Revised & Extended Edition
.01 Triptych
The delayed crackle of thunder harassed and agitated the senses. Flashes of light, purple and white, boomed and blinded through the environment with such violence that it heated the air and burned the skin. This was an unfamiliar world with unforgiving circumstances. Each passing step was a step towards the unknown, a precipice of the abyss that could lead to no where. At the very least, Ahsoka believed, it lead her somewhere. Her fingers grasped pleadingly against bark, forcing her exhausted body up a slope that was muddy and covered with sludge from the acid of nearby industry factories. She could taste it in her mouth that waste, sour and pungent. It was like droid battery that leaked and filled the room which could very easily evacuated the uninitiated to machinery and mechanics. Her past was left in the drenches of flooded ravines and drooping vines. The howls of fauna echoing nearby, presenting her with the threat that never left her fearful mind.
She was once a Jedi, like so many before her. Strong and intelligent, where fear had no place in her now roaming and fearful thoughts. Her eyes would dart sideways, scanning the jungle in front of her field of view with small glimpses that would peek over the shoulder; where are they?
Each collective effort to climb the steep slope weakened her legs. They felt rubbery and ready to break at any moment. She forgot what it was like to feel this hungry before. Her last meal was well beyond what she could remember. Crumbs of bread were for the sake of the poor, a situation she only wished she was in. At least then people would think of her well being and offer something. Anything.
For those fleeting distracting moments, an idea flickered passed her busy mind for which she could give into her fleshy temptation. To stop, cease all action and find shelter to rest. Sleep sounded more precious than the shiniest stones in the galaxy right about now. What she didn't realize was that she did stop. Her mind answered her subconscious prayer as both knees had taken a plunge into the mud, splashing some of it all over her now soaked pants. Her vest was momentarily also covered in mud before being washed away by the heavy downpour of acid rain. Breathing in the cold damp air, she closed her eyes. Her hand tightened against a tree but soon relaxed as the distant sound of thunder too faded away. Her heart slowed its rhythm; close to a pause as any before it.
This was neither the meditation of a Jedi or a thoughtful reprieve from the stress. Her rustic appearance that patterned with white stripes that sharpened with the curvature of a contoured face and body were all but hidden from view. Painted with the mud-soiled earth, in the rain, in the shadows of night. She had disappeared. She wanted to disappear. To join her brothers and sisters with the Force. Enough of the running, she minded. Enough of the fear, she whispered beneath a decibel of a breath. Enough.
This was a time not of the Jedi.
This was the reign of the Galactic Empire.
Distant and quiet, the Jedi slumped forward, her head bowed and her mind a blank.
Silence.
Darkness.
..."Failure is an option best left to the dead."
Her heart leaped and pounded! Drumming against her chest, the adrenaline coursed through her veins and excited her senses as Ahsoka reached for her saber and yanked it from the belt. Her gaze swiftly snapped to her rear flank as the rain began changing directions with the wind. The animals became quiet as did she. The thumb of her hand gently teased the ignition trigger of her lightsaber while the sense of dread creep and crept into her presences.
The fear. It was familiar. It followed her.
Seconds went by, then minutes. She stood her ground, saber in hand and gaze trained on the jungle below the slope. She never shifted her posture, never giving way to the fact that she was scanning the environment before her. Both eyes fixated on the slightest movement while her connection with the Force flowed through like a serpent, seeking out the threats.
A mastery of discovering threats before they discovered her, Ahsoka was having trouble staying concentrated to her surroundings. Her mind raced and her heart drummed. Shaking any distractions that plagued her mind, she tried to focus on a singular entity that now attempted to hide from her. Instead, she saw a flash of Anakin's face flying past her vision. His voice echoing deeply within the corners of her spirit. Reminding her to breathe slowly. Exhale even slower. The Force flows through me.
Both feet began to dig into the earth, each slightly turning in the opposite direction away from her core body. The saber lowered beneath her waistline, outwardly pointing towards the ground to a defensive stance. The rain only grew heavier, blinding as much as five feet before her eyes. Where are they? She pondered, her brow furrowing with as much frustration as anticipation that brewed equally deep within her.
The answer came from the darkness, a reprieve of her questions - blaster fire!
It streaked brilliantly through the jungle, aiming straight for her head. Her saber ignited quickly enough as the bolt slammed against the core of her saber, deflecting the bolt into the direction that caused a great explosion of sparks.
Soon, two more erupted from the darkness of the jungle. She deflected the one aiming towards her leg before bowing herself away from the next one. The last bolt splashed against a rock, causing even more dramatic sparks to fly in all directions.
It didn't take a second more before a volley of them began screaming from the darkness and towards her. Despite lacking in strength to run up the slope, she held her ground. Deflecting as many as possible before leaping onto a rock nearby and jumping out of the way of five more blaster shots that were intended to maim and destroy her body.
