Previously, on the Legacy of Jarik Shan...


Mara POV...

But then the cold turns into something more. I stop, eyes going wide in terror, and Kanan does so next, Ezra also feeling it. Right behind us, I can sense so much darkness, it was practically overwhelming. It was like a black hole, trying to suffocate the light from me, and there was so much anger... so much hate... it was terrifying.

"Do you feel that?" Ezra asks nervously.

"It's him..." I whisper in terror.

Kanan looks behind us with a sigh, and I follow his line of sight.

"The cold," Kanan says gravely.

Standing in the doorway behind us, where we were just moments ago is the Sith Lord himself, Darth Vader. He doesn't do anything except stare quietly at us, framed in shadow and mist. The sound of mechanical breathing echoes from the man, his mask looking like a skull. Then he activates a blood red lightsaber with a sharp, menacing hiss, holding it by his side.

I stare at him, fear overcoming me like never before at the sight of the Sith Lord, the others also watching in shock. Kanan is the only other person here who understands what a Sith Lord is truly capable of. Vader marches forwards, six Stormtroopers backing him up on both sides as he comes to a stop before me, Ezra and Kanan. The way he stands there, completely silent except for the breathing is more terrifying than anything he could ever say. And he was so tall... if I thought Stoick was big, Vader is probably taller!

The Stormtroopers break off from Vader and head towards the rest of the crew while he stares at us, and I shiver when I notice his gaze falls to me in particular. And dad says he fought this man before?!

Kanan activates his lightsaber with a scowl, afraid but determined, and I quickly follow, my violet blade springing to life, Ezra's coming on next. But the sight of three Jedi with lightsabers does not deter him in the slightest, and he marches forwards, as if he had all the time in the universe. Which he definitely had in this situation.


"Hera, go we'll cover you!" Kanan yells behind him as Vader approaches us. I hold my lightsaber in the Shien reverse grip, a fearful expression on my face, but I stood firm, not willing to back down for as long as necessary. Ezra stood further behind us, still not as experienced in lightsaber combat, especially against a Sith Lord.

"Kanan look out!" Hera shouted back in alarm.

In a flash, Vader was on us, and he swung his lightsaber with just a single arm. Kanan blocked the attack, but immediately struggled to hold onto his own from the strength behind Vader's attack, even with just one arm! Vader stood there silently, breathing at a normal pace while Kanan struggled to keep hold of his lightsaber. Seeing this, I jumped into action and swung my lightsaber at Vader's side, but he brushed Kanan away and stopped my attack. I might as well have tried attacking a metal wall with a stick.

I separated and slashed again vertically, which Vader blocked again horizontally, and then easily shifted his lightsaber to catch Kanan's own strike. Behind us, the Stormtroopers opened fire on the rest of the group while Hera and Chopper loaded the shield generators. Vader then shoved us back with his lightsaber and thrusted out a hand. Immediately, the three of us were blasted with the Force, and we flew back several feet away. The Force push wasn't that harmful, since me and Kanan managed to land on our feet, although Ezra hit the ground hard. I realized that meant he was merely taunting us, which was scary.

Kanan shook his head with a scowl and tried for an overhead lunge, which Vader batted away with ease. I then swooped in towards his right and slashed for his feet, however Vader just lowered his lightsaber to stop my strike, before shoving my blade away when Kanan charged again. He slashed with his saber in a wide arc, but Vader stopped it, redirecting his attention to me when I came at him with a quick flurry of attacks.

I tried using my size and speed to my advantage, dashing around behind him in an attempt to find an opening with Kanan in front, but it was useless. Despite staring at Kanan in front of him, Vader still was able to twist his arm and deflect my blows with his own blade in between Kanan's attacks, and then shoved him away. He then whipped around to face me and swung his lightsaber upwards with both hands this time. The power behind the attack caught me off guard, and despite blocking his strike, I was sent flying off my feet and into the air, where I landed a couple feet away.

Kanan then charged forwards with a jab, but Vader sidestepped him and grabbed his wrists with one hand. He widened his eyes in alarm before Vader easily hoisted him up with a tight grip, causing Kanan's hold on his lightsaber to loosen and make it deactivate. He then threw Kanan several feet like a ragdoll, and he rolled across the ground, slamming headfirst into a pile of crates, where he was knocked unconscious.

