Daughter of Mortis

A Temporary Peace

    "How are we going to find the ship?" Ezra asked as they walked down a mountain slope.

    "Let me try something." Ania let her presence drift away and connect with the planet. As they walked, the terrain around them moved. In a few steps, they were back at the ship. Ania lifted a hand to her head. "This is going to take some getting used to."

    "Can you hear both of them?" Ezra opened the Redemption's ramp and they climbed on board.

    "No, my mind feels quiet. It's strange. I've always been hearing someone or something and now I feel like I'm deaf."

    "Maybe that will be a good thing. If they're reunited, maybe you won't have to worry about losing control so much."

    "Yeah, maybe. Can you fly? I need to lay down."

    Ezra nodded and slid into the pilot's seat. He cast a concerned glance towards her as she headed back to her cabin. Ania stumbled in and fell onto her bunk. She felt the planet calling her back as they flew through the atmosphere. A blinding light filled the ship and in a moment, they had left Mortis far behind.

    Minutes later, Ezra stepped into her cabin. "We're headed back to Lothal," he said. "What is going to happen to Mortis?"

    "We reawakened it. It will start moving again so if we ever have to find it, it could take a while." Ania rolled over, facing him. "Are you ok?"

    "Yeah, but I just..." he paused. "I can't remember what the Son and Daughter looked like."

    "Maybe it's something from when the Son possessed you. He might have shown you things that the Force is now making you forget. Ben said the Father made Anakin forget some of what he had learned while he was there and Darth Vader used that same trick on me, to make me forget my past," Ania reasoned. "Don't worry about it, though."

    Ezra climbed up to the bunk above hers. It was silent for a few minutes, before he spoke again. "Ania?"

    "Hm?"

    "Do you still think Ahsoka is alive?"

    "I'm not sure. Logic tells me no, but my heart tells me yes. I've tried searching out her presence but I can't feel it. She know's how to hide it too and it doesn't feel like it's gone. It's just not there. Besides, I felt it when Kanan died so why didn't I feel Ahsoka?"

    "I've been asking myself the same thing."

    "You're thinking too much. I'm going to sleep. Wake me up when we get to Lothal," Ania said jokingly.

    "All right."

    She grinned briefly before closing her eyes. Sleep found her soon and for once, there were no visions or memories or nightmares to wake her.

She woke some time later. Ezra let go of her shoulder. "Come on. We're nearly to Lothal." He stepped out of the cabin and headed back to the cockpit.

Ania stretched and followed him. She slid into her seat and prepared to drop out of hyperspace. The stars blurred again and they fell out before the Imperial Blockade. Ania quickly activated the Redemption's cloaking device and flew beneath the belly of a Star Destroyer.

"Do you think their scanners caught us?" Ezra leaned forward, peering into the Star Destroyer.

"I don't know. Hopefully not. They haven't been picking up our signals other times." They entered the planet's atmosphere and headed towards the Rebel camp.

    She deactivated the cloaking device and landed just beyond the camp. The life support system hissed as the air ducts were purged. Ania and Ezra stepped off the ship and headed towards the base. Sabine and Tolsa were already headed towards them.