OBI-WAN AND VENTRESS
by Gunman
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars The Clone Wars, or their characters.
Summary: Obi-Wan and Asajj take on Darth Vader as Luke, Han and Chewie go to rescue Princess Leia.
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Chapter 3
Old Reunions
Darth Vader, the dark lord of the Sith and High General of the Imperial Army, stared at the freighter that his men had caught.
A strange yet familiar feeling coursed through him as he stared at the 'damaged' ship.
'What a piece of junk.' the dark lord thought. "Report." Vader hissed at the deck officer.
"There's no one onboard, sir. According to the log the crew abandoned ship right after take off." the gray-suited officer said to him. "It must be a decoy, sir, several of the escape pods have been jettisoned."
"A decoy ship could not have found it's way through hyperspace and then followed one of our short-ranged fighters here to this station." Vader stated to the officer. "Did you find any droids?"
"No, sir. If they were aboard they must also have jettisoned." he said.
"Send a scanning screw aboard, I want every part of this ship checked." Vader ordered.
"Yes, sir."
"I sense something. A presence I've not felt since... the War!" he mused aloud and quickly turned on his heels and marched away even quicker.
The officer ordered up a scanning crew as soon as Vader left.
As soon as the two Empire workers arrived with the scanner, Han and Chewie knocked them both out. Once they did, Han called down to the two troopers who were guarding The Falcon.
"Hey down there!" Han called out, hoping that the troopers didn't recognize the difference in their voices, "Could you give us a hand with this?"
Those guards must be pretty stupid if they don't recognize the voice of their own. Ventress mused. Unless... there are so many here, that they don't talk to each other. She added with an afterthought.
The second the two storm troopers came up, Ventress quickly took her light sabers out and, sensing that these two troopers were ordinary troopers and no one else, she sliced their heads clean off.
Luke and Han just looked shocked at what she had done.
"What? It's much quieter than your blasters." Ventress said as she extinguished her sabers.
"Get in their suits." Obi-Wan said to Han and Luke.
Han and Luke quickly got into the armored suits as Luke heard someone calling into his helmet.
(TK-421, why aren't you are your post?)
The group looked at each other, inquisitively.
"I think we'd better go." Obi-Wan said.
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"TK-421, do you copy?" the lieutenant said into the mic.
Not getting a response, the black-suited lieutenant went over to the window that overlooked the hanger and saw the white-armored troopers coming out of the ship. He looked up at the window and tapped his helmet, as if indicating he wasn't copying him.
The lieutenant waved his hand and turned to his subordinate.
"We've got a bad transmitter. Stand by, I'll see what I can do." he said as he went over and opened up the door.
However, the second the door opened, he found himself faced with a towering, furry creature with a fierce growl as it swung it's arms and knocked him across the room. He didn't even notice the other five peoples behind him: one a storm trooper, a pair of robed and cloaked figures, (one in brown, one in black) and a pair of droids.
The corporal who was sitting at his station quickly sprang to his feet, reaching for his blaster. The storm trooper beside the Wookiee quickly raised his blaster and shot the corporal in the chest, dropping him.
The group quickly checked the room for any sign of other Imperial officers. As they did that, a slightly shorter storm trooper rushed into the room and closed the door. Whipping off his helmet, Luke glared at Han and Chewie. Upset at their actions written on his face.
"You know, between his howling and your blasting everything in sight, it's a wonder the whole station doesn't know we're here." Luke grumbled.
"Bring 'em on! I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around!" Han shot back.
"You may just get your wish." Ventress said to them.
"We've found the computer outlet, sir." C3PO said to the Jedi Master.
"Plug in. He should be able to interpret the entire Imperial network." Obi-Wan said.
R2 beeped a few times as he worked to interface with the computer.
"He says he's found the main controls to the power beam that's holding the ship here." 3PO said as he got everyone's attention. "He'll try to make the precise location appear on the monitor."
R2 brought up the screen that showed a blueprint-like design of the reactor controls.
"The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in seven locations. A power loss at one of the terminals will allow the ship to leave." 3PO said.
Analyzing the situation, Obi-Wan realized the obviousness of their predicament.
"I don't think you boys can help. I must go alone." Obi-Wan said.
