Star Wars

A Dark Lord of a Different Kind

Author's note: Almost done, just a few chapters to go. This has become not the story I quite planned, but most satisfactory. In the comics, after Illyana became fully integrated with her soul, she became very self doubting of her ability to make correct decisions for a long time, and almost never was the instigator of actions; that was always left to others. A shout out for all those who have commented as comments are the only real reward for writing fan fiction (ha, it's not like I'm getting paid).

Part 12a: Aftermath part B

Hours later…

Anakin's lightsaber had been placed between two rocks, the burning blue blade thrust upwards was providing local illumination. Light that showed that the surviving four remaining Jedi and Sith had settled into two groups. One being Anakin and Ahsoka, although Ahsoka was not currently present as she was off wandering about the partially collapsed cavern that had been the center of the temple. She was in search of a way out as she was the least injured of the group and thus most ambulatory. The other cluster being Dooku and Obi-Wan, they sat facing each other with their backs against fallen stones. Anakin was about twenty feet away, likewise with his back against a fallen stone, he was partially observing the two, but mostly lost in his own thoughts.

Between the two groups, the body of Vader lay abandoned, as if some kind of dividing line. All four were very injured. Numerous nicks and slices, bruises, blood loss, blunt force tissue damage from the falling rocks as well as some cracked bones, dehydration from blood loss, and then there were the lightsaber injuries. Anakin had a burnt hole through his right shoulder, an injury that did at leave him able to walk even with some bones partial cut. Obi-Wan was missing most of his right leg as there was now a charred stump above where the knee would have been, thus he was much less ambulatory, as in not. Dooku, missing most of his right arm, was able to stand but was in a similar condition as Anakin; mobile, but not very. Both Dooku and Obi-Wan had bandages torn from their clothing on their respective stumps while Anakin had crude bandages similarly torn from his pants. They were all in partial shock, but were functional by carefully channeling Force. And likewise all were filthy with rock dust, torn clothing, and a great deal of blood stains.

Anakin had eventually recovered from his emotional breakdown. Recovered in that he was no longer weeping, but had gone silent, apart from a few soft words with Ahsoka and a final hug between them before she had tottered off, somewhat unsteady at first, in search of possible escapes. They had tried their comms devices, but no signal appeared to be able to escape the temple or be received through the intervening stone.

There was a heavy silence between Obi-Wan and Anakin, a weight that neither had yet made any attempt to address. And Ahsoka was less then pleased with how the Jedi had treated her future self so… a silenced lay between her and Obi-Wan as well. Which left Count Dooku as the only conversation partner for Obi-Wan, and likewise for Dooku. Not that Obi-Wan or Dooku were in a conversational mood, but endless silence was wearisome. As well as the growing thirst that all felt due to blood loss so eventually some verbal interactions were somewhat a distractions from the discomforts.

Dooku appeared to be the least affected from the experiences of his future self, apart from being slain by Anakin in a battle where Dooku had been betrayed by Palpatine. Death has a certain… finality was Dooku's conclusion. He knew nothing of the future after his death, but apparently the others had lived for quite some time and the yet to be explained body of the one named Vader showed that Anakin had apparently journeyed far upon a path most dark. This was all somewhat darkly amusing was Dooku's external veneer, but internally he was very depressed as he gazed upon his life's works and was not pleased with what he had wrought.

The first words to Dooku had been Obi-Wan's declaration that Dooku was now their prisoner. A statement that Dooku had acquiesced to with a painful chuckle as he felt that due to the current situation, the particulars of who was who's prisoner did not really matter. "But of course Master Kenobi. I am at your disposal and give my word that I shall not resist."

Various topics had slowly been conversed as boredom is a great motivator. The discussions as ranged over a large number of topics.

