Blood of the Forgotten/Ch13

With Caamas a staging ground, the Indonai Imperium and the Caamas Resistance continued their conquests in the area south of the Tingel Arm. Caamas was but the first planet to be captured, and there were many on the way. The last holdout in the Cirius sector was Fisiisel. Fisiisel was a major Imperial rallying point, but the Indonai fleet surrounded it, Star Destroyers cascading down to the surface of the marsh world. Fleet Admiral Fhorot Telisel, captain of the Exticron -class battlecruiser Nemara , watched from the deck of his ship. The Glacis  had gone to battle over Ketaris, leaving him to win Fisiisel.

The final Star Destroyer turned to face the Nemara  head-on.

“Admiral! The Star Destroyer is firing up its hyperdrive!” one of the officers aboard the Nemara  yelled, and Telisel looked as the engines began to start, and he could practically feel the heat.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Evasive action! Get us out of here!” he ordered, and the ship swerved just as the Star Destroyer rammed into its side at lightspeed. The ship was cut in two, and Telisel was thrown against the front of the ship, dazed and surprised. The Star Destroyer’s act was unexpected - but was proof they had been up against a great tactician.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">One of the other battlecruisers in the Fisiisel deployment swerved towards the <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Nemara <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">, as small shuttles cascaded out of its hangar. Telisel stood, the officers in the bridge running towards the airlocks where the shuttles would be docking. Telisel himself ran, but fell towards the planet as the <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Nemara <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"> made a sudden lurch. They were being pulled down. If this was how Fhorot Telisel, the Fleet Admiral of one of the Indonai’s greatest warships, and master tactician from Forzesha, were to die, then so be it.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">The front side of the <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Nemara <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"> hurled itself towards the surface of Fisiisel, just as he felt himself weightless and being pulled towards… something. His eyes hazily opened, and a hooded figure stood on the ramp of a shuttle, pulling him closer. He was thrown into the shuttle, the ramp closed, and the <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Nemara <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"> exploded. Telisel couldn't recognize the hooded figure, but it was most definitely a human.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Wh-who saved me?” he asked, and the lady took down her hood. She was elderly.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I am Jedi Master Jocasta Nu.” she said. “And I can sense that you’re surprised… I am of a very advanced age.” Telisel stood up, his singular horn rendering him much taller than her. The single horn of a Karavi, whose species were almost entirely eradicated in a cataclysm many centuries ago. “I am not with the Indonai, but us Jedi do align ourselves with them. Not entirely, especially not with their view of the Force.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“That it is of their god, the Indo’nai. The Karavi are very different than the Javanans and Vivonahi, Master Nu. We may be genetic cousins to the Javanans, but we do not hold their same ideals. Nor do we live on the same moon.” He smirked, and walked to the cockpit of the ship, sitting in the co-pilot’s seat, a two-headed furred creature crawling to his lap.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“That is a Tufaal ferret. They may look cute… but they’re quite vicious on their homeworld of Tufaal.” Nu said, sitting in the pilot’s seat, swerving towards the second-in-command battleship, the <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Thocrau <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">. “I’ve collected many exotic animals on my journeys throughout the galaxy, Admiral. And I have let the Force bring me here.” She looked out of the viewport and made a clicking sound, and the ferret crawled over the dashboard to her, not stepping on any of the buttons. “I will allow you back to your fleet. But I must ask you a question, first.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Ask away,” he said, not entirely sure what to expect.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“What is the Planet Beyond?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">~

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">The Alliance fleet returned to the staging grounds in a rogue asteroid field within the Gordian Reach. They’d gotten the information, but now they needed to actually see it. The supercomputer was aboard the <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Home One <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">, sitting on the bridge. Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, Gial Ackbar, Cha Raddus, Ylenic It’kla and Magister Stonroy Soma stood around it as R2-D2 got the computer working. This was their chance to know <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">everything <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"> about the Empire’s projects. As the supercomputer booted up, it sent all of the information into the <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Home One <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">’s mainframe computer. Ackbar received a whole screen full of information regarding secretive Imperial projects, one that caught his attention being Project Windstorm. Project Windstorm’s only information was “ <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">6522TS-OR-557 <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">” which seemed like a code of some sort.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“What is that?” Mon Mothma asked. Ackbar seemed perplexed.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“OR is generally an abbreviation of Outer Rim Territories, but the numbers and TS make little sense.” Ylenic It’kla piped in, standing next to Ackbar’s swivel chair. “Five-five-seven… I feel a connection with those numbers. Perhaps I shall ask Jocasta the next time I see her.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Didn’t Jocasta say she was going out to the Unknown Regions, to see the Indonai Imperium?” came the voice of Obi-Wan, walking into the room, having left Satine to rest. “I felt something earlier, a strange shift in the Force, but I can’t really understand what happened.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I felt it as well.” Ylenic replied. Mon Mothma scrolled through the rest of the projects, intrigued by the sheer number of them. Many of them were simple projects that seemed good-natured - surprising for the Empire - such as a more efficient farming system or hyperlane expansion. A holographic image fizzled, replacing the screen in front of Ackbar. Everyone turned, and Commander Jun Sato of Phoenix Squadron appeared before them. The connection seemed off, and it was most definitely not on Ackbar’s end.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“ <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">This is Jun Sato to Alliance High Command… captured important Imperial targets… please reply… <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">” Mon Mothma shot up.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Yes, Commander Sato? This is Mon Mothma speaking. Who are the important targets?” No response. “Commander Sato, come in.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“ <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">...we are in the Fhedor system… returning to Yavin Four now... <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">” The connection blurred, and then disappeared entirely. Mon Mothma turned to Ackbar, who contacted the rest of the fleet. The Yavin system was adjacent to where they were currently, so they’d have an easy time getting there, it would only be a few minutes before they were in orbit of the orange gas giant Yavin Prime, the small green moon of Yavin 4 orbiting it.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">But Jun Sato was not there, despite the Fhedor system being in the Gordian Reach itself. They feared the worst.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">~

