The following takes place in the year 17BBY. The Empire had affirmed its position as the ruling entity of the galaxy. Any surviving Jedi are hunted down by the second-in-command of the Emperor, Darth Vader, and his Dark Side Adepts. Any rebellions from planets under Imperial rule are brutally crushed under its iron fist. It is the opening years of the so called Dark Times.
(Ord Mantell)
From the position in the cantina, she could see everything and everyone around her. Species from across the galaxy were gathered here, drinking and cursing and gambling, and of course fighting. After two years of traveling and making sure to stay clear of Imperial agents, she was used to it. Ord Mantell was closer than she wanted to be to Imperial authority, but the Empire only had a thin hold on the planet. At least here she could relax since she didn't have to worry about sticking out. There were some Togruta traders at a table on the far side of the cantina. The ale she had in her hand was a little bitter, but she had developed a taste for it over time.
Barriss soon came back to the table. She had let her hood off, knowing that Mirialans were a common site in this part of the galaxy. Her hair, once cut short, was longer now reaching to her shoulders. She was also slightly taller, reaching a height of 5'8" at the age of 22. Ahsoka was 18 years old at 5'10", her montrals making up for the last three inches. The ends of her lekku were now down fully to her breasts. Ahsoka had on a scarlet and dark-brown leather top with part of the back open to show her back. A belt held up her black form-fitting pants, she also donning on black boots. She even wore her Togruta sash over her pants. She decided to go without her akul headdress to keep it safe.
The top was held by two straps and revealed her skin to the top of her breasts, revealing a small amount of cleavage. Her necklace, her combined akul tooth along with her green crystal rested there. She also wore red leather gloves over her hands. Barriss wore an outfit similar to her Jedi clothing minus the skirt, the material made from a tight of synthetic leather and cloth that hugged her form. She had her sleeves cut from the elbow down. At their belts, a lightsaber held hidden underneath their cloaks, as well as a blaster.
"Anything?" said Ahsoka.
"None. You would think there was something here someone needed to get taken care of," said Barriss, sighing in her seat.
They had underwent odd jobs to make ends meet, only using the bag of credits when they had no money to buy food. They were now down to 4,000 credits, a large sum of it stolen during an incident six months ago. It was still enough to get them by for some time, but they didn't want to go through it.
"This isn't good. I hate having to use the bag," said Ahsoka.
"We could try bounty hunting again," said Barriss.
"The last time we did that not only was the person highly dangerous, but we almost ran into Bane," said Ahsoka.
The event had given her nightmares. They had went to find the murderer of a nobleman from Malastare. The murderer, a Rodian, had been highly skilled and had nearly killed Ahsoka had Barriss not resorted to Force choking to subdue him. Once they were about to get off planet, Cad Bane had shown up for the same man. Ahsoka had been forced to hide herself since Bane didn't know who Barriss was. After some hard grappling with each other and threats turning into a near confrontation, Barriss decided the bounty wasn't worth fighting over and reluctantly handed the murderer over. Had they fought, Ahsoka would have been discovered and every bounty hunter and Imperial agent in the galaxy would be making a beeline for them.
"You're right. Too much attention will be brought on us if we run into anyone else who might have seen us," said Barriss. "What else is there?"
"I hate to say this, but gambling is our bet," said Ahsoka. She personally hated it.
"It's better than nothing," said Barriss.
Whenever they were down on their luck, gambling got them a place to stay and food in them for a week. Barriss was more accepted to what they did, but Ahsoka loathed every bit of it. Ahsoka got up to ask the barkeep when the next gambling event was. The Dug told her all she needed to know, coming back to sit down at the table.
"When's the next event?" said Barriss.
"Pazaak in an hour at the bar across the street," said Ahsoka.
"Good."
"Alright, place your bets down," said the barkeep at the large concave-circle table.
