EZRA BRIDGER
"We suffered heavy casualties today, Commander Sato; four fighters down and another two in really bad shape. Not to mention all the injured..."
Ezra studied Hera from where she stood across the table. The Twi'lek captain's eyes were hooded, her features drawn back into hard lines. Though she made herself appear strong for Commander Sato and the others there, everyone on the Ghost knew she considered every pilot dead or injured to be a personal failure.
Hera shook her head, opening her mouth to speak again. "That fuel had better have been worth it."
Commander Sato nodded. "It was – it will last our ships at least two m–"
Suddenly, the door slid open, and Ahsoka marched into the room.
"Fulcrum. This is unexpected." Commander Sato's eyebrows rose fractionally, but he didn't make any further commentary on her unexplained interruption. "What are your findings on the Azidara system?"
"If what we ascertained during our time there is any indication, I think it's safe to say the Azidara system definitely won't work as a rebel base. I'll give you my full report this evening," she said practically all in one breath. Then, her posture went rigid, her arms crossed behind her back, and Ezra could see that her fingers were clenched into fists. "What's the status on Janira Elt?"
"As Fleet Commander, I must make it clear that the whereabouts of a single pilot are none of your con–"
Ahsoka held up her hand for silence. "I am aware of my, Commander Sato. And we both know I'm speaking perfectly within my boundaries."
Rebel commander and informant stared one another down for a moment, and even Ezra could sense the shifting balance of power between them. Even if it was obvious to everyone in the room that she was walking a dangerous line, something in Ahsoka's tone made it clear she was not to be questioned. Her face was a mask of deadly calm, and it was such a change from her usually unshakable calmness that Ezra found it almost scary.
But then, Commander Sato yielded, even if the only sign he gave of it was averting his eyes. Ahsoka somehow stood taller still, radiating such a sense of power Ezra was sure everyone in the room, Force-sensitive or no, could feel it.
"Halfway through the fuel run, an Imperial light cruiser arrived to reinforce the convoy. She..." Commander Sato paused for a moment. "Even with our communications out and the order to retreat having been given, she did not fall back. She crashed her fighter into the bridge of the cruiser. Her sacrifice allowed us to escape in one piece – with the fuel, which would otherwise have been lost."
"Then I'll be sure to tell her that when she's recovered."
"Who's Janira?" Ezra asked Hera in a whisper.
"Captain Janira Elt. Phoenix Four. She was the best A-wing pilot in Phoenix Squadron – and in three other cells." Hera sighed. "She never did anything halfway, and this time it cost her. It's such a shame; especially over something like a fuel run."
"Wait, what? Is she–"
Commander Sato quieted them both with a look. "We... don't have her here. More reinforcements were coming – we had no choice but to abandon the search."
Ahsoka's eyes flashed dangerously. "You what?"
"We cannot risk the entire fleet for the life of one–"
"You can and you will, or I'll do it myself." Ahsoka spun on her heel and stalked off towards the exit. "I won't leave Jani behind. Not now; not ever."
Ezra shot a look after Ahsoka, then turned to Hera and Kanan in wordless inquiry. Hera nodded, but by the time Kanan had opened his mouth to protest, Ezra was already halfway across the bridge and not about to look back.
AHSOKA TANO
Ahsoka was so wrapped up in her thoughts – calculations, causes and effects, anything that would help her find Janira – that she had covered half the length of the Liberator before she even realized Ezra had been trying to catch up to her. And even once he had, with her long legs and the pace she had set, he was nearly jogging to remain alongside her.
I had to jog to keep up with Anakin sometimes. The kid has to do his time. Ahsoka set her jaw. And besides, there isn't a second to waste.
"I'm coming with you," he said.
Ahsoka glanced down at him out of the corner of her eye, and thought for a moment about saying no. But then, she saw something in his eyes that gave her pause. There was a look to the deep blue orbs that reminded her of herself when she had been his age and a little younger – they were still full of hope and a fierce determination to make things better by whatever means necessary.
"Ahsoka," Ezra began slowly, as if collecting his thoughts, "Why does finding one pilot mean so much to you?"
"Now isn't the time to pry, Ezra." By then, she had reached the docking seal between the Liberator and the New Hope, and within moments had crossed the threshold into her ship. Ezra followed her into the cockpit.
"I've never seen you like this before," Ezra said as he sat down in the seat behind her. "Honestly, it's kind of scary."
Ahsoka sighed. "Jani's my... she's the sister of one of my very close friends. She's practically family." More like literally family. "Seeing her hurt... I couldn't bear letting him down like that. I couldn't bear letting myself down like that."
Ezra's eyebrows rose. "Huh. I had no idea you were so protective of people like that. But I don't think I've ever seen you around anyone you were really trying to protect."
Ahsoka chuckled to herself. You should see me with the kids.
"Everyone's protective of those they call their own, Ezra," Ahsoka said with renewed seriousness, reaching up to flip a trio of switches, the last of which turned on the ship's internal comm. "Kaya, get up here ASAP. I need you flying copilot."
"Copy that. I'll be there in a minute."
Ahsoka switched off the comm and glanced back towards Ezra, letting her muscle memory take care of the last few commands to ready the ship for flight. "It's just like how protective you are of the rest of your crew. They're your family."
Ezra bit his lip then, looking off into the blackness of space, and Ahsoka wondered if she hadn't overstepped an invisible but still very present line.
Before Ahsoka could say something more – hopefully to comfort him as she did with her own sons and daughter – Kaya Ti walked into the cockpit.
Kaya glanced back at Ezra out of the corner of her eye and shot Ahsoka a meaningful look, and Ahsoka nodded. They always shared that moment of silent communion whenever they were in the presence of someone who didn't know about the New Jedi Order and Ahsoka's role in it. That way, Kaya Ti could establish immediately whether or not it was all right to address Ahsoka as 'Master' or just by her name in order to ensure that the secret stayed safe.
Ahsoka exhaled softly, turning to each Jedi apprentice in turn. Then, she disengaged the docking clamps linking the New Hope to the Liberator and set a course for the last known whereabouts of Phoenix Four.
*Ahsoka, Kaya Ti and Ezra are hurrying to the rescue of Janira Bonteri. But will Ahsoka's seemingly unprovoked display attachment to a mere A-wing fighter pilot begin to arouse suspicion in Phoenix Squadron's ranks? What might people begin to suspect? And what might Ahsoka and the two Jedi Padawans find at the scene of the battle where Janira was lost? Could there be more dangers in store for Phoenix Four... if they even find her? You'll find out in the next thrilling chapter of The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano!
OH MY GODS SHE'S ALIVE
SHARRON IS ALIVE
AND POSTING STUFF
WHAT IS THIS MADNESS
So yeah, I SURVIVED EXAM WEEK. And if I've already got two updates finished, then I think it's a relatively good sign for the rest of the weekend ;)
So before I let you go read the next chapter, I just want to say that giving Ezra more than just a brief role this story arc was a really last-minute decision.
But now that I think of it, it was probably a good one, at least as far as my views on the storyline of Book Ten go. There wasn't much Ahsoka-Ezra bonding time in SWR season 2, and it's going to be interesting to explore what the dynamic is like between them. I assume Ahsoka would see a lot of herself in him, and Ezra would see in her a wise teacher and someone to look up to.
I mean come on, she's Space Aunt XD
Now READ ON :DDD