Chapter 23

(Mon Cala Cruiser)
After enjoying their family time, Mara put Ben down for a nap, and then she and Luke first went to the medical bay. The two checked on those who were recovering and talked with Cilghal about the ones lost and agreed to hold a service for their fallen allies. After Luke thanked Cilghal and her staff for their hard work, he and Mara headed to the mess hall next.

(Mess Hall)
Arriving inside the hall, the two saw some of the other Jedi who greeted them as they went to get their food. Luke and Mara picked some Bantha stew, two slices of bread, and some Jogan fruit. Then, they looked for a place to sit and soon found one at the table where Han and Leia's group were eating.

Setting their trays down on the table, Luke and Mara greeted Jacen first as they hugged their nephew. Then, they did the same with Tenal and Tahiri, as both were glad they made it back from Myrkr.

They were initially concerned when they noticed Anakin and Lando talking with Kira. But Leia told her brother and sister-in-law that those present knew about Kira and her mission.

Sighing with relief, Luke sat down while Mara asked Threepio and Artoo to watch over Ben while they ate. Both droids said yes to this, then excused themselves as they left. After this, Luke and Mara ate their meals while talking with their family and friends.

"Master Skywalker, I understand you wanted to ask me some questions," Kira asked once Luke was done eating.

"Yes, I would like to know more about you, including how you survived the Emperor's purge and came to meet K'Kruhk. I know this will be hard for you to speak of. But it will help in my decision," Luke answered.

"I understand, and I shall do my best," Kira told him as she took a deep breath first, then spoke as everyone listened.

"My story begins during the later years of the Galactic Republic. My first master was Divad Ore, a wise Jedi who specialized in intelligence gathering," the vixen said first, then described her master as a male Sullustan who was about 40 when she met him.

"Master Ore taught me how to blend in when on missions, which individuals to gather intel from, and how the ways of crime work," Kira said, speaking highly of her teacher.

"This Master Ore sounds like quite the character," Lando remarked.

"He was indeed. Master Ore would tell me stories of his previous investigations during training. And he often told jokes to pass the time during missions," Kira replied.

'A Jedi with a sense of humor. That sounds hard to believe. I wonder if Master Yoda ever told jokes?' Anakin wondered as he looked at his uncle, who shook his head. But Luke wondered about this for a moment, then asked Kira if she or Master Ore knew his father or Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"I knew them somewhat. There were times when I sparred with your father with our masters watching us. He was quite skilled with a lightsaber, though occasionally arrogant. And sometimes, I would have tea with Master Kenobi at the temple on Coruscant. I found him to be gentle and easy to talk to," Kira answered as she recalled these encounters.

"Now, to continue. By the time the Clone Wars began. Master Ore and I were tasked with keeping an eye on those who might seek to profit from aiding the Separatists, such as pirates, smugglers, and crime lords,"

Luke, Leia, Han, Mara, and Lando knew this to be accurate based on past experiences during the war against the Empire.

"Around the time of the Outer Rim sieges. Master Ore was called away to lead an intelligence unit while I stayed on Coruscant to continue my work. But things changed forever when the war ended,"

(Coruscant: 19 BBY)
Kira felt good after completing another assignment, which saw the arrest of arms dealers. Now, she was looking forward to a well-deserved rest as she packed up in her room. Kira's destination was a remote world far from the frontlines of the war. She had been there before and enjoyed how quiet it was.

"And that should do it. Everything I need for my trip," Kira said to herself, grabbed her bag, then headed off to the hanger bay.

When she arrived there, Kira saw her astromech Sprout waiting along with a group of technician droids. "Jedi Kira, your fighter will be ready soon," the lead droid told her.

While waiting, Kira saw that her fighter wasn't the only ship getting ready to leave. On the landing pad outside, she saw a T-6 Shuttle used for diplomatic missions. Kira wondered if one of the masters was heading off somewhere.

Her large ears picked up a familiar sound approaching, and she saw an elderly-looking Jedi enter the hanger, ambling with his cane. Kira knew this Jedi as he was a male Cosian investigator who had been her master's teacher and friend.

"Hello, Master Sinube," Kira said politely to him.

"Ah, Jedi Nara, it's good to see you again," Sinube said gently.

"Same to you, but what brings you here? Off on another investigation?" she questioned.

"Not this time, I'm taking some younglings on a retreat to the Outer Rim. I arrived early to board that shuttle," Sinube explained as he gestured to the ship nearby. "Plus, given that the war is over, things should calm down now."

That last part was news to Kira, so she asked the master about it.

"Master Kenobi located and killed General Grievous on Utapau. The Separatists will surrender without him or Count Dooku," Sinube told her.

"I hope so," Kira added as the elder Jedi headed for the shuttle.

Kira and Sprout talked about these events. "I'm sure Master Ore will be returning soon. It will be good to see him again," the vixen said with a smile.

But this moment of joy soon faded as Kira and Sinube felt a strange disturbance in the Force. Sprout asked Kira what was wrong.

