Chapter 4

It seems that I am in a good mood today, for posting the third chapter in one day. But don't worry, my motivation will soon vanish.

I have sooooo been looking forward to this chapter.

A new chapter opened in the holocron, the audience all excited for what is to come, though that would soon change.

15 years after the rise of the Empire:

A Torguta, 32 years old, was sitting on her knees in a spaceship.

"Is that… me?" Ashoka asked.

"I think so Snips. I am so relieved that you are still alive."

"Yes, warming my heart, this is."

"Little Soka, it is good to see that the Empire didn't kill everyone."

A holocron was playing in front of her. A holorcon of Anakin.

"Keep moving your saber as the key on deflecting the fire of multiple adversaries. With motion. One to the next, into the next, and so on"

A blue haired teenager entered the room. Sitting down opposite of Ashoka.

"I made some...adjustments to the classic Form IV techniques that would work well against droids and ranged attackers. Here I'll show you." Anakin's hologram ignited his lightsaber and began to block several blaster bolts. "One, two, three, four..."

"He's amazing...", Ezra said, fascinated. "I watched his recordings to help with my own saber training."

Ahsoka's expression brightened. "You should have seen him in person."

"Anakin Skywalker", she said, giving a small smile to his holographic form. "He was my Master."

Ashoka's heart melted at that moment. She should never have left him. And now he was killed by Vader. No, he may be. They could still prevent it.

"Kanan said he was the greatest warrior the Jedi had during the Clone Wars!"

"He was powerful. Rarely lost a battle", Ahsoka said, thoughtfully looking at her Master's holographic demonstration. "But what would surprise people was how kind he was, he cared deeply about his friends, and looked out for them to the end."

Many in the room allowed themselves a smile, some knowing better than others how deeply Anakin cared for his loved ones.

"Practice these exercises mindfully. And you'll see improvement. I promise", Anakin assured the students present at his demonstration.

"Do you know what happened to him?", Ezra curiously asked.

Anakin smiled before his hologram faded away while Ahsoka looked down, a more somber look taking over. "The last time I saw him he was rushing off to save the Chancellor."

"The Chancellor is going to be kidnapped?" Anakin asked, worried about his mentor.

"Maybe that is when we lose the war. With the Chancellor gone or dead, Dooku could more easily take over the Republic." Ki Adi Mundi said.

"Dart Sidious, there still is."

"Then everything changed. The war ended and the Jedi were accused of treason."

Shouts of "What?!" Could be heard.

"How could they do this?" Anakin asked.

"The only way they could have, is if the Seperatists or the Sith, or better to say, both of them, won the war." Mace answered him.

"One by one they were hunted down."

"By the Inquisitors?", Ezra suggested

"Or worse.", Ahsoka added.

"With wore, she probably means Vader." Anakin grumbled.

"But when could he have risen? We need to know when exactly this will all happen."

"Sir, If I may?"

"Of course, Rex." Anakin permitted.

"If my guess is correct, Commander Tano seems to be a little older than 30. This is 15 years after the rise of the Empire. Commander Tano is now 17 years old."

"I am no longer a Commander, Rex."

"Sure thing, Commander." Rex smirked.

"But that would mean this will all happen very soon." Padme already suspected that, as she was certain that Luke was barely 20 in this holocron. And she was pregnant now.

"But that doesn't add up. Where is Obi wans apprentice? If he would get a new Padawan, he would probably be 12.-14. And Vader is to powerful and has a too deep voice to be in 20s." Everyone was just as confused as Anakin.

The scene shifted to Ashoka meditating in what seemed to be a Temple.

"Ashoka…" Ashoka looked for the sourc of the voice, seeing no one, she thought she had imagined it and got back to her meditation.

"Ashoka… why did you leave?" It was Anakins voice, sounding hurt and betrayed. You could see the guilt on Ashoka's face.

"A vision of her own guilt, this is. Imagining things, she is."

"You do know, don't you Snips, that I never blamed you for leaving." Anakin said, trying to comfort Ashoka. No, he blamed the Council, but he couldn't exactly say as much in front so many council members.

"I know, Master." And she did.

An Anakin that looked like a ghost, surrounded by smoke appeared behind Ashoka. Looking at her with resentment.

"Where were you when I needed you?"

"I… I made a choice." "I couldn't stay… I"

"You were selfish!"

"Noo…" You could see the sadness in her eyes that those words had caused her.

Anakin put an arm around the his Ashoka, squeezing her slightly.

"You abandoned me! You failed me! Do you know what I have become?"

Anakin was replaced by the dark figure of Darth Vader.

"What?" Anakin shouted disbelieving.

"Anakin calm down." Obi wan tried to reassure his former Padawan. "Master Yoda said that she is imagining things due to her guilt."

"Her emotions are letting the dark Side cloud her judgement." Kit Fisto said.

Master Windu did not want to dismiss that possibility so lightly, but said nothing, trusting Yoda's judgement.

The scene then shifted to a Temple, where Ezra Bridger watched as Vader stood above his custom TIE Fighter, lightsaber ignited from his high grounded position. The Dark Lord jumped over where Ezra backed away and activated his blue lightsaber.

"You have unlocked the secret of the Temple", Vader said, seemingly impressed. "How did you accomplish this?"