Rolling against the mud, she swung her saber against an incoming volley of blaster fire before her sight became temporarily blinded with white flashes that dazed the Togruta. She stumbled and fell against the earth, mud randomly coating much of her face now. The hammer of a metallic baton came smashing from the sky as quickly and hard as one could make of it with this planet's gravity. Instincts guided Ahsoka to raise her arm upward as she caught a small glimpse of a soldier bearing over her with his weapon. She blocked the attack with her right arm, feeling the crackling pain of the arm as it fractured internally.
She hissed in agony as the pain shot through her entire body. The blow seemingly also pushed the attacker away from her with just enough time that she took the saber and drowned the core of the blade directly into the black plated armor of the trooper. His helmet was camo-patterned as she could see from her gaze looking directly into his dark optical eye ports - soulless. There was no grunting, no sound from the soldier of the Empire as he slumped from the saber and fell with the earth.
He was no different from the droids she destroyed, Ahsoka studied the limped corpse for a moment more. Ruthless, she noted but soulless.
Ahsoka beamed her sense again with where the attacks were coming from. More of them.
Tensing her jaw, she returned her lightsaber back to her belt, the core having retreated long ago and back into the weapon itself.
The Jedi moved with aggression in her gait, passing each tree that also seemingly took her strength away. With each step, she was moving towards the future. However, the past was not finished with her yet. Another step, another shot from a rifle. Each one missing like the previous. Finally there was a ceasefire. Their target was gone. Ahsoka Tano was gone.
The muscles of her jaw had clenched so tight that she didn't realize the pain she was making in her mouth as she cradled her injured arm. Hiding behind a tree, she found herself at the top of the hill. A large hill that overlooked a valley where a small town went about its own business. Smoke bellowed from homes while some lights glared softly against the backdrop of the downpour. Across the town was a mountain with a snow cap at the top.
Looking over her arm, Ahsoka could not make a judgement on the injury. Her mind was already rattled as is and further investigation would require sleep and food. She needed both but neither were available for her to make. They were still after her.
Sucking in the cold damp air through her mouth, she needed to make an assessment either way. Pushing back the sleeve of her shirt, she noticed the bruising that was beginning to happen. A fracture of some sort where a cut had open the skin, causing minor bleeding. She instantly hiss from touching it. The pain was blinding. She remember what this pain felt like. She had endured many before it.
Blaster wounds. Broken bones. Broken ribs. Cuts and bruises. Asphyxiation.
The smell of ionized hot air. The burning corpses.
The ruined cities.
The war...
Operation Triptych
A fleet of gunships passed overhead a battalion of clone troopers and walkers, their engines screaming loudly with power and authority. The Separatist War was coming to an end.
"You heard the lady, let's roll out!" Commander Razor threw his arm out into the direction of the village, pinpointing one of the many Separatists leaders who had taken up hiding within a populated civilian area. It was a tactic that proved neither brave or worthy of one who was seeing the end of the war. Ahsoka herself recently became a Jedi Knight with her Knighting ceremony having taken place a week prior to the start of this operation. Jedi Master Kenobi himself performed the knighting on the young girl who was now becoming a woman in her own right. She was proud of herself but the one person who was even prouder for her was Anakin.
Even if he could only show it with a slight smirk that was barely noticeable under such a serious stoic look he had on him that day. The war was far from over and everyone seemed far too busy to actually share any semblance of emotion. Master Kenobi though was far more gracious in that department however, even offering kind parting words for her before the day they left for the Utapau system.
Ahsoka stood defiantly on the ground as walkers passed by her. She wore an even more elegant but armored attire, blending her in rightly as a Jedi. Even her expression never wavered as soldiers soon passed her.
She saw the war began, as a padawan. Now she would see its end as a Jedi Knight.
The operation was a three-fold strategy. Invade the occupying force. Destroy occupiers and finally capture Separatist engineer Elto Minimaz. Reports stated that he was on the run from the Republic on the planet Unistros. Spies have been tracking him down for the latter part of the war due to his involvement with terrorist activities in the core worlds. Unistros was the neighboring world to Utapau, perfect balance in wrapping up this war. She heard that the Republic Navy would be arriving to Utapau in the system within two hours to support General Kenobi who was already ground side on that world.
Commander Razor walked beside General Ahsoka as they came up the rear flank of a platoon of soldiers. Each man in their company were well trained in dealing with city or town searches. Razor himself was familiar with the tactic, having been a veteran in the first Battle of Geonosis where he conducted similar raids before.
The troopers within the platoon were already splitting up, searching each dirt-built building while the people of Unistros who were simply colonists from Utapau had the signs of fear etched within their faces. Unsure if the war that forced them to become isolated with the rest of the galaxy has finally arrived.
