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
Read Chapter 16: Trust in the Force
Chapter 17 – Tension
Two Lothal fighters escorted their shuttle to a tall white spire in the middle of Capital City as the afternoon sun hung low behind them. A wide, white platform served as a dock for Ahsoka’s ship. It opened into a memorial.
“Send a message to the pilots,” Ahsoka said, “thanking them for this escort.”
“Do all ships dock here?” Kendra stared out the window as the two craft circled overhead once before departing.
“No,” Huyang said. “It is reserved for heroes of the Rebellion, as this memorial is dedicated to the crew of the Ghost and those involved in the battle of Lothal.”
“I would prefer to dock at the public docks,” Ahsoka said, “but this will make it easier for Sabine to find us.”
Kendra didn’t ask why Ahsoka thought Sabine would be looking for them. Or why she would come find them. She was excited to meet this Mandalorian warrior. Maybe she’d find out what had happened between Sabine and Ahsoka.
“Also,” Huyang said, “it will be easier on the governor.”
“The governor?” Kendra asked.
Huyang gestured to Ahsoka. “Hero of the Rebellion.”
They finished the landing checklist and stepped outside. People in fine clothes milled about the memorial, chatting. A New Republic soldier in blue stood to one side.
An older man with gray hair and a gray beard approached. He wore fine, tan clothes and a sash. “Ahsoka, it is good to see you.”
Ahsoka smiled and grasped his hand with both of hers. “You didn’t need to come, Governor.”
“And miss a visit?”
“Governor Azadi,” Ahsoka said, “this is Kendra Thornbrook, padawan of Jedi Master Edith Galloway.”
“A pleasure!” He shook her hand. “We are honored to host another Jedi.”
“Thank you, Governor,” Kendra said.
“And Huyang,” Azadi said, “it is good you are here.”
“Thank you,” Huyang said.
They stood there for a few minutes, waiting, chatting about the weather and the governor’s family. Kendra shifted from side to side. How important was Ahsoka to the rebellion that this man, in charge of the whole planet, stopped his day for her random visit?
Her attention drifted inside. The white exterior gave way to black steps leading down into the memorial. A flat black semi-circle lay before the main feature, a mural. A massive white wolf stood on one side and a gray wolf on the other, with the Ghost crew in the middle.
Kendra recognized Hera and Chopper. She assumed the other woman was Sabine. Two men and a purple humanoid were also included; one must be Ezra, and one Kanaan. A handful of smaller creatures stood with the crew.
“I think you will find the shops here much improved since your last visit,” Governor Azadi said to Ahsoka.
“Good to see the economy is recovering,” Ahsoka said. “I still use that blanket I got last time. I don’t need anything today, though. Kendra might like to go.”
Kendra did not need anything, either. She’d hoped to hear the conversation with Sabine and Ahsoka about the puzzle of the map.
“I will go with her,” Huyang said, before Kendra could argue. “It should be quite different from our shopping on Coruscant.”
“Very different, I hope,” Governor Azadi agreed.
The memorial grew suddenly quieter, and a woman approached the group. Governor Azadi visibly tensed. She was in her mid-twenties, wore a leather jacket like Hera’s over an orange outfit, had purple hair, and greeted the governor with a very fake smile.
With a fake energy to match her smile, the governor said, “You missed the ceremony.”
“Was that yesterday?” she asked, pointedly avoiding eye contact with Ahsoka. She glanced at Kendra. “It slipped my mind.”
Governor Azadi said, “You were missed, Sabine. Everyone was there.”
“Not everyone.” Sabine’s voice was flat, and her smile faded.
Maybe all Mandalorians were cold on meetings. Kendra’s ears warmed for some reason, and there was an unspoken discomfort with the situation.
Huyang said, “Greetings, Sabine Wren.”
Sabine brightened somewhat. “Hello, Huyang. Still in one piece?”
“Oh, yes, and still 75% original parts.” Huyang motioned to Kendra. “This is Kendra Thornbrook.”
Kendra smiled.
Sabine inhaled deeply and looked over Kendra, her eyes lingering on the lightsaber at her side before they finally snapped to Ahsoka. “Is this your new padawan?”
“No,” Ahsoka said. “Her master is elsewhere. She’s coming with me for a while, though.”
“It is nice to meet you,” Kendra said.
“Mmm.” Sabine rocked back on her heels and stared at the sky.
Kendra’s neck flushed, and she ducked her head. She hadn’t done anything to Sabine. Everyone in the circle seemed to look everywhere but at each other.
“Well then,” Huyang said, “Kendra and I will be exploring shopping. Call us if you need anything.”
Kendra let out a breath. She nodded her head in respect toward the group and followed Huyang down the stairs, trying to stand tall and not look confused. No wonder Huyang had established this escape to shopping.
She paused in front of the mural. The crew looked happy. Together. It evoked the feelings she had at home on Celestoria with Master Edith.
“They went by the name of Spectres,” Huyang said. “They were rebels before they knew there was a rebellion.”
“They look like a family,” Kendra said.
“And they believed they were,” Huyang said. “The war provided many opportunities to find family.”
Kendra looked back at the landing pad. Ahsoka and Sabine remained where they were, though Governor Azadi walked away. “And Ahsoka?”