"Whatever you say. I've done more than I bargained for on this trip already." Han grumbled.
"I'm going with you." Ventress spoke.
"I want to go too." Luke spoke up.
"Be patient, Luke. Stay and watch over the droids. They must be delivered safely or other star systems will suffer the same fate as Alderaan. Besides, I sense you have another destiny to fulfill apart from mine." he said as he looked at Ventress. "And don't worry, I'll be coming back. This isn't a one-way trip for me. Things are different now." he said as he caressed her cheek right as the door to the security station slid up into the ceiling. "The Force will be with you always."
With that Obi-Wan smiled and headed down the hallway.
Luke shut the door as Chewie growled from the Jedi Masters departure.
"You said it, Chewie." Han said to his Wookie friend. "Where did you dig up that lunatic?" he asked the pair.
"Careful how you speak of my lover, Captain Solo." Ventress hissed at the captain.
Han swallowed as Luke spoke up.
"Ben is a great man." the future Jedi said.
"Yeah, great at getting us into trouble." Han smirked.
"He's usually the one to get someone out of trouble. This circumstance is different." Ventress hissed at the roguish captain.
"Besides, I didn't hear you give any ideas." Luke snapped.
"Well, anything s better than just hangin' around waiting for him to pick us up." Han said.
"Who do you think—"
Suddenly, R2 interrupted their argument by starting to beep wildly.
"What is it?" Luke asked.
C3PO said, "I'm afraid I'm not quite sure, sir." He looks back down at R2, "He says 'I've found her' and keeps repeating: 'she's here'."
"Well, who… who has he found?"
"Princess Leia." the droid said.
"The princess? She's here?!" Luke gasped.
"Princess? What's going on?" Han asked.
"Where? Where is she?" Luke quickly asked.
R2 beeps some more, what this time.
"Level 5, Detention Block AA-23." C3PO said, R2 beeps some more. "I'm afraid she's scheduled to be terminated." C3PO added.
"Oh, no!" Luke said, "We've got to do something!"
"What are you talking about?" Han asked.
"The droids belong to her. She's the one in the message. We got to help her."
"What is this 'We' business?" Han asked. "Don't go getting any funny ideas, Luke. Kenobi wanted us to wait right here."
"But he didn't know she was here."
"Do not be so sure of that." Ventress said.
"What?"
"I sense you have another destiny to fulfill apart from mine."
"Those were Ben's words." Luke said.
"He knew she was here." she replied.
"And he just waited until he was gone so that... we could rescue her." Luke gasped in realization. "R2, find us a way back into that detention block."
"I'm not going anywhere." Han said aloud.
"They're gonna execute her!" Luke pleaded with him. "Look, a few minutes ago you said you didn't want to just wait around to be captured. Now all you want to do is stay?"
"Marching into the detention area is not what I had in mind." Han replied.
"But they're gonna kill her!" Luke argued again.
"Better her than me!" Han snapped again.
Ventress looked at Luke before leaning in and whispering something to him.
Luke smirked when walked back over to Han, and spoke to him in a tone Han knew all too well.
"She's rich." Luke said.
Chewbacca groaned, causing Ventress to grin.
"Rich?" Han repeated, now fully interested.
"Mm-hmm. Rich, powerful." Luke said, "Listen, if you were to rescue her, the reward would be—"
"What?" Han asked,
"Well, more wealth than you can image." Luke said.
"I don't know. I can image quite a bit." Han said.
"You'll get it." he assured.
"I better."
"You will."
"All right, kid. You better be right about this. What's your plan?"
Luke looked around and saw a pair of binders on the nearby table.
"3PO, hand me thos binders, will you?" Luke said to the gold droid.
The droid complied as Luke walked over to Chewie.
"Now, I'm gonna put these on you." he said to the Wookiee.
"RAAAAHHHH!" Chewie roared furiously, causing Luke to jump back.
"O.K. Han, you – you put those on." Luke said as he backed up.
"Don't worry Chewie. I think I know what he has in mind." Han said as he placed the cuffs on the Wookie. "What about her?" he asked, looking at Ventress.
"I'm coming as well." she said.
"What if you're seen?" Luke asked.