The barkeep was the dealer, and around the table were five others. Ahsoka was part of this table. At the second table was Barriss, sitting with four others and the assistant manager to the cantina. The manager kept his eyes on both tables. Ahsoka placed a few credits down worth 140 while others ranged from 100 to 200. Once the bets were placed, the dealer began to shuffle the cards. The object of the game was to hit 20 or get as close to 20 without going over. The cards consisted of two decks: main deck and side deck. The main deck composed of cards ranging from 1-10 while the side deck consisted of ten "special" cards. Ahsoka and the others each chose one card from the side deck before the dealer began dealing to them.
Two cards were given to each player face down. When they were handed to them, they all looked. Ahsoka had a 6 and a 3. She looked at her secondary card, a blue plus card. The value was 2.
"Any takers?" said the dealer.
"Hit me," said a Trandoshan. The dealer slid him a card.
"Hit me," said a Duros. He grumbled to himself. He out his cards down, clearly busting.
"Hit me," said Ahsoka. The dealer handed her a card. She knew what it was before she lifted it. A 9.
"20," she said. The others around her looked at her in astonishment.
"Winner," said the dealer, sliding the combined pot to Ahsoka.
"Not bad girl," said a Human smuggler with a crooked grin and shifty eyes. Ahsoka put on her flirtatious face.
"What can I say, I'm good," said Ahsoka, winking at him.
A new hand was dealt. Ahsoka found she had a 4 and a 10, her second card a -2 card. It would come in handy if she was dealt an 8. She called a hit and the dealer dealt her a 4. She used the Force to see the next few cards. The card she needed was right below the top of the deck. She needed someone to call for a hit if she was going to win outright. Thankfully the Trandoshan called a hit, and she called her next hit to hit 20 again. The players around her thought she was insanely lucky to get 20 two times in a row.
"How about getting some of that luck around here," said the Human.
"Sorry, you'll have to wait in line," said Ahsoka, flashing him another grin that got the smuggler to nervously tap her fingers.
At the other table, Barriss was sweet talking a Bessalisk. Anytime they were reduced to gambling, they used their natural charm and assets to make the other players focus less on their hands and more on them. It had enjoyed success before and seemed to be working now.
The game went on until Ahsoka had amassed a total of 1500 credits. The men around them were sullen from their losses, especially when the Trandoshan had managed to get a 20, but so did Ahsoka. Ahsoka also had the golden tiebreaker card drawn from the side deck, the dealer declaring her the winner.
"Wow, you have some kind of magic on you girl," said the Duros, truly impressed and not mad about the situation.
Ahsoka, however, felt bad cheating them of their money. The only time she had not been sorry was when a rude Zabrak had been trying to cop a feel from her during a game of sabaac. She beat him in the game mercilessly.
"Thanks, guess it was my lucky night," said Ahsoka.
"You can say that again," said the smuggler, eyeing her hungrily but keeping his distance. Ahsoka hoped he would stay that way. Once the game was over, she went over to Barriss who was counting her profit.
"I got around 1800," said Barriss.
"1500 for me," said Ahsoka.
"That should keep us going for a few weeks here," said Barriss, placing them all in their pouch.
Bidding the dealers and the other players good night, the two ex-Jedi left the cantina. The streets of the city they were in were well-lit, with billboards and advertisements shining everywhere. It reminded Ahsoka of Coruscant. A squad of stormtroopers patrolled the street, but the girls didn't have to hide from them. For all they knew, they were already dead.
They had seen the wanted posters of Jedi around the galaxy who were still at large. She was relieved to find that Yoda was still alive, and was even more gladdened when she saw that Obi-Wan Kenobi was alive as well. She hoped that one day they would meet again. She also knew that Anakin, or she should say Darth Vader, had underwent an operation to where he was in a menacing suit of black armor. At the moment, she was glad they hadn't ran into each other. If they did, heads would roll. She would never forgive him for what he had done at the Temple.
