Chapter Text
5 Years Later
Ahsoka rocked back and forth on her heels while waiting for her ride. She didn’t want to be late, though it was looking like she would be. Ever since leaving the GAR, Fives’ sense of urgency became near non-existent.
Her stomach twisted and she had the urge to just sprint. To run. To race through the streets of Coruscant with no particular destination in mind. It was a strange feeling. One she had gotten more and more as of late.
She didn’t know why. She felt like she was waiting for something. Anticipating some change. Only, she couldn’t figure out what. When she meditated on the feeling, it didn’t seem to be coming from the Force. It was her. All her.
“I’m just nervous about being late. That’s all.” Even as she spoke the words aloud, she knew that wasn’t the case.
“Oh, maybe I should tell Master Obi-Wan,” she groaned, sinking down on the Temple steps. That probably should have been her first step when she realized this feeling wasn’t going away and wasn’t coming from the Force. Only, she didn’t want to bother Master Obi-Wan with something like this. She wanted to be independent. After all, she had turned twenty a few weeks back. She wasn’t a little kid anymore.
Her stomach twisted again. The anticipation and need to move filled her veins.
She looked down at it and glared. “Oh, stop, would you.”
It looked like she had to tell Master Obi-Wan about whatever was going on after all. They could meditate together. Maybe even bring Master Plo. That would provide her some clarity. Besides, she had tried to solve the problem by herself and it didn’t work. Surely that had to count for something.
A speeder screeched to a stop in front of the Temple. Its sound ripped Ahsoka out of her musings and back to the present moment.
“About time!” She bounded down the steps and hopped in the front seat.
“I know. I know,” Fives said as he punched the speeder into drive and zipped away from the Temple. Fives was dressed in his senatorial outfit. Sitting in the middle, between him and Ahsoka, was Kix, still dressed in his scrubs. His feet kicked up on the dash and his arms crossed over his chest as he squeezed his eyes shut.
“We’re going to be late!”
“Sorry. This guy didn’t want to get out of bed.” Fives jerked his head towards Kix. He maneuvered the speeder through traffic. Making some truly impressive moves that were also very illegal. “Besides, we’re not going to be late. We’re going to be right on time. Though, we would have been early had Kix been ready when I said to be ready.”
“I just got out of a six-hour-long surgery. I’m tired.”
“You’re the one who wanted to become a trauma surgeon.” Fives smacked his brother on the head.
This caused Kix to peel open one eye (just one) to glare at him.
“I told you dentists have better hours. But no. You wanted to do surgery. And trauma surgery at that!”
“It’s where my talents lie,” Kix grumbled.
“Your talents also lie in dentistry.”
As the two of them bickered, the gnawing sensation in Ahsoka’s gut started to ease. She felt herself relax back into the seats and watched Coruscant zip by. This was nice. This was familiar.
And just like that, the nerves came back with a vengeance.
It wasn’t anxiety, she figured that much out. It was just… nerves. But the excited kind of nerves. The kind you get when you’ve been stuck on a transport for hours and want to break out and explore a new destination.
She frowned and decided her best course of action was to distract herself.
She looked around and realized that no one was tailing them. “Fives, where are your guards?”
Fives and Kix immediately stopped arguing so Fives could look away to hide his guilty face.
“You ditched them again, didn’t you?” Ahsoka pointed an accusatory finger his way.
He scoffed. “I fought a Sith Lord with a chair. I don’t need guards.”
“You smacked one Sith Lord with one chair one time five years ago,” Kix grumbled.
“More than you did. How many Sith Lords did you hit with chairs?”
Kix grumbled some more.
“That’s what I thought.”
The way her stomach clenched and twisted eased.
She rolled her eyes. “You shouldn’t ditch them. They are there for your protection.”
“I don’t need it,” Fives argued. “All my years as a Senator I have not once had an assassination attempt.”
Kix snorted. “That you know of.”
Fives smacked him again.
Ahsoka shook her head and was about to agree with Kix when she realized they were not heading to the ship depot.
“Um, Fives? Rex and the others are that way?” She pointed down the rapidly disappearing on-ramp to the Zenith Expressway.
“Relax. I’m telling you we won’t be late.”
“Is this a fancy shortcut you’re taking me? One Archer told you about?”
“No. We need to make a stop first.”
“Fives!”
“Echo needs some replacement parts for his arm and I figured while we were down here, might as well get them,” Fives explained.
“You forgot to pick them up yesterday, didn’t you?” Kix asked.
“I did not!”
Kix and Ahsoka stared at him.
Fives shrank back under their scrutiny. “I didn’t. I just thought it’d be better to do it all at once. You know, save some gas.”
“He totally forgot,” Ahsoka said.
“Absolutely.” Kix agreed.
Fives glared at them. “If you two don’t knock it off, I’ll make us late on purpose. I have no problem facing Fox’s wrath.”
That was a good point. There was a reason why, out of all the troopers, Fives was the one with a workout named after him.
She and Kix exchanged glances and then kept their mouths closed.
“That’s what I thought. Never piss off the driver. I will make your lives hell.”
“We got it,” Kix said. “Just drive. I want to see what name she picks.”
“And we will. Now, quit distracting me. I gotta focus on getting there.”
Now that they were a bit farther from the Temple, Ahsoka recognized the streets Fives took. Her heart beat faster the closer they got. She breathed in slowly and then released her breath for a count of three.
Kix gave her a funny look.
“Nerves,” she explained. “What if she picks my name?”
Kix shrugged. “I’m sure it’s better than whatever Fives came up with.”
“I’ll have you know my name is great!” Fives snapped.
Kix shook his head and slumped back down in the seat to get a few more minutes of sleep.
Before Ahsoka knew it, they skidded to a stop in front of Anakin’s little prosthetics clinic. It had grown to be very well known and very well respected since he started it up five years ago. Now, a lot of doctors came to train with him specifically in the art of creating and adhering prosthetics. He was also one of the only people in the Galaxy who could consistently provide prosthetics for children; creating a new way of building them to account for growth both upwards and outwards. He had gained quite a reputation for himself these past few years. A good reputation. To this day, he didn’t charge a single credit for any of the work he did. Enough people donated to his shop that he didn’t have to. And even if he did, Padmé was rich enough she probably could have supported this endeavor. He had a client list a mile long, and people just kept coming. There were so many people, children and adults alike, who suffered during the war. And even from non-war related attacks such as slavers and pirates. With each person Anakin helped, the Galaxy became a better place. Several troopers had left the GAR specifically to work with him. A lot of the mechanics and medics found their way under his direction. She had even heard Nala Se helped out on occasion.
All in all, he was doing well.
Better than Ahsoka ever could have imagined.
She had once expressed concern to Barriss over what Anakin would be like after the war. In her eyes, he had been built for the fighting. What would a person designed for fighting do in a time of peace? How would he cope with the lack of battles and adrenaline?
She didn’t need to worry about that, as it turns out. Because Anakin thrived in peace. At least, he thrived in this version of peace. Had he stayed in the Jedi Order, that may not have been the case. But out here, as a civilian, he didn’t seem to miss the battles or the adrenaline. He loved the challenge of creating and improving with each iteration of his prosthetics. He was happy. His eyes seemed brighter. He smiled more. He laughed more. He was slower to anger and more understanding.
It could be the lack of stress from the war. Or the lack of Palpatine’s influence. Or the weekly mind healer appointments he had been forced to attend as part of his sentence. Or the fact that he wasn’t a Jedi and didn’t need to adhere to their strict standards. Or all of the above. Or none of the above.
All that mattered was that he thrived. He did good work. He helped a lot of people. And he loved what he did.
“I’ll get the stuff,” Ahsoka said once the speeder came to a full stop. She hopped out, eager to see her former master. “Keep it running, Fives. I am not being late to this!”
“Yeah, yeah. You won’t be late! I have never been late to anything in my life.”
“That’s a fucking lie and you know it,” Kix snapped.
Fives shoved him. Kix shoved him back.
So strange how even though Fives was a well-respected senator and Kix was one of the best trauma surgeons in the galaxy, they still acted like children. That was brothers for you, she supposed.
She shook her head and slipped through the door. The little bells above it rang out to let the workers know that someone had stepped inside. She didn’t see any of Anakin’s assistants out front.
She looked at the chrono on the wall. It was lunchtime. That would explain it.
“We’re closed for lunch,” Anakin shouted from the back room.
“Sheesh. I’d think you’d be happy to see your former padawan,” Ahsoka called back. She couldn’t help the grin that split over her face.
Anakin must have hit his head on something as she heard a crash and then an ‘ouch’ from the back room.
Anakin stumbled out from the back room, beaming brightly. “Ahsoka! It’s so good to see you.” He hopped over the counter and then swept her up into a big hug.
Only, he didn’t sweep her up like when she was his padawan.
“You’re too tall to pick up now,” he pouted.
