Work Text:
13 years after Order 66
Darth Vader was hardly ever not in a bad mood these days. How could he not be? It had been thirteen years since he’d been abandoned to die on Mustafar– where his skin, lungs and eyes had all burned– and his limbs, severed from his body with such finality and brutality as could be expected from a Jedi, with them.
He had become a thrall of Darth Sidious, rather than his equal and his apprentice and successor. The last thirteen years had been spent on a painful deluge of self-hatred, trying to search the ends of the galaxy for Obi-Wan Kenobi, and finding a way to kill his master and end his reign forever.
In fact, the latter objective of his was why he was travelling into the Unknown Regions. He had gotten intelligence that a Sith holocron of some form could be located at a specific set of coordinates– a tomb world that once belonged to an ancient group of Sith acolytes.
His ship dropped out of hyperspeed above the grey and black tomb world, and Vader piloted a landing to where his intelligence data had pointed to. When his ship finally touched down, Vader strolled off the landing ramp and onto the cold, hard obsidian ground. The surface of the planet was very desolate, but he could see the remains of a large temple, partially buried by the thick grey topsoil that dotted the landscape.
Vader detected nothing unusual in the Force at the present time, but his hand still lingered by his lightsaber as he raised the ramp to his ship and started towards the temple. With a wave of his hand, a large chunk of the topsoil ejected out, burrowing a divet in the ground, exposing a way down to the Temple’s entrance. He had to be very careful; fortunately, the temple should recognize him a Sith– and show the secrets it held within.
When he crossed the threshold to the Temple itself, he could feel the Force twist in a most unusual sort of way. His source had been pure conjecture, ancient fables upon ancient fables. Frankly, Vader wasn’t sure he put much stock in it, at least until he’d gotten a look at the architecture in the temple’s entrance hall. The red haze of his lightsaber cast a pallid light on the runic etchings on the walls.
He leaned in closely and observed the script. It wasn’t Aurebesh, that much was certain. No, this was far older. The sharp iconography and complex symbols betrayed an ancient system that predated nearly everything Vader had ever learned– and he considered himself quite proficient in linguistics. He’d been rather illiterate as a child, knowing just enough Huttese to get by… but his time as a Jedi and as a Lord of the Sith had helped his growing polyglot.
The best he figured– this language had some kind of ancestral relationship to Dathomiri. It wasn’t hard to see, the way the ancient iconography that he was staring at turned into what became the ritual language of the Nightsisters and Nightbrothers, though something in the Force told Vader this was not quite the same thing. Far from it, in fact.
He began to slowly prod deeper into the Temple, his sense of foreboding and uncertainty creeping up on him. For the first time in quite some time, he didn’t quite feel like the invincible machine he’d become. The darkness was restless, feeling strange in this new environs, the Force nexus it was built upon tugging on him like raw magnetism.
When he reached the main chamber of the Temple, the wheezing of his respirator had grown more strained, no doubt a result of the fact his life support was working overtime to compensate for his elevated stress. He narrowed his eyes at the sight in the middle of the chamber. Sitting, almost innocuously on a pedestal, was some kind of Holocron. Nothing like the ones he’d seen as a Jedi and a Sith, but older. More antiquated, ancient, almost.
He approached it carefully, before picking it up in his hand, turning it over a few times and examining it. Reaching for the Dark Side, he pushed it into the device, which lit up suddenly, the sound of grinding mechanical apparatuses within the Temple stirring from a long slumber nearly deafening him.
But as soon as it had started, it stopped, and he suddenly felt a vacuum forming in the Force.
Suddenly, an almost holographic… misty image of a woman wearing long robes and a headscarf, and having a very strict and foreboding appearance shimmered into existence. She said nothing at first, regarding him carefully.
“Another visitor,” She said primly. “Not that many show up– it has been several thousand years since I have been awoken. You seek counsel with me, Darksider?”
Vader was in shock, before he gathered himself. “I seek new power to destroy my master.”
“Master?” The woman said softly, raising her eyebrow. “Slavery, then.”
