Warning: This chapter contains some torture. Though I try to be pretty tame with my content I'm not sure if this would drive the rating up in any way.

Chapter 7 - Bittersweet


Siri shivered as she awoke in the dark from a sound in the force that filled her with dread. It was unmistakable that she had just heard her daughter screaming out in the force as if something terrible was about to happen. There had been so much movement in the force around her over the past few days and she found herself wondering what had changed. She had just wanted to save Obi-Wan, she didn't know what she might have caused by leaving her own child behind. Obi-Wan hadn't seemed angry about it, he had welcomed her help but when he was taken she knew that he would have wanted her to go back. That was something she couldn't do until she really saved him.

For now she knew that sound had pierced her heart as it reminded her of what she had lost when she left her daughter. She would find no more rest this night. She got up and quickly changed into something more suitable for the swamps around her. Her last failure on Mustafar had been challenging for her, she had been unable to get any information on where they were keeping him or even why. She knew that on Degobah she would be able to get her head together and the boy with her would be able to rest.

"Troubled you are," she heard the voice of the master she now had shelter with. Yoda was always a strange Jedi but over the past few years she had found his teachings to be the only thing keeping her sane. Though he was rapidly aging from the strain the last few years had caused on him, he was still as insightful as ever. She should have known he would sense that something was happening as well.

"It's Ri-En," Siri said, reminding herself of her daughters name and the hope that she had carried the day her child was born. "Something's happening, she is in danger."

"Sense this, I have," Yoda said calmly walking to stand beside her. He had been considering a great many things in the force lately, Siri could see it on his face. He definitely understood more about what was happening around them than she did. Siri couldn't get the dread out of her system, she still remembered her child's face when she had told her she was leaving. She was 14 now and Siri had missed so much by the path she had chosen.

"Will she be alright?" Siri let her voice speak what was weighing on her. "I've been unable to save Obi-Wan, it would be difficult to let go of loosing her as well." She remembered a time when it was impossible to voice the level of care she held for the two people she now called her family, a time when attachment was forbidden. It was still odd to tell the Jedi master exactly what she was feeling but he had proven over the past few years that he did not look down upon her choices.

"Alright, she will be," Yoda spoke his reassurance now, "sensed I have that there are other forces at play. The chosen one, returned he has." Siri looked at Yoda now the surprise evident on her face. Obi-Wan had lost so much on the search for Anakin, his return would make that mean something. If his return had something to do with Ri-En then maybe he could help her.

"I should never have left her," Siri said shaking her head. It was that regret that she seemed to be unable to escape.

"Dwell on the past, you must not," Yoda predictably responded, "had you stayed the boy, lost to the dark side he would have been. We do not understand the force, nor it's reason. In your hands, Ri-En's destiny is not." She knew what he was saying was true. Even as a small child Ri-En was very strong with the force, and she knew the girl would have some important role to play in what was coming.

For now Siri looked back to the home where the boy Obi-Wan had saved so many years ago was resting. She hadn't taken him on her last mission, she thought he needed more time to rest but he would probably want to go out with her on the next one. Obi-Wan had told her he was important but he hadn't given her much information, he was important enough that Obi-Wan had risked his life for him many times. The boy seemed to know his own past but he did not share it with her. This boy was also very strong in the force, stronger perhaps than Ri-En. His name was Luke.


Anakin reached out in the force calling Ri-En's fallen weapon too him as he surveyed the damage the girl had done and it seemed she was far more dangerous without the lightsaber than he would have expected. Many of the Storm troopers had cleared the area but some were still here, dead. They had been taken out easily by that girl. The people in the settlement were in an uproar and he did not think that would die down soon. This planet had been quiet for 15 years, and suddenly there was an empire presence and Jedi running around.

He was angry at the circumstances around him, he felt that anger flowing through him. He knew he needed to let the anger go so that he could think clearly but it was this kind of anger that gave him strength. He was already formulating a plan, but he would need Kanan's backup and whatever ship he had brought. He was going after Ri-En, that was his goal and purpose now. He was certain the Sith had taken the girl to lure the other Jedi into a trap, but she had no idea what she was dealing with. She had no idea what Anakin was capable of. He felt a presence in the force approaching and turned expecting to see the Jedi, Kanan but he was not prepared for the person who he did see.

