Destiny (Star Wars)

Prologue

Prologue

"They're asking you back, Ahsoka. I'm, asking you back." Anakin said, holding out Ahsoka's padawan chain for her to take.

Ahsoka looked between his hand, his face, and the other Jedi around them. Should she take it back? Could she trust the Order? She had always trusted them—they gave her life a bigger purpose, they helped her become the Jedi she always wanted to be. But when she had needed their help the most, they had turned on her.

They hunted her down and expelled her from the Jedi Order. They refused to believe that she was innocent and didn't trust her—mostly because she had allied with Asajj Ventress.

But that was because she had to! No one would believe her or help her find out the truth. Ventress was the only one she could semi-trust. Well, after they had gotten over the whole Ventress-tried-to-turn-her-in-and-collect-the-bounty-on-her-head thing.

Maybe her expulsion was for the best. Ahsoka suddenly remembered the vision she had seen on that weird planet she, Obi-Wan, and Anakin had been stuck on. Mortis was strange, and her vision was no different.

"Are you happy, child?" Ahsoka's eyes snapped open and she lifted her head at the sound of the woman's mysteriously familiar voice. She looked around the cave on Mortis where she and Obi-Wan were holed up while they waited out the storm. She didn't see anyone.

"Your master," the voice continued, "Does he treat you well?"

Ahsoka cast her gaze around the cave once again, this time spotting a grown Togruta woman standing by the crackling fire, her lekku and head tails reaching close to her knees.

Ahsoka stood, her expression guarded. "What concern of it is yours?"

"I am your future, your potential."

"This is a trick!" Ahsoka said as she pulled out her two lightsabers and ignited them. Even as she did, though, she could see the similarities between them. The woman had the same pattern on her face and her head tails and lekku looked the same as Ahsoka's, just longer. She wore a very similar outfit to the one Ahsoka wore.

The woman—Old Ahsoka—didn't seem threatened or worried at all. "There is a wildness to you, young one. Seeds of the Dark Side planted by your master. Do you feel it?"

"No!" Ahsoka exclaimed. It was unthinkable that Anakin could ever drift to the Dark Side. She trusted no one more than she trusted him. She knew he would find out what was going on with this planet and the distress call, and then he'd come back and they'd leave. He could never stray from the path of the Jedi. "He is like no other Jedi—passionate, impulsive, but I trust him with my life."

"There are many contradictions in you . . . and in him." Ahsoka's guard faltered at her future-self's words. Could it be true? Could there be more to her Master then she thought?

"Be warned," her future-self continued, "You may never see your future if you remain his student. Leave this planet!"

What if it was right? What if she stayed with the Order and with Anakin and something terrible happened? What if the vision spoke the truth?

Ahsoka looked at Anakin's hopeful face and his smile and another thought struck her. What if worse would happen if she left? What if she stayed, and she was the only one who suffered? What if she left, and everyone was hurt?

A Jedi is supposed to be selfless, Ahsoka thought. And I am a Jedi.

She took the chain from Anakin's hand and returned it to its rightful place, smiling up at him. "It's good to be back."