“No,” Vader said suddenly, his Force lashing out like a wounded animal. “I am not a slave. I am his apprentice. I am Sith. Like you.”
“Sith?” The woman said wryly, raising her eyebrow. “These words mean something to you, but not to me. I am Mother Lo’reth, the last of my peoples… or at least, a shadow of her. You speak of Sith, I presume that is the order of Darksiders to which you belong?”
Vader bowed his head in acknowledgement, and the woman pursed her lips.
“Sith, it is typically customary in my culture to show one’s face when having diplomatic negotiations.”
“I cannot remove my mask,” Vader said simply. “I would not survive without it.”
The woman eyed him carefully, her eyebrow raised in question. “You seek power as a means of revenge. Your master did this to you.”
“My former master did this to me… my first master, my Jedi master.”
He looked at the woman’s expression before sighing, his voice a wheeze in the respirator. “Lightsiders.”
“Ah,” The woman said knowingly, nodding. “So you were with the Light before your passion called you to the Dark. Good. That is very good. I see you, Master Sith. You once held love in your heart, love larger than any system could hold. That love has become corrupted, seeped in the worst of the Darkness. I will teach you all I know, but you must know that all knowledge comes with a price.”
Vader eyed her dangerously, and the woman folded her hands behind her back and gave a simple smile.
“The true power of the Dark Side lies, ironically, in the positive emotions. Justice, love, that sort of thing. We thrive on those emotions, build ourselves on those emotions, and use them to forge destiny like a mighty blade.”
“That is not the way of the Sith,” Vader said, shaking his head. “My master says to use Hate. It has sustained me through mortal injury.”
The woman observed Vader closely and nodded. “You’re more machine than man, aren’t you?”
Vader growled in anger, and the woman waved her hand, and the lights in the room grew brighter.
“What if I did more for you, Sith? Would you like to have vitality as well as knowledge? To strike down your Master?” She asked coyly, earning an intrigued look from Vader.
“Then, a ritual awaits us– in exchange for your freedom from your master, for your vitality, for your liberty… you must reach deep down inside yourself, past that burning hatred in your heart, and find out what your true self wants– and how it can be achieved. Free yourself from the chains that bind, young Sith. It is not too late to turn away from all that.”
“It is too late for me,” Vader said, certainly.
“You need not give up the Dark. The Dark will power you, it will be there for you, always– but learn how to control it. Learn how to work with it, treat it as part of you, a natural extension, not a violent animal to be called up to fight when you so choose. Am I making sense?”
Vader nodded, and the woman smiled.
“Perhaps then, it is time we begin,”
That was the last thing Vader heard before he felt a sudden, growing pressure in the Force, and with a tremendous explosion that overwhelmed his senses, he blacked out.
…
One year later
Ben Kenobi kept his ear to the events that changed the galaxy every day– it had been one full year since the disappearance of Darth Vader. Part of Ben was worried for his former apprentice, a sick feeling of misery at the idea that Anakin had finally died, unredeemed, angry, bitter, alone… but the bitter, jaded part of him that had been stuck on this hellish pile of sand for 14 years was happy that nobody had ever found him. A clear indication that Vader had finally died bitter and alone.
He had frequently traveled to Mos Eisley to get a lay of the current situation in the galaxy at-large, and he was there today, hiding in plain sight, listening to the words around him with peculiar interest.
The Empire was still as resolute as ever, but continued cells of resistance from former Sep sympathizers, the few Jedi remaining that had escaped before Vader’s demise, and a nascent “Rebel Alliance” were putting a dent in the Empire’s tolerances. Worse so– the Emperor’s new public apprentice was nowhere nearly as skilled as Vader was, nor nearly as imposing and threatening.
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a sudden tremor in the Force. Someone had arrived in the city who had a tremendous presence in the Force– but it was an unfamiliar one. He would know Anakin’s sticky, dark ooze– and he would recognize Ahsoka’s presence as well, he’d spent more than enough time around Anakin’s padawan to know her from her mere presence.
