SOMEWHERE ON A DISTANT PLANET

"Ahsoka? Ahsoka. Why did you leave me?"

Her eyes snapped open, quickly scanning the area for the source of the familiar voice.

"Anakin?"

There was no answer, only the lush green planet before her.

The sky was bright, filled with small stars from distant systems. Rocks were floating in the air, forming small mountain clusters all around her; each rock balancing in a delicate pattern. Even more noticeable were the vast trees and vibrant plants, thriving all around.

But there was something else. Something powerful.

The Force.

It was incredibly strong here, its influence built into all the life on the planet. She could feel the source of the strength, almost like the pull of a magnet, emanating from a figure in the distance.

It was tall and ethereal, almost blending in with the picturesque view of the planet before her. A great light surrounded it, as if it was a spirit of some kind.

Hesitantly, Ahsoka walked towards the figure, who was now watching her with piercing green eyes.

"Daughter?"

The being nodded slowly, offering her a small smile.

"Is this- I'm confused, how am I on Mortis again?" Ahsoka asked as she once again took in the surroundings. It had been so long since she had last been here, and she didn't exactly have fond memories of the place.

"It was necessary to speak with you." The Daughter responded calmly, "We are now one and the same, and this is the best way to communicate for now. But I'm afraid our time is short, I cannot maintain the connection for long."

"I understand- but why now? Am I in danger?"

"Yes, and no. The future is ever changing, but some things are set in stone. You have a part to play in the galaxy, Ahsoka Tano, but what it is- I cannot say."

The Daughter then started to walk, following a path into the mountains. Ahsoka quickly followed behind, "So- the visions I've been having. Was that you trying to warn me?"

"Visions are complicated things, and interpreting them can be even more difficult. They were not my doing, rather the Will of the Force."

"But they must mean something?" Ahsoka asked, trying not to lose patience with her evasive answers.

"The visions are glimpses into your future, should you continue on your current path."

Ahsoka frowned, "But I'm not a Commander anymore, so why am I always on a Venator?"

The Daughter remained silent for a moment, continuing to walk down the path with some haste, "I cannot say, as such powers are now out of my possession. I only continue as a spirit of the Force, as well as within you, as I transferred my lifeforce before the darkness took me. As I said before, we are now one and the same."

Ahsoka looked perplexed for a moment, "How is that even possible? I was always taught that it was impossible to retain yourself after death?"

"There are many abilities that are unknown to the Jedi and their Order. I can teach you these ways over time, if you wish."

Ahsoka nodded slowly, still not fully understanding, "I'm worried about what I saw. In my vision, I always see Clones, but they're not themselves. The scenario is usually different, but it always starts off the same way- with me on the floor, unconscious or dead. I'm still not sure which one it is."

"The visions could be one of your many futures, should you decide to take a different path. However, the meaning behind them is usually the same. But that is something you will have to work out over time."

They continued down the path, before coming to a small cave entrance. The Daughter stopped just outside, turning her gaze to Ahsoka. "This is as far as I can go." she stated, then gesturing towards the cave, "You may find answers to your questions in there. Or you may not. Be strong, as you might not like what you see. But remember, some of these events could never come to pass."

Ahsoka looked into the darkness of the cave, "So how do I know which visions are-"

She trailed off as she turned back around, noticing the Daughter was no longer there. "Well, here goes nothing, I guess."

Slowly, she approached the entrance, following a steep set of stairs deeper inside the cavern.


The way down the stairs was revealed by a small ball of light, following her as she took each step downwards.

All around her she could hear sounds of water droplets hitting the carefully carved pieces of stone, creating a relaxing 'plip' sound as each droplet landed on the hard surface.

They created a small stream of water, following her down to the bottom of the staircase and forming a small puddle. She stepped over it, glancing around the room before her.

It was old. Very old. The chamber was a small oval shape, with the walls having been carefully carved with engravings of figures and animals. There were smaller creatures, and large beasts, each created with incredible detail and in unique ways she had never seen before.

Ahsoka walked along it, carefully tracing her finger along the etched surface as she took in the details of several markings.

She'd never seen anything like it, so much detail and care put into each depiction; it made her wonder just how old these carvings must have been. Did any of these creatures still exist, or were they from a time long past?

The small figures were definitely humanoids, but whether or not they were human was too hard to tell. Perhaps they were of a different species, one that had long been extinct. She could only wonder.

