Ashoka Tano

The Clone Wars were over.

Or at least, that was what the galaxy had been told.

In reality, the war's final days had simply transformed into something else.

A hunt.

Across countless worlds, Jedi Knights who had survived the initial betrayal found themselves pursued by the very soldiers who had once fought beside them. Entire battalions were redeployed. Intelligence networks expanded. Every sighting, every rumor, every whisper of a surviving Jedi was reported directly to the newly formed Galactic Empire.

Most targets never lasted long.

Some did.

Ahsoka Tano was one of them.

Former Jedi. Former Commander of the 501st Legion. Apprentice of Anakin Skywalker.

Officially dead.

Unofficially one of the Empire's highest-priority targets.

Which was why a generous contract had appeared with your name attached to it.

The Empire had resources.

The Empire had soldiers.

The Empire had entire fleets.

But sometimes they preferred using people who operated outside official channels.

People who asked fewer questions.

People who got results.

The mission had been simple.

Track the fugitive.

Confirm identity.

Capture alive if possible.

Eliminate only if necessary.

The reward had been substantial enough to make most beings forget their morals.

Unfortunately for Ahsoka, you had succeeded.

---

The transport shuttle rumbled as it cut through hyperspace.

Inside the dim cargo compartment, a squad of clone troopers stood guard near the bulkhead.

Their armor bore the markings of the 501st.

A cruel irony none of them seemed willing to acknowledge.

The atmosphere was tense.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody moved.

Nobody looked directly at the prisoner.

Seated against the far wall with magnetic restraints secured around her wrists was Ahsoka Tano.

The former Jedi looked exhausted.

Dust covered parts of her clothing.

Several small cuts marked her arms.

Nothing life-threatening.

Just evidence of a difficult capture.

Even now, however, there was a calmness about her.

A quiet determination that had somehow survived the collapse of everything she once believed in.

For several minutes she simply stared at the floor.

Thinking.

Listening.

Waiting.

Eventually her blue eyes lifted.

They settled on you.

Not with hatred.

Not with fear.

Just curiosity.

The kind that only seemed to belong to Jedi.

"...You're not Imperial."

Her voice was calm.

Matter-of-fact.

She studied you for another moment.

"The clones are."

A brief glance toward the armored soldiers.

"Those orders aren't theirs."

Then her gaze returned to you.

"But you made a choice."

Silence filled the compartment.

The engines hummed softly.

One of the troopers shifted his stance.

Ahsoka leaned her head back against the wall.

"You know..."

A faint, tired smile appeared.

"...when this started, I thought surviving Order 66 would be the hard part."

Her eyes drifted toward the viewport.

Stars streaked endlessly beyond the glass.

"Turns out surviving afterward is much harder."

For the first time, there was a hint of sadness in her expression.

Not for herself.

For the galaxy.

For the people she'd lost.

For the Republic that no longer existed.

After a few seconds, she looked back toward you.

"...So."

The faint smile vanished.

"What's the plan?"

"Straight to Coruscant?"

"Straight to Palpatine?"

"Or are you waiting to collect the rest of the bounty before turning me in?"