Building Attachment

Chapter 28

POV: Anakin Skywalker

I paced around anxiously in the hanger bay knowing that I had only a matter of minutes before Ahsoka would show up. I had absolutely no idea how I was going to get through this mission without screwing things up more than they already were. Then again, was that even possible?

My entire body tensed as soon as I looked up and found Ahsoka making her way towards me with her head down. I opened my mouth to say something, but my nerves got the better of me as she walked past the place where I was standing and into our ship without a word.

After another moment, I finally got control of myself and walked up the ramp of the ship only to find her already sitting in the co-pilot seat and quietly fidgeting with her fingers.

I watched her with saddening eyes from where I stood in the back of the ship. I knew I had to say something. I couldn't leave things the way they were. "Ahsoka-" I started.

"Yes Skywalker, you may fly," she interrupted quietly without even looking my way.

Calling me by my last name was like a slap in my already bruised face, but it was nothing compared to the despair it placed on my burdened heart.

Not a word was spoken after that as I strapped myself into my seat and set the course for Onderon. I did my best to focus on flying the ship and not the Jedi night sitting to my right, but it proved to be a difficult task. Even when I wasn't staring at her, she was always on my mind.

I wondered why the council even assigned us to this mission. Why did some senator guy need two fully-fledged Jedi as escorts instead of one or even a couple of bodyguards? On top of that, what were the odds of them being both me and Ahsoka? Just my luck. I knew I had to say yes to the mission whatever it was, but it still didn't make any sense.

Thinking about the strange motives of the council managed to distract my mind from the togruta beside me just long enough to miss the way she had been staring at me until I turned my head and met her startled eyes.

For only a split second, I could have sworn I saw traces of sadness in those beautiful blue eyes of hers, but she turned her head away and crossed her arms in discomfort far too soon.

The rest of the flight to Onderon went by the same way the first few minutes did. I'd act like I was completely focused on my flying and she would pretend to be very interested in her dark purple fingernails or the wire poking through the floor of the ship until we would both risk a quick look at the other and then look away.

Needless to say, I was more than relieved when the ship finally made it to the landing ports of Onderon.

Various people of different species were waiting for us as we walked off the ship. I really had no idea who this Senator Bonteri was or what he looked like as we made our way through the crowd so I just followed Ahsoka hoping she did a little more research than I did.

"Nice to meet you, Senator," she welcomed just as I caught up with her.

I paused for a moment taking in the appearance of the so-called senator. The dark brown messy hair that matched his eyes fell just below his tan ears. He was decently tall, but he looked so... "You're younger than I expected," I commented in a little harsher of a tone than I meant to.

"General Skywalker," he greeted with a nod of his head. "And yes I get that a lot." His head then turned back to Ahsoka. "And you must be General Tano?"

"Still commander for now," she corrected. "And please, call me Ahsoka." She then reached her hand out to shake his.

Lux let a small, mischievous smirk creep across his lips as he took her hand. "Of course, Ahsoka."