Author's Note: The Lost Familiar crew get used to having Ahsoka. :)
~ Amina Gila
Anakin was expecting to be sent off on another mission any day, but the mission in question wasn't what he expected.
The ship's comm beeps, and Anakin picks up, because he always does. He thought it would be rebel command, but instead, it's Hunter. "In trouble already?" Anakin asks, a little worried and amused at once.
"Not quite," he replies, "We took a weapons delivery to Ryloth. The details aren't relevant, but they contacted us again for help. Omega wanted us to go, but they'll be going up against the Empire, and that's not something I want to risk."
"What happened?" Anakin inquires, alarm flaring through him.
"The Empire is taking weapons from the citizens," he says, "Or something like that, and someone hired us to give them more. They had a child with them – Hera Syndulla – and she contacted us, saying her parents were arrested."
"She wants us to free them?" Anakin guesses. Wait, Syndulla? As in Cham Syndulla? "Do you have coordinates?"
"Tech is sending them through now."
Anakin nods to him. "We'll be on our way."
Ahsoka is grumpy about it, but everyone else is right on for the mission, so Anakin sets course for Ryloth.
He's a little cautious about it when they land, but he doesn't sense many people around. When they get off, a droid rolls towards them, beeping harshly.
Artoo rolls up to him, beeping back, and Anakin pulls them apart before the argument can get violent. That's happened before.
"Who are you?" a child's voice asks worriedly.
"I'm a Jedi," Anakin tells her. She's younger than he thought she'd be. Small. "Hunter told us about you. Omega wanted us to help."
The girl approaches them, though it's still slow, hesitant.
"Why's the Empire after you?" Anakin queries, crouching to talk to her at eye-level.
"Because my father is Cham Syndulla," Hera answers, and everything clicks into place. Probably, it was a little different here, but still, Anakin has no doubt he remained a freedom fighter. That's what he's always been.
"So... where do we come into this little dirthouse?" Asajj snarks, waving her hands.
"This is my father's old command outpost," Hera replies sullenly.
"I'm assuming you want us to find your parents?" Padme guesses, walking towards her.
"Yes," Hera nods, "They're being held in the Capitol."
"Well, let's see what we're up against," Anakin says, "If it's safe here, we can leave the ship and go together. Hera, we'll need you to pinpoint what's what. I've been here a few times, but never spent long on the surface."
They find a cliff overlooking the city – it's a good thing Ryloth is a mountainous planet. It gives them far more cover. In the city, they're talking about how Cham Syndulla and his supporters tried to assassinate Orn Free Taa.
"That's not what happened," Hera whispers, like that would bother any of them.
"Don't worry," Anakin replies dryly, "I'd have more respect for him if it was." Everyone knows Orn Free Taa is a slaver. Anakin certainly wouldn't feel bad about it if he was dead. Cham was a freedom fighter who fought for his people, and Anakin respects him for that.
That doesn't change how an entire clone company was wiped out under his watch though, without any regret whatsoever. That's not something he forgets, either. They deserve so much better, and Anakin finds himself wondering what would happen to them in his own time. The war is over there. Is it? Or are they still fighting?
Anakin can feel danger prickling in the Force. "I think something's watching us," he whispers, slowly lowering his macrobinoculars
Beside him, Ahsoka inhales sharply. "Probe," she whispers. She can feel it from her montrals, no doubt. They're so useful.
Anakin reaches for his lightsaber, but Qui-Gon is already at it, climbing to his feet. Padme pulls her blaster, rolling over, and fires at it. The shot misses, but it strikes the mountain beside it, forcing it out of hiding. Qui-Gon throws his lightsaber at it, and the droid's pieces fall to a sparking heap on the ground. Anakin approaches it, looking down at its remnants. This is... familiar. It happened before on Tatooine, right after they met. It feels like a lot of this is similar.
"Probe droid," Anakin murmurs as Qui-Gon picks up his lightsaber again. "We've been spotted. Come on, let's go."
"You too," Ahsoka says, grabbing Hera's hand and pulling her along.
They don't take the time to talk until after getting back to the compound. It's hopefully safe here, and if nothing else, they do have cover.
"We're going to need a plan," Padme says as they gather together inside the hold of Lost Familiar. "If we're going to make it into the Capitol, we need a diversion. The Empire needs to think we're attacking something else."
