CHRISTOPHERUS KRUGER

Christopherus had to suppress a shiver under Ahsoka’s stare, and he knew that she was definitely not making empty threats. He had a funny feeling Anakin felt the same way. Except that it was more (though still not very) probable that he had known about this.

His suspicions were now confirmed. The two of them had clearly been a couple for quite some time now, if they were in her room, doing… well…

O-kay, Christo thought. I am SO not going to think about that.

“Well?” Ahsoka said, eyes flashing.

He and Anakin engaged in a staring contest out of the corners of their eyes, each trying to get the other to speak first. Finally, Christo broke down.

“Um, uh…” he mumbled, trying to remember how to speak Galactic Basic. “Well… It’s not… The reason we came in without knocking was because we thought you would be up, and… It’s just that… They’ve found us.”

Her eyebrows shot up and her eyes widened for a split-second, then reverted back to their hostile expression. Ahsoka apparently had a guess or two as to what he meant. “What do you mean, ‘they’ve found us’?”

“The Empire. There are three cruisers just beyond the asteroid field, and the scanners have picked up probes. I don’t know what they’re planning, but whatever it is, it’s not good.”

She paled, and a look of despair came to her eyes. “No,” she whispered, and sank to the floor, her hands on the sides of her face.

Christo knew that he wasn’t able to associate to her situation, but he still had an idea as to what she was going through. She had over sixty lives resting on her shoulders, and it was up to her and her alone to decide their fates. And they had been hiding on Cialone for two years, according to Zaydn. It must have become a lot like home to them. The last stronghold of the Jedi Order…

He wanted to comfort her, but judging by her reaction to him and Anakin barging in on her and Lux, if he touched her he had a feeling she would do… Well, whatever it was that she had been doing with the sparks on her hands. He didn’t know exactly what it was, but if he hadn’t known any better, he would have thought it was Sith lightening.

Lux, who had put on an undershirt while they had been talking, got up and went to sit next to her on the carpet. He put her arms around her, paying absolutely no attention to the two onlookers. She went limp, like a rag doll, having him support her weight while she tried to support her emotions and responsibilities. And frankly, her burden was clearly the heavier of the two.

Anakin had more guts than he did, and went to sit by them, putting a hand on her slight shoulder. “Hey, Snips, it’s going to be all right. We’ll figure it out. I promise you,” he said. His words were comforting, but his mouth was set in a tight line.

Christo decided to take a chance and go sit with them. He channeled good memories out towards Ahsoka, of them training together in the Clawmouse Clan dormitories. Then another one of the two of them sneaking out after curfew on a dare to the surveillance section of the Temple to watch a private meeting of the Jedi Council.

The two of us got into such trouble, he thought. A small smile made an appearance on her tan face. She had picked up on his thoughts, something that she had been known for in their group. She always seemed to know when one of the younglings was hiding extra rations under their pillow, or whom it was who had passed air during their courses.

Suddenly she sat up, startling both Anakin and Lux. “I have an idea!” she crowed. The change in her emotions was amazing.

“But you looked so dejected a few minutes ago,” Lux said. “What happened?”

She gave him a look that was apparently part of the reason for her Anakin’s nickname for her: Snips. “I just told you.” Then she turned to look at the Christo and her old Master. “I have a plan.”

When she paused, Christo said, “Well, are you going to tell us what it is?”

“Yeah. But let me get changed first.” She got up and proceeded to shoo him and Anakin out the door, then gave them a look. “And do not walk in on me again while I’m changing ever again. Or… sleeping. Or I will find you.”