The distant thunder of explosions lit the sky in irregular pulses, like a war drum echoing through the heavens. The scorched plains shimmered with heat distortion, cratered and burned from hours of relentless battle. And yet, Obi-Wan Kenobi, ever calm in the eye of chaos, lifted his chin as those distant flashes painted his face in flickering gold.
"Our cruiser must be back," he noted, his voice steady—almost serene—as the wind tugged at his cloak.
Beside him, Anakin Skywalker gave a dry chuckle, ducking instinctively as a chunk of smoldering debris crashed down just meters away. Ash stained the shoulder of his armor, but he didn't seem to notice.
"Which means we'll be able to get our reinforcements."
Obi-Wan folded his arms, his stance relaxed despite the blaster fire in the distance. The edges of a hopeful smile pulled at his lips.
"Then it looks like our problems are solved. Fresh troops, new supplies…" His eyes twinkled. "…and perhaps they brought my new Padawan with them."
Anakin's smirk twisted into something more skeptical, brow creasing under his dust-smudged forehead guard.
"You really think it's a good idea to bring a Padawan learner into all this?"
Obi-Wan gave a knowing hum, unbothered by the chaos around them.
"I spoke to Master Yoda about it," he replied. "You should put in a request for one. You'd make a good teacher."
Anakin scoffed, brushing a scorch mark off his glove with casual defiance.
"No, thanks. A Padawan would just slow me down."
Obi-Wan raised a brow, bemused but unsurprised.
"Anakin, teaching is a privilege. And it's part of a Jedi's responsibility to help train the next generation."
"I'm just saying—"
The roar of engines cut him off as a small Republic shuttle tore through the thick smoke, its sleek hull dodging turbolaser fire with surgical grace. It banked hard, descending in a swift arc before touching down with a muted hiss. Dust kicked up in a plume around the landing ramp as it lowered with a hydraulic groan.
From the smoky threshold emerged a small, confident figure — a young Togruta girl with bright orange skin, white facial markings, and piercing blue eyes that gleamed with fierce energy. She strode forward without hesitation.
"And who are you supposed to be?" Anakin asked, folding his arms.
"I'm Ahsoka," she declared, fists on her hips, spine straight. "Master Yoda sent me. I was told to tell both of you…" she lifted her chin defiantly, "…that you must get back to the Jedi Temple immediately. There's an emergency."
Anakin gestured broadly to the battlefield around them, fire and ruin in every direction.
"Well, I don't know if you've noticed… but we're in a bit of an emergency right here."
Obi-Wan stepped forward, his tone patient but edged with concern.
"Yes, our communications have been a bit unreliable… but we've been calling for help."
Ahsoka nodded. "Master Yoda hadn't heard from you, so he sent us to deliver the message."
"Oh, great," Anakin muttered. "They don't even know we're in trouble."
"Maybe you can relay a signal through the cruiser that just dropped us off," Ahsoka offered.
But before either Jedi could respond, a second figure emerged from the shuttle. He moved like a shadow given form—tall, clad in muted gray robes that billowed as he stepped. His presence carried a silent storm: calm, powerful, and unsettlingly self-assured. His face was sharp and youthful, strikingly reminiscent of old Jedi holos—like Revan, reborn with a spark of wry humor in his storm-gray eyes.
His saber hilt bounced lightly at his belt, design minimalist, practical—an echo of Qui-Gon Jinn's legacy.
His voice sliced clean through the tension.
"Hope I didn't miss the part where the battle was over. That'd just be poor timing."
Anakin gave him a slow, critical once-over.
"And you are?"
The young man grinned with a hint of theatricality.
"Jason Shan. The 'other' delivery from Master Yoda. You know, the taller one with better hair."
Obi-Wan blinked once, then twice—momentarily thrown.
"My new Padawan?"
"At your service, Master Kenobi," Jason replied with a half-mocking bow. "Try not to get me killed in the first hour."
Obi-Wan tilted his head, examining the poise and polish hidden beneath the sarcasm.
"Charming. I see Yoda hasn't lost his sense of humor."
Jason slid beside Ahsoka and muttered just loud enough for her to hear.
"Looks like we both drew the short straws, huh?"
Ahsoka snorted.
"Speak for yourself. I'm with Skywalker."
Jason raised a brow, smirking.
"Oh? I heard he flies into enemy fire for fun. Good luck with that."
Ahsoka blinked.
"Wait—you're the guy Master Yoda called 'the tempest with a calm eye'?"
"Among other things," Jason replied, lifting his comlink. "Cruiser, this is Padawan Jason Shan, requesting priority signal relay to the Jedi Temple."
As he spoke, the sky fractured. Separatist cruisers tore from hyperspace, their engines glowing like blue furnaces. The earth trembled beneath them. The Republic's Venator-class Star Destroyer shuddered from impact, metal groaning, hull scorched as Vulture droids screamed past the bridge. Alarms blared in bursts of red. Turbolasers fired in desperate retaliation. Debris spun like burning comets across the sky.
On the bridge, Admiral Yularen gripped the console, his voice tight.
"We've got to get out of here!"
Clone pilot (via hologram):"We're under attack by Separatist warships... but I'll try to make contact with the Jedi Temple for you. Stand by."
A flickering image came to life—Master Yoda, serene even as static distorted his form.
"Master Kenobi, glad Ahsoka and Jason found you, I am."
Obi-Wan stepped forward.
"Master Yoda, we are trapped here and vastly outnumbered. We are in no position to go anywhere or do anything. Our support ships have all been destroyed."
"Send reinforcements to you, we will," Yoda assured.
Jason leaned in.
"Master Yoda? Master Yoda?" He adjusted the signal, but the image fizzled out.
Clone pilot (via hologram):"We've lost the transmission, sir."
Clone trooper (via hologram):"We have to leave orbit immediately. More enemy ships have just arrived. We'll get back to you as soon as we can."
Jason's fingers hovered near his saber hilt, lips tightening.
"So, we hold out. Standard Jedi welcoming party."
Anakin exhaled hard, looking at Ahsoka, then Jason, then the rising tide of enemy warships.
"Well, I guess we'll have to hold out a little longer."
Obi-Wan turned toward the two Padawans, a note of tired humor in his voice.
"My apologies, young ones. It's time for a proper introduction. I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi, your new master."
Jason offered a sharp, respectful nod.
"Then may the Force forgive you, Master. You're stuck with me now."
Before Obi-Wan could answer, Ahsoka cut in.
"I'm Ahsoka Tano. I'm at your service, Master Kenobi… but I'm afraid I've actually been assigned to Master Skywalker."
Anakin reeled.
"What? No, no, no. There must be some mistake. He's the one who wanted the Padawan."
"No, Master Yoda was very specific," Ahsoka replied. "I'm assigned to Anakin Skywalker, and he is to supervise my Jedi training."
"But that doesn't make any sense," Anakin protested.
Obi-Wan sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"We'll have to sort this out later. It won't be long before those droids figure out a way around our cannons."
Anakin turned briskly.
"I'll check on Rex in the lookout post."
Obi-Wan, now amused, gave a knowing smirk.
"You'd better take her with you."
Jason leaned closer to Obi-Wan, voice low.
"Ten credits says Skywalker tries to ditch her by nightfall."
Obi-Wan sighed again.
"And you're going to be twenty credits' worth of trouble, I can already tell."
Jason ignited his purple lightsaber with a confident snap-hiss.
"Don't worry, Master. I come with interest."
To be continued…