The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano, Book Ten

Chapter Seventy-Nine: Final Hour

AHSOKA TANO

The Nest was almost exactly as Ahsoka remembered it.

Age had done little to wear down the sturdy ivris wood structure surrounding what had once been an old Beast Rider holy place and sanctuary to travelers. It was overgrown and faded with disuse, but it had stood proud through the years as a symbol that fighting against those who oppressed others really did work, in the end.

She closed her eyes for a moment as a cool breeze washed over her from the nearby Inland Sea, making the vibrant purple palms rustle gently. But she winced as it began to bring back old memories of nearly twenty years before, and a ghost of a presence that jolted her consciousness like dozens of tiny electro-barbs.

The force of sudden realization sapped the color from Ahsoka's cheeks and the breath from her lungs. She broke the silence that had settled over them as they had arrived here with a harsh laugh, saying, "How ironic."

Jani shook her head in confusion. "What? Why is it ironic?"

"Because the fate of one rebel leader of Onderon was decided here once, long ago. I guess it's only fitting that the same should be true for another."

"No." Jani's hand found hers, and the look in her sharp grey eyes was genuine ready to back up an overly self-assured remark. "I have you to protect me. Hell, I have me to protect me. And I'm not Steela, Ahsoka; my fate won't be the same as hers. We can do this."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that..."

Jani brought her twin blasters to bear as a lithe female Inquisitor dropped down from the old wooden walkway. Her fingers were inching towards the triggers, but Ahsoka motioned for her to get back behind her before she could fire.

The Inquisitor's gaze flickered down to Ahsoka's belt and the lightsabers that were secured there, and her eyes narrowed. "Jedi," she added almost as an afterthought, her aura darkly pleased even though her face was obscured by a mask. "You're not the one I came to hunt, but I suppose you'll just be an added bonus."

"Find them," Ahsoka murmured as she drew her sabers, knowing Jani would understand what she meant and head back to find the kids without alerting the Inquisitor to their presence. "I'll handle this."

"You'll not be going anywhere – least of all to warn the youngling."

Youngling – singular. She breathed a sigh of relief even as another Inquisitor came down around the bend, her weapon in hand. They don't know there's more than one. Oh, my sweet little Ani, I should've taught you to better hide your presence... Maybe then, all this could have been avoided.

Or maybe not. At this point, the most likely reason the Inquisitors had found her babies was because they had sensed their location in the Force beforehand. And a Force user allied with the Empire who could sense where Jedi would be before they knew it themselves was very, very dangerous.

The first Inquisitor looked as surprised to see her as they were. "This is my hunt," she hissed, her visor sliding back to reveal a Theelin face so unnaturally pale it was almost white, even with its darker speckles characteristic to their species. "I found the child; I claimed it. I won't have anyone stealing my glory, least of all you!"

"You're not above poaching, sister," the newcomer retorted, "so don't expect the rest of us to be."

"I suppose we'll have to resolve this later," the Theelin said, igniting her dual blades and turning to face Jani and Ahsoka. "Make peace with the Force, Jedi. This is your final hour."