"I won't be." he smirked.
"Uh-huh. You really blend in." A skeptical Han said.
"Master Luke, sir, pardon me for asking but what should R2 and I do if we're discovered here?" C3PO asked as the group prepared to head out.
"Lock the door." Luke said.
"And hope they don't have blasters." Han added.
"That isn't very reassuring." C3PO said in an almost exasperated tone.
R2 beeped in response.
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In the halls of The Death Star, the two storm troopers were escorting the Wookie prisoner towards the prison level.
Luke was wondering how it was that Ventress wasn't being noticed. He knew she was there, but he could barely sense her presence. Which wasn't saying much since he had just started his Force training. Like today!
Just then a little mouse droid came rolling up towards the group. Chewie looked at it and growled. The mouse droid paused, back-peddled, and sped off quite fast. Chewie just gave a satisfied smirk as it fled. The trio continued until they came to an elevator.
As the trio waited for the elevator to arrive, various pages were being made on the intercom over their heads.
"517 to scanner control."
"316, report to control."
"53 to upper bay door."
Apparently their presence had gone unnoticed.
The elevator door opens and Han pushed Chewie into the elevator.
"I can't see a thing in this helmet." Luke complained as he got in the elevator.
Once the doors were closed and the elevator started to descend, Han removed Chewie's cuffs.
"This is not gonna work." Han grumbled.
"Why didn't you say so before?" Luke asked.
"I did say so before!" Han replied.
"Relax. I have a back-up plan." Ventress said.
The lift stopped and the quartet got out. Ventress immediately noticed there were only five guards. Two in black uniforms, three of them were actually wearing black helmets. There was another black guard further down the long metal hallway where the prisoners were being held.
She also noticed that something was... off... about this Cell Block. As if there was someone else besides the Princess here.
One of the officers, the head guard, approached them.
"Where are you taking this... thing?" he asked, staring at the Wookiee.
"Prisoner transfer from Cell Block 1138." Luke replied. "He's to be traded for the Princess."
The head guard looked at the white trooper skeptically.
"I wasn't notified. I'll have to clear it."
"You don't need to clear it." Ventress suddenly said as she waved her hand.
"I... don't need to clear it." the head guard said.
"You will accept this prisoner without complaint." she said.
"We'll accept this prisoner without complaint." the guard repeated.
Luke and Han just looked at each other in shock. Even Chewie was confused.
Two of the guards walked over to Chewie and took him by the arms. Han motioned for Chewie to just go with it.
"And now you'll bring out the princess to us." she said to the head guard. "And the others."
"And now we'll bring out the princess to you. And the Others." the guard said as he ordered the technician to open up Cell 2187.
"Are you sure, sir?" the technician said.
"Just do it." Ventress said.
"Just do it." the head guard repeated.
"Yes, sir." the technician backed down.
Luke looked at Han, both of them wondering who the 'Others' were.
The two black suited guards took the Wookiee towards the cell, opening it up and revealing a white-garbed, brown-haired beauty resting on a steel slab.
"What's this?" Princess Leia asked.
"Prisoner transfer. Come on." the guard said.
Leia looked skeptical, but got up and walked tentatively out of the cell. The guards then brought the Wookiee back as well.
When Ventress saw her, something familiar struck her. Like this woman was important somehow. And not just because of who she was.
The other guard then opened two other cells, releasing two people.
One was a female prisoner wearing a red dress. She had light alabaster skin, gray hair and dark brown eyes with gray markings on her face, and a strange mechanical collar around her neck.
'A Force-suppression collar.' Ventress mentally gasped when she saw it.
The second person they brought out was a human male with copper-brown hair and green eyes. He was taller than Luke by a couple of inches, and seemed in his late 30s. He was dressed in a tattered black and brown outfit with black boots and a small cloak over his shoulders.
He too had a Force-suppression collar around his neck.
Ventress hadn't expected this.
"Good. Now... we'll be taking the prisoners back to the other cell block." Ventress said.
"Back? I thought this was a prisoner transfer." the head guard said.
"It was. New orders just came in." Ventress said with another wave of her hand. "Lord Vaders orders."
"Lord Vaders orders." the head guard acknowledged.
