to see how things shook out in the Galaxy at large. This left Sloane and Rax as the nominal supreme commanders of the Remnant. Although Rax had promised Palpatine to disband the Empire upon the Emperor's death, events had overtaken these plans and Valles Santhé – who was not generally understood to be Force-sensitive – had arisen as the new would-be Galactic ruler. She was content to play the part of a loyal adherent to the New Republic, and was given to making public appearances extolling the virtues of "popular sovereignty," as she termed it.
A shuttle brought Rax over to the Ravager, whereupon Sloane called for a meeting of the Remnant's high command. As the new Grand Admiral, Rae Sloane was nominally in charge, but she and others privately referred to the "supreme leader", whom Sloane and Rax knew to be Valles Santhé. Chairman Santhé's role was for the most part a secret few understood, and those few had a healthy respect for her and perceived the consequences of betraying her to be most dire. The meeting was called to order and Sloane led it off.
"Greetings, all. We are going to discuss the plans for the final battle, to be held in this system. As you are aware, the peace talks have broken down and we have the situation we see now. The Supreme Leader has drafted a short communique we will release today, addressed to the New Republic. After it has been received and digested, we are going to bring a concentration of forces to Jakku and essentially dare them to stop us."
She paused, then asked, "Any questions?"
One officer spoke up. "Can you give us the wording of the communique?"
"I can, Captain. The Supreme Leader has authorized it for our meeting today. She will expect its release for tomorrow and to the leadership on Chandrila. The holo-vid network will soon carry it throughout the Galaxy. This is the wording:
We, the remnant of the Galactic Empire, remain opposed to the Rebel Alliance government, which they have dubbed The New Republic. This purported government is illegitimate and must be opposed, as its current course will lead to disorder and widespread suffering in the Galaxy. We call on all of those who believe in peace and order to join us."
She paused again, gauging the reaction, then added: "200 of our Star Destroyers will mass in the Jakku System, along with the Arbitrator. It will soon become apparent to the New Republic that we still have plenty of firepower and we will let them ponder what that means to the Core Worlds that form the heart of their new government."
There was general satisfaction among the group of officers at the meeting, and Rae adjourned the proceeding. Some of them perhaps believed this would be successful and that they might succeed in installing the Supreme Leader – which only a small few knew the identity of – as the new Galactic ruler.
Yavin IV, Gordian Reach-NE Outer Rim, 5 ABY, 2 months, 3 days, 0 hours
Two months later, Ezra and Reema were traveling through hyperspace on the way to Yavin IV. They continued their travels around the Galaxy and spent some of that time training. The starship Mira Bridger contained a fully usable workout area with weight sets and machines, but also some open space. When Ezra and Reema squared off against each other in lightsabre combat, he quickly saw how formidable she was and began to understand – even more fully – how she was able to survive so long as an orphan in the dangerous environment of the Coruscanti underground.
Reema had unbelievable speed and was somewhat acrobatic, and when Ezra asked her about these abilities, she wasn't able to tell him very much. He was a bit perplexed by this, but couldn't blame her. She's trying her best and I like her … more and more, it seems. There's a passion inside her that is very attractive.
They were on their way to Yavin from Lothal this time. Again, the visit to his onetime home world was frustrating for Ezra because it seemed that no one remembered him or his family. As he returned to the ship with Reema, he realized that so much had changed, but here was this young woman, still at his side, ready to do whatever he needed her to do. He felt affection for her now and she had been very receptive to any advances he'd made in the past. But he was still hesitant, not fully convinced of his feelings and not wanting to give her any false signals.
After yet another training session – where Ezra felt his own Force ability starting to grow – and feeling nothing but kindness and support from her, he turned to her and looked deep into her brown eyes.
"Reema, I cannot believe what's happening to me. I see things ahead of time, like I can almost predict what will happen. Do you feel that too?"
She nodded and smiled, then, feeling the moment, aggressively leaned in to kiss him. This wasn't the first time, as they had now known each other for nine months. But to him it felt different. He held her tightly and things got progressively more passionate between them. Whatever he wanted to do with her, she was ready. As they released each other, there was an awkward silence that lasted for about thirty seconds.
"I think I'm in love with you," she said at last. "But I don't really know what that means. You've just been so kind to me and you had no idea who I was and if you could trust me …"
"I know," he replied. "But the Force seemed to tell me I could. Now I feel like I always want to be around you."
"So what are we going to do?" She said, in a soft, hopeful voice.
He shook his head slightly and looked her in the eye again. "I don't think we need to decide right now. But …" he smiled, while seeing her return it. "I want you – you're beautiful. There. I've said it."
She laughed loudly and playfully pushed him backwards.
"Oh, you think so … be careful about what you want, Mister Ezra."
"Well how do you feel?"
"You shouldn't have to ask me thaaaat. I already told your friend Sabine. I just naturally thought she'd tell you."
"She did not," he chuckled. "It was never like that for us. I still consider her a good friend, but I don't know where her head is these days. It's been four years."
"Look. We might as well admit it, we like each other, so let's try being together. You're kinda cute, you know."
More chuckles, this time from both of them. They quickly re-embraced and shared a short kiss. After that, the two sat together, smiling at each other, but then Ezra had a question.
"Reema, something I've been wanting to ask you … I'm not sure why I haven't … yet."
"What might that be, sweety?" She giggled.
"Your lightsabre, how exactly did you come up with it? The Empire was supposed to be very strict about them, called them illegal weapons."