One of the first was the clones. Dooku was most dismissive of the Jedi as he recounted the Separatists statements as to the nature of the clones. "… Slaves, bred for war. Given no choice as to their existence or how the Republic or the Jedi use or abuse them. It does not speak well of the character of the Jedi. Nor that the citizens of the inner systems decline to fight for the supposed values of the Republic. In truth this… Empire that you speak of Master Kenobi was already in existence in so many ways for the ideals of the Republic have long since gone fallow."

"Clone solders that you created." Observed Obi-Wan as he felt Dooku was quite selective in the facts he choose to state.

"Yes… and in their use of them the Jedi so demonstrated how little they value individuals. The clones were needed as it placed a military force in the heart of the Republic that could be relied upon to do exactly what was ordered as long it was through proper channels. As the particulars of Order 66 clearly demonstrated."

…

…

"Master Windu epitomizes just how far the Jedi Order has drifted, skewed deep into the realm of total interpersonal detachment. The case of young Skywalker is so demonstrative of this, a slave boy taken from his mother by the Jedi and appears before the Jedi Council. This child is not met with reassurance, friendliness or even shown any kindness; but instead hostility and apprehension. Complete detachment would be the most kind description of Windu's behavior, a more… honest assessment was he simple did and does not care. And his actions so modeled the beliefs of the Jedi order. Yes the Force is out of balance, because the Jedi are out of balance. Cold, uncaring, wedded to dogma. Brittle with an ideological rigidity that simply is unable to tolerate differences of opinion. A doctrine that all in the council embrace and enforce. All Master Kenobi. All. And the very life span of Yoda has simply reinforced that viewpoint."

Obi-Wan was, of course, not in agreement. "The Jedi stand for what is right."

"No Master Kenobi, the Jedi stand for what they believe is right, what they are told is right. And digression from that option is not one of the things the Jedi stand for. That is not the ideals of a Republic, that is the ideals of tyranny. Yoda and Master Windu are not the ideal of the Jedi, they are the demonstrative reality of their long decay. The lack of Master Qui-Gon on the council is simply another condemnation of what has befallen the Jedi way."

Dooku was quite dismissive as he continued. "The Jedi distain for the Senate, and the citizens of the Republic, is most clear. If it does not agree with the Jedi then it must be in error or of no value. Claiming to be the guardians of justice and the Republic while maintaining secret prisons, unsupervised actions, and zero accountability to either the Senate or the Judiciary is simply propaganda. More… self aggrandizing then actually focusing on the needs of the people. One does wonder about all of those slaves that the Jedi just… ignore. I'm sorry Master Kenobi, justice is just another word to the Jedi. And the lack of action by the Jedi is excused with the assumption of a… certain perspective, just like anything the Jedi states becomes the truth, but only if you take a certain perspective. That is not truth, that is dogma."

"You exaggerate." Was Obi-Wan's defense. But he was weighted down with what was to have happened to the Jedi. How so many of the Council's decisions were the wrong decisions when taken in the larger situation into context. How perhaps the Sith has not blinded the Jedi, but instead the Jedi has blinded themselves.

Anakin had almost commented upon his and Obi-Wan's future memories of the Jedi's actions in regards to Ahsoka. How the Council, Windu, Yoda, and even Obi-Wan had so quickly tossed her to the wolves. How… so few of the Jedi valued friendships. And how could the Jedi talk of love while constantly forbidding Jedi from having personal relationships?

But he remained silent, and thought.

Dooku defended his statements. "Do I? Tell me Master Kenobi, what was your description of the one named Jar-Jar Binks?"

Obi-Wan was slightly confused as to the sudden conversational direction. "Representative Binks has been a most valued…"

Dooku interrupted Obi-Wan. "Rubbish, your very words were 'pathetic life form' to Master Qui-Gon in regards to Jar-Jar Binks."

A hard stare from Obi-Wan at Dooku as to how Dooku could possible know that. "I was… young, and he was most irritating in his actions."

Dooku shook his head at the behaviors of the Jedi. "You saw what you expected to see. No more, no less. And thus were deceived."