“Almost as tall as you,” she grinned. The funny feeling in her stomach came back.
She didn’t have a chance to truly feel it, though, as Luke and Leia toddled out from their dad’s workshop.
“Aunt Soka!” Luke said, running up to hug her.
Leia followed not far behind, their chubby little arms wrapping around her legs and squeezing her with all the toddler strength they could manage.
“Hey, guys. Wow, you’ve gotten so big!”
“Yeah they have,” Anakin beamed as he slipped back behind the counter and began digging through piles of what looked like junk.
Even after all this time, even after gaining the reputation, he still could not, for the life of him, organize his parts. Or, at least, he couldn’t organize them so someone else could find what they were looking for. Anakin always seemed to know where to find things.
“Let me guess, you’re here for Echo’s parts? Fives was supposed to get them yesterday but never came.”
“You got it. They’re waiting out in the speeder,” Ahsoka said.
“Aunt Soka, look at what I can do!” Leia tugged on Ahsoka’s skirt, drawing her attention back down to the toddler. She then closed her eyes; her face screwed with concentration.
For a moment, nothing happened.
And then. “Ouch!” Anakin stumbled back as a wrench smacked him in the head. “Leia, honey, what did Daddy say about using the Force?”
“Not in the shop or at dinner,” Luke said proudly.
His sister stuck her tongue out at him.
“That’s right.”
Ahsoka laughed. “Let me guess, they’re using it more and more?”
Anakin nodded, his face breaking to show how tired he was. “I thought the worst was behind us when they started sleeping through the night. But now, any time I serve them something they don’t want to eat, they use the Force to fling it at me. And I would just not make them certain things, but it always changes. Last week, Leia loved peas. This week? Peas are the most disgusting thing she’s ever tasted and I’m a terrible father for trying to feed them to her. And Luke won’t eat anything purple, for some reason. He won’t tell me the reason. Whenever I ask, he starts crying because ‘I don’t get it’.”
She laughed. “You should be used to this, Skyguy. Didn’t Master Obi-Wan ever put you on Creche duty?”
“He did. I guess I forgot how picky toddlers can be. And their Force sensitivity only makes things worse. Isn’t that right, princess?” he cooed as he scooped Leia up into his arms.
The toddler laughed and squealed at the treatment.
“I’m surprised it took them this long to start flinging peas at you. Those two came out of the womb using the Force.” She wasn’t kidding.
Luke and Leia had been born not even for an hour and they already showed signs of Force Sensitivity. Master Obi-Wan claimed Leia as his future padawan almost the second he laid eyes on her.
Master Yoda claimed Luke, stating “Good you chose Leia, it is. Fight you for Luke, I would have. Sharp teeth, I have. Use them on you, I would not have hesitated.”
Ahsoka didn’t really know how that was going to work. Anakin and Padmé didn’t seem to want to hand the twins over to the Temple to be raised in the creche. But, if Aayla and Hunter could figure out a custody agreement that the council (begrudgingly (minus Master Obi-Wan)) adhered to, maybe something similar could happen with the twins when they were old enough to formally start their training.
It was yet one of the many things the Jedi Order would need to consider moving forward. There had been so many changes to the rules and structure, thanks in part to Fox’s work in reforming the Ruusan Reform. But they still had a long way to go. Many of the older masters stuck in their ways and unwilling to admit that some of the traditions they held so dear didn’t help the Jedi Order. In fact, several of them hindered the Jedi Order.
But, now that Master Plo was grandmaster of the Order, they were making good progress. He balanced Master Windu’s more traditional views of how things should be done. And the council had made many shifts in a more positive direction.
However, Master Obi-Wan’s claim of Leia as a future padawan made Ahsoka sad. It wasn’t that she was jealous of the little girl. She thought Master Obi-Wan was one of the best masters in the entire order. But more what it represented. Eventually, she would no longer be Master Obi-Wan’s padawan. She’d be a Jedi knight. Out on her own. It wasn’t like Master Obi-Wan would never talk to her again once she passed her trials.
Ah…
There it was again.
That feeling in her gut.
“Is something wrong, Aunt Soka?” Luke asked, looking up at her with those big, blue eyes.
“I’m fine,” she assured him, picking him up to hug him close. “Just waiting on your dad to hurry up and give me the goods.”
“I got it. No need to get snippy with me.” Anakin finally pulled free the package he was looking for. “I’ll trade you Echo’s parts for Luke?”
“I thought you weren’t supposed to charge?” Ahsoka grinned.
“I’ll make exceptions for you. And, I think it’s a pretty fair trade.”
“Hmm, you drive a hard bargain. Alright. Luke for Echo’s parts.” She used the Force to float the toddler over into Anakin’s arms.
Luke laughed and shrieked with delight.
“I added some oil for Obi-Wan. Tell him to make an appointment with me. I got a new metal alloy I want to try out. It should be lighter and stronger than what he’s currently using. I know he’s been having some back pain from the difference in weight from side to side and it often cracks when he jumps down on it.”
Ahsoka nodded and hoisted the parts into her arms. “Will do. Thanks, Skyguy. Bye, Leia. Bye, Luke.”
The toddlers waved at her as she spun to exit.
“And tell me what name she chooses!” Anakin called after her.
“Of course. See you later, Skyguy.” She sprinted out the door. She tossed the spare parts in the trunk and then hopped back in the speeder. “Got the parts. Let’s go, Fives. Drive this thing like you stole it!”
“Oh, I’m gonna,” Fives said. “No one can match me.”
“Archer.”
He smacked Kix.
“Skywalker.”
“Seriously!”
“Seventeen.”
“Alright, I get the point.”
“Cody.”
“That doesn’t count and you know it!”
“Rex.”
“I said I got it. I am not the fastest driver in the GAR.”
“Considering Anakin is no longer part of the GAR, you have to say you’re not the fastest driver in the Galaxy,” Ahsoka pointed out.
Fives glared at her. “If the peanut gallery says one more word, I will drive this thing so slowly, we’ll get a ticket for going too slow.”
Ahsoka wanted to say that Fives didn’t have the patience to drive slowly but then thought better of it. Fives loved a challenge and would have no problems with driving like Archer when he was trying to follow the rules of the road. Of course, he would get bored and eventually start to speed. But they were burning daylight. They were already behind schedule and Ahsoka did not want to waste another minute.
“Fine. Drive as you’d like,” she said.
“Thank you.” Fives sped away from the curb and back towards the depot.
He may not have been Archer good when it came to driving, but he still managed some impressive maneuvers. They cut through side alleys and backstreets, cutting between levels in ways that were very much illegal. Ahsoka didn’t care. She laughed and let Fives’ swooping toss her around. Kix, somehow, managed to sleep the entire time. He even started to snore towards the end of it.
“Is he going to change out of his scrubs?” Ahsoka asked as she looked over at Kix. Thankfully, they weren’t bloody. But they were gross. And she didn’t want to know what they were stained with.
“I got him some civies for him in the trunk.”
Ahsoka winced. “The same trunk I tossed a bunch of spare parts and machine oil into before you drove like a maniac, throwing them all over the place?”
Fives winced. “He can borrow something from Fox.”
“Good idea.”
They pulled up to the depot right as Rex, Jesse, Hardcase, Tup, and Echo exited the ship.
“See, right on time.” Fives threw the speeder in park. “Get your shebs over here. We don’t want to be late.”
“Really, Fives?” She looked at him, unimpressed by his antics.
Echo agreed and flipped him off.
Fives flipped him off right back. “Oh, like you weren’t pulling up just now. I said we were right on time. Not that we were early.”
“Maybe we were waiting for you. You don’t know how long we’ve been docked for.” Echo hopped in the back.
“Shit, Fives, you couldn’t get a bigger speeder?” Jesse asked. He, Hardcase, and Tup managed to cram in the back next to Echo.
Rex sat up front. The result forced Ahsoka to sit partially on both him and Kix. Kix didn’t seem to mind. Kix still slept like the dead.
“Yeah, you’d think with being a senator and all, you could afford a bigger speeder.” Poor Tup got the same treatment as Ahsoka and had to perch awkwardly on Jesse and Hardcase’s laps.
“It’s called being economical with taxpayer dollars,” Fives said.
“You got it because it goes super-fast, didn’t you?” Rex stared at him, unamused.
Fives shifted. “No! Yes." His shoulders drooped. "Maybe.”
“Well, let’s see how fast it goes. Come on!” Ahsoka smacked the dash.
“Don’t hurt my baby,” Fives squeaked.
“If you don’t get out of here, I’ll do a lot worse than smacking it,” Rex growled.
“I got it. Echo, the parts you need are in the trunk.”
“Thanks. I’ll have Tech help me replace them later.”
Fives threw the speeder in drive and took off once more. The amount of weight now piled in made it slow down considerably. But, they were still making great time. So long as they didn’t hit any traffic, they should make it.
