Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any star wars characters, species, droids, lightsabers, blasters, systems, planets, moons, stars, plant life, or anything else in the star wars universe that slipped past me either cannon or non. Not only do I not own any of it but I also make no money from it nor do I intend to.

Sorry about the longer than usual wait I am having eye problems and staring at my computer screen for too long hurts my eyes. I think my vision is fading. I am hoping it clears up on its own as I really do not want to make my first ever trip to an eye doctor. Please rate and review let me know what you think of the chapter and I will try to get another one up soon.


"So this is Ambria." Ahsoka said as they landed on the surface of the planet.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Alaran asked.

"Your kidding right? Its kind of desolate." Ahsoka responded.

"Just on the northern mountainous side here. The rest of the planet is not that bad." Alaran informed her.

"But the force nexus is on this side? Of course it is." She said and Alaran smirked.

"I think it will turn out better than you are giving it credit." Alaran said.

"How do you know about this place?" Ahsoka asked him.

"Master Plo brought me here not long after I became a padawan." Alaran answered her. "He brought me here to help show me what could be achieved through the force. Many Jedi bring their padawans to places like this or at least they did before the start of the clone wars, back when Jedi were peacekeepers and not Generals."

"And now you are passing on the knowledge to your own padawan. The cycle continues." She replied.

"I don't know if I would consider you my padawan any longer. It was a short run but you succeeded your great trial. Besides I am sure Anakin would have if you had the time." Alaran told her.

"I don't know. Even when we did have time off he spent his time alone or at least he said he was alone. I personally think he was breaking the Jedi's no attachment rule." Ahsoka said.

"Anakin breaking a rule. Now why does that not surprise me?" Alaran said having gotten to know the Jedi during their time as padawans.

"Yeah except normally when he does it, it is for the benefit of the Jedi or the Republic." Ahsoka responded.

"Yeah I guess your right about that." Alaran replied. "R-9 I am going to need you to stay with the ship." He then said to his astromech who beeped several times in response. "Because there is no one I would trust more with my ship and the canyon is to narrow for it to fit down there. You can come with us next time I promise."

Alaran and Ahsoka approached the edge of the canyon and looked down into the deep crevice.

"I don't see any landings master are we supposed to jump all the way to the bottom?" Ahsoka asked.

"There are many caves and caverns dug into the sides of the canyon. We will use one of them as shelter. In order to get to them we are going to have to climb." Alaran responded.

"So cables, or are we doing this the hard way?" She then asked.

"This retreat is for training Ahsoka. You don't honestly think we would take the easy route do you?" Alaran responded.

"Lead the way Master."

The two of them began climbing down the vertical rock face being careful of their foot placing. It would after all be much easier climbing down than up. Ahsoka took a step down and the protruding rock she placed her foot on gave away. She began to fall and Alaran reached out his left hand to grab her. He brought her back to the wall where she regained her footing.

"Thanks for the save back there Master." Ahsoka said once they reached a cavern deep enough for them to use as a shelter.

"Of course Ahsoka although I wouldn't call it a save. You have slowed your decent from jumps and falls before. This would have been no different." Alaran responded.

"Still I appreciate it." She replied.

"Well your welcome." He said and began unloading his pack.

"You were right Master this place is very strong with the force." She said and felt the presence all around her.

"Makes you wonder what happened here doesn't it?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" She asked in return.

"Well normally places that are strong with the force were either once home to the Jedi or Sith or a place where many force sensitives have passed on and they become one with the force." He answered.

"Like Korriban or the valley of the Jedi." She responded.

"Precisely." Alaran said and took Ahsokas hand. "Come with me." He then said and led her to the edge of the cave.

"I thought this is where we were setting up camp?" Ahsoka asked him.

"We are but we also cant train here." He informed her.

"And why not she asked curious looking around at the large cave that had plenty of room to train.

"The power I plan to unleash would bury us alive in here." He smirked to her and she just rolled her eyes.