Obi-Wan had no idea what Dooku was talking about. "Deceived? In what possible way?"

But Dooku refused to speak any more upon the matter of Jar-Jar Binks.

…

…

"The reputation of the Jedi differs greatly if you are a resident of the outer rim Master Kenobi." Disagreed Dooku.

Obi-Wan had been busy explaining to Dooku as to how trusted the Jedi were.

Dooku continued. "Cultural elites, divorced from the actual needs of citizens. Advocates for war as the just concerns of the outer rim are given lip service at best, but mostly… ignored."

"Only fools and idiots could possible believe such drivel." Was Obi-Wan's dismissal.

Dooku pointed out. "If that was so then… kindly explain why the Separatists exist? Yes there are the historical manipulations of the Sith and Darth Sidious, but one must have something to first manipulate. There is a saying with many, the Jedi know better, just ask them. The Jedi are content that they know all that they need to know. For to ask questions is to seek understanding, something the Jedi Council does not encourage as they have already declared what needs to be known and exactly how things are to be."

"Propaganda." Was Obi-Wan's somewhat weak defense as he recalled a certain Jedi librarian who had proclaimed that if it was not in the Jedi Library, then it did not exist. A statement, in hindsight, that clearly demonstrated Dooku's point.

Regret flavored Dooku's answer. "I wish. The Jedi champion values of kindness and reassurance, while simultaneously exhibiting coldness and harshness toward others, both within and without the Order. The Jedi are far less loved then they believe themselves to be."

…

Currently Dooku and Obi-Wan were discussing the battle of Geonosis, where the Clone wars had begun. Begun most badly for the Republic as they had suffered many defeats in the early days and years of the war.

Obi-Wan had just gotten done stating… "We stopped you on Geonosis."

A conclusion that Dooku found laughable. "No… young fool. You did exactly as we, that is Palpatine and I, wished. It was critical, mandatory in fact that the Jedi attack first, to demonstrate that all that the Separatists believed was actually true. Yes the leadership was under our control, but the masses? No, that needed undeniable proof that the Separatist's just demands would never be met. And you did exactly as you were setup to do as the Jedi are most… predictable in so many things. But even I was astonished at the scale of sheer ineptitude that you, and the Jedi demonstrated that day."

"We won." Was Obi-Wan's reply.

BEGIN HISTORICAL INTERLUDE

The battle of Geonosis was where the war had began. Where two hundred and twelve Jedi under the leadership of Mace Windu had assaulted the Geonosis arena where Anakin, Padme, and Obi-Wan had fought for their lives. A battle that was not supposed to happen. All the Jedi present had felt that while an actual fight could occur, it reality they expected the enemy to surrender as soon as the Jedi ignited their lightsabers because who could possible be foolish enough to stand against such a force of Jedi? Yes there had been many Jedi, but despite the large number of experienced Jedi, among the group were many new Jedi Knights who lacked the experience of their masters, and the weakness of some lightsaber fighting styles in actual combat had been revealed.

One such knight, by the name of Bultar Swan, had later stated. "They should have surrendered, but instead they fought back. Suddenly all the relatively new Knights like me, who mistook our overconfidence for foresight, had to figure out what to do next."

For many that turned out to be dying.

Skywalker, Amidala, and Kenobi managed to avoid the creatures that had been set upon them long enough for Master Windu's Jedi strike team to show up. However, Count Dooku had deployed the Separatist's new battle droid army, and a violent battle then took place in the arena. Although outnumbered, the Jedi fought bravely even as their ranks were slowly diminished in the face of an unending number of battle droids and the vicious crossfire of blaster bolts. Their only real gain the Jedi had achieved, from Dooku's perspective, had been that the Bounty Hunter Jango Fett had fallen to Mace Windu's blade, a death that had unpleasantly surprised Dooku as it had not been foreseen in any of his Force visions. In the end the few remaining Jedi had been surrounded but had ignored the call to surrender by Dooku. All was bleak when the few surviving Jedi were saved by the sudden arrival of Jedi Master Yoda and a regiment of Clone troopers aboard gunships, creating a perimeter around the survivors long enough for them to board and escape. Less then thirty Jedi survived Geonosis. And the reputation of the Jedi was also one of the casualties.