I leaped up from the ground and charged at Vader again, jumping up and swinging my lightsaber. However Vader raises his own blade and caught mine easily, shoving me back. I tried swinging again, but he followed my blade without effort, engaging in another blade-lock. I grimaced fearfully, finding myself being pushed back while he started to loom over me. In this position I felt so small, in a way that I had never felt before in my life.

"I would have words with you, Mara Jade," he suddenly spoke, and I widened my eyes in alarm with a small gasp.

Ezra then came charging in with a fierce scowl on his face, lightsaber raised overhead to strike at Vader's unprotected back. However the Sith Lord then shoved me away before kicking out with his foot, catching me in the chest. I went flying back to land on the ground with a pained gasp as Vader turned to Ezra, raising a hand towards him. Ezra was immediately launched from the ground and flew back against the leg of one of the walkers, held up in Vader's grasp. I struggled to get up, but it was painful, since that kick probably bruised my ribs or something.

"Your master has deceived you, into believing that you can become a Jedi," Vader boomed, gesturing with his hand.

Ezra's hand holding his lightsaber was lifted up, pushing the glowing blue blade towards his throat. Ezra grimaced and tried to resist it, but Vader pressed down harder, forcing the lightsaber inches from his throat, while Ezra groaned desperately, staring at his own blade in terror. I got to me knees and looked up in horror at the sight, being unable to reach Vader in time.

Luckily, Kanan leaped forwards and activated his lightsaber, swinging it fast at Vader's unprotected back. However Vader managed to sense this and whipped around, catching the lightsaber blade once again, before shoving it down and advancing on him. I pulled myself to my feet and held my torso slightly before activating my lightsaber. I dashed forwards and swung my lightsaber again while Vader was preoccupied with Kanan, but he managed to stop my lightsaber again. The two of us slashed and struck at the Sith Lord as best as we could in an attempt to get an opening, but he easily blocked and parried every one of our attacks without any effort at all.

Vader then sidestepped Kanan and shoved him away, causing him to stumble, barely falling to the ground. Ezra charged in, and I swung my lightsaber towards his helmet. Vader deflected my blade before catching Ezra's and shoving it to the ground, lashing out with his arm. He sent Ezra flying with a blow to the head, and then swung his lightsaber overhead against me. I raised my lightsaber, but was shoved down onto one knee from the force behind the blow. Kanan charged forwards again, and Vader twisted his lightsaber so that mine was dislodged from my grasp, and blocked Kanan's attack with one hand.

I reached out an arm and called my lightsaber back to my hand when Vader once again sidestepped Kanan, and whipped around, activating mine again as I slashed at Vader's side. Vader lowered his lightsaber to block my strike, and then raised it into a blade-lock with Kanan. I then used the Force to jump into the air and over Vader's head, lashing out with my blade at the same time. Unfortunately Vader simply raised his and Kanan's locked blades in order to deflect my strike, and then shoved Kanan away. When I landed back on the ground on the other side of him, he turned to face me, mask lit up in red from his lightsaber.

"How curious, that you use one of Shan's preferred tactics," he says, and I stifle a gasp of alarm.

He lashes out at me, and I roll away just as his lightsaber strikes the ground where I was. I pop up beside Kanan, but Vader was already on us, swinging downwards with his lightsaber. Kanan deflects the attack, and when I move forwards to strike again, Vader raises an arm and shoves me back with the Force beside Ezra. He then enters another blade-lock with Kanan, and I get up to stand beside Ezra, ready to move forwards once again.

Vader then pulled away, twisting his lightsaber to leave Kanan unbalanced, and slashed at his shoulder. Kanan was unable to react in time, and the red lightsaber struck him on the shoulder guard, leaving a large glowing mark. He cries out in surprise and pain, bringing a hand to his shoulder while crouching on the ground.

"Kanan!" I exclaimed in alarm.

The walkers beside us on the left suddenly explode, thanks to a few thermal detonators, but Vader doesn't flinch, just glances at them briefly in annoyance, his cape blowing. The start to topple over, and Kanan looks at me an Ezra.