"Get those people out of here!" One trooper ordered, his hand pointing to a family as they were carefully pulled away from the town. Ahsoka watched along with Razor for any signs of their most wanted criminal.
"You sure he is here, ma'am?" Razor asked, his facial expression was hidden behind the helmet but Ahsoka knew immediately what was troubling him.
"Intel gave us this information. Let's hope Commander that he is and that we're not wasting valuable time."
Was she starting to sound like Mace Windu?
If she wasn't in professional company, she would crack a chuckle like she would use to.
"Nothing here!" One of the troopers shouted. Many of the soldiers here were unfamiliar to Ahsoka which would make today a first in getting to know them. "Keep searching," She ordered with a stern voice. Perhaps later.
Several more men came up from the rear as they sprinted passed them. It didn't take long before Ahsoka could start sensing this man but where? Looking up to the canyon walls, she could see the sky turning into a golden blue haze of morning. They were running out of time. "Two hours to go, do you want the Navy to do our job?" She asked out loud to the soldiers who howled a resounding no.
The night they arrived, it was cold. Colder than Ahsoka was use to. Rubbing her cheek, she tried to warm herself up while being reminded of the far too conservative information regarding the climate of this world. This planet wasn't a comfortable place to be but the people here had made a living, she was going to ensure they would have a home to come back to.
Razor nodded in agreement with the General, understanding that this man was different from the rest of the leaders within the Separatist party. A terrorist was bad enough. An engineering terrorist who managed to slip pass Republic defenses and set off an anti-matter bomb in a city? That only deserved one reply. An execution. Gliding his gloves against his own weapon, he wondered if he would be offered the chance by Republic High Command? The thought tickled his curiosity and was prepared to ask Ahsoka what they planned on doing with Elto once they were through with him when soldiers poured out from a building.
"Ma'am, we found him!" Cried out a trooper with blue markings that pattern his helmet. Another trooper with no markings dragged out a hooded figure to the open. Both soldiers presented a very much needed gift while other soldiers soon convened on the spot with General Ahsoka.
"We found him while he was killing off his entourage. We believed he was trying to save his own skin." The trooper reported.
A medic who stood in front of the man peeled back the hood and began scanning the man's face for recognition. The criminal peered out from underneath the hood and stared at Ahsoka first before lingering his gaze over to the soldiers around him.
"The Republic does take its sweet time," he commented with a growing devious grin.
"Facial scan is complete. Ninety-eight percent reading that it is Elto Minimaz. Genetic testing can further reinforce his proof of identity."
"Don't waste your time, it is me. Elto. Savior of a new kind of Republic."
Some soldiers laughed. Ahsoka did not.
Stepping closer, Ahsoka studied the man's features closely. Elto of course did not appreciate the stare. He tightened his lip and was almost prepared to spit in her face when she retreated and folded her arms.
"How much did Elto spent on giving you a nice face lift?" Ahsoka finally said, breaking the treaty of silence.
Elto looked at her, quirking a brow.
"Esscuuse me?" He retorted at an attempt of mimicking Elto's accent.
"I guess Elto forgot to upgrade the hearing too. Arrest this man and take him to a gunship."
The soldiers nodded and rushed to blindfold the fake Elto, who at the next moment began screaming that he was Elto Minimaz.
"Ma'am?" Commander Razor interjected into Ahsoka's thoughts.
"Decoy. Elto Minimaz used a decoy. This one was too easy to catch. Elto knows how to hide his tracks if he wanted to. Secondly, his acting was the worst one I have ever seen."
"How can you be so certain, our medic just assured us that it-"
Ahsoka turned to the Commander and quickly silenced him with her own proof.
"Elto left eye iris is forever fixed in a position," she stated astutely, her finger pointing to her own left eye. "It doesn't dilate; we're not sure why. This actor's eyes gave it away."
Impressed, Razor had to give this round to General Ahsoka but that only meant their mission was a failure. Frowning behind the helmet, Razor kicked up his pace with Ahsoka who was walking much faster now.
"Got any ideas General?" Razor asked as Ahsoka entered the house that they earlier brought the impostor from.
There were certainly bodies. Dead. Close range head shots to their cranium. Some were alien, some were human.
Blaster fire at this close proximity distorted biological material. It would blacken the skin, eat through the tissue and leave nothing but a hot slag of molten bone and muscle behind. It was disturbing but hardly anything Ahsoka has not seen before.
Kneeling over one, she pulled out her own scanning device from her belt and moved the head enough to see their face. With one hand, Ahsoka lifted their right eyelid and scanned them. None of them were registering. Dead bodies would not contract their pupils but living ones would.
