My Brothers Empire
Disclaimer: No credit gained, no credit wanted.
Summary: Darth Vader rules the galaxy with his master, Darth Sidious. His brother, Anakin Skywalker, lives with him against his will.
Chapter 2
Ashoka watched Anakin go and walked over to Barris, igniting her lightsaber as she did so and quickly freed her friends hands. Barris rubbed her wrists to get some feeling back into them and tried to stand, failing as she fell back down, only to have Ashoka catch her and help her to her feet. Barris hugged Ashoka, and Ashoka hugged her back. She had not seen Barris for five years, and for those years she believed her friend to be dead. But she was alive, though she might not stay that way for long if she didnt help her.
Ashoka pulled back and smiled at her friend. "How have you been?" Barris asked her.
"I've been fine. Actually, I've been great! Anakin is a really good friend to have, and Vader didnt even try to hurt me since he was around. I cant believe you're alive, I thought you were dead!" Ashoka said with disbelief.
"I thought you were dead too, Ashoka." Barris told her. "We all did. None of us thought that Anakin would be able to keep you safe."
"He did keep me safe, more than safe." Ashoka assured her. "He even took me to Ilum so that I could build my own lightsabers."
Barris' eyes widened. "He did? How did Vader allow that?"
"He didnt. We snuck out of the ship, like we did this time. I can stay here for a week, though I dont know what we'll be doing for sleep." Ashoka said thoughtfully. "Barris I'm so sorry that I didnt come back, but Anakin thought it was too dangerous and that I was too young. I know that I was, but I really wanted to come back and free everyone."
"Dont worry, Ashoka. You're here now, and that's what counts." Barris said with a smile. "So, have you been working on taking down the empire?"
"Not yet, I was too young. But I will be soon, hopefully. There are stormtroopers outside so Anakin and I cant get anyone out, but I really wish I could." Ashoka assured her.
"Its alright Ashoka." Barris said. "So, why dont you tell us what happened after the stormtroopers took you away?"
There was a murmered agreement among the other younglings.
"Well, I guess I can tell you that." Ashoka said. "The stormtroopers took me onboard Vader's flagship, the Exactor, and put me into the brig. But, I was only in there for a minute or so before Anakin ran into the room and picked me up. I heard Vader yelling at him from the next corridor about how I had better not be much trouble and Anakin took me into his and Vader's quarters. Vader was watching me and I got scared, since I didnt know anyone, and I closed my eyes and held onto Anakin tightly. When I opened my eyes again, I was in my own chambers, which are attached to his, and he put me down carefully on the bed. He called in a medical droid to heal me and it applied bacta to my wounds and said that I should go to sleep, but I was too frightened to. Anakin and I started talking and I got to know him some more and he made me feel better, but I was still afraid of Vader. He stayed in my room whilst I slept in case Vader came in and when I woke up, he was still there. Vader didnt come in at all."
Barris smiled. "What happened for the rest of your time with him?"
"Well, after that we started talking about what Master Yoda got me to do when I was training to be a Jedi and I told him that it was usually lightsaber practise and meditation, so he told me that I had to meditate once a day so that I wouldnt be afraid anymore. He gave me a training saber and we practised with each other after I beat my first training droid. We made a daily routine of practising using the force, lightsabers and meditation. He made me breakfast every day and the rest of the time the droid would make it, if he was busy, and we became good friends."
"What is it like outside, in the galaxy?" A smaller youngling piped up.
"I dont know any specific details." Ashoka said. "But the empire is having troubles with a rebel alliance. I remember them from when they boarded the Exactor and tried to free me and Anakin, but Anakin told them to run as fast as they could because the best way for us to take down the empire was to do it from a space close to Vader. Besides from that I dont know much else. Anakin only told me to start looking at politics a month ago."
"What is it like living with Vader?" Another youngling asked.
"It isnt perfect, I'll say that. But it was actually quite fun." Ashoka admitted. "Anakin was always contradicting him and humiliating him, it was hard to hold back the laughter at some points."
"So... if Anakin was a Jedi, he would be your master then, wouldnt he?" Barris asked.
"Well, I suppose so. A lot of the things he's done is just so that when the empire is destroyed I can stay on as a Jedi and not be behind on anything."
