Chapter 22 - An Old Friend
DISCLAIMER: We do not own Star Wars or any of the characters in it, though we wish we did. xD
Author's Note: In which Ahsoka runs into Ventress, and Dooku's new assassin makes an appearance. :P
~ Amina Gila
Explosions ring out around Ahsoka as she sends her fighter diving forwards, spinning out of the way of the laser fire from the Separatist forces. As the battle continues to range, she begins to sense a certain familiar presence through the Force. One she hasn't felt in a long time now.
A blast hits the side of Obi-Wan's fighter, not enough to cause serious damage, but definitely enough to catch everyone's attention. "Ventress!" Anakin realizes the same moment she does. Ahsoka tenses. She does not like this at all. Asajj was the only person she somewhat considered a friend, and although she always knew they'd run into each other at some point, she hadn't been looking forwards to it. Ahsoka will have to fight her, and she doesn't want to do that.
"Split up!" Obi-Wan calls. The three fighters move back and forth as they approach the Separatist flagship avoiding the firing. Finally, they pull apart, spinning different directions at once.
"Looks like I'm her favorite," Obi-Wan decides as the fighter behind them continues to pursue after him, finally continuously.
"I'm kind of disappointed. Only the droids follow me," Anakin remarks, glancing over his shoulder.
Ahsoka soon finds herself with her master, flying along one side of the ship. Only three droids are in pursuit, Asajj having gone after Obi-Wan.
"You wanna race? Come on!" Anakin calls cheerfully, diving towards the ship. Battle is thrilling, but he really overdoes it sometimes. The droids fly after, and he makes a sudden sharp turn after nearly crashing right into the Separatist ship. One of the droids actually crashes right into it. Explosions rip across the area, flames sparking everywhere.
More explosions ring about behind them as they continue fly away from that part of the ship, one finally large enough to catch all three droid ships. One thing is for certain, Ahsoka concludes. Anakin is a crazy pilot.
"Anakin, Ahsoka, I'm going to need some help!" Obi-Wan warns. Asajj is close behind him, each shot narrowly missing its target. Ahsoka's fighter continues to speed forwards, shooting down the Separatist ones blocking their path.
"Where are you?" Anakin asks.
"I'm hit!" Obi-Wan replies, "I'm heading towards the Separatist flagship!"
Out the cockpit window, Ahsoka catches sight of a burning ship – Obi-Wan's – rapidly heading down towards the largest Separatist ship.
"Hang on, we're coming!" Ahsoka declares, spinning her ship around and heading down towards the hanger.
"I see you!" Anakin calls, spinning the ship to fly after Asajj. He starts shooting, hitting her fighter easily. "I've got her!"
Obi-Wan's reaches the hanger first, the front of it bursting into flames as it connects with the ground. Asajj crashes moments after. Ahsoka's fighter lands third, and she throws it open, jumping out. This is not the situation she wanted to be in. Asajj is a friend, despite them being on different sides.
Anakin's fighter glides to a stop next to Ahsoka's and he leaps out, running over to Obi-Wan's still burning ship. Artoo flies out of the fighter, rolling after him. Ahsoka pauses for a moment, glancing around the area. She's about to head over to Obi-Wan's when something stops her in her tracks.
That vision she had months ago, not long before she was captured on Kamino. Of Dooku betraying her. The scene... it's just like it was in her vision. What if...? Was Asajj betrayed like she would have been? Then she senses it, the faint feel of Dooku's presence. Asajj is talking to him right now. It's exactly the same as Ahsoka was in her vision.
"Obi-Wan!" Anakin calls in alarm. "Obi-Wan!" He had better be alright. Anakin reaches over to yank open the fighter as Obi-Wan finally pushes it open from inside. Artoo starts spraying a fine mist on the fire, quenching the flames. Anakin lets out a small sigh of relief when they finally die out.
"Thank you, Artoo, that's quite enough," Obi-Wan grumbles, standing up as the droid continues spraying over the fighter.