"I don't think he is in here, ma'am." Commander Razor said as he looked over some of the bodies. He didn't think the terrorist would stoop this low in hiding right underneath their noses. The man knew how to hide his tracks far better than any sand people.
Not wishing to impart on her thoughts, the General remained silent as she walked over to the last human body and knelt beside it. Her knee was close to the face as she bent over and pulled back an eyelid, scanning the eye.
A flash of light would ignite during the scanning, if the body was indeed dead it would not contract.
Seconds ticked away as nothing happened. Maybe her hunches were wrong in this case. Rising up to her feet she turned to face the Commander when she suddenly felt the lack of air going to her lungs, followed by a quick slamming of her entire body to the ground.
"General!" The Commander yelled out as he trained his rifle to the once dead individual.
A bladed weapon slipped underneath Ahsoka's throat as the individual looked across to the clone soldier.
"You shoot and my cybernetic implants will have no choice but to slit her throat!" Elto warned as the blade edged closer to the Togruta's skin.
Slightly fazed by the fall, Ahsoka regained her bearings and looked above as the man shouted for Razor to lower his weapon.
"Think again idiot, a single shot to your head and you won't even hear the sound of my rifle." Razor countered as he took a small step.
"One more step and she will bleed out! Your call trooper!"
Slipping her hand in position beneath the offensive arm, Ahsoka counted down to three in her head before shooting her palm against Elto's arm and punched him with the other directly towards his face. She didn't expect however for the knife to cut around her chin and up her cheek. That though didn't stop her from bearing down over Elto.
"General!" Razor called out again as he rushed to her side. Elto didn't completely stumble from the impact and immediately thrusted his shoulder right into Ahsoka's chest. He managed to push her and throw the knife towards the clone trooper. The knife was designed to pierce armor like his and melt at the same time, causing anyone to either think about continue shooting or struggle to remove the armor that was now being eaten away by lethal chemicals.
Razor had no choice but attempt to remove the knife. All that was left was the hilt by the time he pulled it out of him, the acid was already eating through the layers of the armor.
"Ahsoka, get the man!" Razor said as he began unstrapping his armor and breathed a sigh of relief to see that it didn't completely go through the armor.
By the time he could raise his weapon towards Elto, the man was seen fleeing out from the house, crashing several pieces of pottery to the floor in the process.
General Ahsoka herself soon followed in the man's wake.
Dirt and dust kicked all around as Ahsoka chased after Elto, while several soldiers watched with confusion until they too realized what was happening and started aiming their weapons.
"Lower your weapons!" Ahsoka shouted, earning a grin from Elto who thought they wanted him dead.
Ahsoka was faster than a human and her speed was only eating away at Elto's own. But the engineer had something else in mind. Reaching for his communication band on his wrist, he commanded a slew of droids who were stashed and concealed all around the village to power on and began firing at the clone troopers. Some were so well hidden that none of the troopers could register them on their electronic wave band.
Shots rang through the villages as a few came directly towards Ahsoka herself. She whipped her saber and utilized the weapon's defensive capabilities to her advantage, clearing some droids who would've killed her.
Elto however was given a blessing by the Separatist army. A battle droid sped up with a speeder alongside Elto who used this opportunity to hop on aboard. The speeder was a two seat vehicle but Elto made sure there was only one driver. Pushing the battle droid off, the droid crumbled in the raw motion of speed as Ahsoka stepped on its head for good measure. Her troopers knew what she needed and immediately a speeder bike soldier also came by her side, offering his bike to her. She nodded and slowed herself down as the trooper paused the bike right before the General. Ahsoka climbed aboard and throttled the engines to dangerous speeds.
The rush of wind was so harsh against her face that particles of dirt and dust left by Elto's speeder was starting to cut into her skin. Ahsoka however simply did not care or even have the time to care. What mattered was the mission. Even Razor's safety at this point was not on her mind.
It wasn't a Jedi thing to do but she knew it was their best chance of finding this man and bringing him to justice. That much she could attest to learning from Anakin as stubborn as he was.
Before long both speeders flew off against the horizon as the sun drew overhead; ultimately leaving the village behind and riding against the coast of a green ocean. Time was running out and it wouldn't take long before Utapau was under siege by the Republic Navy and Army.
Elto snapped a look over his shoulder and saw that Ahsoka was not that far off.
"Interesting," Elto quipped as he focused his attention in front of him. A Separatist ship was on standby to conduct a counter attack against the Republic here. Leading a Jedi to them would allow him even more privilege among the Separatist leader. Perhaps he could even call the shots too? He wanted to conduct attacks on Coruscant to warrant the attention of the Senate. Maybe then they could relax their holding on his home world.