Luke and Han continued to look at each other, before taking Chewie, the Princess and the others and piling back into the elevator.
"You will remember nothing of this incident." Ventress said before the door closed.
"We will remember nothing of this incident." the Guards said in unison as the elevator door closed.
Inside the elevator, Han turned to Luke.
"Well THAT went better than I thought." Han said as he removed his helmet.
Leia, however, was very, very confused.
"What... just happened?" Leia asked as Ventress took off the Force-Suppression Collar from around the womans neck.
"AH! Thank you." the woman gasped.
"You're welcome, sister." Ventress said.
"I am Merrin, of the Nightsisters of Dathomir." the woman introduced herself.
"Asajj Ventress. I used to be a Nightsister." she said as she removed the collar from around the man. "And who are you?" she asked.
"Cal Kestis. I'm a Jedi Knight." the man said.
Luke looked shocked.
He didn't know just how new this station was, so having so many new and unique prisoners didn't seem that strange to him.
A princess from Alderaan, a Dathomirian Nightsister, and another Jedi Knight.
"Thanks for getting us out. Merrin and I have been prisoners here for months." Cal said.
The Princess turned to look at the two storm troopers.
"And who are you?" Leia asked. "You look a little short to be a storm trooper."
Luke pulled his helmet off and turned to address the woman.
"I'm Luke Skywalker. My friends and I came to rescue you." he said.
"You're who?" Leia asked, clearly confused.
"I'm Luke Skywalker. I found your R2 unit. We're here with Ben Kenobi."
That got Leia's attention.
"Ben Kenobi? Where is he?" she asked.
"Disabling the tractor beam so we can leave this station." the woman in the cloak said.
She pulled back her hood to reveal a pale-skinned, bald and slightly scary-looking woman. Yet, there was something about her that seemed... familiar?
"Who are you? Another Jedi?" Leia asked.
"Hardly. I am Asajj Ventress. This is Han Solo, and Chewbacca." she said, indicating the other storm trooper and the Wookiee. "You have already met Luke."
"Yes. I'm Leia Organa, princess of Alderaan."
"You mean you used to be." Han said as he looked at the princess.
Leia huffed at that.
"I know. This battle station The Empire built destroyed it. In one shot." she said sadly.
Han and Luke just looked at each other. Obi-Wan and Ventress had been right. Merrin and Cal, who had their Force abilities suppressed for several months, just looked shocked.
"Is R2 safe?" Leia asked.
"Yeah. He's with 3PO. Back near the ship." Luke said.
Ventress just looked around the elevator as it suddenly stopped.
"Kenobi has shut off the tractor beam." Ventress said.
"How do you know that?" Leia asked.
"I can sense it."
While Luke was about to ask how she could actually do that, she suddenly held up her hand as if to stop his question.
The group paused when they noticed a lone figure standing in the hallway. Leia grew fearful when she saw who it was. Cal and Merrin also looked concerned.
"So... you're still alive. Ventress." Darth Vader said to the former Sith Apprentice.
"The same could be said of you. Vader." Ventress said as she took out her lightsabers. "Get back to the ship. I will join you shortly."
Sensing something was wrong, Luke grabbed Leia and pulled her down the hallway, with Han and Chewie running after them. Cal, not having his lightsabers and still recovering from just regaining his Force abilities, turned to Merrin and pulled her along as well.
"Vader suddenly pressed a button on his chest. "This is Vader! Prisoners have escaped the detention level! All Sectors On Alert!" he said into his communicator.
He then hissed and turned back to Ventress.
"I sensed Kenobi was here. I was surprised to find you as well." Vader said as he extended his own lightsaber.
"You always were easy to fool." she smirked.
"Your skills as an assassin have not diminished." he admitted. "But I am no longer the reckless padawan I once was. Now I am the master!"
"A master of evil. And you're still a fool." she said as she activated both of her lightsabers. "You serve the wrong master."
"I serve the Emperor. Just as you did."
"I served Count Dooku, before he was ordered to betray me. By The Emperor. And He Will Betray You Too!"
"Do not project your failures onto me." Vader said as he advanced.
"I'll project much more on you!" she snarled as she leapt at him.