"I think your getting a little over confident Master." She snarked.

The two jumped and landed softly at the bottom of the canyon. They walked to the edge of a river that flowed through it and Alaran stopped and scooped up some of the cool water. He splashed it on his face and then stood back up. He faced the canyon wall and let loose a force wave that cut into the canyon wall itself.

"Over confident am I?" He asked.

"How did you do that?" She asked.

"You can as well Ahsoka or at least you can learn too. Your telekinetic force abilities are strong. Your force push and pull are both formidable but your defensive abilities, your force wall is severely lacking." Alaran said eliciting a snarl from Ahsoka.

"That's a little harsh I don't think they are that weak." She defended.

"Defend yourself. Call on the force its strong here it should amplify your power." Alaran said.

Ahsoka concentrated and called on the force strengthening her force wall.

"Ready." She said after feeling confident about the strength of her wall.

'Not going to be enough.' Alaran responded inside of her mnd before picking her up and force throwing her across the canyon floor.

"Not fair, you spoke to me telepathically. How?" She asked.

"Its a form of the Jedi mind trick. You can influence what the weak minded do but your suggestions need to be said aloud. I have advanced far beyond that. I can influence even the strong minded and by the time we leave here you will be able to as well." He responded.

"You can influence Jedi?" She asked.

"Normally no. Only those I have a strong connection to. Those that do not block me from doing such." He answered her. "Now that I have proven my point lets continue our training."

"Alright where do we begin?" She asked after dusting herself off.

"Now I want you to break my force wall. The point of this place is to help show you your potential. The place helps to strengthen your connection to the force but at the same time you can not use the force that does not already reside within you. So you must realize that even when we leave here you are no less capable." He said and she thought on the logic of what he just said.

Alaran prepared his force wall and stood in front of Ahsoka. He nodded that she could begin and she began a series of force pushes that did no more than cause him to slide backward a few inches followed by a series of force pulls that had the opposite effect. By the time she quit he had ended up in practically the same spot he began.

"Ahsoka focus quit going halfway and give me everything you have!" Alaran yelled getting frustrated sensing that she had so much more to offer.

"Im trying Master." She answered.

"No you are not trying that's the problem." Alaran said and smirked as he began getting hit with more force pushes.

A few minutes later and Ahsoka stopped out of breath from the effort she was putting in.

"That's pathetic Ahsoka we came here to train not to do what you already know how to do. You must push yourself or you are never going to improve." Alaran said.

"I am pushing myself Master you are just too powerful." She said and dropped to her knees.

"I don't know why you even bothered getting off the ship if all you are going to do is waste my time." Alaran yelled.

"That's enough!" Ahsoka screamed and lifted Alaran off the ground and threw him back into the canyon wall hard enough to leave an indentation. "I'm so sorry Master are you ok?" She asked as she ran to his side.

"Never be 'cough' sorry Ahsoka. Sorry implies that you feel you did something wrong." He answered and got to his feet holding his ribs.

"But I used my Anger. That is wrong." She replied.

"No that's your Jedi teaching getting the better of you. Anger is not a bad thing losing yourself to the anger is. Giving your dark side power over you is bad not acknowledging that it is there. Keeping it hidden away in the furthest recesses of your mind is dangerous Ahsoka. I have seen it happen the darkness can fester until it becomes too powerful for you to handle." Alaran responded.

"I still shouldn't have attacked you out of anger." She said sadly.

"I brought it out of you intentionally Ahsoka. It worked that was a very impressive throw." Alaran said still fighting back the occasional cough.

"Ok so now that you are hurt and I am worn out how do we get back up the cliff?" Ahsoka asked.

"Leave that to me." Alaran said and lifted his hands.

The ground beneath them began to shake and a large chunk of earth lifted out of the ground with the two of the standing on it. It began floating higher and higher until it reached the mouth of the cave they set up camp in. They stepped off and into the cave where Alaran reached into his pack and pulled out a canteen of water. He tossed it to Ahsoka and pulled out some supply rations.