"Hera?" Anakin queries, "You lived here. Do you know of some place?"
"The Imperial refinery in the outskirts," Hera volunteers, "I've been watching their routine."
"What are it's defenses?" Anakin asks.
"Five perimeter cannons, but they are unmanned," Hera replies. "Chopper, pull up the hologram."
He beeps, displaying a hologram of the factory.
"Doesn't look too bad," Anakin says, scanning it over, "We've done worse."
"When I agreed to let you keep me prisoner, I didn't agree to fight the Empire," Ahsoka grumbles, arms crossed.
"It's not the idea of an Empire we're fighting," Anakin replies, "It's what they're doing."
"The Republic was meant to be a democracy," Padme objects, "That's what the galaxy needs."
"I believe anything, or anyone, can be changed into something better," Anakin replies, "No matter who or what they are. It's that the Sith are in control of the Empire, not the Empire itself."
"That's not what we're fighting for," Padme argues, "There's no freedom in an Empire."
"If the galaxy is going to be held together, it needs something far stronger than the Republic."
"Can we focus instead of debating politics?" Asajj gripes, "We can do that in dead space."
"She's right," Qui-Gon agrees, "We can debate this later. We have to focus on finding Hera's parents."
Yeah. It's easy to get distracted. He knows why Padme is still so stuck on democracy, but Anakin lived a life in war. He knows what governments are like. He lived on the worst end of it. He can't pretend he didn't just because people are worried about politicians potentially abusing their power. That's why they need someone in charge who can be trusted to make those decisions.
They can debate this later. He just... doesn't agree with her on a lot of things, but that's maybe because they never really talk. They live on the ship together, but he's been so caught up with taking care of Ahsoka and being around Qui-Gon again, not to mention his strange, slowly growing friendship with Asajj that there just hasn't been time.
"We'll need the ship at the refinery," Anakin says.
"I'm flying, Skykid," Asajj says, "No funny ideas."
"We're going to need the droids to go in and deactivate the cannons," Anakin adds, "Hera, I know this could be dangerous, but I think it's best if you go with them. Keep your distance, but you know that place better than anyone."
"Really?" Hera asks excitedly, lighting up.
Anakin smiles a little tentatively at her, but her hope warms his heart. At least someone should be able to get back home.
"It sounds like Ahsoka and I best stay here at the guns," Padme decides.
"Anakin and I can go inside to find the Syndulla's," Qui-Gon agrees.
He's going in with Qui-Gon alone. This's their first mission together, and he feels a little lightheaded at actually working with him.
Anakin doubts this will be easy, but they've dealt with much worse odds.
***
They go under the cover of darkness because that's always the best time to do anything. They climb the wall together, and Anakin knocks out the clones they come across, moving farther in.
Between some well-placed mind-tricks on Qui-Gon's part and Anakin stunning a few more, they make it into the prison levels.
Anakin turns off the ray shield.
Cham Syndulla and a group of his close fighters are in there – Anakin met him very briefly after the initial fighting ended on Ryloth, and even if he hadn't, he'd recognize him. He's... fairly famous.
"I know you don't know us," Anakin says in a rush, "But Hera sent us. We're here to get you out."
"Hera? Where is she? Is she safe?" Cham asks worriedly.
"She should be," Anakin replies, looking up and down the halls. "Near the factory, helping cause a diversion. Don't worry – she's with Chopper and Artoo. I'm sure they'll take care of her."
"I thought the Jedi sided with the Rebellion in the war," someone says – Anakin doesn't know him.
"Perhaps some," Qui-Gon answers, "But Anakin and I are on a different path than most."
He really, really wants to go home. It's so hard to be in a reality where everyone looks at him with wariness or suspicion for being a Jedi. It's not that Anakin wants the attention, but he doesn't want to be treated differently for what he believes in. That's always felt true, though. Anakin has always seen the Republic in a very different way than most. He understood its flaws, that it needs to change, but he doesn't... it's complicated, and there are so many times that he feels so alone.
He doesn't know if he can trust anyone to lead the galaxy, though. There never has been anyone he trusted for that.
He used to trust Palpatine for that, and look where it took him?
They make it all the way out to the door without incident when Anakin feels a flicker of something in the Force. Danger. Close. Something bad.
He stops in his tracks, hand on his lightsaber. "Someone's out there."
