The stars glittered throughout the night, beautiful yet sad at the same time. They were a constant reminder of a promise that she had made years ago that has not been fulfilled.
When you get back, come and find me.
The woman frowned. How could she be sure that her quarry was still alive?
"You're still out here?"
The woman turned. Another female stood at the entrance of the ship, a look of concern on her face. She held up a bottle of vodka, amber eyes hard from years of guarding Lothal in the Galactic Civil War. "It's a nice night; I figured we could use a pick-me-up."
The first woman managed a light smile. "Thanks, Sabine."
The woman named Sabine sat down beside her, pouring the drinks into supplied shot glasses. The other took one, finding the burning sensation welcoming. She returned her gaze to the stars, a small smile on her face. Sabine was right; it was a beautiful night—cool, with a breeze. It was the perfect complement to a forested setting.
"We'll find him, Ahsoka."
The woman—Ahsoka—turned, meeting Sabine's gaze. "I hope so. We've been looking in the Unknown Regions for a year-and-a-half now, and still we've found nothing. Even this planet isn't yielding any results." She frowned. "It's been over a decade since Ezra disappeared. How do we know for sure he survived to begin with?"
Sabine smiled slightly. "You've kept saying that you would have felt it if he had died. So far, you haven't. Therefore, we wait, and we hope." She sat on the grass, shrugging. "Who knows; maybe this time we'll get lucky."
Ahsoka returned the smile, pouring herself another shot of liqueur. "Maybe we will."
Dawn arrived. Ahsoka walked to the middle of the woods, finally sober from the vodka consumed hours earlier. She knelt down to meditate in an earthen path, taking careful note of the strange pattern of the trees, which seemed to have grown in an intricate circular fashion, so as not to get lost on the way back. She closed her eyes.
If there are any answers as to where Ezra might be, I need to know.
Silence.
Shoot, she thought. Of course it didn't work. I guess I'll try again later.
She removed herself from the trance, opening her eyes, but there was not a tree in sight.
Confused, Ahsoka stood, looking around. There was nothing but an off-white surrounding and a door behind her, similar to that of the Malachor portal.
Is this like the World Between Worlds again?
She wasn't sure, but there was something about this place that gave her the creeps.
"I shouldn't be here," she whispered.
"Obviously."
Ahsoka's eyes widened, hearing the multiple-yet-one voice behind her. The voice was her own but distorted with many others. It gave her an eerie reminder of the Mortis gods.
She turned slowly, noticing a figure sitting cross-legged several metres in front of her. It was a mirror-like spectre, also a Togruta, feminine, faceless except for a mouth. It looked almost shadow-like, black vapour flowing around it.
"What is this place?" she asked. "More importantly, what are you?"
The figure smirked. "This is the Gate. As for me—I am who you might call God, or the universe. I am all, and I am one. I am Truth. Also—" the spectre pointed directly at her "I am you."
Ahsoka gave the entity—Truth—a look. "You're a manifestation of the Force," she realised.
"Something like that," Truth accepted. "The Force is the energy surrounding all living things, as you well know, Ahsoka Tano. Ashla, Bogan and I are separate entities. Where they are the energy, I am what holds them together. Yet not many know of this."
Ahsoka tilted her head. "So, this place—is it similar to the World Between Worlds?"
"In a sense," Truth said cryptically. "But that is all of the information you will be getting about it with that price."
Ahsoka's eyes narrowed. I knew this place was creepy. "Explain."
Truth facepalmed. "Clearly no one in your part of the universe ever bothered to explain the concept of Equivalent Exchange. No wonder everybody keeps screwing things up." The entity faced her directly. "Nothing is ever free. In order to obtain something, another thing of equal value must be lost. All actions have their equivalent consequence." The spectre gestured to her. "And everyone has a toll to pay." Truth frowned, musing. "It seems you have lost far more than most. Your future as a Jedi. Your mind, for a brief time. Many of your friends. The Clone Wars. Even your life, twice. Technically."
Ahsoka grimaced, memories of that fateful encounter threatening to surface. "I didn't die on Malachor."
"No, but Ezra Bridger pulled you into the World Between Worlds. Both of you were in a zombie state, at the same time alive and dead since you were in a domain outside of time and space. So that still counts."
"Fine," Ahsoka conceded. "But why is it that you have to take from others for it to be an equivalent exchange?"
The spectre sighed. "I'm called Truth for a reason," the entity said seriously. "Perhaps if you see, you might understand." Truth pointed to the door behind her. Immediately it opened, and tentacles swarmed out, wrapping around the Togruta. Ahsoka fought against them, failing to free herself. She glared at Truth. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Showing you," the spectre said simply, pointing again. The tentacles pulled Ahsoka inside the door, the entrance closing in front of her.
