Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. It belongs to Disney. I make no money from this story.

Chapter 6: It all began on Tatooine

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Part 1

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Bestine "city"

Tatooine

Tatoo system

Hot desert air filled with dust particles even at the best of time. Scorching suns turning everything in sight into an oven. Familiar and hated smells. The sense of wretched despair, terror, and hopelessness emanating from the slaves stuck in the market.

Vader hated all of it. At the same time, every single of those sensations was further proof that he was whole. Powerful. Free. Kind of anyway.

He wasn't exactly sure what single change or combination of changes brought him here. Only one thing Vader was certain of – he already derailed the future he knew. Now, Vader had to fight to avoid an outright disaster, which was frankly infuriating. The situation with Snips wasn't helping. He was nearing his wits' end, where Ahsoka was concerned. Vader had to keep repeating to himself that this wasn't the experienced Padawan he remembered from the last months of the war or the Jedi he faced much later.

Snips was nothing but a slip of a girl, struggling as much as he did in these unfamiliar times. The situation would have been much simpler if he knew how he wanted to train and guide her in the future. It would have been simpler still if he didn't all but quit the Order a short time ago.

Now, Vader was in a race against time, against both the Confederacy and the Jedi. If he wanted to see Snips achieve her full potential, he had to convince her to stick with him. The question was how?

In the end, the best option Vader could think of, considering the less-than-ideal circumstances, was simple. He decided to show Ahsoka the truth – what the Jedi and the Republic chose to ignore for thousands of years. That was why he led Snips to the slave market in Bestine. That way, Ahsoka could experience firsthand how much the Republic's and the Order's professed principles meant in reality.

The effect was stronger than Vader anticipated.

Ahsoka was drowning in the suffering of the slaves. He had to unleash his presence and surround Snips in it like a dark protective cocoon before she could lose herself. Perhaps this was a foolish idea, after all. Ahsoka wasn't ready for this. After what happened recently, her emotions were already in turmoil and hard to control.

At this rate, she might simply break and fall.

And would that be such a bad thing if he was there to pick Snips up and help her rebuild herself, a treacherous voice whispered in the back of Vader's head.

He gently put a hand on Snip's shoulder and guided her away from the slave market, all the while sending mental messages of reassurance and safety. The results were mixed. Fortunately, Snips did eventually calm down a bit.

Vader led them to the speeder vendors, where Rex was busy asking questions and evaluating vehicles.

"We'll take this one," Vader pointed at a large two-seated speeder that had a cabin you could seal to protect yourself from the sand. If the air conditioning worked, the machine would be a luxury vehicle as far as Tatooine was concerned.

"That's fine with me, Master Mandalorian!" The Duros vendor simpered. "This is one of my finest vehicles! It can reach over two hundred kilometers per hour in the desert! Solar cells in the back top up a backup battery for the generator to increase endurance! I can assure you, I've personally tested the air conditioning! You won't ever feel the desert heat when traveling!"

"Two thousand Republic Credits. You'll take them." Vader focused on the alien's mind, carefully probing at it with the Force.

The Duros seemed eager and genuine in his sales pitch. His large eyes unfocused, and he nodded happily.

"Two thousand credits! Sold!"

"We can take it now. No questions, we were never here." Vader pressed on.

The Duros continued to nod eagerly. It was as if this was not only his idea, but it was the best thing he could have ever thought of.

"Rex, while we negotiate a contract with Jabba, I want you to seek additional supplies and weaponry in good shape. We'll need additional armor and maintenance kits as well."

"I'll see to it, boss." The Clone thankfully didn't salute, but just nodded instead. They had a short-lived deception to sell in case anyone was looking after all.

Ahsoka was still in a daze when Vader guided her in the speeder's passenger seat, then jumped beside her and switched on the engine. It came to life with a loud purr, and soon the instrument's panel lit up, showing that everything was in green. Vader carefully drove through the crowds surrounding the market and soon reached one of the larger streets that led out of town. A few minutes later, they flew over the dunes heading to Jabba's palace.