Her attention then turned to the centre of the room, in which there was a large stone placed precisely in the middle. There were small oval passages cut out in the floor, forming several streams of water that surrounded the peculiar structure like a moat.

The small orb of light slowly hovered over to the structure, revealing a large carving to Ahsoka.

This one had pigments of colour, and was far more detailed than the other designs. It depicted a large beast with antlers, a long brown beard and piercing white eyes. It was almost unsettling, but also intriguing. She felt a strong urge to walk up to it, so she did.

As she drew closer, she could almost feel a gaze watching her, as if the beast was alive. She shook off the feeling, clearing her mind as she pressed her hand against the structure. Closing her eyes, she opened up to the force and whatever it would bring.

For a moment there was silence. Then she felt a connection.

"You want answers." a voice spoke out, startling her, "I can help you."

"Who are you?" she asked, opening her eyes and noticing that the structure had vanished.

"I am Bendu, the One in the Middle."

"I don't see you." Ahsoka said as she looked around the room, trying to find the source of the voice, "Where are you?"

"Somewhere far." Bendu replied simply, "You carry many troubles on your mind, Ahsoka Tano, Former Jedi."

"You know who I am?"

"I know many things."

Ahsoka sighed, kneeling down on the hard floor, "I need your help- I'm having trouble being able to see clearly."

"How so?"

"My visions are clouded. Too many things are hidden to make any sense of it all."

"I see," Bendu replied, "such visions can be dangerous."

Ahsoka looked up in surprise, "Dangerous?"

"Looking into one's future can often bring much despair and terror. Sometimes, things are hidden from us for a reason. Such futures are not always guaranteed, but if revealed, the psychological effect can be… damaging."

Ahsoka sighed, "I understand the risks, but people could be in danger. There must be a way."

"Indeed! There is such a power. You must remember however, that once something is seen, it cannot be unseen."

"Can you teach me?" Ahsoka asked with a hint of hope in her voice.

"Yes. If you are willing."

"What must I do?"

"You must prove yourself to be worthy of such a power." Bendu replied, "Then, the secret can be revealed."

Suddenly, the small streams of water in the ground started to heat up, evaporating into a thin mist.

Ahsoka stood up, turning around as a white cloud started to form around her, forming a small circle.

"First, a test." Bendu stated, his voice fading as the white cloud thickened.

Slowly images started to form in the clouds, depicting many things. Ahsoka stared at the closest one in horror, seeing what looked to be the Jedi Temple consumed by fire.

The vision then panned to a large city, one that she wasn't familiar with, filled with people going about their daily lives. Then, a large green beam impacted the surface, instantly incinerating everything- leaving behind only a devastated ruin, as well as skeletons of the people that had been there just moments prior.

"No!" Ahsoka gasped, the image slowly fading to a snowy planet, littered with Clone Trooper helmets. Each one was cracked or broken, but she recognised all of them.

Jesse...

Fives...

Kix...

Rex.

She dropped to her knees, trying to reach out to the vision as it slowly started to fade.

Then, the image blurred to a lush, grassy planet with vast waterfalls and rolling hills.

"Naboo." she muttered, focusing on the vision.

There was a warrior, clad in metal armour and walking through the fields with a blaster drawn. A Mandalorian. Fire engulfed the figure, transforming the image to a hooded shadow, walking into the depths of the Jedi Temple, with scattered bodies of Temple Guards littering the floor.

Then the image faded, the clouds turning a blood red colour as an evil cackle surrounded her.

Ahsoka looked upwards, noticing a hooded figure emerging from the clouds, red lightsaber drawn. She stood up, taking a few steps backwards in fear.

"The end of the war is near." the figure spoke with a terrifying voice, "The Sith will return."

Suddenly, the clouds started to break away as the figure vanished. The chamber was filled with a haunting, cybernetic breathing sound. It slowly started to fade, leaving Ahsoka alone in the room as she dropped to the floor, her vision overcome by darkness.


FLORRUM - HONDO'S COMPOUND - PRISON BLOCK

Ahsoka jumped awake, out of breath as she sat up from the hard, rough floor.

She frantically looked around as she tried to control her breathing. She was still in the cell. Looking down, she sighed, noticing her hands were still bound. Even more annoying was the shock collar around her neck, which was starting to irritate her skin more and more as time passed.

Her mouth was also horribly dry, and she couldn't remember the last time she had actually had a drink of water.

She sat with her legs crossed as she closed her eyes, trying to contemplate what she had just experienced. She had seen so much in just a short space of time. Burning planets, fallen Clones and a mysterious Mandalorian. Not to mention the Sith Lord, something that was most disturbing.

