Chasing Speeders (Arisoka)

Prolouge

20BBY
THE CITADEL

Ahsoka Tano's pov

"Commander Tano." Ari addressed me with all the respect of a soldier, respect I'd never seen her show before.

"Cammander Shimara." I returned with a grin and a salute of my own, unaware of the severity behind her action. If only I'd looked closer and noticed that flicker in her eyes...

"Ari! We have to move immediately!" Master Starfallen called out from down the hall and as she did I knew we needed to be moving on. We had to save (y/n) and Anakin. Unfortunately that was all that was on my mind.

"Well, until we meet again, see you around Soka." Ari replied, that being the last thing she'd ever say to me. She turned her back after waving and ran off...

I wish now that I'd followed her...

Those few moments play out in my mind each and every morning before I wake and every night before I fall asleep. I can still remember her smile, only now I see the sadness it hid and the fear in her eyes. My heart ached every time I recall that expression of hers, only now knowing the burden placed upon her shoulders. Ari knew she was going to die that day, and I was to helpless to do a thing about it...

I stood there on the burning rocks...

I watched the building explode with her still inside...

I felt as her presence faded from the force, and with it took the joy from my heart. I'd never realised until that moment just how much I truly cared for her. But the pain was enough of a sign, I knew when I felt it surge through my soul that this went beyond the hurt of loosing an ally. I'd fallen hard for that amazing bundle of light and joy...but realised to late.

'She can't be gone...'
Repeated in my head again and again as I stood their watching the flames climb up into the night sky. My skin had become numb - I didn't even feel as Rex pulled me from where I stood. The pain was all consuming, I wasn't even aware of my own screams as I voiced my agony to this cruel universe.

All I could see was that smile of hers, the sad one, the one that gave so much respect to me and me alone...

I didn't deserve her awe, I didn't. Not when I was the coward that never even confronted my own feelings. Ari was like the sun, without her the galaxy suddenly felt cold and devoid of life. For half my life she'd always been right there beside me, I surprise I took it for granted she'd remain there forever.

I should've realised how precious our time truly was...

That day I lost more than just a friend, I lost the single person I needed most in this entire galaxy and there's not a day that goes by I don't miss her. So when I came to here of her final plan - the one she died protecting, the plan that would save us all even after her passing. Once I read that letter that broke my heart and saw the path she'd laid out...there was no way I could refuse her this final wish. See there was something unwritten amongst those words that gave me hope, a simply expression that made my heart skip over a beat.

'Until we meet again, may the force be with you Ahsoka.'

Those few words, they set my mind back to our final interaction - to the exact words she told me.

'Well, until we meet again, see you around Soka'

Maybe I was wrong or stupidly hopeful but never did she say a single goodbye. Not to me: not to master, not to Cal, not even to Damien. Every message was a good luck never a goodbye. Perhaps I was clutching at stardust but in my mind I needed this hope to cling - the hope that if I followed her plan, perused each step. That if I saved the galaxy....I might see her again.

That was a cause worth risking my life to succeed in. There was no length I wouldn't go to in order to find where she may be, even if it was within the force itself we met again I would be content with such a result so long as I could tell her what I needed to most.

Forever together, that was our pact...

Three little words...that's all I needed to say...