Family by Heart - REWRITE(a Star Wars Rebels story)

Braiding and Bonding

“Bakunyuu, huh?” Sabine asked, looking over the datapad in her hands. She sat in her painted seat in the cockpit of the Ghost as Hera navigated the stars. “Never heard of it. What kind of planet is it?”

Pressing a few buttons over her head, Hera put the ship in auto-pilot. The captain turned to the Mandalorian. “It’s a small planet in the Outer Rim. It’s mostly a farming planet with very minimal Imperial presence. We’ll lay low there for now, especially considering the fact we have three Jedi Padawans and two Jedi teachers with us.”

“Was it the greatest idea to put all the Jedi in the same basket?” Athena questioned, sitting in the chair next to Sabine, elbows on her knees as she was hunched over in boredom. “I mean, aren’t we five the last of them? Why are all of us in the same group?”

Kanan paused for a moment, sitting in the co-pilot seat next to Hera. He never considered Athena’s point - all of the Jedi being in one place.

“Well, you all will be pretty hidden on this planet as long as you don’t draw attention to yourselves,” Hera said. “Ezra, Rae, Kanan, and Ahsoka all have records on them from the Empire, but the Empire doesn’t know about you. You’re gonna have to try and keep it that way for now.”

“Yes they do. They hunted my mother down on Earth to try and find me,” Athena pointed out, seemingly numb to the idea of her mother being dead. It was so nonchalant.

“Well, you were an infant and they never even got to see you then,” Kanan said. “They have no clue what you look like or what you can do. Best to keep it that way.”

A skeptical frown formed in the corner of Athena’s mouth as she sat and pondered there. She jumped a little as Ezra spoke up behind her, leaning his arms on the top of her seat. She forgot he was even there.

“So...did you guys find out anything else about your mom?” Ezra questioned.

“She was a Jedi Knight who was killed on Earth,” Kanan admitted. “I’m not sure how she could have had me, though, seeing in the old Jedi Order forbade relationships.”

“Maybe she quit,” Athena shrugged.

“Maybe…” Kanan pondered. But why was he given to the Jedi Order, then? If his mother had quit, it would be highly unusual for her to give her son to the Order she had left.

“How long until we reach this planet?” Athena questioned.

“About an hour or so,” Hera said. “We’ll set up camp a little ways away from their capital city so we can get supplies when need be.”

Athena stood and began to walk out of the cockpit as she gave a wave, “Alright, wake me up when we’re there. I’m tired.”
____

Before she knew it, Athena was lying on her back in the common room being shaken awake. She groaned and opened her eyes, unsure on who was waking her up and for what: the Mortis Gods for training, the Ghost crew to announce their arrival on Bakunyuu, or maybe someone on Earth waking her up from this hellish fever dream.

When she finally was able to decipher the face above hers as Rae, Athena figured out quickly where she was. She sat up and yawned, not as grateful as she should have been for that hour of pure rest on the common room’s couch. The Jedi Padawan with dark hair explained to Athena that they were at their destination and they had nothing to do for the moment.