"So whats on the agenda for tomorrow? Are you going to show me some of your awesome lightsaber techniques?" She asked as they ate.

"No need?" He answered her.

"What? Why?" She asked.

"You come from a long line of amazing duelists. You are yourself a very talented lightsaber duelist. Think about it, you were trained by Anakin who is probably one of the greatest alive alongside Obi Wan who trained him. Obi Wan was trained by a man who died when I was a kid name Qui-gon Jinn who was an exceptional duelist and he was the padawan of Count Dooku who trained under Yoda need I say more." Alaran said to the young Togruta.

"It couldn't hurt to learn more styles." She said.

"Actually yes it could. You fight in the style of Shien with a reverse style grip with a strong understanding of Soresu. You are a very well rounded duelist Learning other fighting styles can become confusing and can ultimately throw you off when it comes to dueling. Dueling is as much about balance as the force itself is." Alaran explained.

"So your going to show me nothing?" She asked.

"I am going to help you to better use the force in combination with your dueling." He said and she frowned. "Don't give me that look learning to fight with the force in combination with your dueling can save your life."

"I know I know. Its just that you took on grievous by yourself and made it look easy. You warned him you were going to take back your lightsaber and then did it with ease. You held your own against Mace Windu without even striking back against him. You took on three dangerous bounty hunters with no trouble. You even ran after Count Dooku and Dart Maul without an ounce of hesitation." Ahsoka said admiration in her voice.

"Grievous I faced once before he nearly killed me." Alaran said before Ahsoka cut him off.

"Is that how you got that scar on your chest?" She asked.

"Yes Master Plo found me half dead on the bridge of General Gievous' warship more dead than alive. My force recollection allowed me to recount that fight and better handle myself against his fighting style. As far as Mace Windu goes, I know him to use a fighting style that walks a tightrope between the light and dark side. It allows him to channel his opponents negative force energy and redirect it. If I were too strike against him it would only strengthen him. The bounty hunters I didn't so much as fight as make them fight themselves. I used their over confidence to allow them to make mistakes. Its not that I wasn't afraid of chasing after Count Dooku and Maul but I knew the others would stand a much better chance if I were with them and I knew I had to do all I could to help." Alaran said as he finished his meal.

"So mixing new force techniques into my fighting style. What do you have in mind? If you planned to teach me to use force lightning I am uncomfortable with that." She replied trying to get a feel of what she may be in for during the days to follow.

"I have never known you to use a lightsaber throw. Are you uncomfortable with that?" Alaran asked.

"No but I do feel that its a waste of time. Why would I ever throw my lightsaber?" She asked.

"Attack, distraction take your pick. While not utilized often it can be an extremely useful weapon to have in your arsenal." Alaran responded to her.

"I just don't see how." She replied.

"Well then I guess I will have to demonstrate." Alaran said and pulled his double saber.

Alaran ignited his saber and hurled it at Ahsoka who did a back bend to avoid the blade and then back flipped over it during its return trip. Alaran caught the blade and then ignited his single white blade before igniting it as well. Alara released his grip on the blades and they stayed lit and suspended in the air.

"How about a quick duel?" Alaran asked as his blades neared Ahsoka.

Alaran dueled Ahsoka telekinetically while sitting back against the wall of the cave. She flipped and dodged as if she were fighting a real opponent while she was not within range another living being. Suddenly Alaran pulled his Lightsabers back to him and powered them down.

"Alright, good point Master. That was a nice trick and I can see how it could be useful." Ahsoka said as she walked over and sat down next to him.

"Good you will learn to do it with the same precision but not until tomorrow. For now it has been a long day and we should get some sleep." Alaran suggested.

"Its still light outside." Ahsoka countered. "What makes you think its time to get sleep.

