Chapter 29
Ahsoka carefully carved away another piece of the wooden figurine she had been working on since a few days, admiring how it had turned out. At first it had felt wrong – taking Obi-Wan's things – but on the other hand she also knew that he had left it behind. Maybe because the memory somehow pained him – or maybe because he had simply forgotten that it was there after all.
She sighed as she set the small bird aside and looked up at the blue sky. Stewjon was a desolate planet. News barely reached them and Ahsoka was questioning what she had missed since she had arrived here.
Letting her eyes roam over the farm, she suddenly heard turmoil coming from the house. Worry flitting through her stomach, she grabbed her things and quickly got up from her spot, making her way back.
When she entered the kitchen, she encountered Shmi frantically speaking into a comm and Cliegg standing next to her with a stricken face.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?", Ahsoka asked with a hushed voice, her eyes flitting between the pair.
"… okay, we'll get to the hospital as soon as possible," Shmi said, "Don't worry, I know people there who are willing to help."
Ahsoka didn't get the answer the person on the comm gave, but Shmi ended the call after that.
"What's going on?", she repeated again, crossing her arms.
Shmi let out a breath, looked at her husband for a second and then locked her eyes on Ahsoka. "I was talking to Padme…," she started, "I… things happened while you were here, my dear."
She had a bad feeling about this.
"Tell me," she urged numbly.
Anakin's mother walked around her and proceeded to grab her bag, as well as the speeder keys. "Come," she put a hand on her shoulder, "I'll tell you everything on the way."
They hurried to the speeder in silence and when they were finally on their way, Shmi began to tell her everything she knew.
And it filled Ahsoka with gut-twisting dread.
The media had claimed that Master Obi-Wan had escaped prison. He did not.
Palpatine - their chancellor – had transferred him to some kind of experimental lab. Into the hands of a mad scientist. A woman who wanted to study the Force so desperately that she had no sense of mercy left.
Padme and Dex went to retrieve him from that hellhole, finding more refugees in the process. Obi-Wan was in a bad shape. Half-dead. With a device embedded in his spine and a Force-suppression collar that couldn't be opened.
Ahsoka felt sick.
The drive to the nearest hospital took them only twenty minutes but for her it felt like an eternity.
"Padme said that they will be here in approximately half an hour," explained Shmi as she and Cliegg already got out of the speeder, Ahsoka close on their heels, "We need to find doctors that are willing to help Obi-Wan."
"Why would they refuse?", she asked aghast.
"Because his face has been all over the media," Cliegg chimed in solemnly, his eyes fixed on a small screen at the hospital entrance where a reporter summed up the events that took place on Coruscant.
Ahsoka followed his gaze and indeed found a small picture of her grandmaster on the screen with the word 'fugitive' written under it in bold letters. "That's a lie," she snarled, a hand curling around the Beskar pendant that still hung from her neck.
"We know, dear," Shmi reassured her calmly, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Come, let's find someone who is willing to help us."
Anger and sadness fought a vicious battle inside her as she trudged forward, wondering if anything in this blasted universe was fair.
"Cliegg and I know some of the doctors pretty well," Shmi explained, "I think we can get them to help."
Ahsoka only nodded numbly, lost in her own thoughts.
How dare they brand Master Obi-Wan as a criminal?
"Let us speak with them," Cliegg ripped her out of her trance, "You can keep a look out for the ship."
"Sure," she blurted out bleakly, gazing out of one of the big windows of the hospital.
Shmi and Cliegg disappeared in one of the rooms behind her, literally trying to bargain for Obi-Wan's life.
As she stared into the sky, Ahsoka wondered if Master Plo had also betrayed them.
He had promised to do everything he could for Master Kenobi.
But what was everything? How far do the jedi really go for their own? – did they even call Obi-Wan their own? Or did they already brand him an outcast – a lost cause not worth saving anymore.
Her grandmaster had always been nothing but kind-hearted. He had given every fiber of his being, trying to turn a burning universe into a better place.
She also knew that he suffered in silence. When he believed that there was no one to witness, his shoulders would slump and his smile would fade. Ahsoka had observed how the cracks in his mask had begun to deepen over the years.
How Satine' death had broken that mask in half, unveiling the pain that etched its way into his face.
