Chapter 27

In A Perfect Galaxy

Ahkilleon sat up in his bed from the start as the nightmare ended, "NO!" Adrian shouted only to get hit in the face with a pillow from the side, "Hmrmmrrr bro, I'm trying to sleep." Ezra said in the bunk across the room from him, Ahkilleon looked around their dorm room and his heart pounded ready to break out of his chest when it started to see he was still in the Temple. He looked to see his left hand was still hair and so was his right, Ahkilleon sighed in relief, laying back down wiping the sweat from his brow. Ezra and Ahkilleon's dorm room was small by jedi standards but it had a big enough floor for two beds across from one another, a meditation pad next to the window that had the blinds drawn letting in a stack of slits of light. The dim chamber was perfect for napping but Ahkilleon wasn't going to be able to go to bed after a dream like that, not a nightmare.

It was so… so real.

He pushed his blanket up and moved to get his mind off it rolling off the bed onto the floor, Ahkilleon started to do push ups replacing the beads of stress sweat with ones of exercise.

Ezra sat up clutching his pillow his padawan braid had tangled over his ear and stuck to his mouth like he'd been chewing on it before he spat it out, "Can't you do that later?" Ezra muttered scratching his short black hair as he sat up.

"Maybe if you joined me more than sleeping in you'd actually win some of our sparring matches, Master Plo has told you a hundred times to practice your swordsmanship more." Ahkilleon said doing more pushups as he spoke.

Ezra laid back down yawning, "Why learn to swing a lightsaber when I can find the nearest animal to fight for me, remember that time with the Gundarks."

Ahkilleon stopped "I still have the scar."

"You're welcome, it makes a great story." Ezra said getting up throwing the blanket on Ahkilleon, "If you aren't going to sleep I'm going to go hit the fresher."

Ahkilleon watched him go into their shared bathroom and he pulled the blanket off, he looked at himself in the mirror. His nightmare reflection had been so terrible he was scared, missing his left arm replaced with a mechanical one, dressed in armor fighting in terrible wars. But no, this was the real him he was looking at his white hair lined with blue highlights combed neatly back behind his head, his padawan braid dangling behind his head with silka beads. The only scars he had were from training sabers. He was still in shape but leaner than he'd been in the dream, he looked like a freaking rancor with all the muscle he had on it was almost gross.

Getting to his feet he walked over to the window and opened the blinds "Good morning Coruscant." Ahkilleon said looking out at the jewel of the Republic, the greatest city in the galaxy, a shinning beacon of democracy and freedom, and from where he was looking his home. The Great Jedi Temple.

Outside of Ahkilleons mind, in the real world he was shackled to a metal chair metal bands on his wrists and around his neck with two more on his ankles, he was in a darkened room, on the floor ancient ruins and glyphs of the Sith language were written all around him in a circle all glowing with a soft green hue. "Most impressive, Sariss." Grand Inquisitor Jerec said as he walked around the shackled Ahkilleon, his armor had been taken and only his trousers remained showing his broad chest. In the shadows behind Jerec stood Ahkilleons kidnapper the beautiful blonde haired femme fatal Sariss, her blonde hair was tied back in a bun with a hood, she wore a sleeveless imperial tunic with a red tinted cape. Yun stood behind her against the wall "Always one for your old tricks Sariss."

"The ancient sith teachings have much power, but this is more recent, a perfect prison." She said as she stepped forward.

The door to the chamber opened and Grand Admiral Thrawn walked in, "Please, do go on." The Admiral said politely.

Sariss bowed to the Admiral with respect, "With pleasure, the prison is designed from the prisoners mind, taking this jedi's deepest desires and creating a false reality in their mind, it was used by a previous sith during the Old Republic against a similar jedi."

"How interesting, and how will it benefit us, my dear?" Admiral Thrawn asked "The longer the Prisoner is consumed by their perfect world the more obedient they will become, in time the person they are will fade and only a husk will remain, obedient and docile." Sariss explained.

"Keep me up to date on your progress."

