Ahsoka isn't actually a programmer. She is a good mechanic; in fact she worked as a mechanic for a while between the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War. But that was hardly the same thing. Ahsoka sits in a chair in front of the control terminal with Vader standing next to her. Imperials watch, suspecting the worst, but Vader makes sure they don't come to close. Ahsoka speaks at a volume only loud enough for Vader to hear. "I can't actually reprogram the battle droids to fight the Empire myself."

"I am aware. If nothing else, we have benefited by finding the control terminal. When the Rebellion takes this facility, we can show them where to go." The Post-Separatist Holding Facility is a very easy place to get lost in; this information is more helpful than it sounds.

"While we're here, I can copy some files before the Empire starts deleting stuff the Rebellion can use." Ahsoka pulls a drive out of her pocket and looks nervously at the stormtroopers who might see it if she tries anything.

Not even needing to be asked, Vader circles around to Ahsoka's other side, blocking their view. Ahsoka gives him a thankful smile, inserts the drive into the terminal without being seen and begins the downloading process. "This is going to take a while. I guess we have some time to talk." Ahsoka has been wanting to ask something, but she has been nervous about it. Now, she feels a little more comfortable around Vader and is ready. She takes a deep breath and asks, "Tell me more about why you said Anakin Skywalker was weak?"

Darth Vader doesn't want to talk about this. But for some reason, he feels like he should. "Anakin Skywalker could not save his mother, nor could he save his wife."

"You saved a lot of other people," Ahsoka argues. "You saved me more times than I can count. I don't think your mother would have called you weak. Padme wouldn't have either."

"Anakin Skywalker served an order than didn't trust him or his apprentice. Anakin Skywalker was-"

Ahsoka looks nauseated. She shakes her head and says, "Stop. Stop talking like that. You are Anakin Skywalker. You are the one that defeated Count Dooku. You are the one who destroyed a Federation control ship when you were nine years old. You are the one who helped free so many planets. You were too hard on yourself, Anakin. You couldn't have saved everyone; no one could have."

"Anakin should have-"

"HM!?" Ahsoka grunts.

Vader gives in. "I should have saved the people that mattered the most."

"I'm sorry for your loss, Anakin. But that doesn't make you weak. Everyone loses people; not everyone saves so many people. A lot of those you helped were parents and spouses; they were the most important people to someone."

Ahsoka's words strike Vader as both comforting and logical. Now he's wondering why he hadn't told himself this same thing before. Vader had been measuring his strength with unfair standards. He had been thinking like a Sith.

Ahsoka tells him, "I meant what I said earlier; you were the strongest person I knew."

"Thank you, Ahsoka."

"My pleasure," she says warmly. Ahsoka takes a look at the progress on the terminal's screen. "We still have some time here. Maybe we should figure out what to do next."

"Our next course of action should be to jam transmissions coming from this facility."

"I have what we need for that."

"Unfortunately, they possess the equipment required to transmit through such interference."

"They can do that?"

"Yes. But once we destroy it, they will receive no further reinforcements after the inquisitors arrive; for a time at least."

"Hopefully we can get this place under control by the time they figure out the inquisitors are taken care of. That reminds me; how are we going to beat the inquisitor and the thousands of stormtroopers around here? I know that they won't be expecting me to help you, but still."

"With the inquisitors dead, the others will flee; flee to their star destroyer and we both know how far that will get them."

"Really? This many stormtroopers are just going to get scared off?" Ahsoka asks dubiously.

"In addition to dispatching their inquisitors, we will employ scare tactics. We shall use tight corridors to nullify superior numbers and in doing so, make ourselves appear invincible. We can set traps, making them wonder how many others there are. Many of them will care less about our odds of killing them all, and worry more about personal survival. Victory will be ours in time."

Vader might have doubts about the savable nature of his soul, but he is sure of his battle capabilities. Ahsoka adopts some of his confidence and tells him, "Good news; we won't even need to search very long for their equipment. This terminal has a detailed map; one of the things I'm copying. We'll never need to trick someone into being our guide again. . . . Not here anyway." Ahsoka pulls her drive from the terminal and says, "Alright, we're finished here. Time to fake my death."