Her eyes widened as a small ship appeared on the horizon. "Master," she blurted out, already running out of the hospital towards the small landing platform.
Dust swirled in her face as the ship touched down, but Ahsoka didn't care. She stared transfixed at the ramp as it slowly opened to reveal a familiar silhouette.
"Dex!" she called, barreling towards the Besalisk and catching him in a tight hug.
"Hello kid," Dex grunted tiredly, placing a hand on the back of her head, as he embraced her.
Lifting her head against his chest, Ahsoka looked at him with wide eyes. "...How is he?"
The lines on Dex's face deepened. "I wish I could tell you some good news… but he is not doing good… hasn't been responsive since we got him out."
Ahsoka swallowed thickly. "Can I see him?"
The Besalisk gently pushed her away from his chest and focused his eyes on hers. "I don't think that's a good idea. The medics should have a look at him first," he said quietly, "- and Obi-Wan wouldn't want you to see him like this."
Working her jaw, she stared back. "… I've seen a lot of things, Dex…," she argued.
He breathed out through his nose in response and shook his head. "This is not a battlefield, Ahsoka."
"But it's still my war," she growled, "… let me see him."
Dex's gaze turned steely. " No," he said firmly, "The medics will take care of him first, then you can see him. And then Obi-Wan might tell you what happened – on his own terms. That's what he would want."
Ahsoka bared her teeth, anger slithering through her veins. "When did you become an expert at knowing what Master Obi-Wan would want?", she snapped.
"Watch your tongue, kid," the Besalisk breathed out coolly. There was something in his eyes Ahsoka couldn't place.
Pain. Sorrow? Regret?
While they were standing there a group of medics rushed out of the hospital, a stretcher between them and the Lars' close on their heels.
The medics ascended the ramp without another word while Shmi and her husband came to a halt next to them. "They are willing to help," she announced relieved.
"Thank you," Dex replied, "I don't know how we will ever make that up to you."
Shmi vehemently shook her head. "You don't owe us anything. Obi-Wan did so much for us…"
After a moment the group of medics exited the ship again, this time with a still figure lying on the stretcher.
Ahsoka stared as they passed by, eyes catching on Obi-Wan's form covered by the white sheet with only his head poking out. There was a mask on his face. The fog collecting on the inside of it was the only indication that he was alive.
Her body began moving on auto-pilot but a meaty hand held her back. She craned her head to meet Dex's pleading eyes. "Ahsoka, please."
A part of her wanted to pull away – to run after her grandmaster – but the other part, it told her to wait – to listen.
"Okay," she deflated and stepped back, watching as the hospital doors swung closed behind the group.
"Thank you," whispered Dex, tiredly running a hand over his face.
Only now Ahsoka noticed that there were bandages on his arms and peeking out of tunic.
They didn't get Obi-Wan out without a fight.
There was again commotion on the ship and in the next moment Padme walked down the ramp, followed by three people Ahsoka had never seen before.
"Ahsoka," the senator greeted her, a smile tugging on her tired face as she embraced her quickly, "It's good to see you."
She then stepped back again, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I should introduce you to our companions…," she said after a second, turning towards the small group, "These are Arrik, Lyn and her son Cain, we- ," Padme faltered shortly before she caught herself, "We picked them up from the lab we retrieved Obi-Wan from."
Ahsoka eyed the group carefully.
They looked awful.
They reminded her of the Togrutan slaves they had freed on Kadavo. "You were with him?", she asked quietly.
Somehow it stirred something inside her – knowing that her grandmaster hadn't been alone the whole time.
But instead of answering Lyn and Arrik exchanged gazes, regret and shame seeping into the Force. "They mostly kept us separated," Lyn finally offered, not meeting her eyes, "… but we saw him sometimes, yes."
Ahsoka immediately knew that she had been told a half-truth but before she could inquire further, Dex interrupted them.
"We should get inside," Dex said, turning to Lyn, "Your son still needs to be looked at."
The woman nodded silently and then they quickly shuffled away towards the hospital, leaving Ahsoka alone with Padme and Dex.
"What did they do?", she queried numbly, staring ahead.
"We don't know for sure," Padme answered, "And I guess only Obi-Wan might give us that answer."
