Chapter 4
"Help me Ahsoka Tano," Count Dooku calls out. His tone is calm, not panicky, or frightened. "I cannot defeat the beast alone. Together we will destroy it!"
The beast roars once more and charges at Count Dooku, only to be forced back by Dooku's Force lightning. Ahsoka charges at the beast with her lightsabers still ignited in her hands. She leaps onto it's back, but its hide is too thick. Her lightsabers leave black scorch marks and sparks fly as the lightsabers strikes the beast.
"This is a palanthitar my dear! Sheath your blade. No harm shall come to it from a lightsaber," Count Dooku says as he unleashes more force lightning. "The beast can only be defeated by the power of Force! Quickly now! Rally to my side!"
Ahsoka quickly obeys his command. "What do you want me to do?" She thrust her hand out, but the force push brings no harm to the beast.
"Use your Force lightning," Dooku bellows out keeping his gaze focused on the dragon as he unleashes another torrent of force lightning. "It is the only way to defeat it!
"How? I've never used it," Ahsoka says as she jumps over the dragon's tail as it whips its tail at her.
"The Jedi never taught you how to use force lightning?"
"No!"
"That is unacceptable! They taught me how to use it when I was a Padawan."
"Well, they never taught me. How do I conjure it?"
"Stretch out your hands," Dooku orders her to which she obeys him. "Now tap into your anger and your fear! The foul creature killed your friend and it will kill you if you do not kill it first!"
"Wait! You want me to use the dark side of the Force," Ahsoka asks as she lowers her hands. She was always forbidden to use the dark side of the Force. She was even forbidden to have those feelings.
"Yes! Quickly now!"
"I can't!"
"You must! We cannot defeat it without using the dark side of the Force!"
"But I have always been taught not to!"
"You must, or we both shall perish! The dark side gives you power and this beast can only be beaten with power."
Ahsoka thinks about it for a moment before making her decision. What could it hurt for her to use it just this once? Just this once, then never again. Why should she allow the teachings of the Jedi Council to continue to guide her when she is no longer a Jedi? Why should she hide from feelings that come so natural to everyone? Feeling that will give her power. She raises her hands, but quickly lowers them.
"Now Ahsoka, before we run out of time!"
She raises her hands again, this time allowing her hatred for the beast to overwhelm her. Seconds, later she lowers her hands once more. Something is preventing her from crossing the boundary line between the light and the dark sides of the Force. It zaps her of all her strength. Suddenly, a thought crosses her mind.
"What are you waiting for," Count Dooku bellows out.
The thought returns to her again. It seems almost crazy, so she shakes her head to rid her mind of the thought – there is no dragon!
"Help me before it kills me!"
Of course, there is a dragon, Ahsoka thinks. An internal debate begins in her mind. Ahsoka knows there is a dragon. She felt it and saw it with her own eyes. Ahsoka raises her hands again, but the thought nags at her again until she lowers her hands.
There is no house either.
She begins to allow the thought to take root. Count Dooku's words become mottled babbling. Why is he here anyways? It took her a few minutes to piece it together, but this whole thing is an elaborate ruse designed to lure someone to the dark side. To lure Ahsoka to the dark side.
Something strange happened after the thought took root. There were pockets in the room where she could see through the walls into another room. It was like watching a movie that was playing over another movie. She looked around the room. Parts of the dragon were missing and she saw a man, or a being wearing a black cloak. His face was hidden, but Ahsoka could tell he was watching what was going on inside the house. The sight of the being sent a chill up her back.
She turned to the right and saw an empty room through the pile of rubble on the floor. The room's wall looks like they were made of glass that glowed white. A tall being walks into the room. He too is cloaked in black and is watching the room. His hand rises to his chin, and suddenly Ahsoka knows who it is. It is Uni. He's not dead at all, and he set a trap for her.
Count Dooku is still shouting for, but it sounds like inaudible echoes to Ahsoka.
The light from the rooms begins to grow brighter. Ahsoka squints and uses her hands to shield her eyes from the intensity of the light. Finally, she closes them.
When she finally risks opening her eyes, the house is gone. The dragon, Uni, Count Dooku, and the mysterious cloaked figure are all gone too. Instead, she is in an expanse of pure white. There are no walls, no ceiling – no floor. It is almost like she is float in air. It is empty here and she is all alone, until –
A small green figure walks towards her with a tiny brown cane.
"Yoda? Is that you," Ahsoka asks. She is relieved. The nightmare is over. The room is gone! Count Dooku is gone! And the dragon is gone!
The tiny figure continued to hobble towards her with the cane. He did not answer her until he got a few feet from. "Wise girl you are. See through Dooku, you did. However, Yoda, I am not."
"Who are you then?"
"A manifestation of the Force, I am."
Ahsoka was a little disappointed and frightened. However, the closer she got to the apparition, the more at peace and contentment she felt.
"Why are you here," Ahsoka asks trying to sound brave.
"A wise question, you ask. A purpose I will bestow on you. Travel to Dagoba. There you will the real Yoda. More training you require."
"When should I leave?"
"Go now, you must!"
The light of the expanse brightened once more. Ahsoka closed her again and when she opened them, she found herself back in the house where Dooku remained, fighting the dragon.
"Help me Ahsoka," Dooku shouted. "Use the dark side of the Force. Join me and together we can defeat the beast."
"Never Dooku. I will never join you," Ahsoka says sharply.
