This is an Ahsoka fanfiction. It kicks off before the show, will extend through the end of season one, and hopefully conclude with post-show content before season two of the real thing airs. Let me know how I’m doing in the comments!
I’ve started loading chapters into Archive of Our Own. Let me know if you follow over there!
Rating: General, Spice Level: None
Characters/Tags: Original Character, Master and Apprentice Relationships, Original Female Character, Original Jedi Character, Ahsoka Tano, Huyang
Chapter 9 – Welcome to Coruscant
Six days later, they dropped out of hyperspace over the massive city-world of Coruscant. Kendra had read about Coruscant and seen holos. The whole planet was one giant city. Holos showed it as dark from space, but covered in a glowing mosaic of circular lights. As they dropped out of hyperspace and approached the bustling planet, Kendra realized the pictures did nothing to capture the size of the planet or its beauty.
Though she’d only seen Celestoria from space one time, as they departed a few days ago, she could tell now how small her home planet was by comparison.
Thousands of ships flew in orbit around the ecumenopolis. Kendra didn’t know how to begin studying them all.
“Ahsoka, I believe Lady Thornbrook would enjoy the front seat,” Huyang said.
“I agree.” Ahsoka smiled. “We are going to the other side of the planet, so we’ll be up here for a few minutes.”
Kendra swapped places with the droid and sat on the edge of her seat to take in as many details as possible. Smaller ships swarmed around larger cruisers. Many were civilian transports, but others appeared to be supply vessels, and a few were clearly part of the New Republic fleet.
Two of Coruscant’s moons hung near the horizon in front of them as they passed a massive orbital platform. Kendra picked out at least twelve similar platforms in orbit.
They started their descent thirty minutes later, joining the planet’s auto-navigation system as the sun rose from their perspective. They would land during the day on this side of the planet. Turbulence shook the ship, but it wasn’t as bad as the departure from Celestoria. The ship’s gravity deactivated, and Kendra’s body now oriented itself to the planet.
The massive circles of light from space grew in size as they approached, but now Kendra saw more lights in grids all across the planet. Major and minor traffic lanes outlined sections of the city, and skyscrapers rising thousands of feet into the sky offered their own stationary lights to the city below as dawn cast large shadows across everything.
Layers and layers of traffic lanes, buildings, and city blocks stacked on top of each other. Trillions of people lived below, and Kendra felt almost overwhelmed by the life on the planet.
“Still busy, I see,” Huyang noted.
Ahsoka said, “I don’t think that will ever change.”
“There are over 5000 levels of the city in most parts of the planet.” Huyang directed his commentary at Kendra. “The lower the level, the older the structures, and the less safe it is, both due to criminals and pollution.”
“What do you sense now?” Ahsoka asked.
Kendra reached out to the Force and examined the planet beneath her, feeling the positive energy of life. All of these sentient creatures in one place, so connected. She expected to find a few other types of life, but found many different types of creatures lived on Coruscant. She couldn’t identify or pinpoint them, given the number and how fast they were moving, but Coruscant teemed with energy. The only thing notably missing was plant life.
“A lot,” Kendra said.
They sped between buildings and spires, flying at the same speed and at consistent distances from the vessels all around them. The smaller ships and speeders in their traffic lanes boasted a wider array of colors than the larger ships in orbit. A nearby transport carried the New Republic’s logo.
She’d studied Corsucant on Celestoria and thought she knew all about this planet city, but questions flooded her mind. How did people get from place to place without a ship? Did people often fall? Everything was so tall.
Kendra calmed her mind and picked one question to ask. “How do all the levels stay up?”
“Not all always have,” Huyang said. “The planet’s history is full of poor planning decisions leading to catastrophe, but eventually, they grew more careful and had better technology. Much of the structure is now supported by durasteel support pillars. Repulsarlift and gravity altering technology have been built into new layers for thousands of years.”
Kendra asked, “What happens if a ship doesn’t have the software to use the navigation system?”
Huyang said, “They must dock in space and ride a shuttle to the surface. There’s far too much traffic here to allow for manual navigation.”
“We will be landing near the Senate District,” Ahsoka said.
“Is it safe?” Kendra asked.
“There are no more battles,” Ahsoka said, “if that’s what you mean. There are petty thieves and organized criminals like you’d find in any city, but the topmost levels should be fine, especially during the day. The government areas are all well patrolled.”
“Have you been here since the war?” Kendra asked.
“A few times.” Ahsoka paused. “Once during the war, and twice since. I have friends in the fleet, and I’ve met with Senator Organa once.”