They were coming upon a small rolling hill that immediately gave way to a forest of thickly webbed trees growing out from the ground and scattering towards the sky. It was the perfect place for the Separatist to hide their forces from prying Republic satellites. Ahsoka could sense a trap as she too saw the coming forest.
"Anakin always sprung traps," she told herself as she pushed the speeders engines to their top speeds again. A flashing warning from the display of the speeder alerted the driver to slow down.
Elto could see that she wasn't slowing down, obviously she wanted him as much as he wanted to escape.
Dodging incoming trees, Ahsoka was beginning to gain ground at last against Elto who was having some trouble dodging the obstructions. To make the odds win in his favor, he alerted the droid army of his incoming approach. At the same time, he pulled out a blaster pistol and began firing wildly, missing all his shots towards the Jedi. He was hardly a proficient shot like this but it was enough to hold the Jedi at bay long enough until he could arrive to Separatist lines.
Inching closer while maintaining her speeds, Ahsoka came up beside Elto's speeder. Elto could see Ahsoka who was now bearing down beside him. For the first time in a long time, Elto was actually afraid. Cornered like an animal, he began ramming his speeder against hers. Both of their speeders soon rubbed furiously against one another, creating sparks as Ahsoka at the last second noticed a massive tree she could not steer away from in time. Slamming her own vehicle against Elto's one last time, she pushed Elto just enough where he would avoid the tree but grant herself the time to jump off the speeder and onto his own.
The speeder exploded in a gulf of a fire ball, the mushroom cloud of smoke rose and billowed, alerting Separatists watchers of the situation.
Elto was caught by surprise as he felt the extra weight land on his speeder. He tried to elbow her in the face but the Jedi blocked it. Ahsoka then grabbed the arm that held the pistol and inverted his elbow bone to the point where a successful and resounding snap of the bone caused the engineer to drop the pistol and cry in pain.
The speeder soon slowed and Elto was kicked off by Ahsoka to the ground as soon as the speeder came to a stop. The General of the Republic made contact with the wanted criminal and alerted her presences to this location by a communication band on her arm.
Elto's face was slightly bruised from the wind along with a bruised expression of pain that welted from his arm. Yet, he was still all charm in the face of certain injustice.
"Hello there," spoke the engineer with a creepy warm welcome as he lied on the ground. "You must by my shadow," he choked out between the hiss of pain.
"Whatever weapons you have, take them out and throw them over there," Ahsoka ordered, her finger pointing towards the direction of where he needed to throw.
"Slowly now," she added, watching him as the man dug into his pockets with one good hand and pulled out a knife, tossing it just enough to where Ahsoka walked over and took it into her possession.
"What are you going to do? Arrest me? Kill me? I prefer you let me go if you know what it will cost you." Elto threatened despite looking pale as a ghost from the pain.
"Turn onto your belly," Ahsoka was not going to take any chances while she waited for the man to turn over begrudgingly. "Arms spread out."
"I hope this doesn't take very long," he murmured as Ahsoka came up from behind and begin patting him down with one free hand. "I don't think you'll find anything."
"Give me one good reason why I should break your jaw," she was beginning to get annoyed by his voice and not to mention the accent he carried. It sounded bad, exaggerated. Like he wanted to be the actor of the actor who portrayed him.
A gunship was on its way, scanning the horizon for any signs of General Ahsoka. A spotter aboard the gunship flagged his fellow comrades to a chimney of smoke rising to the sky.
"Hands behind your back." Elto did as he was told, mentally enjoying all of this. Ahsoka on the other hand could smell the scent of blood on him. Noting that he had probably dabbled the blood of his entourage onto himself back at the village. Snapping the binders together on his wrist, Ahsoka then grabbed Elto by the binders and brought him up to his feet.
Tapping onto her communication band, she sent out a signal for the platoon to get her. The gunship in the air heard the call and soon swooped over the forest, pinging her location.
Grass particles kicked in the air as the gunship hovered up above. There was no way to land the vehicle which now elicited a new strategy. Ropes poured down from the gunship as a couple of soldiers came down. One covered the group as another reached out for General Ahsoka.
"General, is this the man?" The trooper asked with a nod from the Jedi.
"Roger that, let's take him in." Grabbing Elto by his binds, he was prepared to lasso him aboard the gunship when a barrage of fire rained down in the direction of the Separatist army. The Republic Navy was here. Destroying much of the army, Elto frowned deeply at the realization that the war was truly at an end.
With Elto safely aboard the gunship, it was time for Ahsoka to join them. She rappelled back aboard and was given thanks to the soldiers for a mission success.
"Ma'am, that was a nice catch." The clone Commander Razor complimented as he waddled himself over to the General. Turbulence was a bit tricky in gunships, however Ahsoka could see that he was missing some of his armor and was immediately reminded of the attack earlier. "Thank you Commander... but how are you? Are you okay?" Ahsoka nodded, her warm smile stretching across her features as she held onto the railings of the hull.
