AHSOKA TANO

The first golden shimmers of the sunrise were beginning to make an appearance as Ahsoka got back to the camp. She would have to act fast if she was to succeed. Her quick mind had already come up with a plan.

Everyone was asleep, but they would be waking up soon. After grabbing two different pieces of charcoal from one of the campfires, she stole across the clearing and into one of the caves. In this particular one, they kept cloth and paper, and she would write a note for Lux to find.

Once she was finished writing, she sped across the clearing again, and slipped into Lux’s tent. Then she tacked it to the wooden frame with a stray nail.

Ahsoka shot a glance over at Lux. He was asleep, still fully clothed, on top of his covers. She felt tears well up in the corners of her eyes, and rubbed them away. This was no time for crying.

She walked over and sat next to him. “Lux – I’m sorry that it got so messed up between us. But I know what I have to do now, to keep you and the padawans safe.” She bent over his sleeping face, and kissed him quickly, but tenderly, on the lips.

Then she got up and walked towards the door. “I love you,” she said softly, and left the tent.

LUX BONTERI

“Lux!” Came an urgent whisper. Someone was shaking him. “Lux!”

“Wha…?” he mumbled. He sat up, shaking the last bits of the mists of sleep out of his head.

His eyes got used to the dark, and he saw Chenai crouched next to him. “What is it, Chenai?” he asked with a slight edge in his voice. He hadn’t forgiven her for earlier yet.

“Look. I know you’re angry with me, and I deserve it, but something’s up with Ahsoka. She’s about to take off in the freighter, and I don’t understand why.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that she couldn’t be about to go buy more supplies, she doesn’t have enough credits with her!” She looked genuinely agitated.

“What should we do?” he asked.

“You stay here. I’m going to stow aboard her ship and see what she does.”

“Chenai, no–” But she was already gone. In a moment or two, he heard the freighter’s engines start, then get fainter and fainter as it got farther away, until it was gone completely.

He got out of bed and spotted a piece of paper nailed to one of the tent’s posts. He pulled it off and read it.

Dear Lux,

I hope that you are well. I’m going to Tatooine for a very important reason. I found powdered lyrrstone in the contents of almost all the food crates in the kitchen, but two made it out. Why do you think that is? I’m not sure about it.

I’m sorry I went without warning, but nothing is more important than the New Jedi Order’s good health and their survival to me. I’d tell you this myself, but I can’t, because I have to go so quickly. But time is of the essence in this case, and it’s all I can do to tell you.

With me gone, I expect you’ll put padawan Zadyn in charge. He’ll get some of the others to throw out the crates with the annoying lyrrstone. In case this happens again, I will install some safety measures that will undoubtedly prevent these kinds of incidents when I get back. I’m not sure that the person responsible will be caught anytime soon.

Can you tell the others? I am sure that they’ll understand my departure if you bring it to them carefully. It’s true that it was somewhat rushed on this occasion. No worries, I hope. But I think I need some alone time; I am a little overboard. I’m very sad to have to leave you now, but it’s for the best, Lux.

Lux felt so crestfallen. Why had she left like this? He knew it was his fault. There was something off about the message. It didn’t sound like Ahsoka’s usual manner of writing. But… then it hit him.

It was a code.