"I-I don't know, that was…wait, what?" she said but stopped when her ears picked up a new sound that grew louder and closer. She turned her head to the doorway, walked over slowly, and opened the door. Upon doing so, she heard blaster fire from inside the hallways and shouts and screams.

"Hurry, they're coming!"

"Don't let them escape!"

Two groups shouted as Kira saw a group of younglings and four Jedi heading her way. Behind them were several clone troopers, all pointing their blasters at them as they fired laser bolts. Seeing this confused Kira as she wondered why the clones were attacking her fellow Jedi.

"Jedi Nara, get the younglings to safety!" one of the Jedi called out to her, which snapped the vixen back to reality. Turning around, Kira saw only one of the four Jedi made it with her as the others stayed behind.

"We will hold them off. GO NOW!" one of the two said as the doors closed.

At first, Kira wanted to go back and help them. But felt someone touch her from behind.

"They have made their choice. Now we must honor their sacrifice!" turning her head, Kira saw the person talking to her was a cloaked Jedi whose face was hidden. While Kira wanted to argue about this, she decided not to as she and the others ran toward the shuttle.

Kira headed into the cockpit with Sinube joining her as she closed the side doors to the shuttle. They departed quickly from the temple.
Heading upwards toward space, Kira began inputting the coordinates first.

"Go another way, and quick!" Sinube told Kira as he pointed to a group of V-Wing starfighters approaching them.

Diving the shuttle downward, Kira took it on a new path, which made them almost cross paths with other ships and speeders. "Tell the younglings to hold on. This flight will be bumpy," Kira called back to those in the hold as she focused on escaping from the fighters.

The shuttle moved left and right, narrowly avoiding several collisions with the various transports.

"It's too dangerous to be here. Head straight downward at once!" Sinube advised. Kira followed his orders, and the ship nosedived into the lower levels. The V-Wings saw this and did the same.

Kira watched as the lights from the upper levels faded as their ship headed down.

"Master?"

"On my mark," Sinube said.

Lower and lower, the shuttle descended into the far levels below. Then, the ship's sensors went off, and a large object appeared. It was a garbage barge that was on its rounds.

"Master?" she asked again.

"Wait for it," Sinube replied as the barge got closer and closer. "Wait for it...NOW!"

Kira quickly pulled back on the throttle, and the shuttle flew upward, just missing a collision. Behind them, the V-Wings weren't so lucky as they crashed into the barge.

Gaining some distance, Kira soon headed upwards. Once in space, she activated the hyperdrive, and the ship jumped away from Coruscant. Setting the ship on autopilot, Kira sighed in relief, then joined Sinube as they checked on the others in the back. The first ones they saw were seven younglings of different alien species who looked scared by the recent events.

"Master Sinube, Jedi Nara. Why did the clones attack the temple? I thought they were friends to the Jedi?" one of the younglings asked nervously.

"I wish I knew, young one. But this answer is beyond us. For now, we shall go into hiding until we can learn more of what's happened," Sinube answered. This made the young Jedi uneasy, which Kira noticed as she spoke next.

"Younglings, I know you are scared, and to tell you the truth. So am I, as I fear for our fellow Jedi," she said while touching the Sprout's domed head. "However, even in times like this, I recall what Master Yoda told me when he was a young Jedi: Even when times seem darkest, hope will survive as a form of light. If we hold on to that light, the darkness can never overtake us."

Her words made the Younglings feel better, and they smiled, as did Master Sinube.

"Well spoken, Jedi Nara," a voice said.

Kira saw the cloaked Jedi who escaped with them. They removed their cloak. It was a male wolf-like alien with brown hair, gray hands

and feet. He was dressed in combat armor with a lightsaber on his belt. He was the Shistavanen Jedi Master: Voolvif Monn.

"Master Monn, I thought you were in the Outer Rim?" Kira asked.

"I was, but the council recalled me back after the surprise attack by General Grievous. This allowed me some time to rest before I was to return to the front lines," Monn answered gruffly. "But now it seems I am to help you and Master Sinube protect these younglings," he added.

"And what about us?" another voice asked.

The group turned to see that several droids had made it onboard the shuttle, including a few pit droids, two gonk droids, and three protocol droids.

"That goes for you droids also," Kira told them, and they were glad to hear this as they and the passengers got settled in for their long flight.

(Author's Note)
This chapter was interesting to work on in creating Kira's backstory during the Prequel era and how she survived Order 66 with Voolvif Monn and Tera Sinube, both of whom I liked from their appearances in the 2003 micro series and 2008 animated series.

As their fates in the EU were unknown, this was a good way to bring them into the story and explain how they survived with Kira.

For those wondering about the identities of the Younglings, their identities will be revealed later on.

The next chapter will continue Kira's backstory and see the Skywalkers and Solos finally meet Ahsoka face to face.

Till then, Stay Tuned, and May the Force be with You.