Daughter of Mortis

Forgotten

16 years earlier...

"How did they find us?"

"I don't know. We've got to get her out of here. They want her."

"You take her. I'll hold them off as long as I can."

"No, you go. I'll stay behind."

The brown haired man grabbed the Togruta female by the shoulders. "Ahsoka, if she is as powerful as you say she is, she will need someone who can train her. I can't. I don't know anything about the Force. She needs her mother."

Ahsoka glanced at the sleeping Togruta in the cradle, then back at the man. "Lux Bonteri, I am not..."

"There's no time. They'll break in any minute. Get to the ship and go."

Ahsoka drew in a deep breath and quickly kissed Lux. "We both love you." She drew a lightsaber off her belt and grabbed the baby. Lux rushed and grabbed a blaster pistol for each hand. Ahsoka paused only once, glancing back at him.

"Just go!" He waved a hand vigorously.

There was a loud banging on the door. "Open up! You are harboring fugitives of the Empire. Any resistance will be futile."

"Then come in and get them!" Lux taunted.

Ahsoka ignited her lightsaber and bolted out onto the rooftop landing pad. Several Imperial stormtroopers waited, blasters trained on her and the child. She heard faint sounds echoing from within the apartment below her, then Lux burst through the door. He quickly blasted the keypad next to it, sealing the door shut.

"Ahsoka Tano and Lux Bonteri, you are under arrest for crimes against the Galactic Empire. You are to be executed and the child is to be taken to Lord Vader," the commanding trooper said.

"Vader will never touch my daughter," Ahsoka growled. She reversed her white lightsaber in her hand, squaring off. Lux set a new charge in each of his blaster pistols.

"Open fire!" Th squad of troopers began blasting at them, with no pause between volleys.

Ahsoka pulled the Force around her, enveloping herself in its calming currents. She deflected bolt after bolt, working her way forward. The child in her arms looked around, whimpering. Ahsoka quickly shushed her and continued pressing forward. Lux blasted at the troopers, following behind Ahsoka.

Ahsoka reached out with the Force, scattering the stormtroopers all over the landing pad, rendering them unconscious. She paused on the ship's boarding ramp, panting. She deactivated her lightsaber and replaced it on her belt. Then she held a hand out to Lux. He grasped it firmly, smiling at her as she pulled him forward. The echo of a blaster bolt rang out.

"Lux!" Ahsoka cried out.

He looked down at the black carbon scoring that razed through his chest. His wide brown eyes searched Ahsoka's blue ones as he slowly crumpled to the ground. His hand fell limply from her grasp. The baby began crying, obviously sensing its mothers distress.

Ahsoka fought back her tears as she rolled Lux's body off the ramp and closed it. She held their child close and ran to the cockpit, preparing to take off. She passed the child into the hands of their family protocol droid. She lifted off the landing pad just as more stormtroopers arrived. She fed more power into the thrusters and they jettisoned the city. Ahsoka entered a set of coordinates into the navicomputer and activated the hyperdrive. The stars blurred before her, then disappeared as they left Onderon far behind them.