Star Wars: Balance of the Force (Anakin Skywalker Redemption)

The Beginning of the End (Part 2)

Ahsoka breathed a sigh of relief as the cruiser touched down on Coruscant in the late afternoon sun. She'd received a transmission from Obi-Wan not long ago and had told him about the strange things Maul had said and insinuated. Anakin...the key to everything? It made no sense, but she couldn't shake her unease.

Anakin and Obi-Wan were on their way back from Utapau, where they had been sent to capture or kill General Grievous. Well, Obi-Wan had been sent. Apparently, Anakin was not actually meant to have been a part of the mission, but Ahsoka had long since learned that Anakin rarely accepted orders from anyone. She hadn't been able to hide her smile as Rex had told her about it. Of course, she had thought to herself, where Obi-Wan goes, Anakin is never far behind.

It had always brought her comfort to see how close the two of them were, and to think she might be able to have that close relationship with Anakin too. The pain of her brutal trial with the Jedi had changed all of that though. Anakin hadn't given up on her, she knew that, and she also knew she could never thank him enough for it. Yet, it had caused a new rift between her and the Jedi, one that she didn't think she'd ever be able to completely get over.

It saddened her more than she had thought possible, the Jedi ways were all she had known for most of her life... Rebuilding after that had been challenging, and more than a few times she had considered returning to Anakin for help. Master Obi-Wan or Master Plo would have helped her too, but there was something about Anakin that just made anything seem possible.

Even thinking about him now, she could only imagine the epic fight he must have had with Grievous. While she and Obi-Wan had faced the giant clanker before, Anakin had always narrowly missed him. How had he faced off against Grievous' multiple lightsabers? How had he killed him in the end? Did her stories about the Droid General help him?

Questions buzzed around her mind as they began to disembark, and Ahsoka felt a shift in the Force.

Stiffening, she paused, and Rex stopped with her, 'Everything alright?'

'The Jedi are here,' she frowned.

'Well, it was their mandate that allowed us to go to Mandalore,' Rex tried for a comforting smile. Then it dropped when he saw her unease, 'Come on, you won't have to talk to them much. That's my job. You can wave and then...then go see Padmé! Last I heard, she was staying at the temple medbay.'

'She was what?' Ahsoka started. 'Is she alright?'

'Oh, yes,' Rex frowned. 'She's just...you haven't heard?'

'Rex!'

'She's pregnant,' he raised his hands in surrender. 'Not injured or anything like that.'

'Pregnant?' Ahsoka frowned. 'I had no idea.'

'You have been gone for almost a year,' he reminded her gently.

'Right,' she said, the unease twisting her stomach again. Had it really been that long already? But she knew the answer. As they walked from the cruiser to the docking platform, Ahsoka steadied herself as the Jedi Masters came into view. The cell with Maul in it went ahead, and they inspected it as she arrived.

'Ahsoka,' Yoda bowed his head towards her, 'For your victory, congratulations.'

'Yes, the Republic is indebted to you,' Mace Windu also nodded to her, a small smile on his face. 'I am sure it was no easy feat to take down Maul. You have done well.'

'Thank you,' Ahsoka dipped her head.

'Join us, will you?' Yoda asked reaching out a hand to her. 'Tea, in the gardens, we will serve.'

Frowning, Ahsoka tried to gauge if it were some kind of trap, but as she leaned into the Force she only felt...affection. She had spent many years training under Master Yoda, especially as she got older and older, fearing she would never find a Master who would train her. He had known her fears and worries, and had rewarded her with one of the greatest Master's she could have asked for.