"What?" Vader asks, almost forgetting to keep his voice down.

"These stormtroopers don't recognize me, but inquisitors will. Identifying former Jedi is part of their job. If people think I'm dead, I can do some sneaking around, destroy that equipment and surprise the inquisitors when they get here. Hand me back my lightsabers."

Vader obliges her, wondering where she is going to hide them if not on her belt where everyone would see them. His question is answered when she stuffs the lightsabers down her leggings; that'll work.

Ahsoka stands up from the chair and shouts loud enough for everyone to hear her, "Please, I did everything I could!" Ahsoka gains the attention of the whole room.

Vader is off put by the lack of warning she gave him. He might have liked details about how this is supposed to go or a chance to discuss options, but apparently they're doing this. "You are useless! I have asked so little and received even less!" Vader shouts, playing along with her act as everyone stares at them.

Ahsoka shakes her pleading hands and says with fake desperation, "I'll find a way to justify your mercy! Please don't drop me off a walkway into the abyss!" That's code for, "Drop me into the abyss."

Darth Vader stares at her with caged frustration, wishing he weren't stuck with this. He thinks, "Ahsoka, I hope you know what you're doing." Vader says out loud, "If that is the fate you fear, then it shall be so!"

Vader grabs her arm and walks off with her as she wails, "NO! NO!"

Vader brings her to a walkway with a great view of an abyss. Ahsoka wonders why places like this always seem to have such vast abysses; it seems to her like just a waste of space. Having been such a high-ranking individual in the Empire for some time, Vader knows, but the reason is far too complex and longwinded to go into. The imperials tried to use it for the same use as most of the areas in the Post-Separatist Holding Facility; that use being to hold droids. Droids were tide into a string with metal cords anchored to the walkways. There are also more droids clamped on to the wall below.

Many stormtroopers watch, wondering if Vader will go through with this. They do, after all, think she is his programmer. However, no one gets too close to them, allowing Vader to whisper, "Are you sure about this?"

"I'll be fine. I brought a grappling hook," Ahsoka whispers back. Ahsoka shouts loud enough for the stormtroopers to hear, "Don't do this! I have a family!"

The walkways are made in such a way that Vader can look below them between the pieces of metal. His eyes search desperately for something that grappling hook can catch on to.

Ahsoka shouts, "Please! I'm innocent!" She whispers, "You're starting to look hesitant. Any time now." She shouts, "If there is any mercy in your heart, let me go!"

Alright, here we go. Vader wants to make it look convincing; he just hopes she doesn't actually get scared by his performance. Vader grabs her neck and pulls her close. He doesn't shout, but he speaks loud enough to be heard by the audience. "You wished to be let go. But even as I release you into the last fall of your existence, you will not be released from my grip on your fate. I will overtake your every thought as you wait for the death that is my judgment."

Ahsoka's eyes don't drift from Vader's helmet. She memorizes every word and thinks to herself, "Why am I enjoying this?" Ahsoka knows Vader is just pretending and his fingers wrapped around her neck are loose and harmless. Her reason for enjoying it is far too complex and longwinded to go into.

Surprising Ahsoka with his method, Vader picks her up and lifts her above his head as she exclaims, "Whoa!" Vader leans forward and drops her into the abyss as she screams. Her voice persists, but is becoming increasingly faint. Vader watches her fall until she is no longer visible.

Vader turns around, looking at the many people who saw the whole thing, glad that they can't see his expression under that helmet. "As you were," he says as calmly as possible. He walks off at a fast pace, desperately searching for a place to be alone and contact Ahsoka with his comlink. Once he enters such a room, he locks the door behind him and presses the button, panicking all the while. "Ahsoka?!"

"I'm fine," she says, rolling her eyes at his excessive worrying. Though deep down, she likes to see more evidence that he cares.

"Ahsoka, about my performance . . ."