MYKAPO ORBIT

The Shatterpoint

"Don't say it." Lord Asimov said as he looked at a hologram of Admiral Trench who was tapping his metal claws of one of his six arms against th other as his organic and cybernetic eyes looked over Trench, "Oh no click-click-click, I'm not going to say it click-click-click, you are." Admiral Trench said as the two of them stood in the stardeck, with Trench as a hologram while Lord Asimov shook his head "I am asking you to put your forces on a alert, the Cyberspider fleet is the closet fleet to theVanguard and they couldn't have gotten far." Lord Asimov told the cyborg, behind him Commander Sigma, Turok and the cadets with Corto and Kraggen were standing.

"The Jedi have already dispatched click-click-click Master Uzuma and her padawan who click-click-click has the tracking ability to your sector click-click-click, you must be patient." Admiral Trench said.

Asimov tightened his fist "Patient, my Padawan has been taken Trench, a padawan with immense power in the force in the hands of stars know who."

"Cadets, describe the kidnapper, a young woman you say?" Commander Sigma asked.

Jay stepped forward "She was human, blonde, with green eyes, pale skin and uh… pretty."

"She was also force sensitive, Kraggen and I didn't notice it at first it was like she could… mask it, or something?" Corto explained.

"Hmm, click-click-click, so we are looking for a blonde female humanoid click-click-click, force sensitive, and pretty." the way the spider said the last word made Rulf and Jay squirm as if it were a real reason.

Lord Asimov grunted "All of you, leave."

"You heard his lordship, out." Sigma barked.

The four teens skedaddled out of the room like mice before Asimov and Sigma were alone, "I will keep you apprised click-click-click if I find anything." Lord Trench said before he cut the transmission.

When they were finally alone, Asimov sighed "This is my fault Sigma."

"A teenage boy tricked by a pretty girl at a bar, I don't think he's the first." Sigma said consolingly.

Lord Asimov raised his head "Ever since I finished my own training I knew it had to be me to train the son of Leo Rock, only I had the will and the conviction to show the Jedi of tomorrow what they needed to be. I've been so focused on trying to make him a warrior, a king, and I'm not letting him be a boy." Lord Asimov said.

"We didn't get to be boys, remember?" Sigma asked.

"I remember a young boy who would do anything to survive, he found me wounded and dying but he saved me." Lord Asimov said.

Sigma grunted "That was a long time ago my lord, you never when you needed a jedi in your debt."

"I can't believe I fell into the same trap as every other Jedi Master before me, getting your padawan kidnapped without even knowing it, it's like a tradition; I am a Giant Metal Donkey."

CORUSCANT

THE JEDI TEMPLE

Both boys sat in his classroom as the Jedi instructor stood at the front of the room, or slithered Master Oppo Rancisis was coiled up in the front of the room, the classroom was a sunken floor of desks lining an open floor plan, the hologram in front of them. Ezra was sleeping beside Ahkilleon as he followed the lesson. Ezra had on a beige robe with an orange tunic and brown leather boots. Ahkilleon wore a different style of clothing, he had on a classic jedi robe vest, but underneath he wore a leather tunic with the back open, sleeves with straps on his biceps and fingerless gloves all of dark blue, his trousers were snug and he wore matching blue boots. Oppo was speaking in front of two holograms the shield of the Galactic Republic and beside it the Separatist Hex, "Following the end of the Clone Wars, the Galactic Senate and the Confederacy of Independent Systems signed the Mandalore Accords, outlawing the use of artificial soldiers and furthermore declare an end of Hostiles following the deaths of both heads of states, who know where…?" Oppo trailed off and waited for a student to raise his hand.

Ahkilleon knew the answer, but he didn't want to seem like he knew it all "Yes, padawan Vos." Yumi raised her hand "When the Jedi discovered that Count Dooku and Chancellor Palaptine were working together to manipulate both sides into conflict, this was discovered after the Siege of Mandalore."

"Yes," said Padawan Vos." Master Rancis said "Following this great conspiracy, the Jedi seized control of the senate for a time to put an end to the conflict, following the new election of Supreme Chancellor Amidalla." the hologram changed to show a beautiful woman with brown hair, eyes and a face only like that of an angel. "The Supreme Chancellor agreed to allow the Jedi to withdraw from military roles, and return to peacekeeping duties abroad as the New Grand Master wished." Master Rancis told them.

Ahkilleon nudged Ezra awake as Oppo pointed out "Padawan Bridger, following the reorganization of the Order, what aspects changed within the Republic to bring about this peace."

Ezra sat up and scratched his hand "uh…. We're not generals anymore?" he asked.