What did it all mean? What was it trying to tell her?

Unfortunately, she had no one to talk to about these premonitions. Usually, she would have consulted Anakin or Obi-Wan for guidance. Sometimes, even Master Plo was the best person to go to for clarity. But she had none of that now. She really was alone.

Laying down on the floor, she let out a deep sigh as she tried to think of a way to get out of this situation.

It was certainly not what she had hoped for. She had no idea how much time had even passed since being captured, or what had happened to Jacen when he had been taken away.

Concern started to take over her mind, and she had to quickly fight it away. She knew she needed to be focused right now if they were to get out of here.

Suddenly, Ahsoka heard footsteps coming towards her cell. Sitting up, she figured this could be a perfect opportunity to escape.

Unfortunately, it was Hondo who emerged as the cell barrier opened, accompanied by two guards.

"Ah, I see you're settling in well, my dear."

"Enjoy this whilst you can, Hondo. You won't be able to hold me here for long."

"That's good, as I have no intention of keeping you here." Hondo replied with a smug smile, "I have already contacted my buyer. Do you have any idea how much he is willing to pay for a live female Jedi?"

Ahsoka didn't reply, only scowling at him instead.

"And that's not all," Hondo continued, pacing around the cell, "I've decided to host a little tournament to help raise the morale of the men. It's just a friendly little bit of gambling, with some fighting pits involved and-"

" Fighting pits? You can't be serious!" Ahsoka interrupted, "If you think I'd willingly fight for your entertainment you can think again!"

"Oh no, you don't understand my dear. You're far too valuable for that." Hondo answered with a wicked smile, "But I happen to have picked up some other prisoners lately who I believe are suited for this kind of work."

She couldn't take it anymore, standing up as she glared at Hondo, "I'm warning you.. If you even try to hurt-"

Ahsoka was cut off as electricity surged through her body, bringing her down to the floor in pain.

Hondo stood above her, the control of her shock collar in his hand, "Such defiance! This will never do for my contact. You need to learn respect, young one."

He pressed the control again, causing Ahsoka to scream out in pain. Hondo then turned to his men, "Tighten the shock collar. She needs to learn to submit if this sale is going to go through."

Ahsoka remained on the floor, too weak to even try and fight back as darkness took her again.


CORUSCANT - SENATE BUILDING - CHANCELLOR'S OFFICE

Palpatine sat alone in his office, a sinister smile etched onto his face. Everything was proceeding as planned.

"My Lord, you summoned me." came the sudden holographic voice of Count Dooku.

"Indeed." Palpatine replied with a smile, "I trust that the Kyber crystals have been delivered as planned?"

"Yes, my Lord. Cad Bane has proven his use to us once again. We have access to both the crystals, and all of the research conducted on them using the Republic's sophisticated technology. We now have everything we need to start construction efforts."

Dooku then smiled, "As well as this, it would appear that the plan to liberate fallen Jedi, Barriss Offee, has also succeeded without issue."

"Very good, Lord Tyrannus. You have done well."

Palpatine then crossed his hands, resting them on his desk, "I believe this provides us with an excellent opportunity to test the proposed weapon to its full potential. Now that you have access to the materials and the plans, see to it that construction is started and the weapon is tested on living beings."

Dooku nodded firmly, "It will be done my Lord."

Palpatine then took a pause, contemplating. "You may need to make some alterations to the original plans however. We will have to find a larger, more powerful crystal to create the weapon originally intended."

"I will have the brightest minds in the confederacy working on this immediately, my Lord."

" Good, good. We must act quickly, my friend. The Jedi are becoming suspicious; we cannot allow them to find a loose end. This business with the Clone Trooper on Ringo Vinda is most concerning for my plans."

"What would you have me do, Master?" Dooku asked.

"See to it that the Kaminoans understand the importance of the inhibitor chips, and that their true nature is not revealed to the Jedi."

"It will be done, Master." Dooku replied with a bow.

The hologram then faded, just in time for another call to come through on the comms.

"Your excellency," came the rough voice of one of the Senate Guards, "I have Commander Krennic and Admiral Tarkin outside."

Palpatine let out a sigh, already suspecting what this would be about, "Send them in."

Their bickering could already be heard the moment the doors opened to the Chancellor's Office.

"-and this is why I have been against your project from the start, Commander . Our resources would have been better spent elsewhere."

