When She Was Gone

Chapter 7

~13 years earlier~

Anakin trudged into the dorm, exhausted, bruised and battered, to find Ahsoka laying on the floor, deep in thought. "Snips?" He asked curiously.

"Hey, Master."

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing much."

"And you're on the floor because..."

She shrugged. "I'm thinking."

Anakin stepped over her on the way to the refresher. "All right then," he chuckled. He shook his head and smiled. She was quite a strange one.

~13 years later~

Makari stood in front of the girl's cell, watching her breathe. She couldn't remember not breathing through a voice alterer. The girl had twin hair buns covering her ears, and Makari wondered what it felt like to have hair. She reached up and touched her lek absentmindedly. The girl stirred, groaned, but stayed unconscious. Makari felt a bit guilty about having to forcefully knock her out, but this girl was smart. She'd remember the hyperspace route if she was awake.

Then Captain Kos was at her elbow. "Emerging from hyperspace momentarily, my lady. Lord Kaivo is, in fact, aboard the Destroyer," He said in his ever-quiet voice. "Shall I prepare the docking tunnel?"

"Yes, Captain. And get me a new helmet," Makari said. Kos bowed himself out. Makari sighed and rubbed her neck tiredly. Kos could be a bit annoying from time to time, but he was Makari's closest--well, not really a friend. They shared no comradery, she made sure of that. Their relationship was strictly professional. But she trusted him. Trusted him to make the right calls when she was indisposed, trusted him to keep her secrets should he somehow find out. She'd let a few things slip when she was first apprenticed to Kaivo, when she was still young and naïve.

Kos returned with her helmet, and she pulled it over her head while the troopers yanked the girl to her feet. The small eye slit helped her to focus; that was why she couldn't go around without one. If she could sense everything and see everything, she got overloaded, blinded by her own power.

Makari, Kos, the girl and a Stormtrooper escort made their way to Kaivo's quarters. Kos bowed himself out and onto the bridge once they arrived, leaving Makari to face Kaivo alone. When the four of them arrived at Kaivo's door, she took the girl from the Troopers. "Leave us," she hissed at them. They got the message and marched away as fast as they could without running. Makari pulled the girl to her feet. "Don't speak unless you are spoken to. Don't look him in the eye. And do not show defiance. The better you behave, the better your treatment in the brig," Makari said quietly. The girl nodded, brown eyes wide. Makari grabbed the girl's upper arm, squared her shoulders, and opened the door.

~~

Anakin was trying to meditate.

He'd never been good at it or liked it very much, but now it was even harder, considering he was sitting in the cramped cockpit of a Y-Wing hurtling through hyperspace, with his daughter in the clutches of his corrupted Padawan.

He was searching for Leia, scanning in circles around him for her Force signature. He mentally kicked himself for never teaching her how to amplify it. A shiver traveled down his spine, and a wave of shame hit him.

How could I have been so stupid?

Of course the safe rooms weren't safe. That monastery is pfassk knows how old.

Anakin punched his window in a burst of frustration and stress. The Y-Wing beeped at him in a warning protest. He sighed and sat in silence for the rest of the hyperspace trip.

When the Y-Wing popped out of the neon blue smoothie of hyperspace, Anakin was slow to grab the controls. He really wasn't excited to do what he was about to. He'd promised—vowed—to not come here unless it was an absolute emergency. He hadn't been here since Order 66.

He brought the ship down with no theatrics right outside the building. Its familiar brown doors slid open for him, and he passed by the sleeping receptionist in the lobby.

Anakin stepped into the squeaky lift, leaning from foot to foot as it climbed the levels. A small tug at his stomach got increasingly persistent, pulling him out of the lift at the second-to-last floor. Anakin's heart hammered in his chest as he felt the familiar Force signature present itself at the end of the hall.

He stood in front of the door, hesitating. Slowly, painfully slowly, he lifted his fist and knocked.

A shuffle and a thump came from behind the big wooden door, and then the peephole slid open. Anakin pretended he didn't notice. He heard an audible gasp, and then Obi-Wan Kenobi opened the door.

"Hello, Master," Anakin said, a smile creeping across his face. "It's been a while."

A/N
Ok this was really short but i needed a good transition and I needed to get Obi-Wan without overloading the chapter
You're welcome