Ahsoka braces herself, wondering if he's bringing it up for a certain other reason.

Vader continues, "I hope I did not frighten you."

"Frighten? No! Nohohoho," Ahsoka laughs with relief. "That was great!" Ahsoka says and then winces, hoping she hasn't said too much.

"Perhaps I should have had more faith in your abilities," Vader says. He considers telling her how lost he would be without her, but he is distracted by a feeling. "Ahsoka, I sense the presence of a group strong in the dark side of the Force. I suspect that the inquisitors have arrived.

"Already?"

"They knew the urgency of their mission and wasted no time. They may have already have been on a nearby planet. Ahsoka, I need you to take care of their equipment and prevent future transmissions. I will keep our enemies distracted until you are successful."

"Got it," Ahsoka says. "Just let me know if you need me to come rescue you."

"As you wish."

Vader exits the room and is quickly found by an officer and several stormtroopers. "Lord Vader, Admiral Valum would like a word with you."

"Does he?" Vader asks, knowing full well that the officer is lying. "That is timing most interesting."

"I must ask that you come with me."

Vader takes his lightsaber off his belt, but doesn't ignite it. Vader tells him, "I will go with you to your intended destination. But we both know Valum has no intention of speaking with me."

The very nervous officer doesn't know what to do with that.

"Lead the way," Darth Vader tells him.

The officer says nothing. He just starts walking and Vader walks beside him.


"Just through this door," says the officer, not sure if he should keep up the act. Vader knows what's coming and yet he went along with the officer.

Vader says, "Tell Valum he should have evacuated. You are dismissed."

The officer half walks half runs away, glad he doesn't have to be around Vader anymore.

Vader pushes the button and opens the door. He walks through and finds six inquisitors as expected. They are all dressed in black and hold double sided lightsabers with semicircles that run to each of the emitters. Vader either hasn't met them or doesn't remember them. Vader remembers with a heavy heart how he had captured and trained other inquisitors. But this group is foreign to him. The Emperor kept them a secret from nearly everyone including Vader. (Though Vader had found out about their existence.) He instead identifies them mostly by their species. A grey furred wookiee stands in dignified posture. A twi'lek with red skin and black marks all over stares at Vader with the most hatred in her eyes. A blue chiss is the least pleased to be an inquisitor as signified by the sorrow in his red eyes. A more mysterious figure wears a helmet that conceals his identity and species. A Mon Calamari stands behind a few of the others, coming across as distracted from the task at hand. A togruta, the same species as Ahsoka, brings up the disturbing concept that she might have met a similar fate.

Vader tells them, "There is no need for you to pretend otherwise. I know why you've come."

"Traitor!" shouts the Togruta, knowing the truth is already out there.

"I could call any of you that same thing. You were Jedi once; as was I. Now you have fallen to the Dark Side."

The Chiss looks even more miserable, having taken that hard.

Vader continues, "But there is hope. I have turned my back on the Emperor. You can still do this same."

At that, the Chiss is struck, letting his mouth fall open at the wonderful offer he can only hope is real. Vader notices this.

"Don't preach to us, Vader," says the Twi'lek. Vader doesn't remember clearly yet, but he feels like he may have met her a long time ago.

The Wookiee thoughtfully growls in his people's language.

Darth Vader replies, "That is not true. Supporting the Empire is not the only sure path to peace. The Empire will soon be defeated by Luke Skywalker."

The Togruta and the Mysterious One shared a smug glance at each other, non-verbally asking, "Should we tell him?" The Chiss, who had become hopeful a moment ago, sinks back into despair. The Wookiee knowingly looks away from him.

Vader can tell they know something he doesn't. But he doubts he'll get the truth from them. Talking about Luke doesn't seem to sway them, so Vader decides to talk about what he can do. "I know many of the Emperor's secrets, this facility being the first of many. The Empire will not survive against me."

"Enough!" cries the Twi'lek, igniting one side of her lightsaber.

