Whirlwind of Chaos

Chapter 67 - Resolve

Author's Note: We've been going over the rest of our plans for this fic, and I think it's only fair to tell the readers that we've really lost a lot of the interest we had in it at the beginning. We're not going to cut out anything major that we had in mind, but we're going to majorly condense the rest of our plans so we can wind down the fic quickly, and move on to other projects. But don't worry, it's still going to have a cohesive ending that I think addresses all the points in the fic thus far. :D So if there's anything you really want to see, now would be the time to mention it. XD

~ Tirana Sorki

Anakin keeps the hood pulled low over his head as he stands amidst the thongs of people at the funeral on Naboo. Coming here was risky, but he couldn't not. Maybe Anakin didn't know Kitster well, but he was still a distant friend. He... did so much, helped free so many people, helped Anakin's movement to do the same, and now he's gone.

Anakin doesn't know how it happened. He was considering going to Padme, but with the commotion involving Kitster's death, he figured it would be safer to keep a distance. Maybe he can go to find Senator Organa once this is over.

He slips away from the crowd before the ceremony is entirely finished so he'll have time to disappear. He's making his way silently through the halls of the Nubian palace, to get off the balcony as the fastest escape route, when he's certain he feels eyes on him. Someone's watching him, following him.

And it feels... suspiciously familiar, but he doesn't dare reach out with the Force. He's been carefully shielding his Force presence since everything fell in the first place, so no one will sense him.

"Anakin?" a voice asks from behind him, right when he's stepping out onto the balcony, and he freezes.

It's –

He spins around, staring at the hooded Togruta.

"Ahsoka?" he asks, incredulously.

Of course, she's here. He really shouldn't be so surprised about it. Kitster was her friend, and they were close. Of course, she came to his funeral, though he thought... he should have known she wasn't dead, but he still never thought he'd see her again so soon. But her being alive comes with a long series of... other implications which Anakin is not ready to think about yet.

But at least she's alive. She's here and alive, and that's what matters most to him right now. He'd been so afraid that she wouldn't be, that –

"Anakin?" she replies. She seems relieved, but also... something else. Now that he's actually looking at her, she feels dark. He doesn't know what it means. No one couldn't feel dark after everything that's happened, but there's something... "I'm glad you're okay. I didn't expect to see you here."

"I didn't know what happened to you, what happened to anyone. I – "

"Come with me," Ahsoka requests, but there's something in her eyes that he can't trust. A chill snakes down his spine. "I can take you somewhere you'll be safe."

"Where've you been?" he asks, "I've been... hiding. I don't know what to do."

"You don't need to hide, Anakin," she replies, "I know you. You've always been loyal to the Republic. And we finally have the chance to bring order like we were trying to throughout the entire war."

And then he just knows. He feels cold. Force. This can't be happening. Mortis... He remembers that too well. "You're with the Empire, aren't you?" he breathes, voice shaking.

"I did what I had to do, Anakin. You weren't there. The Jedi were going to forcibly take control of the Republic. I gave them the chance to stand down, everyone at the Temple, and very few chose to take it. If they wanted justice, if they wanted to live instead of a senseless fight to the death, they could've taken it."