"Now!" he exclaims, and we immediately get the idea, following his lead. All three of us shove our arms out, sending a combined Force burst into Vader, which sent him back a few feet, directly where the walkers were falling. He lands on the ground and looks back up at them, starting to gesture with his hand. The walkers then slam into the ground, and we're unable to see him any more.

Kanan and Ezra both sigh in relief and start walking back to the ship, but I don't. The coldness of Vader's presence is still here. The walkers then shift slightly and I widen my eyes in terror, turning around and running for the ship.

"Run!" I yell to them, waving my arms. They both look at me in confusion.

"What fo-" Ezra startsto say, before all of them widen their eyes in shock and disbelief. I look behind me, and see both destroyed walkers being lifted easily from the ground by Vader, who slowly shifts into a standing position, the anger now surging from him. He wasn't mad before, and he still kicked our butts, but now we just ticked him off. And he was only using one arm to lift the walkers!

"If that doesn't kill him what will?!" Ezra exclaims in alarm.

"Not us! Run!" Kanan said, shoving him towards the ship, the two following after me.

I could hear the walkers crash onto the ground with a tremendous clang.

"Go Chop!" Hera said.

"Come on! Come on!" Sabine yelled.

Moments later, an invisible force suddenly grabbed my ankle and tripped me onto the ground, and then started pulling me towards Vader, who had his lightsaber activated, and arm stretched out towards me. I widened my eyes in terror.

"Mara!" Ezra yelled, grabbing my left arm, and Kanan grabbed his arm too when he was also pulled along.

"Get off of me!" I yelled at Vader helplessly, but my pleas were fruitless, as he just continued to advance, getting closer to us. Looking around, I spotted a small pile of purple crates and stretched my arm towards them. I lifted one with the Force and desperately threw it at Vader, at the same time as a pair of shots coming from Sabine's pistol.

Vader had to let go of me in order to stop the crate from hitting him, tossing it to the side with the Force while I got to my feet and continued running towards the ship with Ezra and Kanan. The two pistol shots suddenly slammed back into Sabine, hitting her chest and helmet. She fell to the ground with a pained cry just as the ship started taking off. The three of us then jumped onto the ship, and I looked back to see Vader staring at us, not giving chase any further, although his presence was still intoxicating. Thankfully, the ramp door closed, and we were blasting off away from that monster.


As Chopper continued flying the ship away from Capital City, the rest of us were sitting in the seats, feeling beaten. Hera was checking over Sabine in concern, while Kanan sat slumped in his seat and holding his shoulder. I was sitting on his right side, Ezra on his left, breathing heavily. I couldn't believe that we had just fought the Darth Vader, and I could tell why mom and dad didn't want me fighting him. He was every bit as terrifying as dad told me, and insanely powerful. He was just toying with us during that fight!

"Zeb, make sure they can't track us," Hera says.

"Consider it done," he replies with a nod, moving off.

"Kanan? What was that?! Another Inquisitor?!" Ezra demands, a fearful pitch to his voice.

Kanan sits up, a worried gleam in his eyes. "No. Something, worse," he replies gravely.

"What?" he asks again.

Kanan shares a look with me, and I answer for him. "A Sith Lord, by the name of Darth Vader. According to my parents, the Sith are the ancient enemy of the Jedi," I said.

"Well, how do we fight him?!" Ezra questions.

Kanan looks at him in astonishment. "Fight him? Ezra, we were lucky to survive!" he exclaims in response, and Hera looks at us in concern before Kanan turns to me. "Is there anything else Jarik or Ahsoka know about Vader?"

I recall most of what I know about Vader, mostly in warnings or brief conversations, which wasn't much. However, dad has told me one or two brief stories about him. "Well, my mom has never fought Vader before... but my dad has. With Master Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"He did?" Kanan asks in surprise.

I nod my head. "Yeah, but he wouldn't tell me much, mostly just warnings to stay away from him no matter what."

I pause, glancing down uneasily before looking back at them. "I think my dad knew him... before he turned."

"How could he have known that guy?!" Ezra asks incredulously. The rest of the group in the room listen intently.