The droid beeps as Obi-Wan jumps down, and the two turn to face where Ventress is slowly standing up and climbing out of her sparking ship. Ahsoka is standing a distance off, tensed in a way Anakin can't quite recall seeing her before. Something is off, but he can't really take the time to worry about it right now.
Ventress ignites her lightsabers, staring down at the three Jedi. Anakin and Obi-Wan ignite their own. Ahsoka's hands rest on her own hilts, but she doesn't move to ignite them as she slowly moves towards the Jedi.
"Ventress," Obi-Wan greets her, "You're not looking well."
"She never does," Anakin offers.
"I heard rumors, but I didn't realize they were true," Ventress says, ignoring them and instead focusing on Ahsoka.
"I'm not a traitor, if that's what you're insinuating," Ahsoka answers carefully.
"You have failed, Ventress. Surrender," advises Obi-Wan, pointing his lightsaber at her.
"Never!" the Sith assassin snarls, jumping at them. Anakin and Obi-Wan raise their lightsabers in anticipation as she springs off her ship, lightsabers striking theirs as she flips over their heads.
Ahsoka activates her own white blades and moves forwards as Ventress steps back. The Sith slashes at them from behind, and they spin around to parry her blows. Anakin stabs out at her, but she jumps back. Ventress takes a few steps back right before the trio lunge at her in unison.
Anakin reaches first, their blades colliding. She swings up with her other one to block Obi-Wan, then shoves them back and spins around as Ahsoka attacks her. Their four blades meet, and Anakin stabs towards the Sith again, only for her to whirl away from them. She attacks Obi-Wan next, then kicks him back.
She blocks Anakin's and Ahsoka's blows, rapidly retreating away, flipping backwards. The fight soon carries her up to a wall, and Anakin lunges forwards, only for Ventress to leap up and kick herself off it, landing behind them. She throws out a hand, hurling Anakin back into the wall. Ventress slashes at him again, but Ahsoka jumps in front, her white blades crossed to block it. "We might have been friends once," she growls lowly, "But I won't let you kill my master."
"Such sentiment," she mocks.
Obi-Wan runs for Ventress, and she swings her right lightsaber up to block him. As the three of them press their attacks on her, she backs away across the platform. Anakin and Obi-Wan reach her first, and their blades clash furiously.
Throwing out a hand, Obi-Wan Force-shoves her backwards into the fighter she's standing in front of. Her lightsabers slip from her grasp.
"It's over," Anakin growls, pointing his lightsaber at her.
She suddenly jumps to her feet, and Anakin has only a second of warning before the Force tightens around his neck, and he's lifted off the ground. His lightsaber deactivates as he struggles in her grasp. The sight of Obi-Wan struggling next to him only fuels his rising anger.
With a shout of fury, Ahsoka lunges at her former friend. Ventress instantly drops them, dodging beneath Ahsoka's wild slashes. Her ruby lightsabers ignite, and the battle continues. Their blades meet in a saberlock.
Anakin straightens, breathing deeply. Suddenly, the ship jolts violently, nearly throwing him off his feet. Ventress stumbles back, and Ahsoka somehow catches her balance by throwing all her weight on the Sith. Well, now that the ship is getting damaged, it would be best for them to hurry and get out, but Anakin has no intention of leaving before they take care of Ventress once and for all. He knows she was once a friend of Ahsoka's, but right now, he doesn't care. That Sith has caused so much damage.
Anakin lunges towards her again, Obi-Wan a step behind. Ventress throws Ahsoka back, then whirls to them. She's been on the defensive pretty much non-stop, clearly struggling to hold all three of them off.
The six lightsabers continue clashing until they finally make their way over to Ventress's ship. Anakin leaps up onto it, then down to the other side, and the other three following. Ahsoka kicks the Sith back into the side of the fighter, and her left hand collides with it hard enough to send her lightsaber skittering across the floor. She ducks beneath that edge of it, and Anakin and Ahsoka follow. Obi-Wan jumps over, landing right next to Ventress. He catches her blade with his, and with a quick motion, sends it flying across the hanger.
