Sick Day

Part 6

"Okay, let's get back to work," Rex began. "Everyone pair up. We'll practice in groups."

Everyone began to pair up, and Ahsoka smiled. Maybe now she'd get the chance to spend some time with Lux. She began to talk over to him, but saw him smiling at Steela as the two walked off away from her. She looked down dismayed.

"Hey, Commander," a voice called. Ahsoka didn't look up, she was still thinking about Lux. "How about uhm helping me practice?" Ahsoka finally looked up and met Saw's green eyes. She smiled at him and nodded. The two walked over to a droid to begin practicing.

After a few tosses, all of which bounced right off the shield, Saw sighed and threw his hands in the air. "I can't get the distance or the speed right!" He complained.

"Don't give up," Ahsoka urged. "Learning this could save your life and those around you." Saw looked at her for a moment before nodding slightly. She tossed another droid popper to him. "A little backspin might help."

Ahsoka stole a quick glance over to Lux. Much to her dismay, he was still draped around Steela, "helping" her. "Just take it easy," Ahsoka heard him say. "Don't get frustrated." Ahsoka frowned and looked down. That should be her and Lux.

Ahsoka was broken from her thoughts by cheers and applause from those around her. She turned back to see that Saw had gotten the popper past the shield. "You got it!" Ahsoka said excitedly.

"You're a good teacher, Jedi," Saw thanked. He turned around to celebrate with some of the other Rebels.

"Ugh, just forget it. I'll never learn this," Ahsoka heard a voice call. She turned in time to see Steela shrug Lux off and storm away. Ahsoka smiled a bit, but wiped it off her face quickly.

"Uh, keep practicing," she told Saw before walking after Steela. As Ahsoka approached, instead of being hostile like before, the young woman just sighed and looked up at Ahsoka.

"You made it look easy," she said solemnly.

"It wasn't always that way," Ahsoka replied.

"Right. The Force," Steela remarked bitterly. "That your secret?"

"No. Perseverance. Look you'll get the hang of it. I wouldn't let it get you down."

"I'm not feeling down," Steela mocked. "I just know what I'm good at." She raised her rifle and looked down its scope. Ahsoka got the message and nodded at her. The two returned to the base, not saying another word to each other.

When they go there, the training had shifted from practice with the droid poppers, to target practice. Ahsoka felt Steela's demeanor change, and she became much more happy. When it was finally her turn, she hit each target with ease.

"Impressive," Anakin remarked. "most impressive."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. Anyone could hit a stationary, non-lethal target. "Fixed targets are one thing," she said. "How about this?" Ahsoka smirked as she lifted one of the targets with the force and began to move it around. Steela took aim and fired, the shot barely glancing off the target. The next shot was much the same, but the third was dead center and hit with enough force that the target was pulled from Ahsoka's hold on it.

Ahsoka sighed. Steela had bested her this time. "Nice job," she conceded. Lux and the rest of the rebels surrounded her, giving her words of praise for her expert marksmanship. 

"You have clearly mastered your ability to focus," Obi-Wan congratulated. Steela nodded at him in thanks. Ahsoka just rolled her eyes and sighed. She didn't even realize that Anakin had walked over to her.

"Snips, are you losing focus?" He asked.

"No, it's just... I don't know," Ahsoka replied stealing a glance to where Steela and Lux were talking.