The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano, Book Ten

Chapter Thirty-Two: I'm Going After Her Myself

AHSOKA TANO

Janira... missing?

It took Ahsoka's brain a solid ten seconds to process what she had just heard. One look at Lux told her the exact same thing was happening to him, except that he had gone a full two shades paler and looked like a man who had just received a death sentence. He was still too shocked to speak.

Her tongue felt like lead in her mouth, but she managed to whisper, "What?"

"Your sister-in-law. Janira Bonteri. She's missing," Kaya Ti repeated. "She was on a fuel run with Phoenix Squadron. The mission ended in a success thanks to her, but the Star Destroyer was jamming their communications – the pilots were only able to check in when they got back, so we just found out now. We're running sensor sweeps, but, frankly, our scanners are a mess with all the debris we have to map around. We just don't have the range."

"Boost them by restricting the search to Human body heat signatures only: that's the ninety-one to ninety-five degrees range. Send whatever pilots aren't injured or about to drop dead out to make a larger grid," Ahsoka ordered. "And if Commander Sato objects, tell him..." Ahsoka bit her lip. "Tell him she's an old family friend and that I'll take full responsibility of any breaches in protocol."

"On it."

"When was the battle?" she asked, the knuckles on her right hand white where she was gripping the transmitter.

"Ninety-six standard minutes ago."

An hour and a half. Okay. There's still a chance. Ahsoka nodded slowly. "My ETA is four hours. Let Commander Sato and Captain Syndulla I'm coming – I may need their help. Do everything you possibly can until I get there."

As Kaya nodded and ended the call, Ahsoka rose to her feet and took off down the hallway. Thankfully, the coordinates her Padawan was sending her led to a system less than half an hour away, but there was still not a second to lose.

Please, let there still be time... Hang on, Jani.

She crossed the docking portal between the White Saber and the Hope, and Lux hobbled after her, the cast on his leg bumping awkwardly against the floor with every step he took.

"Lux, go back to the Saber," Ahsoka said, not even bothering to stop. "Rex and the boys are en route to Cialone, and you need to get to a bacta tank before you make your leg worse."

"Ahsoka, you can't expect me to just sit idly by while Jani's in danger!"

Ahsoka took hold of his arms to stop him from brushing past her towards the cockpit, her gaze meeting his imploringly. "Lux, you're still hurt. I can't let you go out there. And besides, someone has to watch the kids."

"Rex and the guys can watch the kids. They were doing that just fine on their own until we rendezvoused with them on Tatooine."

"Lux, you know how they get if they're without us for too long. They need at least one of us with them." Ahsoka sighed. "Look, how many times did you have to tell me during any of the times I was pregnant to stay where it was safest for me?"

"You always went out there anyways, no matter what I said or what the costs were." Lux shook his head, his grey eyes frantic. "Ahsoka, she's my sister."

"And they were my friends. I'm worried for her too. Believe me, there is nothing I want more than you by my side, but we need you here more than anything."

"I can still help." Lux's expression remained steadfast and determined, but Ahsoka could tell his resolve was slipping. "There has to be something else I can do."