The Padawan and the Rebel

The Padawan: Third Battle of Kamino

A/N: Ventriss doesn't exist in my version of the Clone Wars, something that will be clear as you read. I hope you all enjoy it!

"Adhara and Ahsoka, you go and protect the DNA chamber!" Obi-Wan yelled, refracting the Aqua droids bullets as they advanced. "Anakin and I will handle general grievous!"

Adhara nodded, running down the hallway of the clone factory with Ahsoka on her heels. Explosions crackled all around them, tilting the great Kaminoan city for a moment, and Adhara cursed as she ran.

She did not how it had gotten here, but the whole situation felt dire. Even the air buzzed with nervous electricity.

They careened around the corners of the hallway, sprinting to the DNA chamber. The hallways were suspiciously empty, making her heart drop like a stone inside of her.

Something was up.

They turned down the hallway that led to the DNA chamber, held by a line of droids. Ahsoka skidded go a stop, lighsaber flashing as she fought them off, but Adhara did not hesitate, leaping into the air so her back skimmed the roof and landing on the other side of the droids.

"Are you serious, Adhara?" Ahsoka snapped.

Adhara winked at her. "What? I know you've got this, Ash."

Ahsoka growled deep in her throat, and Adhara chuckled, turning back to the DNA chamber. She stepped up to it, the whiteness of the room momentarily blinding her.

Then lime green, obscuring her vision. Black highlighted through it.

She looked up into purple eyes she knew she'd seen before, for a moment disoriented as her heart thudded and expanded and careened through her chest, washing her skin in salty sweat. Was she staring at a reflection of herself? Or worse, the ghost of her father?

The person in front of her inhaled sharply, and Adhara swallowed down her panic, forcing herself to look at him. His skin wasn't as dark as her father's had been. Instead it was a light green, bringing out the deep violet in his eyes. His hair was jet black with a white streak down the left side that hung over his eyes. Mirialan tattoos formed a triangle on his chin and reached down from his hairline to his eyebrows. The startled expression in his face matched Adhara's, and she felt like the floor was falling out from under her feet. Like the whole world was collapsing in on her, and she had to bear the weight.

She would recognize him anywhere, because even though he didn't look like her, he was just like her. Her blood. Her kin.

"Aitor."

Her brother swallowed down his panic, giving Adhara a slow smile. She could hear Ahsoka fighting behind her, calling her name, but she could not drag her eyes away from Aitor. Memories flashed through her mind of them as children, secluded on Eshan. Of their competitions to see who could wield the Force better. Of their verbal sparring, trying to see who would get angrier faster, who would break and lunge at the other, causing their father to get involved. She thought of the last time she'd seen Aitor, holding Arus and Anali's hands as they ran away from their dead parents.

Stay with your brother. Stay with Aitor.

And now they were back together, on Kamino.

So why did it fill her with dread?

"Adhara. It's been too long."

"What happened to you?" The words spilled out of her, pushed by ten years of griping over the fates of her family. It felt even more pressing than why he was on Kamino. "How did you survive?"

"I was rescued. Saved." His hand strayed to something at his hip. "And made into something better."

Adhara followed his gaze, and felt real fear grip her heart. Saw the way his hand caressed the lightsaber at his side.