Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi walked toward a transport ship slowly landing in front of them, trailed by a crew of clones. They were both tired, though neither dared show this. It was the aftermath of an ongoing battle on Christophsis, a planet in the Outer Rim Territories which they were in the middle of taking back from the Separatists, who had just retreated to regroup. It had been a rather long battle, and yet, there was still more to do. They needed reinforcements and supplies if they were going to win this battle for the planet, two things very difficult to come by nowadays.
"Our cruiser must be back," said Obi-Wan.
"Which means we'll be able to get reinforcements," added Anakin happily.
"Then it looks like our problems are solved," said Obi-Wan, as the cruiser's wings folded up beside it and it began its landing sequence. "Fresh troops, new supplies, and perhaps they brought my new Padawan with them."
Anakin raised a brow and turned to Obi-Wan. "You really think it's a good idea to bring a Padawan learner into all this?"
"I spoke to Master Yoda about it," said Obi-Wan. He then turned to his former student. "You should put in a request for one. You'd make a good teacher."
Anakin scoffed. "No thanks," he said.
"Anakin, teaching is a privilege. And it's part of a Jedi's responsibility to help train the next generation."
Anakin and Obi-Wan stopped in front of the ship, leaving just enough room for the ramp to open up in front of them.
"A Padawan would just slow me down," said Anakin. A clone in front of them gave a thumbs up and the door began lowering, revealing a young Togruta wearing red clothing. She looked to be about fourteen or fifteen, and was wearing a set of Silka beads beside her lekku in place of a Padawan braid. A lightsaber was attached to her hip. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan's faces scrunched in slight confusion.
"A Youngling?" Obi-Wan questioned.
"And.. who are you supposed to be?" asked Anakin, getting right to the point as the Togruta walked down the ramp toward them. Beside Anakin, R2-D2 beeped excitedly.
"I'm Ahsoka," she said. "Master Yoda sent me. I was told to tell both of you that you must get back to the Jedi Temple immediately. There's an emergency."
Anakin stepped forward. "Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but we're in a bit of an emergency right here."
"Yes, our communications have been a bit unreliable, but we've been calling for help," added Obi-Wan.
"Master Yoda hadn't heard from you so he sent me to deliver the message," she told them.
Anakin sighed annoyedly. "Oh, great. They don't even know we're in trouble," he said, turning and taking a couple steps away from the conversation.
"Maybe you can relay a signal through the cruiser that just dropped me off," suggested Ahsoka.
Anakin looked at her with thinned eyes. Obi-Wan smiled, then turned to his friend.
— ★ ✰ ☆ —
"We're under attack by Separatist warships, but I'll try to make contact with the Jedi Temple for you. Stand by," said a clone officer from up above. He faded out as they began waiting for Master Yoda to appear.
Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka surrounded a holo-table they hoped would relay a signal through all the gunfire up above. It beeped slowly, then within a couple moments, a hologram of Master Yoda beamed up, and began talking immediately.
"Master Kenobi, glad Ahsoka found you, I am."
Obi-Wan got right to the point. "Master Yoda, we are trapped here, and vastly outnumbered. We are in no position to go anywhere or do anything. Our support ships have all been destroyed."
"Send reinforcements to you, we will." The hologram then began shaking, and his voice cut out as the audio crackled.
"Master Yoda? Master Yoda?!"
A couple seconds later, the same clone from before came back into their sight. "We've lost the transmission, sir." A door opened behind him, and another clone officer as well as one in armor came into view.
"We have to leave orbit immediately. More enemy ships have just arrived," said the other officer urgently. "We'll get back to you as soon as we can." Their figures faded out, and they were left, alone.
"Well, I guess we'll have to hold out a little longer," said Anakin.
Obi-Wan turned to Ahsoka. "My apologies, young one," he said cordially. "It's time for a proper introduction." He took a couple steps closer to the young Padawan.
"I'm the new Padawan learner," she said. "I'm Ahsoka Tano."
"I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi, your new master."
"I'm at your service, Master Kenobi, but I'm afraid I've actually been assigned to Master Skywalker." She gestured to Anakin, who put his hands up and took a step behind Obi-Wan.
"What?" he said. "No, no, no, no, no. There must be some mistake. He's the one who wanted the Padawan." He pointed at his former master.
Ahsoka crossed her arms. "No, Master Yoda was very specific. I'm assigned to Anakin Skywalker, and he is to supervise my Jedi training. Master Kenobi's Padawan is still on their way."
Obi-Wan looked at Anakin, who continued to stare at the young Togruta. "But that doesn't make any se—"
"We'll have to sort this out later," said Obi-Wan, holding a hand in front of each of them. "It won't be long before those droids figure out a way around our cannons." He then turned to Ahsoka. "I'm sorry— did you say there was another Padawan on the way?"
Ahsoka nodded. "Yes. They were going to send her once the battle in orbit was over, but since they have to retreat now... well, I would assume she's on her way. I don't think they would just bring her back to Coruscant."
Just as Ahsoka finished explaining, another cruiser of the same model flew overhead, making its way toward the one Ahsoka had just landed in. Anakin and Obi-Wan glanced at each other. The latter sighed, then the three of them turned, making their way toward the landing site.
The cruiser's wings folded up and landed in the same way the other's had just previously as they walked over, stopping again right in front of where the ramp would fold out to. "Let's make these introductions quick," said Anakin, a little annoyed.
The ramp opened up and revealed a girl with dark hair and freckles littering her cheeks, looking down at the three people standing in front of her. She took them in one at a time as she made her way down the ramp, but when her eyes finally wandered to the last person in the row, her mouth went slightly agape. So did his.
Akya Sagral stopped short, eyes wide, as she saw Anakin Skywalker's face again for the first time in almost five months.
a.n.:
if you have watched the clone wars movie, i love you. if you haven't, i respect that, and i still love you. i sum it up in this book so that you don't really have to. but it shows how anakin gets a padawan, which is fun.
don't forget to vote!
molly