Rising Informants

Chapter 4: On Atollon

"Hera!" a voice called.  The green Twi'ilek whipped around, lekku flying the opposite direction.

"What is it, love?" she inquired to the man running toward her.

"Hera, we felt something," Ezra finished for his Master.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"A presence," Kanan replied mysteriously.

"A presence?" she repeated.  "From who?"

"We don't know.  That's what we're trying to figure out," Ezra interjected.

"But," Kanan started.  "I'm almost certain that whoever they are, they're in danger of being discovered by the Empire.  In fact, her presence sort of reminded me of..." he trailed off.

"Of Ahsoka?" Ezra asked.

"How did you - "

The blue haired teen cut him off.  "I felt it too.  But it couldn't have been her.  She's - she's gone."

Hera and Kanan looked at Ezra for a moment, and then their eyes locked.  "Do you think that maybe..." Kanan started.

"That maybe she had a child?" Hera finished.

"Perhaps, but it could have been someone a bit more distant - not blood related," Kanan mused.

"You mean she had an apprentice?" Ezra inquired.

Kanan and Hera were both silent.  "Yes," they both answered.  "She might have..." one of them finished. Ezra was so distracted he couldn't tell who was the one talking anymore.

"Why didn't she ever tell us?" Ezra asked.

Kanan sighed deeply. "I don't know Ezra. I just don't know." Then there was another dreadfully long pause. "But I know someone who might."

"Who?" Ezra asked suspiciously.

"You mean -" Hera cut herself off. She nodded in realization. "I see where you're going with this. I suppose it would make a lot of sense. I guess we'll just have to ask him."

"Ask who?" Ezra inquired once again.

"Rex," they answered simultaneously.

Ezra face palmed.  How did he not think of that?

"What are we waiting for?" he asked the two adults.

"Rex is off world right now.  He's scouting out another potential base for the alliance," Hera responded.  "Who knows when he could be back?  It could be days, weeks, or even months.  I suppose we could try to send a transmission though.  His transmitter might be blocked, but it's worth a shot."

Hera looked to Kanan for confirmation.  "We might as well try it," said Kanan.  "But you should take into consideration that we don't know how to reach his personal transmitter.  Ahsoka always did that for us when we needed it.  She wasn't too excited when it came to giving out her friend's transmitting code."

"Well I for one don't blame her; the Inquisitors were already on her tail, and if they knew Rex's transmitting code they would find him and use him against her," Hera countered defiantly.

Kanan sighed.  "You're right, as always.  But maybe you could get Sabine to patch something through to Rex.  She's good at those things.  Ezra and I are going to go track down the source of that force signature."

"We are?" Ezra asked, surprised.

"We are," Kanan confirmed.

"How?" Ezra asked.

Kanan smirked.  "With the Force."

Ezra stared blankly at the older man.  "I don't -"

"Ugh!" a frustrated Kanan exclaimed.  "Have I taught you nothing?  We'll use the Force to concentrate on her Force signature, then we'll grasp onto it.  Once we grasp onto it we'll be able to concentrate enough to pinpoint it!"

"Oh," Ezra said blankly.  "How will we know when we find her Force signature?"

Kanan rolled his eyes.  "We've felt it before, remember?  We'll recognize it.  And at any rate, it was similar to Ahsoka's, and she's -" he faltered.  "She's gone," he finished quietly.  

Everyone stared at the ground solemnly at the mention of their fallen friend.

Hera perked up.  "I'll go get Sabine to patch through to Rex.  Once we get through to him, we'll inquire about Ahsoka's little friend.  While Sabine and I are busy, you two are going to go to Commander Sato and tell him about your mission.  If he grants you permission, then you can go.  Just be careful; both of you."

"Aw, when are we not?" Ezra asked sarcastically.

Hera gave a pointed look to Ezra's scarred face and Kanan's mask.

"Point taken," the Padawan replied defensively.

Kanan had already started walking toward Rebel Command, and Ezra turned around to follow suite.  

"And Ezra," Hera caught the young boy's attention.  He turned around to look into her emerald eyes.  "May the Force be with you."

Ezra nodded and ran off to catch up to Kanan.

Well, now for the fun part.  I just hope Rex knows something about this friend of Ahsoka, Hera mused.  Although she couldn't help but think, why on Ryloth would either of them not tell anyone about the relation?