Ahsoka, Daughter of the Light (Book 5): Rescue

Epilogue: The Way Forward

AHSOKA TANO-BONTERI

Today marked the one-year anniversary of the foundation of the New Jedi Order. It also marked the one-year anniversary of the ascendancy of the Empire, or "Empire Day," as it is now known. It also just so happened to be Ezra Bridger's first birthday.

Today was many things. All throughout the day, as the Imperial forces of the Galaxy celebrated, the New Jedi Order held a ceremony for remembrance of those who were lost.

Life on the Holt was starting to become increasingly more like life back at the Temple. Holes had been cut into some of the sides of the long metal hallways to bring more light into the rooms. These holes were then filled with whatever glass they could afford. 

The ship's interior had been painted the same color as the Crucible or the old Temple. The few construction droids they had were now painting the exterior, making the ship look increasingly like the Jedi Temple back on Coruscant. The logo of the Jedi Order was painted in between the bridge and the hangar bay. Sure, it may basically have been painted as a bullseye target for orbital ships, but orbital ships would have identified the Holt from orbit anyways. They all hoped that would never happen.

The trickle of Jedi survivors into the New Jedi Order was starting to slow. It was safe to assume that most had been either killed, already rescued, or so well hidden they were never going to be found, whether it be by Order's Seekers or the forces of the Empire. Still, they still had the old Jedi records of thousands of force-sensitive children across the galaxy. Although it was somewhat outdated (Ahsoka hated it when she got an empty lead), it still provided the necessary information, and Ahsoka's New Jedi Order had grown to well over 200 members.

 Aletta was slowly starting to grow. As a Human-Togruta hybrid, she began crawling earlier than normal humans, but was no closer to coherent speech than a human would have been. She was starting to babble as she hopelessly tried to communicate with the outside world.

Ahsoka's life was constantly cycling between taking care of Aletta, training Jedi younglings (and Lux), and occasionally going on a mission to retrieve a force-sensitive child. Whenever she was busy, Lux took care of Aletta.

But, despite all the burdens, Ahsoka Tano-Bonteri marched ever onwards into her destiny, holding her torch to light the way for others.

Lux. Aletta. Katooni. Mira. Petro. Zatt. Morra. They were all counting on her.

The way forward lay  in her hands.

TO BE CONTINUED...