What made her cry more than anything else was to find out that Padme was dead. She remembered Barriss holding her for a few hours as she cried ceaselessly into her shoulder. What was worse was that from her appearance, the funeral broadcast out on the HoloNet, was that she was still pregnant. It seemed that the last days of the Republic were filled with so much heart ache and sadness. For a fleeting moment, she felt sorry for Anakin. That was until she saw the cause of death for Padme: murdered by the Jedi. She was extremely confused by it, wondering what Jedi would want to kill Padme, who would sooner risk her life to save as many Jedi than betray them. Something didn't seem right about the entire affair.
She and Barriss got back to the small room they were staying in for the time being. The room had two mattresses on two cots. A small bathroom connected to it.
"I really hate doing that," said Ahsoka.
"I know you do Ahsoka," said Barriss, taking her cloak. "Even I'm still reserved to doing it too." They were talking of course about using the Force to plot their next moves and see the cards without them being flipped over.
"What's the next plan?" said Ahsoka, placing her lightsaber and blaster on the nightstand. Her hilt was shaped exactly like her old one, crafting a new one from scratch. The process proved long and arduous but she was able to complete it. Barriss' had a more curved hilt to her lightsaber, hers a yellow color.
They had to create their own crystals when they discovered that the crystal caves on Ilum had already been sealed and a garrison of stormtroopers on the planet. Ventures to the other caves ended up the same. After a discussion, the pair decided to make their own.
"I'm not sure. Perhaps somewhere in the Mid-Rim this time?" said Barriss.
"It might be risky," said Ahsoka.
"It shouldn't be. We're dead remember," said Barriss, beginning to take off her outfit.
"Still, I'd rather not draw any suspicion. At least lets avoid planets that we fought on," said Ahsoka, taking hers off as well. She had currently stayed away from those planets to keep up the facade that she was dead. That meant that she would never see Long on Elementia, or her mother ever again. It was all to keep them safe from the knowledge of her living status.
The two women undressed till they were in just their underwear, Ahsoka in just her lower underwear due to the type of top she had on. She turned to find a loose shirt to wear over herself. Barriss had on her bra and panties, taking those off as well before she put on some loose fitting pants and night shirt. Once they were in their sleeping attire they climbed onto their respective beds. Ahsoka kept her necklace on as she rested her head onto the pillow.
"Ahsoka?" said Barriss.
"Yes?" said Ahsoka.
"Do you...still think about him?" said Barriss.
Ahsoka sighed, turning over to face her.
"I always do," said Ahsoka.
"The nightmares still troubling you?" Barriss asked.
"I can control them," said Ahsoka, turning back around.
"The last time you said that we got a noise complaint," said Barriss.
"I can handle it Barriss," said Ahsoka. Barriss sighed.
"Alright, if you say so," said Barriss, turning around in her bed. Ahsoka turned around as well, fingering the necklace as she slowly began to fall asleep.
She was running down through the hall of the Temple. The sounds of dying and screaming beings resonated throughout the halls. She kept running not stopping as she was chased by an unseen force. She turned a corner to see a small female child mercilessly gunned down by a squad of clones. She turned from the sight, only to run into Bruck.
"Get down!" he yelled, turning to shield her from the oncoming mortar shells. She ducked behind a pillar, feeling the concussive force of the live rounds. She looked to see Bruck lying on the ground, his body pierced by shrapnel everywhere on his body and blood flowing the cuts. She could only yell to him before she found herself running again, chased by the unseen force. At another hallway she saw Tia fighting off a squad of clones before she was shot too, falling to the ground. Ahsoka raised her lightsaber and fought them off, killing them all with slashes, cuts and stabs. She turned back to help Tia, but saw Anakin stab her through her back. He looked up to see her, his eyes yellow with anger and hatred.
"Ahsoka! Run!" yelled Taran, running past her and seizing her hand. She and ran as Anakin pursued them. They turned until they got to a set of stairs. Taran let go of her to move behind her and block the stairs with his bending, blocking them from Anakin.