“How was your mission? Did you get the leader?” Ahsoka turned to face Rex, eager to hear about his latest adventure.
He grinned at her. “Oh, we got her alright. The Zygerrian Queen is now in custody. Just dropped her off with Thire. One less slave ring we got to worry about.”
“We’ll have to let Vos know his intel was correct,” Jesse said. “We never would have found her if he didn’t pull through like that.”
“Force, working with the Jedi shadows is a dream,” Echo said. “They’re not perfect, but they are way more accurate than any intel we ever got before.”
“That’s because Palpatine was responsible for it and didn’t want us to have good intel.”
“That’s good. I’m glad she’s gone. I know the Zygerrians are a huge problem for the order.” Ahsoka said.
“There will always be bad people out there,” Tup started. “But, I feel like with all this work we’re doing, there’s less and less with each year.”
“I can tell you with certainty that things are lighter now than they have ever been,” Ahsoka assured him. “Echo, when are you rejoining Hunter and the others?”
“They’re dropping Omega off today and then I’ll go with them. We found evidence of a group of Palpatine sympathizers with enough major firepower to warrant a raid. We’re going to take them out and then use what intel we can gather from their stronghold to see if we can’t hunt down any remaining people in their group.”
“Related to Thrawn?”
“Not that we can tell. These seem to be a separate faction. Singh’s helping us out and providing some air support.”
“Well get rid of them. Fuck, it’s like whack-a-mole with these guys. We get rid of one enclave, and another one pops up,” Fives said.
“Like Tup said, though, it’s getting better,” Rex said. “We’ve gotten rid of most of the major players. Thrawn’s not even a Palpatine supporter. He’s just a dick.”
“And there’ll probably always be Palpatine supporters,” Jesse added. “That’s just how things go. No matter how awful a person is, there will always be someone who thinks they’re the greatest thing in the Galaxy. It’s up to us to keep that number manageable and as low as possible.”
“I guess. It is tiring, though. The fact that the fight is never done,” Fives sighed. “I thought once Fox took charge and cleared out the corruption, it’d be smooth sailing. We’d just have to maintain. But there’s always another issue. That’s life. Nothing to be done about it except to keep fighting and keep trying.”
“Hell yeah!” Hardcase whooped.
“That wasn’t supposed to be inspirational. That was supposed to be defeatist.”
“Well I am taking it to be inspirational and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”
Ahsoka laughed. That was the kind of attitude she wanted to have.
They finally made their way to the Senate District and to Fox and Riyo’s apartment. After handing the keys over to the droid and confirming their identities and reason for visiting with the Corries out front, they stepped onto the elevator.
“I don’t get why we have to keep confirming our identities with them,” Fives grumbled. “You’d think the brothers would recognize me. And you!”
“They’re trying to keep him safe,” Ahsoka scolded. “Not everyone tries to ditch their guards like you do.”
“You ditched your guards again?” Echo cried. “Fives!”
“What? Who’s going to shoot me?”
“Do you want a list? Cause I got a list.”
“No one’s shot me yet.”
“And isn’t that a miracle,” Jesse grumbled.
“All I’m saying is that Fox can take care of himself too. Anyone who tries to kill the bastard has a death wish.”
She cringed that was true. A few attempts on Fox’s life had been placed. And if Fox didn’t get ahold of the perpetrator… well, they better hope that Seventeen didn’t either. Or Cody. Or Wolffe. Or Bly. Or Gree.
That last one still made her shudder. Who knew knitting needles could be used in such creatively torturous ways!
The one Riyo caught also was a story for the ages. Gree came to her afterward looking for tips. And that was all Ahsoka would say on the matter.
The elevator came to a stop and the door slid open to reveal Fox’s modest apartment.
Two bedrooms, one bathroom. He would have gotten a smaller one if anyone in the Senate had let him. Hell, he probably would have spent his entire life in the barracks if Bail Organa hadn’t stepped in and explained that it would be safer for his brothers if Fox was separated from them. Since people might try to bomb his living quarters. Thankfully, enough people convinced (forced) him to live in an actual apartment away from the barracks so that he could be more easily monitored in case a bomb found its way into the package room. And so foreign diplomats didn’t have to have lunch at the mess hall when they came to visit.
The apartment was lively. As many people as could be stuffed into the small space were crammed in there. And Ahsoka knew they were the last ones to arrive. Though, thankfully, they hadn’t missed anything much. Just some small talk.
Archer, Miko, and Sol were talking to Crescent about his latest expedition. Crescent left the Corries not long after the war ended and joined the Jedi ExploraCorps. Archer and Sol stayed on for much longer, but now that Miko was about to graduate, Ahsoka knew it was only a matter of time before Archer formally retired so he could support his fiance. Sol, she wasn’t so sure about. He seemed to like his work with the Corries.
Miko spotted Kix and, like a predator spotting its prey, zoomed in on and dashed over to him.
“Oh, no.” Kix said as Miko reached him.
“Kix! I’m so happy you’re here. My residency is starting up in a few weeks and I wanted to make sure everything was ready.”
Kix had agreed to be Miko’s mentor for her residency, a challenge she took great zeal in. And a challenge Kix was probably regretting this very moment. Still, he rallied enough to give her answers and assure her that everything would be fine. She was ready.
She was ready.
Ahsoka’s smile dropped and she quickly removed herself from Kix and Miko’s conversation to find someone else to talk to.
She found Bly and Wolffe. Bly was glaring at his brother.
“Hey, Sok’ika, glad you finally showed up,” Wolffe said as he hugged her tight.
“Don’t blame me. Blame my driver.” She gestured towards Fives.
“I got us here on time. Didn’t I?” Fives shouted over the chaos.
Wolffe rolled his eyes.
“Why are you glaring at him, Bly?” She scanned the room and saw Master Aalya and Omega chatting with Thorn, Thire, and Stone over by the window.
“He’s pissed because Dormé and I got married before him.”
“But… so did Master Obi-Wan and Cody. And Fox and Riyo,” Ahsoka said.
“And they’re all dead to me!” Bly cried.
“Look, no one is stopping you from marrying Aayla. You could have eloped already.” Wolffe pinched his brow.
“I’m trying to be romantic! Not everyone gets married after only being together for a month.”
It was at that moment that Cody walked by. He heard what his brother said, scoffed, then smacked him on the back of his head. “I wanted to make sure there were no delays in getting the license. Besides, we didn’t get married after a month.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Six months. My bad. That’s so much better.” Bly snarked.
“Just get married. Save us all your bitching and moaning,” Wolffe said.
“It doesn’t matter if I get married now. I’m still the last one to get married! I got married after Fox! Fox! I didn’t even know he knew what marriage was!”
“You’re not getting married after Gree,” Dormé pointed out.
That only made Bly glare at Wolffe harder.
“Sorry, Bly,” she said.
“Don’t apologize to him. It’s his own fault for taking so long. Aayla’s probably ready. She’s waiting for your slow ass to ask.”
“Hey, are Blitz and his kids coming?” Ahsoka asked before the argument could devolve much further. It probably wouldn’t devolve that much, given that Seventeen was standing in the corner, sipping some sparkly pink beverage and glaring at everyone in the room except for her and Omega. But she’d rather not have everyone do a round of Fives today.
“No, he couldn’t make it,” Gree said, a tray full of cheese and crackers in his hand.
Wolffe tried to grab a piece and Gree bit him.
“Ow, you little shit!”
“Oh, why not?”
“You try wrangling five five-year-olds off of Kamino and over to Coruscant,” Gree explained.
“He’s the idiot who decided to adopt five tubies at once,” Wolffe said. “I mean, really, five? Five tubies? He doesn’t have any background in raising kids. Didn’t even have a baby Jedi commander during the war, and he went out and got five of them the first chance he could.”
She rolled her eyes. “I think it’s nice. You guys all had batch mates. Why not the kids that come after you.”
“I guess. It does seem like a handful,” Bly said. He also tried to take some cheese and crackers from Gree.
Gree snapped his teeth at him and then retreated to go find Barriss where, presumably, his cheese and crackers would be safe.
Master Obi-Wan made his way through the crowd. “Ahsoka, my dear. I’m glad you made it.”
“Sorry for being late, master. We stopped by Anakin’s to get some parts. He has some oil for you. It’s the in the trunk of Fives’ speeder.”
“We’ll have to remember it before we leave.”
“Oh, and he wants you to come by. He thinks he’s figured out how to make a better metal that’s lighter and stronger than what you’re currently using.”
Master Obi-Wan nodded and tapped his prosthetic leg. “That’ll be nice. I’m tired of lugging this thing around. I swear, it weighs as much as I do. And jumping with it is a pain. How are Luke and Leia?”
“They’re doing great. Both are using the Force pretty regularly from what Anakin says. Leia hit him in the head with a wrench while I was there.”
