On the Wings of Valkyrie

Chapter XIV

Luna sighed as Ahsoka brought the Delta-7 into the hanger that was very lacking in the cargo department.

She knew she should have grabbed a crate before she had hightailed it back to the ship—to hell with it slowing her escape down. Luna had been focusing on the Rebels and wayward Sith Lord way more than she should have been.

"Well, I think we can agree that episode was a bust," Luna commented as Ahsoka got out of the fighter.

"Agreed," Ahsoka replied, eyeing the lightsaber the ex-Shadow was now openly wearing on her hip as Kaytee popped out. "We need to talk."

"I know. I got an early dinner together so we can talk while we eat."

Ahsoka nodded. "Alright."

"I'll see you in the mess hall after we make the jump," Luna told her, heading to the cockpit to make said jump. If they planned on Luna making it to work on time, then they needed to get back to Nar Shaddaa as soon as possible.

As soon as the stars blurred, Luna was out of the cockpit and heading back towards the mess hall. She found Ahsoka, who had already gathered a plate of food, sitting at the table waiting for her.

Resigned herself to what she had to go through, Luna sat down.

"So, you're Force sensitive," Ahsoka said, breaking the silence. The once Sith apprentice nodded. "When were you going to tell me?"

"When the need arose. I'm sorry. I...." Luna dropped off, not knowing what to say as she stared at the table unseeing. She had known that Ahsoka was doing the same thing, but that should have made it easier to reveal her secret, shouldn't it?

But it didn't.

"I don't trust easily. It was how I was raised, how I was trained," Luna finally said, nearly putting her mask back on to hide her emotions. She stopped herself before she did so. Ahsoka was her friend, and Luna had enough secrets already. "Keeping my Force sensitivity a secret was second nature."

"It's alright, I understand," Ahsoka told her. Luna mentally shook her head. "I have my own share of secrets."

"I know," the ex-Shadow muttered. She barely saw Ahsoka look up at her surprised.

Go on, tell her, she thought to herself. You can trust her. You know her.

"I haven't been as honest as I should have been when we first met. I know you are a Grey Jedi." Luna saw Ahsoka's expression freeze out of the corner of her eye. "I also know you were the padawan of Anakin Skywalker and that you once, and I assume still do, work in the intelligence part of the Rebellion under the name of Fulcrum. I knew all of that—knew you were trustworthy—and I still didn't tell you anything about me. Celestia Starstrider isn't even my real name."

Luna closed her eyes, trying to prepare herself for whatever was to come next.

"How?" It was a one worded question. "How do you know?" Luna gave a forced ironic smile.

"It's a long story. Let's just say I have my own very separate and secretive sources, but most of the information is probably out of date by now. Believe me, if there were anything truly helpful, the Rebellion would already know. I have made the acquaintance of Solo, Organa, and your old master's son long before today."

"Where you really an Imperial?" Ahsoka finally asked.

"Yes," Luna said, nodding. "I fully defected a few weeks before I met you and Sabine, but if I am to be honest, I wanted to defect for a while."

"Why did you defect and not just join up with the Rebellion?" Ahsoka asked.

"You're asking the most complicated questions," Luna muttered, smiling wryly. "To summarize, I defected with my Master. He was the only reason I stayed with the Empire in the first place. We were helping some Rebels and word got out. We left with the Rebels, and my Master decided to replace me not long after. I left after that. The Empire doesn't know enough about my identity to put a huge bounty on my head, and my Master has enough connections inside the Rebellion to find me if I headed there, so I decided to free lance. You know my story from there."