"But we're all being held back, Ashoka."
"I know, but I havent been in the temple. Though it is a blessing that he saved me, I didnt like being in a place with only Anakin and Vader around me. But I soon got used to it, I'm not even afraid of Vader anymore, and he doesnt kill me when he sees me, thanks to Anakin."
"So, you can use a lightsaber. A real lightsaber, and you can do it like Anakin can?" A youngling asked.
"Well, I'm not as good as he is, but I can hold my own against him."
There was the sound of people walking down the corridors and Ashoka ignited her lightsabers in case of danger, before she sensed that it was just Anakin and the council members. She put her lightsabers back on her belt and under her cloak as they walked into the room. Ashoka gave Master Plo a small smile as he walked over to her immediatley.
"Ashoka, how have you been?" He questioned.
"I've been fine, Master Plo." Ashoka replied. "How has Vader been?"
"You would be more qualified to say that than I am, you have lived with him."
Anakin walked over to Ashoka after finishing a conversation with Master Windu.
"How'd it go?" He asked.
"They know what happened on the first day I met you," Ashoka informed him with a shrugging of her shoulders.
"The night that I stayed awake just to get you to go to sleep?"
"Yes, that night." Ashoka narrowed her eyes as she spoke. "Are any of the other Jedi going to be untied?"
"I dont know, that's for the Jedi masters to decide." Anakin said. "But there are stormtroopers guarding the temple and their lightsabers are with the emperor in his throne room."
"So... what are we going to do?" Ashoka asked.
"Well, I'm not sure. That's for you to decide at the moment, but we have to go back to the Exactor for the evenings and nights." Anakin said.
"What are the Jedi council going to do now that they're free?" Ashoka asked.
"No idea." Anakin confessed. "But I do know something that we could be doing."
"What's that?"
"Sparring. We didnt do any this morning, remember?"
"But what about..." Ashoka trailed off gesturing to Barris.
"Its alright, Ashoka. I'll watch." Barris suggested to Ashoka. Ashoka nodded and followed Anakin as they were beckoned by Master Windu to come to the council. Ashoka was slightly apprehensive about going to the Jedi council, especially when Master Yoda's eyes never left her and she could feel him using the force to sense her memories with Anakin and Vader.
"Ashoka, how have you been?" Ki-Adi Mundi asked softly.
"I've been fine." Ashoka replied.
"Did Vader hurt you?" Master Windu asked.
"No. He didnt even try too."
"What about Sidious?" Kit Fisto questioned.
"I never saw him."
They nodded in what she guessed was agreement.
"Have you both got any ideas on how to bring down the empire?" Master Windu asked.
"If we kill Sidious, then Vader would rise to the throne. But if Sidious dies, then either Vader or a close family member can become the emperor." Anakin informed them. "If I become emperor then I can take down the empire easily."
"And if that fails?"
"We need to kill Vader and Sidious."
"How close are you to achieving that?"
"Killing Vader wont be much of a problem, I dont think, but killing Sidious will be a problem."
"Have you made any attempts on his life so far?"
"No. If it failed then Ashoka's life would have been forfeit."
"What about Vader's apprentice? Starkiller?"
"Starkiller doesnt usually come on board the Exactor. The only time he did was to speak with Vader and then he left quickly afterwards. Has he been here?"
"Almost as much as Vader is." Kit Fisto said. "Are you sure that he is not here now?"
"I didnt even know he came here," Anakin admitted. "I'll check just to make sure."
"Dont bother Skywalker!" A loud voice boomed from behind them. Anakin and Ashoka whirled around the see Starkiller standing on a window ledge glaring down at them. "What are you both doing here?!" He called down to them.
"Oh, you know, we thought we'd take a stroll." Anakin said sarcastically. "What do you think we're doing here?"
Starkiller's eyes narrowed. "Lord Vader will not be pleased by this."
"Lord Vader doesnt have to know." Anakin contradicted.
"He will." Starkiller declared. "You should have known that there would be more than stormtroopers guarding the Jedi temple."
"Your outnumbered, Starkiller." Anakin advised.
"By who? You and the youngling cannot defeat me."
