Chapter XI

Ahsoka's A-wing descends into Alderaan's orbit. From the sky, the planets vast oceans and splotches of green land reminds her of Naboo. The last time Ahsoka was on Naboo was during the Clone Wars when she, Anakin, and Rex went to stop an outbreak of the deadly Blue Shadow Virus. Ahsoka remembers being able to stop the spread of the virus, though it nearly killed her and Senator Padme Amidala.

Padme, Ahsoka thinks to herself.

Ahsoka doesn't really know what happened to her friend, other than she's gone. The Emperor used her death as a rallying cry in the Senate and across the galaxy, claiming that the Jedi Master Obi-wan Kenobi killed her during the proclaimed Jedi Uprising. Ahsoka knows it's a lie, Master Kenobi would never harm anyone - besides some battle droids. Padme was also a friend who trusted and highly respected Obi-wan, just as the wise Jedi felt of her.

Ahsoka shakes the the idea of Padme out of her head, knowing there is no sense in dwelling over what's already been done.

There is no death, there is the Force.

She recites the Jedi Code in her head a few times before returning her focus on piloting her fighter through the rugged snow covered mountain tops of Alderaan until the capital city of Aldera peaks over the ridges.

At afar, Alera's beautiful towering skyscrapers mondane the streets below, but the closer Ahsoka gets to the city, she sees the masterpiece of life under the towers. Magnificent statues stand guard to city courtyards and platforms. Lush treetops rustled in the wind beside the raised walkways, their roots dig deep and far beneath the city. Alderaan's love of art and education is vastly noticed among its society and culture. Ahsoka never took much thought of Alderaan's beauty, the last time she'd ever been to the Core World planet was when she was on a security mission to protect Padme from the bounty hunter Aurra Sing after Ziro the Hutt put a hit on her. She was so busy focusing on protecting the senator that she neglected to take a closer look at everything around her.

"Stop." Ahsoka says to herself, "Stop thinking about Padme."

Ahsoka doesn't want to be seen landing on the platform. There are no Imperial troops on Alderaan, but she knows there are cameras and likely Imperial informants that will recognize her. She knows Bail has a small landing platform that connects to his office balcony, it will have to work. Ahsoka fly's her fighter up the tower to Bail's office until she is over the platform, deploys the landing gear, and sets down on the platform.

Ahsoka puts her hood on over hear montrals before leaving her fighter. She walks towards the office, enjoying the warm and gentle breeze that brushes across her skin. She crosses the balcony and cautiously up to the office threshold, suspecting Bail to be in a meeting. Thankfully though, the office is empty. She walks in and sits in a comfortable guest chair next to a coffee table.

She looks around the room to get an idea of her surroundings, she has never been in Bail's office before - aside from his office on Tantive III. A large desk and chair sit in front of a panoramic window that casts in the light of the setting sun over the mountains. A floor lamp sits on each side of the desk, which turn on automatically as the sun sets. Ahsoka gets the feeling Bail will be back in his office soon, given that the lights turned on. Paintings made by local artists line the walls, but the picture that catches Ahsoka's attention is a small one on Bail's desk. It's an image of him, R2, C-3PO, and Padme.

Ahsoka tries to look closer at the picture, particularly at Padme, it's not an image of her as she remembers. Her facial features are no doubt the same, but something is off.

Is she pregnant?

Ahsoka is about to stand up to go take a better look at the picture when the office door opens and Bail walks in beside a girl. Bail would be startled, but he's become accustomed to Ahsoka dropping in unexpectedly, he nods at her knowing why she must be here. The girl, looking to be about fourteen or fifteen, just stares at the strange and mysterious woman in her father's office.

Bail turns her towards the door. "Leia, sweetie, I have a little business to attend to. I'll see you and your mother at dinner."

Ahsoka smiles at the girl, evidently named Leia, as she leaves. She shyly waves back and bats her dark brown eyes before walking out the door. Bail shuts the door behind her and faces Ahsoka. Bail puts a finger to his lips, motioning for Ahsoka to stay quiet as she opens her mouth to talk.

Bail quickly and quietly, moves over to the large fish tank sitting against the wall behind the sofa across from Ahsoka. Ahsoka adjusts herself to look over the sofa to see Bail getting down on one knee next to the tank. He reaches under the lip of the base and pulls out a small microphone on a wire for Ahsoka to see.

Ahsoka nods to show Bail she understands.

The senator traces the wire with his fingers until he finds the transmitter box. He disconnects the wire and microphone from the transmitter. With that done, he gets back on his feet and rests his hands on the back of the sofa.

Bail gives one of his signature warm smiles. "We need to stop meeting like this my friend."

"So the Empire bugged your office."

Bail shakes his head, "There may not be any Imperial activity on Alderaan, but they still listen to every conversation I have in this office. It took me weeks to find the mic, and unfortunately I'm sure it won't be long until they'll notice the mic has been disconnected. So do you have information for me? You've been out of contact for a while now, I was starting to worry."

"I have some information and questions."
"Well then, let's start with the information."

Ahsoka reaches into her bag as Bail sits down on the sofa. Ahsoka pulls out the holodisk and inserts it into the coffetables built in holoprojector. The tabel projects the holodisks data under the glass top. Bail leans in for a closer look at the data.

It is clear he must be impressed by the holodiscus content as apparent to the look on his face. "These are Imperial shipping logs and list of planetary clearance codes. They are very hard to obtain, how did you get them?"
"I had help, which is what leads me into the question portion. Have you ever heard of a Hord's Rebellion?"

Bail narrows his eyebrows. "A new rebel cell?"

"Not just that, but a syndicate to a larger network. From what I know of them, Hord's Rebellion expands across the galaxy."