"Just, the way he speaks about him... and he won't tell me anything else. Even my mom has a hard time getting him to talk about Vader," I tell him, before sighing. "What he did tell us though, is that he was the one who marched on the Jedi Temple."

Kanan widens his eyes in surprise and horror, the others equally stunned, and I look down at the ground sadly, remembering how hard it was for Jarik to talk about that particular story. "He watched him kill countless other Jedi..." I spoke quietly.

"Then that settles it," Hera says firmly, both her and Sabine standing up. "I'm going to make for orbit so we can jump away."

"Hera, no!" Kanan says in alarm. "He, will have a blockade of Destroyers, waiting for us!"

"He won't just let us escape that easily, honestly!" I add in. "Vader was playing with us the whole time, and he wants me especially... He wants me so he can get to my dad."

Kanan gives me a look of sympathy while Hera frowns, not knowing how to get out of this situation. "And this shuttle is slow, with barely any weapons or shields," Sabine adds, scoffing lightly. "We're gonna have to smuggle ourselves off Lothal for a change."

Immediately, I sense an idea form in Hera's head. "That's not a bad idea," she remarks.

"What are you thinking?" Kanan asks in confusion.

"I'm thinking, we know the right man to smuggle us off world," she says with a knowing look to Kanan and Ezra, moving towards the ladder. They both glance at each other in alarm.

"Not him!" they both exclaim at the same time with dread.

"Who?" I ask in confusion.


Darth Vader POV...

The night continued on, although morning would soon arrive. However that was irrelevant compared to the true matter at hand. Those two Jedi were nothing but failures, the apprentice unable to even swing a lightsaber properly, while Jarrus still had the skill level of a mere Padawan. Mara Jade... I almost had her, easily. But I let myself underestimate her abilities. Despite being the youngest of them all, she was the most lethal in battle, using the very moves practiced by Jarik Shan... as well as...

Ahsoka Tano.

The way she started her battle using the reverse handgrip, is reminiscent of what Skywalker's apprentice herself did. However, given that her mentor is Jarik Shan, that isn't too out of character, considering his strong friendship with Tano. What a shame for him that she is dead officially.

The door then opens behind me, and Agent Kallus walks through with a report. "My lord, our scans have indicated that the stolen shuttle has not attempted to leave the system," he says.

"Fear has driven them to ground," I reply, having sensed their terror from my presence. "There is a refuge camp, the rebels have provided aid to in the past."

"Yes, 'Tarkintown' they call it," he confirms slowly. "You suspect the rebels are in hiding there?" he asks.

They wouldn't risk hiding among those they consider innocent, but this will send them a message. "No, but I want you to burn it. The compassion of the rebels, is a weakness. One we will exploit," I tell him firmly.

I can sense a small amount of hesitance from him, but he replies obediently, his duty to the Empire strong. "Yes, my lord," he says with a bow, exiting the room.

Mara Jade may have surprised me with her impressive skills at such a young age, but it is only a matter of time before she leads me to the rest of this rebel cell, and Jarik Shan.


Mara POV...

Our shuttle landed in the middle of nowhere, out in Lothal's grassy fields by a small outpost. Once on the ground, we opened the ramp and saw a protocal type droid approaching us diligently. Hera, Chopper and Sabine exited the ship first, the rest of us following afterwards.

"You must be Lando's droid," Hera assumes.

"Yes, ma'am. Welcome," the droid greets in response. "I have prepared everything according to Calrissian's instructions. Is one of you a mechanic?" it asks us.

"Oh, that must be me." Sabine replies proudly.

"I'm decent at it," I admit with a small shrug. Sabine slumps slightly in irritation and bitterness, but stands up straight again when Chopper beeps at us.

"Definitely not you," she says, shooting him down.

"On that, we can agree," I say with a nod of my head, much to Chopper's chagrin. Our group starts to follow after Lando's droid, but I suddenly sense something, and look over to the right, Ezra already staring in that direction. Off on the horizon, a large plume of smoke rises high into the sky, expanding larger and not stopping. I look at the cloud of smoke, worried and uneasy at the possibility of what it meant. Ezra then rushes for one of the speeders and hops on, powering it up. I follow after him to another speeder.

"Hey, kids!" Zeb yells out, but Kanan stops him.