This was different–it was Dark, but it wasn’t the all-consuming void of hate. It was… the cool, calm quiet of a sleeping quarters in the twilight hours. Hand flexing near his lightsaber, Obi-Wan felt the unending curiousity to investigate, heading towards where he felt the source of the disturbance– the spaceport.
A few minutes later, he found the target. She was a relatively tall woman– no older than her mid-thirties. She was wearing a black-and-red headwrap, covering up long, sandy blonde hair that only slightly peaked out from underneath. The armour she had on was impressive–it didn’t remind Obi-Wan of anything specific, but it had a distinct gravitas to it. It looked ancient, if he had to put a specific word to it.
She was conversing angrily with someone, and then as soon as she turned to face someone else, Obi-Wan’s heart nearly stopped.
When was the last time Obi-Wan had seen a face just like that?
It was on this planet, wasn’t it?
A tired looking woman in the slave quarter, looking wearily at her son as he went to join the Jedi– but Shmi Skywalker had been dead for… Force, how many years now? Before the Clone Wars, even? Who was this mysterious woman?
She seemed pleased by something, and nodded vigorously, before following someone over to where a lot of speeders were waiting. Obi-Wan, quite clever at sneaking, managed to stow himself away in her speeder, hopefully without her noticing. After driving for quite a long time, he felt her stop. The Force rang out in alarm and he jerked back as a red lightsaber plunged itself very close to where he was seated.
“I was wondering if you were going to move or not,” She said with a smirk. “You’re not nearly as good at stealth as you think you are, Obi-Wan Kenobi.”
“How do you know me? Who are you,” Obi-Wan said, flexing his hand down towards his lightsaber, and the woman raised her eyebrow and raised her hands in surrender.
“Woah, pal. You’re the one who’s following me around– sneaking onto my speeder and the like,” She said. “Last I checked, being a Darksider isn’t illegal anymore, what with the Emperor being a Sith and all. Why don’t you relax and we’ll break bread before we do anything else?”
Obi-Wan looked at the woman before letting out a deep sigh. He was the Negotiator. This was what he did for so long, what was one more time? She rummaged around inside of the compartment Obi-Wan was hiding in, and pulled out some ration bars and water. They ate in companionable silence for awhile, before the he cleared his throat.
“Would you mind at least telling me who you are? You know who I am, clearly… have we met before? You do seem very familiar,” He said.
The woman laughed. “You’re too perceptive sometimes, Obi-Wan,” She said, her voice dry like the desert.
Suddenly, Obi-Wan felt a sharp jolt from the bond that had been severed so very long ago. He trembled briefly at the feeling that cascaded through his sense of the Force– it was justice, revenge, love for the galaxy. Obi-Wan nearly snapped his own neck turning towards the woman, whose molten orange eyes looked so familiar.
“Anakin?” Obi-Wan croaked, and the woman let out a belting laugh, doubling over.
“Oh, my old Master,” She said, shaking her head. “You’ll think me insane, but it is a very long, very amusing story. But this is not the place for that,” She said, jumping back to her feet and grinning just like his Padawan so many years ago.
“First thing– call me Ani. That’s… sort of my personal name now. Secondly– Where’ve you been holed up then?” She asked, and Ben stammered before straightening up and clearing his throat.
“Jundland Wastes, northern edges– just north of the… Tusken camp.”
Ani’s eyes darkened briefly before she nodded. “You’re probably wondering what I’ve been up to in the year since I vanished,” She said plainly, stretching. “I’ll explain everything back at your hut.”
…
Seated at Obi-Wan’s table, Ani looked pensive before speaking. “Have you ever heard of being stuck in a force nexus? Where time moves faster within than without?”
She noticed the skepticism and curiosity on his face and let out a small laugh.
“I know, it sounds ridiculous doesn’t it? But I spent… close to fifty years there. Learning at the altar of the Mother,” Ani said, unwrapping her head and placing the headscarf on the table. “A long time to examine my motivations, examine what I wanted in this galaxy. Honestly, the first few years I was almost constantly in a terrible mood. You can imagine my ugly shock when I realized that the price for power to defeat Sidious and vitality was to be turned into… well, a woman,”
She laughed. “It took awhile, but the Mother basically made me come to terms with the idea that it was a much better deal– and it wasn’t like I lost anything in the process,”
A raised eyebrow from Obi-Wan and she sighed.
