— You will not come out of this alive, Ahsoka. I have seen it. And I think you know that.
Darth Vader was talking to his former apprentice with slow, quiet voice.
— I know — she replied, turning their swords in both hands — but is my duty to face you.
The swamp at whose edge they were oozed moisture and pestilential vapors. It was similar to Dagobah. Trees, blackened by the shadows of the afternoon, was swaying gently;but the rest of nature was silent. The evening progressed and darkness would soon be complete. But there was still light, and the contestants did not need his eyes to see.
— It doesn´t have to be that way — Vader said, extending his hand towards Ahsoka — Come with me and together we will defeat the Emperor. We will arrange the galaxy to be balanced and prosperous once again.
A sad expression appeared on the face of the Togruta.
— I will not be consumed by hatred and bitterness — he replied.
— You once told me you were not jedi.
— I'm not — she said. — But I'm not a traitor, and I'm still a disciple of Anakin Skywalker. That's how I remember you.
— Anakin Skywalker is dead, like almost all other jedi. — Vader replied — You are alone. You're loyal to a lost and wrong cause. You'll die for the ideals of people who betrayed you, who never trusted you. Religious that shaped your mind since you were a child, just to use your talents in their petty plans for a corrupt Republic composed of incompetent bureaucrats and thieves.
Ahsoka seemed to hesitate, looking away, not before the sith, but to the beloved teacher who was there somewhere in the dark. But Darth Vader knew the togruta did not hesitate. However, he wanted to make her suffer. Viscerally he yearned with a painful longing, like a flame that would give heat in a winter night while its burn. A hunger of pain that could never be satisfied.
— What has life given to you? What gave you the Republic? What gave you the jedi? Pain. Loneliness. Your whole life has been a succession of disasters and failures. Even your teacher betrayed you. And now you're all alone and you know that this will be your ultimate failure. You have no power enough to beat me. Do you still think that The Force is with you? Maybe the Empire and the destruction of the Jedi Order is the will of the Force.
Ahsoka Tano raised his face toward the dark figure with hardened brow, not by anger but by the determination. The Force had shown her something. Images that flowed in a split second from the energy itself around her, coming from plants, insects, and even from objects.
A throne in such a clean, tidy and sterile room that only evil people could keep so gray and free of all forms of life. Palpatine. Vader confronted with a young in who resembles Anakin Skywalker. Anakin himself struggling with Vader to help him son at the crucial moment.
A flash of the future. Of the true will of the Force.
— I've learned that appearances can be deceiving, Lord Vader — he said briskly — I admit that everything around me looks very black. And my life was a mess too, apparently. But if you have light inside, you do not need much light outside. I know that Anakin Skywalker is still there. He is not dead, he will return in due time. Knowing that, I'm ready to be one with The Force. And you know what? If I could turn back time I would not choose another life. Not another death.
— As you wish, then — said Vader — Now you will know the power of the Dark Side.
Ahsoka launched herself without hesitation even for a moment about Darth Vader, turning both of her blades skillfully. Vader hesitated for a moment before the togruta's decision ,and lift the crimson weapon hit his opponent drew sparks from his metal left wrist, but did not reach to cut off it.
Ahsoka went to the back of Vader, but him, having recovered from the initial shock, thanks to its vast domain of the Force, could feel what would be the next move of Ahsoka. He saw her firmly with both feet on the ground and turning right to continue the attack. Vader bent and bashed up. While both sabers Ahsoka passed over the sith, him saber stuck in the chest of the togruta, out the back. Vader removed the weapon immediately. Ahsoka not even has time to shout. She sighed and collapsed, her heart burned.
Vader turned off the sword, and looked for a short moment the body at his feet. An officer of the Empire, the platoon leader who remained hidden in the shadows, approached him, followed by soldiers in white armor.
— I thought the match would last longer — said the official.
— No need to register her, I know she has nothing valuable. Make a pyre, burn the body with all her things, and we return to the ship — Vader replied, turning away.
— For what? — Replied the officer, who apparently don´t knew the sith and his bad temper — no one comes here, and there are many scavengers. Tomorrow she will no longer be.
— I said "burn the body," official — he replied Vader, turning lifeless eyes of his mask to the man from his height.
The official declined to discuss further. He motioned to his men, while Vader was slowly walking away toward the trees. One of the storptroopers who had advanced towards the body asked:
— Where is the body ?.
Vader stops walking, feeling a stroke of anger in the stomach. He thought for a moment and turned. He saw several men around a pile of clothes. Ahsoka's sabers were also there. The officer searched the pile. Then he looked at Vader with confused expression.
But Vader was not paying attention. Looked at the trees, at the glowing figure of Ahsoka Tano, who smiled and made him a friendly farewell gesture. A gesture for Anakin Skywalker, and an identical smile of the teen padawan Ahsoka.