The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano, Book Nine

Chapter Seventeen: Dealing With Smugglers

AHSOKA TANO

Ahsoka walked down one of the New Hope's many long hallways, heading in the direction of the makeshift confinement unit that had been set up in one of the cargo holds with a few ray shields. It was time to finally get some answers about who the Force-sensitive woman and her smuggler friends really were.

The two clone troopers on duty outside the cargo bay saluted smartly as she approached. She dismissed them with a nod of her head.

She took a deep breath. Despite knowing who was behind the cargo hold doors, she was unusually apprehensive about speaking to her. She felt something... off about the Force. The Force-sensitive young woman was angry. She had so much anger pent up inside her, and that kind of anger could only lead to her own destruction.

She entered the code on the keypad beside the doorway, and, as the door opened, she walked inside.

The smuggler, his Wookiee copilot and the Force-sensitive were huddled in a corner of the room. Ahsoka smiled when she realized what they were working on – they were trying to hotwire the door from a panel in the wall.

"That won't do you any good," she said, and they all whipped around. The man slammed the panel back down, a strange mix of shock and anger on his face.

"Honestly, it won't work," she continued. "I know this ship like the back of my hand. The only panel in this room you'd be able to hotwire is that one." She pointed to one across the room, before walked over to sit down on a nearby crate.

"Who are you?" the man hissed.

"My name isn't important. And, besides – you were the ones who attacked my ship and my friends' ships. I think that I'm more the one who should be asking the questions, don't you?"

There was no reply.

"Well then," Ahsoka said, crossing her arms. "I guess I'll be the one doing all the talking."

"Fine by me," the Force-sensitive woman said, bristling with hostility.

Ahsoka smiled. "If that's the way you want it." She probed the woman's mind, but so carefully that she didn't feel a thing. "Your name is Kaya Ti Areeko. You were a youngling in the Jedi Order until the age of nine, when the Empire was formed. You were taken in by a smuggler and his wife, and they taught you everything you know."

Kaya Ti paled. "How...?

"I was once a Jedi too. I know things," she said with a smile. "Search your memories. You'll remember me. Think back to your trip to Ilum as a youngling."

Kaya thought for a moment, pushing some pieces of light brown hair that had come free of her braid out of her eyes, before realization dawned on her pretty face. Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes. "Ahsoka?"

The aforementioned Jedi nodded. Kaya ran across the room, throwing her arms around the older Jedi. "I can't believe it," she whispered. "You're alive! I thought I was the only one!"

"I know, Kaya," she said softly, hugging the young woman back. "Many Jedi I've run into on my travels think as you do. But there are some of us who have formed underground movements against the Empire. Hope for us remains."

"Now just what the hell are you talking about?" said the man across the room. The Wookiee roared in agreement. "The Jedi died out a long time ago! The Empire killed them all off!"

"Not all of them," Ahsoka replied patiently, then proceeded to scan the man's thoughts, quickly forming a profile. "Han Solo. Born on Corellia, you started smuggling at a young age. You're currently working for Jabba the Hutt, and your copilot here is..." A smile curled her plump dark lips. "Chewbacca, is it?"

The Wookiee nodded his great furry head, growling something quietly in Shyriiwook: /I remember your voice, Togruta./

"I know. I remember yours," she replied in Basic. She had learned how to understand the language of the Wookiees back at the Temple, but there was something about this one.

And then she remembered what.

"Wasskah, fifteen years ago. You were hardly older than a pup, as was I," she said. "You remember me as Ahsoka, Chewbacca."

The Wookiee let out an excited yelp. Shyriiwook was a peculiar language in the respect that the Wookiees had sounds and vocalizations for emotions as well as words. There was no translation for his cry, but it expressed pure happiness and relief as only a Wookiee could.

Before Ahsoka could react, the Wookiee wrapped his furry arms around her, yowling animatedly. "It's good to see you too, Chewbacca."

Han, who had been quite shocked to see his two companions run into the arms of a complete stranger, suddenly spoke up. "Well, if we're all friends here," he said sarcastically, "then why keep us here? Can we go now, please?"

Areeko glared at him. "Han."

Ahsoka shot him a look as well. "I will. And I'd be more than happy to give you the credits you need to pay off your debts with Jabba, Captain Solo, but I'll need something from the three of you in return. I have a proposition for you." She smiled, raising a white eyebrow. "And I can assure you that it pays handsomely."

*Ahsoka has recovered new information about the identities of the three smugglers. But what sort of proposition could she have for Kaya Ti, Han and Chewbacca? And what could Darth Bane's plans be? Will they soon come to light? You'll find out in the next thrilling chapter of The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano!

HI GUYS!!! I'M ALIVE AND BACK IN BUSINESS!!! ISN'T IT WONDERFUL?!?!?

Okay, I am SOOOOOOO THE THE POWER OF INFINITE SORRY that I didn't update. I had the most horrible mix of writer's block and procrastination EVER. If my creativity was a river, then school built a dam right across it. I could clearly visualize all of my ideas, but I couldn't put them to words. IT WAS TERRIBLE and frankly I'm glad it's over. 

This is kind of a filler chapter for me, because I'm still getting back on the ball in terms of writing, and it took a lot of effort to write this (even though I'm not really proud of it, compared to some of the others). But I hoped you all liked it, especially Han's reactions to Chewy and Areeko's trust in Ahsoka.

But I will update soon, I promise. Tonight if I can, or tomorrow. Bye!

Discover that your father was a Jedi who fought in the Clone Wars and may the Force be with you, 

Sharron