Vader felt confident in pulling back his power from Ahsoka only after Bestine was safely behind them. The last thing they needed was for a Jedi Padawan to make a scene back there. In hindsight, that had been something Vader overlooked when he brought Snips to see and experience the slaves.

Right now, Ahsoka was angry, dejected, and disappointed, but mostly numb.

"We have to do something about them…" Snips eventually muttered.

"We should." Vader agreed.

He didn't bother to mention that the ideal outcome would be if Jabba listened to reason, no matter how unlikely it was. In that case, no matter how much Vader might loath the idea, they would have to leave the slaves behind. If not, then making an example of Jabba and all the slavers on Tatooine was plan Besh. Doing so would send a message to the other Hutts in the galaxy - that supporting the Confederacy could have a steep price even if the CIS won.

Just like it was easy for the Republic to proclaim all the kinds of principles it was supposed to stand for, yet it didn't bother to enforce them because that was the easy way out. In the same vein, it would be easy for the Hutts to back the Confederacy as long as there would be no negative consequences for them. That was the calculus Vader was hoping to change today.

The plan had an obvious downside. Sending the right message to the Hutts might entail doing a lot of enjoyable things to Jabba. Those were actions that the Republic might have to disavow. What that meant for him personally, Vader wasn't sure, beyond the obvious – he would have to work closely with Sidious until it was time to remove that treacherous creature.

That bitter knowledge only served to stoke the bitterness and burning rage he constantly fought to keep in check. Soon, his emotions would need a release, and it was almost a certainty that Jabba would offer himself as stress relief.

Of course, that was one of the reasons why he brought Ahsoka with him. Vader was going to let her make her own choice in the end. However, before that, he was not only going to reveal the Republic's and Jedi's hypocrisies but show her the true might of the Force. Snips would see the potential to be free of all chains, and do whatever she desired if she was willing to grasp it and fight for it.

"Any Jedi who has visited Tatooine must know how bad it is!" Ahsoka rambled.

While that wasn't entirely true, Vader quickly agreed with Snip's generalization. A proper Jedi attuned to the Force should be able to sense all the slaves suffering on Tatooine. For that matter, a Jedi visiting one of the thousands of other worlds on the Outer Rim where the practice thrived should be able to sens

e how the slaves there suffered. How many bothered come this far out unless on a mission, and how much their vaulted detachment influenced matters, he wasn't sure. Frankly, he didn't feel particularly charitable towards them, and he didn't particularly care.

"Ahsoka, it's easy for people and organizations to proclaim they follow lofty ideals when following them is easy. There is no slavery to speak of in the Core Worlds," Vader began, and even as he said it, knew for a fact that his words were merely twisting the truth.

Oh, compared to the Outer Rim, there was no slavery. In practice, there were a lot of pleasure houses, brothels, and all kinds of similar "establishments" all over the Republic, where the workers often had little to no choice. True, it was illegal. It was also true that when the local law enforcement wasn't corrupt, it did something about that particular issue. However, it was also true that you could call the practice what it was - sexual slavery. Then there were all the not-slavery trust us, practices in parts of the Mid Rim. The less said about the Corporate Sector and some of its contracts, the better.

Vader had to take a moment to channel his anger and frustration constructively. His control was fraying. While that was to be expected, it was another headache to deal with.

"There's 'a, however,' I'm waiting for…" Snips perceptively grumbled when Vader didn't immediately continue.

"Yes. In the core of the Republic, people experienced a golden age for the past few hundred years. All the principles the Republic is supposed to stand for are already a fact as far as the regular citizens are concerned. Everything happening out here? It's far away, out of sight, and out of mind. The Republic and the Jedi living up to their principles out here, or even in the more distant parts of the Mid Rim, would require them to pay a price to uphold them. A price none of them is willing to pay, showing them for the hypocrites they are."

Ahsoka's head snapped Vader's way, and her huge eyes stared in disbelief.

"Are you trying to tell me that the Confederacy has a point?!" Snips snapped.

"In what they proclaim? Certainly. The Republic's built its prosperity on exploiting the Outer Rim. Unfortunately, the core of the Confederate's leadership is under the control of the Sith. Their real goal is not to fix the failures of the Republic or just mere independence. The point of this war is who is going to control the galaxy when the dust settles." Vader explained.