Master Obi-Wan tipped back his head and laughed. “Oh, they grow up so fast, don’t they? It seems like just yesterday they couldn’t even hold their own heads up. My, how time flies.”
He regarded her for a beat, a twinkle in his eye. “Speaking of growing up, I cannot believe you’re now taller than me.” He put his hands on her shoulders and leaned back. He had to look up at her now.
Huh. She hadn’t noticed that. And now that she thought about it, she didn’t have to look up at Anakin either. Sure, he hadn’t been able to pick her up off the floor and spin her around like when she was younger, but he hadn’t been able to do that for a while now. But, during her stop by his shop earlier, she could look him in the eyes. Directly in the eyes.
“I feel betrayed,” he sighed dramatically before Ahsoka could think too much about it. “I am cursed to be the shortest one in our lineage. Master Qui-Gon. Master Yan. Anakin. Feemor. They’re all taller than me. And now, you are as well, my dear.”
“You’re not taller than Master Yoda,” she pointed out. The tugging of her heart came back.
“Yes, but that doesn’t count. He’s apparently quite tall for his species.” His smile dropped as he picked up on her weird mood. His brows furrowed. Through their bond, he sent feelings of compassion and support. “Is everything alright?”
Ahsoka forced herself to smile. “Hmm? Yeah. I’m fine. I was worried we’d be late. I’m still trying to shake that off,” she lied. Partially because she didn’t want to ruin the big day with whatever was going on in her head. And partially because she didn’t know exactly what the problem was.
Master Obi-Wan studied her for a few more moments. “Alright. You’ll tell me if something is wrong. Right?”
She grinned and nodded. “Yes, master. I will.”
“Oh, and I see Waxer and Numa have made it.” Master Obi-Wan drifted away from her to go say hello to Waxer and a now pre-teen Numa. Numa, who was also spared from Seventeen’s glare and also more interested in whatever was on her datapad than what was going on around her.
Waxer told her to put it away. She rolled her eyes and let out a huff before drifting to the couch to curl up and continue messaging her friends.
“Am I doing something wrong?” Waxer asked Master Obi-Wan, wide-eyed and panicked, practically pleading with him to give him some answers.
Master Obi-Wan laughed. “That’s just how teenagers are, Waxer. You’re fine. Truthfully, her rolling her eyes is not the worst thing she could be doing. She could be sneaking out to attend illegal pod races on the lower levels.”
“That was not me. That was Anakin!” Ahsoka said.
“You were no angel either,” Master Obi-Wan said.
“And neither were you, Obes,” Master Quin added as he brushed by him. He elbowed Ahsoka in the ribs. “I got stories to tell you about this one. He acts all straight-laced, but I had to bail him out of jail more than he had to bail me out. Remind me to tell you about the time with the Zabrak dancer.”
“Don’t you dare!” Master Obi-Wan cried.
Master Quinlan laughed and went to check in on Master Aayla and Omega.
“When does it stop?” Waxer asked, still desperate for answers.
“Hmm? Ahsoka, dear, can you go get me a drink?”
Ahsoka rolled her eyes at him and then realized she had played right into his hands.
“Never, I’m afraid,” Master Obi-Wan laughed.
Waxer’s shoulders slumped, defeated. “One day, I’m the coolest person in the world. The next, I’m the lamest.”
Master Obi-Wan patted his shoulder. “A curse we all must bear when raising children, I’m afraid. So long as she listens to you when it’s important, that’s all that matters.”
“What if she hates me?”
“She doesn’t hate you. I’ve told you that a thousand times,” Boil snarked as he stepped off the elevator. “Every night he calls me panicked that he did something wrong. And every night I got to remind him, I know dick all about raising kids.”
“She doesn’t roll her eyes at you,” Waxer pointed out.
“That’s because I’m cool Uncle Boil. The guy who lets her stay up late and takes her to scary movies.”
Waxer glared at him. “I will never forgive you for doing that.”
“The point Boil is trying to make is that he doesn’t need to enact such strict rules because he is not responsible for ensuring Numa doesn’t fall down the path of death stick use and piracy,” Master Obi-Wan said. “You’re doing fine, Waxer. She’s still in school.”
“Top of her class,” Waxer mumbled.
“And has plenty of friends and hobbies.”
“Too many friends and hobbies.”
“This is just… growing pains. As she becomes an adult.”
“I don’t want her to become an adult though,” Waxer moaned.
“Sadly, that’s not something you can stop from happening. All children must leave the nest, eventually. And it is your job to prepare them.”
Ahsoka’s smile dropped. “I’m going to go say hi to Barriss. Okay?”
“Alright, my dear. Enjoy the party. And if you change your mind about talking, I’m here.”
“I know, master.” She hugged him and then maneuvered through the crowded living space over to her friend.
“Barriss, hi! Glad you could make it.”
Barriss turned to her and smiled. “Ahsoka, I wouldn’t miss this for the world. Though, I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to come. I didn’t know how much time between my trials and my first mission I would get. I know they usually let you take a week or so to prepare for your new role, but so much has changed. A lot of knights who were knighted during the war didn’t even get a week.”
There it was again. That funny feeling in Ahsoka’s heart and stomach.
Barriss had taken her trails last week. She had been so nervous about failing them. Worried that Palpatine had done irreparable harm to her mind and she was no longer fit to be a Jedi. Nervous that she’d forget something. Or forget to study something. Or miss something entirely and then fail.
Gree and Ahsoka spent hours assuring her that wouldn’t be the case. She’d do great. She’d pass with flying colors. She knew more about the Jedi Order than most masters.
Of course, she did. This was Barriss they were talking about. Ahsoka had never known her to fail at anything in her life.
She had never seen Master Luminara so emotional when Barriss walked out announcing she had passed. She hugged her tightly and told her how proud she was to be her master. Barriss teared up as well.
And, just like that, Barriss was a Jedi Knight. Ready to go out into the world and do missions on her own. Just like she was meant to. Her padawanship leading up to this very moment. They went out afterward to celebrate. Each and every one of them let go and gave into the euphoria that came with success. It once again made Ahsoka so glad for the war to be over. Even if Barriss had passed her trials during the war, she doubted they could have celebrated like they did that night. The knowledge that in a few short days, they’d be back on the front lines again, watching their men die again, possibly dying themselves would have hung heavy over them. So, to be able to celebrate, really celebrate, without worry or a care in the world made Ahsoka’s heart soar.
“When are you planning on taking your trials?” she asked, pulling Ahsoka from her memories of that night and back into the present.
Her smile fell. “My trials?”
Barriss nodded. “I know they offered you knighthood after what happened with Palpatine. I thought you’d take them sooner, though I understand why you wanted some more time learning. Master Obi-Wan truly is a great master. But if I passed, you can definitely pass.”
“Oh… um… I don’t know,” Ahsoka said. Yet another tug at her heart. “I guess I haven’t really thought about it. Soon. I’m sure.”
Barriss smiled at her. “I can’t wait. We’ll both be knights then. Going on missions, helping the Galaxy. Oh, there’s this planet that’s supposed to have one of the original temples for the Jedi Order. And, from my research, it was home to a lot of the healers of the past. I’m trying to convince Madam Nu to put together a team so we can explore it. There’s so much more freedom when you’re a knight. Before, I would have had to ask my master. And, don’t get me wrong, she probably would have said yes. But it wouldn’t have been my mission, you know? She ultimately had the final say on everything. But now, I can run it. I’m so excited.”
As Barriss talked, Ahsoka couldn’t help but let her mind wander.
When was she going to take her trials?
She hadn’t been lying when she said she hadn’t thought about it. These past few years, she wanted to focus on learning what it meant to be a Jedi. To heal from the trauma of war. To recover from the damage Palpatine did to her mind. She still had nightmares on occasion. She still woke up in the middle of the night afraid that this was all a lie. That the war hadn’t ended. That she was still fighting in it and would die in it. That she hadn’t secured peace. That the chips had activated and the Jedi had been slaughtered. Wiped out.
When the Council originally offered her knighthood, she turned them down because she hadn’t been ready.
And, as Barriss talked about her excitement about becoming a Jedi knight, Ahsoka realized what this feeling in her gut was. The feeling she got every time someone spoke about the future. Or made an observation on how times had changed.
Because they had changed.
She was now taller than Master Obi-Wan and almost as tall as Anakin. Barriss was a Jedi Knight. Kix was a well-respected trauma surgeon. Cody had Thrawn in handcuffs. Luke and Leia were getting bigger by the day. Fives was a senator. The galaxy had moved forward. It had healed from Palpatine’s time as chancellor.
And here she was. Still a padawan.
She had learned so much under Master Obi-Wan. While she knew she would never stop learning, she felt like the amount she could learn was starting to slow down.