Kendra nodded. Master Edith had told her about the earlier Organas and their deaths on Alderaan. Little information survived about the attack, other than the Empire claimed they destroyed the planet due to terrorists. Her stomach twisted at the thought; even if every adult on the planet had been a terrorist, it would be far too evil an act to comprehend.
She’d only been eight and did not feel it at the time, but Edith had said she’d sensed a great disturbance in the Force. When the news finally found its way to Celestoria, Edith went silent for almost five weeks. Kendra later wondered if Edith would have joined the Rebellion then, if not for her duties to keep her young padawan safe.
Their ship departed the traffic lane and descended slightly to a large common-use landing pad, about half full with small and medium-sized ships.
“Kendra,” Ahsoka said, “You will be responsible for the post-landing checklist. Huyang, please help her.”
“Of course,” Huyang said.
Ahsoka set the ship down.
“I am going to visit a friend,” Ahsoka said. “Perhaps Huyang can show you around.”
“No training today?” Kendra asked. The travel from Celestoria had been packed with meditation, training, history lessons from Huyang, more training, and more meditation. Kendra had just finished meditating when they arrived. She’d never been so sore for so long in her life.
“Not today,” Ahsoka said. “Unless you get into a fight.”
Huyang said, “I must go to a nearby retail district. Ideally, there will be no fights there.”
“We will meet back here at 1900 local,” Ahsoka said. “I’d like for you to come with me to a meeting on the lower levels.”
Kendra nodded and mentally acknowledged the nervous energy that threatened to consume her.
~~~~
Kendra barely kept her mouth closed as she stared into the mass of creatures and humans milling around a shopping area on Coruscant. Stalls lined the road in orderly lines, all manner of different species and droids manning them in an attempt to sell their goods. They stood in front of stores built into the sides of the district’s towering buildings, each with its own bright sign identifying the items within.
“The planet has millions of shopping areas, of course,” Huyang said. “This one is nearby and probably the most frequented by Jedi at the Temple and the Temple staff.”
“Did the Jedi shop?” Kendra asked. She hadn’t ever given it much thought.
“All the essentials were provided at the Temple, but many felt it was good to get out and see others. They might buy clothing items they felt fit better or items needed for any hobbies. Many found their way all over Coruscant to speak to contacts and friends from all over the galaxy, either to say hello or gather information about upcoming missions.”
“Oh.” She had read about places like this, but seeing it in person was a different experience altogether.
The area was like Timberport, but multiplied by many thousands. Timberport held a number of different species, of course, but there were more types of people on Coruscant that Kendra could not identify than those she could.
The Force felt different here, too. The lack of anything natural in the environment was apparent, but the sheer number of the living brought Kendra energy and hope. She nodded at Huyang, and the two walked forward into the crowd.
A woman pushed a bright orange stroller containing a cat-like creature past Kendra. Three droids circled above the crowd, their audio declaring various deals at different stalls and stores.
Kendra paused at a stall selling exotic fruits, their vibrant colors and unusual shapes catching her eye. They reminded her of a type of orange she enjoyed on Celestia. The vendor, a Rodian with bright green skin and large eyes, offered her a sample.
“Try this, young one,” the Rodian said. “It’s a delicacy from the Outer Rim.”
“Thank you.” Kendra took a piece of the blue fruit and tasted it. It was mildly sweet, with a flavor that reached her nose, and it held a bit of spice behind it.
She briefly wondered if there was some customary action taken after receiving a sample, if not buying, but more customers crowded in behind her, and she followed Huyang back into the crowd.
“That was not from the outer rim,” Huyang said. “But few here would know that.”
Huyang pointed out various shops of historical interest as they walked. “That antique shop specializes in relics from the Old Republic era. Many of the items you see in the window have been salvaged from ancient battlefields and ruins.”
Another booth’s sign claimed rapid, cheap, and safe weight loss through the use of a particular flower found “only on Eriadu.” Huyang said, “That method was popular over one hundred years ago, fell out of favor, and has now apparently returned.”
“Is it safe?” Kendra asked. Many flowers could be poisonous on Celestoria.
“It does nothing,” Huyang said, “so, yes. If you are interested in a different body composition, I can make recommendations regarding your diet and training regimen.”
“No, not really,” Kendra said. “How do you know all this?”
“I lived on Coruscant for a very long time,” Huyang said.
They continued their journey, passing a droid repair shop. The sounds of welding and the hum of machinery filled the air. Huyang paused, his gaze lingering on the scene. “This shop has been here for centuries,” he remarked.