Krennic ignored Tarkin's remark, instead brushing by him as he walked up to meet the Chancellor.

"Your Excellency." he said with a customary bow, despite failing to hide his anger and frustration, "It would appear that our security has been compromised. The entire supply of crystals has been lost, on top of years of research and heavy damage to the facility!"

Palpatine just stared, opting to not respond. It had the desired effect on Krennic, who appeared to back down a little as he got his emotions under control.

"My apologies, Chancellor."

"I believe this shows the limited potential this project has." Tarkin interjected, stepping past Krennic as he took a seat at Palpatine's desk, "The fact of the matter is, we have wasted enough resources chasing dreams. We must focus on reality. The DS-1 could be transformed into an orbital shipyard, which could produce weapons of war at an unimaginable scale."

"You would waste years of research on a shipyard ." Krennic asked incredulously, "Chancellor, if I may, it would be a waste to give up on the project now! We're so close to reaching the full potential of the crystals, I just need more time."

Palpatine then stood from his desk, walking towards his window as he watched the city below, "I'm afraid that for now the research must be put on hold. I'm receiving troubling reports that the Geonosian Drones we are using to construct the station have started to slow down. This is unacceptable."

He then turned to face Krennic, "I'm assigning you with a new task, Commander. You will travel to the station, and see to it personally that construction efforts are maintained to a high standard. Take a detachment of Clone Troopers, and terminate any Drones who do not comply."

Krennic relented, despite seeing this as a waste of his own time, "Very well Chancellor, I'll leave immediately."

Palpatine and Tarkin sat in silence until Krennic left, with Tarkin standing from his seat the moment the doors to the office closed.

"If you plan to see this project through, we will require an excessive amount of Kyber crystals to power the main weapon." the Admiral stated, "The Republic Special Weapons Group have put forward some rather ambitious plans, which I find hard to justify considering the costs involved."

"I believe this project has potential," Palpatine replied, "but it will take time before we can delve further into it. For now, we must ensure that the Jedi do not discover our intentions."

"I agree. There's always a chance that some information could be leaked. I still believe that keeping the Jedi involved in the conflict is an error, and respectfully request their power to be restricted."

Palpatine sighed, "I'm afraid that the Jedi will remain as Generals for now. Whilst we may not share the same ideologies, they do have their uses. And it also acts as the best way to keep their attention away from our project."

"Of course, Chancellor." Tarkin replied respectfully, "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Palpatine smiled, "Yes, there is. See to it that the security around Coruscant is improved. Thanks to the recent attack, we now have reason to install more security checkpoints and station a larger military presence here without raising questions."

Tarkin nodded, bowing and leaving the room.

Palpatine could only smile to himself. His plot was starting to flourish, his influence over the galaxy growing as each day passed. Now he just needed to turn Skywalker, and his scheme would be complete.


FLORRUM - HONDO'S COMPOUND - PRISON CELLS

Ahsoka awoke to the sound of heavy footsteps from outside her cell. She tried to sit up, but found herself in far too much pain to even try it.

Her neck ached, as did the rest of her body. The shock collar was taking its toll, as she'd never been in so much pain. Hondo was certainly being far less hospitable than last time, that was for sure.

The cell to her door opened, causing her to quickly turn to face it. She was surprised to see the guards dragging Jacen inside, throwing him to the ground with force. They laughed as he fell to the floor facefirst, before turning to leave without a word to Ahsoka.

Once the cell door closed, she forced herself up despite the pain, quickly rushing to his side.

"Jacen! Are you okay?" she asked, trying to pull up his body. He grunted in response as Ahsoka pulled him up against the wall so he was upright. "What have they done to you?"

She delicately traced her hand along his face, brushing some of his now messy hair away. He'd been beaten quite badly, his face bruised and small trails of blood dripping from his mouth and nose. Ahsoka wiped it away the best she could with her hand, trying to wake him up with a few light shakes.

His eyes slowly opened, eventually meeting her concerned gaze. "A- Ahsoka?"

"It's me, don't worry. You're safe." she replied, grabbing his hands with her own, something made much more awkward with the cuffs around them. "I'm with you now."

"Ahsoka-'' he said again, trying to straighten himself up, "I'm sorry. I- should have seen them coming. I was too focused on Kendar and- I didn't see them behind us." he managed in a defeated tone, dropping his eyes to the floor.

"It's not your fault." Ahsoka stated, gently lifting his face with her shackled hands, "I just don't think we fully understood what we were getting ourselves into."