"Cham, wait!" a voice calls, and a clone steps around the corner. Anakin jerks back, drawing his lightsaber, and the others have their weapons raised, anyway, but Anakin doesn't sense betrayal. "You're walking into a trap," the clone continues. He's the captain here on Ryloth. Anakin remembers the Republic left a company of clones here after they left. There were so many droids on-planet, even after the battle officially ended. Anakin and Ahsoka spent a while cleaning them up before being recalled to Felucia. The Republic made an outpost out of here. "There's a squad out there waiting."
"Why should we trust you?" one of the Twi'leks asks.
"Because I'm on your side. What the Empire is doing is wrong. You have to get out of here. They have the exits blocked," the clone replies, approaching, and Anakin lowers his lightsaber. He's being genuine.
"We can use Senator Taa's shuttle in his private tower hangar," another Twi'lek – she's the one Anakin suspects is Hera's mother – speaks up.
"I'm sorry, General. I should've stopped this sooner," he continues.
"Our fight for Ryloth is not over," Cham promises, touching his shoulder. "We will return."
"You will not be able to remain here," Anakin warns, "The Empire will know you aided our escape."
"I will not abandon my squad," he argues firmly. It's so... heartwarming to know there are still some clones, even here, who are far more loyal to each other than anyone else. "They're good men. I have to try to get through to them. Go, while there's still time."
Anakin looks at Qui-Gon, a flare of grief and fear burning to life. He can't let them die, even if – if that's the path they chose. Enough have sacrificed themselves for Ryloth's future. He won't let someone else die if he can help it.
"They'll kill you," Anakin argues.
"I can't leave my squad here," the clone insists, moving for the door.
Anakin steps back as the others start moving for the door. "Go on," he tells them, "I'm not leaving them here."
Qui-Gon pauses, looking back, worry in his gaze. "I'll come back," he decides, and Anakin nods to him.
All things considered, hiding in the compound really isn't that hard. Anakin is good at hiding. That's something all Jedi learn, and Anakin learned it even before, back on Tatooine. He can't disappear in plain sight like some people can, but he certainly can hide.
"There's a slight change of plans," he tells Asajj over their comms, "We're picking up a group of clones before coming back."
"More tube-borns?" she drawls.
"Don't call them that," Anakin grumbles. It's not any worse than natborn, but it still has a... bad implication. Maybe it's just that he's heard so many people down talk to the clones that he's just hypersensitive to it by now.
"Don't overreact," she purrs, "We'll pick you up later?"
"Actually, I was going to find a shuttle myself. If they see the ship, they'll expect another attack. I'll see you at the rendezvous."
They just have to wait out of sight together, until Anakin hears footsteps approaching. A group of clones is approaching, escorting another group, including the captain, down to the prison level. Anakin's about to jump them, to knock them out before they get any further, when Qui-Gon steps out of the shadows first. "You want to hand the prisoners over to us," he says.
The clones hesitate, and Anakin tenses, waiting. He knows this could fail – it's not easy to mind trick an entire group and the clones are far from weak minded even if they have chips that are controlling them – and escalate into a fight quickly. And they don't need the Empire catching them before they get out. Enough of the clones have died here. He's not letting anyone else fall, too.
"We want to hand the prisoners over to you," they agree slowly, before stepping back. The clone prisoners immediately approach Qui-Gon, and Anakin feels a distinct flare of gratitude from the captain in the Force.
"You want to go on your way," Qui-Gon adds.
"We want to go on our way," the others agree, and Anakin breathes out a sigh of relief when they finally turn, heading out.
"Thank you for helping us," the captain says, approaching Anakin.
Anakin nods. "What's your name?" he asks because that's always important.
"Howzer," the clone replies, as they move for the entrance. They'll have to get out fast, before someone realizes something's wrong.
They break into a run through the building, dodging any clone patrols as they head for the hangar. No one should be waiting for them there anymore.
Probably. Because Anakin suddenly senses someone close, but it's too late to turn back. This is their only safe route out, and if it's only one person –
They enter the hangar, to come face to face with a lone figure standing there, waiting for them.
He's a clone, but something about him is different. His dark Imperial armor is entirely lifeless, but his Force signature is too familiar, though strangely muddled unlike the last time Anakin sensed him.
"Crosshair?" he asks, stilling.