"Come down here and we'll see about that." Anakin said dangerously.
Starkiller smirked. "You dont know what you're getting yourselves into."
"Stop stalling, Starkiller. You're acting like a coward, and that isnt how your father was."
Starkiller went rigid. "You know nothing about fathers, Skywalker, you have none. Just a sith of a brother and a whore of a mother."
"Either you come down here or we come up there."
Starkiller's mouth twisted into an evil smirk. "As you wish." He leapt down to the space in front of them and ignited his two lightsabers. Anakin and Ashoka ignited theirs.
"Ten minutes in the temple undisturbed, I'm impressed." Starkiller mocked. He took a strike at Ashoka, who easily blocked it, and disarmed one of his lightsabers easily. Starkiller's jaw dropped. "The youngling -?"
"I'm not so young anymore." Ashoka cut across him.
Anakin knocked the other lightsaber out of Starkillers hand and held his lightsaber blade to Starkiller's throat. "Any ideas?" He asked Master Windu.
"We could wipe his memory." Master Windu said. "But that will take time."
"I think we have enough," Anakin commented. "but when Vader doesnt hear from Starkiller he's going to go straight to his quarters. Ashoka and I need to get back. Do you think you can handle him?"
"There are far more of us than there are of him." Kit Fisto commented. "And we actually have some lightsabers now."
"But first, we need to talk with Ashoka." Master Windu stated. "Starkiller will be put in a holding cell until then."
"Alright. I'll wait by the door for Ashoka." Anakin said.
Anakin stood by the door, watching the stormtroopers as they walked past, when he sensed that Ashoka had returned.
She seemed both startled and happy.
Anakin turned to see her and she looked as though she was thinking about something when she walked up to him. He noticed that there was a braid in her hair now and he frowned. Jedi only wore those when-
Anakin's heart clenched. The council had assigned her a master. Well, at least they had moved her up in the ranks and he was happy for her-
"Anakin?" Ashoka gathered his attention. Anakin looked at her, not realising that he had looked at the floor, lost in his own thoughts.
"Ashoka." Anakin replied. "Nice padawan braid." He commented.
Ashoka smiled slightly at him. "Thanks... you do realise that I could read your thoughts right now, dont you?"
"Yes." Anakin replied.
"Well, I dont exactly have a master." She said.
Anakin frowned at her.
"The council made me your apprentice." She informed him. Anakin's eyes widened.
"I thought they could only make you the apprentice of a Jedi?" He asked.
"That's what I have to tell you... the council decided that, since I've been in your care for so long, I can be your apprentice anyway. You're the chosen one and they said that you dont have to be a Jedi for me to be your apprentice. They also said something about sorting out an arrangement once the empire is destroyed." She said, smiling at him. "Isnt it great? You're actually my master and I'm your apprentice."
Anakin smiled back at her, unable to believe what she'd just said. "I- I'm going to be your master?" He asked. Ashoka grinned and nodded at him. "Wait, is this even allowed?"
"Over half of the order has been killed, the empire is in power. The code has been amended for us, just this once."
"Thats- thats-" Anakin had no idea what to say. "Thats wonderful!" Anakin said at last.
Ashoka blushed and smiled up at him. "What about Vader? Wont he realise?" She questioned, her smile fading.
"Vader wont care. To him, you've always been my apprentice. Since the moment I saved you from him, that's what he thinks. He told me that the force wanted me to save you so that I could teach you what I know, and then you can teach your apprentice and so on." Anakin informed her. "But, will of the force or not, I'm glad you're my apprentice." Anakin smiled at Ashoka.
Ashoka smiled back.
"I'm glad you're my master, Anakin." Ashoka replied.
Anakin could not have felt happier at any moment in his life. He had an apprentice, Ashoka was his apprentice. He could not say how much it meant to him, or how long he had wanted for her to be his apprentice.
But now she was, and it had to be the best day of his life so far.
There was a beeping noise from somewhere outside of the temple and, to Anakin's horror, he saw that it was one of Vader's commanders. He was going into the temple for a usual check up, and Anakin cursed outloud quietly. Only Ashoka could hear him.
"We have to go." Anakin said. "Now."