The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano, Book Ten

Chapter Seventy-One: A Few Calls

AHSOKA TANO

"Saw did what?"

Ahsoka winced as Janira's yell caused the volume control to spike, creating an ungodly screech on her end of the call. She held the transmitter out at arm's length, hoping to save her lekku from any other bombardment, should it be imminent.

"I told you," she said, massaging her lekku with her free hand. "He and his Partisans left Onderon about two weeks ago and haven't been heard from since."

"Who the hell does he think he is, packing up and leaving and taking over half the Onderon cell with him?" Jani vented, her grey eyes livid. "Has somebody talked to him? Tried to get him back?"

"He's cut himself off from all communications. No one knows where he is now – or even where the Partisan fleet was planning to jump to."

"And you want me to give you his private comm code to get ahold of him." Jani shook her head, her grey eyes flashing. "No. I can't do that."

Ahsoka furrowed her brow. "Why not?"

Jani sighed, and while her rage was still not quite spent, Ahsoka could see it was wearing down. "Saw has... trust issues. For a while, it was okay, but it's gotten worse in the past few years. The slightest misstep could make him think you were going to turn against him, and disagreeing a even little too much could be fatal."

"Jani, I had no idea," Ahsoka said, her voice scarcely above a whisper. "Did anyone in Rebel Command know? Forgive me if this sounds insensitive, but he should have been voted out of leadership of the Onderon cell ages ago!"

"He didn't need to be years ago," Jani insisted earnestly. "I was... I was able to keep him grounded a little. He'd let me tell him off if he was going to far. I was his safety net, the one he trusted to catch him and bring him back to reality when he needed it. I think the fact that I was reassigned to Phoenix Squadron was what caused this – he didn't have anyone to pull him back."

The regret in Janira's eyes left a bitter taste in Ahsoka's mouth, and she realized she might have gone over the line.

"I'll talk to him," she said before Ahsoka could apologize. "I'll do my best to talk some sense into him. But I won't compromise him by giving away his private information like that."

Ahsoka sensed that now was the time to approach her sister-in-law about becoming the new leader of the Onderon cell in Saw's stead. But she knew it would be best to break it to her gently – shock made her say things she didn't mean, and often she had a snap defensive reaction if she felt threatened.

"And what if he doesn't come back? We'll need a replacement. You know the situation far better than me or Senator Organa – who do you think would be able to take on the job?"

"Drop the façade, Ahsoka. I know you want me to do it." Jani was silent for a long moment, rubbing her knuckles along her jawline. "I... I don't know if I'm cell leader material."

"There are different kinds of commanders," Ahsoka reminded her. "Take Hera, for example – she's out there every day flying for the Rebellion, but she's still leading Phoenix Squadron full time."

Jani shook her head. "But Phoenix Squadron is mobile – the Onderon cell is not. I can fly, but that's about it. I'm no real strategist planetside. 'Captain' is just a formality for me. I'm no leader."

"But people look up to you. They'll follow you to their deaths if you order it. We can't afford to have that kind of loyalty wasted by not acting on it."

A bit of her usual spark returned to her eyes as Ahsoka spoke, and her back straightened. Already, Ahsoka realized, she looked like a leader. "Okay. Fine. I'll do it if there's no other choice. But first, I'm talking to Saw. He's the one made for the job, and... well, we're not exactly cut of that same cloth. He's the priority here."

Ahsoka inclined her head in agreement. "I wish you the best of luck, then."

"Same for you. You bring that kid back safely, Ahsoka."

As Janira ended the call and the hologram dissipated into the air, Ahsoka released a breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding. Even while she felt badly about it, she genuinely thought Janira would make a better commander for the Onderon unit than Saw. She had the same fire he did, and the same fighting skill, but where he was unruly and difficult to manage, she was compromising and understanding.

Quite a lot, Ahsoka realized suddenly, like a wise leader she had once known on Onderon back during the Clone Wars: Steela, sister of Saw Gerrera.

LUX BONTERI

"I was not expecting your call. Is something wrong?"

It was a long moment before Lux was finally able to meet his birth father's eyes. Enarion Jarrus Dume had a very powerful gaze, a lot like Caleb – Kanan – did. And despite the difference in eye color between them, Lux had a feeling their father was where Jani had inherited her piercing look from as well.

Lux called it the Dume stare, and he was the only one in their family who didn't have it. His 'look' was more like that his mother had once used to scare away rival dignitaries on Raxus. He had taken after her in most emotional respects, and physical, too, save his strong nose and dark hair.

"I hope that there will someday come a time when I call and you don't immediately think something is wrong," Lux said, a smile that bordered on wry briefly crossing his face.

Enarion smiled in return, his green eyes twinkling in his leathery face. "Perhaps there will be soon, son. But tell me: to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I... I don't want to intrude, because I know it's still a week away, but I was wondering if I could come to Onderon early, before Ahsoka and Jani get there. And I'd bring the kids, of course. I just think it would be better if I could be sure no one would interrupt us or try to sway whatever decisions we make."

"How poorly you think of them," Enarion said with a laugh. "You know how those two are – if they wanted to change anything, they already would have."

"So is it feasible?"

"Yes. You're lucky, a deal with one of my contacts resolved itself far more quickly than I anticipated it would. I'd be happy to have you."

"Then we'll be out on the next supply ship." The smile on Lux's face was genuine. "And father? Thank you."

"Anything for one of my children – especially my firstborn. Give my love to everyone, and tell the twins their belated birthday present is waiting for them."

Lux nodded and ended the call. He leaned back in his chair, letting his eyelids flutter shut in a moment of quiet reflection.

And for the first time in months, he thought about Steela.

*And so the wheels continue to turn for the Bonteri-Dume family... But it could be that Lux and Jani's individual plans will contradict in the long run? Will Jani be able to reason with Saw, or has the distance between them truly become too great? And what might come of Lux's decision to go see his father early? What does he want to discuss? His thoughts continue to dwell on Kanan, but might he finally be ready to do something about it? You'll find out in the next thrilling chapter of The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano!

Hello all! As always, here is your weekly double update for UAAT ;D

This chapter in itself is pretty straightforward, but it serves to set the scene for the next few chapters and gives you an idea of what Lux, Jani and Ahsoka want to accomplish in the near future. And while they differ greatly for the most part, they still all have one thing in common: Onderon.

But anyway, PROGRESS *grins at Lux* NICE JOB GETTING OFF YOUR BUTT FINALLY

Lux: Hey I was the one who organized the meeting on Onderon in the first place, you're not allowed to judge me!!

I can judge you and I will judge you. The perks of being a writer, am I right? ? >:D

In other news, this chapter marks the first one in this story arc... the second to last one in the book. I almost can't believe we're already here guys, we've come so far...

Time to go a little farther. ONTO THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!