Anabeth: Spark Of Change

Chapter 17 - The Truth

As soon as they dropped out of hyperspace above Orondia they went to fly down to the fueling station. "Look! It's Cad Bane" Ahsoka said, making everyone look out of the window. "Are you sure?" Anakin asked to make certain. Ahsoka only rolled her eyes at the question "Ugh, who else wears a head like that". "Good point" Anakin agreed, turning around to follow the ship.

Anakin tried his best to force the ship onto the ground again, but it soon became clear that this strategy wasn't going to work. "Take over, I'll bring them down" He instructed. "I'm comming with you" Ana tried to protest, but Anakin wasn't having it. "No, you're helping Ahsoka fly the ship, and that's an order". Sighing, Ana took her seat and helped Ahsoka make sure that the ship below them wouldn't get a chance to escape by pulling up.

However, as the the bounty hunter's ship flew through an arch and then tried to recklessly pull up the two ships collided, sliding to the ground ungracefully. As Ana looked around she spotted Ahsoka who seemed to have been knocked unconcious. "Ahsok! Ahsoka, wake up!" she gently shook her friend awake. "Are you okay?" the togrutan asked her, rubbing her head with her hand. "Yes, are you?". "Yeah. Come on, we need to find Anakin" Ahsoka responded, hurrying out of the ship with Ana behind her.

The two of them made their way towards the bounty hunter's ship, leaping across the numerous fule pipes. They were only about half way there when they could already see Bane, shooting at Anakin which made them hurry up even more. They reached the cliff just in time, igniting their lightsaber and leaping between the unconcious Anakin and Bane and Hardeen. They quickly defleted Bane's shots as he started to fire on them.

"The ship is still operational. I got it working. Now let's get out of here" Eval stepped out of the mist. "You're lucky we're in a hurry, little ladies. We'll have to dance another time" Bane put his blaster away as he and Hardeen followed Eval onto the ship. Ana was about to run after them when Ahsoka held her back by the arm. "Ana, don't" she pleaded with the girl. "They knocked out Anakin, you don't stand a chance on your own. It's not worth it".

The two girls deactived their lightsabers and clipped them to their belts again as Anakin started to wake up. He groaned in pain as they crouched down beside him and Ahsoka helped him sit up. However, one look at face told the girls that something was not right. "What is it? What's wrong?" Ahsoka asked worriedly. "That's why I felt the connection" Anakin thought out loud "Obi-Wan is still alive". Ana's face filled with confusion, shock and disbelive. "I don't understand" Ahsoka said a little puzzled. "I don't either. But we're going to get to the bottom this. Believe me" he promised the girls as they helped him to his feet again.

When the group returned to the Temple Ana was more than glad that Windu was still busy. Had he not been, he would have probably expected her at the landing platform and grounded her for the rest of her days as a Padawan for running off without his permission. So while Master Yoda had asked to speak to Anakin the second they returned, Ana and Ahsoka went outside and sat on the stairs leading up to the Temple, waiting for Anakin to return.

"Master Yoda just confirmed it, Obi-Wan isn't dead" Anakin said bitterly, sitting down next to the girls. "He's working undercover to get information on Eval's plan to kidnap the Chancellor. The real Hardeen is already in our custody. Apparently, the whole Council was in on the plan. They chose to keep us in the dark and originally weren't planning on telling us until Obi-Wan got back".

Ana felt anger boil up inside her as she finally pieced two and two together. Windu wasn't busy, he was avoiding her to keep her as far away from the Council's plans as possible. He had put her in the line of fire when he had agreed to the plan to disguise Obi-Wan and didn't even tell her to dodge the shots. The girl got to her feet, turning to walk back inside the Temple. "Where are you going?" Ahsoka asked a little confused. "To find my short sighted Master and have a word with him" Ana responded angrily before walking away.