Part 18 – New Mission – Part 1
"New Padawan," Ahsoka asked after the two had been introduced.
"Yea," Bruce said as he shook Ahsoka's hand, "Great to finally meet you."
"It's great to meet the man who saved my life and the life of the 332nd." Ahsoka said.
"It was a joint effort," Bruce said, "Master Kenobi's new Padawan helped as well."
"So, I heard," Ahsoka said, "I was hoping he'd be here so I could meet him."
"He's back at the temple," Bruce said, "When we got back, the council wanted to hear what happened. He was right beside me, so I sent him ahead while I stayed here to provide moral support for this one," he then grasped Anakin's shoulder.
"If anyone needed moral support, it's my master." Ahsoka said.
"Our master." Bruce said.
"It's gonna take a while to get used to that," Ahsoka said halfway laughing, but also halfway coughing.
"Easy there," Bruce said, "You're still recovering from surgery."
"I figured," Ahsoka said, "How many members of the 332nd are still alive?"
"Only about a third," Bruce said, "Most of them are receiving surgery."
"And a good majority are almost finished," Anakin said, "Rex is fine, but he'll need some down time to recover."
"And the others?" Ahsoka asked.
"They'll need augmentations," Anakin said before looking at Ahsoka, "But they should be ready to go around the same time you are, snips."
"Good," Ahsoka said, "They'll need to be to find him."
"That'll be hard," Anakin said, "Especially now."
"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked.
"You haven't told her?" Bruce asked.
"I got here as soon as I felt your distress." Anakin said.
"My distress?" Bruce asked.
"No," Anakin said before gesturing between Bruce and Ahsoka, "Your distress."
Bruce looked over at Ahsoka who said, "When you started having your nightmare, I felt a tremor in the force."
"Must have been a serious vision." Bruce said.
"More like a nightmare you said," Anakin said, "Go tell Master Yoda when you get back to the temple."
"Right," Bruce said, with a realization, "I'm supposed to report to the council."
"Go ahead," Anakin said, "But before you do, there's someone I'd like you to meet."
"Who?" Bruce asked.
Anakin pointed out the door, "Down the corridor, second hallway on your right, third door on your left," he said, "You'll find 3PO waiting for you."
It was then that Bruce realized who he was talking about, "Of course," he said before slapping his master on the arm, "Thanks for letting me know."
As Bruce jogged out of the hall, Ahsoka looked at Anakin with confused face, "Letting him know about what?" she asked.
"I'll tell you later," Anakin said, "Right now, I think it's time I brought you up to speed on what's happening in the galaxy."
Bruce followed Anakin's instructions to see C-3PO waiting outside the door like Anakin had said, "Padawan Kirkwood," he spoke, "Glad you arrived. They're about to take the babies to the nursery. But mistress Padme wanted you to see them before they did."
"Thanks," Bruce said as he entered the room to see Padme sitting on the bed, holding two swaddled newborns.
"Hey," she said as Bruce approached the bed, "Just like you told Anakin, two babies."
"They're beautiful," Bruce said, fighting back tears.
"Yes," Padme said, "They are. And now they just need names."
"You haven't named them yet?" Bruce asked.
"You guessed two babies," Padme said, "I was wondering. In that other future, what did I name them?"
"Which one's the boy?" Bruce asked.
"This one," Padme said as she slightly shook the baby in her left arm.
"Luke." Bruce said.
"And her?" Padme asked.
"What's the first name that comes to mind?" Bruce asked.
"Leia," Padme asked, "I guess right?"
"You did," Bruce said as he reached down to touch Luke, "Welcome to the galaxy."
"Excuse me," the medical droid said as he walked into the room with two hospital cribs, "We were told you were here, and we do need to take the babies to the nursery."
"Of course," Padme said as she held up Luke to Bruce, "Can you?"
"You want me to take Luke?" Bruce asked.
"You're going to be helping raise them a lot now that you're Anakin's learner." Padme said.
Bruce chuckled, of course he was going to have to perform babysitting duties, being as he would probably be treated as a son by his master's wife.
He exhaled and reached down to lift Luke into his arms, he was glad he had taken home living back in high school, so he knew that when handed a baby, lean in close, support the head, then cradle their bottom, and bring the baby as close as possible without squeezing.
He was surprised holding Luke: this little baby would have grown up under the rule of an iron-fisted fascist dictatorship and become his childhood hero seemed to be almost made of glass when he was carrying him.
Gently setting him down in the hospital crib, he got a vague recollection of when his youngest brother was born. He was only six, and now that he was eighteen it was a fuzzy memory, but he could almost see his little brother in what now looked to be a very primitive crib (at least when compared to the one Luke was now sleeping in).
Padme cleared her throat and held out Leia as Bruce turned around to look at her, rolling his eyes, he walked over to the bed, and brought Leia back to the nursery bed.
"Take care of them, please." Bruce said.
"Of course," the medical droid said, "Your brother and sister will be in safe hands."
"Brother and sister," Bruce asked as the medical droid wheeled them out of the room, "But they're…" the doors closed before he could say a word, "The first thing he went to was big brother, no uncle or father."
"He probably knew you were a little young to be their father." Padme said.
"Yea," Bruce said, walking back to Padme's side, "Probably."
"It might also be because I told them you were their brother," Padme said, "It was the only way you could see them."
Bruce sighed before grabbing Padme's hand, "You're going to be a great mother." He spoke.
"Thanks," Padme replied, "How are you feeling? Anakin told me he felt you were having a nightmare."