The resulting battle on the surface of Geonosis resulted in heavy losses amongst the clones, including many of the special force units which had been used as simple infantry due to Jedi inexperience and truth be told, disregard for the advice of the clone commanders. Afterwards, more then a few of the clone troupers began to believe that their Jedi masters, now called Generals, were not competent and did not value the lives of their troops. This slowly began to curdle into the belief that they, the Clone Troopers, were nothing but slaves.

END HISTORICAL INTERLUDE

A snort of dry distain from Dooku. "Ah yes… such a victory. Do you know what my now former master, Palpatine, said about your victory when I informed him of it? He said 'Excellent. Everything is going as planned.' Such was your triumph, a few more and the Jedi would have ceased to exist."

A shift of posture brought another of the small hisses of pain from Dooku that happened whenever he moved about. "The Jedi were played… The Separatists were played. I was played… And if that…" Dooku gestured at the black armored corpse. "is any evidence, I fear your young compatriot over there was played most of all. Thus was… is the power of Darth Sidious. The Jedi were, are so… smug in their conviction that the Force is with them when the truth is clear for those who would have eyes to see, the Force is with Palpatine."

An answering small gasp of pain from Obi-Wan as he had tensed up on hearing such words. He wished to deny them, yet the vision of a future still resonated within him. A future that showed that almost all of the choices the Jedi had made had been the wrong choices when viewed in the context of the bigger picture. That the wisdom of the Jedi was… deficient.

Dooku drove forth his point. "I do confess that Sidious and I were most shocked at just how badly the Jedi were at commanding troops and fleet actions. Why… we even had to repeatedly sabotage many of the Separatist attacks so you could win as it were." A wave of his remaining hand at the ceiling. "The intent of all that was that the Senate continue to relinquish power to the Chancellery and that the Jedi continue to be distracted while taking losses. Gods, so many of the Jedi spent the lives of the clones as if they were of no worth, after all the effort we did to create them and equip the Republic with troops of such caliber. Such valor. Ability. Integrity. Trained to be the best. Only to be squandered again and again. Tell me General Kenobi, just what makes a Jedi worthy of being instantly promoted to the rank of general when they have no military training? And likewise declaring that a Padawan should hold the rank of commander? They who are still but children? Baaa, such have the Jedi become."

Followed by a sigh of weariness from Dooku. "But it matters not now. All is dust… and my dreams of a better way now are but ruin."

That was when Ahsoka returned, likewise using her lightsaber as a lantern as she informed the group. "Nothing. All the passageways are collapsed, and half of this chamber as well. And its just not here, everywhere that I could reach the feeling of the Force is gone… almost like it was… consumed." Ahsoka was refereeing to how strong the Force had felt before in the Temple and how it was now absent.

Then cold dismissal of Dooku's statements as she had heard parts of the conversion in her wanderings. "Some of us got to live in your better world Dooku, it was neither pleasant nor better. Your actions caused the death and misery of untold millions upon millions, all for nothing."

Then she knelt by Anakin as she deactivated her lightsaber. "Any better sky guy?"

Anakin's pain filled eyes met the concerned gaze of Ahsoka. "I think… he… Palpatine… did something to me… to him… when… when it all stopped making sense. I… he… was so tormented over visions of… Padme dying. And yet… the very… actions he… I… did caused… it."

"All part of your plan I suppose Count." Was Obi-Wan's harsh accusation as Ahsoka shot an angry glare in his direction.

An accusation the weary Dooku denied. "I'm afraid I must disabuse you yet again Master Kenobi, such was not my workings."