“After… Mustafar, the surgeries that Sidious made me go through, I was effectively turned into a eunuch. I won’t go into the grisly details, but I haven’t had… that equipment in 14 years,” She said with a snort. “I also had time to process my grieving. I will always bear the responsibility for the death of Padme and my unborn child, but there is one man who went back on his promise to me and I will make sure he pays the price for that. Sidious promised me he’d save her, and he lied. Liars are the worst sort of people,”
She sighed and shook her head. “So, have you… been here this whole time? Rotting away, my old friend?”
Obi-Wan fixed her with a hard stare and shook his head. “The galaxy was not safe– I am one of the most well-known faces of the Jedi Order. Where better to hide from you, than the one planet you’d never willingly set foot on again?”
“The sand got into the servos of my artificial limbs, and caused problems,” Ani said simply. “Now, I cherish the feeling of sand between my toes. I still hate the grit in my mouth and under my nails, but the sand is my oldest friend.”
Ani took a deep breath, before twiddling her thumbs. “Speaking of Padme… Mother told me to ask you about that day, about what happened to her after the fact. I know she was buried on Naboo, but… was it really my fault?”
Obi-Wan rubbed his chin and closed his eyes. “Partially, my old friend. She didn’t choke to death, if that’s what you’re worried about. She protested that you were still a good person at heart until the very end.”
“The child… didn’t survive, I take it?”
Obi-Wan stopped preparing cups of tea for them and fixed her with a stare and looked to be determining something, before he sighed.
“Children,” He said simply, before placing a cup of tea in front of her. “The children did survive.”
“What?” Ani’s eyes widened, and she closed her eyes. “You were hiding them… from Darth Vader,”
“You are most certainly not Darth Vader, not anymore,” Obi-Wan said simply. “You are dark, but you are not the burning, towering darkness of Darth Vader. You… are cool like the night air here. I have no qualms about telling you about your children now, I can tell you’re not the same person who I left on Mustafar.”
Ani nodded in agreement. “Are they well?” She asked, peering at Obi-Wan.
“The twins are safe– I left Lukka in the care of your step-brother,” Obi-Wan explained. “And young Leia was left in the care of Bail and Breha Organa, of Alderaan.”
“Lukka? Leia?” Ani asked, looking surprised.
“Twin girls,” Obi-Wan said happily. “Unfortunately, I haven’t seen young Lukka in five years– I’ve been banned from the Lars homestead because they were afraid I’d turn Lukka into a Jedi and make her like her father.”
“She’s a Skywalker, of course she’s going to be like me– she’s a daughter of Tatooine,” Ani said proudly. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s a smart-mouth mechanic who loves to get behind the wheel of speeders.”
“She doesn’t seem to go farther than Anchorhead and Tosche Station,” Obi-Wan said. “I do check in every now and again, but from afar.”
“Hmm,” Ani said aloud. She wondered if she could get away with bringing her daughter with her. Lukka had to be going out of her mind on this useless rock. Spending her life as a moisture farmer, joining the Imperial Academy, or becoming a smuggler in the employ of the Hutts were the only viable pathways of a career for someone on this planet, assuming they didn’t get stuck in indentured servitude.
“What exactly are you doing on Tatooine anyway, Ani?” Obi-Wan asked. “You seemed rather angry at some people.”
“I was planning to go to Mos Espa and kill my former master– and then free the slaves,” She said simply. “Slavery is an abomination.”
Obi-Wan nodded. “I can’t say I haven’t had the same thought once or twice.”
“And then maybe go kill Jabba the Hutt and his court of thugs. Free those slaves too. Liberate this planet, wage a war against the Hutts.”
“And bring the Empire down on you like a wild bantha,” Obi-Wan pointed out. Ani scowled– Obi-Wan smiled, however. That was the Anakin he remembered, the one who had left him feeling gutted oh-so long ago.