Kendra marveled at the seamless blend of the old and the new. “How did all of this survive the war?”
“Most areas of the planet were not impacted directly as greatly by any of the conflicts seen by this planet over its history. Stores may have closed for a time, owners may have changed, and various buildings and parts of buildings destroyed, but people must continue living.”
“Did the Empire oppress them?”
“Yes,” Huyang said. “But it was not as bad here as it was on planets outside the core. And many people found they could be left mostly alone, so long as they didn’t cause trouble.”
They kept walking, drifting in and out of shops while Kendra explored all the new things she’d never even dreamed of on Celestoria. She had a few credits to spend, but not enough to buy too much, and she was too overwhelmed by options to decide anyway.
An undergarment store sold beautiful synthetic, silk, and lace designs for various species. However, none of it offered much in the way of support for activity. Huyang indicated that it had long been an issue for the supremely mobile Jedi.
Kendra also looked for robes like the ones she’d seen Jedi wear in holobooks, but couldn’t find anything that matched.
“They went out of favor after the Empire said the Jedi were traitors,” Huyang explained.
They visited another shop, which sold only beautiful rocks and gems claimed to be from different planets around the galaxy. Many stores offered the latest fashion from various core worlds, each apparently dedicating itself to clothing from one planet. One store at the end of a long row contained nothing but holo-games for children.
After a few hours, they’d only explored a portion of the shopping district and hadn’t even reached the lower level.
“What did you think?” Huyang asked.
Kendra paused but couldn’t find the words to describe the overwhelming experience. “That was a lot.”
“The lower level meeting this evening will be as well,” Huyang said. “We should return to the ship so you may rest and eat.”
Once back on the ship, Kendra asked, “Who are we meeting with tonight, Huyang?”
“One of Ahsoka’s contacts, I believe,” Huyang said. “She is looking for information about a planet.”
“Is that where the missing admiral is?” Kendra dropped to the floor to begin stretching. One benefit of the ship’s layout was plenty of space.
“Grand Admiral,” Huyang corrected. “And no, or we do not think so.”
Her ribs remained sore from the Tarnox, though it lessened every day. The new training sparked new sore spots, however. “Why is he so important?”
“Almost ten years ago, Grand Admiral Thrawn was defeated on the planet Lothal by a young Jedi named Ezra Bridger. Both are officially presumed dead, but those loyal to the Empire believe he is alive and may return. He is an excellent commander and would be able to rally the forces against the New Republic.”
That did explain why Ahsoka was looking for him. “How will he return if he is lost?”
“Yes. The battle over Lothal was almost lost, but Ezra Bridger used the Force to summon Purgil, giant space whales. These space whales vanished into hyperspace while holding Thrawn’s ship. Ezra was also on board. Ahsoka believes Thrawn may also be located if the destination can be found. She seeks to prevent his return.”
“I’m sorry.” Kendra stopped stretching and stared at the droid. “Space whales? He used the Force to call space whales? And they jumped into hyperspace? And now nobody can find them?”
“It does sound rather fantastical, even for the Jedi,” Huyang said. “But it was recorded by many sources, not the least of which the rest of the crew of the Ghost. Ahsoka is friends with that crew, and her former padawan was among them.”
“Padawan?” This was not at all what Kendra expected when engaging Huyang in small talk to pass the time and learn a little more. “So there’s another Jedi?”
“No. Ahsoka and Sabine Wren parted ways before Sabine completed her training.” At Kendra’s blank look, he added, “It is complicated.”
“That sounds incredibly complicated.”
“Yes,” Huyang said. “The planet Ahsoka seeks now is rumored to have information about the possible destination of the purgil. She’s been seeking information on how to find the planet for several months.”
“Hopefully, we will figure it out soon.” Ahsoka came through the hatch from outside and dropped her satchel in the sleeping quarters before returning to the training room. “Morgan is scheduled to be moved for trial.”
Huyang turned to Kendra. “Morgan Elsbeth was one of Thrawn’s contacts. She has provided Ahsoka with some information regarding the planet.”
“Not enough.” Ahsoka paced in the training room. “I’m still not sure she told me everything. And I’ll lose access to her once she’s at trial.”
“I am surprised the New Republic moved so quickly,” Huyang said.
“They can be efficient in some places,” Ahsoka said. She paused and then walked toward the sleeping quarters. “Get ready, Kendra. We’ll leave early.”
Kendra had no idea what she was preparing for, and her head hadn’t fully processed all she had just learned. But she used the restroom and prepared to return to the city. Time to go be a Jedi.
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