Anakin instantly lowers his lightsaber to the Sith's neck, following Obi-Wan's example. Ahsoka steps between the two, eyes narrowed angrily as her lightsabers point towards her former friend. Thankfully, this time, Ventress has the sense to realize that she's outnumbered. She stands up slowly, taking the ends of the lightsabers with her, but doesn't move otherwise.
Anakin feels a faint warning rippling through the Force but right now, his attention is focused solely on the Sith. He can't help but wonder if they'd even be able to take her back to the Republic. Ahsoka insists she might be able to turn back someday, like she did, but Anakin has his doubts. Ventress is known for being far darker and more brutal.
"Look out!" Ahsoka yells suddenly. Anakin glances over towards the hanger in time to spot a flaming ship hurtling towards them. Intentionally, he realizes. It's large enough to cause some serious damage; it's as if Dooku's trying to get them all killed here. And as much as he hates to let her go, there's no choice. Not unless he wants to get himself incinerated with half the hanger. The trio dive to one side of the hanger, the side near their red, gold, and orange fighters, while Ventress jumps to the opposite side, taking cover behind her own.
There's the loud sound of metal colliding with metal as Anakin shields himself behind the fighters, an explosion of smoke and flames tearing through the area. "I think now would be a good time to get out of here!" Ahsoka yells.
Obi-Wan risks a look over the edge. Anakin stands a little slower. A good portion of the hanger is in flames, rapidly spreading. "We have to get out of here," Obi-Wan states flatly, and the three don't waste a moment before running to their fighters. Artoo jumps in after Anakin, and in a matter of moments, the three fighters are zipping right out of the hanger. Anakin spots Ventress's badly damaged ship firing up and heading out behind him, but he doesn't take the time to worry about it. If it will even be able to hold together at all, he rather doubts it will when it gets caught in the explosion likely to follow.
From there, the battle is finished fast. Anakin and Ahsoka find themselves sitting alone in a cabin on their Star Destroyer as they head back to Coruscant not long later. "You seem majorly distracted," remarks Anakin, eyeing his padawan.
"I'm just wondering what happened to Ventress," Ahsoka replies, shifting. Something is clearly on her mind. Maybe she's upset about having fought Ventress earlier? They had known each other, and Anakin didn't know how much. Maybe it was more than he realized.
"She probably died. Unless her already damaged ship was somehow able to get out in time," Anakin offers uselessly. That doesn't seem to do anything to make her feel better. Not like he thought it would, but it's the truth. He honestly hopes so. He and Ventress have had anything but unpleasant history.
"I don't think she'd die that easily," Ahsoka points out. "I'm sure she's still somewhere."
"Probably went right back to Dooku," Anakin shrugs.
"That's the thing," she sighs. "I... When I was still with Dooku, I had a vision of him betraying me. I think it was at the place we fought Ventress, and now I'm wondering if it happened to her."
"... Oh." Complicated, then.
"And I'm wondering where she went, if that's true. She doesn't really have anywhere to go..." True enough. She wouldn't have anywhere to go more than Ahsoka would in such a situation, except at least he had reached out to Ahsoka a long time before capturing her. Looking back, it's a good thing he did. She's found her way, and it makes Anakin wonder how many other Sith that would work with. He doubts Ventress would, and she would be even less likely to become a Jedi in such a case. Not that he really wants her to be, but still, the thought of her having enemies on all sides everywhere she turns would not be a pleasant situation in the least.
Ahsoka would probably want Ventress to be given the same chance, Anakin realizes. That's why she's so distracted, but regardless, it doesn't really matter if she disappeared.
**w**
"I wouldn't have expected Dooku to get another assassin this quickly," mutters Ahsoka as the three of them approach the Nightbrother's village on Dathomir. After the recent reports of a male Zabrak now killing Jedi, they're coming here for answers. The Dathomiri sky is orange, and the rocky, barren ground is a light brown.
"Maybe he's doesn't want to do his own dirty work," Anakin suggests.