"I spend so much time in space where its always dark I guess my internal clock lets me know. As far as it still being light this plant has three stars, It only gets a few hours of darkness. How are you not tired anyway?" Alaran asked her.

"Maybe its the strength of the force here. I don't know maybe I just have not come down from my adrenaline high from todays training. Maybe its the fact that Togrutta don't require as much sleep as humans." She offered a series of suggestions.

"Togrutta on Shili don't require as much sleep because their sun has a long cycle they adapt. You were not raised on Shili therefore you can not use that as a reason. As far as the other two reasons I cant help you with that but I need some sleep." Alaran said and pulled his sleeping bag from the survival pack he brought.

"Maybe your just getting old." She joked.

"You may be right." He smiled and replied.

"I will join you when I feel I can sleep. I don't want to keep you awake with my tossing and turning. Goodnight Master." She said and walked to the edge of the cave to stare out at the sky.

"Goodnight Ahsoka." Alaran said and laid his head down for the night.

Ahsoka sat at the mouth of the cave and reflected back on the days training and everything she had learned. She felt the growth of the force within her, she could feel the increase in strength and it made her feel good made her feel alive. She was eager to get the next day started to see what new feelings it would bring. The rush began to wear off soon later and she walked back inside the cave to join Alaran. She unzipped the sleeping bag and crawled in behind him. Ahsoka draped her arm over him and placed her hand on his chest as she pulled herself into him.

"What was it like?" She asked as she ran her hand down his chest and over the scar where he was impaled by the lightsaber.

"The worst thing I have ever experienced." He answered sleepily.

"Painful huh?" She asked.

"Actually, no." He replied and turned over to face her. "Lightsabers burn hot enough to burn through steel quite easily so human flesh never stood a chance. It happened so quick that I actually did no feel it until after it was over at which point I had other things to occupy my mind than the pain."

"Like what?" She asked and kissed his chest before snuggling into it.

"Like the smell. Smelling the horrible stench of burnt flesh and knowing that it was mine was what made it so bad. Well that coupled with the overwhelming regret and sense of failure." He replied and she lifted her head to look at him questioningly. "I laid there dying knowing that I never reached my potential. I laid there dying wondering how many more lives would be ended by Grievous because I was not strong enough to stop him.

"You were just a padawan, you cant hold yourself responsible for that." She said.

"And I don't now. The lives he has taken are on his hands I get that. At the time though I just thought that if only I had been stronger, if only I had been a better fighter that maybe I could have slayed the monster. Thankfully Master Plo found me in time to get me back to our ships med bay so that my life could be saved. That's part of the reason I train so hard now." Alaran spoke softly.

"You have faced Grievous since and beaten him. You have proven you are better than him." She replied and laid her head back down.

"Its not for Grievous. There is much worse than Grievous out there. I train as hard as I do so that I am prepared to face any threat no matter how powerful." Alaran said.

"Your talking about the Sith Lord aren't you?" Ahsoka asked and looked into his eyes.

"I am." He replied.

"But no one even knows who he is." Ahsoka said awake again at what Alaran said.

"No all we know at the moment is Darth Sidious. He wouldn't keep himself so well hidden if he didn't have something planned. Once his plans come to fruition he will make himself known. Hopefully by then it will not be too late for me." He said and yawned.

"How can you speak of such things so calmly?" She asked.

"Its who we are Ahsoka. Warriors, not keepers of the peace but protectors of it, bringers of justice, slayers of evil. That is my fate and I accept it." Alaran said and fell asleep with his last word.


Days passed and the training continued. Far from just sparring far from normal training. Alaran and Ahsoka trained harder in the past week than either had trained before and both improved immensely. Another end to the day and Ahsoka tired from the days training tended to het sore muscles while Alaran meditated at the bottom of the canyon along the raging river running through it. The river normally a calm current now rushed harder than it had in the previous days with no rain to bring on the change.

