Like a Father

The sound of the ship's seasoned thrusters was a comforting sound, its steady drone filled the Jedi's cabin as he sat on his small bed, deep in thought.
The Kel-Dor 's thoughts dwelled not on his destination, nor the expendable lives of his troops, and their sacrifice to the war effort. Instead they lingered on her, the one he was proud to call daughter.
Ahsoka Tano, a strong young fourteen year old Togruta Padawan, had become the focal point of his thoughts whenever he was alone.
He'd seen her grow over the years, in both strength and beauty; true, whenever he saw her a father's pride would well inside of him.

He thought of her know, and her safety.
He closed his goggled eyes and let his mind drift back to their first meeting.

He was back in the fields of Shili, her home-world, he could smell the grass and feel the wind on his face. Then, a sudden awareness of another Force-sensitive, and finally the discovery of the little girl.

He smiled under his breath-mask at the thought of her innocent face.



I wonder if he's thinking about me know? She thought as she laid on the hard bed in the center of her small cubical, it had become a puerperal prison with her Master away in some distant part of the Galaxy.
Know she laid there and gazed lazily at the ceiling, imagining it was invisible she drifted deep into thought.
She drifted back to her first thoughts; and all she could see was Plo's face looking back at her. True, many a Jedi could not determine the Jedi's mood via expression; it being hidden beneath his breath mask and goggles. She, however, was one of the few who knew which expression he wore.
Know he was smiling, she smiled back, no one saw her, alone with her thoughts.
A sense of gratitude welled inside her chest; if not for Master Plo where might she be now? She shuddered at the thought.
Father, Papa, Daddy. She'd never called him that out loud but it was how she felt about him in her heart. "Come home Daddy, come home." she whispered to herself.

I love you. He'd never told that to his Little-soka, but he wanted to, it felt awkward, was that wrong? Still he contemplated; did she know how much he loved her? It bothered him; such words were uncommon in the Temple. He reached out to the Force.

Ahsoka closed her eyes and let her spirit drift away. And it traveled past stars and through a nebula until it came to a star-ship, she went inside.
She could see though all the walls.
Plo felt his daughter's presence on the ship, and it was sweet and comforting.

I miss you so much. Plo heard, as much as felt, her say to him; he replied; I miss you to. 
For a moment they could almost see each other's faces.
The door hissed open.

"Sir."  came the voice of a clone officer dressed in standard gray uniform, the connection was gone. The crewman continued; "We've emerged from hyperspace sir, you're wanted on the bridge."
with that Plo rose to his feet, Duty calls. He thought as he left the small room behind . . . .

                                                   -THE END-