Disclaimer: Disney owns Star Wars, not me. All the characters and places (except for my OCs Analise, Meeka, Gaspar, Myra, Sibar, and Serria) belong to them.

"aaaa"-talking out loud."aaaa" (bold and intellics)-talking through a holo or com. 'aaaaa'-inner thoughts. aaaaa-talking through a Bond. "aaaa" (bold)-another language.

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Chapter Three

She wasn't actually suppose to have one. Yet the Imagecaster sat in her hand and she stared at it.

The rules at the Temple stated that she wasn't suppose to have a 'Caster until she was a Padawan. Until then all she had was her comlink. Nobody knew why Younglings weren't suppose to have 'Casters, but it seemed to be one of those rules like no sweets before mid or late meal that adults had created mainly to torture Younglings.

But the rules said nothing about being given a 'Caster as a gift. That's what Ahsoka's was. A gift that Anakin had pressed into her hands while he had been telling her goodbye on Coruscant. Neither he nor Analise had been all that happy to return to the Temple and hear that while they and Obi-Wan would be under-going the ceremonies that would them Knights and Master, Ahsoka would be traveling to Shili to have her Akul Hunt.

Oh they were happy that she was going to have one, but Analise felt that she was too young and Anakin disliked the idea of Ahsoka taking part in an activity that could end in her death if he wasn't there to protect her.

"I've already tuned it with all our coms," Anakin had whispered to her as she had studied the device. "That way you can see us as well as talk to us. Any time, day or night Ahsoka...I mean it." He had hugged her then, hard. It was as if he was afraid to let go. Like he would let go and she would be gone, never to see him again.

It was those feelings, the fear of never seeing her beloved almost-big brother again that had Ahsoka clinging to the soon-to-be Jedi Knight. Her hands dug into his robes and she hadn't wanted to let go. At that moment of farewell, Ahsoka would have gladly given up the Akul Hunt and a chance to become a Padawan if it meant staying on Coruscant in the warmth, love, and safety that her almost-siblings gave her.

Ahsoka sat the 'Caster, bending the prongs that it's legs were straight and it wouldn't fall. on the table next to the bunk she was sitting. She pulled her knees up to her chest. It was a habit she had picked up from Analise. Her almost-big sister did it often. Usually when she was nervous or upset and wanted to hide from the world. Ahsoka did it when she was feeling unsure. When it felt as if the Force's will in her life was muted and she couldn't hear it.

She was feeling very unsure now. At first the Akul Hunt had been something that had excited her. Made her feel grown-up and no longer a baby in the creche. She would bring down an akul, make her headdress from its teeth, and be named a Padawan. Ahsoka dreamed of being Anakin's Padawan, fighting by his side and going on adventures that spanned the galaxy. Analise would be with them often for even when they were twins and they disliked being apart. Where Analise was, Obi-Wan would be too and Padme was sure to join Anakin if her duties allowed it.

Ahsoka closed her eyes. She could picture it in her mind. Adventures, dangerous adventures to be sure; but with her family by her side it was nothing she couldn't handle. Anakin chasing away anyone that might hurt her. Analise healing her woulds physcal, emotional, and mental. Padme giving her lessons in politics. Obi-Wan guiding her through the twisted world of diplomacy.

She would become a Knight then make it her mission to find a way to reach Earth, the planet where Analise had been raised. A planet where the Republic and the Jedi were myths.

Yeah...She could see it all, but now sitting in her room on a shuttle bound for Shili; Ahsoka was being confronted by shadows. Dark whispers and dim images of memories from long ago. Whispers she couldn't understand. Images too blurry for her to fully make it out.

On some level it made sense. She had been only three standard years old when Master Plo had found her and brought her to the Temple. The flashes of red, blood red and nightmares with screams and fire could be explained away as hazy toddler views of her village's destruction. It had been her aunt and uncle on her birth father's side that had handed her over to Master Plo for a life spent within the Jedi Order. Her parents had been killed when some raiders or something had attacked their small rural village.

Her aunt and uncle...They would be there, as part of the tradition. Family was always a key part of any Togruta tradition. Being part of the Jedi didn't change that. Even the Code from when she was younger had been unable to prevent such contact, though it was kept to the bare minimum required for the Akul Hunt to be considered proper.