"Ahhh!" Ahsoka screamed out in pain and fell to her side on the ground.

Alaran grabbed his head as a wave of extreme pain hit him as well. An immense headache came over both of them.

"You felt it too Master?" Ahsoka asked still clutching her head although the pain subsided moments later a lingering pain still remained.

"We need to go Ahsoka now!" Alaran said and grabbed Ahsoka's arm yanking her to her feet.

"What in the force was that Master?" She asked wobbling on her feet.

"A force convulsion. I have never experienced one before but from what I have seen it was one the likes of which have never been seen." He explained and ripped the ground from beneath tem and levitated them to the top of the canyon. He force pulled his gear from the cave as they levitated past the opening.

"What does it mean?" She asked an overwhelming concern clouding her emotions.

"Death." Alaran answered as they reached the top of the canyon.

"Master can you not be so vague?" She asked.

"A force convulsion is a wave of pain a force sensitive feels when another force sensitive close to them passes on to become one with the force. More often when a master loses his Padawan or vice versa, although it should not be that strong and we both should not have felt it." He explained.

"So Anakin? No he cant be." She said fear taking over her now.

"He may not be. I wouldn't have felt it. Anakin and I do not have a strong connection to each other." He said and a wave of fear washed over him as well. "R-9 we need a pick up."

"So for both of us to feel it that strongly it must have been-." She began before Alaran cut her off.

"A massacre, a genocide, galaxy wide." He said and fell to his knees at his own realization.

"That's not possible." Ahsoka said refusing to believe him. "Your lying you have to be."

"Feel the force Ahsoka. The balance just tipped heavily. Its the only explanation." He said as their cruiser pulled up. "Whether you believe me or not we have to go back to Coruscant to check it out."


Alaran and Ahsoka ran into the temple and Ahsoka nearly collapsed at the site of the dead bodies of temple guards and Jedi knights. Alaran took off at a break neck pace searching the temple for the remaining living force signatures he sensed. He ran past the chancellors chamber and found the bodies of high council members Agen Kolar, Saese Tiin, and Kit Fisto.

"No no no. This cant be." Ahsoka said nearly in tears. "Who could have done this? Who could be that powerful?"

"Only one." Alaran responded. "Sidious."

Alaran took off running again until he rounded a corner and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Ahsoka stop. You don't want to see this." Alaran said and nearly dropped to his own knees at the site.

"Master what is it?" Ahsoka asked.

"Just go back and search for anyone that may still be alive." Alaran told her before kissing her forehead. "Go."

Alaran turned back to the tragic site of dead younglings littering the floor. Children, dead, not even old enough to have crafted their first lightsaber they stood no chance against the evil that consumed this place.

"Tragic it is. Lives so young taken they were." Master Yoda said as he found Alaran after sensing his force signature.

"What happened here Master Yoda?" Alaran asked him after looking around at the destruction.

"The clones, a tool they were, for the dark lord." Yoda replied. "Turned they were, against the Jedi."

"Master Plo?" Alaran asked as he had not seen his body.

"Unaware I am of his fate. On Cato Neimoidia he was. Cut off our transmissions were." Master Yoda replied.

"Sidious was not alone in this. What can you tell me?" Alaran asked him.

"Correct you are. Caused this destruction his new apprentice did. Killed Master Windu he did." Yoda replied and led Alaran away from the dead younglings.

"New apprentice so Count dooku is dead?" Alaran asked.

"Yes. By Anakin his life was taken. By the same it was replaced." Master Yoda answered him.

"Anakin and he got out of here? Where did he go?" Alaran questioned knowing Anakin was far too powerful for most to handle.

"Mustafar, Tracking him Master Obi Wan is." Yoda informed him.

"Thanks Master Yoda I will go as well." Alaran said and began heading for the Exit.

"No Alaran. Do this alone Obi Wan must." Yoda said and Alaran stopped and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I understand Master. Where will you go?" Alaran asked.

