Hello. So I haven't disappeared yet. I apologize for the very long gaps between updates and I can't promise they'll get any better, but I haven't dropped the story and I have no intention of doing so. Thank you so much to every one who's reviewed! This chapter's a bit short, but the story should pick up a bit after this. Enjoy :)

CHAPTER 4

A lot of the time, Anakin was very much a people person. He had the charisma, the natural leadership, the easy humor. Some times though, he most definitely was not. For example, when sitting at a table surrounded by his no-longer-padawan, a sort-of-jedi knight who seemed to dislike him, an unknown twi'lek and lasat, and a couple of teenagers.

The twi'lek passed Anakin a bowl of something and then did the same for Ahsoka. "Well," She began slowly. "You clearly know Fulcrum already. And you've met Kanan and I briefly." Anakin nodded and she continued. "Well, I'm the captain of this ship. Fulcrum's staying with us for a while and the rest are my crew mates." She pointed to them in turn. "Zeb, Sabine, and Ezra."

"So you're a real Jedi knight, right?" Ezra asked as soon as Hera had introduced him. Anakin laughed at the look of awe on the boy's face and the tension in the room faded.

"I wasn't aware that Kanan and Fulcrum here were fakes." Ezra smirked at that. Anakin felt odd not using Ahsoka's real name but he understood her need for secrecy. "So you must be the new padawan mine's told me so much about."

Anakin smiled as the kid swelled at the compliment. "Well it's kind of hard to act like an actual padawan what with the Imps around and everything, but Kanan's been teaching me. I even made my own lightsaber too. Look." Anakin took the proffered saber, mildly confused. Once he had had look though, he was impressed. Ezra had clearly spent a lot of time and care on the unorthodox weapon.

"It's good." Anakin said, handing it back.

A snort from the other side of the table caught his attention. "Well I should hope so. He's obsessed with the thing." The girl in the Mandalorian armer rolled her eyes.

"You're more of a blaster person I take it?" Nodding to the weapons at her waist.

"No," The girl said, "I'm more of an art person, thanks."

That got a chuckle out of everyone, including Hera's withdrawn companion. "Careful," Ahsoka told Sabine, "Or he'll start calling you Snips."

From there the meal went rather well, Anakin thought. Ahsoka had picked decent company and they all seemed to be warming up to him. Especially Ezra. Anakin was a bit overwhelmed with how many questions he had, but couldn't bring himself to tell the kid off. There weren't many people left who knew of the Jedi any more. That thought was so unbelievable that Anakin still wasn't entirely sure he wasn't dreaming.

"So can you start training with us tomorrow?" Anakin wanted to say yes, but felt he better check with the boy's actual instructor first. The man looked reluctant and it was Hera who spoke first.

"We're on a mission, we don't have time to land some where so you can train and I won't have you accidentally destroying my ship from the inside out like last time." Though she spoke with a joking tone, Anakin could tell that the captain was serious.

"I'm sure they'll be plenty of time after this mission." Anakin reassured him, then turned to Hera. "And what sort of mission would this be? I can help."

"Sure you can." Ahsoka looked amused. "It's a stealth mission Master."

"What?" Anakin pretended to look offended. "I can do stealth!"

"If by stealth you mean charging in with your lightsaber swinging then, yes. You are excellent at stealth."

"Fine," Anakin grumbled. "But that still doesn't answer the question of what we're trying to accomplish."

Ahsoka nodded at Hera, who began explaining.

"Right, well it's a pirating mission of sorts. An imperial ship is transporting supplies that Fulcrum needs for the rebellion. Normally it's something we could easily do alone, but we've got intel that the supply run is just a cover and that their main cargo is information."

Ahsoka nodded. "It might be a dead end lead, but we need to know what the Empire is up to so even the slightest bit of information can help. Your lucky you showed up when you did. I only boarded the Ghost a few hours before you showed up." She looked between Anakin and the crew of the Ghost for a moment. "Anakin, you'll go with Kanan's team to get the supplies. Just Chopper and I will go for the information. We'll be less likely to be caught that way. Hera will stay with the ship and be our look out. Sound good?"

Everyone nodded their consent, but Anakin noticed that Kanan seemed reluctant.

"Great. Then everyone rest up, the cargo ship should be passing our coordinates in three hours."