"We were supposed to be the good guys here!" Ahsoka moaned.

"All those slaves you saw and felt? Countless more all across the galaxy who are just like them? Most of them had heard stories about the Jedi and the Republic. For countless generations, they had waited for those upholders of justice to come and rescue them. Yet, unless one of the slaves is important, for example, being powerful in the Force like me, neither the Republic nor the Jedi would lift a finger. Perhaps they don't care. Perhaps they deem the price too heavy to pay."

"We're the Republic, the Jedi! We're supposed to be better than this!" Ahsoka shook her head in denial.

"The Republic is not what it once was." Vader felt uncomfortable using Palpatine's words against Ahsoka, yet for all of that bastard's faults, he didn't lie when the truth could be the keenest weapon in his arsenal. "The whole galaxy saw it ten years ago, and now we're all paying for the Republic's failures."

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Part 2

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Jabba's palace

Tatooine

Jabba's palace felt dark and imposing in the Force. During the last leg of their journey there, Vader received an acute reminder of what he told Snips earlier. How a Jedi could be anywhere near such a place without being outraged into action over the centuries of suffering which left impressions in the Force, he would never know. Now that the Dark Side and experiences from a future past had his senses and eyes opened, the palace felt nothing like the one he visited the last time around.

Perhaps it was that awareness and not trying to deny his emotions that allowed Vader to fully experience and comprehend all the horrors perpetrated by the Hutt. He could sense echoes of pain and suffering, of beings violated in inhuman manners, of utter despair and violent deaths. All that had been going on for a long time. It was also happening right now.

They arrived in front of the main entrance of the palace. A group of bored feeling guards in different stripes of customized heavy armor milled around.

There was no more time to ponder the situation.

"Follow my lead and stay sharp, Snips," Vader ordered.

He guided the speeder to a stop near the guards, switched off the air-conditioning that made the trip bearable, and opened the canopy. Scorching air flowed inside, bringing memories of fiery agony. Vader used them as fuel, and pulled on the Force, shrouding the two of them in an even thicker cloak.

"We're here to speak with Jabba. We have news about who took his son. You'll lead us to us." Vader spoke and backed his voice with the might of the Force.

The guard's commander nodded in a daze and waved at them to follow.

"You're here to speak with Jabba." He repeated.

"Boss, are you sure?" One of the minions asked, proving he wasn't a complete fool.

"He's sure. We're free to enter. You'll stay here and cause no problems." Vader pushed his order into their minds not bothering to be particularly gentle.

"You're free to enter." The security detail chorused.

"Master, that was…" Snips trailed off. The mere echo of the power he used, and more importantly how he used it, struck her speechless.

"This is merely a taste of what is possible with the Force. Of what the Jedi Order denied us." Vader patiently explained while the guard captain led them through the front doors. "With enough skill and power, you can influence even many strong-minded beings."

What he didn't point out was that doing so was quickly obvious. Further, the stronger the mind, the more power you had to use. Once past a certain point, even success guaranteed easy to notice brain damage. The other side of that point was a logical fact. If you had the power to spare and didn't care about the well-being of your target, then crushing their mind, was possible. Doing so would leave them as little more than vegetables was perfectly possible. That said, it was easier and less bothersome to dispose of people in more direct ways.

The guard led them through oppressive dark corridors, the kind one might expect of a Sith's stronghold. Both Vader and Sidious had palaces and residences with similar ambiance. That wasn't a compliment as far as the Hutt's failings were concerned.

The deeper they went, the worse the experience was. They passed by, and occasionally through, echoes of suffering. Vader knew that if he stretched and focused his senses any further, he would be able to experience those echoes, and thus receive a glimpse in the crimes committed by the Hutt and its minions. Wisely, he avoided the temptation to touch the echoes. It was fortunate that Snips lacked either the experience, knowledge, or natural talent to do so.