"Just let them go, Zeb," he replies softly, and Ezra takes off, headed for the smoke.

I power up my speeder and fly after him, unsure of what I might find. I could sense Kanan following us, but I paid it no mind. The journey only took a couple of minutes, but we eventually arrived to a large hill overlooking to origin of the smoke. I get off of my speeder and look at the smoking pile, and gasp in horror when I realize it to be a town. The idea that people could do this... why? My eyes well up slightly with tears as I begin to realize what the Empire is truly like. Despite my experiences in the past, I've always felt like fighting the Empire was a great thing, full of adventure and battle in the race to take down and destroy an evil galactic government.

But aside from the Second Sister killing my birth mother and father, I've never seen why the Empire is so evil, having lived with Jarik and Ahsoka as my parents for most of my life, away from the horror that they create. Kanan pulls up behind us, as Ezra lowers his binoculars, grief on his face.

"There's no one. They're all gone," he says, voice breaking slightly.

"They're prisoners of the Galactic Empire now." Kanan says grimly.

"All I sense is evil. Why would they burn Tarkintown?" Ezra demands.

Kanan walks up to us, laying a hand on his shoulder. "To spread fear, to make us afraid. The people that lived here just got caught in the middle."

"This happened because of us?" Ezra asked hesitantly, starting to feel guilty.

Did it? I have to wonder.

"There's a cost for any action we take now, Ezra. Things are getting worse just as they did back when I was your age," he replies. "But back then, there were 10,000 Jedi Knights protecting the entire galaxy, including your parents," he says, gesturing to me. "Now..."

"There's just you, Mara's family, and me," Ezra says, feeling determined.

"Against an Empire." Kanan reminds him.

"We can fight! We have allies! Jarik and Ahsoka could help us fight Vader!" Ezra protests, and I glance at him in surprise.

"Do you not understand what you're saying?" Kanan exclaims incredulously. "You saw what we're up against. Look!" he says, gesturing towards the burned town.

"I'm not afraid" Ezra declares boldly, taking a few steps forwards.

Kanan sighs sadly. "That's what worries me."

I stare out at the destroyed town, its populace either dead or taken prisoner by Vader and the Empire. kneel on the ground, brushing my hand along the grass, looking at a few strands in my hand.

"After my dad saved me, my whole life I've been kept away from most of the galaxy unless they were nearby," I said softly, and they both listened to me intently. "I always thought the idea of being a Jedi, what mom and dad have trained me to become was awesome. I could fight an oppressive Empire, and go on adventurous missions with them," I continue on, staring out at the rubble.

"I never knew what they were really like..." I finish, a tear streaking down my face. I wish they were with my right now... I wish I never went on this stupid mission to rescue Minister Tua in the first place.

"It's never easy," Kanan says. "When in the middle of a war, you always see things that will haunt you forever. It's how we deal with it, that moves us forwards."

I stand back up slowly, and drop the grass strands while continuing to stare at the ruined town, a resolve coming into my heart. Never again would I seek to go on a mission and fight the Empire merely because it is adventurous or fun. Now I would do it, if it would help people, and make the Empire fall, so that they could never hurt anyone again.


Jarik POV...

I was heading through hyperspace, headed for Phoenix Squadron as fast as I can, but unfortunately in hyperspace you couldn't go any faster than the speed I currently was. I was still at least twenty minutes away, and every second felt like an hour, especially after what I've been feeling.

I have no idea what is happening on Lothal, but I could first sense Mara's unease, then her shock... and then her terror, along with a coldness I couldn't make out at first. Regardless, she was in danger, and if I was right, she's in danger from Vader himself! Why oh why did I agree to let her go on this mission so easily... Why couldn't hyperspace go any faster? Why not ludicrous speed? I'd like that, because I'm feeling ludicrous right now!


Darth Vader POV...

As the sun rose over Lothal, bathing the sky in orange, Agent Kallus stood with me in the main office. He walked over to the desk when it beeped and activated the holo-transmitter, bringing up an image of Konstantine.

"My lord, I regret to inform you that the rebels have escaped Lothal," he says, the nervousness easily heard in his voice.