She understood Barriss’s excitement for running her own missions because Ahsoka felt frustrated on occasion when she was forced to consult with Master Obi-Wan before she did anything. She began to feel frustrated when she couldn’t go out into the galaxy on her own. When her missions were decided for her by Master Obi-Wan. True, he let her have input, but she knew the choices presented to her were only the choices he was comfortable with. She had fought in a war. She had survived a Sith Lord. She had spent five years training to be a Jedi Knight.
Maybe it was time for her to move on with the rest of the Galaxy and finally accept the offer the Council gave to her all those years ago.
Her stomach clenched and somersaulted.
Only, she didn’t know if she wanted to do that. She wasn’t ready to leave Master Obi-Wan. What if she made the wrong choices? What if she had messed up? The war had left her tired and drained. She had run several missions during it and those left her exhausted.
Being with Master Obi-Wan now was comfortable. She knew what to expect and what was expected of her. Furthermore, she knew Master Obi-Wan would catch her if she fell. That was his whole job. To guide her and help ensure her mistakes weren’t life-altering or ending. If she became a Jedi knight, all of that would go away. She’d have to make her own choices and live with those consequences. And she wasn’t sure if she could do that.
But, if she wasn’t ready now, then when would she be?
Next year? The year after that? Ten years from now?
How long could she put off taking her trials? How long would Master Obi-Wan let her put off taking them?
Barriss finished talking about her plans for missions and then found herself dragged away by Omega who wanted to know all about the trials and what to expect.
It was too loud in here. Too cramped. Too stuffy.
Ahsoka listened as Omega asked question after question which Barriss answered with a smile on her face.
What were the trials like?
Was the council present?
Would her master be present?
How long did they take?
What would happen if you fail?
What would happen if you succeeded.
It was too much.
Ahsoka plastered on a smile, excused herself, and then made her way out to the balcony to breathe.
She set her cup down on the edge and then let out a loud groan; dropping her head to the metal banister. The cool air rushed by her. The distant sounds of speeders helped drown out the noise from the party.
And yet, she still felt her head spinning with questions and expectations. Unable to get a grip. Unable to meditate the feelings away.
“What is wrong with me?”
“Is that a rhetorical question or would you like a list?”
Ahsoka flinched. She hadn’t expected anyone else to follow her out to the balcony. She lifted her head to see Rex standing at the door, a soft look on his face. She felt her body relax. At least she could trust him not to press expectations on her. And she wouldn’t have to pretend everything was alright like she would if someone else had found her.
“Rhetorical.” She dropped her head back to the banister.
Rex chuckled and then came up beside her. He rested his elbows on the creaky metal. “What’s wrong, kid? This is supposed to be a happy occasion. Why are you out here groaning? Does it have something to do with your weird mood earlier?”
Ahsoka tilted her head so she could look up at him.
Rex quirked an eyebrow. “Oh yeah. I noticed. And I noticed Kenobi asking you earlier if something was wrong. So, out with it.”
“What if I don’t want to tell you,” she said. Because she did feel stupid about her panic.
She wanted to be a Jedi knight. Becoming a Jedi knight required her to undergo the trials. This wasn’t something that came out of nowhere. She was training for this very thing.
And yet, here it was. Knocking on her door, demanding her attention and she was doing her best to ignore it with every fiber of her being.
But she also knew that she’d have to figure it out eventually. This back and forth in her mind, this twisting of her gut, it couldn’t go on if she had any hopes of moving forward with her life. Better to discuss it with Rex now than to let it fester. And if he noticed something was off, then Master Obi-Wan and Cody definitely had and they would press her as soon as the party was over.
“Barriss asked me when I was going to take my trials and become a Jedi knight,” she admitted softly.
“Hmm. And you’re out here banging your head against Fox’s banister because…”
She lifted her head, instead resting her elbows on the cool metal so she could look out at Coruscant’s skyline.
“I don’t know when I’m going to take them. I don’t feel like I’m ready yet.”
“If you’re not ready, then you’re not ready.” Rex shrugged. He took a sip of his drink. “I like that about the Jedi Order. You can choose when you go to the next level. As a cadet, we all got the test at the same time regardless of whether we were ready or not. I wonder how many of my brothers would have passed if they had just been given a little more time.”
For a beat, he got a far-off look in his eyes. The cadets who didn’t pass their final exams, especially before Master Shaak was stationed there, were often decommissioned. Only the best of the best were allowed. How many children died because they needed a little more time? Ahsoka got sick just thinking about it.
Rex shook himself out of his funk. “Besides, you’ve already turned them down once. It’s okay to take a little more time.”
She swallowed and nodded, looking out once more at the speeders rushing by. She knew his words to be true. She knew she could take more time. Master Obi-Wan didn’t become a knight until he was twenty-five. Another five years more of training. And Barriss was twenty-two. There were no laws saying she had to take them now. She knew she could wait, but even as she thought that her gut twisted once more. Uncomfortable with the implication.
“Alright, that clearly didn’t work. What was wrong with my inspirational speech? Too cheesy?” Rex asked, bumping her side.
She laughed and traced her knuckles with her thumb. “Last time, I knew I wasn’t ready. It was an easy decision to make. The only hard part was trying to figure out who my new master would be if I did turn it down. But, Master Obi-Wan offered and it felt right. You know?”
Rex hummed in agreement.
“This time… I don’t know. It doesn’t feel right. I know I can take more time if I need to. But every time I tell myself that, I get uncomfortable. Almost anxious. If that makes sense.”
“I see what’s going on here.”
“You do?” She looked at him, glad he knew what was happening because she was sick and tired of this back and forth in her mind.
“I do.” He turned to face her fully. His face was soft and full of so much support. “You’re ready.”
His words hit her like a ton of bricks. Her heart skipped a beat. Her stomach twisted once more.
“Then why do I feel so torn up about this? It was an easy decision to say no then. Why would it be hard to say yes now?”
“Because it’s a change. It’s this new thing that you’ll have to experience. The next step. You won’t be following around a Jedi Master. You’ll be in charge. And last time, it was easy because, despite you being more commander than Padawan, you still had some of those experiences. So, you knew what to expect. You’ve never experienced what it’s like to be a Jedi knight. You’ll have to trust your gut and leap into the unknown. Both eyes closed.”
“Then I’m not ready,” she argued. “Because I’m not ready for all of that. I’m not ready to jump into the unknown with my eyes closed. I don’t… I don’t want to be.” The last part was spoken barely above a whisper. The words hanging between them.
Rex smiled and pulled her into a hug. “Kid, in my experience, change comes for you. Whether you want it to or not. Eventually, you will have to either take your trials or leave the Order.” He pulled back. “I think it’s always better to meet the change head-on. To be the catalyst instead of the reactor.”
She looked down at her feet. His words wiped away her arguments.
He put a hand on her shoulder. “Change is hard. And it’s scary to do something new. But just because you’re scared doesn’t mean you’re not ready. Besides, you have support. We’ll catch you if you fall. And thousands of Jedi before you have done this. And thousands of them lived to tell the tale. If it failed more often than it succeeded, they would have changed the process by now.”
“Well, maybe not,” she said. “There are a lot of members who want to keep traditions no matter what.”
Rex laughed. “Fair. Alright, do you really think Koon and Kenobi would put up with something that was harming more than it was helping?”
“I hate it when you make good points,” she grumbled.
“I know. Think about what I said. There’s no pressure for you to take them. But remember, being afraid and not being ready are not the same thing. Sometimes, you have to move forward even if you are afraid.”
He slipped back inside, leaving her to ponder on his words.
He was right, of course. She couldn’t stay a padawan forever.
The first time she had been offered a chance to become a Jedi knight, she turned them down because she knew she didn’t have what it took. She knew how to be a commander, not a Jedi. She needed time. Time to learn. But also, time to heal and recover. To let someone else take charge of her and her life so she could focus on healing.
She would never be fully healed. It was impossible after everything she had been through. And she would never be done learning. There was too much to learn, after all. But, eventually, she had to move forward. Time never stopped moving forward. And the more she tried to keep things the same. The more they would change.
Besides, there were aspects of her padawanship that frustrated her. Times when she wanted to shake someone and point out that she fought a Sith Lord. Several Sith Lords, in fact. She could handle some measly pirates.
But, again, being responsible for everything scared her. Had anyone ever passed their trials only to have their knighthood later revoked and then tossed back to their master for a few more years as a padawan? Or, did they just kick them out of the Order? She didn’t want to get kicked out of the Order.
She couldn’t stay stuck.
She was afraid to move forward.
And maybe because she agonized over this decision so much, it signaled that Rex was right. She was ready.
Master Obi-Wan would never pressure her to take her trials, she knew that. This was a decision she’d have to come to on her own.
And that was scary.
But, perhaps, this was the first test. An unofficial one.
As a Jedi knight, she’d have to make decisions without her master being there to guide her at all times. This was the first decision she’d have to make.
The first step towards showing she was ready.
The door slid open again. “Ahsoka, come on. We’re starting,” Echo said.