Rancis frowned under his hairy face "That was already established, anyone else who didn't stay up late last night?" there were a few giggles amongst the students when an armored hand went up.

"Yes, Padawan Wren?"

All eyes went to the only person not wearing a robe, instead she wore bright colored armor over a body glove painted purple, orange and hints of blue with a painted helmet with an owl design on it, "The Republic's army stopped using artificial soldiers, the clone army then began to work with local systems Starfighter corps and Militia's to rebuild the Grand Army with it's member systems. Specifically Mandalorian warriors as instructors." She being a young Mandalorian herself, her hair was black with streaks of red running through it, her amber skin had two orange eye that looked up at Ezra with smug eyes, she even glared at Ahkilleon.

"Well said Padawan Wren." Master Rancis said as the bell rang "I expect you all to have finished your history essays on the importance of the Stark Hyperspace War and how it effected modern polticis, even if it is parents weekend!" the Jedi Master said as they all ran for the exit.

The rest of the young jedi got up and walked out with their holopads, "Show off." Ezra said walking out the door.

"Maybe if you studied as much as you spent sneaking out to the city you wouldn't get upstaged by Ezra." Ahkilleon said to him as they walked out, he was taller than Ezra by a few inches but that didn't mean Ezra acted like he was short "Oh look me, I'm a Mandalorian bucket head, I got to be jedi because I'm so so special. But I can't even use the force." Ezra said, doing a silly dance.

Ahkilleon snickered "The force resides within all living things Ezra, you and I started our training as younglings, she's only been here for so long."

"Yeah well at least my mom isn't her Master." Ezra whispered as they saw Sabine Wren walk out helmet under her arm, the rest of her body was armored as well with thigh plates and greaves, the body glove holding tight to her muscular lean build, "Though the body gloves aren't so bad." Ezra whispered, looking where he shouldn't. Sabine shot him a glare like an angry krayt dragon and he winced.

Then she walked off, "So are you excited to see your parents again?" Ahkilleon asked, "Mmm maybe, they keep asking me when I'm coming home to visit."

"I've never been to Lothal, but it seems beautiful on the holo's" Ahkilleon said to him, Ezra shrugged "It's okay, but I don't think it can compare to an entire city I can't sleep without hearing ships or the light of the city, you know is it really home?" Ezra asked Ahkilleon.

Ahkilleon pondered, "Didn't the Council offer to relocate all Jedi's parents to Coruscant, so they could be close to the kids?"

"Easier said than done as my mom put it, but you don't have to worry about that your parents are in the order." Ezra told him as they walked into the Temple's grand hall.

Ahkilleon stopped, he grabbed his head suddenly dropping his holopad "Hnnn-"

Ahkilleon watched as his mom faced down the Sith Lord from his nightmare, someone was carrying him away as he watched helplessly.

"Ahkilleon, Ahkilleon are you alright?" Ezra asked Ahkilleon to see his friend looking at him with a concerned look in his blue eyes, they were still in the Jedi Temple, Ahkilleon stood up straight and set his jaw while rubbing his head.

He shook off the vision "Sorry, I just had… you ever have one of those feelings dreams when you think you're awake, and when do you wake up you think you're still dreaming?" Ahkilleon asked him.

"Uh… no, maybe you should go check in with Master Secura, she helped out Kraggen when Urrde didn't come back from that mission to the Slice." Ezra said.

Ahkilleon snapped his head to him "Urrde's dead?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Whoa, Ahkilleon you scaring me, we had the funeral last week she… died in space?" Ezra asked, Ahkilleon knitted his brow and grumbled "Right, right, the Empire attacked their ship." Ahkilleon replied as he remembered how Kraggen had been inconsolable when they brought her body back.

Ezra stared at him puzzled "What Empire?"

"The Empire Ezra, we're" "There you are son." Ahkilleon froze hearing a deep voice speak from behind, it was a man's voice, one he knew, one he'd always known.

