How to Take an Empire

Chapter Two: Visions

Between different mission assignments and, recently, Anakin running back and forth between the Chancellor and the High Council, it had been too long and too many near misses since Ahsoka had seen her master. So when she saw him jump out his fighter and begin to make his way across the hanger, Ahsoka decided not to feel guilty about interrupting him.

"Long time, no see, Skyguy," she called out, causing him to stop and turn around.

"Snips," he said in surprise and then smiled. "Way too long. When did you get back?"

Ahsoka shrugged as she walked with him. "Days ago. Not long after you and Obi-wan got back after rescuing the Chancellor. Would have tried to catch up with you earlier, but somebody's been too busy with their new appointment to the High Council," Ahsoka pointed out. "Congrats, by the way."

"Yeah."

Ahsoka fought a frown at his tone. She'd expected him to still be high on the euphoria that such an honor was bestowed on him, but instead, she sensed conflict. Disgust even. Ahsoka wasn't sure through the maelstrom of emotions she was feeling from him. She was used to Anakin wearing his heart on his sleeve and barely controlling his emotions, particularly his temper. But he'd never felt this... Ahsoka couldn't find the word for it.

Finally, he shook his head and said, "You've gone and gotten taller on me."

"Just wait," Ahsoka said, "I'm going to be as tall as you one of these days."

"With or without the montrals?" Anakin asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"They count," Ahsoka said with her arms crossed and a hip cocked, resisting the urge to do something childish like stick her tongue out at him. She'd missed this. "Anyway, I know you're probably busy. And I should probably be getting ready. I got a tip on Maul, and I'm headed to Mandalore in a few days to help the Mandalorians take back the planet." Then she added, "You should see if you can convince the rest of the Council to let you come. It'll be just like old times."

"Maybe."

Maybe was right. Old times were back before they knew that the Council wasn't as infallible to the politics of the war as they'd thought them to be. Or at the very least, before Ahsoka knew it. She had a feeling Anakin had known that for a long time.

"Anakin, are you okay?" Ahsoka decided to ask and tapped on his shields through their old bond. "You seem upset."

Rather than letting her in, he reinforced his shields and said quickly, "I'm fine. I just need to report something to Master Windu."

She didn't want to let it go. Something was telling her not to. But she knew better than to try to pry anything out of her master when he didn't want to talk about something. Still...

"You know, I'm here if you need to talk. When you're ready," she offered, putting a hand on his arm.

In that moment, he let his guard down, and the maelstrom of emotions flickered across his features before he realized what was happening and reined everything back in.

"Can you meet me at Padmé's apartment?"

"When?"

"Now. I mean... not now. At least, I can't go right now. But you can go ahead of me. I'll be right behind you after I report something to Master Windu, and we take care of it."

The promise that Ahsoka felt from the Force almost a year ago when she was trying to decide whether or not to remain a Jedi suddenly felt imminent as a bad feeling settled in her stomach.

"I know you have to get ready for your mission but I just thou—"

"Anakin," Ahsoka said, pushing the bad feeling aside, "I wouldn't have offered to talk if I weren't ready to drop everything to do so. Should I let Padmé know I'm headed that way, or will you?"