“Theoretically,” Obi-Wan contributed. “Tatooine isn’t even in Hutt Space. If we were to take out Jabba, and create a new government on this planet, it wouldn’t be impossible for us to build some kind of rapport in the Outer Rim. A lot of planets out here don’t like the Empire much– they mostly go with it because that’s how Things Work. That being said, I don’t know how long that will last before the Empire tries to assert authority beyond the Mid-Rim.”
“Arkanis could be a useful lynchpin to keep the Empire bottled up. It’d deny them access to one of the major hyperlanes in the Outer Rim,” Ani pointed out, rubbing her cheek thoughtfully. “How many former Jedi are still hanging around that won’t try to gut me the minute they run into me?”
“Very few,” Obi-Wan said dryly. “Most of them are gone– if they weren’t killed in Order 66, they’ve slowly died off at the hands of your Inquisitors.”
“Not mine– those thugs were Sidious’ pets, I was merely an instrument of his will,” Ani retorted, before shaking her head.
“I’ve heard rumours of a small group of Force users trying to restore the Jedi Order,” Obi-Wan said. “We might be able to pull them to our side of the conflict– only a handful of Jedi actually knew who you were when Order 66 came down– and they’re all dead now, save for Master Yoda and I– I suppose Bail Organa as well, given he was present when we agreed to split Leia and Lukka apart to keep them safe.”
“Oh, them, I remember them.” Ani said, nodding. “Cal Kestis and Cere Junda– they did escape, but to where I have no idea. It’s been close to ten years since. Is there any way to contact them?”
“Most of the old Jedi channels would be easily tapped by Imperial intelligence by now– and all of our encryption codes are in the hands of them as well. Cere was a talented Jedi, as was her master,” Obi-Wan said thoughtfully. “I’ll put out feelers on channels that might lead us towards some former Jedi. In the mean time, we should arrange for a visit to Dagobah.”
“Dagobah?” Ani said. “What in the Force could be on that hell planet?”
“Yoda’s there in retirement,” Obi-Wan said. “I believe that I’ve waited long enough for Lukka’s training to begin. Oh, yes, before I forget…”
He walked over to a small box on the far-side of the hut and opened it. He reached in and held something close to him. Ani blinked as a metal cylinder– a lightsaber, was presented to her.
“This is yours, I believe,” Obi-Wan said dryly. Ani gripped her old lightsaber and lit it, the familiar blue blade springing to life and humming. She took a deep breath.
“Like an old pair of pants, really,” Ani said with a dry chuckle. “Thank you, my old master. Now, let’s go save the Galaxy again.”
…
The grave marker for Shmi Skywalker-Lars stood plainly, decorated by small desert flowers and trinkets. Ani knelt at it and placed her hand on the gravestone.
“Hello again, Mom. I’ve come back again,” Ani said quietly. “I’m… doing a lot better than the last time we spoke. It’s been… a very long time, in fact. I’m sorry I haven’t come sooner, but things have been terrible in the galaxy. You’d be so disappointed in all the hurt and pain I’ve caused, but I’m doing my best to make amends now. I will free the slaves, just like I promised.”
She stood up and dusted the sand off of her armored robes.
“I love you very much, and I hope to see you again,” She said wryly as she made her way towards the Lars homestead, joined by Obi-Wan at her back.
Their arrival had been noticed, and Owen Lars came out of the entrance to their home, looking angry. “Kenobi, I told you never to come back here again! I won’t have you filling Lukka’s head with all that Jedi nonsense!”
“It is her birthright, isn’t it, Owen?” Ani asked, and Owen turned to look at her before turning white as a sheet.
“S-Shmi?”
“No, unfortunately. I am her daughter, however,” Ani said confidently.
“She didn’t have a daughter, just a son,” Owen said, narrowing his eyes. “One who got a woman pregnant, and then got himself killed in the Clone Wars.”
“Owen, I know we haven’t seen each other in many years, but surely you recognize me?” Ani asked, playfulness in her voice as she shed the headscarf. “Anakin Skywalker, at your service.”