Ahkilleon turned slowly and saw her, his mother Ahsoka Tano standing before him, she wore a crimson torgurtan garment like his own blue one, but it had a longer sash of light purple, his had the same pattern but green. She wore burgundy robe over her shoulders and she wasn't alone. A man was standing there, he wore a dark brown robe of a Jedi, underneath a green tunic with white pants and dark black leather boots, he was a tall man with a strong jawline, high cheeks and an overall diamond shaped face. His green eyes shinned like two emeralds with a scar running across his nose and cheek. His white hair was shoulder length with a clean shave that showed of a smile with white teeth that matched his white hair, "Mom,Dad?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Master Rock, I didn't know you were back." Ezra said seeing him, "Leo Rock…" Ahkilleon muttered.

Leo leaned in standing over his son "Ahkilleon Rock, are we playing a game- whoa?" Ahkilleon flung his arms around his parents and hugged him tight, the hug took Leo and Ahsoka by surprise "I missed you too Ahkilleon, we were only gone for a few days, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Ahkilleon said, breaking off the hug "Everythings perfect."

Outside of Ahkilleons mental prison, the Inquisitors were watching Ahkilleon relax back into the chair, eyes closed as the green glyphs on the floor continued to glow, "What was that Sariss?" Yun teased him as Sariss sneered at him, "Sariss?" Jerec asked, standing over Ahkilleon looking him over without any eyes.

Sariss fixed her tunic "A strong mind is hard to contain, he will struggle at first the prison is created by his own memories, but also his fantasies, as you can see it's created lures to draw him in even more." Sariss said as she walked up and touched his head.

"What do you see, Sariss?" Jerec asked.

Sariss gave a snicker "He's in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, he has loving parents, friends, he's just a simple Jedi Padawan, a good little school boy?" Sariss took her hand away and Yun snickered.

"The Demon wants a normal boring school life, that's pathetic." Yun said laughing as Thrawn watched from the shadows.

"You would think so?" Thrawn asked his back to the Inquisitors.

Yun glared at him, "What was that Admiral?"

Thrawn turned smiling "A warrior who dreams of peace, the irony is not lost on me, but that begs the question of why he appears where he does, we know he is working with the rebels, we saw just as much on Ryloth but why…?" Thrawn asked.

"He is an insect on our boot, one we will soon squash, and take trophies like you." Jerec said holding up Ahkilleons helmet, painted orange with his mothers colors as Thrawn's eyes went wide, a connection was made. "Excuse me, I remembered there is something I must attend to." Thrawn said walking out of the room.

ATOLLON

Chopper Base

Back on Atollon, Ezra and Kanan were training with their lightsabers, not sparring but practicing lightsaber forms in sync with one another, in the distance Zeb was listening to his music enjoying a cold drink with an umbrella. Hera was working on the Ghost with Chopper and Sabine, Sabine welded down some metal on the Ghost, when she looked up to the sky wondering if someone was going to descend from that red sky but nothing. She went back to her work without realizing Hera who was wearing a welding mask could read her under the helmets. Hera frowned she looked down at Kanan with a similar look, shaking her head "Sabine, you okay?" Hera asked.

"I'm fine Hera, almost done." Sabine said as she continued to work sparks bouncing off her beskar helmet.

Hera knew the question on Sabine's mind, "You think he'll come back?"

"Who?" Sabine asked to play.

Sabine turned to Hera who gave her a signature, 'I know you know who'. Sabine lifted off her helmet "Am I that obvious?" Sabine asked.

"Well, I know the options for a boy here are… well just Ezra, and there's nothing wrong with him but-" "But he's like a brother to me, my best friend even." Sabine said looking down at Ezra and Kanan training together as Master and Student. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Sabine rolled her eyes "I'm a Mandalorian, I can handle it."

"Sabine I-" Hera was cut off by the sounds of her comlink coming with Commander Sato's voice, "Captain Syndulla could you and your crew come to the command center at once."

Later the rebels entered into the Commander Center under the coral tree, Sato was waiting, his usual stoic face had a disgruntled frown to it, "What's up Sato?" Ezra asked casually as the rebels gathered around the holotable, Sato didn't say anything but started to play a message. A hologram came through of Corto, "This is a message to the Rebel cell known as Phoenix Squadron, specifically the Ghost I know we didn't part on the best of terms. But I've got bad news." Corto said.

"Captain Tano, Ahkilleon has gone missing. We believe he was kidnapped by an Imperial Inquisitor." Corto said as he changed image to show Sariss, "Her name is Sariss, the Militia discovered sightings of her as an Imperial agent turned Inquisitor, we don't know where he's been taken but if he's with an Inquisitor we need to find him before it's to late." Corto said before his face returned.

