Anabeth: Spark Of Change

Chapter 18 - Ilum

Anabeth was hurrying around her room excitedly as she gathered everything to pack her bag with. She and Ahsoka had just been assigned to accompany a group of Younglings to Ilum to get their kyber crystals. It would be her first mission without her Master as well as her first trip to Ilum, so Ana was beyond excited to be allowed to go.

After putting some clothes and a winter coat into her bag she went over to the pile of data pads next to her bed to choose the ones she wanted to take. "Will you really be needing that many?" Master Windu appeared at the door, motioning to the still considerably big amount of pads Ana was now putting into her bag.
"It's a long trip to Ilum and back. You know me, I can't risk running out of reading material," she answered, closing up the backpack and picking it up.

"Are you sure you have everything?" Windu made sure as Anabeth already hurried towards the door.
"Yep," she simply replied, pressing the button to open the door and waiting for her Master to catch up.
"Just remember, you fly there, the Younglings get their crystals, you help them build their lightsabers, you fly back, nothing more," the Jedi Master reminded his Padawan as they walked towards the landing platform together.

"Of course," Ana responded. "You know, for someone who is as notorious you when it comes to being stoic and distant, you sure have a tendency to worry."
"One has reason to when it comes to you," he mocked, earning a pouty look from the Padawan.

When they finally reached the landing bay Windu looked at Ana for a long moment, mentally going through anything he could have forgotten to remind her of. When he could think of nothing, he decided it was finally tim to say their goodbyes. "I'll see you in a few days, stay away from trouble."

"I'll do my best, Master," Ana promised as she turned to go and find Ahsoka on the landing platform. She eventually spotted her standing next to a ship , waving her over.
"Are you ready to go?" the togruta greeted her friend.
"Like you even had to ask."

After the Younglings had arrived and Ahsoka had told them where they were going they all go onto the ship and took off. While Ahsoka was flying Ana was in the back of the ship with the Younglings, comfortably sitting on a pile of crates and leaning against them. She was pretending to read her data pad, while in reality she was closesly observing the children.

There was Zatt, who was very technical, Gungi, who was a ball of energy and Byth, who appeard to be a little too focused on doing whatever the group did rather than being his own person. Then there was also Ganodi, who liked to play thougher than she was, Katooni, who seemed to be the one who kept the group together, and lastly Petro, who was way too self centered and arrogant for her liking.

For the first half an hour the children had barely seemed to take notice of Ana sitting in the corner, but now they started repeatedly glancing over at her one after the other. Sighing, Ana turned off her pad, setting it down as she pushed herself up into a sitting position and turned towards the Younglings. "I see subtlety isn't one of your strongs points," she joked as the children looked at her a little surprised. "Is there something I can help you with?"

The room was quiet for a good few seconds as Ana waited for the children to muster up the courage to talk to her. "We were just wondering if... if it is true that you called out Master Windu in front of a whole hallway of Jedi," Katooni stepped foreward slightly, but didn't get too close like she was afraid that she would lash out at her.
Ana smiled to herself, letting out a slight laugh as she thought back to that moment. "Yes, that one is true."

"That is so cool," the rodean named Ganodi commented as the Youngling's eyes lit up in amazement.
"I suppose it was, but don't get any ideas of ever doing that to anyone. Except maybe your own Masters when they truly deserve it," Ana said as she got off her crate.
"So, did Master Windu deserve it?" Zatt asked carefully.
"Oh, that he definitely did at the time," Ana nodded.