"Probably a vision," Bruce said, "I'll talk with Master Yoda about it back at the temple."
"What about?" Padme asked.
"I'd like to talk with Master Yoda about it first," Bruce said, "You just focus on recovering… mom."
Padme chuckled, and patted the top of his hand, "Go ahead," she said, "I'll see you later."
"Yes, ma'am." Bruce said.
After Bruce walked out of the room, 3PO and R2 entered the room, and he proceeded to the landing where he found a group of clones waiting by an LAAT.
"Padawan Kirkwood," one of them said as he approached.
"Gentlemen," Bruce said, "Don't suppose I could ask for a quick ride to the temple?"
"Go right ahead," the same clone said as he gestured onto the LAAT.
While they were flying through Coruscant, one of them spoke up, "You did well on the Tribunal."
"No," Bruce said, "You guys did all the hard work. All I did was get the survivors off the ship."
"Yes," the clone said, "But we heard about the turbolift shaft, and the organization you and the Elomin had when helping those that were injured."
"Hardly seems praiseworthy." Bruce said.
"Maybe," the clone said, "But maybe that's just the way I am."
"It's the way you've always been since you came out of the tube." The other clone said.
Both shared Jango Fett's face, but the one that was praising him had a very distinctive tattoo that formed a hyperbolic spiral that went from his tear duct, outlined the shape of his eye socket, and went down his neck which disappeared into the collar of his armor.
The other one had dyed white hair that formed a shaved sides mohawk, and the shaved sides blended into his chinstrap beard.
"Mind if I get your boys names?" Bruce asked.
"I'm Brick," the one with the mohawk said, he then gestured towards the other one, "This here is Swirl."
"You guys with the 7th?" Bruce asked.
"Yes," Swirl said, "We got assigned to the unit right before we went after the Tribunal."
"What are your specialties?" Bruce asked.
"I'm a sniper." Swirl said.
"I'm heavy weapons." Brick said.
"Same team?" Bruce asked.
"Yep." Swirl said.
"Were you guys on the ground when we were evacuating the Tribunal?" Bruce asked.
"Unfortunately, not," Brick said, "Commander Cody didn't think to bring us along, so we stayed on standby. We were there to help carry members of the 332nd to the medbay."
"How many?" Bruce asked.
"We were able to bring about twenty to the med bay," Swirl said, "Don't know how many made it vs how many didn't."
"We saved what we could," Brick said, "That's what counts in my book."
"We're approaching the temple now," the pilot said as he turned to view the cabin.
Bruce leaned out the side of the LAAT to see the temple, "One lost is till one too many," he said, "They should never be forgotten."
"They won't," Swirl said, "Not by us, and now by anyone in our unit."
As the LAAT came in for a landing, Brick spoke up, "Hope to see more of you in the field."
"So do I," Bruce said, stepping off, "Don't know where we're going, but I hope to see you boys again."
"You will," Brick said as he gave Bruce a small two-finger salute.
While Bruce was watching the LAAT fly off, he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see Obi-Wan standing next to him.
"There you are, Padawan Kirkwood." He spoke.
"Master Kenobi." Bruce said.
"The Council was about to send me after you," Obi-Wan said, applying some gentle pressure to Bruce's shoulder, guiding him into the temple, "We felt that small tremor in the force. I figured it came from you."
"But you want to be sure." Bruce said.
"Yes." Obi-Wan said.
Entering the temple, Bruce spoke up, "Yes, it was me. I dozed off while waiting for Ahsoka to wake up, and I'm not sure if what I saw was a vision or a nightmare."
"Either way, we could feel your emotion," Obi-Wan said, "What'd you see?"
"Horrible things," Bruce said, "I'd rather discuss them with Master Yoda before speaking with anyone else about them."
"I can understand that," Obi-Wan said, "And have you given any thought to where you'd like to go here in the order?"
"I haven't thought about it," Bruce said, "Especially with everything that's happened in the last few days."
"Can't blame you," Obi-Wan said, "But before that, did you have any ideas?"
"Maybe one," Bruce said, looking over passing by the library, "What about history?"
"Jedi Historian," Obi-Wan asked, "I don't think I've heard of that."
"There is a lot that can be gained from the knowledge of times past." Bruce said.
Obi-Wan looked over at Bruce, "You sound like someone twice my age."
"You can thank my former education for that," Bruce said as they walked up the stairs to see Master Windu and Shaak-Ti waiting at the top of the stairs, near the council chamber elevator.
"Padawan Kirkwood," Master Windu said, "So glad you could join us."
"Master Windu." Bruce said.
"We felt a disturbance coming from the medical center," Shaak Ti said, "Are you ok?"
"I don't know, Master," Bruce said, "There is something I'd like to discuss with Master Yoda after we talk about what we need to."
"Of course." Master Windu said.
The four of them entered the elevator, and Shaak Ti spoke up, "Most of the Council is busy with their work on the front lines," she said, "Just try to recount as best as you can and answer all questions as clearly as possible."
"Of course, master." Bruce said.
After entering the room, Master Windu ushered Bruce to stand in the center of the room as he, Shaak Ti, and Obi-Wan took their seats.
After pressing a few buttons on his chair, Masters Yoda, Securra, and Mundi appeared in their chairs.
"Welcome Masters," Master Windu said, "Padawan Kirkwood has returned to the temple, and is ready to begin his testimony."
"Calmly, if you could," Master Yoda said, "About your vision that led to the discovery of the Tribunal, tell us."
"Of course," Bruce said, "It began when me and Master Skywalker were returning from Tython."
To be continued…