The clone twitches, instantly raising his rifle. If Anakin had any doubts about who it was, they're gone now. The armor might be different, but it's definitely him.
He knows him. Knew him, at any rate, and Anakin knows – or at least can guess – how much him being away from his brothers is destroying all of them. They need each other. Are defined by each other, are everything to each other. He wasn't a friend, exactly, but Anakin still knew him, and he does not want to fight him.
"Go!" Anakin calls to the others, "I'll cover you."
They make a dash for the ship, but keeping up with Crosshair is hard. He never misses. Anakin has seen a bit of what he's capable of, and he's very, very good at never missing, and sometimes, at hitting things which would reflect the shot off back at them from other angles.
Even with Qui-Gon's added help, it's hard.
Anakin Force-shoves Crosshair, but he's good at finding cover. He's a sniper, after all.
(He doesn't want to go back to the rest of Crosshair's squad and tell them that he fought their brother, that there was nothing he could do to help him.)
The others scramble up the ramp of the ship, and Anakin pauses halfway up, deflecting Crosshair's shots away as the ship takes off. He wishes there was something else they could do for him, instead of just leaving him behind, but there's no realistic way they can get to him. Reinforcements are probably coming, and they'd have to take him by force, and getting his chip out is... still not something Anakin is comfortable doing to anyone. Not after Fives. Maybe the Batch were fine, but theirs weren't active.
Crosshair moves into view again down below as the ship takes off. He's aiming for an engine – Anakin can tell instantly, and he Force-shoves him back, throwing him off-balance, despite how bad it makes him feel to be fighting him like this.
That's the last Anakin sees of him, before he sprints up the ramp of the shuttle, and they take off, leaving Ryloth far behind.
***
"I was thinking about what you said," Ahsoka tells him, almost shyly, "About how anyone can become something better."
"And?" Anakin prompts gently, looking at her.
She shifts a little, arms crossed, visibly uncomfortable. "I only ever knew being a Sith. I know we hurt people, but how do we decide who to hurt, and who not to? Everybody hurts people. There's nothing special about us because of it."
She has a point. "I imagine much of the Jedi way has been forgotten or suppressed between their destruction and the war," Anakin replies, "But we were trained to help people. We were never meant to fight. That... is a thing which began only recently in my time, and I would say much has changed since."
"I don't really understand it," she admits, "No one's ever tried to help me."
"No one?" Anakin repeats, "Ever?" He knows it feels like it, but that can't be true. That's not true now, and nor is it the Rex he knew.
Ahsoka sighs, turning away. "Rex died fighting for the Empire. If I fight it, he'll have died for nothing."
"He would still have died for what he believed in," Anakin points out, slowly reaching to touch her shoulder. "What would he have done if he was still alive? What would he have wanted for you?" It feels wrong to talk about Rex like that. Sometimes, Anakin lays awake at night, wondering about home, if Rex is alright there. Rex meant so much to him. They did everything together in the war. Rex was almost always at his side, in battle or not. They'd run into it together, covering each other, taking care of each other. They raised Ahsoka together. They – he can't imagine Rex being dead. Rex was his brother, his second, his captain, his... everything. Anakin misses him, and he doesn't know if he'll ever see him again.
She shakes her head a little. "I don't know."
"What do you want to do?" Anakin asks her because that's most important.
She shakes her head again. "If I can't have Rex, it doesn't feel like... anyone should have... anyone."
Harsh, but true. Anakin understands that feeling. Definitely. He knows grief. He's just never lost himself to it. He knows how Ahsoka could have, though. It's impressive she's even alive. It couldn't've been easy to survive after losing the only closest-to-friends she's ever had. And now, many of the Inquisitors are gone. Anakin still doesn't know the exact details behind that.
"I understand," Anakin tells her softly, "I know how that feels. I don't know how you survived to this point with... no one, but it is impressive."
Ahsoka huffs a little, pacing back and forth in front of him. "It doesn't feel impressive. They should have made it off. Rex should have made it off."
"It's hard," Anakin admits, "I – I lost my mother. I am aware it was not the same because I had... other people, but she was all I had ever had when I was a child. It was the first time I had lost anyone. I understand how... overwhelming the grief can be. I made mistakes because of it, but I had always tried to be what she wanted of me. I still am now."
"I think he would have liked you," Ahsoka murmurs finally.