"Come on, we're getting out of here," said Taran. They kept running until they got to the hatch, swiftly jumping through it onto the roof. Taran looked around to see if the coast was clear.
"I think we're fine," he said. Suddenly, Anakin appeared right behind him.
"Taran, no!" yelled Ahsoka. Taran turned as Anakin slashed down his torso with his lightsaber, sending him falling to the ground. Anakin lifted up his lightsaber.
"Anakin, please," said Taran, pleading with him not to do it. He ignored him, plunging his lightsaber down into his chest.
"NO!" yelled Ahsoka. Suddenly, a shot hit her in the leg, sending her toppling down to the ground. She looked behind her to see Rex holding the pistol. Before she knew it, she was being pulled towards Anakin, who was using the Force to pull her towards him, drawing his lightsaber from Taran's body.
"Anakin, please don't do this. You're my friend!" she said as she got closer.
"I have no friends," he said. "Now join them all in death." His lightsaber came crashing down into her heart. She could feel it burning her chest from the inside as she looked into his acid yellow eyes.
Ahsoka sprang up in her bed, panting heavily. Her body was covered in sweat as she recollected her nightmare. Barriss was already up, worry on her face.
"Ahsoka?" said Barriss. Ahsoka took a deep breath. Barriss understood immediately that it happened again. Without a further word she got off her bed and sat down on the edge of Ahsoka's, facing her.
"Barriss, I don't know how to get past this. I don't want to keep seeing him die in front of me," said Ahsoka, her voice shaky.
"Ahsoka, you have to move on. Taran's dead, you have to accept it," said Barriss.
"I know he's dead. I...just don't forget about him," said Ahsoka.
"He wouldn't want you to be fretting about him like this. You have to let go," said Barriss. Ahsoka took another deep breath, before she nodded.
"You're right," said Ahsoka. "I have to start letting go."
"Here, I'll lay down with you," said Barriss. Ahsoka made room for her in the bed as Barriss got beside her. Ahsoka turned around, looking at the wall.
"Barriss, did you ever have someone you loved?" said Ahsoka.
"Master Unduli," said Barriss.
"I mean like love loved," said Ahsoka. Barriss shook her head.
"Why?" said Ahsoka.
"I never had the time or opportunity to find someone like that," said Barriss. "Although deep down, I always wanted to. What's it like?"
"It's like...all you can think about is them. What they're doing, are they alright. You just...want to be with them at all times and experience life together, because your life revolves around them and they you. It's like that," said Ahsoka.
"You think I can find that one day?" said Barriss.
"I'm sure you can," said Ahsoka. "It's never too late."
"Do you think you might be able to again?" said Barriss. Ahsoka didn't answer.
"I don't want to talk about it Barriss. Good night," said Ahsoka.
"Sorry. Good night," said Barriss, turning around herself.
Ahsoka was sorry she had brushed her off like that, but at the moment she didn't want to relive her past memories. The pain she felt was too much for her. She fingered the necklace again before sleep found her in its embrace again.
(Molavar. Outer Rim)
The desert terrain stretched out before him as he looked out over the landscape, the sun setting as he gazed at it from his position on the butte. Sweat rolled down his exposed skin, going shirtless as he trained out in the desert. The pair of fingerless brown leather gloves he donned on covered the tattoos on the back of his hands. His boots were a combination of leather and iron, the iron located at the soles of the feet, but the leather slightly overlaying it to make sure the iron didn't sound off on the floor. (Jim Hawkin's style boots from Treasure Planet)
His pants were dusty from his workout. They were Huttese bantha leggings which were yellow and black and though comfortable was also a type of armor. His clothing consisted of a dark-green shirt with a black greatcoat that went over it that went down to his knees. A circular hat similar to the type Earth Kingdom soldiers wore minus the spike was next to the pile of clothes, it being dark-brown with black edged on the rim. His hair was now shoulder-length and tied back, two dreads framing his face on both sides. The scar on his face was a shade lighter than his skin, the one going down his torso the same.
