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Ahsoka Tano had been a lot of things in her lifetime; a girl, a Togruta, a Jedi Padawan, a commander in a galactic army, a member of the Onderon Rebellion, a convict, an escaped convict, a reanimated corpse, a smuggler, a captive, a Mandalorian resistance leader and a survivor. She survived the fall of the Republic and the Jedi Purge. She even had managed to survive an altercation with a Sith Lord. But never had Ahsoka been summoned by a Queen.
Alderaan and it’s royal family, the Organa’s, had always been friends with the Jedi and supported them in the Senate. In the Jedi’s time of need, Alderaan had been one of the few safe havens for Jedi. Despite being a founding member of the Republic—which had now for fifteen years ceased to exist—Queen Breha Organa of Alderaan believe it her duty to protect the galaxy’s ancient protectors. And when the Queen summoned Ahsoka, how could she refuse?
As she departed her ship, a beat up G9 Rigger freighter, Ahsoka felt oddly at peace as the galaxy screamed around her. Even with chaos and horror unraveling on the corners of the galaxy, it was hard to be concerned looking at the undisputable beauty of Aldera City and the lake the palace overlooked.
Alderaan was a beautiful world with mountains brushing the atmosphere and low valleys dipping deep into the planet. Vast lakes and grassland—some covered by snow, others with flowers in full bloom—took up much of the landscape. Ahsoka was especially impressed by the tall ghost-white spires of Aldera Royal Palace. In a way they reminded her of the spires of the Jedi Temple. Though it had been so long, Ahsoka remembered the spires on Coruscant like she had merely blinked away from them.
Her ship made a series of creaking noises as she continued down the arrival platform, guards—fifteen in total—on either side of it.
Quite the welcome, Ahsoka thought as the royal guards stood seemingly motionless at the sight of her. Normally Ahsoka would have hidden her lightsabers in her pack, but she felt safe here. She did however, keep her hand very close to it. Having been in service since they were children, all of the men and women inside Castle Organa were loyal to the Old Republic and to the Royal Family.
“Halt,” a soldier said.
Ahsoka assumed he was captain of the guard.
“Name?” he said, his face expressionless.
“Fulcrum,” Ahsoka responded. “I’m here to see the Queen.”
Ahsoka had taken on the identity of Fulcrum long ago. Although she was officially not a Jedi, she was sure the Emperor would have no reservations about finding her and killing her.
“Ah yes. It is good to be of servitude to you once again, Agent,” the soldier smiled and gave a nod of approval to the rest of the soldiers. “Shall we?”
Two of the detail broke off to guard Ahsoka’s ship while the rest followed in tow behind the Jedi and the Guard Captain.
Ahsoka had been to Alderaan many times during the aftermath of Order 66. It was a safe haven and she had made good friends with the Senator, Viceroy Bail Prestor Organa. As such, it was not a surprise that instead of the Queen, it was the Senator’s office the Ahsoka was brought to.
“Senator,” Ahsoka smiled, addressing her long-time friend.
“Agent Fulcrum,” Bail smiled. “You may leave us.”
The guards left and as the door closed Ahsoka felt herself fully relax into the security of Alderaan. She was safe here.
“It’s been a long time, my friend,” Bail said coming forward and hugging the Togruta.
“Not that long, Senator,” she said, returning the embrace.
“How many times must we go through this? Call me Bail. We’ve known each other long enough.”
Ahsoka smiled at that and receded from the hug. They had known each other for almost eighteen years now.
“I doubt this is a pleasantry beckon? When the Queen of Alderaan hires a bounty hunter, it must be important,” Ahsoka said, crossing her arms.
“Is that what Fulcrum is now? A bounty hunter?” Bail asked as he picked up a datapad and handed it over to her.
“Easiest way to find out which Jedi are still alive,” she answered.
“I see,” Bail walked over to the door and opened it. “Let’s take a walk, shall we?”
“My pleasure, Sena—Bail.”
Bail grinned and stifled a small laugh. The word sounded foreign from Ahsoka’s tongue but reminded him very much of the accent of the late Senator from Naboo, Padmé Amidala.
“To what do I owe the pleasure, Bail?”
“Breha and I discussed it. And we have decided that if this—if we are to get any bigger. Then we need to have a banner to rally behind.”
“Oh? And what is that?”
“That, my friend, is a surprise.”
“Very well,” Ahsoka sighed sarcastically. “I’m not the hugest fan of surprises. Last few I’ve had nearly got me killed.”
“And luckily Master Jedi, that has yet to happen.”
“I’m not a master, Bail. You know that.”
“As far as I know, you’re one of five Jedi left in the galaxy. That makes you, by experience, a master.”
“Five?” Ahsoka stopped walking and turned to her friend. “Who?”