"So what was your dream of a better future." Was Ahsoka's angry question.

A question Dooku answered. It was a description of a better world, or so Dooku thought. Of a Jedi order freed of dogma, one filled with open social interactions. Of marriage, children, friendships. A Senate that answered to the people rather the vested interests. Combined with a military that used the power of the fleet, troops, battle droids, and the Jedi to enforce peace and freedom while suppressing nefarious elements and ending slavery. A new golden age as the creed of the Grey Jedi spread across the Galaxy.

The rather incredulous expressions from all three Jedi finally pierced his almost enraptured dissertation.

"And you believed that was possible?" Enquired an very doubtful Obi-Wan.

"Yes…" Grumbled Dooku. "It came to me in a detailed series of Force visions over time. Ultimately helping to convince me to work with…"

"With Palpatine." Finished Obi-Wan as Dooku paused. "How… interesting."

For once Dooku was at a loss of words. Sudden doubt filled his heart as all that he had strove for was now suspect.

"Is that possible?" Asked Ahsoka, first of Anakin, then of Kenobi and Dooku. "Can such be done?" Meaning could such a powerful Force user be deceived as if they were but weak minded?

A shake of the head by Obi-Wan as he knew of no such Force methods as Jedi are not to be numbered amongst those of such simple minds. But now he likewise did wonder about the vision of the Empress and of a Vader that might have been. And how… in the most extremes of possible situations he had been shown to fall. A future that was so eerily close to what was to have befallen the Jedi. A future that so resembled what Palpatine had… planned.

Dooku slowly replied. "The Sith know many things that the Jedi discard. The sending of fabricated visions being but one…" A raising of his eyebrows as suddenly… some of the decisions he had made were now very suspect. "In times of great stress, fear, it might be… possible. Many of the Jedi have not treated you well Skywalker, I begin to wonder about the particularities of why."

Ahsoka reflected upon her memories of the future, memories that were thankfully fading in intensity. It had felt like another, older, her had been living in her head. She suspected that it was the same for Obi-Wan and Anakin, but they had yet to discuss it. Reflected upon the words of Dooku and… understanding as to why so much had happened to her. How… helpful, no… not helpful, but necessary, that she be driven away from the Jedi, from Anakin, just at the time of his crisis. How Anakin had to be alone, bereft of all support. How she had been just a tool to sharpen Anakin's despair, his loss, his ever growing fear as he keep losing those he cared about.

It was Ahsoka who first attempted gave voice to what had occurred. "What… happened here? Who… what… was she?"

A long silence before Dooku gave an answer of a sort. "Someone the Jedi Council fear. For reasons I know not."

Obi-Wan decided to share. "Yoda… told me the Jedi would be destroyed if you… were to acquire what you wanted from her. To learn how to do… what she… can do. Although the how of her Force abilities, as well as her technological capabilities are beyond anything I have ever heard of."

The conversation faltered to a halt. Mentioning the blonde had made everything flare anew as it were. The pain, physical and mental, the strangeness of everything. And of a future that might still yet come to be if they did not escape. How this fallen temple might be their tomb.

Finally a soft whisper from Anakin to Ahsoka. "I'm so afraid I'm going to fail Ahsoka… Fail… Fall… and do... everything wrong."

"No you're not Anakin…" Comforted Ahsoka as she pressed her forehead to his. "Not this time… this time we know… You know. This time… we can do better. And you won't be alone."

Words that brought Anakin some comfort, and the courage to finally ask as he uttered the burning question that had so tormented him. "Obi-Wan, why… did you leave me… him… to burn? Why… Why did you create… create… Vader."

Asked without facing Obi-Wan as he gave Ahsoka another hug.