Bail shakes his head, "I'm not aware of any Hord's Rebellion. Do you know anything about their leadership?"
"The group I've been working with is a cell of five in the Thakwaa System. Two of them have deflected from the Imperial military, their leader is a former Stormtrooper named Callan."
"And the other?"

"Shila, a former armor specialist that has a vast knowledge of Imperial protocol."

Bail nods slowly, "The others?"

"All males, a human named Cassian, Ondar a Rodian, and Zallar a local Thakwaash. They're purpose seems to be just as ours, bring down the Empire, however I still know nothing about their chain of command."

Bail gets on his feat and walks over to the balcony to watch the sun quickly disappearing and welcoming the night.

"It's not uncommon for cells to try and organize a rebellion, after all, it's what we have been trying to do for years now. However, this Hord's Rebellion is unknown to me and my associates, perhaps lead by another renegade in the Senate or simply a freedom fighter with a loud enough voice."

Ahsoka thinks back to the Clone Wars and of the freedom fighters on Onderon, they were fighting the war outside of the Republic, their own planetary rebellion. Ahsoka joins Bail on the balcony, with the night sky now overhead, their faces lit by the light posts.

"I remember back during the Clone Wars, Saw and Steela Gerrera fought to liberate Onderon from the Separatists and they were outside of the Republics jurisdiction. Perhaps we are seeing the same thing now."

"Perhaps. It would be worth looking further into, they may be a powerful ally if were going to take on the Empire."

Ahsoka leans on the rail, "There is another problem. The other reason why I personally came here."

Bail looks towards her and raises an eyebrow.

"I suspect the Empire knows that I'm on Thakwaa. A fleet now orbits the planet, something I've never seen before. A Star Destroyer looms over the airfield, all commerce and commercial travel offworld has been banned, and security has increased. I doubt their increased presence is because of these five rebels."

Bail turns around to look back into his office to see that the coffetables holoprojector has displayed a three dimensional image of an Imperial fleet with a column of information next to it. Ahsoka too notices the hologram and walks back towards the table beside Bail. She reads the documents header "Imperial Navy : Seventh Fleet".

"The Seventh Fleet." Bail says, his tone weary.

"Familiar to you?"

Bail nods as he scans through the documents, "Unfortunately, yes. The Seventh Fleet is one of the most renowned fleets in the Imperial Navy. Commanded by the Emperor's most trusted high ranking officers." Bail finds a document that shows a Chiss male with red eyes. "Grand Admiral Thrawn, his reputation is well known throughout the Imperial forces as a master strategist and an effective leader."

If Bail is right, which Ahsoka knows he is, then his help on Thakwaa is essential.

"We need your help to get the Empire off Thakwaa, these rebels are no match to such experience."

"Nor are we, with Thrawn at command it would be impossible for us to make a successful attack. Even if we would succeed, our rebellion would be exposed to the Empire, and it is far too early for that to happen."

Once again, Ahsoka knows he is right. It was risky years ago when he sent his starships to Raada to rescue the Larte's and farm crews who rebelled against the Empire. However, just as on Raada, she can't leave these rebels to die.

Ahsoka tries to come up with a solution, "Well if we can't push the Empire head on, then can we at least get these rebels off Thakwaa? It won't be easy, we'd have to get past those Star Destroyers and likely fight our way off the planet's surface."

Bail strokes his beard and thinks. He can't send his ships, none of them are equipped to take on those Star Destroyers, especially with Thrawn at command. However, there is someone Bail thinks could help, and Ahsoka sounds to already know him.

"I can't risk sending my ships in, Thrawn would destroy them and our rebellion would be exposed. There is someone though who may be able to help, someone who has already made himself known to the Empire. Saw Gerrera, his cell can help get you on and off Thakwaa as well as save your friends, and he's not shy of putting up a fight. The Empire will simply see it as Gerrera recruiting Imperial fugitives."

It has been years since Ahsoka has heard anything about Saw Gerrera. Though she is not surprised Saw is fighting the Empire, she has always known him to work as his own rebellion.

"Saw is a part of the rebellion?"

"You could say that, we keep a close eye on him, reason being because he isn't shy to do things, his way." Bail says that as if he is being careful with his choice of words.

Ahsoka understands completely, "Where will I find Saw?"

"You can find his hideout on Jedha, he should be returning from an mission to Lassan. I advise you trek cautiously, Saw and his followers are unpredictable to say the least. Also, in your search of Hord's Rebellion, you can see if they can help at all."
Ahsoka nods, "I will, and as long as I'm off Thakwaa, I'll keep you updated with information concerning Hord's Rebellion."

Ahsoka ejects the holodisk, puts it in her bag, and starts to walk off toward her starship. But right as she is about to walk out onto the walkway, she stops and faces Bail one more time. Bail doesn't need to be a Jedi to tell by the look on her face that something troubles her.

"What happened to Padme? I never believed Palpatine when he claimed Obi-wan killed her."

Bail reaches for the picture of Padme on his desk and holds it in front of him. He brushes the faint layer of dust covering the late Naboo queen, senator, and friend.

"Nor should you, Kenobi was honorable, respected by the senate, and a good friend. He would never kill Senator Amidala in cold blood. Padme was pregnant towards the end of the Clone Wars, unfortunately, she died in childbirth."

Ahsoka takes a deep breath, sad in learning more of her friends death, but also relieved Master Kenobi had nothing to do with her fate.

"And the baby?"

Leia and Luke must remain a secret, kept even from someone as trusted as Ahsoka. Leia being raised by Bail and his wife, Luke by his aunt and uncle on Tatooine under the protection of Obi-wan in his exile.

"No." Bail sadly says, "Her baby didn't make it."