The Unchronicled Adventures of Ahsoka Tano, Book Eight

Chapter Sixty-Five: When The Time Comes

AHSOKA TANO

Two hours later, the briefing – which Ahsoka and Lux hadn't actually been late for, thankfully – was concluded. Ahsoka was talking with Lux, Christo and Amni about the four of them possibly combining efforts to use the Force to heal some of the more injured soldiers.

It was an important conversation, but Ahsoka couldn't help but notice strange pains in her lower abdomen. But she bit her lip and ignored them, as she had for the past few months when her pregnancy had given her trouble.

While listening to Amni speak, she looked around the hallway at all the people gathered there, who were chatting in small groups or heading off to preform their other duties around the base. Her eyes landed on Captain Rex, who was, strangely enough, without Commander Cody. She was surprised. The two didn't voluntarily part unless they were assigned to different shifts or places.

The captain, who had his helmet off, made eye contact, then nodded towards an adjacent hallway that was a little less populated. She nodded back, understanding that he was asking to speak with her in private.

"Excuse me," she said to the other Jedi and her husband, and walked over to see what Rex wanted to talk about.

"General," he said. "Do you have a moment?"

"Of course, Rex. What is it?"

He sighed. "It's... It's Cody. He didn't make it through the battle."

"Rex, I'm so sorry!" Ahsoka said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"General, I've lost some of my closest friends. Either today or during the Clone Wars, a lot of people I've gotten to know were forced to leave before it was their time. And I'm... I'm kind of getting sick of it."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

He rubbed at the little scar where the chips that made the clones obedient had been taken out. None of them really needed them anymore. "I'd like to set out on my own for a while. Commander Wolffe, and Captain Gregor, the supervisor down on Kamino... They want to go too. If you give the okay, General, then–"

"Say no more, Captain, I understand," she said. "It can do a person a lot of good to take a trip, long or short. You've been at this for quite a few years now, Rex. You deserve to choose where you go and what you do next."

A small smile came onto his face. "Thank you, General."

She took a comlink out of her bag. "Here, take this. I won't call you unless in a time of desperate need, but know that you can call me. Just in case someone ever mentions my name, remember that few people know that I actually finished my Jedi training. As far as the others go, I'm Commander Tano, not General."

"Of course," he said, nodding.

"And know that you'll always have a place here with us, Rex."

"I know... Ahsoka." Then, with a quick salute, he walked off down the hallway. But she didn't feel any sadness. Somehow, she knew that she would see her good friend again, be it sooner or later. And she hoped that it would be sooner.

As was part of the plan that had been discussed during the briefing, the Jedi and about a third of the forces in the base would go back to Onderon. Despite the presence of Imperial cruisers hovering just beyond the planetary shield surrounding the planet's atmosphere, there was a reasonable chance of success.

"Okay, everyone!" she hollered to the Jedi, Rebel Troopers and soldiers that had been assigned to the New Hope. "Get on board and we'll lift off!"

Two of the troopers loaded the last crate into the cargo hold, then gave her the okay to take off. She was flying with Lux as her copilot, because – although no one really wanted to admit it – she was probably the best pilot on the ship. She had learned from the best, after all.

"I miss you already, SkyGuy," she whispered, keying in the startup cycle. The engines hummed, and the ship was soon flying through the atmosphere. A message from the base came onscreen, informing her that the shield had been deactivated partway. This would allow ships to leave the planet, but no Imperial forces to get in.

"You okay, Socks?" asked Lux, rubbing her shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just – AAH!" She broke off in a cry of pain, her breathing speeding up as her body tried to compensate for the excruciating that she was suddenly feeling. She clutched her stomach, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Ahsoka!" Lux yelled.

She gasped, suddenly realizing what was going on. "Lux, I think you'll have to get someone else to fly the ship."

"Why? Ahsoka, what's wrong?"

"My water broke." Lux's eyes widened to the maximum, and she gritted her teeth against another wave of pain. "The baby... It's coming!"

*And so the time has come for Ahsoka to give birth. But it couldn't have come at a less opportune time. Will the Jedi, aboard the New Hope get to the surface in time? And what has become of Darth Vader, and of Maul's apprentice, whose identity still remains a mystery? You'll find out in the next brilliant chapter of The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano!

There. It's done. Ahsoka's gonna be going into labor veeeeerryyyyy shortly. The book is drawing to a close, and I think that it will be over in a couple of chapters. And then it will be ONTO BOOK NINE!!!

And did you all notice how I keep setting the scene for Star Wars Rebels, seasons 1 and 2? I had to get Rex out of the picture, so I killed Cody. Sorry if any of you out there are mad at me now...

So, anyways, another chapter will be up soon. Bye!

Lead yourself and your loved ones to your inevitable destruction and may the Force be with you,

Sharron