“They knew her as Fulcrum initially. You may have heard her called that earlier. She provided missions and, eventually, personal guidance.”
Kendra felt a flood of emotions she couldn’t understand. Sadness, since this family had been broken apart by the war. Confusion over Sabine and Ahsoka’s relationship. And a longing to return to Celestoria, or feel the sense of family once again.
“Perhaps we should go before it gets too dark,” Huyang suggested.
The two left the room, descended on an elevator, and exited onto the busy streets of Capital City, Lothal.
They found that the memorial was not located in the commercial district, but was still surrounded by small markets and street vendors. Former Imperial warehouses had been turned into indoor shopping and eating areas. They sold everything from local Lothal art to food to bulk textiles.
Children played freely in the streets, chasing each other and kicking a ball from one end of the small road to the other. Some wore tattered clothes and were not as well off as others, but they still all seemed fed and cared for. All of it was quite different than Coruscant.
Huyang paused at a cart outside one of the larger warehouses. Orange fruit lay in baskets. “Meiloorun. One of General Syndulla’s favorites.”
“I think she served me some on Home One,” Kendra said.
A small, older woman stood behind the stall. “Visitors! We are glad to have you.”
“Thank you,” Huyang said. “I believe we would like to buy some.”
The woman’s eyes drifted to Kendra’s lightsaber. “A Jedi?”
Kendra nodded.
“We love the Jedi,” the woman said. “I’ll sell you as many as you want for half price.”
“Excellent,” Huyang said, handing over a handful of credits. “Lady Thornbrook here has likely never had one of these fruits.”
“They are wonderful,” the woman said. “Where are you from?”
“Celestoria,” Kendra said.
“You should go around the corner; Mr. Klanon has a variety of vegetables local to Lothal. Tell him I sent you.”
Kendra led Huyang away from the vendor, who pointed Kendra out to some passing children. “They love the Jedi.”
“They will not have the same concerns about Force users as Home One.”
“Because of Ezra.”
“And Kanaan,” Huyang said. “Both are local heroes.”
They walked a few more steps in silence. A cool breeze stirred the various banners above them.
Huyang said, “Might I suggest a jacket or cloak?”
“To cover the lightsaber?”
“Because it will get cool as the sun goes down,” Huyang said. “Though it would also be helpful for that purpose on less friendly planets.”
Huyang was right; it was cooling off, but her new gear kept her a little warmer than she was on Celestoria. “Master Edith said the robes were a symbol of the Order, though some could be functional. The Jedi were easy to recognize. I guess that is why Ahsoka doesn’t wear one?”
“Likely correct,” Huyang said. “It has not been wise to announce oneself as a Force user in a few decades. It still isn’t, in many places. And it makes it harder to go unnoticed generally. Ponchos, like hers, are far more common among the populace on most planets.”
“And cloaks?”
“Not as common.” Huyang thought a moment. “And given your uniform was rejected by the New Republic for being ‘too Imperial looking,’ I will change my recommendation away from a cloak. They can look somewhat sinister.”
Kendra thought back to the holovid of the attack on the Vesper, wondering if she’d call what the assailants wore cloaks or robes. She couldn’t remember if they had sleeves. They definitely looked sinister. “Let’s look for a poncho, then.”
They continued shopping, stopping at various carts and stores, including Mr. Klanon’s. He gave them 25% off his small selection of vegetables, which he claimed were unique to Lothal. Kendra had never seen them before, but Huyang later told her that they were not unique at all; they had been imported during the Clone Wars.
As the sky finally fell dark, they located a store with a handful of ponchos. They were all surplus from the Rebel Alliance, and the only one that fit Kendra was a drab olive green one with tears on one side. There was no discount.
“This doesn’t match my outfit at all,” she said.
“That could be useful,” Huyang said. “Your current look is very orderly. This could help you blend in.”
“Walking around with an ancient droid, carrying a lightsaber, and hanging out with a hero of Lothal… and you think a mismatched poncho will help me blend in?” She laughed.
“Two heroes of Lothal, if Ahsoka is successful,” Huyang said. “I do not think we will blend in on Lothal at all, regardless.”
“I hope she is successful,” she said. “That map sounds important. Hera thought Sabine could figure it out.”
“Hera is wise, and it is true Sabine may have more ideas than we did. Hera may have also been trying to involve her again, as Lady Wren does not seem happy here.”
“She wasn’t always like this?”
“No,” Huyang said. “The war also provided reasons to lose family.”
“Ezra.”
“Yes. And her actual family, during the Empire’s destruction of Mandalore.”
“Oh.” Kendra hadn’t thought of that when she was thinking about the Mandalorians earlier. “But Ahsoka told me Sabine didn’t leave of her own choosing.”
“No,” Huyang said. “It was Ahsoka’s decision.”
Kendra couldn’t imagine Master Edith making the same decision with Kendra. “Why?”
“They have both had difficult lives,” Huyang said. “It was not the right time.”
“You’re very diplomatic for a droid.”
“I have worked with the Jedi Order and, of course, am well versed in diplomacy.”
“Of course.” Kendra was frustrated by the lack of information, but Master Edith would tell her it wasn’t any of her business. Maybe she’d learn more when they met with Sabine and Ahsoka back on the ship.
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