Darth Vader also ignites his lightsaber, wishing he didn't need to. As their blades clash, Vader looks around at his surroundings, sizing up what he has to work with. Metal crates are stacked on both sides.

With a flick of his hand, Darth Vader commands the crates to tumble into a messy pile between the Twi'lek and the other inquisitors. Now that most of them are hindered, Vader force-pushes the Twi'lek into the recently created pile of crates. Vader might have tried beating them all himself if not for the Chiss's reactions to his words. If Vader is smart, these inquisitors may yet be recruited. Instead of fighting, Vader takes his chance to rush back out the door and stabs the control panel with his lightsaber, causing the door to close and stay closed. That won't hold them for long. Vader has only bought himself a minute if he's lucky.

A group of stormtroopers point their blasters at Vader, wondering if they are really supposed to shoot at him of all people. "Stand down!" Vader orders in vain.

The voice of Valum erupts from nearby, demanding that they, "OPEN FIRE!"

They shoot as instructed and Vader defends himself. There are too many blaster bolts for Vader to deflect them all, but he doesn't need to. For one thing, stormtroopers don't have the best aim and Vader can use either of his immensely strong mechanical hands to block bolts that his lightsaber is too busy to deflect. Vader knows he needs to get away from the other room as soon as possible. He moves toward them slowly, hoping to scare them off. Vader strikes down many of them with their own blaster bolts. There is no malice in it; in fact, he feels a small portion of pity. When the remaining troopers retreat, he does not pursue them. Vader can hear one of the inquisitors cutting a hole in the door. He runs as fast as he is able to in his condition. Long ago, his body was burned and he now wears heavy armor. The key to escaping the inquisitors will not be running faster than they can, it lies in being one step ahead of them. Vader finds a hallway with two branching paths and he gets clever. Vader throws his lightsaber far away into a control panel in the left branch of the hallway. He force-pulls his lightsaber back and then runs down the branch to the right.

The inquisitors escape the room Vader left them in and find the dead stormtroopers lying in his wake. "He went to your right!" Valum tells them. "Hurry before he gets away. They run and find the branching hallways.

"Look over there!" says the Mysterious One, pointing at the damaged control panel in the left side.

Five out of the six inquisitors run down the left branch of the hallway, thinking Vader must have gone that way. But the Twi'lek suspects trickery. She thinks that if Vader was on the other side of the door next to the control panel, he would have stabbed the control panel from the other side. And the damage looks like it was inflicted from this side. The Twi'lek thinks that Vader ran the other way, but she doesn't share this with the others. Instead, she runs down the right hallway, hoping to find Vader on her own.

Vader runs down through the halls, with no one around but the deactivated droids. He considers contacting Ahsoka, not to ask for help, but to ask for a status report. But he stops when he hears someone running behind him. Hearing the footsteps of only one person, Vader turns to face his pursuer rather than running.

The Twi'lek screams with rage as she attacks. When their blades clash, Vader can see even more of that hatred in her eyes. "You can't run forever!" she growls.

"For the moment, I have no reason to." Vader thinks this is perfect. He has one of them alone already. But there's something nagging at him; fuzzy memory screaming at him to remember it from the other side of a wall. Vader can see that this Twi'lek has another reason, besides his betrayal, to hate him so much.


Author's Note: I actually heard that in canon, all the inquisitors are all dead by this point. The explanation here is that these inquisitors are different, super-secret inquisitors as was talked about in the narration. This is another not canon concept. Naturally, this means they're all OCs, so don't bust your brain trying to figure out what they're from.

I think it IS canon that Vader was not as good a teacher as he was a fighter.

So in the Star Wars: The Unending universe, the Emperor decided to take the training of inquisitors out of Vader's hands and didn't tell him about it until he found out himself.

Also, if you're wondering what a chiss is, that's Admiral Thrawn's species with the blue skin and red eyes.

(This next part was added in later.)

I have a YouTube Channel now. I review fictional couples, talking about how well they're written, how good their chemistry is and the story of how they get together. You'll be able to find me by typing into the search bar –

Couple Reviews by MVPKnight