The Unchronicled Adventures of Ahsoka Tano, Book Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight: What Could Have Been

ANAKIN SKYWALKER

Anakin led Padme into Obi-Wan’s modest home. The way the house was built was that one had to pass through a short hallway before one could get to the main rooms. He cautiously poked his head around the corner. What he saw made him smile, and he nodded for Padme to follow.

Obi-Wan, Luke, Biggs, Rex and Christo were all sleeping. And out of all of them, Rex was the only one who had maintained some dignity in his sleep, reclining against the wall, his arms crossed. Biggs and Christo were lying, their arms and legs splayed out, on the floor. Obi-Wan was lying down on the couch haphazardly, and Anakin’s son was asleep on top of him. His old Master was smiling, as if he had fallen asleep happy, and was having a good dream.

His fingers linked with Padme’s, and they shared a look full of love. Had things worked out differently, this was exactly how Anakin would have imagined his future. Obi-Wan as the kind and loving uncle, Luke as the brash little boy he was… But there was something missing. His daughter, the one he had never met.

Suddenly Obi-Wan’s eyes opened. Putting a finger to his lips, Anakin’s old Master made a motion for him to lift Luke up. Anakin nodded, and used the Force to lift Luke about four feet above his old Master. Once Obi-Wan was clear, Anakin put his son softly down and covered him up with a blanket.

“Hello, Anakin,” he said softly when they were out of the room. “Who’s this you have with you?”

Anakin was about to reply, but Obi-Wan stopped him. “No, don’t tell me. I want to guess. It’s someone back from the dead.”

He knew that his old Master was joking, but Anakin was still amazed at how close to home he was. “That’s… Not a bad guess. Not at all.”

Padme took off her hood, freeing her brown mane of curls. “It’s good to see you again, Master Kenobi.”

His jaw dropped by about two inches. “You’re… You… How?”

Padme smiled. “If I told you, then I’d have to kill you.” Anakin and his Master both smiled as well. “But I can say that I went into some sort of hibernation after I ‘died’. I don’t know by what means or why, but I woke from it about a month later.”

Obi-Wan said nothing for a few moments, in deep, beard stroking thought. “I don’t know why I’m taking this so calmly, but I am,” he said finally. “I suppose that I’ve had too many surprises in the last few days that lead me to question everything I know that another has no effect on me. And likewise, Padme, it’s wonderful to see you too.”

Padme went quiet for a moment. Anakin followed her gaze, and realized that she was looking at Luke. “Is… Is that him? Is that Luke? My son?”

“Yes, Angel,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “That’s Luke Amidala-Skywalker.”

“My baby…” She gripped his hand tighter. Slowly, she walked around all of the others until she had reached the couch. She bent down next to her son. As she stroked Luke’s shaggy hair, not unlike Anakin’s own, she looked back at them.

“He looks just like his father,” she murmured. “And Leia has his spirit,.”

Anakin raised an eyebrow. “You’ve met her?”

“I got a position as her nurse and governess on Alderaan by passing off as one of my old handmaidens,” Padme said. “Up until I came here, I had been watching over her for nearly five years. She was such a talented girl, and–”

She never got to finish her sentence. An enormous crash from outside, followed closely by an explosion, cut her off. Rex was awake in a flash, blasters at the ready, and Christo jumped up. Anakin and Padme ran to the window, and Obi-Wan yanked the shutters out of the way.

A ship had crashed just a little to the north, at the mouth of the Canyon. It was charred and still burning in places, but it was – for the most part – in one piece. Anakin took a closer look, trying to find the ship’s name. But before he was done looking, he recognized its shape and size. It was the New Hope, Ahsoka’s freighter!

Then he spotted a cloaked figure running towards it. And they were carrying a red saberstaff!

“Stay here!” he yelled. “I’m going after them!” 

And he ran.

*Padme has now met her son. But the happy moment was interrupted. Ahsoka's freighter lies crashed near Obi-Wan's house, and there's no way to know for sure if there are any survivors. And who is it that's running towards the ship? What are they headed there to do? Will Anakin arrive in time to figure it out? You'll find out in the next thrilling chapter of The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano!

Discover that your best friend who's a Jedi got a Senator pregnant and may the Force be with you!

Sharron

PS: I have another chapter ready and I'll post it soon!