"Into Exile on Dagobah I must go." He said.

"And you trust me with this information?" Alaran asked.

"Clouded your mind may be however a level of control you possess practitioners of the dark side do not. Risk of danger you possess but trust in the force I must. Holocron chamber you shall go. Lies within Information the Sith can not possess there is. Master Yoda said and began to walk away.

"Of course Master." Alaran said and turned toward the Jedi Library.

"May the force be with you Alaran." Master Yoda spoke his last word as he exited from view.

Alaran made his way to the library when he realized he needs a Jedi Master to get into the Holocron chamber. He began to head back to the chancellor's chamber and passed a broken window where he saw a black hand clutching a lightsaber. Alaran pried the lightsaber loose and lit it to see a familiar purple blade. He took the hand with him and continued on to the Holocron chamber. He used Mace Windu's hand to open the chamber and began loading all of the holocrons he thought could possess any vital or dangerous information into a bag. Once he was satisfied he headed back and found Ahsoka.

"Master we have to do something." Ahsoka said in shock at the death and destruction surrounding them.

"At the moment there is nothing we can do Ahsoka." Alaran said and began walking toward the exit his head hung.

"We can collect lightsabers. Build a memorial." She said knowing the fallen Jedi needed to be honored.

"Good idea. I already got started." Alaran said and held up Mace Windu's lightsaber.

"Oh geez Master Windu?" She asked already knowing the answer.

"I'm afraid so." Alaran responded.

"What about Anakin?" She asked.

"I promised I would never lie to you Ahsoka. Let this go." Alaran said and began collecting lightsabers from the fallen.

"Master What is it?" She asked growing scared. "He has fallen hasn't he?"

"I'm afraid its worse than that." He said and stopped to grab Ahsoka and pull her close.

"No he couldn't have. Not him, not Anakin." She said and grabbed Alaran pulling herself tighter to him if at all possible.

"I am so sorry Ahsoka." He said and she let go of him.

"Lets just grab the lightsabers. Then we have to go, this place wont be a safe place to be for force users much longer." She said.

"Your right lets hurry." He said knowing that giving her a task would help to occupy her troubled mind.

The two made their way collecting as many lightsabers as they could and loading them into another bag. They headed back to their ship a weight on their shoulders heavy with pain and loss. They flew off into the atmosphere unaware of where to go or what to do for the first time. Alaran sat in the pilot seat, Ahsoka sitting in his lap her head on his shoulder. The ship had never seemed as quiet as it did in those moments until the comm system in the cruiser beeped.

"Alaran, Ahsoka, Its good to see you under the circumstances." Obi Wan said as his hologram appeared.

"Master Obi Wan, glad you survived." Alaran said and Ahsoka cheered up slightly.

"Master Yoda said you should be kept in the loop." Obi wan said.

"We appreciate that Master." Alaran said.

"I am saddened to say that my mission was a success." He said and Ahsoka's teeth clenched.

"So Anakin is?" Ahsoka asked.

"Dead I am afraid but it could not be helped." He replied in a scary calm voice. It did not have his usual cheeriness to it. His voice was flat and emotionless.

"Of course Master. I am assuming you will go into hiding as well?" Alaran Asked.

"Yes on Tattooine in the outer rim. Only contact me if absolutely necessary." Obi Wan answered him.

"Yes Obi Wan. May the force be with you." Alaran said.

"Goodbye Master Obi Wan." Ahsoka said.

"Goodbye, and good hunting." Obi wan said and ended the transmission.

"Good hunting? What do you think he meant by that?" Ahsoka asked Alaran.

"He meant we must go hunting." Alaran said.

"We cant go after Sidious we wouldn't stand a chance." Ahsoka said and looked at Alaran to see if that was his plan.

"Not alone we don't. Not for Sidious, we go hunting for surviving Jedi or other force users. If we are going to bring down the Sith lord we are going to need an Army. We are going to need a rebellion."