By the time they reached Jabba's throne room, Vader was already on edge, with the Dark Side eagerly awaiting his command. This place did its best to evoke memories best left forgotten. On the surface, the atmosphere was deceptively cheerful. A live band provided some of the entertainment. Jabba was in the process of feasting some of his cronies – criminals, Bounty Hunters, and mercenaries of all stripes. Scantily clad women of multiple species moved nimbly across the small crowd, clad in strips of expensive fabric that left little to the imagination.

They were all slaves, part of the evening's entertainment for the slug's guest – just like… It was only the decades of experience serving Palpatine that allowed Vader to kept going without visibly faltering. As luck might have it, compared to the last time, Jabba's slave was a young Togruta girl, one no older than Snips. She would have likely been already dead when they brought the slug's spawn back the last time around.

Vader did glance at Ahsoka in concern when her disgust spiked, threatening her fragile control. Jabba unwisely chose that moment to pull on the girl's golden chain, making her yelp. The slug barked an order, and the young slave began to reluctantly dance. It didn't take a genius to figure it out - it was just a matter of time before she displeased her master with unfortunate consequences.

When Skywalker was a slave on this dust ball, there were stories about what Jabba did with the slaves that displeased him – he fed them to his Rancor pet, that even now rested below their feet.

Burning fury rivaling Mustafar's accursed fires roared to life in Ahsoka. Vader strengthened the cloak surrounding them and sent as much reassurance and promise of justice toward Snips.

Meanwhile, the unfortunate guard went in front of the slug and bowed, introducing them. The party-goers subdued, and even the band quieted down, looking at them.

"The Great Jabba…" Fortuna, the infamous Twi'lek Seneschal of the Hutt began formal introductions meant to ensure any supplicants were well aware of who held the power in this place.

Vader raised a hand, focusing just a sliver of the power at his disposal on the sickly-looking being. Fortuna gasped and shut his mouth with an audible click.

"Jabba, I won't waste our time," Vader began. At the best of times, the odds of Jabba being reasonable were slim. Vader was going to ask, for appearance's sake, if nothing else. However, his heart wasn't in it. It cried for vengeance, and the Dark Side howled with it to be unleashed. Ahsoka's whole being cried for action, even if she wasn't aware of what that would mean. And how could she?

"You're already wasting it, Human!" The great slug laughed aloud.

"The Republic is most displeased with your choice to side with the Separatists. The Chancellor and the Republic military find this state of affairs unacceptable." Vader spoke in a reasonable tone. That said, his words were anything but reasonable, as far as the worm in front of him was concerned. "The Republic requires of you to cease interfering in the war between us and the Separatists."

A few of Jabba's guests laughed at that, while others merely sneered. Most of them waited with bated breath to see how the slug would respond.

"The Republic has no power here, Jedi! You have no power here!" Jabba laughed, and his supplicants followed suit. "Dooku returned my son in person. What have you done for me?"

"We've let you ply your criminal activities without retaliation," Vader answered honestly. "We haven't made your life difficult."

The slug narrowed his large malevolent eyes at Vader and glared. As glares went, it wasn't that impressive. Many of Sidious' Inquisitors could do better.

"You're in no position to threaten me, Jedi! We've stood free of your foolish laws for longer than your Republic has existed!" The worm boasted.

Sadly, his words did hold more than a hint of truth, which only served to anger Vader more.

"You're already losing this war despite your secret army. With our help, the Confederacy is sure to win." Jabba spread his stubby arms. "We have no quarrel with them! Even better, they don't hold too many of your Republic's foolish notions! Why shouldn't we back them?!" The bloated monstrosity jeered. "Tell you what, Jedi. My slave here is inexperienced and foolish. You give me your companion, and I'll let you leave."

The blood drained from the chained Togruta's face, and she began to struggle with the chains binding her.

Jeers and whistles from the crowd assaulted Vader's ears, however, he had little attention to spare. Beside him, Ahsoka had eyes only for the Togruta girl. She was shaking in his grip, and her emotions were all over the place. Burning bile rose in her throat, even as righteous fury and knee-shaking disgust fought each other.

Jabba couldn't be this stupid, could he? Vader's burning gaze went back to the slug, who let go of the slave and pressed a button on his throne. Sheer incredulity slowed down Vader's reaction, compounding an immense and sudden shift in the Force.