Ahsoka beamed at him. “Coming. Coming.”
She darted inside and settled on one of the couches Fox got at a second-hand store. Why buy new when there were perfectly good options available for much cheaper?
Riyo and Fox emerged with their baby girl. A baby girl who had yet to be named.
See, when Riyo was pregnant, the one thing that concerned Fox (more than Riyo’s health. Seriously, he practically did not let her feet touch the ground for her entire pregnancy.) was the baby’s name. He thought it was cruel to choose a name for the baby instead of the baby choosing one for herself.
Even the tubies that aged normally got to choose their names. This was why there were a lot of troopers named things like ‘Explosion’ and ‘Dino’ and ‘Pistol’ and a whole host of other names that adolescent boys thought were the greatest things ever.
However, Riyo rightfully pointed out that their daughter couldn’t go years without a proper name. There was paperwork to fill out, after all. And what would she be called in pre-school? What would they call her in their day-to-day life? Calling her ‘girl’ just seemed rude. And what if she didn’t pick out a name until she was fifteen?
Finally, Ahsoka and Master Obi-Wan were called to mediate the argument. Ahsoka was the one who came up with a solution. A solution she was mighty proud of, if she could take a second to brag.
Baby Chuchi would choose her name from a list of names provided to her as soon as she was old enough to point. And, when she was older, if she wanted to change it, she could. This, of course, meant they had to wait a few months. It was amusing to see Fox figuring out that normal babies were slow to develop. They didn’t come out of the womb with basic motor skills like: holding their own heads up, being able to grab a spoon, and burping.
Ah well. Better nine months without a name than nine years.
Of course, once the troopers found out about this solution, it spread like wildfire amongst the vod’e having kids. It was kind of sweet. The troopers had spent a lot of their time being compared to the Mandalorians. And there were a lot of customs and traditions that they took from that culture (she knew Master Obi-Wan and Cody exchanged vambraces no matter what they said). But, the longer they were away from the influence of the Kaminoans, the more their culture blossomed and transformed. They took many of the good parts of their upbringing and updated it to be more sustainable in the galaxy. They worked hard to maintain their communal living and upbringing. To employ the idea of batchmates and choosing your names. They had truly become a distinct group of people these past few years, and Ahsoka was excited to see them further evolve and change.
Ah, there it was again. Change. Because time never went backward or stood still.
“Alright, soldier,” Seventeen said as he plucked Baby Chuchi out of Riyo’s arms and looked at her with an intense look on his face. “We need you to start walking soon. Ruck marches are no laughing matter. The sooner you start your training, the easier it will be. And I know you’ll blow all of my greatest disappointments out of the water. Won’t you?”
“Um, Seventeen,” Riyo winced. “She probably won’t start walking for another month at least.”
Seventeen’s expression twisted into one of confusion. “How long does she stay like this again?” He gestured to the baby now happily chewing on his shoulder.
“Two full years, at least,” Master Obi-Wan replied.
“Two years!”
“Hush, my dear. No ruck marches for her in the foreseeable future. Isn’t that right. Oh, look at her. Aren’t you just darling?” Master Obi-Wan cooed as he lifted Baby Chuchi out of Seventeen’s arms and settled her on his hip.
The baby herself looked almost exactly like Riyo, with her skin tone and eyes. Even her nose and mouth seemed to take after her mother. There were only two pieces of Fox she seemed to inherit: Her curly black hair, and her default expression. Fox’s face always seemed to settle into one of extreme suspicion, with his eyebrows drawn close and his eyes narrowed as he silently observed the world around him. Baby Chuchi was no different. Ahsoka hoped as she grew older her expressions would become less intense. Otherwise, it might be difficult for her to make friends.
The baby regarded Master Obi-Wan with suspicion. Then, she grabbed at his beard and tugged.
Master Obi-Wan laughed and detached the baby’s hand from his face. “Madam, that’s very rude.”
Baby Chuchi babbled a reply.
“Ah, well. Since you asked so nicely.” He let go of the baby’s hand and it immediately went back to pull and tug on his hair. “No Force Sensitivity, I see.”
“Thank Force for that,” Fox grumbled as he collapsed down on the couch. “I would die before I let Vos train her.”
“You love me and you know it,” Master Quinlan said.
Fox growled at him. Master Quinlan was not threatened in the slightest.
Riyo beamed with pride. “Oh, she’s absolutely perfect. Not worth the weeks of bed rest I was on, mind you. But I wouldn’t change a thing about her.”
“You are absolutely right.” Master Obi-Wan bounced her on his hip. “Are you ready to choose your name, little one?”
Baby Chuchi made a gurgling noise and then twisted in Master Obi-Wan’s arms. She held her hands out to Fox.
Fox plucked her up and settled her down on his lap. Next to him was a stack of cards with names written on them, submitted by various people in this room, along with some others who couldn’t make it.
Baby Chuchi squirmed on Fox’s lap until she was comfortable.
“Alright, cadet, listen up,” Fox said. “You are going to choose your name. This will be on all official paperwork so think hard about what you’d like to be called.”
“I don’t know if she’s capable of that just yet,” Riyo said.
“No, she is.”
She shrugged. “If you say so.”
The baby stuck her hand in her mouth and looked out at the crowd of people staring intently at her.
“First up,” Fox lifted up a card. “Beth.”
“Oh, that’s mine,” Thorn whispered.
“How’d you come up with Beth?” Stone asked.
“Looked at a baby name book. It seemed cute enough.”
Baby Chuchi made a face and squirmed away from the name.
“No to Beth,” Fox said as he tossed the name aside. “Next, we have Karina.”
“Oh, that’s ours,” Riyo’s mother said, smiling up at her husband.
For a moment, it looked like Baby Chuchi would choose the name. She leaned forward and seemed to intently read the letters on the card. Then, she leaned back and squirmed until she could chew on Fox’s jacket instead.
“That’s alright,” Riyo’s father said. “It wouldn’t be as fun if we only went through two names.”
“Next up, Jonathan.” He looked up. “A boy’s name? Really?”
Hardcase shifted from foot to foot. “Well, she might not want to be a she when she gets older. I figured this would save her some paperwork and time.”
Baby Chuchi did not seem drawn to Jonathan. Her future gender identity remained unclear.
Fox rolled his eyes and pulled out the next card. “Alright…” He stopped. Then, he whipped his head towards Fives with such a glare, that Ahsoka thought Fives would combust on the spot.
“What?” Fives asked.
“Fives Jr. Really?”
“That’s not my name!” Fives cried. Beside him, Echo snickered.
Fox didn’t even give Baby Chuchi a chance to look at the name. He tossed it aside with palpable disgust.
“I can’t believe you’re so conceited you wanted to name my daughter after you.”
“I’m telling you, that wasn’t my name.”
“Fives, just let it go,” Rex said.
Fives grumbled and glared at the ground.
Fox pulled out the next name. “Ah. Much better. Lyra.”
“That’s my name!” Fives said.
“I think that sounds more like a name Echo would choose.”
“No! That was my name. Fives Jr. was Echo’s!”
“Fives,” Echo said with a completely straight face, “Why would I want Fox’s baby to be named Fives Jr.?”
“Because you know Fox wouldn’t have let that happen and you wanted to mess with me!”
Echo shook his head. “Just admit that you aren’t great at naming things.”
“I am because Fox liked my name!”
“He hates Fives Jr.”
“Fives Jr. is not my name!”
“Fives, please. Let it go,” Rex groaned.
Seventeen cleared his throat and held up five fingers.
Fives opened and closed his mouth. Then he crossed his arms and glared at Echo. “Sleep with one eye open tonight, vod. I got a bucket of glitter with your name on it.”
Echo seemed pleased with himself.
Baby Chuchi did not pick Lyra.
“Oh. Hell no. Come on, guys. Really?” Fox said as he turned the next card around to show it said Quinlan Jr. on it.
Master Quinlan shrugged. “My legacy must go on, Fox.”
“Your legacy will burn in hell!” He tossed the name on the ground before Baby Chuchi had a chance to look at it.
“Too late! I already made you a part of my clan. And as soon as she gets her name, she’s join it, buddy!” Master Quin cackled.
Fox’s eye twitched and he pulled out the next name.
Ahsoka was starting to worry. Baby Chuchi hadn’t reacted to any of the names shown so far.
She rejected Cody’s. And Wolffe’s. And hers. And Master Obi-Wan’s. Rex’s. Seventeen’s. Numa’s. Omega’s. Blitz’s.
Maybe this was a bad idea. What if they went through all the names and she didn’t pick a single one? Then what would they do? The baby needed a name eventually, even if Fox thought she should be the one to pick it.
The pile dwindled.
Everyone shifted and glanced at each other. The side commentary about how good or bad a name was dwindled.
“She did not get a chance to look at Fives Jr. or Quinlan Jr.” Gree reminded everyone.
