Card of Heart

Chapter 15 - Tatooine

Author's Note: One chapter left. :')

~ Amina Gila

The tension hanging in the air is practically crushing Ahsoka, and she paces back and forth in the cockpit, her fear only growing. Anakin is fiddling with something in the corner of the ship, but she can tell he's not really seeing it. He's probably feeling even worse than her. She wishes there was something she could say, but there isn't. No reassurances will help. All she can do is offer her silent support, the same way he is to her.

Being around Anakin always used to make her feel safe and protected. It still does, but now, she understands that he can't protect her from everything, even if he'll do his best. And maybe that's what scares her the most. Because if Anakin can't handle something, then who can?

The ship finally jolts out of hyperspace, and the familiar dustbowl of Tatooine comes into view. It reminds her abruptly of when she first became Anakin's padawan. Things have changed so much since then, it's hard to believe it was only four years ago.

"Are you ready?" Anakin asks quietly, turning to her.

"Are you?"

"You do not have to come if –"

It's a very good thing he's flying the ship right now, because Ahsoka is very tempted to whack him over the head. "Of course, I'm coming with you! Why would you ever think I wouldn't?!"

"All of us will not make it out."

She draws in a breath, refusing to let her fear show. She has to control it; Sidious will feed off it otherwise. "I know. And that's all the more reason I'm not letting you go alone."

They spend the rest of the ride down to the surface in relative silence. Not that there's anything to say. Her fear is only mounting, desperation and determination humming under her skin. She needs a fight to let it out.

This is a fight they have to be ready for and win. There won't be any second chances. Sidious will kill all of them, no question about that. The only exception might be Anakin, and Ahsoka is pretty sure whatever fate he would give him instead would be something far worse than death. So, no, there is absolutely no room for failure.

***

Even if Anakin didn't already know where to go, he can sense the darkness of Sidious' presence. It sends an involuntary chill through him, and suddenly he wonders if having the fight here is actually a very bad idea. He knows how Sidious manipulates, and on a place like Tatooine... it would be far too easy to distract Anakin. At the same time, it reminds him of so many dark things, that it makes it easier to draw strongly on the Dark Side. It goes both ways.

Of course, it's hardly ideal for extended fighting, thanks to the heat, but that works to Sidious' disadvantage too, since he's wearing black. (Although Anakin and Ahsoka are, as well...)

But there's no turning back now, and they all know it. From the feel of it, the battle has already begun. As they fly overhead, he can see the flashes of clashing lightsabers down below and maneuvers the ship to the ground a short distance away. Sidious and Maul are both there, and they're fighting Obi-Wan, Vos, and Yoda?

Behind them, there's a number of Sidious' Senate guards, but all of them are staying out of the way, waiting to intervene at a time they won't accidentally shoot Sidious instead, probably.

For a moment Anakin is almost frozen to the spot as he watches. It's the first time he's seen Obi-Wan in so long. He didn't realize until this very moment how much he missed him. For as much as he loves the rest of his family, it will never be complete without Obi-Wan, and he knows it.