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">The damaged <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Quasar Fire <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">-class carrier <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Phoenix Nest <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">, the lead ship of Phoenix Squadron, felt itself be jolted out of hyperspace. One of the workers aboard the <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Phoenix Nest <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"> yelled up at Jun Sato: “The hyperdrive is broken!”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Well, that wasn’t the worst that could’ve happened. They hadn’t reached Yavin 4, but they’d made it out of Imperial scanning distance. A lone freighter sat in front of them, and then a hologram appeared, of a cloaked figure, before Sato. “Who is this?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“ <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Nothing you need to know right now, Commander Sato. I propose a trade. I know you are in need of a fixed hyperdrive. So, I will give you a hyperdrive. <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">If <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"> you give me the Royal Twins in your custody. If not, I will take the twins by force, and you don’t get the hyperdrive. And don’t worry, I’m no Imperial. <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“...it’s a deal, but I need to know who-”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“ <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">My identity will only be given to one, your resident Jedi Kanan Jarrus. He will administer the trade, Commander Sato. <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">” The hologram disappeared, and the ship moved to the <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Phoenix Nest <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">’s hangar, with surprising speed. The figure must’ve made many improvements to their ship. Sato turned, and there, Jarrus was standing.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I can only guess what she wants from me.” he said, turning and going to the hold, where the Royal Twins were kept. How did she even know they had them? Was <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">she <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"> a Jedi too? Or was she like the Emperor, a Sith?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">~

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">The twins, fitted with binders to resist their access to the Force, were transferred over to the freighter, Kanan the only one allowed near it. It was a Togruta, familiar but Kanan couldn't remember their name.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“So you are Kanan Jarrus. I’ve only heard of you from the Imperial feeds. I’m Ahsoka Tano.” She shook his hand, without him even holding out his hand.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“What are you? You are definitely not a Sith, but you’re no Jedi.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I am a shadow, the darkness cast by the light. That light was the Jedi, the Jedi I once was. If that just sounds like some absurd riddle from Yoda, he did call me a shadow the last time I saw him.” She smiled, and the twins stared at her, obviously recognizing her from somewhere. “Thanks for listening to me. A hyperdrive, carried by hovercart, lowered out from the ramp. She took an object from the cart, resembling the hilt of a sword, and handed it to him. “Give this to Obi-Wan Kenobi, when you reach Yavin 4. Tell him it’s from me. That’s all you need to tell him. Don’t tell <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">anyone <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"> else about this, alright, Jarrus?” Kanan nodded, and Ahsoka grinned, taking the twins on board, leaving him with the hyperdrive as he noticed something on the backside of the freighter. The numbers 7567, with a stylized depiction of a clone trooper.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">7567 <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">. Those numbers had importance, but he didn’t know why.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:center;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">~

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Luke and Leia recognized her. Images that Mother had shown her of the Clone Wars, with Father, Kenobi and the Togruta. Despite sometimes not listening to their father, she never told them who the Togruta was. The Togruta woman removed their binders.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“You won’t be needing these. You can’t surprise me.” The two eighteen-year-olds stood there, confused. They’d been captured on a basic supply run, by those Phoenix Squadron people. “So you’re Anakin and Padmé’s kids.” <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Anakin <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">? His name was a highly-kept secret, he’d said his name was always Vader, but Mother had told them his lie. So she was the Togruta. “You look like them,” she said, smiling.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Who are you?” Leia asked. Luke was always seen as the ‘shy’ one, but he had a much better understanding of politics, like his mother. Leia had seemed to inherit their father’s temper. He stood back, carefully observing the Togruta.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Ahsoka Tano. If Anakin or Padmé’s ever told you anything about me. If they didn’t, then shame on them!” She left the ship on autopilot, its trajectory already mapped. “I was your father’s apprentice during the Clone Wars, before this Empire began, and before the galaxy went to hell.” Leia seemed to be ignoring everything she said, just wanting to kill her, take control of the ship and go back to Coruscant. But Leia watched Luke, who seemed to be genuinely interested.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“What are you going to do with us? Kill us? That’ll be digging your own grave!” Leia exclaimed, and Ahsoka smiled.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“Far from it. I want to teach you. I’m sure all Anakin has taught you is the dark side is good and the light is evil, the Jedi were evil, but that’s not right. I’m not saying the Jedi were fully good, but they weren’t as bad as the Sith were.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“You can’t possibly hope to turn us to the light.” Leia said, crossing her arms across her chest. Luke stared at Ahsoka curiously.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“What do you mean, teach us?” he asked, and Leia turned at him, surprised.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">“I’ve learned a lot since leaving the Jedi. About the real nature of the Force… there’s a lot <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">to <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"> know. Some things I’ve never gotten to.” <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Like the Planet Beyond <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">, but that had no meaning to Luke and Leia. Just a riddle that Akett had told her before he… Forget it. “And I hope to take you there. So you can learn <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">with <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"> me. And you can go back and, hopefully, convince your father that his path isn’t right. First stop… Ilum.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">The <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;">Anakin’s Legacy <span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Karma;color:#000000;font-weight:500;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;"> switched out of hyperspace above an icy white world, glimmering from the sun hitting it.