“Shaak Ti on Felucia, the one in your Lothal cell, Yoda, Ben, and you my child,” Bail informed her.
“I wish you would tell me where Obi-Wan is, Bail.”
“You know I can’t. Even as much as I want to.”
“I know. It’s to protect him. Just the same as we haven’t told the rebel cells about each other,” Ahsoka resigned.
“Exactly. Though I feel as if that may not last very much longer,” Bail said grimly.
“What do you mean? Do you think it’ll come to war?”
“It must eventually. I already mourn the lives of those we will lose in the coming battles,” Bail sighed and continued walking.
Ahsoka considered this for a moment as she kept up pace. Was this where her rebels were headed? War? Inevitably to bring back the Old Republic. Though, it had been the Republic that had fallen into an Empire.
“How are our cells doing, Agent Fulcrum?”
“Let’s see,” Ahsoka seemed to bring up a holomap in her mind as she pointed out to random spots in the air. “The Mandalore cell has halted activity in hopes to stay underground. The Nar Shaddaa cell recently set up a deal with the Hutts to get access to all Imperial transmissions in the sector.”
“I’ve never liked dealing with Hutts,” Bail admitted.
“Me either. And it’s not much information. Palpatine has kept his grip light in that sector. The Onderon cell is in almost entire control of the government. Senator Bonteri is merely awaiting the signal to overthrow rule there. Probably best to wait for war if that were to happen.”
“Otherwise Vader would merely wipe them out,” Bail stated flatly. He wasn’t sure if Ahsoka knew the truth about Vader—they had never discussed it. If she did, she never admitted it.
“Exactly,” she responded, still pointing at blank spaces in the air. “Dantooine cell has finished setting up a fully-functional base for larger operations. In the outskirts of the planet near the ancient Jedi Enclave. The town is called Khoonda and they found a rather large underground hanger.”
“Splendid. I’ll let Senator Mothma know as soon as possible.”
“No word from Pantora. It’s been twenty rotations, I’m beginning to get worried,” Ahsoka admitted, grimly.
“Have faith, my friend. Senator Chuchi is highly capable,” Bail reassured her.
“You’re right Senator. Hell, my transmitter has been out in the ship for weeks—that’s why it took me so long to get here, I was on my way to Nar and didn’t get the transmission until I arrived,” she explained. Gotta get that repaired.
Bail chuckled and patted her gently on the shoulder.
“Alas my friend, you won’t have to worry about that any longer!” Bail exclaimed.
“Bail, where are we? Why are you taking me back out to the docking pads?” Ahsoka asked.
“To show you this,” Bail said as he pressed a button on the console next to the door, prompting the door to slip open.
On the landing platform was a CR90 Corvette from Corellian Engineering Corporation. Alternatively known as a “blockade runner,” the corvette was primarily white with blue detailing. It reminded Ahsoka of the colors of the 501st Clone Legion in the war. It had been that legion that stormed the halls of the Temple, destroying her home. Of course, it hadn’t been her home for some time before that.
“Bail, you didn’t,” Ahsoka’s mouth dropped wide open as she approached the impressive ship.
“Fresh off the Corellian assembly line. All of your things have been moved to the ship. There’s a crew of eight of my most trusted soldiers on board. It’s yours,” Bail smiled, crossing his arms.
“Wha-I. Thank you,” Ahsoka exclaimed, spinning around to hug the senator. “What’s the ships name?”
“It doesn’t have one yet. That’s up to you, my friend.”
“I’ll have to think on it,” Ahsoka smiled and walked toward her new ship.
“I have also sent one to each of your cells across the galaxy. To help them out of situations if the Empire catches on to what we are doing,” he informed her.
“That’s amazing. A lot of credits and amazing,” Ahsoka said. “Thank you, Senator,” she smiled and bowed.
“My pleasure, Master Jedi,” Bail said, returning the bow.
Just then, a young girl, about the age of fifteen approached from behind the two.
“Dad!” the young girl yelled, running down the platform.
Ahsoka felt her heart skip a beat looking at the girl. She was almost the spitting image of her mother at that age. Or at least from what Ahsoka had seen on holovids from the Invasion of Naboo. It seemed like such a long time ago—she had been four at the time.
“Leia. What are you doing out here?” Bail asked in his calmest, slightly-angry tone.
“I wanted to see Aunt Fulcrum before she left again,” Leia said, batting her long eyelashes
Anakin’s eyelashes.
Ahsoka straightened up her back and smiled wide, opening up her arms wide.
“Come here Leia!”
Leia smiled and ran towards the Togruta Jedi, practically jumping into her arms.
“You’ve gotten so big since the last time I saw you,” Ahsoka said, rubbing Leia’s back.
