Trigger Warning: Use of a gag, and electric shock (nothing we haven't seen on the show).


Chapter IV

Consciousness came back even slower this time. It didn't help that there was a large part of her mind that didn't want to wake up. Didn't want to become aware of all her body's aches and pains. Didn't want to face the reality of her situation. But consciousness came anyway, completely uncaring of her wish to pretend reality wasn't… well, reality.

The throbbing had never left her head, even in her dreams. But there were definitely new aches and pains all over her body that blossomed into awareness, making it impossible for her to try and stay under.

A shiver went through her. It is seriously cold in here, she thought. Wait, where is here? She sat up, giving her body a once over. Gag? Still there. Hands? The rope has been replaced by actual cuffs. Greeeaat. But, oh hey, my legs are free. I'll at least be able to walk around my cell. She tried to think of that last as an actual positive, for she knew it was likely to be the only one. It didn't work very well.

My cell… she swung her head around, assessing. It was decently large, as far as cells went. Perhaps twenty paces all around. Sadly, she'd had a lot of experience to draw from. It seemed to have been cut out of the side of a mountain, or perhaps a natural cave, adapted to hold people. The walls were a rough, dark stone, as was the floor. She looked down at said floor and grimaced. No wonder I'm so cold. Ahsoka guessed they must've just thrown her on the floor while she was unconscious because she was lying in a two-inch puddle of… well, she assumed it was water. It had soaked all the way through her clothes and had spread a chill through her body. She pushed herself up, wobbling slightly, her feet sloshing in the puddle. She really couldn't make out much around her. The light level was so low, she suspected this was an underground cave. The only light came from two brackets on the wall outside her cell, and a foot-by-foot grate in the ceiling. There was only the palest light coming in that way, as she moved underneath it to be met by the sight of a moon. Underground it is.

She shuffled over to the rough bench that had been hewn from the rock, pulling her legs up to sit cross-legged. Putting her bound hands in her lap, she shut her eyes in concentration.

Whenever she felt overwhelmed or was unsure about the next steps, she meditated. She knew she did far more than most other Padawans her age. Definitely more than her Master. But it was how Ahsoka best communed with the Force. Some Jedi connected best by sparring or doing forms, finding clarity in the careful balance and rhythms. Meditation was Ahsoka's way.

So when she closed her eyes and straightened her back - as much as she could, anyway - it felt like coming home. Ahsoka took a deep breath, and let the Force consume her.


A couple of hours had passed. Enough time for her to figure out exactly how much life was around her. Not much. She could sense herself, the Count, and perhaps five or so other actual lifeforms in this… compound. And "compound" was all she was able to sense of her surroundings. Ahsoka's Force-reading wasn't so good as to give her a proper map. And the crystal, while not nearby, was still turned on somewhere out there, diminishing her abilities.

Her rumbling stomach had just brought her out of her deep meditative state, and she was just preparing to push the pain aside and to assuage its demands when the light at her cell door grew brighter.

The sounds of echoing footsteps grew along with the light. Someone was coming.

Ahsoka didn't move a muscle, choosing to simply close her eyes again instead. It was Dooku, alright. She could sense his presence a parsec away, the man positively reeked of the Dark Side. Not to mention that crystal.

Keys clanked in the lock. Wait, actual keys? How old is this place? Then the clank of droid feet, and the door clanged shut again.

Silence for a heartbeat. Two. Ahsoka made a show of cracking one open, looking right at Dooku, and closing it again. She knew she shouldn't, but it gave her quite a bit of pleasure to appear to go back to her meditation. Like he wasn't worth her time.

Until the Count reached into his cloak, pulled out a small device and smashed a button.

Ahsoka's body seized, her teeth feeling like lightning was going through them, as her gag lit up with electricity. Only through sheer force of will did she manage to stay upright on the bench.

He turned it off, and she glared at him, daring him with her eyes to take the gag off so she could give him a piece of her mind.

