Shadows of Tomorrow

Chapter 93 - Aftermath

There's no escape from here, Kanan knows, so all he can do is sit in the cell, meditating and hoping an opportunity will present itself. No one's come to question him yet, but he doesn't know if the others are so lucky. They're alive, or he would have sensed something happening to them, but... He'd be lying to say he's not scared. This time, there will be no last minute rescue attempt. All the rebels are busy elsewhere. And he has no idea what to do about it.

The door to his cell suddenly snaps open, the stormtroopers in the doorway motioning for him to follow.

He does, warily.

The rest of the Ghost crew are already outside in the hall, and Kanan glances over them briefly, just to make sure that they're fine. They appear to be, although they're obviously no less confused than he is. He wants to talk, but he knows better than to try. The stormtroopers will never allow it.

They're taken to the command center, where a very cranky looking Governor Pryce is standing.

"What do you want?" Hera demands, staring back at her defiantly.

"By order from Coruscant, you are to be freed, until a deal is worked out between the Empire and the Alliance," she says, sounding as though every word is the most disgusting thing she's ever uttered.

Kanan blinks.

"What?!" they all demand, almost at once.

"You are free to leave," she grits out, gesturing for the stormtroopers to free them, before they're ushered out into the hallway, and just....

"What?!" Ezra demands again, as they look around.

"Perhaps Marr's plan worked?" Sabine proposes, sounding just as disbelieving.

"Or maybe this is a trap," Kanan points out, frowning. It's a million kinds of strange, not that he's complaining.

"Why don't we get out of here and call for an update?" Hera advises.

They do, Kanan keeping his hand near his lightsaber just in case someone attacks them, but no one does. They do send a transmission in to Rebel command, to hear that many of the attacks were successful. They lost so many of their resources, though. But the Empire has a new Emperor, and Marr is apparently injured, which means as soon as things are a little more stable here, they're heading right to Coruscant.

But they actually won. The Emperor is dead. Maybe it'll sink in later, because right now, Kanan feels like he's in a daze – living in a dream, even if it's a very good one this time.

***

Ahsoka wants to talk to Anakin, except... she has absolutely no idea what to say. What is there to say? He was gone but now he's back, and she has so much to tell him and thank him for. When she finds herself alone with him finally, she finds herself speechless. "Thank you," she says at last, because focusing on the situation is easier than her chaotic emotions. It was when they last met, too, though... she regrets doing so.

"It... was the least I could do," he replies. She can sense he feels awkward, too, and it makes her feel better. At least she's not alone.

"We would have failed without you," she adds. That, she knows with certainty.

"Perhaps," he replies. She loathes how it feels as though they no longer know how to speak with one another. Then again, that was true before, too, right? But Anakin is here, and he's finally free, which means they can try at something.

What should she even say to her... Jedi turned Sith turned Jedi – maybe, hopefully – master when she hasn't seen him in seventeen years, save on Malachor? Who she knows helped destroy the Jedi? Who tried to kill Marr? She has no idea, and it's not something she has anyone to turn to for help.