Fox stopped what he was doing and stared blankly at a wall for several seconds.
“Fox, buddy, you okay?” Master Quinlan asked.
“I will die before I let her name be either of those abominations.”
Riyo patted his back. “We could always get more submissions. There are millions of potential names out there. One is perfect for her.”
Fox grumbled and pulled out the next card. He made a funny face. Gone so fast, Ahsoka couldn’t tell if it was a good expression or a bad one. He didn’t yell at anyone or throw the card away, so it wasn’t like it was another round of Fives Jr.
The baby reacted immediately, reaching out to grab the card before Fox got a chance to read it out loud.
Everyone let out a sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness. She has a name,” Master Obi-Wan said.
“Well, what is it? What name did she choose?” Bly asked.
Riyo looked over and beamed. “Rhea. Oh, Fox. That was your suggestion. Right?”
Ahsoka looked to see Fox very clearly trying not to cry.
“Ah, it’s okay, vod. You can cry. She chose your name.” Wolffe smacked Fox on the back.
Everyone cheered.
“Rhea Chuchi! Oh, how precious,” Riyo’s mom said as she rushed over to scoop Rhea out of Fox’s arms. “I’m going to knit you a sweater with that name on it.”
“Please, no more sweaters. Gree’s already knitted me a hundred.”
“They grow out of it in a week!” Gree snapped.
“Mittens! You’ll need mittens. Come on, Rhea. Let’s get your hands measured for mittens,” her grandmother cooed.
“Rhea is a beautiful name,” Master Obi-Wan patted Fox on the shoulder. “She picked well.”
Fox inhaled loudly. “No tears will be shed. It’s just a name.”
Riyo hugged him tightly. “Rhea Chuchi. I like how it sounds.”
Fox leaned his head against hers and hugged her tight. “Good. Because I was going to reject this whole thing if she chose Fives Jr.”
The party continued for a little longer. Rhea, having had enough stimulation for the day, got fussy after about another thirty minutes. As Fox went to put her down, the guests started saying their goodbyes.
“You coming to the barracks?” Jesse asked as he and the others walked out of the building.
Fives’s speeder was there waiting for them. He opened the trunk so Master Obi-Wan could get the things from Anakin’s shop.
“No. I’m heading back to the temple with Master Obi-Wan,” Ahsoka said.
Master Obi-Wan looked briefly surprised. Normally, when Rex had leave she stayed with him to catch up on all his adventures and catch him up on all of hers. But, she didn’t want to do that tonight. She had made her decision and wanted to talk to Master Obi-Wan before she backed out of it.
“Cody and I took public transportation here. Is that alright?” he asked.
She nodded. “More than fine. I’ll see you guys tomorrow. Okay? We can go to that breakfast spot Archer found.”
“Sounds good, vod’ika,” Jesse said.
She got hugs from him, Kix (who surprisingly managed to stay awake the entire party), Fives, Echo, Tup, and Hardcase.
The last one to hug her was Rex. As he squeezed her tight, he whispered, “Remember what we talked about. It’ll be okay.”
She hugged him back. “Yeah. I know.”
He released her and hopped into the speeder with the others. She turned to follow Master Obi-Wan and Cody to the shuttle stop.
“I know I asked you this earlier, but given that we weren’t alone, I fear that may have tainted your answer. Forgive me for asking again. Is everything alright?” Master Obi-Wan asked.
Cody regarded her. His head tilted to the side as if he already figured out what was going on.
She bit her lip. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her stomach filled with butterflies. She was standing on the edge of a cliff. One step forward, and there would be no turning back. She didn’t have to step off, though. She could stay there, on the edge, for as long as she needed.
She would never be ready, though. She realized that now. No matter how long she stayed a padawan, that next step would always scare her. But she would have to take that step eventually. Rex was right. It was better to be the catalyst for change rather than the reactor.
She took a deep breath and stepped off the cliff. Eyes closed.
“Master, I think I’m ready to take my trials.”
Master Obi-Wan looked taken aback. Then, he smiled. “Then I shall let the council know.”
*****
“I thought civilian life was supposed to be less stressful,” Rex observed as he nudged Kix with his toe. Kix had passed out on the steps as soon as he stepped out of the speeder. Another long surgery in the books.
Kix didn’t even stir. Miko was sitting next to him, studying and scribbling down notes.
“He did choose a rather intense profession,” Kenobi observed. He didn’t seem stressed or anxious, on the surface at least.
The way he stroked his beard, the frown on his lips, and the slight furrow in his brow told a different story. Rex didn’t judge. He was feeling it too.
He stood on the steps of the Temple with Kenobi, Cody, Fives, Echo, Tup, Hardcase, Jesse, Fox, Wolffe, Sinker, Boost, Gree, Barriss, Waxer, Boil, Kix, and so many more troopers, Jedi, and civilians alike. Even Skywalker had gotten special permission to be here for this, leaving his shop with Luke and Leia in tow.
The twins were currently bouncing around with Jesse while their father paced the steps, chewing on his thumb.
Fox sat on the side, diligently tapping away at his datapad. Turns out, even though he fixed the economy, there was still a lot of work to be done. He had initially only planned on serving five years and then fucking off into the sunset to sleep. But, after seeing the state the Republic was in and all the corruption, and all the slavery going on throughout the galaxy, he decided to serve ten. After that, he’d leave the democracy in the hands of the non-corrupt senators still left. He had arrested most of the corrupt ones. And ones he didn’t arrest, left of their own accord before he could charge them with something.
For the next Chancellor, Rex had his money on Organa. Although, Mothma was a pretty strong candidate as well.
Skywalker paced by them once more.
“Anakin, relax. She’ll do fine,” Kenobi said. Though, as stated before, he was also nervous. He just wasn’t showing it as outwardly.
The only person who seemed more nervous than Skywalker was Hardcase. He was also pacing back and forth across the top of the stairs; wringing his hands together and rambling on about what might happen if she failed.
“What if she doesn’t? What if she fails?” Skywalker asked.
“Then she’ll retake them at a later date. You don’t get kicked out of the order because you failed your trials. Many knights take them twice or even three times.” He looked to Rex. “The nerves really are the worst part of it. You don’t know what you’ll experience going in so many padawans fail their first test from sheer stress alone.”
Rex frowned. “That doesn’t seem like a good thing.”
Kenobi shrugged. “Sometimes, it’s better we fail first so we can learn from our mistakes later. Besides, as I said, it’s not like you get kicked out if you fail. You simply discuss with your master where you need to improve, work on your improvements, and then take them again.”
Rex swallowed and nodded. That was good that Kenobi had a plan in case Ahsoka didn’t pass.
But, he knew she could do it. Hell, after everything she went through, how could she fail?
If she managed to survive against Palpatine having only been a Padawan for a year, then another five years of training under Kenobi during peacetime should have made this a walk in the park. And Kenobi wasn’t the only one who trained her. Cody and Seventeen had also taken up some of her training. Rex pitied anyone who got into a fight with her.
When Death Watch had attacked Sundari, she had apparently decapitated several of them in one go. And she was only sixteen at the time! Her training made her a force to be reckoned with.
But he knew it wasn’t just the physical stuff they had to deal with. It was mental as well. Being a Jedi was more than just swinging a lightsaber around and leaping over tall buildings in a single bound. There was a mindset to it. Control over one’s emotions so as not to get swept up in the inevitable negativity.
He knew she could do that as well. After all, Palpatine had purposefully tried to force those negative thoughts and feelings to the forefront of her mind to freeze her in place. All so that he had an easier target to go after. And it didn’t work. Ahsoka, while she had been temporarily frozen by him, managed to fight him off. Managed to keep ahold of her mind long enough to succeed. If she could do that, she could pass some measly trials.
Oh, it was no use. Even thinking about all of the reasons Ahsoka should pass, Rex couldn’t help but worry. What if there was something they missed? Something they didn’t train hard enough? Something that would cause her to fail?
Even though she could retake the trials again, he didn’t want her to fail. He wanted her to succeed and become a knight and go out into the Galaxy spreading peace and hope and Light. She had been through too much. She deserved this.
“Hey, it’s General Kenobi!” a high-pitched voice shouted from the bottom of the stairs, pulling Rex from his spiraling anxiety.
He turned to see Stone leading a horde of baby Jedi back from a day at the market. Their little arms were holding bags upon bags of materials for the Temple. Each of them had a yellow flag attached to their backs, sticking up well over their heads. One of Stone’s initiatives so that it was harder to lose them in a crowd. Rex thought it looked quite comical to see yellow flags bobbing through the crowd, especially if you couldn’t see the baby Jedi yet.
The kids lit up and swarmed to Cody, peppering him with questions. Their yellow flags bobbed and waved as their bodies wiggled with excitement.
Cody grinned and did his best to answer them. Of course, that was made difficult because the kids spoke all at once; shouting over each other their own questions.