The first thought in his mind was how much she had grown, the last time he had seen her she was 17. The last time he had seen her she had left the order, and then disappeared far away from him. She had left everyone behind with nothing but sorrow for being unable to protect her. It had been her own choice to give up her position as a Jedi because she was so lost and so unable to fathom the world around her. What he saw in her now was strength and assurance, she had worked her way through her confusion and now she was here. Her very presence tempered the anger of the situation around him, because he had never thought he would see her again.

She was staring at him as if he was going to disappear right in front of her, like she thought this was a vision and not the reality she felt it was. She had spent so long telling others that he had died, working to convince herself that he was gone because she didn't dare hope that he could have survived. Now here he was, a testament to Ri-En's belief that their chosen one would not leave the world in such darkness. Tears were streaming down her face now as she ran to him and embraced him, and in that action Anakin could see the girl that was once his padawan. No matter what the years had done to her she was still what he remembered. He could understand her fear and her heartache from all the years fighting alone. She had thought he was gone for so long, she had lost hope.

"You're alive," were the first words that came out of her mouth, "I didn't believe you could be. I was so sure I lost you."

"I'm sorry Ahsoka," He couldn't really explain why he had left them all in the dark but he didn't really want anyone to come after him. Now that they were here he realized how much he missed them and he regret not running to them when he was in need of help. He had dealt with it all alone. "I'm sorry I never protected you like I should have."

"I didn't need you to protect me," she said now clearly crying, "I just wanted you back. We all did." She now was thinking of Ri-En the girl who never lost hope in the face of loosing her parents to the same quest she succeeded at. She had never even met Anakin yet she never gave up on him. Now she remembered her anger, she was angry that Ri-En had been forced to go through all this just to get one man back. That was all his fault. He was shocked when she let go of him and without warning slapped him. He had definitely not expected that.

"What was that for!" He protested, he was shocked at her actions but then again this was Ahsoka he was talking to. He then saw Kanan running around the corner, he was just in time to witness their reunion go south.

"You should be sorry! What you did was terrible!" she said angrily now. "You severed your bonds with the people who cared about you, and running away to this awful planet! What is wrong with you! You let us think you were dead! We mourned you! It's because of you Ri-En ran away and came down to this place. Do you realize how worried I've been the past few days?" She meant every word she said, she was glad he was alive but she was angry at him for how he had let them mourn him, and she knew she would get over it but she needed at least one moment of anger.

"I had to!" Anakin exclaimed, "I had to let all of you go!" He didn't want the memories of what happened to effect him now, he held them down as she seemed unsatisfied with his answers.

"Why," Ahsoka shouted back now, "give me one good reason why you had to do that to us? Do you even know how we mourned you? Do you realize we lost hope?"

"Obi-Wan never lost hope," Anakin countered with what he had heard from Ri-En. Her father had spent his time searching even though Anakin clearly didn't want to be found.

"Then why keep hiding from him?" Ahsoka searched his eyes as she spoke, looking for any hint of emotion that showed he wanted to return to them.

"You wouldn't understand," he spoke turning away, she knew that was him deflecting, he hadn't changed that much at all.

"What wouldn't I understand?" Ahsoka asked now, "that you abandoned us? You were the chosen one, you were supposed to destroy the Sith not run away and hide the moment they made their move for power." He looked at her now and she was sure she saw a sadness in his eyes, he let it fade and he ignored her words. She would never understand what he had done and why he had run. Padme, the name still echoing in his soul, the person he had lost. He had to let it go, he couldn't let it all distract him now when Ri-En's life was on the line. He didn't know much about the world they were in now but he knew that in the short time he had known Ri-En he knew that he had to protect her. For Obi-Wan if for nothing else, maybe a bit for the memory of Padme. She would have wanted him to do this for his friends.

"That's not important now," Anakin spoke quickly and she saw his expression darken as it always did when someone he cared about was in danger, "the Sith in training took Ri-En." Ahsoka dropped her anger at him now now because there were more important things to discuss.

"I know," she replied the sadness returning, "I felt her screams in the force, I think every Jedi in the universe felt that but that doesn't change the fact that we will have this discussion later. After we get Ri-En back you are going to tell me why you did what you did Anakin Skywalker!" There was no denying the flood of emotions that Ahsoka was feeling, he would never have expected this.

