It's Commander Tano, Not Padawan

Chapter 21

Ahsoka did not deviate. She did not pause. Did not acknowledge those amber eyes and questioning, tilted visors that stopped to take in the grim scene marching by.

The messenger of Death faltered for no man, and she cloaked herself in that role. In the duty which was stripping her bare, one layer of flesh at a time.

But her anchor was there, an ever-present shadow covering her six.

Four pairs of grief-stricken, golden-brown orbs weighed on her as they stepped into the now cramped crematorium, a white-noise hum of the ship swelling to fill the vacuum which Fives had unwillingly abandoned.

Kix, Jesse, Coric, Ridge.

She could almost trick herself into believing it was real.

It's real to them.

Self-disgusted acid stung the back of her throat.

But no, Ahsoka Tano would will herself into a being of durasteel, melt herself down to be reformed into pure beskar. At least until she knew Fives was safe.

Until he was on that ship off Coruscant, she had a job to do.

Her voice was quiet, the antithesis of her trademark enthusiasm. It was solemn, drawn, and tired, but rang clear.

"Men," she paused. "Do you know why I asked Kix to bring you here?"

Silence reigned supreme, before Jesse, hands balled into fists at his side replied darkly, "He didn't give us the details, sir, but I'm sure we could make a pretty good guess." His eyes never left the black bag floating innocuously in between them.

You are beskar.

Ahsoka nodded, heart clenched tight in her chest, jaw set. "I'm sure most of you already know, but Rex and I were tasked with locating and securing Fives to bring him back to the Jedi Temple. While we completed the first part of that objective there were... complications."

Their anger-pain-grief was an abysmal darkness, threatening to engulf her if she didn't maintain her shields.

"Rex and I met with Fives and I agreed to his request to lay down our weapons. Once he came into range, I used to the Force to grab one of Rex's pistols, stunning him. My aim was... not as true as it should have been. Later, in transit to the Temple, Fives woke, surprising Rex. Fives stunned him before turning the blaster on himself."

In all technicality, Ahsoka knew she didn't have to explain what had officially happened. Officially, their assignment didn't even exist. As far as the records of the Jedi Council went, Captain CT-7567 and Commander Tano were never assigned to obtain and return with AWOL ARC-5555 to the Jedi Temple.

But her men deserved better than that.

Even if it is a lie.

Ahsoka didn't miss the heavy, almost suspicious glance that Kix and Jesse shared.

That's going to be a problem.

"I've been given permission to allow Fives' cremation aboard the Resolute, but I'm sorry, you must be quick."

Gruffly, Ridge asked, "Why, if we have permission?"

A couple of years ago, Ahsoka would have winced at her admittance, but all she did was stare back into his darkened eyes, and blankly said, "Anakin didn't exactly ask for the Council's approval and the Guard doesn't know we have him, but we both know how quick word gets around in the GAR."

Allowing her gaze to sweep across the rest of the boys, Ahsoka mercilessly kept going. This was a minor, but crucial detail. "One other thing, don't open the bag. We were unable to discern if there was a virus linked to Tup and Fives and we can't risk it spreading."