"The men are ferocious warriors," Obi-Wan cautions, "And they will show us no mercy."
"Well, I don't think we need it," Ahsoka offers brightly.
"Don't worry," Anakin asserts, "I won't start anything."
Obi-Wan looks around the seemingly empty village, eyes finally zeroing in on three of the Nightbrothers atop a nearby building. "Let me handle the negotiations," Obi-Wan adds. They don't need Anakin starting aggressive negotiations with his lightsaber if they're going to be getting any answers here. The fact that the other two are being so cheerful isn't exactly a good sign, either.
"Oh, don't worry. We will. No one else here is a negotiator anyway," Ahsoka replies lightly.
Three orange and yellow Zabraks leap to the ground in front of them, brandishing axes. They charge forwards as more begin jumping down around them. A few more spring down from the roofs, and some others run out from between the buildings until the three are completely surrounded.
Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka immediately move to stand back-to-back, igniting their lightsabers. Two of the Zabraks lunge at them, and Anakin punches one of them back. Obi-Wan Force-shoves away the other.
"So much for not starting anything," Obi-Wan quips, swinging his lightsaber at one of the Nightbrothers' weapons, forcing him to back off a step.
"Hey!" Anakin protests, glaring at him, "Don't look at me!"
"Don't harm them," Obi-Wan warns as several more lunge forwards. He ducks out of the way of an axe that nearly hits him in the head, Force-pushing the Zabrak back.
"Tell them that!" Anakin huffs, shoving them back.
"You know, it would be a whole lot easier if we'd put our lightsabers away and use the Force," yells Ahsoka, kicking two of them to the ground as she de-activates her lightsabers. Dodging out of the way of a flailing weapon, she Force-throws two more to the side.
"Point," Anakin agrees, "But I have a better idea."
Obi-Wan slashes his lightsaber towards another one, causing him to leap back. Anakin suddenly runs forwards, jumping up onto the building where one of the Nightbrothers – assumedly the leader – is observing the scuffle.
The Zabrak punches at him, and he ducks aside. Anakin flips behind him, holding his lightsaber up to the leader's neck. "Back off!" he calls warningly. The Nightbrothers – most of whom had gotten up and were surrounding Obi-Wan and Ahsoka again – instantly take a step back and lower their weapons, looking up to the top of the roof.
"We are not here to fight you," Anakin declares, tightening his grip as the leader tries to break away.
"We're here for information," Obi-Wan adds, deactivating his lightsaber. "A man from your village murdered two Jedi. We need to know where he is."
"What makes you think he's one of ours?" the leader demands.
"The Jedi Council knows he's from this village. We have seen him."
"Mother Talzin should know of his whereabouts," the leader answers after a moment. "One of her women took him as a mate."
Well. That complicates things. "I apologize for the intrusion," Obi-Wan says. "Anakin, kindly release him."
Anakin releases his grip on the Zabrak and steps around him, saluting dramatically before jumping to the ground. The Nightbrothers move out of the way as the three of them head back the way they came. They start moving to follow, weapons raised for attack.
"Stop!" the leader calls, "Let them go."
"Who is this Mother Talzan?" Anakin inquires as the three of them head back towards their ship.
"She's the leader of an ancient order of witches," Obi-Wan answers, "The Nightsisters."
"Great," Anakin says, "Warrior-like men, witches... This place is all kinds of fun."
"Really," Ahsoka mutters.
"I'm glad you think so," his former master replies dryly as they arrive outside their ship.
"I don't know much about Mother Talzin, but don't expect to be welcome here," Obi-Wan warns as their craft lands on a different part of the planet, this time where the Nightsisters are. In fact, he expects the Nightsisters will be far less than happy at their presences. He doesn't think they're terribly fond of Jedi, but they more than likely won't want to pick a fight with them either. He stands up, heading for the door.
"You never know," Anakin says cheerfully, flipping his lightsaber in the air. "I tend to be popular with the ladies."
Ahsoka rolls her eyes at him.
"Too popular," Obi-Wan calls over his shoulder.