What Ahsoka saw next was unexplainable.
It was as though the entirety of information itself was being forced inside her head, information from varying databanks and other sources about who knows what. It was painful—so much so that she screamed, even though she knew there was nothing that could be done except wait it out. She looked down and saw herself being disassembled in an almost pixelated manner.
Is this what the truth feels like?
She guessed it was. It was almost this bad when she found out what had happened to Anakin. She had denied it then. This time, she had no choice but to accept what was being presented to her.
After what seemed like moments, Ahsoka was back in the presence of Truth, her ontological being put back together.
"You seem to understand that much," Truth said. "Good. Not many people are wise enough to."
Ahsoka was speechless. Was this thing watching the entire time?
Perhaps it's better not to know, she decided.
Truth tilted its head at her. "Do you not have anything to say, former Jedi?"
"It's kind of hard to say a lot about something that cannot be completely explained," Ahsoka quipped.
"Fair enough." Truth stood. "I will leave you some information about the edge of the Unknown Regions, as you so like to call them. This is not a free pass; it is for the survival or yourself and of your friend. There are those there who are alchemists, those who abide by the Law of Equivalent exchange to create new things out of equal mass. You are probably familiar with the concept as a dark side technique from your teachings as a Jedi. What they did not tell you was that those who perform transmutation of sentient beings, particularly human transmutation, are usually in my audience as punishment. They lose what a part of themselves as the toll for their ignorance. People such as yourself, for instance."
Wait…what? "But I'm not human," Ahsoka pointed out. "And I didn't perform transmutation. I couldn't have."
"Regardless, you completed the transgression without realising it," the entity sternly retorted. "Perhaps you do not understand as much as I would have liked to believe. Alchemy is but one manifestation of the Force! All of the elements for the transmutation were more than provided. Even if it was unintentional, there is a toll for everyone who stands before me, human or not." Truth grinned. In an instant, everything was gone.
Ahsoka's eyes opened, a bloodcurdling scream emitting from her throat. She panted, looking around in terror. She was back in the forest—from the looks of it, only moments had passed. She got up, backing up as far away as she could from the spot where she had meditated. The former Jedi sat down against a tree, hyperventilating, trying to process the nightmare she had just experienced. Whatever it was, she was very certain that it was neither a dream nor a vision.
What did that thing take from me?!
A blaster bolt whizzed past her. Ahsoka bolted upright, lightsabres igniting in a defensive position. The Togruta was completely alert now, thanks to whatever it was she experienced. But she knew that the drunkenness was not what had been taken from her.
Sabine came into view, blasters steaming. Upon seeing the former Jedi she removed her helmet, a concerned look on her face. "Are you okay?"
"Of course not, dumbass!" Ahsoka snapped. "You shot at me!"
Sabine recoiled. "Geez, sorry. I heard you scream and I thought something was attacking you. What happened back there?"
"Does it matter?" Ahsoka shot back.
Sabine raised an eyebrow. "Well, considering the fact that you look like hell, I'd say that, yes, it does matter."
Ahsoka sighed. "I saw something I wish I hadn't. End of story."
Sabine shrugged. Her eyes narrowed. The Mandalorian put her helmet back on, firing her blasters again. "I think I know what you mean."
Ahsoka turned, eyes widening. A large blackened, severely deformed creature crawled towards them, a look of pure evil in its red eyes. It was already wounded from where Sabine had shot it, but it kept going. The Togruta ran towards it, wrestling with and slashing through it with her lightsabres until it dropped, completely dead. Sabine did not know what the former Jedi had seen, but that creature was certainly not it. Was that thing from the circle? She did not know. Had it been lurking around the whole time? She did not know that one, either.
Everyone has a toll to pay.
Ahsoka turned to Sabine. "We have to go. Now!"
The Mandalorian nodded, not bothering to question her. The women ran for their starship, not stopping until they were on board. Ahsoka took the pilot's seat, sending the ship into hyperspace as soon as they cleared orbit.
"Maybe getting drunk was a bad idea," Sabine muttered from the co-pilot seat. "What the heck just happened?"
"I dunno," Ahsoka admitted. "But whatever it was, I'm just glad that we don't have to deal with it anymore."
"If you say so."
Ahsoka set her focus on hyperspace. She and Sabine might be safe for the time being, but Truth's words kept nagging at her: All actions have their equivalent consequences. And everyone has their toll to pay.