"Help me! I cannot defeat the beast alone!"
"No! There is no dragon," Ahsoka says calmly.
"Ahsoka, please," Dooku pleads. He looks at her with fear in his face, begging for help with his eyes. Force lightning flows from his fingers into the beast's body, but this time the beast resists. "It'll kill me! Help me Ahsoka! Help me!"
The dragon rises onto its hind legs, then comes down forcefully with its mouth open. Dooku screams in terror. Force lightning flows into the beast's mouth, until it bites down on Dooku's body. Blood drips from the beast's mouth, as it shakes Dooku's lifeless body. There is a loud crunching sound as the dragon chews on the body in its mouth. More blood drips to the floor, until finally the dragon lifts its head and swallows Dooku's remains.
The beast then turns its head to Ahsoka, fixing its burning eyes on her. It bellows then charges at her.
Ahsoka does not move. She remains calm. "There is no dragon," she says aloud to herself. "This isn't real. This isn't real."
The beast closes in on her quickly and raises his head to make his strike. Ahsoka just stands there, eye the beast as it rises. It opens its fang filled mouth with chunks of red flesh impaled on them, ready to strike down on her. She closes her eyes and calmly says, "This isn't real!"
Nothing happens!
She waits several moments before opening her eyes, and when she does, she sees the dragon and the house are gone. In its place is a dull concrete grey colored room. Silver panels line the walls and there are several large glass incased eyes of a holo projectors built into the middle of the floor. She can see the two white observation rooms; both now empty. There is also a support beam in the middle of the room. Uni and Count Dooku are walking out to meet her.
"Impressive! Most impressive," Count Dooku says moving his hands as he speaks. "You are the first to see through the illusion created in this room."
"What do you want Dooku," Ahsoka says, keeping her stern gaze fixed on Dooku and Dooku alone.
"I want you to join us. I want you to allow me the privilege of completing your training," Dooku says calmly and with a friendly smile.
"Never. I will never turn to the dark side as you did!"
"Ahsoka please. You and I both know the Jedi have lost their way. Why do you persist on walking in their ways," Uni asks. Unlike Dooku's words, which feel manipulative and deceptive, Uni's words feel endearing.
"So, I am to become the taskmaster to the weak, and a murderer instead? That is the way of the Sith. The Jedi may have lost their ways, but you are deceived!"
"Ahsoka Tano, as valiant and clever you are, you are also foolish," Dooku says giving her a devilish smile. "What choice do you have? Your wits cannot save you now. You are not powerful enough to defeat a Sith lord and his apprentice. Do not allow your naivety to deceive you. Give yourself to the dark side," Count Dooku says smugly.
"Never!"
"Very well! Your death will be on your own head," Dooku says, then unleash a torrent of force lightning, which Ahsoka blocks with her lightsaber. Uni ignites his newly constructed red lightsaber, then something hard smacks into Ahsoka's back. She stumbles to the floor, dropping one of her lightsabers on the floor. The ignited lightsaber goes skidding across the floor. Dooku unleashes another torrent of force lightning, this time, striking Ahsoka in the chest. She struggles to raise her lightsaber to the blast, but eventually does.
"What are you waiting for boy," Dooku says to Uni. "Kill her!"
Uni stares at him for a moment, then turns to Ahsoka and begins to plead with her. "Please Ahsoka do what he says. Don't make me kill you!"
"No, I will never turn to the dark side," Ahsoka cries out. She feels very weak, but she would rather die, than be turned.
Uni sighs, then charges at her. She uses the Force to reclaim her lightsaber that had spilled onto the floor just in time to meet Uni's lightsaber. He pushes down hard with his blade, but she does not budge even when she is blocking Dooku's force lightning with the lightsaber in her other hand. When he realizes he cannot defeat her, Uni kicks her in the chest. Ahsoka winces in pain as she falls to the floor. She drops both lightsaber, and this time Uni picks them up.
Ahsoka is defenseless now.
"Any last words," Dooku asks, but using his force lightning before she has a chance to answer. The current hits her square in her chest and Ahsoka cries out in pain as she falls to her hands and knees. A maddening and sadistic look appears on Dooku's face the closer he is to killing her.
"Ahsoka please," Uni pleads with her as tears roll down his face. "Give in to him!"
Ahsoka's only reply are screams of more pain.
"Stop it," Uni now pleads with Dooku. "Stop, you're killing her."
Dooku does just that. Anger now fills Dooku's face and turns his attention to Uni. Ahsoka is curled up in a ball on the ground. Her body is smoking. Uni bends down to check on her.
"You came to me," Dooku tells Uni. "You asked to be taught the secrets of the dark side."
Dooku now unleashes his force lightning onto Uni, who cries out in pain.
"If you cannot kill a Jedi, then you are too weak for the dark side of the Force," Dooku yells. "The dark side does not respect those who are weak!"
Ahsoka uses this distraction to pull her lightsabers back into her hands. Once she has them, she hurls one of her ignited lightsabers at Dooku. He ducks out of the way.
"You missed," Dooku says with that devilish grin of his. He raises his hands to unleash another torrent of force lightning.
"Actually, I didn't," Ahsoka says.
Dooku turns around quickly to see the lightsaber spinning back towards him. It slices through the support beam and the ceiling begins to collapse on them. Count Dooku throws his hands up to catch the falling debris with the Force.
Ahsoka grabs Uni and they rush out of the building before Dooku can catch them. Neither looking back.