Her siblings would be there too...Not Anakin and Analise. Siblings she couldn't remember. Sibar her brother and Serria her sister. She closed her eyes, focusing as hard as she could, but Ahsoka could not picture the faces to whom those names were attached to. Could not see the faces or remember, even dimly those siblings she was belonged to by blood.

It was like Sibar and Serria weren't her siblings.

The thought jolted Ahsoka, racing through her body like an electric shock. Before she even knew it, she had punched in the code on her com, the 'Caster lighting up and the blue flickering holo floated over it as the com made the connection. Slowly the holo took form as the being on the other end answered, sleepily rubbing their eyes.

"Ahsoka? What is it?"

"Anakin...Did I wake you up?" Guilt colored the young Togruta's voice. The last thing she had wanted was to wake up either one of the twins.

"It's alright Ahsoka." A second form joined the first. "I woke him up. Obi-Wan is in one of the towers meditating so I came to get Anakin up." Even the wavering holo couldn't hide the proud smile on the new-wife's face.

"Is Obi-Wan nervous Analise?"

"If he is, he won't admit it."

"He's probably more nervous about our turn tomorrow. He's going to have chop off my braid without chopping off my head."

"Anakin!" Ahsoka giggled.

"I wish I was with you two and Obi-Wan and Padme." Both figures raised eyebrows at that.

"I thought you were excited about your Akul Hunt sweetheart." Ahsoka smiled at Analise's nickname for her. It was pretty, though the Togruta whose time was spent more often than not with rough-and-tumble boys would never openly admit to anything being pretty. At least not yet.

"I was...I mean I am...It's just that..."

"What is it Ahsoka?" The protective big brother raced out of Anakin. His stance changed as if ready to jump through the holo to her so he could defend her from any threat. "Has something happened? Are you okay? Do you need Analise and I to meet you on Shili?"

"No I'm fine...Honest!" Ahsoka waved her hands to ward off further questions about her well-being when Anakin tilted his head. "It's just that...That I've been trying to remember Sibar and Serria...And I can't."

"You're older blood siblings right?" Ahsoka nodded at Analise's question.

"All I keep getting is like fuzzy, dim stuff. Even when I focus real hard on the images in my mind, it's no good. I can't make anything our. I can't even remember Sibar or Serria. What kind of sister does that? What if they don't like me?"

"Oh sweetheart, you are a Jedi remember. We do not dwell on the what-ifs, the questions that race off in a million different directions. Even Anakin and Obi-Wan, as tuned as they are to the Unifying Force avoid dwelling on the what-ifs, the maybes."

"Could have fooled me." Anakin sputtered while Analise smiled.

"As for not remembering your blood siblings and them not liking you," The holo of Analise spread her hands, "Do not worry. You were so little, so young when you came to the Temple it is no suprise that you would forget them. They will not hate you for it."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course we're sure." Anakin's grin was bright even in holo form. As bright and big as Analise's when the quieter twin allowed herself to let go. "They would have to be crazy not to like you." The smile turned serious. "Be careful though Ahsoka. The Council has gotten some disturbing reports out of Shili."

"What do you mean?"

"Obi-Wan and Da told us that there is small, but growing movement of Togrutas in the more rural and isolated villages who are strongly anti-Jedi. Your birth village was on that list..."

"And that is where we are going." Ahsoka sighed. She could feel the love and concern from both siblings. She knew if they were there, Analise would be wrapping her up in a hug that was all warmth and comfort while Anakin would do his best to coax a smile with some story that was only half fabricated. "What will I do if my siblings, my aunt and uncle are part of it?"

"You will be a Jedi and ignore it." Anakin's tone was firm. A teacher, Master instructing their student. "Master Plo and Master Shaak would not be allowing your family to take part if there was any concern about them being strongly anti-Jedi...And remember Ahsoka," His voice became soft and gentle. "Our blood may be different and your last name might be Tano; but you are our sister. You are a Skywalker in the Force."

"No matter what Ahsoka, we will be here for you. We love you baby sister."

"I love you Anakin. I love you Analise. When I see you again, you'll be Knights."

"And you'll be a Padawan." Anakin's smile was proud. "May the Force be with you Ahsoka, our baby sister."

"May the Force be with you big brother, big sister."