"Yes ma'am." Razor acknowledged. Looking down to Elto who was seated and binded by his wrists, the chief terrorist of the attacks.
"I hope you know what you're doing will be the end of you." Elto mumbled. Ahsoka moved over in front of Elto, allowing Razor to leave the Jedi to her business.
"Listen," Ahsoka said, requiring Elto's full attention from the cold voice that grew from the Jedi. "Your time is at an end. The Separatist are done. Once General Grievous is captured, you will be taken to a Republic prison and we will see to it that you get a fair trial. Far more than you deserve."
Elto shuffled his shoulders around, not caring to hear out Ahsoka's words. He had enough of words, especially those that came from a Rep like herself.
But the silence from Elto was not the only thing Ahsoka realized. The gunship went deathly quiet.
Standing straight, Ahsoka raised the white thick strip above her eye and looked behind her.
The men were quiet. Their weapons now seemingly sitting on their laps as opposed to beside them in the locked position of their seats.
"Commander Razor, what's going on?" Ahsoka asked while her eyes were trained on the men in front of her.
"Understood my Lord," Razor switched the secured channels off as he heard his name being called out by the traitor of the Republic.
Taking out his sidearm, he aimed it directly towards Elto and fired a single shot to his chest. This scared Ahsoka enough that she jumped back and held a hand to her chest.
Her eyes widen and she seemingly felt shock as she looked between Elto's now limped corpse and Commander Razor.
"Razor! Wh-what is going on here?"
The clone commander looked up to Ahsoka. All the experience, all the friendships and bonds that formed over the war between soldier and Jedi were now nothing.
Executive orders were to be carried out without question, without hesitation.
There wasn't enough time to even breathe a word when the sense of danger engulfed her entire being. Instantly, she flipped her saber on and blocked the blaster bolt that came flying through the air. The bolt, deflected and struck one of the troopers who readied himself to exterminate the Jedi. He fell back, his finger pressing down two pounds against the trigger of his own rifle. The shot from that weapon sped into the cockpit that took out the pilot. Soon, the entire gunship was spinning towards the surface of the world.
Floating in the chaotic spin, Ahsoka pressed herself against the hull and then kicked off from it. Razor was kicked in the face as Ahsoka made her way into the spinning cockpit. She wrestled to gain her bearings on the co-pilot seat before situating herself into it. The gunship leveled out and she immediately surrendered controls to autopilot. It would take them directly back to Republic controlled air space.
It didn't take long before she was facing Razor again. He struck a blow to her face, pitching the Jedi back onto the console that threatened to disable the autopilot.
Shaking her head, she blocked another fist attack as she cried out to him, "enough of this Commander!" It was a failed attempt of snapping the Commander's induced state of aggression. Whatever caused this, this was not him.
Another trooper soon joined in and leveled his weapon as best as he could, alerting the Commander that he could take the shot.
Hearing this, Ahsoka waited until a fist came flying towards her face. She grabbed it and used her own momentum to charged Razor into the other trooper. They both fell together and Ahsoka tried wrestling the weapon out of the trooper's hands with her boot.
But it was to no avail as she felt a kick to the abdomen, sending Ahsoka reeling back against the gunship's floor. Together with the other trooper's corpse, Ahsoka was not prepared to join in on this mutiny. Grabbing her duel lightsabers from her belt, she was prepared to attack Razor when shots rang out. Three shoots missed Ahsoka completely but not the last. It struck her in the arm, causing a lightsaber to fall out from her hand.
Razor towered over the Jedi as he ordered for the weapon from the soldier behind him.
At this range, Ahsoka would not be able to deflect the attack without risking injury of the commander.
However, she could see the determination that was beginning to engulf Commander Razor's face; no longer hidden behind a helmet that he once wore. Gritting her teeth tightly, Ahsoka realized there was no other option.
Slamming a boot into Razor's knee, she saw the soldier stumble briefly as she jammed her saber into the ship and began slicing it around to create another problem for the both of them.
"No! Don't!" Razor shouted as air decompressed all around them. Objects flurried out from the gunship as Ahsoka reached out for her other saber with her free hand.
That was a bad decision.
In Razor's defense, he fired another shot that severely wounded her arm this time, crippling her ability to maintain a level of focus she needed as the gunship broke apart over the skies of Unistros. A trail of smoke protested behind the gunship as pieces of debris from the vehicle fell and scattered through the land, leaving behind evidence of its violent demise.
Steely eyes from the Jedi looked upwards to Razor with a newfound intention as the ship shook with tribulation. Ahsoka knew that the clone commander was no longer an ally but a threat to her life and perhaps the lives of the Republic.