As expected, the Imperial navy officers were useless in their assigned task, as usual. Thrawn seems to be the only one who knows how to do anything right, at least in predictability and intelligence. A shame he was currently out in the Unknown Regions. However... now I know the location of the rebel fleet, and possibly Jarik Shan. The true prize.

"Have my ship prepared," I state, heading out the door to the hanger. Agent Kallus nods his head obediently.


3rd person POV...

The Imperial shuttle piloted by Hera flew towards the Phoenix fleet, flanked by two A-Wing fighters. "Phoenix Home, this is the Ghost away team. Clearance code 1-2-1-8-1-5." Hera says into the comlink.

A moment later, a rebel technician responds. "Your clearance code checks out. Welcome home, Ghost team," he greets politely.

Hera docks the shuttle onto the side of the Enterprise-D ship. The group disembarks, Mara stretching her arms and ready to greet her mother before Chopper races through the door in a panic, beeping urgently. Those who could understand him widened their eyes in alarm.

"Chopper said a transmitter activated on our shuttle moments ago!" Sabine exclaimed.

Mara was already racing towards the command center, Hera right on her heels as they headed for Ahsoka and Commander Sato respectively. They entered the room to find the very two they were looking for conversing with each other.

"Mom, they tracked us back here!" Mara exclaimed as soon as she caught sight of her. Ahsoka widened her eyes in surprise.

"What?" she asked in alarm. Hera then burst through as well.

"Commander Sato! We need the fleet to jump out of here! Our shuttle was tracked!" Hera exclaimed breathlessly, the rest of the crew entering behind her.

"Commander, I'm scanning a ship in our sector," a technician spoke up. The crew looked at each other in alarm, but also confusion. One ship? The holomap was activated, displaying the rebel fleet as well as the approaching ship on the screen.

"We've been tracking one target. No other ships have entered the system," he reported.

"Move Phoenix Squadron to intercept." Sato orders.

Within moments, the rebel pilots all jumped into their A-Wings and took off, headed towards the approaching TIE Fighter, ready for battle. As they watched this unfold, Ahsoka narrowed her eyes slightly at the screen.

"There's only one other person I know of who would dare fight an entire fleet by themselves..." she muttered to herself thoughtfully. She had to wonder who it was now that would be brave enough or foolish enough to attempt it.

"Fighter coming in at mark 3," one of the pilots reported. They all opened fire on him, but the TIE Fighter easily weaved around the shots and then retaliated with quick bursts, destroying one fighter in a second.

"He's coming in too fast!" another pilot reported in alarm, before his comlink went dead.

"Fleet, raise deflector shields." Hera ordered.

"We've lost Phoenix 1 and 2!" a pilot responded, and they all shared looks of alarm.

"He's heading right for us!" Ezra said, pointing towards the red mark signaling the TIE Fighter on the holo-map.

"Are you kidding me?" Mara exclaimed before stumbling, as the TIE opened fire onto the command ship, causing it to shake make the lights flicker briefly, doing surprising amounts of damage.

"How can one fighter best our entire squadron?!" Sato demanded, angry and alarmed by this.

"Your pilots are outmatched, Commander!" Hera responded, rushing for the door.

Kanan watched her go in bewilderment. "Uh, what are you doing?" he demanded.

"Getting involved," she said, glancing at him briefly before continuing.

Kanan shook his head in displeasure. "Not without me, you're not."

"Let's go," Sabine said to Ezra, running for the door. "Ezra, come on!"

"I'd like to join in," Mara admitted with a small grin.

"All right if we tag along?" Ahsoka asks Ezra with a smile.

"The more, the merrier," he responded with a grin, running for the door.

"Come on Mara," Ahsoka said, rushing after him.

"Oh you bet mom!" she replied.

Two rebel pilots chased after Vader, firing their laser cannons in an attempt to shoot him down. However in a move that shocked them both, Vader maneuvered upwards and cut off his engines, spinning himself around so that he was still moving in the same direction while also facing the rebels. He opened fire, and green laser blasts cut through the A-Wing pilots, quickly bringing an end to them.

On the Ghost, Ahsoka and Mara joined Hera and Kanan on the bridge, while the rest of the crew went to various positions on the freighter. Hera sat in the pilot's seat, with Ahsoka in the co-pilots, seat, while Kanan and Mara sat in the back two seats. They powered up the ship, and Hera called the others over the coms.