He smiled, and she recoiled in dismay, realizing she'd just given him exactly what he wanted: attention.

"Now that you've learned your next crucial lesson: paying attention to your superiors." He paused as if to give her a turn to speak. She glared harder.

"Now we can begin in earnest. My master had the thought that the war might go a good deal better for us if The Hero With No Fear were otherwise occupied. We both know how all-consuming Skywalker's emotions and thoughts are. With him on the hunt for you, he'll have no thoughts to spare for the war." He smiled again, a triumphant look. He started pacing. "And it will also, to a lesser degree, take care of Kenobi. He will be so occupied by his fear for you and his concern about his dear old Padawan's well-being, that it will be much the same result."

Ahsoka sat on her bench, legs still crossed, hoping she looked like a tooka cat waiting to pounce. Inside, she was far less composed. Ahsoka knew her Master well. He didn't exactly hide his feelings about things. And she knew Obi-wan almost as well.

Everything Count Dooku was saying was true.

Anakin would become consumed with searching for her, and Obi-wan - while caring for her deeply - would be more concerned with Anakin's fading spirit. It didn't matter how much the Council told them they were needed on other missions. Even when they finally accepted that they were, their heads and hearts would not be in it. Worst case scenario, their lack of attention would get them killed. Best case scenario, they complete mission after mission on autopilot, probably blaming themselves for not finding her, eventually wasting away. Or at least, Anakin would waste away. Obi-wan had more control than that, but it would kill him inside to watch it happen to his best friend.

All of this went through Ahsoka's head in an instant. She didn't think even Dooku knew the exact extent of the damage that could unfold, not like she did.

Ohh, how she needed a deep, centering breath right now. She huffed a breath around the gag.

As if the Count had read her mind, he pressed a different button on the device - remote, she now realized - and the uncomfortable bulge in her mouth disappeared. It was an ingenious little device it turned out. For Count Dooku. Since she had montrals and lekku, a regular cloth gag would not have fit properly on her head. So this metal was fused to her cheeks. All the Count had to do was press a button, and the parts around her mouth folded in on themselves like a puzzle, the metal disappearing into the pieces fused to her face.

Ahsoka snapped her jaw shut, instantly regretting her haste as her muscles screamed in protest. Who knows how long I've had that thing on now? She sucked in, taking what felt like the deepest breath she'd had in years, attempting to calm her anxiety. She took another one, just to be sure.

"You - " She stopped to give a violent cough as her voice caught, her throat feeling like sandpaper. Trying to bring moisture to her dry mouth, she spoke again. "You won't get away with this. Anakin will find me long before the future you already gloat over has come to pass." Sadly, the state of her throat and voice did not allow for the commanding tone she'd been hoping for. She hoped she'd at least curbed the visible wince.

By the look on his face, she had not. "Oh, my dear. You have no idea of the scope of our powers."

"Our as in - " she coughed again. "As in Sith, or as in Separatists?"

He didn't even pause. "Both."

Something about the utter confidence in his voice made her shiver. She answered, "You think you have my Master's actions predicted to a tee… and you may be right." She paused for breath, looking him right in the eyes as she said, "But do not expect to find me so easily anticipated."

It was at that moment that her stomach chose to betray her. She flushed, ashamed at her body showing weakness before her captor, but the Count evidently found great joy in seeing her shame.

"See that she receives food and water," he called over his shoulder to one of the droids, having already turned to leave. He glanced back at her as he waited for the gate to be unlocked. "You're going to need your strength."

Ahsoka felt a weight settle over her at his words. Her brain stopped working for an instant, as it tried to pretend it didn't know what he meant.

Count Dooku stepped into the hallway, and the gate clanged shut.

Several heartbeats passed as the sound of his footsteps receded. She started unconsciously working her jaw to unkink the muscles, and the only thought that took up space in her brain - that she would let take up space - was, Oh master. Come quick.