Ahsoka, Daughter of the Light (Book 4): Hidden

Chapter 28: Back to Training

LUX BONTERI

"Meeting, everyone!" Shouted the beautiful woman that was Ahsoka Tano-Bonteri.

The Younglings and Jedi quickly ran over to the campfire. While it was still daylight, the campfire served as the point for all meetings such as this.

She quickly counted up the heads of everyone present. Including herself, there should be Eighty-eight people at this meeting, which was everyone except Rex. Eekar was holding Ezra in the back.

After she was finished counting, Ahsoka turned to Lux and nodded, a subtle signal that everyone was here.

Christi, one of the newest additions to the Order, was still kind of confused. Lyda had given her the briefing that she was to be trained as a Jedi, but she really didn't understand it. However, that was a normal reaction for some Younglings her age that were only just introduced to the concept of the Jedi, and how she was now one of them. But sooner or later, she'd get her grip on this.

"Greetings, everyone," Ahsoka said. "Today we welcome our two newest members of the Jedi Order: Christi Alka and Ezra Bridger."

There was a round of applause.

"Yesterday, on a failed supply run, Eekar Oki and Morra Sevarro bravely escaped Imperial clutches, and found a child, only a little over a month old. Ezra Bridger may still be just a baby, but with time, and patience, we will grow to see him become one of us. The same goes for Christi Alka, a child from Yerbana who was orphaned and found by Lyda and..."

She trailed off just as she was about to mention Rex. Not everyone knew he was here yet, and she wasn't sure who would accept the explanation.

"There's something else I have to tell you," she said. "On her mission to Yerbana, Lyda encountered a Clone Captain you may know as Captain Rex. He was one of the few clone troopers who never fired on their Jedi, and... well, he had no better option, so Lyda brought him here and he'll stay with us for a while. Lyda is monitoring his activity so we make sure that he's not-"

"Hey, you don't trust me!?" Rex yelled as he walked onto the scene.

His appearance was met with mixed reactions of gasps and concern from the audience.

"Necessary safety precautions" Ahsoka replied.

"I understand," Rex said, "guess I had to deal with those all the time."

A few of the Jedi still looked scared.

"Trust me," Ahsoka said, "he's fine. If he betrays us, we'll know before our position is compromised. I wouldn't let him stay here if I didn't trust him."

"That's good to hear," one of the younglings mumbled.

Ahsoka went on to talk about a few other things, and the longer she talked, the more her words sounded like they were the essence of courage and hope itself. That was one of the many reasons Lux loved her. She had unwavering passion and determination, and always made sure to give it to others. She was perfect, both as a wife and as a leader, even though she was just eighteen (almost everyone here was younger than her anyways).

Eventually, Ahsoka dismissed the meeting.

As the Jedi began to scatter about the camp, Ahsoka walked over to Lux.

"Oh, 'Soka," Lux said, "you did amazing."

"Don't I always?" Ahsoka replied, smiling at Lux.

He rolled his eyes.

"Guess it's time for some training right now," Lux said.

"Yep," Ahsoka said.

She turned to Rex.

"Hey Rex," she yelled, "got anything for target practice?"

"I think I got a Battle Droid head back on the ship, I'll get it for ya," he replied.

Lux stood blindfolded out in the field. A Battle Droid head rested on top of a nearby rock, and Rex and Ahsoka stood nearby.

"Okay," Ahsoka said, "we're going to shoot stun blasts at you, and you're going to deflect them onto that droid head."

"Okay," he said, "but how am I supposed to-"

"You're doubting yourself, Lux," Ahsoka said. "Don't ever do that."

"You're right," Lux said.

"Rex," Ahsoka said, "you mind shooting the blasts at him?"

"Sorry commander," he said, "I... I would prefer not to. How about you try?"

"Well," Ahsoka said, "You're probably better at blasters than me, but I can see why you don't want to do it."

"Thank you, commander," Rex replied. He pulled one of his blaster pistols off of his belt and tossed it to Ahsoka, who caught it.

Ahsoka set it to stun and fired at Lux.

In a split second, Lux used the force to bring his lightsaber from his belt to his hand and ignited it, successfully blocking the blast, but not deflecting onto the droid head.

Ahsoka fired twice again, and he failed to hit the head both times.

She kept firing shots, and while he was blocking them, he just couldn't seem to hit the head.

Lux took a deep breath.

"Let go of your surroundings, Lux," Ahsoka said. "Let yourself trust the force. You're trying too hard."

Lux took another deep breath, and stood ready for another shot.

He heard the blaster go off.

Let go of your surroundings, Lux, the words of his wife echoed in his mind. Let yourself trust the force.

The blaster bolt bounced right off his lightsaber, and he could hear a faint clunk of metal.

He had hit the droid head.

Ahsoka fired even more stun bolts at Lux, and they all hit the head to the point where it fell off the rock.

"That's enough," Ahsoka said.

Lux took off his blindfold.

"Did I do well?" he asked.

"You did amazing," Ahsoka replied.

"All thanks to you," Lux said.

"Oh, Lux..." Ahsoka said, rolling her eyes.

They shared a brief kiss as Rex smiled watching them.