“Anakin? What-”
“It’s a very long sordid story, suffice it to say, I’m just Ani now, and I’ve come to collect my daughter. I cannot thank you enough for keeping an eye on her for as long as you did.”
“But what about that Vader fellow Kenobi warned us about?” Owen said, bewildered.
“He is dead, and shall remain dead for as long as I draw breath,” Ani said confidently– sunnily, even. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at the enthusiasm of Ani as she grinned back at Owen.
Owen looked reluctant but sighed. “Alright, fine, c’mon then,” He grumbled.
They were escorted through the Lars homestead, and when they arrived in the center, inside the crater that protected their home from the sandstorms, Owen cupped his hands and shouted.
“Lukka! C’mon out now, we’ve got guests!”
“Coming, Uncle Owen,” A voice called back, before a teenaged girl, no older than 14, emerged from one of the doors. She had grease on her hands, and had a short mop of blonde hair hanging loosely, unkempt and untamed. She was wearing a pair of coveralls, and looked very much the epitome of a younger Ani whenever she got around mechanics.
“I’m doing what you asked and cleaning those relays so we can put them out in the field,” She said, tucking a greased rag into the pocket of her coveralls.
She blinked at the sight of her two guests.
“Old Ben? I haven’t seen you in years!” She said, grinning.
“Indeed, young one,” Obi-Wan said with a smile. “I’d like to introduce you to someone. This, is Ani Skywalker.”
Lukka froze in place and turned to face Ani, her eyes widening. “S-Skywalker?”
Ani nodded. “Padme and I always said we were going to name our first Lukka. A very time honoured, traditional name of Tatooine– one that works for both boys and girls,”
“I… Uncle Owen told me you’d died!”
“I did, from a certain point of view,” Ani said with a wry smile. “It took me a long time to get to a place where I could see you. You might have lots of questions, but the first is this– I was once Anakin Skywalker.”
“Wait, you’re my dad? How come you’re a-”
“Let’s not get into that,” Ani said with a smirk. “I’m a woman now. You’re 14, right?”
Lukka nodded, and Ani looked pensive. “Hmm, I think it is far past time for you to begin your training, then.”
“Training for what?” Lukka asked, blinking in surprise.
“Goodness, didn’t Owen tell you anything?” Ani said, shooting Owen a look. “Before you were born, I was a Jedi Knight!”
“Aunt Beru told me you were a spice freighter captain,” Lukka said with a frown. “And that you were killed when the Empire took over.”
“Mmm, not quite, but I have been away for a very long time, and have missed so much of your life,” Ani said wryly, pivoting away from the subject of just what she had been doing since Lukka’s birth. “I see you’re into mechanics. I was too, when I was a kid.”
“Yeah! Uncle Owen lets me do most of the mechanic work. I’ve been fixing up speeders and the like since I was old enough to pick up a wrench. We sell them sometimes so we can supplement our income and pay off Jabba when he comes for tribute,” She said, gesturing in no direction in particular.
“Jabba the Hutt,” Ani said in disgust. She looked at Owen and Beru. “By the time I leave this miserable rock, I’ll ensure that Jabba is no longer a threat to you or your livelihood. That I promise.”
“How do you intend to do that?” Owen asked, eyebrow raised.
“I’m going to free every slave on this rock,” Ani said, glee in her voice.
Beru gasped. “That… that would be-”
“A miracle, I know,” Ani said. “I wasn’t called the Chosen One for nothing, I’d hope. Now,”
She turned back to Lukka. “My darling Lukka, I’m going to leave you here for now while I take care of business on this planet. But I was hoping you’d be willing to come with me and Obi-Wan when we go to Dagobah to meet Master Yoda, the last Grandmaster of the Jedi Order.”
…
Getting to Dagobah was a rather trivial pursuit. Ani admitted that she still had her personal shuttlecraft she’d taken to Wild Space last year, but that she’d done extensive modifications to it before returning to the known galaxy just so nobody pinned it as Darth Vader’s shuttle. The shuttle was just large enough to accomodate the three of them.
