Chapter 2: Jedi Summit

When Ahsoka landed on the medical asteroid, she was greeted by Luminara Unduli. The two females each other a big hug.

"You made it!"

Ahsoka grimaced. "Barely." She turned to the Padawan boy. He looked only a few years younger than her, maybe fourteen.

Luminara smiled. "Ahsoka Tano, meet Caleb Dume." The Padawans shook hands.

Walking into the medical center, Ahsoka was overjoyed to see Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as Grand Master Yoda. Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan was also present.

Obi-Wan hugged Ahsoka.

"Padawan Tano. Dark times, are these," Yoda spoke gravely.

"Why are we here? What's wrong? Other than the obvious," Ahsoka inquired.

Obi-Wan led the group to a hospital ward. There, the five Jedi and Organa beheld a beautiful woman clothed in white. But not the white worn by a bride. The hospital white worn by a patient and even a corpse.

Ahsoka gasped. "Senator Amidala..." The young woman looked peaceful and broken all at once. But that was not the only shock, as medical droids soon went to work, delivering babies. Twin babies. The droids insisted that the Jedi join them; only Obi-Wan and Ahsoka agreed. The Jedi Master held her hand; the Padawan sat on the edge of the bed.

One by one, the babies were delivered. A conscious Padme drew just enough breath to name them Luke and Leia.

"The Skywalker children must be kept alive," Yoda ordered through the intercom.

Skywalker... Ahsoka could hardly believe her ears. These were Anakin's children, and he had kept this from her. She turned to Obi-Wan.

"Master... where is Anakin?"

Obi-Wan did not speak for a moment. Finally, he said, "He's dead."

Ahsoka clutched at her heart. Her former Master... arguably one of the greatest Jedi ever... had fallen to the Purge. For that was what this was. A Jedi Purge.

Padme was struggling to hang on, and she did not register Obi-Wan's words. But she was struggling to say his name... "Obi-Wan... Obi-Wan..."

Obi-Wan ordered Ahsoka out of the room. The Padawan could not hear what was said through the glass, but she did watch as Padme slowly passed away. Kenobi finally departed the ward. Hanging his head, Yoda directed everyone into a conference room beyond.

It was quite a motley crew that sat around that conference table. Young Caleb Dume fidgeted in his seat, unsure whether he should be there at all. Ahsoka gave him a sympathetic look, sensing his restlessness. Luminara, Obi-Wan and Yoda were all pensive, but serious. Senator Organa was off the one side; he too was questioning his belonging to this historic gathering. For all the Senator knew, he was watching a summit held by the last living Jedi in the galaxy.

"Her true cause of death, no one can know," Yoda surmised. "Pregnant, she must still appear. Hidden, safe, the children must be kept."

It was at this point that the Senator decided to speak up. "My wife and I will take the girl. We've always talked of adopting a baby girl. She will be loved with us."

Hidden in plain sight, Obi-Wan approved, tugging at his mustache. "And what of the boy?"

Yoda swiveled in his chair. "To Tatooine. To his family, send him."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I will take the child and watch over him." He knew some of Tatooine's harsh terrain from the time he met the young boy Anakin. There were worse planets on which to go into exile.

"To the Dagobah system, I will go," Yoda mused. "Called there by the will of the Force, I am." He faced the other Jedi. "Master Unduli: Go, where will you? Your Padawan's fate, what is?"

Luminara smiled tenderly at Caleb. "He is my apprentice from now on. He will go with me - to Stygeon Prime. My old apprentice - his Master, Depa... it's what she would have wanted."

The boy spoke up. "I want to change my name. I think it will help us to hide. I now will be known as Kanan Jarrus."

Yoda nodded in approval. "Welcome you, Kanan Jarrus, the Jedi Order does." Everyone rose to leave. "Until the time is right, disappear, we will."

As the group filed out, Obi-Wan took Ahsoka aside. "Do you know where you will go?"

"I'm not sure," she sighed. "If I go back to the moon of Raada, there will be a bounty on my head. I can't go the way I came."

"In that case, I have something to offer you, my old Padawan's young apprentice."

"What's that?"

Obi-Wan stared at her solemnly. "A job."

The Jedi and Bail Organa all boarded a Republic freighter trusted by the droids on Polis Massa. Out in deep space, four escape pods were suddenly flung in four separate directions. One contained Grand Jedi Master Yoda on a trajectory for Dagobah. The second contained Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and Jedi Padawan Kanan Jarrus on course for Stygeon Prime. The third blasted Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and a wailing infant boy towards Tatooine. And the fourth gave Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, Senator Bail Organa and a baby girl safe passage to Alderaan.