When She Was Gone

Chapter 15

~12 years earlier~

Ahsoka jerked awake in the copilot's seat as Sain began to screech. Anakin glanced at her and turned the cockpit lights back on. She stretched and turned to look at the green baby in the back.

She heaved herself out of the chair, fixed her tube top and unbuckled Sain from the workbench. The straps were still there from when they had to take care of Rotta, Jabba's son.

She went back to the copilot's seat and placed the small Mirialan on her lap. "Morning, Snips," Anakin said, dropping the ship out of hyperspace. Ahsoka rubbed her eyes.

"How long was I asleep, Master?"

"Long enough. You don't sleep well in those shuttles, do you?"

She shook her head. "I'm surprised anyone can sleep in those things. I'd take a supplement, but I can't be falling asleep on the battlefield."

"Mmm." Coruscant's towering skyscrapers came into view. He glanced at Sain, who was now asleep again in the Padawan's lap. "You should take the next mission that we're going to have a kid on our hands. You seem to be able to handle it."

Ahsoka looked down at the boy she was holding. "You think so, Master?"

"Yeah," he said, engaging the landing sequence. "You've got a way with younglings."

She smiled and stood, placing Sain on her chest. The ramp lowered and she stepped out into the bright light.

Sain's very worried mother lit up when she saw her son. She began to speak in rapid Mirialan, and the protocol droid next to her translated as fast as he could.

"She thanks you for bringing her son back quickly, and says that you are welcome in her village at any time that you are in need of..." he trailed off and asked her something. "Safe asylum."

~12 years later~

Makari watched Skywalker carefully in the cell's camerafeed. He had been known to escape. But this time he seemed resigned.

What are you playing at, Skywalker?

Suddenly Kos was at her elbow. She jumped.

"Are you all right, my lady?" He asked quietly.

"What do you need, Kos?" She said exasperatedly, not looking up from the surveillance screen.

He leaned forward and placed a projector disk on the console before her. It erupted with blue light, and an image of fifteen Clone Wars-era starfighters appeared. One of them had the markings of a Jedi General.

"What do these have any relevance to, Kos? I am in the middle of something."

"My lady, these starfighters are forming attack position one parsec away. They're all preparing to jump to hyperspace in our direction."

Makari straightened herself up a bit and looked more closely at the hologram. "Raise shields and prepare the TIEs for intercept if need be."

"Yes, my lady."

~~

One hour earlier

Padmé watched as her son climbed into his father's old starfighter. She had dug out the old garage door—not the one that lead to the workshop, but one that lead to a small hangar Anakin had built. Luke had stood there, wide-eyed, as she removed the cover from the yellow ship. 

She had tried—very hard—to get him not to fly, but he'd been insistent. And she couldn't deny that he was a good pilot. Still, eleven was a young age to fight TIEs.

But she'd seen him pilot with Anakin and Leia; he had incredible talent. He could take care of himself. Plus, Master Luminara was rondezvousing with him just above the atmosphere, and she said she "had friends." And since she couldn't fly, Padmé had to trust his judgement.

The fighter lifted into the air. Luke saluted his mother, grinned, then turned and flew up out of her sight.

Stay safe, baby.

~~

Obi-Wan had successfully escaped without alerting any TIEs, but he knew it wasn't luck. Ahsoka had let them go.

In any case, he was headed to Mirial. Anakin and Ahsoka had gained some friends there a while back; now he could only hope the hospitality extended to himself and Leia.

"Where are we going?" She asked from the back.

"Mirial," he said. "Your father made some friends here during the war." He glanced back at her and she raised an eyebrow.

"I've been tossed in an Imperial prison, backstabbed, and am currently missing my father to someone he 'knows', so no offense, but I'm skeptical when you say 'friends.'"

Obi-Wan sighed. "Little one, you are just going to have to trust me." Mirial came into view below them. "Brace yourself, it's going to be a rough landing."