“When we’re not alone,” Ani warned. “We’re going to have to have aliases. Ani isn’t exactly an uncommon name in the galaxy, neither is Lukka, really– you say you’re going by Ben, right?” She asked, looking at Obi-Wan.
“Yes.”
“Hmm, okay,” Ani said. “We can’t use our surnames. Kenobi and Skywalker are still very well-known in the galaxy. Our reputation in the Clone Wars precedes us.”
“Not that anybody would notice– as far as anybody’s aware, Anakin Skywalker died at the end of the Clone Wars. The only people who know otherwise are me, Bail Organa and Yoda.”
“Bail Organa? Why was he there, anyway?”
“He helped us to Polis Massa, while Mon Mothma was dealing with the situation on Coruscant,” Obi-Wan said simply.
“Right,” Ani said, frowning. “If you need to address me in public, call me Ekkreth.”
“Ekkreth,” Lukka whispered, eyes wide. Obi-Wan watched as Ani and Lukka conversed in a language he didn’t recognize, before Ani smiled and looked at him.
“It’s… well, it’s sort of a big story. On Tatooine, among certain groups of people– not the Hutts or travelers, but the slaves, a language is spoken to share the stories of our ancestors, and the lore of Ekkreth, the Sky Walker. The trickster. That’s where my last name comes from.”
“Sounds fitting,” Obi-Wan said. “Why have I never learned about this in… fourteen years?”
“You’re an off-worlder. The language is a secret among slaves and those who live in oppression. I’m sure Lukka learned it from Beru– the Whitesuns have always been companions of escaped slaves. Also, Skywalker is a slave name.”
“The freeborn daughter of a freeman,” Lukka whispered quietly. “Also, the name apparently carried weight with the Hutts. They… left Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen alone sometimes when I was around and not in Anchorhead or Tosche Station. Apparently, something about a favor that a Skywalker had done once for Jabba.”
“Ah, right,” Ani said. “I saved his son from the Separatists and Darth Sidious during the Clone Wars, with my padawan, Ahsoka. This one also helped,” She said, gesturing to Obi-Wan.
“Yes, I remember that. Count Dooku was trying to engineer the shutdown of trade lanes in the Outer Rim, wasn’t he?” Obi-Wan said. “Perhaps we could use such a method against the Empire?”
“That won’t be very effective. The Empire’d just come in with massive fleets and decimate everything in sight. Speaking of Ahsoka, have you heard from her lately?”
“No,” Obi-Wan said. “There are some rumblings of rebellion across the galaxy, but it seems to be rather disorganized and not at-all put together– Ahsoka may very well be part of that growing rumbling, but she hasn’t been seen since Order 66. Last I heard, she was on Mandalore.”
“Mandalore?” Ani asked. “No, fair. Before I left on my journey, I’d been tracking Jedi survivors. There was a group– and I’m certain there was at least one Master-Padawan in the set, that were evading my Inquisitors. I’m hoping they haven’t been tracked down yet, I may very well be able to use them as a means to find Ahsoka.”
“Who’s Ahsoka?” Lukka asked, looking brightly at her parent.
“Ahsoka Tano was my Padawan, back during the Clone Wars,” Ani said with a smile. “She was a wonderful Padawan. She was thrown out of the Jedi Order after the temple was bombed, many years ago. She refused an invitation to return once we found the real culprit. The Jedi… treated her poorly, and suffered as a consequence.”
“It shook your faith in the Jedi, didn’t it?” Obi-Wan asked carefully, and Ani looked away and nodded minutely.
“The Jedi Order is gone,” Ani said darkly. “Perhaps we can build something far better in the future. Clinging to the past won’t save us.”
“I am inclined to agree, my old friend,” Obi-Wan said. “I don’t believe I could live by that code anyway. Fourteen years in exile changes a person.”
“You’ll always be my Obi-Wan, master,” Ani said with a smile. “Let all the past wash away with the soft rains, and let us begin again with renewed purpose,” Her voice carried a wistful tone, almost as if it was something she learned from years of experience and study, rather than a spur the moment sort of thing.
For the first time since Order 66, Obi-Wan felt a glimmer of hope in his heart.