Anakin smiles wistfully, even if it fades fast, as he remembers his own Rex and everything they did together. "We were close," he tells her, "Where I am from. All of us."
She freezes, turning to look at him. "I knew Rex?"
"Always. We raised you."
"I think that would have been... fun."
"It was." Enough that his heart breaks whenever he remembers it. How long has it been since he came here? It hasn't been a month yet, but it is close. So close. Do they even know he's alive? Anakin may reach for them now and then, but it's not the same, and he can't feel Rex clearly. He tried.
Ahsoka sighs. "I don't know what to do. I – I know you want to fight. I don't know if I'm ready to, though."
"You will always have one choice," Anakin points out, "Live or die. And to live, you will eventually have to fight."
"It's not that simple."
"No, but it's a question of what side you choose."
Ahsoka slumps against the wall, sighing again.
Anakin has had this conversation with her once before. It's easy to fall back into habits, and now, he can see the similarity. Sometimes, it's so hard to remember that this Ahsoka isn't the one he raised, and she doesn't remember the... things they did. Sharing them with her feels like replacing his own, but he's not. They're the same, but they're not, and he loves them very differently. His own Ahsoka kept him centered during the war. This one is keeping him centered when he's alone.
"I don't want to fight them, either," Anakin admits, "But we always have to make that choice, and we don't have to hurt anyone."
"Why do you want to help people so much?" Ahsoka asks, "It won't change anything. You're just one person. You won't change anything."
"The biggest problem in the galaxy is that no one helps each other," Anakin says. His mother told him that so many times. "My mother would always tell me that. That I could do anything my heart wanted, that it would take me to where I needed to be."
"And you believe that?"
"How couldn't I?"
"I've never trusted anyone like that," Ahsoka replies, shaking her head. "I can't imagine it."
Anakin has heard that before. No one he knows even had families, parents, people. Padme is the only exception to that, but she doesn't talk much about her past. She doesn't talk much about... anyone, actually.
"Whenever I feel the uncertainty that I know you do now, I think back to a story my mother used to tell me." He doesn't share it frequently, but it's something he can at least hope will help Ahsoka, the same way it always does him. There's been so many times he just feels lost, but when he thinks about the things his mother told him... It helps, at least a little.
Ahsoka eyes him in silence, waiting for him to continue.
"It's about a Tatooine myth: the sun-dragon. The sun-dragon is a beast that lives inside a star, guarding everything it treasures. Nothing could hurt it. Not fire, not flame. It survived through the most impossible circumstances, even life in the core of a star. Because the sun-dragon had the biggest heart in the galaxy, a burning furnace powerful enough to protect everything and everyone it loved. My mother used to tell me the story in different ways. A celebration for good days. A lesson for bad days. But it always returned to one thing, the most important thing: Your heart can take you where you want to go. Where you need to go. Because it is strong enough. That's why I'm telling you this now."
"How could you think that?" Ahsoka asks. "I'm not... I couldn't do the one thing I was entrusted with."
"Perhaps that was because it was never something you truly believed in."
"I still can't imagine... fighting the Empire, after everything I did for it."
"We don't have to destroy it. We only have to stop the people who are making the Empire the problem." He still believes that it doesn't have to be a bad thing, even if he doesn't know of anyone he could trust to actually make the right choices. But that doesn't change that the Republic as he's seen it doesn't work.
"You think it... would help something to fight the government? They'll just crack down on us even farther."
"Change would be easier from within," Anakin agrees, "That's why we need a joint effort, but there's not really anything I can do about that right now." It feels like there should be, though. Maybe he's just looking in all the wrong places. "But when I see people who need help, I won't let fear stop me from intervening."
"That's never really what I was taught. I... I don't know what to do."
"You don't have to decide anything right now, but others would be more... comfortable if they knew where your allegiances lay." None of the others – at least not Padme and Asajj – trust Ahsoka's presence on the ship yet.
"I don't know," she replies, "But I'm not going back to the Empire. At least not the way it is now. I – I want to stay with you."
It floods him with an unexpected warmth – he didn't anticipate Ahsoka wanting to stay so soon. Maybe she hasn't agreed to officially help the Alliance, but he doesn't think they need to worry about her turning against them, either. Not anymore.
Maybe they can consider meeting up with the rest of the Alliance again.
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