"Everyone, check in." Hera ordered.

"Tail guns, check!" Zeb replied.

"Turrets, check!" Sabine said.

"Nose guns, check! Check!" ezra confirmed.

"All right, kids, do mom and dad proud," Hera says, flicking a few switches.

"Here he comes!" Kanan said in alarm, pointing forwards.

Vader flew his TIE Fighter straight at the rebel command ship and opened fire. Green laser blasts shot into the shields surrounding the bridge, then above, and then cut through the shield generator, destroying them all in a large explosion that shook the ship.

"We've lost our shields!" one of the technicians yelled over the comlink.

"Ghost moving to engage." Hera replied, swinging the Ghost around and charging after the TIE Fighter.

"I'm on him!" Sabine said, swiveling her turret around and firing at the fighter. However, the TIE easily weaved and maneuvered around her shots, leaving her baffled. "Who is this guy?"

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes with a heavy frown, finding herself recognizing many of these attack patterns used by the TIE Fighter... as well as something else. Sabine was right: who was this guy?

"Phoenix Home to Ghost. We can't withstand another attack from that fighter!" Commander Sato told them.

"Copy that. Phoenix Squadron form up and focus fire!" Hera ordered.

"This is intense," Mara muttered to herself, feeling slightly nervous. The Ghost and two other A-Wings raced after the TIE Fighter, which swung around to make another charge for the command ship.

Ahsoka frowned thoughtfully, sensing something strange about their attacker. "The force is strong with him," she realized. "Mara, Kanan, let's find out how strong!" she told them, and Mara nodded in understanding.

"How can I help?" Kanan asked.

"Just remember your training," she replies, and both her and Mara close their eyes, reaching their hands out and calling upon the Force. Kanan exhales before also closing his eyes, laying his hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. He reaches out, also feeling along with the Force.

The Ghost rushed after the TIE Fighter, and Ezra fired every shot he could at him, but no matter what, Vader still continued to dodge the attacks, continuing his charge for the command ship. In the middle of doing this however, Ezra then pulled back nervously, shivering slightly. "There's something familiar. I feel... Cold," he whispers to himself.

In the cockpit, Ahsoka, Mara and Kanan were focused on the Force as they reached out to their enemy in the TIE Fighter. On the comlink, Ezra started talking to them. "I think I know who it is!" he exclaimed. Ahsoka frowned, and Mara shivered.

Vader stared forwards at his target, determined to bring an end to the rebel ship.

"Back on Lothal I felt something. Kanan and Mara did too!" he continued. "The fear. The anger. The hate..."

With each word that Ezra said, Ahsoka grimaced, her expression becoming more unsure and fearful. Mara could recognize it too, and began to come to the conclusion that this was Vader. She, along with Ahsoka, pressed further into the Force... and received an answer.

In his TIE Fighter, Vader suddenly slowed down briefly, and glanced up to the side, feeling something familiar. He could sense Mara Jade on that ship trying to reach him, as well as the Jedi Kanan Jarrus. And then...

"It's the Sith Lord we faced!" Ezra exclaimed, and Mara pulled back with a gasp, recognizing the cold.

Ahsoka's face was now filled with horror, and she opened her eyes, terror gleaming from within her soul. She knew who it was! But... it, it couldn't be! I couldn't be him!

Underneath his mask, Darth Vader grinned to himself at this turn of events. "The apprentice lives," he stated.

Memories flushed through Ahsoka, ones full of happiness, then chaos, then sadness, then worry, then despair, horror...

Anakin...

She screamed out loud, her mind unable to handle it. The memories and feelings now flowed wrongly, tainted and taken by the dark side, and it was too much for her. She fell backwards, unconscious, and Kanan caught her in shock. Mara stared at her in terror.

"Ahsoka?!" Kanan exclaimed.

"MOM!" Mara yelled, rushing to her side and holding onto her desperately, not knowing what just happened, only that Vader was somehow responsible.


And it has finally happened... Vader now knows that Ahsoka lives, and Ahsoka has now felt Anakin after so many years, in the new, horrifying figure of Darth Vader.