A hand again settled in between her shoulders. "Come," breathed Dex, "Let's wait inside for the medics to finish."
Detached Ahsoka let herself be led into the hospital, barely noticing that a nurse directed him towards a room and she was sitting on a plastoid chair shortly thereafter.
In front of her was an empty space for a bed.
Somehow that was a way to familiar sight for her.
Ahsoka stared at her assignment, trying to finish at least something.
She hated politics. It was almost impossible for her to keep track.
Sighing, she looked up and propped her head on her hands. Her master was never much help with that sort of thing; she usually asked Master Obi-Wan.
At least until things had happened.
She hadn't seen her grandmaster in a couple of days now. The betrayal still sat deep with her and her master, the whole Hardeen incident having opened up a big rift between them. They were angry and hurt.
Still, Ahsoka worried. She knew her grandmaster had been sent on a mission. Another solo one. A mission her master knew about and chose not to tell her about.
Her eyes found her Master sitting on the couch, reading some reports.
For the umpteenth time that day, his commlink started beeping, but he only spared it a short glance before continuing his task.
Ahsoka frowned. "Shouldn't you answer that?"
Anakin looked up shortly before shaking his head. "It's not important."
"Apparently important enough to keep calling you," she quipped but as soon as the words left her mouth she found her master giving her a dark glare.
"Sorry," she breathed out, turning her head back towards her assignment.
Anakin hummed and set his datapad down. "I have to go to the senate now," he grumbled as he stood up and moved past her, "There should be food in the fridge if you're hungry."
"Mas…," Ahsoka started but the man was already out of the door before she finished.
She forced out a breath and pinged her nose. "Meeting in the senate… sure," she mumbled to herself, "More like running away from responsibilities…"
Sometimes she wished that Senator Amidala would knock some sense into he master's head.
They had planned to spar today. But Anakin… he hasn't been himself anymore. She had never seen him that angry before.
It scared her.
Finally giving up on her assignment, Ahsoka turned off the datapad and stood up, stretching herself as she did so. As she turned towards their sitting area, she noticed that Anakin had left his commlink behind.
"You really don't want to be disturbed, huh?", she mused as she picked up the device. A lamp at the top kept blinking, indicating the calls her master had chosen not to answer.
Something twisted inside her stomach. Before she could think about it again, she unlocked the device, the call list popping up.
02:34am missed call: Obi-Wan Kenobi
03:01am missed call: Obi-Wan Kenobi
03:14am missed call: unknown identity
04:56am missed call: Halls of Healing
10:00am missed call: Halls of Healing
12:34pm missed call: Halls of Healing
Ahsoka swallowed thickly, the commlink falling from her hand.
Almost mechanically she turned around and grabbed her boots while she already was already halfway through the door.
The other jedi gave her weird looks as she rushed past, but she didn't care.
Ahsoka didn't know which anger was stronger. The one directed at her grandmaster for faking his death – or the one directed at her master for voluntarily not telling her that Master Obi-Wan was back.
And most likely in the Halls of Healing.
She barged through the glass doors, startling the padawan behind the reception.
"Where...-," she started but stopped short as she suddenly found herself face-to-face with Master Che.
"Padawan Tano," the healer greeted her calmly, folding her hands in front of her.
Ahsoka's mind was still spiraling. "I swear I didn't know," she breathed.
The Twi'lek heaved a sigh and put a hand on her shoulder. "Come, my child," she urged her gently.
She was led into a recovery room and numbly sat down on one of the chairs.
"What happened?", she asked glumly.
Master Che sat down next to her, her presence in the Force wrapping around Ahsoka like a cocoon. "Master Kenobi was brought in tonight. We don't know exactly what has happened but the guards found him collapsed on the temple stairs."
She paused. "I don't want to go into details… but his condition wasn't good. It decreased even further this morning so we were forced to perform an emergency surgery as one of his lungs collapsed. The healers are finishing up with him just now."
Ahsoka continued staring at her.
"We tried to reach your master as he is listed as Master Kenobi's next of kin," Master Che elaborated holding her gaze, "But he didn't answer his comm."
"He's not at the temple," she lied, the words feeling like lead on her tongue, "… he forgot his commlink and I- I saw the missed calls."