This became a moment of survival.
Razor readied his weapon again, this time aiming for the defenseless Jedi's head. He peered through the scope and applied the pressure of the weapon to fire a blaster shot. At that range, her face would've been destroyed, leaving nothing for a good funeral if she would have one.
Yet the Force that flowed from Ahsoka caused the bolt to hold its place in mid-air. The electrical bolt sizzled and whizzed as it was held by Ahsoka before changing its direction against the hull, creating an explosion of sparks that temporarily blinded Razor.
Brandishing the only saber that she could control, she slammed hard without hesitation the green core of her blade into Razor's chest. The hiss of the blade announced its puncture on the other side of the body as Ahsoka looked Razor in the face.
"Why?" She pleaded with him. The once great Commander only looked back with anger. The traitor had killed him as it was known they would. He only thought it wouldn't come to this.
Without an answer, the Commander slumped back to the floor with a report of a horrific screech of the metal hulls bending. The gunship was about to be torn in half. The other soldier took out his sidearm and was prepared to make his own final stand when Ahsoka removed the weapon from his hand with the use of the Force. She was prepared to interrogate him when the ship finally buckled and broke in two. The rear half collapsed from the sky and towards the earth, spiraling uncontrollable and with it the two clone troopers.
Panic shot through her throat and yelled out as she tried to look about through the remaining pieces of the gunship. She could see the land, spinning in a direction that was beginning to cause her vision to go black.
Shutting her eyes, she would have no choice but to take her chances by jumping. With one foot pressed tightly against the hull plating, she waited until she could feel a moment when the Force offered up a chance in allowing her to escape safely.
She took it and leaped outward from the spinning carnage of the remaining gunship. In mid-air, she controlled her speed by extending her limbs out but it was hardly enough. The wind whip lashed her face, forcing her to see through the slit of her vision.
There wasn't as many trees now but there was a few that remained on the outskirts of the forest. She would again need chance to be on her side along with the Force as she focused on a ship that would soften the landing for her. One of the trees exposed plenty of covering with its canopy but that could easily be a lie. Beneath it was probably enough branches and boughs pointing wildly in any direction to puncture her body.
Taking hold of her one remaining saber while the other was lost to the gunship, she was prepared to cut through. She would use her other hand to grab hold of a branch and swing herself until the momentum of the speed would decay. Just a few more second to go. The wind howled as she grew closer and ignited the saber. The green core blade immediately sliced away any offending branches as she deactivated it and use her hand to grab hold of a branch. She didn't predict however of being slammed against the chest by a thick bough extending from the tree trunk. All the air from her lungs escaped through her mouth and nose and immediately lost the strength to hold on.
She fell backwards, slamming against into more branches as they snapped and broke from her weight. Finally, the Jedi landed unconscious on the ground.
Her body was spread out over the ground, leaves falling onto her back. Not a breath came out from the soul of the Jedi. In the distance, debris was already meeting with the earth in loud bangs. Then silence again.
More leaves covered her body, almost ceremoniously burying the warrior. It took a minute more before the nerves of her body caused her to gasp desperately, her mind repainting the situation just moments ago.
A cacophony of violence, followed by silence. Images of the sky and that of Razor. All of it was gone now.
Turning over onto her back, she looked around and realized where she was. Her ribs churned with pain, knowing she may have cracked them. Her hands swollen from being bruised by the fall, her back ached with even more pain. Yet the only thing she had on her mind was to get back.
Staggering to get to her feet, she realized her ankle fractured. She limped next to a tree and slouched against it. Her mind raced, playing back the events leading to her fall here. If Razor and those soldiers attacked, who was to say it wasn't meant for her? They shot Elto, a wanted criminal. Yet they were prepared to kill her, a General in the Republic Army.
She wiped away blood drool from her lips as her mind rattled again the pieces of a massive jigsaw puzzle.
What made her the potential target? What made them turn on her?
She thought about it for a few longing minutes before looking out to the edge of the scattered trees. If she returned and more troopers realized she was alive, there was a possibility that a bounty was on her head.
Then another paused followed that thought. Clone troopers had no reason to kill for money.
She wanted to think more but her vision began to spin around. Nauseated, Ahsoka sat down. The only way she would know who was who was to get to a ship and make contact with the Jedi Temple.
The only ship capable of hyperdrives was the Republic and the Separatist. She thought for a moment longer with her options being left with the bombed out hole that the Republic Navy provided during her capture of Elto Minimaz. Separatists were probably in hiding. If they were, then a nearby ship had to be there. Primarily for the command droids. She prayed that one was at least untouched in the raid.
It was just miles that she couldn't do on her own. She would have to take it slow, by night perhaps when there weren't so many distant sounds of naval ships flying overhead.
