Ahsoka, Daughter of the Light (Book 3): Survivor

Chapter 1: Catching a Break

AHSOKA TANO

Ahsoka woke up on a cot in a room on the Crucible, a Jedi ship used for pilgrimage to Ilum. Her vision was blurry, but she still tried to take a look around, to no avail.

"Well, you're finally awake," she heard a voice say.

She turned around to see Professor Huyang, a droid professor who was assigned to the ship. Behind her were a few figures. She couldn't make out exactly who they were, but she could see enough to guess who they were.

One of them, a blurry blue shape, was probably Mira Nassi, a Twi'lek youngling who had just become old enough to become a Padawan. Ahsoka had saved her from the destruction of the temple.

There was another, smaller figure, who she guessed was the Tholothian youngling Katooni, who Ahsoka always felt a strong connection to for some reason.

Then there was Lyda Ran, a Mirialan Jedi who had proved vital to the evacuation of the temple, saving the Jedi Archives and Holocrons. She was a close friend of Ahsoka's.

And finally, there was her boyfriend, Lux Bonteri, the Senator for Onderon. It wasn't a surprise he had come to see her.

"Nughh..." Ahsoka moaned.

"You passed out of exhaustion shortly after we showed you your message," Lyda said.

"How long... have I been out?" Ahsoka said, struggling to speak.

"A few hours," Lux replied. "I was starting to get a little worried."

Ahsoka gave Lux a look, as if to say "stop acting romantic or they'll catch on."

Lux nodded in agreement.

Ahsoka reached down to her waist and tried to feel if her lightsabers were still around her waist, which they weren't.

"Wait," Ahsoka asked, "Where are my lightsabers!?"

"Broken, I'm afraid," Huyang said. "It seems that both of them have been subjected to enough blaster fire in the right places to stop them from functioning."

"Where are they?" Ahsoka continued.

"They're on that counter right over there," Lyda said, pointing to a counter which her lightsabers were resting on. They were singed in some areas and emitting sparks.

"Well," Ahsoka said, "are the crystals still intact?"

"Completely undamaged," Huyang said.

Ahsoka smiled, and her gaze shifted to the youngling Katooni.

"I knew you would make it," Katooni said, "I had no doubt about that."

"I know," Ahsoka said, smiling at the youngling.

Katooni, however, seemed a little more sad.

Ahsoka was about to ask what was wrong, but she knew very well what it was.

"Hey, I know you're upset about what has happened," Ahsoka said, "we all are. But we have to move on."

"She's right," Mira said, "we'll never make it if we keep being upset about what has happened."

"But how can I not be upset," Katooni said.

"You just have to be strong," Ahsoka said. "Remember on Ilum, when you were tested to get your lightsaber crystal? You faced a test of your strength. You just have to be strong through all this."

Katooni still looked a little down.

"Hey," Ahsoka continued, "I'll be with you through all of this, okay?"

Katooni nodded. Ahsoka reached out to grab her hand, and she grabbed it back.

Eventually, Ahsoka fell back down onto the cot.

"Hey," Lux said, "don't use up too much of your strength."

She would have giggled or made a remark at it, but with the three other Jedi in the room, it was quite risky. She would have asked for everyone but Lux to leave the room, but that would just give it away.

"I'll watch over Tano for a while," Huyang said, "you can leave now."

Everyone nodded. Mira headed out first, followed by Katooni. Lux looked back at Ahsoka as he walked out. He winked, making sure Lyda didn't see it. Ahsoka smiled.

Lux walked out the door, and Lyda was just about to do so as well when she stopped.

"By the way," she remarked, "you and Lux have the subtlety of a block of concrete."

She walked out the door.

Ahsoka's mouth dropped open.