Jacen managed a small smirk, "Back on the ship, you said we'd improvise if something went wrong. What's your plan for this one?"

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, "I'm still working on that."

The two fell into a comfortable silence, with Ahsoka deciding to sit beside him on the floor.

"Any idea what they're planning for us?" Jacen eventually asked.

"Hondo is planning on selling me to some contact of his, a slaver with the sounds of it."

She noticed his worried expression immediately, "Don't worry, I have no intention of going through with it. It might provide a good opportunity to escape, too."

Jacen didn't look convinced, "I dunno, sounds risky to me. Maybe we should try escaping before that?"

Ahsoka sighed, "That might be a little difficult."

"What do you mean?"

"Hondo has- other plans." she replied, hesitating slightly.

" Other plans?"

"Yeah. He's going to be hosting a tournament at the fighting pits."

"Will I be given a weapon at least?"

Ahsoka looked at him with wide eyes, "Jacen, you're in no condition to fight anyone right now!"

"I don't think I'll have a choice." he replied, his voice shaking slightly, "Did he mention what I'll be up against."

"No, he didn't mention that." she said, looking away from him with a sense of guilt, "I'm sure we'll find a way out of here before it comes to that."

Jacen let out an exasperated sigh, knowing full well that his time alive could be running out. The chances of escaping in the state they were both in was practically impossible, despite Ahsoka thinking otherwise.

"Ahsoka, can I, uh, ask you something?"

She gave him the best smile she could manage, "Anything."

"Back on the ship- when we, uh, kissed ," he said with a strained voice, "Did you- uh- did you enjoy it?"

Ahsoka remained silent, not quite sure how to answer that one.

"I'm sorry, I- I shouldn't have asked," Jacen quickly said the moment she didn't respond, "I just thought, well, considering the situation- I might not get another chance to ask, that's all."

"Jacen I-"

She trailed off, trying to find the right words, "What we did - it can't happen again."

She couldn't help but notice his slightly hurt expression, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

"I have a duty , even if I'm not a Jedi anymore." she continued slowly, "It's not only to protect others, but ourselves as well. Even if I did- uh, find the experience to be, well-"

Ahsoka paused, not exactly sure how to word it. She enjoyed it. She thought it was exciting. She liked the effect it had on her body -

None of those would do, but how else could she say it?

"Say no more. I understand." Jacen said quietly, "Duty first."

She wished that she had worded that differently, in a way that showed she actually cared- rather than just sounding completely emotionless. He deserved better than that.

Any attempt to rephrase was cut short, as the cell door once again opened. A Weequay stepped in, control to the shock collar in hand as if to put down any hopes of escape.

Ahsoka immediately recognised him, it being the same pirate who had attacked her on the streets and the docking bay.

"You?" she asked in disbelief, "I'm surprised Hondo kept you around after all the times you failed him!"

The pirate, Shirak, only gave her a sickening smile, "And look how things turned out for you. Oh, how things have changed. Here you are, chained up and at my mercy."

He pressed the control, sending another electric wave through her body that caused her to shout out in pain. Jacen tried to stand up, but Shirak waved the control at him. "Make one more move, and I press it again!"

Jacen relented, his eyes meeting Ahsoka's as he saw pain in them for the first time. She was weak, weaker than she was letting on. He would do anything to help her, and right now that meant giving the pirate this little victory.

"It's time for the event!" Shirak stated, staring at Jacen, "I'm betting all my credits on you to lose this one. It's a guaranteed win, especially with how you were beaten earlier. You won't even be able to stand!"

"And as for you," he continued, now looking at Ahsoka, "Hondo wants you to be his special guest of honour. Such a privilege. You'll have a front view seat of the event!"

"You're sick!" Jacen shouted, "If you're so confident you'll win, come down and face me yourself!"

"Brave words, I'm surprised you still have any fight left in you. This will be interesting!" the pirate said with a cackle, "I'm afraid I'll be just watching today, as Hondo has a treat for you which I'm sure should make for an… interesting match."

He then turned back towards the entrance, "Guards, escort our friends here to the arena!"

More pirates came in, grabbing Ahsoka and Jacen and dragging them out of the cell. Despite their struggles, there was nothing they could do to break free from their grip.

Ahsoka looked towards Jacen as he struggled against one of the Weequay, briefly meeting his defiant brown eyes before they were both taken separate ways.

She wanted to call out- to say something. But she couldn't find the words, only watching in terror as they were slowly dragged apart.