He got quiet, scratching the back of his neck he pushed his brown locks back, "Look, I don't now your guys history but Ahkilleon is my friend and I believe he still is yours, right now he needs us so please, if you know anything that could be of value let us know. May the Force be with you."

"That was the end of the transmission." Sato said, turning it off.

"Taken by an Inquisitor, we have to do something." Sabine said leaning on the table, "I will not risk any resources looking for him, this is a Militia problem. I simply gave the message to you as a courtesy." Sato said to the rebels.

Hera frowned looking at her crew, "With all do respect Commander, we haven't gotten a shipment from the Militia since Mykapo, this could be a way to renew the Militia agreement with Phoenix Squadron." Hera suggested.

"The Militia have made their position clear, we should continue to get our resources how we did before, and not rely on them." Sato said prudently.

"Look I want to be self-sufficient, same as the next guy, but those Inquisitors, they already did a number of juniors once, we can't do nothing?" Zeb said, speaking on behalf of Ahkilleon.

Sato stood his ground on the matter "Captain Tano made his choice in siding with the Militia, he is not a member of Phoenix Squadron therefore he cannot be afforded our assistance." The crew new why he was being so obtuse on the subject, having Mart's hands lopped off after the fiasco over Mykapo by Iron Squadron, but it was a practical answer for the Commander to give.

"Kanan, Hera we aren't going to just do nothing are we?" Sabine asked.

Kanan scratched his beard, when Hera said "Commander, if Ahkilleon is broken by the Inquisitors then that means he'd give up our location to the Empire, this is a security risk for the Rebellion as much as the Militia."

Sato thought about it, and shut his eyes, conceding "On that matter we agreed, but where would you even start?" Sato asked, putting aside his wounded pride and personal feelings for the squadron.

"There's only one place the Inquisitors could take him, and you all saved me from it when we first met Ahsoka." Kanan said breaking his silence.

"No, Kanan we can't go back there, it's probably still guarded by Star Destroyers." Ezra objected.

Kanan turned around "We don't leave our friends behind, Ezra even on Mustafar."

JEDI TEMPLE

Coruscant

Ahkilleon was walking through the Jedi temple, his head was cleared of the nightmare, he had to just stop thinking about it and focus on his training and studies. He lifted up his holopad scrolling through it he had lightsaber training before history, then history, followed by meditation which he should be at right now, but he had another reason not to be. That reason grabbed him from behind the neck and wrestled him into the shadows of a pillar, Ahkilleon felt the attacker grab his arm and pin him up against the wall "I thought jedi could sense danger?" Sabine said into his ear, Ahkilleon swept his foot back hooking the back of hers makin her fall and let go of his arm, he spun around grabbing her behind the waist and her arm "Am I in danger?" he asked pulling her close.

Sabine elbowed him in the stomach and pinned him arms up against the pillar "Depends, do you like danger?"

"It's my middle name." Ahkilleon teased as she leaned in "Let's find out, Mandalorian versus Jedi." She teased lips inches from his, before they locked lips, Sabine pressed against him her hands sliding down his forearms and on his biceps to his chest, he draped his arms around, "Hmm, I guess so." he said as he kissed her lips, her cheek and neck.

Sabine let her eyes flutter open as he picked her up by her ass, while they made out "Can you imagine the look on my moms face if she found out I was doing this with a jedi?" Sabine asked.

"Or you could just tell her, and let me tell mine?" He asked her as she leaned back, "What, it's way more fun to sneak around like this." Sabine said.

Ahkilleon cocked a brow, "Yeah when our parents were our age, the Jedi don't forbid attachments like this anymore, I could actually take you on a real date."

"And your bro Ezra wouldn't mind?" Sabine asked, biting her lip "Ezra wouldn't care, the other Jedi just don't know what to think about a Mandalorian, they haven't grown up around it like I have, remember when my mom brought me to Mandalore and we first met at the Duchess's palace?" he asked.

Sabine cocked a brow "You were wearing a dress?" she asked.

"It was a robe." he rolled his eyes while she giggled, "Dress." She said kissing him again.

A bell rang in the distance, and Sabine sighed "Ugh the parents weekend, come on let's sneak off I bet we could steal a speeder for a joyride?" She suggested.