"So she's really is Obi-Wan's daughter," Anakin spoke just wanting to hear the confirmation from someone else.

"Yeah she really is," Ahsoka replied realizing that Ri-En had really found him herself and she had told him who she really was, "I was there when she was born, I've taken care of her all these years."

"Wait a minute," he said when he made the connection, "you're Ri-En's master, now this whole thing makes sense. She definitely wasn't acting like Obi-Wan, I should have known you've been training her." Ahsoka nodded, he had figured that one out like the genius he was, she thought that sarcastically. Though she was very happy he was alive her mind was forming the questions she was going to drill him with later.

"So what's the plan," Kanan spoke up now trying to get the conversation back on what was important, he had been hanging back from their reunion because he knew how he would feel if his master turned out to really be alive. Still he didn't not expect Ahsoka to be so hostile to him.

"Why doesn't Ri-En know how to use a lightsaber?" Anakin asked Ahsoka, obviously ignoring Kanan.

"She knows how to use one," Ahsoka countered a little annoyed at him, "she just doesn't know how to use one well. She has a problem, and that is that she is too good at using the force. It limits her because she doesn't see a need to apply herself to lightsaber training. We've also been working really hard to keep the rebellion in line! It's hard to find time to train!" Kanan knew this discussion should be held for later but the former master and apprentice seemed to want to air some of their differences out right here.

"That doesn't matter!" Kanan exclaimed now, he wasn't going to sit here and listen to these two. "I can here and left my own padawan with the alliance to get Ri-En back! If we don't leave soon the star destroyer cloud hit hyperspace and then Ri-En will be long gone!" They stopped and looked at him, both of them knowing what he said was true.

"I already have a plan," Anakin declared coldly walking down the street, turning momentarily to toss a communicator to Ahsoka. She caught it easily but she was confused by his demeanor.

"Wait!" Ahsoka exclaimed, "aren't you going to let us in on it?" Anakin turned and shrugged.

"Just get into space and wait for my signal," he said waving his hand as he continued walking. He was absolutely determined to get Ri-En back without further exposing himself to Palpatine. Once this was all over he knew he would have to decide. Leave them all behind again or really join in their fight, and his mind was still leaning toward the first option.

"Does he always act like this?" Kanan asked her, he had never met Skywalker himself but he had heard that he was one of the most effective Jedi, if not the most brutal one. Ahsoka seemed to watch him with a sad expression on her face. She realized that something was different in him, a darkness and she wasn't sure what to make of it. He had gone through so much during the Clone Wars and when she left she was certain things had gotten even worse. Of course they had gotten worse, the Jedi temple had fallen and almost everyone she knew had died.

"He's a bit of a hothead," Ahsoka responded looking toward the way to the Ghost, "We'd better get back to Hera. She'll be wondering what happened to us by now."


It was cold, very cold like the darkness in space. That was what she noticed first, the second thing was that her arms were in pain and she could barely feel her hands. What was happening, she kept trying to open her eyes by everything was hazy. She was aware now that she was hanging up by her arms, all that was below her was black. She felt a drumming in her head, the air around her was stale. Where was she.

Ri-En's eyes opened as she suddenly remembered fighting the Sith, she had lost rather quickly and the girl had brought her here. She took a few deep breaths trying to clear her mind but there was something wrong around her. She couldn't feel much beyond the dark side of the force and it was frightening. It was then that she realized she wasn't alone and the darkness she felt was from the same Sith who had brought her here. She closed her eyes as if willing this all to end, she just wanted to go home. Why did that woman have to follow her to Abafar?

"Good you're finally awake," the Sith said picking up on the truth that Ri-En was conscious. Her voice was hardened and bitter, almost as if she had seen something she didn't like on the surface. Ri-En smiled, this girl had made an error bringing her here.

"Where are we?" Ri-En let slip out of her mouth what she was wondering. The Sith lord or lady, whatever she wanted to call herself, came into view and the girls eyes had a yellowish tint to them, they were brown before.

"We are on my Star Destroyer," the Sith responded rather callously, something had happened the girl didn't like, "We would be in hyperspace right now had my master not informed me that you were not a big enough prize to warrant my leaving just yet." The woman was holding some sort of remote and she seemed to be prepared to do something to Ri-En.