Part 12b: Aftermath part C

A question Obi-Wan had been dreading, but knew was going to eventually be raised. A question that prompted a questioning look on Dooku's face as he was quite intrigued as to the particulars as to that event. Dooku knew nothing of Vader as Dooku had died before Vader had been born and thus his Force vision had ended at his death. But the prior wailings of Skywalker, the look of shame and anger on Kenobi, the attempted killing of Anakin by Ahsoka, as well as the presence of the armored body meant that things had diverged most drastically from the plans that Dooku had known.

Just as with Anakin and Ahsoka, Obi-Wan was in a swirl of conflicting thoughts, memories, and emotions. He steadied himself as he answered. "I'm… sorry Anakin. It just… ended… that way. I… my… other self was… in shock. The Jedi… everything I ever loved… was dead. And you… him… were… the cause. He… I wanted to go with Yoda, confront Palpatine. Avoid… you. But Yoda ordered him to Mustafar to… deal with you. Yoda believed you lost, I… did not believe that. I felt that I, with Padme, could… bring you back. Back from Palpatine's control of your mind. But… I was wrong. You were lost to me my brother. Lost to Padme, consumed by jealousy, hate, rage and all that was dark. Twisted and evil. Consumed with the desire to… "

The battle raged anew in Obi-Wan's, and Anakin's mind as the fight was relived.

The battle in the lava control structure.

The fight on the river of lava.

The desperate struggle to overcome one another.

To live and to defeat.

To kill.

In the end…

BEGIN DUAL MEMORY REFLECTION

"It's over, Anakin! I have the high ground!"

Anakin, lost in rage and pride. "You underestimate my power!"

"Don't try it!" Was Obi-Wan's anguished cry as he knew what he would have to do if Anakin took that insane risk.

Anakin did. He leapt and lost all three of his organic limbs to Obi-Wan's lightsaber. Leaving the defeated Anakin sprawled upon the hot lava ash, fallen at the feet of Obi-Wan.

The horror, the agony that flooded Obi-Wan as he gazed upon what his former Padawan, his friend, had become.

"I have failed you, Anakin. I have failed you."

Impotent snarls from Anakin. "I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over!"

A last attempt a reason. "Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil!"

Rejected, as expected. "From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!"

Obi-Wan was done. It was over. Filled with pain, regrets, agony, he gave up. "Well, then, you are lost!"

Prophetic words as the raging beast that Anakin had become began to burn from the intense heat of the nearby lava and the fresh ash that he lay upon. Burning, screaming, raging at his failure as Obi-Wan took Anakin's lightsaber and… left. Unable to do the final act and slay Anakin, instead leaving the heat, the burning rocks, to do what he could not. Left as he was certain that Anakin could not possibly survive. In this Obi-Wan was correct.

Anakin did not.

But the one named Vader did.

END DUAL MEMORY REFLECTION

"I failed you then Anakin… And you failed yourself."

A long soft silence after those words. Then…

"I'm… tired." Was Anakin's statement. Spoken with a tone of finality, but lacking of any rage or anger. Anakin had experienced a most definitive lesson in losing control of his emotions. Out of that referential horror he had gained a new maturity and a wisdom that only failure and loss teaches.

"Tired with the Jedi. Tired with… everything. Tired of this war. Tired with trying to meet impossible expectations. Tired dealing with the Council. Tired of fighting for things I don't really believe in. Tired of trying to be something I'm simply… not. I'm… done. All I want is to escape this life and be with my wife. Yoda was right, I never should have been a Jedi."

"And Palpatine?" Asked Obi-Wan.

Anakin was decided. "The Jedi can take care of that. You know now. We know. Once you and Ahsoka inform the Jedi Council then it should be a simple matter to stop him before he can issue Order 66. I… don't think the Council will let me go after what has been shown here. If I return to the Jedi then I suspect that the prison that Count Dooku spoke of will be my future. You and Ahsoka can…"

"I'm leaving the Jedi." Was Ahsoka's sudden statement.