She would then traverse across the land, occasionally taking breaks to bandage her wounds and drink water. Her belt contained supplements but not food. It would be enough to kill the pain and allow herself to push forward but hunger would eventually set in.
Droids didn't have to eat or drink either so that meant she needed to scavenge anything the forest grew there. Thankfully she at least had the time to learn how the colonists survived. They would farm from those trees some fruit. They would crush the fruit to dilute the sugar from it and make tasty looking desserts. Ahsoka licked her lips at the idea of eating by the time she entered the forest.
She could immediately smell the carnage of the bombing raid. The smoke still poured into the sky, allowing her to know where the location was.
By the time she finally reached it, her lips were cracking from the cold night that had arrived and her body ached unlike anything she had experienced before.
Again it seemed the Separatists were further in the forest. It took her longer than she expected but at least the stars were out and the light from the moon of this world lit this environment.
When she reached her destination, she saw that the Separatist were clearly prepared for a counter attack. Rows upon rows of droids littered the earth. Craters the size of giant pools were what remained. Blacken and glassing the ground, she quietly made her way through the field. Towering spider droids laid limped and out of power. Ahsoka however did not see a ship, that was until one was spotted behind behind massive crates of munitions that did not give away its position until she continued walking.
The ship was small, just enough for two or at least three passengers. It was a command droid ship and it too would contain no supplies for her to use. Entering it, she noticed the cockpit window cracked from blown shrapnel. She would check the hull too, making sure that there were no holes from the explosion. A faster way to do that was to simply turn on the ship. Sitting in the pilot's seat, she felt the seat move forward automatically. The console lit up as blood dripped onto it from Ahsoka's lip, alerting the pilot that there was minor damage done. Nothing truly worrying though. A great big sigh of relief left from Ahsoka's mouth as she slumped into the chair until she found a comfortable spot. Finally, the Jedi powered the ship on and flew it.
She thought of herself as a decent pilot but no where near the skills of Anakin. Thankfully, the experience allowed her the knowledge of knowing how to escape Republic radar. Flying low to the surface, she made sure she was at least several hundred miles away from where she began this entire ordeal. When she thought it was safe, she jerked the throttle and pulled back on the stick for the ship to vertically take off into space.
The ship's AI pinged dozens of Republic warships in the vicinity, enough for her to know where to go and not go.
She choked out the pain that built at the bottom of her stomach, she needed something to quell it. For now, she kept her focus on where to go as tears began to form at each corner of her eyes.
The new coordinates were then whispered out politely by the ship with soften electronic beeps before visually stimulating her eyes of where this vessel was originally going too.
Her blue eyes followed up to meet the soft blue glow of the hologram. The coordinates showed a beeline of her current location to the new destination.
Reading the lettering on the hologram, she read aloud: "Corellia system..."
Her wounds would heal in time but never would the betrayal. Ahsoka would would soon come to learn from the warning of Master Obi-wan that the Republic she knew had become the predator that now hunted her. The Galactic Empire. Its strength and power was unlike even the Republic she once fought for. They hunted the Jedi, killing many more as time went on. She would change her name, her clothes and hide her real identity from the galaxy. The lost lightsaber on that world many cycles ago would be a remnant of the war and of her Jedi past. She kept her other saber close, never using it. In exchange, she would use a blaster pistol and soon a rifle. Her Jedi fatigues were immediately burned and her use of the Force was now reduced to nothing more than to change the will of minds from time to time. She hid in cargo ships, going from system to system, picking up the pieces and fragments of Order 66.
As the Empire stretched out through the galaxy, Ahsoka became nothing more than a survivalist. That did not mean they were not after Jedi like herself.
Agents of the Emperor followed suspicious leads like that of her own. While not accounted for during Order 66, the Empire under their new leadership still counted her as a kill. While they thought they were following a good lead, Ahsoka would out wit them, making them follow false trails until they were all but gone.
That was until she was cornered in a back watered industrial world of Hitta. She made the mistake of coming here, thinking that the Galactic Empire had no reach here but they did. The industry that was here was metals which were used to build starships. She was just unlucky enough to play in the role of hero among villains. One day while looking for scraps of equipment to repair her aging lightsaber, she spotted several stormtroopers harassing a family, to which Ahsoka approached. That was when tensions peaked as a trooper pulled out his baton to attack the father who was protecting his family for defying the Empire. Ahsoka quickly intervened and grabbed the trooper's arm.
Ever since that moment, she was on the run to get off of this world.
Instead, she found herself once again leaning against a tree with a swollen arm from a fracture in self-defense.
Looking to the valley below to the next town, Ahsoka Tano now felt she had become the prey of the Galactic Empire.