Ahkilleon felt her pull him off the pillar but he held her hands tightly in his, "You know our parents will be expecting us, and if we both disappear our 'secret' romance is up?" he pointed out to the fake version of Sabine, "Fine." she frowned.

Later, "There he is, there's my baby boy!" Miriam Bridger squeezed Ezra's face gith as she kissed his forehead and face all over, Ezra squirmed as Ephraim laughed behind his wife while she doted on her son. The two lothians were dressed in simple farmer garments, Miriam's hair was hidden by a head dress that bowed out on both sides in a pale grey almost white tunic, Ephraim wore a faded orange to brown coat and work mens leathers as they stood in the Temple's grand hall. The room was full of parents and their jedi children all reminiscing and greeting one another. Ahkilleon watched from some cushioned seats in a elevated part of the room as he saw Ezra push his mom away and try to fix his hair that his dad had ruffled.

In the hall he could see their other friends, Kraggen stood with his quarren parents, his father almost as broad as he was holding a triton with his mother and a small school of squidlings, Kraggens siblings all prodding him with questions. He noticed Fatima not far off, her black and brown robes making her stand out between her own parents.

Looking around he spotted his mom, Ahsoka Tano standing beside the Mandalorian girl, Sabine Wren, Sabine's parents hadn't arrived yet and Ahkilleon was curious to see what they looked like. Beside her stood a man in mandalorian clothing but no armor, nodding and smiling with Ahsoka. "You still question why we brought a Mandalorian into the Temple son?" Leo asked, sitting down next to Ahkilleon on the cushion.

"I know mom has great relationship with the Mandalore Kryze, she wants to try and get the Jedi and Mandalorians to work together more, for the good of all." Ahkilleon said back to his father.

Leo smiled, "I had my reservations too about Mandalorians, especially the current Mandalore, but she has done a great job leading her people back from the second Civil War, without her we couldn't have stopped Dooku and Sidious, a good man knows when he's wrong, a great man can admit it and grow." Leo replied.

The lights to the grand hall dimmed and all eyes went to the front as a group of Jedi Masters walked out, "I believe our Grand Master has come to address our guests." Leo said leaning back in the chair as a spotlight appeared on the group of Masters. Ahkilleon knew all of them by name; there was Master Shaak Ti, a Togurtan Jedi Master who was just now starting to show signs of aging.

Beside her stood the elderly but respected Plo Koon one of the orders greatest swordsmen.

Master Oppo Rancis.

Master K'Kruhk, the wise whipped Jedi Master with his signature straw hat.

Master Vos Yumi, Corto and Ky's father.

Master T'Ra Saa, the neti Jedi Master who's long brown bark-like hair hung down to her waist.

Master Jass Denir, a human.

Master Depa Bilpba a middle aged woman who was Ezra's Master's Master.

Master Aayla Secura wasn't there as she was on a mission to Ryloth at the moment with the Senator.

He hadn't noticed him at first but Master Emsa was there, his bronze face mask hiding his identity with his cybernetic limbs hidden under is long robes.

Master Obi-Wan Kenobi his hair a silver white, his brown robe draped over his body but beside him stood the Grand Master of the entire Jedi Order, the man who saved the Republic, the hero of heroes, greatest of the Jedi, hair cut neat and combed complemented with a trimmed beard, a scar over his right eye in long chestnut robes there he stood Anakin Skywalker. He had a smile that could light up the room, his blue eyes sparking "Get rid of this spotlight will you." he said, making everyone laugh.

Anakin shook his head "So dramatic, alright I'm not one for speeches but those of you who know me do, and to our newest students and their parents, we welcome you to our home the Jedi Temple. "When I was made Grand Master of the Order, the youngest in history and believe me I was shocked just as much as these crones." Anakin said jokingly, making everyone laugh while Obi-Wan shook his head. "I knew times were changing in the Galaxy, and the Jedi had to change with it. Our order had fractured but in our darkest hour we united to stop the Sith, end the war and bring about a new era of peace and prosperity" Anakin nodded at Leo who gave a salute in acknowledgement.