Vader blocked both of her sabers.
She was just as quick as he remembered. And seemed just as young as ever. While his cybernetics and mechanical parts enabled him to move, it also made it difficult for him to move as he used to.
Had he the Force Lightning that his master wielded, he might be able to easily defeat her. Which meant he had one option left.
Holding her off with one hand, he used his other hand to Force-Grab several pieces of machinery and other debris from around him, and hurl them at her.
Ventress jumped back to avoid the pieces of metal, slicing them apart with her sabers.
"You're as agile as ever I see."
"And you have only gotten slower." she mocked.
"Perhaps." Vader said as he waved his hand.
Ventress was suddenly pushed back against the far wall.
"But I am not helpless."
Ventress growled at him.
"Understood!" she hissed.
Vader pulled metal panels off the floor and walls and hurled them at Ventress. The former assassin quickly leapt out of the way, slicing up some of the panels and Force-Pushing others away from her.
'He's more formidable than I thought.' she mentally berated herself. 'I need to take this more seriously.'
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Meanwhile, in another part of the station, a certain Jedi Knight was casually striding towards the hanger, having been successful in getting out of the generator room where the tractor beam was tied to the main reactor.
Obi-Wan was careful not to be seen. But there was something else bothering him. He knew that Vader was here... and he knew others were as well.
He paused as a strange and eerie sensation crept upon him.
Turning right when he knew he should go left, he took an elevator to another section of the massive space station.
When the doors opened, he felt drawn to another place he knew was there.
Inside the meeting room, Grand Moff Tarkin was going over several new reports. But none more disturbing than what Vader had said before.
'I still can't believe that Obi-Wan Kenobi is still alive. And here? It's impossible.' Tarkin thought to himself as a figure entered the meeting room. Before Tarkin had a chance to look up, the two black-suited guards were thrown backwards against the wall by an unseen force.
They didn't even get the chance to draw their blasters.
Tarkin gasped when he saw him. But what was more... was his appearance.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi." Tarkin gasped in disbelief.
"Wilhuff Tarkin." Obi-Wan replied somewhat cooly to the older man. "You're looking well."
"And you haven't aged a day. Not in twenty years." Tarkin gasped, somewhat amazed by the Jedis apparent youth.
"Oh, you know. Clean living and all that." he joked a little.
"I find that hard to believe. Then again, I have seen The Force do many incredible things. Master Yoda himself was said to be hundreds of years old. Still, I am surprised that you are even alive."
"And I have to say... I did not expect you to build such a grand new residence." The Jedi said as he looked at the large meeting room. Of course, he was referring to the new station.
"Yes. We could not have created something like this back during the Clone Wars. This station took many years to build. In secret, of course."
"Of course. Still, I was surprised by all this. By your presence here."
"Reminiscing about the past?"
"Concerned. With the war ended, I should have known The Empire would turn itself towards more 'industrious' concerns. Though I would never have even conceived of such a terrifying monstrosity."
Tarkin just smirked.
"Even with all we have both seen during the war?"
"A space station... the size of a small moon... with the power to destroy a planet. I doubt even a Sith could have conceived such a thing."
"Regardless, this station has already proven its superiority. And soon... the Rebellion itself will be crushed. And The Empire will reign supreme across the galaxy." Tarkin declared.
"And no Jedi to oppose you." Obi-Wan retorted.
"That is the idea."
The pair just stared at each other for several seconds. Obi-Wan could feel Tarkins nervousness, but no fear or regret. No semblance of overconfidence, not with the power to back it up. Still, there was a small lingering doubt in his mind. As if something had happened recently to give him doubt.
Tarkin's thoughts were on a conversation that had taken place between Darth Vader and one of his officers. How they should not be too proud of this 'technological terror' that they have constructed. How it's power was insignificant next to the Force.
Of course, he couldn't let Obi-Wan know that. It hadn't occurred to him that Kenobi might outright kill him here and now.
The pair were silent before Obi-Wan spoke.
"You won't win." The Jedi said.
"I don't see how we can lose. The Jedi are all but extinct. They have no future. And the Rebellion is less than nothing, as compared to The Galactic Empire."
