The Unseen

Chapter 21 - Capture

"I have a bad feeling." Ahsoka looks up to see Anakin standing in the doorway, a frown etched on his face. "Something's wrong."

"Wrong, how?" she asks, looking away from Luke and Leia. The twins are eleven now; it's been a year since they've left Alderaan. Overall, she thinks they're adjusting quite nicely to the life and family which they've built, though she knows that they still miss the families who raised them too. Well, as soon as this mess is straightened out, all of them can go visit the Organas and Larses.

Though they've heard nothing of Vader's fate save that he died heroically defending his Emperor – what a lie! – Ahsoka is certain that Sidious knows he's alive and safe, if the sudden bounty on Anakin Skywalker, alive and unharmed, is anything to go by. Anakin told her that he'd severed his bond with Sidious right before he began the ritual so many months ago because he didn't want the Sith to be able to break into the paradise.

Anakin closes his eyes for a moment before opening them. "Something's going to happen," he declares. "When will Obi-Wan be back?"

"I'm not sure. Probably soon." Obi-Wan had gone to the local market to get food and supplies. Usually he and Ahsoka take turns, but since Togrutas aren't common in this area, they had agreed it best for Obi-Wan to go. It's not that Anakin is incapable, but his face is too identifiable for everyone's liking. Besides, he dislikes leaving the twins.

"Uncle Obi is in trouble," worries Leia not even a minute later. She scrunches up her face in concentration, before looking at them with alarm.

Anakin stiffens. "Yes," he agrees with her, "He is."

"What happened?" whispers Luke, glancing at his twin. She shrugs.

"Stay here," orders Anakin. "I'm going to check it out. I'll be back shortly."

He turns towards the door, but Ahsoka stops him. "Wait! If something's wrong, it might be better for me to go. At this point there aren't any confirmed sightings of you, and we don't want Sidious to learn anything on your whereabouts."

She can see the frustration on his face, but it's clear that he agrees. "Fine. Hurry," he tells her, fingers twitching towards the lightsaber concealed on his belt. Luke and Leia have lightsabers of their own now; Luke's is constructed with Qui-Gon's old crystal, while Leia is using the kyber from Ahsoka's old lightsaber.

Straightening her two hilts, Ahsoka ducks around Anakin, grabbing a cloak to cover herself before she climbs on a speeder to head towards the marketplace. "Ahsoka!" Anakin calls after her. "I think we might need to make an escape, so we'll get everything ready. Regardless of what happened, it's time for us to leave."

She throws him a casual salute over her shoulder before firing up the engine and speeding away. The Force thrums with danger and tension the further she goes. Probably the only reason she didn't sense it sooner was because she was shielding for one, and for two, Skywalkers are known for being ridiculously powerful. So not fair. Against Anakin's full strength – she did feel it when she was in his mind so long ago – it was hard to not feel like an insignificant little spark compared with a star.

As she approaches the market, she senses and sees a commotion, so she slows down, pulling off to the side of the street. Stormtroopers are everywhere, but she doesn't let that bother her, instead casually walking closer like many of the other nearby bystanders. Ahsoka can hear the whispers with her sensitive montrals, the word Jedi being thrown around most of all. A chill runs down her spine as the stormtroopers move long enough for her to see them pushing Obi-Wan into a troop transport.

Scanning the crowd, she immediately knows that she's outnumbered. There's a couple dozen stormtroopers which she can see, and that doesn't count the armament on the transport vehicle or the civilians who will be injured. She closes her eyes, a sharp pain running through her. After all this time, they're being torn apart. Anakin will be ballistic.