The three of them descend the ramp out into the orange tinted landscape of the planet. Trees surround them on all sides, and Obi-Wan immediately spots movement nearby. Glancing up as discreetly as he can, he sees several female Zabraks scurrying about on top of the trees, one of them aiming a bow and arrow down at them.
"They're watching us," Ahsoka whispers.
"We've got company, alright," Obi-Wan, agrees motioning for the two of them to stop walking. He looks up again, this time meeting the eyes of one of the Nightsisters. She immediately disappears back over the edge before all at once, they begin jumping down, landing in a circle around the three Jedi. They all aim their weapons at them. Ahsoka narrows her eyes at them, almost appearing like she's looking for something, though she doesn't speak.
They raise their arms in a motion of surrender. A few of the Nightsisters step forwards, taking away their lightsabers. Whatever makes them happy, Obi-Wan supposes. They need to get the information and get out of here without starting hostilities.
"Come with us," orders the one behind them, brandishing two long knives at their backs.
The group of Nightsisters direct them into one of the buildings where they're taken to a dimly lit room. A staircase leads up to a large table with several chairs placed around it. At the head of the table sits an elegantly dressed Nightsister, a large orange glowing orb in front of her.
"Master Kenobi," she greets as he, Anakin, and Ahsoka take seats at the table.
"Mother Talzin," Obi-Wan replies, "Thank you for your hospitality."
She grins sinisterly, rising to her feet. "I believe you have a question for me?"
"That would be correct," agrees Ahsoka.
"We've had reports of a Dathomiri male on the loose. He's already killed two Jedi," Obi-Wan says as Talzin slowly begins to circle around the other side of the table. "Perhaps you know who he is?"
"Master Jedi, we have no control over the males. Our clan has been in exile for years."
"Don't play innocent with me, Mother. Everyone in the galaxy knows females are dominant on this planet. I do not believe anything happens here without your clan knowing." It's obvious from how she's acting that she knows exactly what's going on. Beside him, Ahsoka seems unusually tense. Either she's expecting something, or she senses something no one else does.
"To think that the Jedi collect their facts from mere rumors," Talzin purrs, circling around behind the Jedi's chairs.
"Rumors?" Anakin snarls, starting to stand up. He really needs to control his temper. "You call two dead Jedi rumors?!"
The Nightsisters behind them immediately step forwards threatening, ready to attack. Obi-Wan hastily stands up, putting a hand on Anakin's arm before he can do something stupid.
"This thing, this animal is extremely dangerous," Obi-Wan asserts, turning back to Talzin who appears very unconcerned. If anything, there's a hint of playfulness in her yellow eyes. "If you have any information about his whereabouts, you must tell us."
She raises her hands, waving them over the orb in front of her. Obi-Wan can feel the Force moving around the object as she moves her hands. An image slowly appears on the orb. The yellow and black Zabrak male who has been sighted. He lunges forwards, brandishing a red lightsaber before the image promptly fades.
"So, where is he?" demands Obi-Wan.
"He is on Toydaria," she answers.
"Thank you," Obi-Wan replies, practically running out of the room. There is no time to waste. Anakin and Ahsoka hurry after him.
They head back to their ship, immediately taking off and setting course for the planet.
"When we were there, I sensed something," Ahsoka remarks suddenly. "I think Ventress was there."
"Ventress?" exclaims Anakin, turning towards her.
"I'm not surprised," Obi-Wan says finally. "She was once one of the Nightsisters. After Dooku betrayed her, it would not be a surprise if she came back here."
"At least she has somewhere to stay, I suppose," Ahsoka agrees.
**w**
Anakin can sense the dark presence the moment they touch down on the planet's surface. The Nightbrother is here, and he's clearly causing some serious damage.
He jumps to his feet, sprinting out of the cockpit, Ahsoka a step behind. Obi-Wan runs after.
There's no one in sight outside the palace – except for bodies. The assassin must have alright fought his way inside. They run into the throne room, right in time to see the Zabrak holding the unconscious king with one arm and a double-bladed red lightsaber in the other. He's standing atop a floating platform.
