Ezra had gotten the crew a mission. A sketchy one by the sounds of it. I tagged along, hoping to relieve some of my boredom. Being so early on in the rebellion, all that was to be done was paperwork, inventory, repairs and if lucky, go on a mission where I could make a difference. I was not there when the Quasar Carrier was captured, so that part of the fun was missed. For now, Ahsoka and I were sitting, meditating through the Holocron, listening to Anakin as he instructs through the holocron. Ezra walks in, the hiss of the door announcing his arrival.
"Why did you have us meet you out here away from the fleet?" Ezra asks us.
"It's safer this way." Ahsoka replies. The hologram of Anakin continues.
"Keeping your saber moving is the key to deflecting the fire of multiple adversaries. Fluid motion, one into the next, into the next, and so on. I've made some adjustments to the classic Form IV techniques that I think you'll find work well against droids and other ranged attackers. Here, I'll show you. One, two, three-" The hologram begins to go through the motions, Ezra watching in awe.
"He's amazing. I've watched these recordings to help me with my own saber training." Ezra states.
"You should have seen him in person. Anakin Skywalker, he was my master." Ahsoka says proudly, yet sadly.
"Kanan said he was the greatest warrior the Jedi had in the Clone Wars." Ezra notes, subtly inquiring further.
"He was powerful, rarely lost a battle. What would have surprised people was how kind he was. He cared deeply for his friends, and looked out for them until the end." Ahsoka replies solemnly, thinking back to when she was accused of bombing the Temple. The recording ended.
"Do you know what happened to him?" He asks.
"The last we saw of him, he was rushing off to save the Chancellor. Then everything changed. The war ended, and the Jedi were accused of treason." Ahsoka answers.
"This whole galaxy wide darkness reminds me of Mortis. The Father said that what would happen there would reflect upon the Galaxy." I note. "But the Jedi that survived the purge were hunted down, one by one."
"By the Inquisitors." Ezra finishes.
"Or worse." I correct. The door hisses open again as Kanan enters.
"Speaking of Inquisitors, Ahsoka, what do you think about us doing the hunting for a change?" Kanan asks.
"When you defeated one, two more came. Who's to say we wouldn't multiply our problems yet again? Not to mention Vader." Ahsoka replies in warning.
"I don't disagree with the reasoning, but the fact remains, we can't protect our friends from Vader and his Inquisitors." Kanan replies before looking to Ezra. "I can barely protect you." He states.
"I don't need protecting." Ezra denies.
"It's times like these that Anakin and I would turn to someone like Obi-Wan or Master Yoda. They always had the answer." Ahsoka notes.
"Almost always." I correct.
"Then maybe we should ask Master Yoda." Ezra offers.
"Not a bad idea." I approve.
Sometime later.
As we pile into the Phantom, Kanan set coordinates for Lothal, as we depart from the Ghost. As the blue streaks of hyperspace whir by, we keep silent, contemplating on our thoughts. I have an arm around Ahsoka, embracing her gently. My thoughts returning to when I met an older Ezra in the World Between Worlds, how he saves Ahsoka, and how I called for him to do so. My mind is brought back to the present as the Phantom returns to real space with a shudder. Lothal fills the viewport as we approach. The flight to the temple was short, from where we entered the atmosphere, and the Phantom lands smoothly.
"Here it is." Ezra states, gesturing to the rock formation. "If you and Kanan stand here, you can use the Force to open the Temple." Ezra informs.
"I cannot." Ahsoka states.
"Why?" Ezra asks.
"Because I am no longer a Jedi. It was my choice; I left the Order. Vex was never a part of it, so he cannot either." Ahsoka answers. Ezra understands and joins Kanan in the glyph, and open the Temple. The door we had originally gone through passes, to Ezra's confusion.
"Hey, where is the door going?" He wonders aloud.
"All Temples have multiple levels. You are more mature and developed in the ways of the Force, gaining you access to the next level." I answer. The Temple stops rising, and a second door is revealed.
"Well, new problem, new door." Kanan states with a shrug. As we all enter, Ahsoka and I both touch the rock, allowing our entrance. The Temple then closes behind us, returning to the ground.
"How did you contact Master Yoda here?" Ahsoka asks, curious.
"Well, he kind of contacted us. I thought I was dreaming when I first heard Master Yoda's voice." Ezra explains.
"And I was meditating." Kanan adds, to which I nod.
"Then perhaps that's a good place to start." Ahsoka says. The four of us take a seat on the floor, opening ourselves to the Force. I feel it shift, almost as though opening a rift.
"I see a doorway." Kanan speaks. While I can see a slight distortion where he looks, that is all I see.
"Where? I don't see anything." Ezra asks.
"Neither do I." Ahsoka adds, and I shake my head as an answer.
"Last time we spoke to Master Yoda, we were separated. Maybe this is my path alone." Kanan replies.
"Be careful!" Ezra cautions him.
"Don't worry. I wouldn't do anything you would do." He replies, before disappearing. We return to our meditation reluctantly. Time passes, and Ezra becomes curious.
"You knew Master Yoda?" He asks Ahsoka and I.
"Yes. He taught almost all of the younglings in the Temple at one point or another." Ahsoka answers.
"Kanan described him to me. Small, green, and wrinkly with pointy ears. But he didn't know what he was really like." Ezra states, and Ahsoka smiles.
"I'm not sure anyone did. He was wise, kind, but when I was young, he seemed happier. As the Clone War dragged on, he carried a great burden, a deep sorrow, as if he knew before anyone else that one time was ending, and another beginning." Ahsoka answered. The Force rippled, and we both open our eyes, to see Ezra gone.
"And now it is just us. And the visions of the Force." I note. While Ahsoka returns to meditation, I stay alert, the Force surging in pulses. Soon, voices begin calling to us.
"Ahsoka. Ahsoka, why did you leave?" Anakin's voice asks. "Where were you when I needed you?"
"I made a choice. I couldn't stay." Ahsoka answers, tears brimming her eyes. She felt responsible for not being there when he needed her, and the Temple was playing on that.
"You were selfish." Anakin scolds.
"No." Ahsoka denies quietly.
"You abandoned me! You failed me! Do you know, what I have become?" He asks, as Vader's mechanical breathing echoes.
"No." She denies again, tears falling. "NO!" She activates her main lightsaber, slashing at the vision, which disappears. I move to her side, embracing her. "Why?" She sobs.
"Padme. If I had to guess, he was tricked with Padme as the bait. His love used against him." I answer in my own understanding of how Anakin would most likely be turned. I continue to hold her as tears fall freely down her face. Time passes, the two of us still in an embrace, when the Temple shudders, and stones begin to fall. "We have to go. The others will catch up." I say. We make our way to the exit, joining back up with Kanan and Ezra.
"You won't believe what I-" Ezra begins.
"Tell us later! Come on!" Kanan cuts him off, the collapsing Temple the more pressing matter. Ahsoka and I turn around to see Yoda, smiling. After a moment, we continue on, escaping on board the Phantom, where Ezra informs us of what he saw.
"I saw Master Yoda." He states happily.
"Saw him? What did he say?" Kanan asks.
"He said to find Malachor." Ezra explains, to the paling of Kanan's face. "Who's Malachor?" He asks.
"Not a person. A place. A very dark place." I answer, dread filling me at the name.
A/N – Updated….ish… Not much was ever really planned for this chapter, but more of a filler for before Malachor. Maybe one day I will find a way to add more into this chapter… maybe a trial for Vex… but we will have to wait and see.