"Ahsoka, come on, hurry!"
Ahsoka Tano, former apprentice to Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, slowly stood up, looking towards her friends Kanan and Ezra. The Sith temple on Malachor was readily collapsing, and they all knew they had to get out of there. But something was pulling her back.
"Ahsoka…"
The togruta's eyes widened, and she turned to face the black clad monster behind her. Darth Vader was kneeling on one knee, wheezing through his voice modulator, as he turned to face his former padawan. Through the hole she cut in his mask, Ahsoka could see his yellow eye. The eye of a Sith.
Slowly, Ahsoka walked towards Darth Vader, with her lightsaber ignited. Vader made no move to stop her, with his attention focused only on her. Tano eventually made it within striking distance, but as she raised her blade to deliver the killing blow, she faltered. It was as if something was telling her not to, deep inside her mind.
"What are you waiting for?" Vader asked, his voice echoing throughout the temple. "Use your weapon and strike me down."
Ahsoka closed her eyes, and shut her saber off. Maybe it was just her, or Vader, but time seemed to freeze around them.
"No. Not this time." Ahsoka told the dark lord. When Vader didn't make a move to attack, she continued speaking.
"I don't want to hurt you anymore than I have. I don't want either of us to end up killing the other. But we're running out of time, and perhaps it all hinges on what happens right now. I don't know what happened to you after the Clone Wars. I had always assumed that the clones turned on you too during Order 66, but… maybe I've been there too.
"But we can work together, Anakin. I-we-can help you. We have facilities that can fix whatever happened to you. You don't need to be alone. We don't have to kill each other. Please, Anakin…"
Ahsoka stuck her hand out in front of Vader, pleading with him to take it.
"...let me help you."
For what seemed like an eternity, Darth Vader stared at Ahsoka's hand, occasionally flicking his eyes up to hers, then back again. While Tano was silently pleading for him to take her offer, she noticed his exposed eye was turning from yellow back to its vibrant blue.
And then, Vader spoke.
"I'm sorry, but no." Darth Vader spoke, his booming voice tainted with sadness. The dark lord stood up to his full height, towering over Ahsoka. "No, it's far too late for that."
As Darth Vader turned his back to her, Ahsoka squeezed her eyes shut, trying to keep the tears from spilling out.
"Go."
Ahsoka's eyes snapped back open, realizing Darth Vader spoke again.
"What?"
"Go." Vader repeated, turning to face her. "The temple is collapsing. You have to leave."
"No. I won't leave you." Ahsoka insisted. "Not this time."
Vader's eye changed back to its normal yellow hue, and he activated his lightsaber once more.
"Then you will die."