Redemption

The Final Steps

Soon enough, Ahsoka made her way to the shuttle station. She put herself in the back of the line to board so no one would see her employ her... persuasive tactics.

"Ticket, please," the shuttle driver said.

"I do not require a ticket," Ahsoka said, waving her hand.

"You do not require a ticket," he repeated.

Ahsoka smiled and walked to the back of the shuttle. No one bothered her the whole way into the city.

Ahsoka pulled her traveling cloak tighter around her. She couldn't afford to be recognized. She was supposed to be dead, after all.

Her journey to the Imperial compound was thankfully uneventful. Instead of sneaking her way past the guards and running the risk of being caught, Ahsoka decided to climb onto the roof and try to sense wherever the AT-ATs were.

Eventually, she came upon a shipyard full of TIE fighters and other Imperial transportation/fighting vehicles, AT-ATs included.

Ahsoka sat on the roof, letting her feet dangle over the edge.

Not much to do here but meditate, I guess. Then I'll know for sure when Governor Pryce arrives.

So Ahsoka meditated.

She could sense the darkness that was Governor Pryce pretty easily. She was doing some paperwork. Suddenly, Ahsoka sensed something else... someone else, someone in pain. It must have been Hera. No one else in the compound had any notable Force signatures.

Soon you'll be free, Ahsoka thought. We'll all be free.

A few minutes later, a voice called out to her. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was back in the World Between Worlds. Assuming the voice of the Living Force had called her there, Ahsoka spoke.

"I'm assuming you brought me here for a reason?"

"We wanted to congratulate you. In the end, your destiny is no one's but your own and you did not have to return here to save Kanan. But you did."

"Nice to know I'm on the right path to saving him, then."

"Unfortunately, this will be the last of our guidance. We will not speak again."

"Well, thanks for your help. I think I've got it from here."

Ahsoka smiled and she could swear she felt the voice smile she too.

When Ahsoka blinked again, she was back on the roof. The sun had set, bathing her surroundings in a soft orange light that Ahsoka would have appreciated had she not been distracted by the movement below.

Governor Pryce was leading a squad of stormtroopers to the AT-ATs. Ahsoka stood up and ran as close as she could get to the vehicles from the roof. Using the Force, she propelled herself onto the one closest to her. In their hurry, the stormtroopers hadn't noticed her above them.

Ahsoka couldn't just cut a hole for herself in the roof, that was too loud. She had to actually use the proper entrance.

Carefully, Ahsoka slid down the walker, catching herself on the edge. She hung there for a moment, surveying the AT-AT's underbelly. When she saw a latch, she knew what to do.

Ahsoka swung back and forth, building momentum until she was sure she could make it to the latch handle. After swinging back one last time, she let go. She grabbed the handle but the force of her momentum pulled her forward, subsequently opening the latch door.

Uh oh.

One of Ahsoka's hands reached behind her, searching for the ladder that she sincerely hoped existed. Thankfully, her hand found purchase and she climbed up as fast as she could. It was only a matter of time before the bucket heads realized something was wrong, after all.