To be read as the ninth book in the series.
Years have passed. Ahsoka Tano, having stepped down from leading the New Jedi Order, has started a family with her husband, Lux Bonteri. She is actively backing the growing Rebellion against the Empire's m...
Ahsoka hurried down a hallway in the White Saber, her apprehension clouding the Force around her and making the worry lines that had formed in recent months on her forehead deepen.
They're making too much of a scene, she thought, picking up the pace until she was almost at a jog. I told her to keep out of the spotlight. And what does she do? She has her unit broadcast a message into the far reaches of space that only serves to bring them more attention!
Lux looked up from the datapad in his hands as she practically ran into their room. "Ahsoka, what's happened? There are reports of a Rebel message over the Imperial news networks. They're saying it's from the Lothal system–"
She cut him off with a quick kiss hello, before darting past him into the side room that served as her office and a quiet space for her to communicate with members of the various Rebel cells whose operations she had a hand in. "Don't have the time to explain now," she called back breathlessly. "I have to contact Hera." Then, she stopped in her tracks, and ran back towards him to drag him into the room with her. "Okay, just listen to this. It should help."
With Lux looking on over her shoulder, she sat down at her desk, keying in the code that would create a communications link between her ship and the Ghost. It wasn't long before she had a signal, and soon, a hologram of Hera's face appeared.
The Twi'lek woman crossed her arms, her face unreadable. "Hello, Fulcrum."
Ahsoka nodded in greeting, realizing belatedly that, thanks to the hologram of a hooded figure that was projected automatically when she called anyone as Fulcrum, Hera probably hadn't picked up on it. "Time is short, so we must cut to the chase. You know why I called."
Hera's reaction was immediate. "Fulcrum, I know what you're going to say, but he's– he's still out there somewhere! And he needs our help!"
Ahsoka gazed at the green Twi'lek in the hologram, and, even though she knew Hera couldn't see it, she pursed her lips. "Kanan knew the risks and accepted them. I'm sorry, but you must focus on your next objective."
"But Fulcrum, Kanan is our objective. We can still find him!"
"At what cost? You? Your unit? The overall mission?" Ahsoka sighed, taking a moment to compose herself. "There's something else, Hera. The transmission Ezra was able to beam out has attracted attention. Not just from civilians, but from the highest levels of the Empire."
"It was Kanan's plan." Hera pursed her lips. "I guess it worked."
"Your mission was to be unseen; unnoticed. And now..."
"Kanan wanted to inspire people. He wanted to give them hope." Hera had the look of one who was slightly hurt on her face, and Ahsoka realized it was because she thought Ahsoka wasn't seeing things the same way.
"Well, he was successful," Ahsoka soothed. But her tone still held within it a warning that Hera had to take what she said next to heart. "But if you are caught – if Ezra is caught – that hope will die. To protect your unit, to protect Ezra, you must stop your search for Kanan and go into hiding."
There was nothing more to be said. Hera nodded slowly, drifting out of the projector's range, and Ahsoka ended the call.
"She's not going to listen." Lux put a hand on her shoulder, turning her towards him in her seat so that their eyes met. "The Ghost crew is like a family – their bonds to one another are just as strong as yours or mine."
"I know," Ahsoka said. "She cares deeply about her unit. And as much as that's a good thing, right now, it's what I'm afraid of."
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