Chapter 7

"It's cold…like death…" said Luke after he had finished what must have been the hundredth practice was Ahsoka of that day. A month had passed since his arrival on Dagobah. There had been no word from his father and mother nor from Han and Leia.

"That place," said Yoda, "is filled with the Dark Side of the Force. A domain of evil it is. In you must go." Luke looked at him oddly.

"What's in there?"

"Only what you take with you." Ahsoka looked worried for Luke. He grabbed hold of his weapons. "Your weapons, you will not need them." He finished putting his utility belt on with his blaster holstered and made his way toward the cave entrance. Ahsoka Tano followed him from a distance, leaving Yoda sitting on a fallen branch.

"Luke," she said not using her annoying nickname for him that his father once embraced. "Don't do this alone." She grabbed his arm. "I've been rough on you the last few weeks…

"I know. You had to be. Someone else we both know acts the same way." They lingered by the cave's entrance a bit.

"Let me help you."

"You know I can't." Something came over her then. She couldn't quite figure out what it was. She leaned in and kissed his forehead softly. He was too shocked by her actions to say a word.

"For luck…Skyguy." He smiled as he dodged a few fallen branches and jumped into the cave.


He heard some branches snap. Then he saw images of his father as a younger man. Before long a darkly robed woman came before him. It was Asajj Ventress standing before him. She said not a word. He ignited his father's blade and she ignited her red saber. They swung at each other wildly…neither one gaining the upper hand. Finally, he swung high and decapitated her head. The headless body collapsed effortlessly on the floor before the amazed Jedi-in-training. What struck Luke though was the head of Asajj Ventress. It shattered in a burst of light revealing none other than his father's face staring up at hime.

A few days later, Luke broke his isolation. Something wasn't right about what had transpired in the cave. Ahsoka knocked near his encampment.

"Can I join you?"

"Sure." They were silent for a moment.

"You saw it?" Luke asked. Ahsoka sighed.

"Yeah…I did."

"Somehow, I have this funny feeling that you…Yoda…dad…you all know a lot more than you're letting on. When this whole mess started my father told me and Leia that there wouldn't be secrets ever again." She interrupted him quickly.

"Luke, your parents love you. But if there are secrets that we keep…it's to protect you and to prepare you…"

"For what?" He asked with a hint of bitterness. "Ventress, I can handle."

"You never had to fight her Luke…don't be so sure of yourself. She's very skilled." He stood up and removed his jacket looking out into the mists surrounding them.

"It's funny."

"What is?" She asked with anticipation lacing her voice.

"I know next to nothing about you. But I can sense the conflicted feelings you have about me." Her eyes bulged. Skyguy was truly strong in the Force if he could break through her mental shields like that. "I sense it so clearly because I feel that way for you."

"You're the son of Anakin Skywalker…" He moved closer to her as she stood up backing away slightly.

"I'm not Anakin."

"I know."

"Whatever you know, whatever it is that's holding you back…I'm not my father." She turned away from his penetrating gaze.

"I know that…it's just…" Her voice faded away. Luke was genuinely interested in her predicament. "…I'm not used to this." He laughed.

"Neither am I," Luke added. Then he did something that was out of character from him. He took after his mother more than his father, but this time he acted on impulse. He closed his eyes and kissed Ashoka's lips softly. She pulled away slowly and smiled. "What is it?"

"Anakin's going to kill me, you know this right?" Luke brushed the comment off.

"He's not here, I am." She stopped fighting whatever was pulling her toward him. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply.


In the distance, Yoda saw the two. He sighed.

"Told you, I did. Reckless is he." He paused. "And she…"

"She's always been reckless. After all, look at who trained her?" Hearing Obi-Wan's voice made the old Jedi Master chuckle. "Did you expect anything less from Anakin's apprentice or his son?"

"On these, and those that are far off, the future of the galaxy depends."

"Our ways should've changed long ago Master…you see this…"

"I do. But the price may be too much for any of us to bear."