They ranged from the practical: When will you teach the next hand-to-hand class?
To the personal: Are you and Master Obi-Wan in love?
To the impractical and also probably told to them by a cadet at one point: Is it true your punches break the speed of sound?
“Alright, kids. Come on, we need to drop this stuff off at the kitchens,” Stone tried to nudge the kids away from Cody.
It did not work and the kids only swarmed closer.
“How about this?” Cody said, “You drop this stuff off at the Temple and tomorrow, I’ll stop by the Creche and teach you how to do a round-house kick.”
The kids went silent, staring up at Cody with large, awestruck eyes.
One brave soul spoke. “You mean the thing that dented Grievous?”
“The very same.” Cody grinned.
“Woah.” The kids all breathed in hushed tones.
“But, you have to listen to Crechemaster Stone.”
“Yes, General Cody!” the kids all cried, scrambling over each other to get in the Temple doors lest Cody decide not to teach them how to do the infamous round-house kick.
“Bribery only riles them up more,” Stone hissed.
“Then that’s your problem. Isn’t it?” Cody grinned.
Stone sent him one last glare before following the kids inside, trying to keep them under control so they didn’t damage any of the goods.
“Does it always take this long?” Fives asked, glancing at his chrono.
“Yes, Fives,” Kenobi said. “The trials do last awhile. That’s why I told you all to go about your days. I’d call you when we had news.”
“Ha! As if we’d miss this for anything,” Wrecker said. Omega was perched on his shoulders, biting her lip as well.
“She better not fail. After all the training I put her through…” Seventeen trailed off. He had Rhea in a little baby sling on his chest.
Rhea was awake and regarding them all with a serious expression on her face. As if she couldn’t quite figure out why everyone was so stressed.
“I mean, she’s the best I’ve ever trained,” Seventeen continued. “If she doesn’t succeed, then no one else will.”
“I still can’t believe how nice he is to her and Omega,” Waxer grumbled.
“I’m nice because they’ve never disappointed me!” Seventeen snapped.
Waxer opened his mouth to argue.
“Let it go, dear,” Kenobi patted his back sympathetically. “He’s mean because he cares.”
Waxer crossed his arms and glared at the ground. “It doesn’t sound like it.”
“He’s doing a lot better with the compliments than previously,” Archer pointed out.
The only person who didn’t seem to be nervous was Gree. He sat on the steps, completely relaxed, doing paperwork.
Right, he had already been through this a few weeks ago. He knew what to expect and how long it would take. He had no reason to stress. Though, Rex did remember him being a wreck the day Offee did her trials. He may have actually killed someone if Unduli hadn’t been there to keep him calm.
He hoped next time he attended a trial, probably Cal’s or Caleb’s, he’d be like Gree. Relaxed, not stressed at all, confident that the person taking the trail would pass.
A few more minutes went by. More Jedi went in and out of the Temple. The guards changed shifts. The sun began to set.
Was it just Rex’s imagination, or did Kenobi seem even more worried than before? Maybe this was taking too long. Maybe something was wrong. Maybe she was getting kicked out for failing. His mind spiraled with possibilities. Echo shifted from foot to foot, glancing at the Temple every second. Even Fox stopped working. His datapad was still in his hands, but he no longer typed on it.
Then, Ahsoka stepped out of the doors. Her eyes fell on the group and she smiled.
Smiling was good. Smiling was positive.
She wouldn’t be smiling if she failed.
Hardcase and Skywalker rushed up to her.
“What happened?” Skywalker asked.
“Did you succeed?” Hardcase added.
“Did you fail?”
“Do you need to retake them?
“Did you take them at all?”
“What did Master Windu say?”
“What did Master Plo say?”
“Are you a Jedi?”
“Do we need to kill someone?”
“Shut up!” Jesse shouted, cutting both of them off.
Kenobi rolled his eyes. His shoulders relaxed. The furrow between his brows disappeared. He smiled. Yet more good signs.
He pushed the two of them aside. Rex followed.
“How did it go?” Rex asked. His heart seemed to be pounding right out of his chest. His mind raced. His limbs tensed. Did she succeed or did she fail?
Ahsoka looked up at them and beamed. She held out a knife to Kenobi. “Master, I think you need to do something to make it official.”
Kenobi looked like he was about to cry. Then, he wrapped her up in his arms. “I knew you could do it, my dear!”
That was all the confirmation any of them needed. The amount of cheering and celebration was loud enough to be heard throughout Coruscant. At least, Rex felt like it was. Even Rhea let out a shriek, eager to get in on the action.
“Alright!” Hardcase whooped, wrapping Ahsoka up in a hug as soon as Kenobi finished cutting her braid off.
“Let’s go to Dex’s. We’re celebrating tonight,” Fives said.
Ahsoka laughed and wiped tears of joy from her eyes.
She turned to hug Rex tightly. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
He squeezed her back. “Same here, kid. Same here.”
*****
Episode 100: A New Beginning
“Hey guys,” Ahsoka said. “I’m here with my friend and fellow knight Barriss Offee! Oh, that feels weird to say. We’re not padawans anymore.”
“That’s right. We both recently passed our trials.” Barriss smiled. “Which means we are now officially Jedi Knights.”
“We’ve gotten a lot of questions from both padawans and non-padawans alike about what the trials actually entail,” Ahsoka continued. “So we thought it’d be a good idea to talk about it. We can’t say everything as it is a very private moment between the padawan and their connection with the Force. But we can still give you guys an idea about what happens.”
“And address some of the rumors,” Barriss said. “For example: No, there are no blood sacrifices involved. And certainly no sacrifices of virgins. No matter what that one horror movie said.”
“Oh, you didn’t get to sacrifice a virgin?” Ahsoka said. “That was an important part of my trials.”
“Stop it, you’ll only make the rumors worse.”
“Yeah, you’re right. There are no blood sacrifices. But other things happen.”
Ahsoka paused, a strange look passing over her features.
“What is it?” Barriss asked.
She hummed. “I don’t know. This series started to help initiates in the creche prepare for life on the battlefield. That was the reason behind the title. None of us are commanders anymore. None of us will ever be commanders.”
“That is true.” Barriss nodded. “What does this have to do with the episode?”
“I don’t know if the title fits anymore. Creche to Command.” Ahsoka explained. “I’m no longer preparing initiates for the battlefield. I’m preparing them for knighthood. Maybe we should rename the series. ‘Creche to Knighthood’.”
“Hmm, doesn’t roll off the tongue as well. Besides, it’s not just about preparing initiates for knighthood. This series also helps demystify the Jedi Order to the non-Jedi watching it. And there is a heavy focus on trooper culture. Many of the episodes haven’t been about the Jedi at all, but rather, the troopers.”
“You’re right about that,” Ahsoka smiled for a beat. Then, her smile dropped. “I feel like after the war, so many of us were just trying to heal. We were resting. Not making a lot of changes so that we could recover. And, while healing takes different amounts of time for different people… I don’t know. I feel like I am healed now. I can move forward. That was one of the reasons I took my trials when I did. The trauma of the war will always be there. But enough good memories have come these past few years that it doesn’t feel as fresh.”
“I know what you mean,” Barriss responded. “Just trying to recover from the year I spent at war was arduous. I feel like I was set back several years in my training. And it also made me question who I was as a person in ways I never expected.”
“We’ll never fully recover.” She brought her hand up to her chest. “The scars will always be there. But they’ll heal. Time moves forward and we need to move with it.”
Barriss hugged her. “Agreed. So, you want to change the name?”
“I think I’m ready to change it. But you’re right, ‘Creche to Knighthood’ doesn’t roll off the tongue.” She turned to face the camera. “What do you guys think? What should we do to mark this new chapter? What should we call it?”
“The audience often does have many great ideas.”
“Or maybe we should keep the name the same,” Ahsoka added. “There’s also nothing wrong with paying homage to our past. I will always be a commander, in one way or another. That’s never going to change. But I am also so much more. We all are.”
“Our scars do not define us, but they are still a piece of us,” Barriss said. “Now then, let’s talk about the trials. The reason everyone came here in the first place.”
Ahsoka laughed. “Yes, sorry for getting sentimental on you guys. But, I did just become a knight. I’m in a big period of transition and figured, if there was ever a good time to change the name, it’d be now. So, the trials. We can’t tell you everything, but there are things we can share.”
“For example: yes, you can fail. And no, you won’t get kicked out if you fail.”
As the two of them spoke excitedly about this particular tradition of the Jedi Order, the audience watched on, equally excited for this new chapter.
The healing. Moving forward. The new beginning.
The future spread out with an infinite number of paths. An infinite number of futures.
Darkness would always be there. It was needed, in a way. Just like day needed night. And light needed shadow.
A balance, as demanded by nature.
But that did not mean darkness had to overcome everything. So long as they kept working towards a brighter future, there was hope.
There was love.
There was light.