"Well, Ezra, it's actually a long story. I've had it for about ten years. You see, my Force ability when I was little saved me so many times."
She took a deep breath and continued. Ezra looked at her and gently caressed her upper right arm.
"Well, I kinda taught myself how to steal food, but it was tricky. The thing is, no one suspected me because I was just a kid, and down in the underground, nobody seems to care what happens to orphan children. We're just left to fend for ourselves."
Ezra sighed. "After my parents were taken away by the Empire, I had to do that too, but I was older than you were, I think. Did they ever catch you?"
"Only once. One shop owner grabbed me and started hitting me. I was able to wriggle away and then I ran. But I was still hungry, so I just went to a different store. But I soon figured out how to be good at begging, which helped a lot. I was sort of cute when I was little and some took pity on me. When I grew older, it didn't work so well. Sometimes I offered to work for food. But then, one day when I was about eleven years old, an older man saw what I was doing. I'd been able to get my dinner and he saw me and followed me out of the store, and I had gone to a private place to eat in peace. When he caught up to me, I was startled and thought I'd have to run, but he spoke to me in a calm voice and told me I'd be fine."
"Wow …" Ezra whistled softly.
"Yeah. Anyway, he told me his name was Mister Menoway, and he wanted to help me – because he realized that I was Force-sensitive – and because of that, I could be in great danger if the Emperor ever realized it, because, on Coruscant, I was right under his nose."
"Right … so this Menoway guy helped you stay safe?"
"He did. As I got to know him, he started to teach me many things. About the Jedi, which I had never heard of, and about the Force, and Galactic history. You see, I'd never been to any kind of school. So one day, he gave me his lightsabre and then taught me how to use it. He said to never let it out of my sight because it would save me from trouble."
"Reema, I'm amazed by all of this. You're very special. And I can see he did a good job training you with the lightsabre. But it's kind of strange. I've never seen a purple blade before."
"I wouldn't know about that. I think it's kinda pretty, though," she chuckled. "But he told me he was in the Jedi, although he wouldn't say much about his past."
"Where is he now?"
"I'm not sure. He told me a couple of years ago that he had to leave, but he felt sure I could take care of myself. Always trust in the Force, was what he'd tell me. I miss him a lot."
"Did he give you a way to get in touch with him?"
"No. But he said that somehow he would still watch over me, I don't know how, though."
Ezra looked to notice the ship had dropped from hyperspace, and the disk of Yavin was visible from the viewport.
"We're here."
Reema got up, turned to kiss him one more time, then took her seat on the flight deck. "What are we going to do on Yavin?"
In hyperspace traveling from Tatooine to Yavin, 5 ABY, 2 months, 4 days, 0 hours
Luke Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano had gone to Tatooine together, where he showed her some important places in his earlier life, such as Tosche Station, near Anchorhead, and where his aunt and uncle's home had stood. By this time, they were headed back to Yavin, and were discussing what they saw in the lounge of her ship Essence II.
"So, Luke. I was wondering what it was like for you to grow up there, did you know who Ben really was?"
"Not at all, but I came to understand he was watching out for me, in case my father might ever come looking. Ahsoka, tell me one thing. Did my father ever tell you much about growing up on Tatooine?"
"Not really. During the War, we had to return there. It had to do with Jabba's son, who was just a little Hutt-let. We rescued the kid from where he was being held on Teth, and ended up returning him to Jabba, who basically lived on Tatooine."
Luke couldn't help but laugh. "I would love to have seen that. Jabba was a slimy old guy, but he ended up dying on Tatooine. My sister and I, along with Han and Lando Calrissian. We helped to finish him off, along with a bounty hunter that had taken Han to Jabba to claim the bounty. A guy named Boba Fett."
It was Ahsoka's turn to laugh. "Fett? Ha ha … I had to face him when he was still a teenager, along with another bounty hunter named Aurra Sing. That wasn't easy because I didn't have much help."
Soon, they had reached Yavin and had dropped from hyperspace. Luke was happy to be back and wanted to catch up and see what was taking place. As soon as Essence had landed and he and Ahsoka had gone inside the base, Wedge Antilles spotted him and came over.
"Luke! Ahsoka! Great to have you back. You won't believe what's happened while you were gone."
"What?" Ahsoka responded first.
"It looks like the Imperials launched a sneak attack on Chandrila, just as the New Republic leadership was getting ready to have peace talks with them."
"Oh, no …" Luke sighed. "I guess it's not over yet."
"Tell us all about it, Wedge." Ahsoka replied.
It was at this time that Ahsoka soon spotted Ezra Bridger on the other side of the large hangar area. She called out to him and they came together and embraced. He then introduced Reema to her and the two regarded each other for a bit, as Ezra described his girlfriend's background and ability with the Force. After a bit, Ahsoka introduced both Ezra and Reema to Luke and the four of them went off to a conference room.
Ahsoka, as the senior person in the group, led off the discussion.
"Well, it seems we four are the main Force-sensitive – and adept – people remaining in the Galaxy. It also seems that we are in a critical time now, with the Emperor dead and gone, but there are still some troublemakers left. What do you all think we should do about it?"
Luke and Ezra stared at each other, aware that they were the exact same age to the day, but were born on almost opposite sides of the Galaxy. Reema, seeing the floor open, spoke up.
"Miss Ahsoka, do we know who is leading the remaining Imperials?"
As Ahsoka shook her head, Luke answered instead. "We do not, but I'd be willing to bet my sister does."
To be continued …