He sat on the edge of the butte, deep in thought. After a few minutes he sighed and got his clothes back on. He hopped off the butte, air spreading from his feet to soften his landing before he started walking, a pack slung over his back containing a DC-15S he had taken from a clone trooper who no longer needed it a year ago and his homemade lightsaber that had taken months to make. He stood at 5'10" having shot up from his previous 5'8", a small amount of facial hair on his chin. He even wore a black neckerchief to cover the bottom of his face whenever he needed to and a pair of black goggles pulled onto his forehead.
The settlement was only a few clicks away. It took him less than thirty minutes walking to get back. The village was filled with mostly moisture farmers and some deep-space spacers from the nearby spaceport. The spaceport was more of a collection of dirt, sand, rock and metal shaped in a macabre fashion to resemble a spaceport.
He passed by many of the native Molavarans, a humanoid-like species with long faces and pointed teeth, tendrils for hair protruding from their scalp and and caramel skin. Also present were some Humans and other various species. Either way, no one knew who he truly was. He went around with the name Yassir, the name he had used as his identity back on Julla. Even if he had went around as Taran, no one would care.
He went into the small tenant hovel he had been staying at for ten days. The hovel was tiny, not even a stove to make his meals. He cooked them outside, the hovel only holding a bed and a few pieces of furniture. He had caught a desert animal on the trip back, using his firebending to start the fire and beginning to skin the creature. It had a decent amount of meat on it as he cut through its skin. He settled the prepared meat onto a spit ad began to slowly roast it. His stomach growled, but he ignored it. He'd be fine once he had his fill in the next hour. He watched flames roast the meat, staring into the fire. The journey he had been on for the last two years was...tenuous.
He remembered when he woke up, he couldn't remember who he was at first. He remembered the immense amount of pain he was in and fell asleep, where several visions/memories came to him. It took nearly a week for him to be able to function properly, and more so for the wounds to heal. The memories began to come back over time. Her face was his drive to secure all his memories back, recollecting everything over the past month as he stayed in hiding on Coruscant.
He left the Quarren's residence, bidding him goodbye and giving him his heartfelt thanks for saving his life. When he asked the Quarren why he risked his life to save him, the Quarren's reply was simple.
"I just remember a Jedi who helped me when I was in trouble. He knew who I was and what I had did, but he still defended me. I thought in that moment when I saw you dying that I had to repay the debt. Go in peace and life your life Taran Cyneran," he had said.
The memory brought warmth to Taran's heart as he remembered his words. The meat finished cooking and he sat it off to the side to let it cool off. His thoughts turned to events that had transpired over time. Obi-Wan was still alive, seeing the wanted poster for missing Jedi. He vowed that he would try and seek him out, and that's what he'd been doing since he left Coruscant, hoping to find his former master. He knew that Anakin, now going by Darth Vader, had a new imposing visage of black armor. Why he chose that look, he didn't know. He also knew that Padme was dead, and the child with her.
What's worse was that he believed that Ahsoka was dead as well.
"Ahsoka," he thought.
When he'd ask the Quarren for any news on alive Jedi, the Quarren gave him a list of Jedi whose still remained wanted. He saw the X near Ahsoka's name, meaning that her death was confirmed. He cried harder than he had ever cried before for a full night, the tears never ending. The Quarren gave him comfort when the morning drew, telling him that he was still alive and should do what needed to be done. His words rang out in Taran's mind as he resolved to continue on with his life and further on his skills to survive.
He had searched every planet he could think of, finding no trace of Obi-Wan or even Yoda for that matter. He mostly kept a distance from civilization, mostly keeping to himself and doing a job every now and again to make ends meet if he needed to. He even did bounty hunting for a Hutt lord once, gaining 5000 credits from the venture, a good majority still in safe keeping. However, his recent activities had come at a cost.
He knew he had to tap into his powers more to gain control, but some feelings were left behind when he left. Despite utilizing the light side of the Force, he would tap into the dark side if the situation called for it.
