The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano, Book Ten

Chapter Eighty-One: Aftermath

AHSOKA TANO

It had been three days since the incident at the Nest. Three days of feigned strength in the face of the inescapable realities of what had happened, and inevitable, uncontrollable tears when backs were finally turned.

Although Ahsoka had been surrounded by those she loved throughout the process, their system of leaning on one another for emotional support only went so far. She had to be strong for the kids, to take at least part of their grief upon herself and provide an unshakable shoulder to cry on.

But staying calm and pretending everything was okay was only eating more of her already crumbling façade away. Ahsoka had never felt so alone, and she longed for the calm, steadfast comfort of her husband. But at the same time, she knew his reaction to the news of his sister's death would be even more devastating to her than that of her children and Enarion combined. He was going to hurt her before he could help her, and she would have to help him back in equal measure.

It was with a heavy heart that she listened to Enarion say that Lux's ship was entering the atmosphere and would be landing shortly in the plateaus nearby, and set out to meet it.

Without the Inquisitors to recognize Enarion's presence in the Force as of one of those they were searching for, the Imperial forces stationed around his summer house had had no legal basis to remain, and had cleared him to return. But while the return to the familiar halls had alleviated some of the kids' grief and unease, Ahsoka was too caught up in the fact that this was place Jani had spent nearly a third of her life to let it do the same for her.

She had chosen to walk rather than take the speeder bikes, but as memories came rushing back over her, she realized it had been a mistake to give herself so much time alone with her thoughts.

Enarion wasn't with her; he was back at the house under the pretext of watching the kids and attending to the necessary funerary rites traditional to his and Jani's beliefs. But really, she knew he just didn't want to be the one to break the news to Lux. As the one who knew him best and technically one of Jani's superior officers, Ahsoka was best placed to do so, and so the task fell to her.

Her hand drifted up to her neck to touch the chain of the the shimmering bronze pendant that now hung from it. Jani had pressed it into her hands as she had breathed her last, and even now the way she had so selflessly given one of the things she considered most precious to her to Ahsoka herself brought tears to her eyes.

The necklace carried with it the weight of Jani's spirit, and it was a burden of guilt almost heavy enough to drag her down with it.

She froze as she suddenly sensed Lux coming up the path. Her thoughts had slowed her progress enough to give him a head start back to the house, and now, she didn't have the time to think about what she was going to say; how she was going to break the news to him without first breaking his heart.

Lux had been told in a call from his father before the Inquisitors found him that Jani and Ahsoka would be joining them after the conference, but nothing more. Perhaps it would be best to start there.

Lux waved as he caught sight of her, a smile on his face, and it took everything Ahsoka had to keep her shoulders from shaking with the silent sobs that were already starting to build in her throat.

"Father said you would be meeting me. I need to talk to you and Jani about the situation with IronFist as soon as possible; if we move quickly enough," he said, but his face fell into a perplexed frown as he reached her side and realized she was alone. "Speaking of, where is she?