"You have no idea what you have done," Ri-En said to the girl, she knew she had to be brave now and to let go of all fear. "You would have been better off leaving." The woman raised her eyebrows.

"Why because of the three Jedi on the planet below?" the Sith girl asked with a laugh, "they are but a mere inconvenience to me. They didn't do a very job of protecting you did they?" Ri-En stiffened, she hadn't wanted to hear. She knew any thoughts of doubt would undermine her resolve not to reveal anything. She had to be as strong as possible to withstand any emotional attacks this girl would wage against her. Ri-En held her tongue from a few less than pleasant remarks she had for the Sith. It would do her no good in this sort of situation to fan the woman's hatred. The woman's eyes were fixed on her as if searching for something in her, Ri-En would give her nothing."

"Why are you even here?" Ri-En spat now, "don't you have something better to do than taunt me? Who are you?"

"Oh," Taris said with a smile, "I am sorry for my rudeness, I never introduced myself. I know who you are but you don't know who I am. I am Darth Taris, Sith apprentice to Darth Sidious. He chose me out of a school filled with gifted children because I had talents that were much beyond theirs. As to why I am here, it seems your friends caused a bit of a problem for my inquisitors on Abafar." Ri-En didn't speak, she was interested in what this woman had to say. "You seen when we encounter Jedi such as your friends Kanan and Ezra, we document their names and our encounters with them. We do our best to figure out their history and use it against them. That has been a puzzle with you since you never seemed to have another identity outside of Ri-En, Ahsoka's apprentice." Ri-En was surprised now that Taris had dropped the names of all her Jedi friends.

"You nailed it," Ri-En replied, "that's all I am." Taris didn't seem to care what Ri-En said and internally Ri-En was glad that was all they knew about her.

"What I need from you," Taris said now getting right to the point, "is the identity of that new and rather skilled Jedi that destroyed my inquisitor in combat. You know the one, with the dark blonde curls and the rugged war torn features." Ri-En froze, she focused on her training and buried her thoughts. The Sith's face was filled with hatred directed right toward her now. She was searching Ri-En's face for anything she could use against her. Ri-En knew she had this girl beat in a match with pure force strength, that was all Ri-En had trained for all these years.

Taris seemed to see her resolve so she held up the remote hitting a button. It felt like fire was coursing through her veins, tearing her apart from the inside. She tried to hold it back but she cried out at the sudden pain flowing through her. It felt like forever when the woman stopped it. There was a gleeful smile on the Sith's face as she relished putting this girl through this pain.

"Now," Taris said with the same smile, "let's see if you co-operate more. Who is the other Jedi?" Ri-En hadn't ever been tortured before, she felt out of her mind at the shock of the pain. Taris wasn't going to let up on his identity.

"I'm never going to tell you anything!" Ri-En exclaimed anger coursing through her, "do your worst." Taris hadn't expected the girl to put up such fight, her master was desperate for this information and she would have to force it out of the girl one way or another. She did have one order though, she wasn't allowed to kill the girl until she had the other three Jedi in custody. Even Taris was a little doubtful about catching all three.

"I think I can change your mind," Taris spoke almost like it was a song this time as she hit the button again but this time she also reached out with the force. The pain ripped through Ri-En again and this time she couldn't breathe as Taris used the force to choke her. Ri-En saw spots in her vision as she fought to stay awake and that fight was what made her strong. She cried out again but this time she cried out with all her strength. Taris wasn't expecting it as the binders on her wrist stopped projecting the energy and she was thrown back by a blast of the force. The child was stronger than she looked. Ri-En was shaking from the force energy that had just expelled from her, she hadn't even known that she could do that. If the Sith was angry before it was nothing to how she looked now.

"Well if that's how you want to play," Taris said now, "I'll be sure to make sure you get a front row seat when I kill your master!" With that Taris left, Ri-En then let the tears fall from her eyes. She knew that Anakin and Ahsoka would come for her and when they did they would be walking right into a trap.


So that's all I have for now. The updates might slow down for the rest of the week. I am very busy for the next few days all day,

So please Review, Review, Review. I thrive off reviews!

Thank you to all those of you who are Reviewing!

AWinterChill