How to Take an Empire

Chapter Forty-Two: Geonosis

Compared to all her other missions, a quick recon to verify the existence of a planet-destroying battle station was a simple task. Either it was there, or it wasn't. Ahsoka hadn't figured out exactly what to do about the battle station if it actually existed.

Despite knowing that he wouldn't answer, Ahsoka tried to comm Vader anyway. Like she expected, he didn't pick up when she found a private moment to call him hours before they left. But even if he had, then what? Either he denied the existence of this super battle station, and she still took a scouting team to look for the object in case it was another thing Palpatine was hiding from him. Or he confirmed its existence, and then they'd have to have a long conversation about why he'd never told her about it. A conversation Ahsoka wasn't prepared to have if Vader proved to have plans for a planet-killing machine other than completely destroying it.

"I know Satine gave you a hard time for it," Bo Katan said, snapping Ahsoka out her thoughts, "But I think you're exactly what this galaxy needs right now. And though my sister doesn't want to admit it, she does too."

Ahsoka didn't look away from the little window where she was staring out into the blue-white streaks of hyperspace. Bo-Katan was the first who dared to approach her since the trip had begun while everyone else gave her wide breadth as a result of her unpleasant mood. She was sure they mistakenly thought she was bothered by her conflict with Satine.

"Good to know you think so, but I don't need you to apologize for your sister. Worse things have been said to me," Ahsoka finally replied.

"I'm not apologizing for her. And she wouldn't want me to. She meant what she said, but that doesn't mean that over the years she hasn't come to understand that the galaxy needs people willing to pick a fight with the right people like you and I. And I've come to realize that we also need people like her," Bo-Katan said. "It just seems like we've been fighting for a long time for nothing. She's weary of it. We both are. We're ready for actual peace and freedom for our people."

"I think we all are," Ahsoka replied. At least she hoped. Because a planet-killing machine wasn't peace and freedom. That was terror. And she wondered if Vader was aware of that.

"You need to get that?"

Ahsoka finally looked away from the window, down at the comm she used to contact Vader on her utility belt. She'd put it on the silent setting, but it didn't stop the red indicator light from beeping to notify her that she had an incoming call.

"No," Ahsoka said, moving the device into one of the zippers on her belt instead of on the clip.

There were too many people around to answer a call from Vader right now. And even if there weren't, what he said wouldn't matter. They were less than a couple of hours out from Geonosis.

If Bo Katan thought the action was strange, she didn't comment on it and instead left Ahsoka once again. Obi-wan approached her next. An expert at dealing with Anakin when he'd gotten into one of his moods after a mission gone wrong or a reprimanding from the Council, justified or not, Ahsoka was unsurprised that her sour mood didn't deter him.

"Credit for your thoughts?" he asked.

"I'm not upset with Satine if that's what you're asking."

"If that's what I thought, I would have asked," Obi-wan said. "Something else is bothering you."

Ahsoka smiled. Even after all this time apart, he still knew her.

"Don't worry. I think I'm a lot more mindful of my emotions now than when I was a Jedi," Ahsoka said, managing a teasing tone.

Obi-wan, however, winced at the comment. Ahsoka frowned, turning from the window to look at him.

"I..." he trailed off before gaining his composure and saying, "I actually owe you an apology."