Letters to Senator Bonteri

xviii

Rex placed a hand comfortingly on my shoulder. I turned to him and smiled, an action which he returned.

"We're about five minutes out, get ready," he said trying to change the subject. I just nodded.

Soon we reached a little sandstone hut. I looked at Rex quizzically. Certainly this was not big enough for someone to live in, but Rex just motioned me on towards the door. Taking one last glance back at him, I knocked on the door.

I heard the shuffling of feet moving towards the door. Finally the person opened the door, and I looked at him shocked. He likely shared my shocked expression, but I was too shocked to notice if he did or not.

"OBI-WAN?" "AHSOKA?" We both shouted at the same time. I flung myself into his arms, wrapping him in a tight embrace, which he returned. I started softly crying into his tunic as he rubbed my back comfortingly. We stayed there for a few moments, just reveling in each other's company.

Finally they broke the hug. "Ahsoka... you're supposed to be-"

I cut him off. "Dead? Yea I know. Rex and I talked about it already. I could say the same to you though. How'd you survive Order 66?"

"Come inside and sit down and let's catch up. I'll tell you my stories and you tell me yours," he said motioning for me and Rex to follow him inside.

Once inside, I could see that my earlier statement was misinformed. From the top, it looked like a small home, but Obi-Wan had dug down and made a series of tunnels and living spaces, making it one of the more spacious houses she'd ever been in.

Finally they reached what looked like the living room and sat on a trio of chairs positioned around a coffee table.

"So, Obi-Wan, how did you survive Order 66, and why in the hell did you come to Tatooine of all places?" I asked.

Obi-Wan laughed, and began to tell his story. He told me about what happened on Utapau and how he defeated Grievous and his clones turning on him. Then he told me about Padme, to which I was heartbroken. She had been like a big sister to me, I could tell her anything. Finally he told me why he was here on Tatooine. (A/N if you don't know why he was on Tatooine... I-I don't know. Why are you even reading this book cuz you're obviously not a Star Wars fan if you don't know this)

I listened intently to what he was saying; however, I sensed there was something he wasn't telling me.

"Obi-Wan... there's something else isn't there? Something you're not telling me?"

He sighed and looked at Rex who nodded. "She has the right to know sir."

"To know what?" I asked.

"Ahsoka... I don't know how to tell you this... but Anakin... he-he..."

"He what Master? Spit it out."

"He... fell to the dark side. He helped Sidious carry out Order 66, went to the Temple and killed his fellow Jedi. He killed younglings Ahsoka." I could see tears forming in Obi-Wan's eyes, and I knew they were already falling from my face.

"N-n-n-no... that couldn't be! He would NEVER! He was the most kind, compassionate person I ever met. He just couldn't!" I was hysterical at this point. Trying to deny the truth, preserve what little hope I had that he was still the same Anakin I knew.

"Ahsoka... I'm sorry. But what the General says is true," Rex said frowning.

"Ahsoka, I'm sorry for what I'm about to say next. He and I battled on Mustafar, he got arrogant and tried to flip over me. I-I... I killed him," he whispered the last part and proceeded to hang his head. "I killed my brother Ahsoka! It still haunts me to this day, I have nightmares of his body burning in the flames of Mustafar."

"This is my fault," I mumbled.

"No, Ahsoka don't say that! There was nothing anyone could do. Sidious fabricated visions in his head of Padme's death. Sidious told Anakin that the dark side could save her... and he fell for it."

"No, if only I was there, I could've made him see his mistakes. I could've talked some sense into him! Instead I was selfish and left him. Now he's dead." I was balling my eyes out at this point. My brother, the one person who stood by me and believed in mer through everything is dead, and it was my fault because I wasn't there when he needed me the most.

Rex came over to me and knelt down. He wiped the tears from my face, and spoke the softest I'd ever hear: "Listen, Ahsoka. There was nothing you could do. You made a choice... and he made his. None of us wanted it to end this way, but it did. I guess it was just the 'will of the Force' as you Jedi always say."

I weakly smiled at Rex. "Thank you Rex," I whispered. He pulled me into a hug and I gladly returned it.

"Now Ahsoka, why don't you tell me what you've been up to, and, more importantly, why you're here?"

I reiterated everything I had told Rex, sparring no detail, even adding in the fact that the kyber crystals had called out to me from the Inquisitor's saber. "... and that's why I'm here. I've got the crystal's but nothing to make the saber with. I was wondering if you had any, or knew where I could get some."

"Yes, actually I have some," he said getting up and walking into the next room over. He came back carrying a box. "As I told you, I am watching over Luke, so I've been collecting lightsaber pieces for when he becomes old enough to make his own. Feel free to use whatever parts you want. I assume you remember how to do this?"

"Yes, I do master," I replied.

"Please, I go by Ben now."

I laughed. "Ben? Why Ben?" I said still laughing. 

Rex joined in shortly. "Yea I always wanted to ask you that."

He sighed. "Satine used to call me that... It was a private thing. Still... I like the sound of it." (A/N This IS canon from the Kenobi  book, and the exact phrasing used. Made me sad af reading it 😭)

Rex and I stopped laughing immediately. "I-I'm sorry Obi-Wan... I didn't know."

"It's alright Ahsoka, you had no way of knowing. Now why don't you construct your lightsabers?"

"Good idea," I replied.

"Sweet. I finally get to see how a lightsaber is built!" Rex exclaimed enthusiastically.

I sat down in a meditative position and closed my eyes. I envisioned what I wanted my saber to look like. I watched in my mind as they were beginning to be constructed. Finally, when they were done, they fell into my hands and I opened my eyes. In my hands were two blades, one smaller than the other. They were unique because they were flat and had a curve to them, but then again I was unique, unlike any Jedi. They were simple, with a silver hilt that had a black grip with diamonds cut into it. Each had a black activation button near the top. (You all know what her Rebels sabers look like... I hope.)

"Woah... that was SO COOL!" Rex exclaimed causing me to laugh.

"Those sure are... interesting Ahsoka," Obi-Wan pointed out. "I don't think I've ever seen a flat hilt like that."

"Well... you know me. I'm unorthodox," I said with a smile. We all shared a laugh. I was finally back with the people I belonged with... for the most part.