Obi-Wan runs over to the right Pod and Anakin runs to the left, Ahsoka joining him. The Zabrak leaps down, landing on Obi-Wan's. Their lightsabers clash for a few moments, and Obi-Wan is nearly thrown backwards off the side of the pod.
He flips back onto another Pod, and Anakin uses the Force to grab a nearby one and hurl it against the Nightbrother's. He stumbles a bit, and the pod starts dropping. The king wakes up the same moment, instantly flying out of his grasp.
Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka all spring at the Zabrak at once. They knock him onto the ground, trying to restrain him. He shoves Anakin hard, before raising a hand, starting to Force-choke the king.
Ahsoka activates her lightsaber in a flash, swinging at the Zabraks' hand. Snarling, he jumps to his feet, sending both Anakin and Obi-Wan flying off him. Anakin slams into Ahsoka, taking her down with them. Her lightsaber flies from her hand as she narrows avoids impaling him. Anakin catches onto the edge of the nearby pod, grabbing Obi-Wan with his other hand who catches onto Ahsoka.
The Nightbrother stabs his lightsaber into the pod, so it instantly comes crashing down. He reaches out a hand, grabbing the escaping king with the Force and running to the door, dragging him behind.
Anakin throws the pod aside and the three of them jump up, running for the door while igniting their lightsabers. They skid to a stop right in time to see the Zabrak's ship blasting off into the air. Their ship is lying on its side in flames.
"I guess we won't be going anywhere in that thing," Ahsoka concludes, eyeing the damage.
"We can use the other ship, then," suggests Anakin. There's no way they can let him get away. They'll have to follow him, wherever it takes them. He's far too dangerous to be left alive.
It doesn't take long before they arrive at the Separatist flagship. The hanger doors are open, so they should be able to fly in unnoticed. The Nightbrother's ship is already inside when they land. Anakin jumps down first, running towards the door he must've gone through. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka are close behind. They're greeted by three startled battle droids. Anakin cuts down two with a swing of his lightsaber, not slowing his pace. Obi-Wan cuts down the other and then runs to the end of the hall, turning left.
They round a corner in time to see the Zabrak raising his lightsaber preparing to cut a covered hole in the ship. He spins around, expression murderous, and charges.
A sudden Force-shove sends all three of them flying backwards into the wall. They land in a pile on the floor but are on their feet again in a matter of moments. The Nightbrother runs at them, lightsaber spinning. The blue, red, and white blades clash furiously. They could probably gain the upper hand in the fight a lot faster if the hallway wasn't so narrow.
Anakin spots the Toydarian king hovering right behind. At least he's still alive. For now. Whatever happened here, it looks like there was a huge fight going on.
Anakin grabs a nearby battle droid and throws it at the assassin, and he throws it aside with a snarl. The fighting four continue moving down the hall until the door slides open behind them, into the hanger which is now completely full of battle droids and destroyer droids. This is not good. Except on the bright side, Anakin realizes, they're shooting at the assassin. He doesn't take the time to ponder why.
A large group of super battle droids sudden start piling out of the hallway they came through. The Nightbrother spins around to deflect their bolts. The droids are closing in on him, leaving the three Jedi to turn their focus solely to the droids.
A sudden explosion of the Force rips through the area, throwing them to the ground. Anakin raises his head to see the assassin's ship speeding out of the hanger. A battle droid walks up behind them, and Anakin instantly beheads it. No time for this nonsense. In the doorway to where the fight was moments ago, Anakin sees the king hovering. He's been staying out of range of the battle, but now he flies towards them. They need to get him back to his planet, and after that, maybe they can try to follow the Nightbrother. Given he's clearly not working for Dooku anymore, though, it might not be too big of a concern.
Several more battle droids and destroyers immediately begin to advance on them, shooting. Obi-wan takes off for the shuttle, using the Force to pull it open. The king crosses the hanger and flies up inside. They leap inside, firing up the engine and speeding out of the hanger.
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