"You're smart, figure it out!", Ezra shot back at the Dark Lord.

"I don't know if I should call this brave or stupid." Anakin remarked.

Ezra attempted to strike the Dark Lord with his lightsaber, only for his attacks to be parried effortlessly and forced Ezra into the defensive.

"No matter. The power within will soon serve the Emperor."

"I don't fear you!"

"Then you will die braver than most."

Everyone present shuddered at those words, knowing that that kid had only a few seconds to live if no wonder happened.

Vader then turned to attack Ezra once more, easily overpowering him and destroyed his lightsaber. Ezra looked up helpless, as the he is at the mercy of the Dark Lord.

"Perhaps I was wrong", Vader stated, poised for the finishing strike.

"It wouldn't be the first time.", a voice called out from behind, and Vader turned to see Ahsoka Tano, standing a few feet away, her expression cautious towards him.

"It was foretold that you would come here", Vader declared, de-activating his lightsaber. "Our long awaited meeting has come last."

If Obi wan didn't defeat the Sith Lord, did Ashoka, not even a Knight, even have chance?

"I'm glad I gave you something to look forward to."

Ashoka looked at her soon-to-be with worry.

"We need not be adversaries", Vader said. "The Emperor will show you mercy. If you can tell me where the remaining Jedi can be found."

"With mercy, you mean death!" Anakin shouted.

"She will die before telling you anything." Rex said.

"There are no Jedi!", Ahsoka snapped.

Saddening the Jedi present with her words.

"You and your Inquisitors have seen to that!"

Vader glanced at Ezra. "Perhaps this child will confess what you will not.,"

"I was beginning to believe I knew who you were… behind that mask!", Ahsoka said, her face of complete denial. "But it's impossible! My master could never be as vile as you!"

"Anakin Skywalker was weak.", Vader proclaimed. "I destroyed him."

Anakins hands turned into fists. That monster had killed his best friend, himself, probably countless of Jedi and may now kill his little sister.

Ahsoka closed her eyes in anguish, before they flashed once more, determination replacing them. "Then I will avenge his death."

"No, Ashoka. Just for once, don't be like me!" Anakin pleaded on deaf ears. The Jedi masters present frowned at Analkin's confession. Afer All, Revenge-

"Revenge is not the Jedi way", Vader mocked her.

"I am no Jedi.", Ahsoka declared, activating her two lightsabers, both enamating a white glow while Vader did the same, his crimson blade coming to life.

Ashoka leaped forward. And their fight started.

It didn't take long for Vader to gain the upper hand. Outside of Temple he force-pushed Ashoka of the platform.

"Few more steps", Ezra instructed. "Now reach!" Both men grasped the holocron at the Pedestal. "NOW PULL!"

They did at the same time, and succeeded. Ezra looked up and noticed something was happening. "The Temple is starting to collapse!"

At the same time, Ahsoka looked up and noticed this was well. A droid belonging to the group urged them to hurry. "We're going as fast as we can!", Ezra said, agitated. "Just be ready to whoaahh-?!"

Ezra felt his hand holding the holocron being pulled as Vader outstreched his hand for it to reach while the masked man helped up the young man. "No, no, no, no!", Ezra cried out.

"Kanan! It's him!"

"I know! I got you!", the man, named Kanan, replied.

As Vader continued to pull the Holocron, and Ezra with him, he failed to notice Ahsoka running behind him. The Dark Lord noticed this but it was too late and Ahsoka leapt above him and delivered a slash at Vader's mask-covered face, with the Dark Lord groaning in pain as a result.

"She got him!" Padme said.

"She cut off a part his mask. If we are lucky, we may be able to identify who it is." Shaak Ti said hopefully.

"Ahsoka! Come on! Hurry!", Ezra urged the former Jedi. She tried to get up and heard the mechanical, yet altered, voice behind her.

"Ahsoka..."

Thant he scene shifted, disappointing the Jedi into finding out who was behind that black mask.

The scene transferred to the inside as soldiers in blue and black uniforms with white helmets. One ran up next to the man at the console, "Hurry!"

"Got it!" They all turned to the darkened end of the hall. The alarms were the only thing they heard. Metal strained before them. Then… breathing. Mechanical and imposing. With a twisted hiss, a red blade formed before them, washing the hall in its glow. It revealed Vader as its wielder.

The soldiers were face to faces the Emperor right hand. The only appropriate reaction was desperation. "Open fire!" They fired blaster bolts toward the Sith Lord.

Vader just swung his blade, each action was deliberate and controlled. Every bolt that got close to him was deflected away from him into the walls around him. As he marched forward, he sent two bolts back into the soldiers, killing two of them with their own blaster fire.

As Vader approached, one of the soldiers pounded on the window of the door even harder, "HELP US!", he shouted desperately.

Vader deflected every bold with ease, killing one solder after the other.

Padme closed her eyes, not being able to see such brutality and feeling like a coward at the same time.

The soldier was able to get someone on the other side of the door. He passed the disk through. "Take it! GO!"

"Those were the Death Star plans." Windu exclaimed.

"So this happened only hours, if not minutes before the beginning of the holocron." Obi wan observed.

"Unsettling, this is. Stop Vader, we must."

Everyone agreed.