First Anakin, and now Ahsoka was Obi-Wan's regret filled thoughts. The experiences of the future, a future, had destroyed the thing that a Jedi needs the most. Trust, faith, belief in the Order. Once gone, the Jedi were just another group with strict rules for its members as to the details of how all the actions their life was to be conducted. Anakin no longer believed. Likewise Ahsoka, but for different reasons. She had seen just what was to become of her in the Jedi. Tried by the Jedi Council with no defense, cast out and turned over to be executed, only to be acquitted because Skywalker had conducted his own investigation after her conviction, an investigation that the Jedi Council had not supported and had discouraged. An investigation that revealed that Ahsoka's friend Offee, another Jedi Padawan, had set her up to take the fall as Offee had planted the bombs as she had lost faith in the Jedi.

The offer from the Jedi to take her back had in the end had been so… bland. So… Jedi. Like all that they had done to her was somehow okay and was all for the best.

Right?

BEGIN FLASHBACK

Windu almost looked embarrassed as he addressed Ahsoka. "This was actually your great trial. Now we see that. We understand that the Force works in mysterious ways, and because of this trial you have become a greater Jedi than you would have otherwise."

"Back into the Order, you may come." Had been Yoda's offer.

END FLASHBACK

Such words. You may come.

A statement that was so… cold.

Antiseptic.

Unwelcoming.

Dismissive of what had happened to her.

Disregarding of just how callus the Jedi had been in regards to her.

And how revealing.

Like, where would you go? As if she had no real choice other then what the Council allowed.

After all, it was not like the Jedi gave any of its members the option to leave with anything. Leave and you have nothing but the clothing on your back. Through it all, Ahsoka felt that only Anakin had truly cared, and this entire experience had shown her that the Jedi were lost in ever more restrictive doctrines and rules that repressed and blocked any possible dissenting options.

Leaving her no choice but to leave the Jedi. And that had played right into the plans of Palpatine.

Ahsoka turned to Anakin. "Don't worry, I'm leaving the Jedi, not you."

A flicker of a memory of what might have been, a future that was slipping away as Anakin recalled Ahsoka's walking away from the Jedi as they exchanged another hug as Anakin stated what a future him had so wanted. "They should have tried harder to win you back. They should have apologized."

A sudden flash of white light and…

Part 12c: Return of the… Sith?

The blonde was back as she appeared about thirty feet away from the two groups. There was a large slab of stone at her back. Anakin and Ahsoka were on her left as she faced them, Dooku and Obi-Wan on her right, and the body of Vader before her and between the two groups. And with her return the feeling of a heavy malicious darkness again filled the cavern, and still there was no sense of the Force at all from her. She was dressed differently this time, a black pair of short shorts, a black top with a cleavage showing cutout of all things (which all the Jedi found to be shocking as the Jedi order was most strict on all things sensual), thigh high black boots, black gloves with the left glove all armored and spiky, plus she has some kind of flat black sticks stuck in her hair, four in all. There was also some kind of weird black spiky armor on her left shoulder. All this black just emphasized her pale skin, blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes.

All four tensed and summoned the Force, but only Ahsoka was relatively combat capable as her lightsaber flew from her side into her right hand as she crouched ready for what may come, but her lightsaber remained unlit.

There was a look of slight disappointment on the blonde's face as she eyed Ahsoka's combat stance then a slight frown as she noticed Ahsoka's missing left hand as there was now only a charred left wrist. A quick flicker of a glance at the black armored body before she discard it to quick glance about as she took in all the ruin and the rubble, then a slightly scrunched up look as if thinking about what to do as she looked upon the wounded and broken people before her. Hurt, bloodstained from multiple sources, missing limbs, filthy with crushed rock dust and they were… gaunt with a haunted look in their eyes while giving off a sense of fear that had not been there before. Then a stronger frown as it's not always easy seeing the suffering that results from one's actions upon people. Not….

A flicker of a memory but barely grasped… Livestock?

What she did next surprised all four, and even herself, as she held up both hands to demonstrate she was holding no weapons while saying…

"Um… hi?"