Battle for Earth

I'm proud of you

The crew walked out further from the shade of the base as the sun began to set and the Phantom came into view. Athena had told of her senses to the crew after she was done with the majority of crying. They seemed to be in disbelief and denial when Athena told them of something being majorly wrong with Kanan and Ahsoka being dead, but her senses were proven to be true as Ezra supported his blind Master out of the ship with Kanan having a wrap around his eyes.

Hera was the first to approach the two, but Athena did not approach at all as she stayed far behind in the shadows. Hera examined Kanan as she saw the wrap on where his eyes once where. She embraced him in a hug as they said nothing.

Zeb, Sabine, Cyla, Onthant, and Rae stood not too far from behind the group and seemed to slump in sadness and depression as they realized Athena had told the truth. Rex came up between the group and made eye contact with Ezra. Ezra told everything through his electric blue eyes as he stared back at Rex.

Rex took a long blink and sigh as he wished this was a dream, but he knew he couldn't wake up from this nightmare as Ahsoka wasn't coming back. Ezra closed his eyes too as he still couldn't process everything.

Athena watched in the shadows as she sat on a crate and her eyes still glowed red. She sighed as she watched her blind brother having to be supported by Hera to be passed to her parents as they supported him.

It was supposed to be a happy moment. They had gotten the final concession from America and they were guaranteed no interference from America as they would remain neutral. It was agreed upon Athena's terms, but the final stages had to be carried out by Commander Sato as Athena had hidden from everyone after she gave the news. She hadn't talked to a single soul since she had given the news. She just lurked in the shadows and watched.

She watched her entire family except for one head back to the Ghost. Rex soon left as he didn't want to intrude. Athena watched from beyond and nearly shut out every feeling she got of feeling Ezra's and Kanan's presence. She could tell they both reached out to her in the Force as they searched for her. She felt the pure anger that filled Ezra as well as the guilt and sorrow. She even felt the lost sensation her brother emitted.

Tears welled in her eyes and felt like acid as she stayed there in the darkness in silence. She felt so lost, so angry, so much guilt...she felt scarred.

What was going to happen to Ahsoka in the afterlife? Where does she go?

For the first time in what seemed forever, Athena looked to the sky and put her hands together as she prayed. She prayed just like she had learned back on Earth in her religion of Christianity. She prayed for guidance and protection over the soul of her Master. She prayed for strength to get through this time for everyone, especially her brother. She prayed for a good ten or twenty minutes before she heard a voice from behind her.

"You're a Christian?"

Athena's red eyes turned to Jalo. She answered, "Yes."

"I hear it's a common religion on Earth. It makes sense you would learn it. But what confuses me is that you still pray under it," Jalo spoke.

"Look, I'd rather not talk, ok?" Athena snapped. "I want to be alone."

"It's not a good idea for you to seclude yourself from everyone, you know," Jalo told. "Not unless you want to keep those eyes for good."

"This happens a lot; it'll pass," Athena seemed to growl as she glared at Jalo.

"Look, I should know of eyes turning better than almost anyone here. I can tell you right now that I regret not talking to anyone more than anything. I let all of my feelings of hate, sorrow, and guilt build up inside me until I turned to the Dark side nearly permanently because the Empire knew how to exploit that. From not ever letting others in. And it's a hard thing to turn back," Jalo warned. "And I don't even know about that triangle on your neck."