It didn't seem like the jedi master bought her excuse but thankfully the woman didn't press further. "In the short moments he was awake he kept asking for both of you," Master Che tilted her head, "But we know that the situation between you hasn't exactly been easy, am I right?"
Ahsoka looked away, pressing her lips into a thin line. "I don't know."
Before they could talk more, a group of healers wheeled a bed into the room and connected Master Kenobi to the varying machines, before rushing out of the room again.
Her stomach tightened as she caught sight of Master Obi-Wan. She couldn't see much, but his head and upper body already suggested what had happened.
A thick bandage was wrapped around his head, doing nothing to hide the horrible bruises and swelling that distorted Obi-Wan's face. It looked like someone had taken his head and smashed it against the wall. Repeatedly.
Both of his arms appeared to have been broken, the left one wrapped up to the elbow in a bacta cast, the right one even up to the shoulder. The gown her grandmaster was wearing was thin enough that she could see more bandages wrapped around his ribs and shoulders.
"Who was that...?" she whispered in shock.
Someone who was very angry with the Jedi Master. The irrational fear that her master might have had something to do with it spread inside her.
"We don't know, dear," Master Che replied patiently, "If you like, I'll leave you alone with him. The anesthetic should wear off soon."
Ahsoka nodded detachedly. "Yeah... that's… okay I guess."
The healer stood up and gave her a wan smile. "If you need us, you can just call us, okay?"
With that she left them alone, the silence settling over the room like a heavy blanket.
Ahsoka gave her grandmaster a closer look, still struggling with what to think. She had always known Master Obi-Wan as gentle-hearted. It was so unlike him to deceive them like that. To pretend that they would not be hurt by his actions.
Something was off about that whole situation and she couldn't place her finger on it.
On the bed Master Kenobi began to stir, his face twisted into a pained grimace as he blinked his eyes open. It took him a moment to notice her.
"Ahsoka…," he croaked, his voice incredibly dry. He didn't even try to suppress his surprise.
He didn't expect anyone to be there, waiting at his bedside.
"Hello master," she said, forcing a smile on her lips.
Obi-Wan twisted his head on the pillow so that he could see her better, swallowing hard. "I'm s-…"
"Don't," breathed Ahsoka, turning away, his gaze burning on her skin, "Not now."
Hurt flickered through the Force and as she forced herself to look at him again, he had turned his head away, now mindlessly staring at the ceiling. One of his eyes was still bloodshot, the white barely visible.
"What happened?", she finally asked.
Obi-Wan didn't give her any reaction, except that the tips of his fingers seemed to flinch inside the cast.
"Master?", she probed again.
"It doesn't matter," came the curt reply. There was a slight hint of a tremor hidden in his voice.
"This doesn't look like it doesn't matter," she argued harshly.
Master Kenobi huffed a laugh which quickly turned into a hacking coughing fit. As it finally subsided, he whispered so quietly that Ahsoka barely caught it: "… I don't know why you should care…"
Ahsoka bit the inside of her cheeks hard enough that she began to taste blood. The anger was back again.
"I don't know either," she blurted out, the words rolling of her tongue before she could give them second thoughts, and jumped out of her seat, rushing out of the door without turning back.
She didn't know why she had come.
She only knew that this was not how it was supposed to go.
Only days later Master Plo told her what had happened. That Darth Maul had somehow survived being cut in half by her grandmaster. That he had an apprentice now.
And that he was out for revenge.
Master Kenobi had barely uttered a word about it, taking the fact that his nemesis was back with an aura of calmness that took years to achieve.
At least that was what Ahsoka had envisioned as she hid in her room, banishing the image of that silent scream for help that was so clearly etched into her grandmaster's eyes from her thoughts.
Ahsoka balled her hands into fists, eyeing the empty space before her.
Had she known then that it had never been Master Obi-Wan's choice to accept the undercover mission, she would have listened to him. Instead, she had run away, leaving him alone when he needed them. Leaving him alone to fight his demons. Leaving him to fight a demon that had manifested itself after years of absence, only to take the only good thing Master Obi-Wan had clung to.
Ahsoka decided that she was done running. She was here to stay, whatever it took.