"It wasn't because of our code, it wasn't because of duty, it was the attachments we made as people, not Jedi, not Knights or Generals but ordinary people who wanted to do what was right no matter the consequences." Skywalker walked down the steps of the halls stage and into the crowd of young jedi and civilian parents, "Jedi protect life, but what's the point in protecting life if we can't experience all of it, it's joys, it's sorrows and the love we can share with one another." he said patting Ezra on the shoulder with his mechano hand.

Ahkilleon reached for his arm where his nightmare had shown him he'd lost his and had a similar one. "For centuries, the Jedi trained younglings since birth scouring the galaxy for those we deemed force sensitive. We took from parents some considered it a great honor others, kidnapping." Anakin said his face was serious for a moment.

"So that's why, one of my first acts was to ban the practice of taking children from their parents without being allowed to know them. To love them." he said stopping by a young twi'lek padawan who was with her parents, Anakin knelt down in front of him and smiled at the youngling "So welcome, welcome to your house, enjoy everything the Temple has to offer, your time with your children is a gift, that is why it's called the present." a roaring applause came from the crowd as Anakin bowed before he turned to leave.

Leo chuckled "Always wanting the limelight, that's Skyguy for you."

Ahkilleon smiled "It's so hard to imagine him as the one who defeated not only Count Dooku, but Darth Sidious he's just so…. So freaking nice." Ahkilleon said.

Leo patted him on the back "Just don't get on his bad side, when you were still a youngling I saw him rip apart the entire Outer Rim Slave trade." Leo said Leo remembered his dad telling him all the stories of his adventures.

Wait.

No he didn't.

"Dad?" Ahkilleon asked, "What, what did you do when you found out mom was pregnant?" Ahkilleon asked his father.

Leo cocked his head "Well… I asked her to marry of course, first Jedi wedding in a thousand years. Gene- I mean Grand Master Skywalker made sure it was a grand occasion, personally I think he just wanted to walk Snips down the aisle himself and he did."

"No, no, I mean what did you think?" Ahkilleon asked his dad, turning to him, looking at his fathers green eyes that they shared.

Leo was silent, then he gave a warm smile "I was terrified."

"You were terrified of me?" Ahkilleon asked.

Leo nodded, arms crossed, looking up at the ceiling, his face blank "Being a dad, especially when you were eighteen it's scary as hell." Then his face softened and he smiled, "But when I held you for the first time, you were so small." Leo held his hands out putting both palms together like he was cradling Ahkilleon again "I held you up, right in my hands and I looked at your mother and said, you just made something greater than the force itself, greater than all the armies of the galaxy and all its wealth I was so happy, to meet you Ahkilleon, my son." Ahkilleon was felt his cheeks grow red hearing such profound words from his father.

They were interrupted by Leo's comlink going off, "Ugh way to ruin the moment." Leo said.

"What is Proxy?" Leo asked.

"Apologize Master, but Sir Jarrus has returned with Captain Syndulla, they will be in the hangar soon." the droid said "Proxy is here?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Where else would he be?" Leo asked.

Ahkilleon watched Proxy get crushed by the falling rocks

A hand was on him shaking him "Son?" Leo had his hand on him "Sorry dad, my mind slipped."

"Hmm come with me to the hangar, I'm sure Kanan would want an update from his padawan's best friend." Leo said, getting up.

Ahkilleon followed his father through the temple to the hangar, where a large modified VCX-100 light freighter with red Republic political markings on it was sitting. Out in front of it, stood two people and an astro droid, Sir Kanan Jarrus, Captain Hera Syndulla and her droid Chopper. Leo approached with a smile "Captain Syndulla, how's your father."

"The Governor is fine Master Rock, he sends his regards." Captain Syndulla said, she was young twi'lek captain with a leather pilot cap over her lekku, she wore a brown pilot jacket with a navy gray Republic flight suit of the Republic Navy. Sir Jarrus was wearing a Jedi tunic but had his legs tucked into a pair of chaps that went down to his boots with a green shoulder pauldron on with the mark of the order. HIs brown hair was tied back in a ponytail and his turquoise eyes looked at Leo with a hint of disappointment "What no fond hello for me?"

Leo grinned "How could I forget cowboy, what news from the Outer Rim?"

"You better come inside Master Rock." Hera gestured to her ship and Leo walked in, Ahkilleon followed his father and the others into the Ghost, it was outfitted with the latest in Republic technology and a striking white paint job of the interior. They walked into the ship's lounge where Ahkilleon spied a big purple cat like alien sitting with a borifle at the table.