The ground below the Togruta girl vanished, and she fell with a shriek. Of course, Jabba was this foolish. He wasn't facing Darth Vader, the Emperor's right hand, but just an unknown Jedi who was foolish enough to walk alone in the Hutt's den.

A Rancor roared below them, clearly unhappy at something interrupting its rest. At the same time, something within Ahsoka snapped, and she screamed her frustration and righteous fury at the unfair universe. The Force around them rippled, and Vader beheld his greatest failure since coming back.

Snips broke. Her Jedi training and indoctrination were insufficient at this point to counter the weight he unwittingly placed on her shoulders. He could have stopped her at that point, perhaps he should have. Yet, her fury fed into his own, Jabba's minions chose that moment to begin moving. Below them, the Rancor ponderously advanced at the morsel fallen into its den.

When Snips roared a hunting cry and surged forward, lightsaber suddenly in hand and igniting in mid-air, Vader followed suit. A thought dismissed his shields, and the Dark Side was there in all its chilling glory. It didn't care if he called himself a Dark Lord of the Sith or not. The Dark Side was with him, eager to follow his every whim like a murderous krath hound.

Vader unleashed his presence and reinforced it with the full might of the Force. The shadows clinging to all corners of the throne room surged forth, eating all light in their path. Hoarfrost followed, chilling the air and cracking in the near silence descended upon the throne room. Guests and guards froze in mid-motion, unable to even twitch under the sheer pressure binding them in place. Mindless terror ate at their minds, while their bodies shivered.

The only sounds came from Jabba's throne. To the slug's credit, he managed to act before Ahsoka was on him. He pressed another button on his throne, activating a deflector field. The shield came into existence a moment after an infuriated Togruta empowered by the Force fell upon Jabba and began to slash and stab at him in primal rage.

Vader took a moment to observe his Padawan. At that moment, she was simply glorious. It was a disaster too because the last thing he wanted was to see Snips break in such a way and potentially end up as a brute like Maul. No, Vader decided. That wasn't going to happen to his little sister. She wasn't alone. Snips might have broken. She might be falling, yet, Vader was there. He had her back, and he was going to help her build herself up.

However, first, he had a message to send. Vader's glowing eyes surveyed the frozen guards and guests.

"Pathetic," he declared, finding them all lacking. The shadows surged higher, and for a few seconds, the sounds of shattering bones drowned Ahsoka's rampage.

Vader pulled in his presence, took a moment to center himself, and used telekinesis to rip out the metal covering above the Rancor pit. Below, the beast let out a below of distress and took a step back into the shadows. The former Dark Lord crushed the metal casting, turning it into a crude spear. He threw it at the Rancor before the beast could get out of sight, using the Force to accelerate the improvised weapon to otherwise impossible speeds. It pierced the thick skull of the monster and then shattered, only when Vader let go of the power keeping it together.

He gently levitated the Togruta girl out, noting that she had injured her legs in the fall, and had suffered a few nasty scrapes on the way down. Vader carefully put her on the floor, safely away from the pit, and turned most of his attention back on Snips and Jabba. The slug was little more than pieces of charred meat by this point, yet, Ahsoka still kept slashing mindlessly at him.

"This simply wouldn't do, Snips," Vader muttered. He kriffed up by the numbers this time, didn't he? Vader sighed and used the force to shatter the shield emitters, ignoring the feedback, which cracked the ceiling. "That's enough, Snips, com back to me." He said, reinforcing the sentiment by pushing it at Ahsoka through the Force.

For a few seconds, it appeared that his words had no impact. Then, Ahsoka's swings slowed down, and eventually, her lightsaber fell from her grasp. Snips stumbled back, and if it wasn't for Vader catching her in a telekinetic grasp, she would have fallen into the Rancor pit. He quickly pulled her to himself and carefully put his broken Padawan on her feet.

That was another mistake because Ahsoka collapsed and hugged her knees, silently crying. Vader stared at her, unsure what he was supposed to do now. He awkwardly knelt beside Snips and pulled her into a hug.

"You're not alone, Ahsoka." He muttered, engulfing her into his presence in the Force as well, to underline the point.

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