Padawan Lost ~ AU (1st Installment of the Padawan Series)

Chapter 36

“Andora!” I heard Ahsoka shout behind me. “I can’t hold them off!” Droids had penetrated our defenses. Ahsoka and I were the only ones left protecting the central cloning facilities.

                “I have my own problems!” I snapped back.

                “We need a plan!” She shouted back. I looked up and saw the bacta tanks that held the fetus clones.

                “Jump to the bacta tanks!” I responded.

                “We can’t! The droids will shoot the tanks.” We were both in a state of chaos. We had lost communication with our masters, our squad and the Republic cruiser above Kamino’s atmosphere. 

                “It’s our only option.” I said miserably. Droids had surrounded me. I tried my best to strike them down, but they seemed to be endless.

                We both threw ourselves to the top of the bacta tanks, which were stacked on top of each other.          

                “We have better leverage up here.” I said to her.

                “We’ve failed.” She said, hopelessly.

                “No we haven’t. Come on Ahsoka. We have to protect Kamino. We have to.” I said. Her eyes lit up and I could see the anger pulsing through her. She pulled out a grenade from her belt.

                “I’ll go distract the droids. I’m going to lead them over there, into the laboratories. ” She pointed to a far corner of the facility where no bacta tanks were stationed.

                “But the explosion will affect the bacta tanks.” I countered.

                “No, there’s a blast door, I’ll close it once you have placed the grenade properly on that heating tank by way of the Force.”

                I nodded. “Once I place the grenade, you get out of there.” She nodded and smiled.

                “Today is our day to fight for the Republic, to fight for our home and our family.” I smiled.

                “It’s been an honor serving you, Ahsoka.” She shook her head.

                                                                                                                                      

                “I’m just glad you saved me from Shili. Thanks for showing me my power. If I survive, we’ll sit outside under the cherry blossom trees together and watch the Coruscant sun fade.” I smiled.

                “You’ll survive, you have to.” I pulled her in for a hug and she squeezed me tight.

                “Tell Anakin I’ll miss being his Padawan.”

                “You can tell him yourself when you make it out alive.” She smiled.

                “I will.” She ignited her two lightsabers and jumped down from the bacta tanks. Red laser blasts surrounded her and she leaped into the laboratory, coaxing all the droids in with her. I watch in horror as hundreds of droids over run the central facility.

                I closed my eyes and used the will of the Force to lead the grenade over to the heating tank. I placed it and shouted for Ahsoka.

                “Ahsoka, run!” I yelled.

                “Not all the droids are in yet!” She screamed back, constantly deflecting laser blasts. I jumped down from the tanks and flanked the droids from the back with my lightsaber.

                “Ahsoka!” I screamed.

                “Hang on!” She grunted. The grenade was counting down.

                “There’s only seconds left!” I shouted. She wasn’t listening. “Ahsoka!” I was still cutting through droids when I saw the door close just feet in front of me.

                “For the Republic!” I heard her shout.

                “Ahsoka!” I screamed. I heard the explosion and I saw Ahsoka narrowly jump out of the closing doors.

                She landed motionless on the ground. I was finishing off the last droids, and when I saw more waves coming behind me, I grabbed Ahsoka’s lifeless body and carried her over to an air vent. I slid us inside and watched in horror as the droids overtook the central facility. They shot down the bacta tanks with the fetus clones in them and took the DNA from a holding cell.

                Tears streamed down my face as I held her in my arms and looked at her face. It was charred black and it was hot. I could feel the explosion on her. I pursed my lips and placed two fingers on her neck to find a pulse.

                Her iron heart wasn’t pounding. Her iron heart was gone.  

                “Ahsoka,” I sobbed. “Ahsoka, please, please, please!” I was shouting and sobbing at the same time. I didn’t care if the droids heard me. I pulled her body onto my back and started to crawl through the air vents.

                When I reached the grate into the outside, I opened it and dropped down, Ahsoka on my back. Droids were posted on the perimeter, but I just slayed them with no effort. Anger rushed over me and I sprinted to the last location Master Kenobi and Skywalker identified at.

                They were there, with clones, being tended by medic droids. Anakin shot up when he saw Ahsoka on my back.

                I gently set Ahsoka down and looked at her. She was covered in ash, her face black and her clothes smoldering. I wiped the ash away from her face gently with my hand. Anakin fell to the ground next to me.

                “Ahsoka!” He shouted, gently jostling her.

                “She won’t wake.” I sobbed. I gripped her hand tight and wished for her to wake up. All I had ever known was slipping from me in that instant. My heart was split in two as my best friend was motionless beneath me. Cold and fear were creeping into my mind, forcing me to drift away with Ahsoka, and that’s all I wanted to do. I soon let my eyes close and my body fall limp. I fell to the ground still holding Ahsoka’s ice cold hand.