"You're as arrogant as ever, I see. Even when you were an officer in the Old Republic."
"The last remnants of the Old Republic have already been swept away." Tarkin said. "The Emperor has seen to that."
"What do you mean?" Kenobi asked.
"He has dissolved the Senate."
Obi-Wan balked at hearing that. And he knew that Tarkin wasn't trying to bluff him.
"There will be chaos. Unless..." he said as a terrible thought dawned upon him. "This station. You plan to use it as a threat to hold over the heads of every star system in the galaxy."
"It's presence alone will be sufficient. Fear has always been an effective means of controlling others. Any act of dissidence or insubordination, will be met with swift and terrible punishment."
"Especially once the galaxy learns about your destroying Alderaan."
"A terrible, but necessary sacrifice, to ensure peace." Tarkin said.
"Peace by either force or violence is tyranny. Only a small group will benefit."
"And yet, we will be able to achieve what the Jedi, what the Old Republic, never could."
Obi-Wan knew that arguing with Tarkin wasn't going to get him any where. He was completely and totally sold on his fanatical rhetoric. The lies and delusions of the Sith were as a religion to him. Even if his own goals aligned with them as well.
He paused and looked away from Tarkin, as if he could sense something else had happened.
"Then... perhaps I should thank you." Obi-Wan said with a force smile.
"Thank me?" Tarkin asked, clearly surprised by that statement.
"Yes. For giving me a renewed purpose that I have not had in many years."
"You cannot defeat us."
"By myself, no. But where there is tyranny, there is always Rebellion." he said as he turned to leave.
"Even back during The Clone Wars you never managed to escape from such a heavily fortified place as this." Tarkin said as he finally rose up from his seat.
"Not on my own." Obi-Wan said with a smirk. He turned to leave, then turned back to Tarkin. "Oh. One more thing." he said before he waved his hand in a sort of quick and angry motion. Tarkin gasped as he flew across the room and slammed into the wall. He slumped to the floor, unconscious. "That was for Alderaan." he said as he exited the meeting room.
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Ventress and Vader continued to clash violently, the Sith Lord using his powers to try and crush and kill his foe, the former Sith Assassin using her speed and agility to dodge his attacks.
Her saber skills were more than a match for his, even after all this time. However, Vader had not had anyone to test his might against in 20 years. A few brief clashes with dissident forces here and there, several armed Rebel soldiers aboard that Blockage Runner he had tracked down before it had escaped and then of course there was his old apprentice, Starkiller, who was dead.
But this... this was far more than he was used to.
Ventress pressed her advantage, slamming her lightsabers into his. Vader was on the defensive, blocking her attacks as best he could. He tried to push her back, but she was slipping past his attacks like she was made of air.
She flew passed him, jumping into the air to kick him in the back, his armored body protecting his severely injured form.
"You've got more padding than I expected." she said as she turned to face him again.
"Something I owe Obi-Wan for." he hissed.
"Give up now." Ventress said as she and Vader circled each other.
"I won't. And neither will I let you escape." Vader said.
"You know you can't hold me."
"Then I'll have to kill you." he said, holding out his hand and suddenly Force-Choking her.
"ACCCKKKK!" she gasped, the sudden constricting of her wind-pipe causing her both pain and disorientation. 'No... must... concen—trate!' she mentally groaned as she tried to focus on getting out of his invisible grip.
Suddenly, Vader was launched backwards, slamming into another wall.
His grip broken on Ventress, the former Sith gasped for much needed air.
Vader and Ventress looked over and saw a new figure walking towards them.
Ventress smiled at seeing Obi-Wan had arrived.
The dark lord of the Sith just gasped when he saw his former master. And looking exactly like he did 20 years go.
"Obi-Wan." Darth Vader said.
"Kenobi!" Ventress smiled.
"At your service." Obi-Wan said with a smile.
Vader growled as he stood up and gripped his lightsaber tightly.
"At last." the dark lord growled as he advanced towards his former master.
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Authors Notes:
Thanks to StraightedgeEpyon for the characters Merrin and Cal from Jedi Fallen Order.
Been a long time updating this story. Mostly because I've had a lot of problems. Updates have been slow coming. Will try to get other updates updated as soon as I can.