Sometimes, it went uncontrolled because he let it. He didn't mind it. It was how he needed to survive now
"I'm not a follower of the light, but neither am I a follower of the dark. I'm...gray," he thought sadly. The feelings he felt were neutral about his new stance. He remembered when he finally accepted his new stance on the matter.
He was in a cantina on Nar Shaddaa a year ago. He was drinking a hard alcohol that tasted disgusting, but he didn't mind. He was happy to have gotten something to drink anyway, the bartender letting him have one on the house. He was by himself on the counter, a group of bounty hunters talking boastfully to each other of their recent bounties. Taran ignored them, taking a drink from the mug again.
Suddenly a hand clapped on his shoulder, causing him to choke on his drink. He sputtered as the bounty hunter behind him laughed.
"Aw, little tyke can't hold his drink I see," said the bounty hunter, a Weequayan.
"Do you mind, I'm trying to drink in peace," said Taran, going back to his drink, now visibly annoyed.
"Sorry about that kid," said the bounty hunter, shrugging and going back to the others.
"I don't like his tone," said another bounty hunter, a Trandoshan. He got up and walked over to Taran, his mug only inches from his face. "Do you think that I'll let you talk to my buddy like that boy?"
"I think that if you don't get out of my face in the next few seconds, you're gonna be in a lot worse shape than you are now," Taran said darkly.
"Why you little," said the Trandoshan, drawing his blaster. Taran didn't even blink, stomping the ground at his feet and causing the Trandoshan to hit the ceiling of the cantina, falling down to the ground.
"Kriff, an Elementian!" said another bounty hunter.
Taran glowered at them as they attempted to draw their blasters. He assumed a bending stance and used his earthbending to cause them all to fall to the ground and catapulted out of the cantina via through the doorway, windows, or even straight through the wall. Taran huffed, turning around to the startled bartender. Before he could speak, he heard the sound of a drawn blaster. He looked back to see the Trandoshan aiming his blaster pistol at him, his blood slowly tricking down his face from his forehead.
"You little shit," said the Trandoshan.
Taran glared at him. He didn't give the Trandoshan a chance. He stamped his foot down one more time. A spike sprang out under his chest, going through it and killing the bounty hunter instantly. Once Taran knew he was dead, he turned back to the now horribly frightened bartender. He reached into his pack and pulled out a fistful of druggats, placing the money on the counter.
"Sorry about that, just really hate giving people second chances now," said Taran, slinging the pack over his shoulders and thanking him for the drink, stepping past the dead Trandoshan without a second glance, the blood pooling around the body.
If Taran blamed anyone for the cause of his transformation, it was Vader. The betrayal and treachery from the Temple massacre still rang in the depths of his soul. He remembered the Jedi he killed, holding Tia as she died in his arms, the wounds he inflicted on him. The wounds still ached even now whenever he saw his image on a poster, a hologram or some advertisement issuing out conforming to the Empire and loyalty to the Emperor. it made him sick how the senators so reluctantly cheered on losing their rights that made them a Republic. What was worse was finally figuring out why Palpatine had initiated the war.
Taking out the Jedi, the only ones who could stand against him.
"If we ever meet again Vader, I'm not holding back," he thought angrily, taking a bite out of the meat.
Because of Vader he could never again hold Ahsoka close to him, could never go back to his home planet to fulfill his duties as the Avatar, could never live the semi-normal life he always wanted. All of that was gone as soon as the first clone trooper walked into the Temple. Now he was condemned, everyone believing he was dead. His self-imposed exile to protect the rest of the people he cared about ate away at him daily.
He discarded the bones and walked back into the hovel. He put his coat and hat onto the nightstand and kicked his boots off, laying in bed and staring at the ceiling, brooding. Outside, the sunset sky was now night with thousands of stars illuminating the night sky. Taran was still brooding in his bed before he heaved a sigh and turned on his side, willing sleep to take him.
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