“I’m fifteen now. Getting my speeder-permit next month!” she announced.
Ahsoka grinned. “Oh really now? How do mom and dad feel about that?”
Leia looked back at her father and began to giggle uncontrollably.
Bail regressed and relaxed. “She crashed a speeder with 3PO in it. The ol’ droid had to be put back together...again.”
“It’s not my fault,” Leia protested. “3PO was being a backseat driver.” She crossed her arms and stuck out her hip.
Ahsoka chuckled until she saw Bail’s attempt at a stern look. This only made her chuckle harder.
“3PO was probably reminding you how it is illegal to drive without a license, my dear,” Bail said.
“And it was kind of annoying to be honest. I’m a princess and I’m highly capable to take care of myself,” Leia said, defending her actions.
Ahsoka put her hand on Leia’s shoulder. “Take it from me, kid. Cherish the time you’ve got with your father telling you how to do things.” She got down on her knees to meet Leia’s level. “He may seem annoying and overbearing now, but one day you will be on your own and you’ll have what you’ve learned from him and your mother to fall back on.”
“And you, Aunt Fulcrum.”
“And me,” Ahsoka smiled.
Ahsoka’s head turned as she heard a familiar beeping noise. From behind Bail, a blue and white astromech wheeled toward them at great pace.
R2.
R2-D2 made a series of beeps aimed at Bail, then a series of beeps aimed towards Leia and finally he rolled forward towards Ahsoka and made a cheerful tweet that brought a great smile to Ahsoka’s face.
“It’s alright R2, I’m not mad. Just get Leia back to her studies, alright?” Bail said, doing his best not to chuckle at the frazzled astromech.
“It’s good to see you R2-D2. As always,” Ahsoka smiled and rubbed the dome of the droid.
“You two know each other?” Leia asked, surprised.
“Oh R2 here could tell you many stories about me. Fulcrum has done a lot in her lifetime,” Ahsoka grinned.
R2 made a series of acknowledging beeps.
“Only if I finish calculus? I’ve got no use for calculus, I want to be Senator when I grow up!” Leia protested at the droid.
“Go on, Leia. Even world saviors need a little math on their side,” Ahsoka assured her.
“Alright. Goodbye Aunt Fulcrum. I hope to see you soon,” Leia smiled and made her way back into the palace with R2 rolling after her.
Ahsoka felt slightly dizzy and sat down on the platform. She patted the spot next to her, prompting Bail to do the same. They both stared at the girl as she disappeared into the castle.
“She reminds me so much of her,” Bail admitted, sighing.
“Of him too,” Ahsoka said, crossing her arms over her legs.
The two fell silent for several minutes, listening to the chill of the wind and the tweeting of birds around the palace. Ahsoka turned and looked at her new starship again.
“I’ve got a name,” she announced.
“Let’s hear it,” Bail prompted her.
“Heroine,” Ahsoka said, admiring her new corvette.
“Fitting,” Bail smiled.
After a few minutes passed, Ahsoka rose up from the ground and then helped up the Senator. They shared a brief hug before she began towards the ship’s loading ramp. She wasn’t sure if she would ever see Alderaan again or even survive until the next rotation. Though if she did, she’d make sure to visit Pantora to see what was up with her cell there. It was beginning to trouble her.
“Oh!” she called out to Bail from the loading ramp.
“Yes?” he called back, walking over to her.
“I forgot about Lothal. The Lothal group is doing well!”
“I know!”
“You know?”
“I met them?”
“When?!”
“They stole my droids!”
“R2 and 3PO?”
“Yes!”
Ahsoka grinned and shook her head. “I’ll give Spectre Two a stern talking to!”
“Oh and Fulcrum,” Bail’s expression dropped from one of jest to a serious one. A face Ahsoka hadn’t seen in a long time. He was no longer playing the father-figure serious. This was planet-changing serious.
“What is it?” Ahsoka asked, coming down the loading ramp.
“There’s rumours another Jedi is alive. And in Imperial custody. Senator Trayvis will send more to your ship once he knows where the Jedi is being kept,” Bail explained.
Ahsoka’s expression mirrored that of Leia’s when she ran toward her. “Who is it?”
“Luminara Unduli.”
“Luminara Unduli,” Ahsoka repeated back.
Bail nodded.
“Thank you, Senator. I’ll be in contact soon.”
“See to it that you are, Agent,” Bail smiled and started towards the entrance to the palace.
Ahsoka boarded her ship with a new mission in sight. A mission that would hopefully provide some answers and opened up many questions as well. She could have a fully-fledged Jedi Master on her side. She might even complete her training. Ahsoka was determined: she was going to save Luminara Unduli from the Empire and the clutches of Darth Vader.