"Master Rock, Padawan Rock, this is Republic Ranger Garazeb Orrelios." Hera introduced the lasat who stood up and nodded, he was wearing a blue flight suit with a white vest, he shook Leo's hand and nodded at Ahkilleon "As you know the Rangers were founded by First Ranger Turok Skell to help the jedi keep a lock on any rumors of Sith."

Leo's face went dark, "How is the old Lizard?"

"Missing, it's why I'm here." Zeb said.

Ahkilleon's eyes went wide "Missing, how could Turok go missing?"

"That's what we want to know, First Ranger Skell was last seen on the fringes of wild space looking for a planet called Arcadia." Zeb said pressing a button on the tables holodevice, it sprouted up a map of the holotable showing different worlds. "Raxus Secundus, Saleucami, Mykapo, Serenno all Confederate worlds. The first ranger was visiting them all when we lost contact."

Leo scratched his chin "Arcadia, does that name mean anything to you son?"

Ahkilleon thought back and he grabbed his head.

He could see it Arcadia, the trees, the mountains, Bastion Temple-

"Ahkilleon?" Leo asked drawing him back into the dream "I… I think so, Turok told me it was a hidden world, or a lost world I'm not sure?"

Kanan and Hera looked at one another "He okay?" Kanan asked.

"Ahkilleon what's wrong, you seem a little… off balance?" Leo asked his son.

Ahkilleon rubbed his forehead "I had, vision, a nightmare but it'll pass." Ahkilleon said.

Leo nodded at him "Maybe he should go see the healers?" Hera suggested.

"No, if my son says he's okay he's okay, he's okay." Leo said, patting him on the shoulder. Kanan, Hera and Zeb looked at one another and shrugged. "Alright, but we better hurry I got as signal from First Ranger Skell from Raxus, General Rex is there with the Republic Navy working with the Confederacy's Self Defense force on anti-syndicate operations it's our best lead." the lasat said.

Pushing back his robe's sleeve Leo was wearing a leather bracer with a built in communicator, "Ahsoka my love, looks like our old friend Skell has gotten himself lost again, grab your padawan and Padawan Bridger, and meet us in the hangar."

"But what about parents' week?" Ahkilleon asked him.

Leo looked at Hera, "We'll make room." the Captain said looking down at Chopper, "You're a droid, you don't need a room to yourself." Hera told the droid as she walked off "And here I thought I was going to get a weekend without the kid." Kanan sighed as he followed Hera, "You can share my room." Hera winked at him and Kanan smiled "Your ship, your rules." Kanan said.

Leo and his son watched them go, Zeb scratched his sideburns and turned "Um, are those two…" "Oh yeah, absolutely." Leo said.

Ahkilleon looked around the ghost, something strangely familiar about this ship "Dad, has the Ghost always been this white, and up to date?" He asked, looking at all the modern Republic tech.

"Of course son, you and Ezra come aboard all the time when we go on diplomatic missions, though the guns do get more practice from pirates and smugglers than I care to admit." Leo said following his son through the ship "No, no, it's more than that…" Ahkilleon rubbed his forehead.

Seeing that something was seriously wrong Leo placed his hands behind his back "This dream you had, tell me about it sometimes our dreams are messages in the force?"

"More like a nightmare." Ahkilleon confessed sitting down, Leo walked over to the table and sat across from him listening intently "This is going to sound crazy but it was like a whole other life dad, I wasn't here… there weren't any Jedi, I was fighting like you and mom in the Clone Wars only there weren't droids, or clones and an Empire, so vast it's ships could blot out stars and Ezra was there, so was Sabine, Kanan, Hera, even the Lasat, we fought together but not always the same time, it was like I lived a whole other life?" Ahkilleon explained.

Leo listened to him "Do you think it was a warning, a vision?"

"No, Turok was there, he wasn't lost though he was with me the whole time, he raised me with mom, and Proxy." Ahkilleon explained, Leo looked puzzled "Where was I, son?"

Ahkilleon rubbed his hands, "You… were gone."

"What, Ahkilleon I would never leave you and your mother you know that." Leo told him hands on his chest and gesturing to him, "It wasn't your choice, you were dead you didn't know I existed."

Leo stood up and paced "I will never leave you son, I promise."