Chapter 49 – The Siege of Mandalore Begins
Author's Note: We finished writing Shadows of Tomorrow, and it's 100 parts! :)
For anyone who's wondering (or worried), events will diverge almost completely from canon starting the mid 70s. :D (However, that does not mean that there won't be changes and build-up before then because there absolutely will be.)
~ Tirana Sorki
To Guest (1): Yeah, the stakes for Theseus won't be as high, since he's on Mandalore. Also, Athea is being held at the Temple, since she's a Fallen Jedi. A Republic prison would never have contained her. She won't be able to escape on her own; someone would have to let her out. Which isn't something the Jedi would do. You'll have to wait and see what her fate is. :)
To Jayden: We did stick pretty close with canon in this chapter. There will be some major changes coming up, but not in the next chapter. Also, yes, Theseus will end up with Bo eventually. I adore them. Lol. Chapter 53 will contain some pretty significant changes that will quite drastically affect the future. ;)
To Guest (2): Idk if DD happened, but I assume it did. :P
Thank you all so, so much for reviewing! :D
~ Amina Gila
Her entire life has totally changed in the past few hours, and Ahsoka is hardly sure how to feel about it. She spent the last eight months trying to avoid the Jedi and her past, even for as much as she often wanted to come back. She missed Anakin and Theseus, and even Rex, terribly, and it's hard to believe that she just met them again.
Now that she's back, she doesn't think she'll be able to walk away again. What's more, she doesn't think she wants to. After what happened when she was with Rafa and Trace Martez, she realized that her place is as a Jedi, even if the rest of the Order is still not what it should be. Their betrayal still hurts, and she can never look at them the same way again, but she doesn't think she'll be able to leave again either. Not after this.
For a moment, she thinks back to how Anakin and Theseus were acting right before they parted. They're a lot closer, and it almost hurts. She was never there to see their relationship change. So much might be the same, but so many things are also different, including that. Would they have gotten closer if she'd still been with them? She doesn't know, and it's not like she minds, but it's hard seeing how they have a much easier time talking to each other than with her now.
Maybe leaving the Order was a mistake, but she still doesn't know what better decision she could have made. She needed to leave, with her faith in the Order so badly shaken, but interacting with everyone she used to know is so hard. It's why she'd feared coming back, even as she'd often look up into the night sky, wondering where the rest of her family was, and if they were alright. Anakin is famous though, and she'd hoped she'd hear if something happened to him.
She's definitely glad to be back – and probably is far more excited than she should be that she's going to get to fight again – but it's... hard.
Shortly after the ships have jumped to hyperspace, Ahsoka finds herself alone with Theseus again. And suddenly, she has no idea what to say.
"How have you been?" she asks finally, even if it was probably the worst way to start their conversation.
Theseus shifts. "I've been better. And worse."
It's like they have no idea how to talk to each other anymore, because it's true. Should she start by saying something about herself? Not that she knows what that would be either. "What about Anakin?" Ugh, she's making this even more awkward.
Something seems to darken almost imperceptibly in his expression. "How do you think he's been?" he asks, "You... you left him."
The tone isn't accusing, but the words still hit her hard, especially because of how true they are. "I didn't have a choice," she retorts finally.
"You didn't have a choice?" he repeats, "You chose to leave. Even if –"
"What was I supposed to do?" Ahsoka retaliates. The words sting, and maybe they're both overreacting and misinterpreting what the other person is saying, she's not sure. "I couldn't stay in the Order after what they did!"
He huffs out a breath, turning away. "I... I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like – like that."
Ahsoka sighs. "I know it hurt you, but I didn't know what else to do."
"I understand. But it hasn't been easy to accept." She can hear the suppressed pain in his voice and wishes she could see the look on his face right now. Although maybe talking will be easier if they aren't looking at each other.
"I know," she murmurs, suddenly unable to shake the guilt gnawing at her, "It wasn't easy for me either."
"How did you manage? After you left?" Theseus asks quietly, turning to look at her again.
"I found odd jobs here and there. It was easier on Shili than Coruscant."
"Shili?" he echoes.
She shrugs, looking away. Once she starts talking, the words seem to come a little more easily. "After I left, I didn't know where else to go, so I went to my former home as soon as I had enough money to leave Coruscant. I didn't come back here until much more recently."
"How did you end up on Oba Diah?"
Right. That again. "I might have been trying to help some people, who naively thought taking jobs with the Pykes was a good idea."
Theseus huffs out a breath. "Only you would do something that reckless."
"I actually know a few other people who might," she shoots back, "Like you or Anakin."
"True enough," he says, though his voice is suddenly flatter and more closed off again. It happens every time she brings up Anakin, it seems. Is it because – how has he been doing, after she left? She knew it was going to hurt him terribly, but...
"What?" Ahsoka asks after a moment.
"It's just – Nothing really," Theseus shakes it off, taking a step closer to her. "I'm glad you're back," he says quietly.
"It's good to be back," she murmurs, "I... I missed you." And Anakin. And Rex. And everything really, but she doesn't want to dwell on that right now. They're reunited, and she wants it to stay happy.
"I missed you too," he admits.
"Did anything of significance happen to you since then?" she asks.
"Fighting and fighting, and more fighting," he says cheerfully.
"I mean other than that?"
"We blew up a giant crystal," Theseus offers.
She blinks. "Pardon?"
He chuckles. "Long story."
"We have time!"
"Unless you want to have a talk with Rex and the boys who you haven't seen in a long time?"
She pauses at that. Yes, she does, but she's scared to. It's been so long; how many of the ones she used to know are still alive? "Actually, I think I will," she decides finally, "We can talk more later."
"Of course," he agrees, "I won't be going anywhere. Although while you go to see the boys, I think I'll drop by with... some old friends."
**w**
Honestly, the reunion with Ahsoka went a little better than Theseus was expecting. At least they're starting to re-remember how to talk to each other, even if he thinks they have a lot to sort through on both sides. But that will wait until later, once they're more comfortable with being back together again. (Assuming they have a later, because he doesn't know when or if she's planning to leave again.)
He stumbles on Bo-Katan first. "You know, I really wasn't expecting you to show up out of nowhere," Theseus comments.
"I would have contacted you privately if we hadn't run into your Jedi friend while we were trying to track down Maul's location," Bo-Katan replies. And for that, Theseus is grateful. He wants Maul dead, if he's being honest. The man murdered his father.
"I was actually wondering why you didn't," he admits, "But it seems things worked out better in the long run." Ahsoka is back here with him, even if he doesn't know for how long.
"She's the friend you were always talking about back on Carlac?" Bo queries.
"Yeah," he answers, "Didn't you recognize her?"
"Of course," she says, "But I wasn't expecting to find her on Oba Diah. Jedi don't usually hang out there."
"Didn't she tell you that she's not a Jedi anymore?"
"She mentioned something about that," Bo replies, raising an eyebrow at him in silent question.
"Long story," Theseus replies. Everything is leading back to that, it seems. "She was accused of treason and thrown out of the Order. After that, she didn't want to come back."
"I thought you Jedi were big on 'sensing things'?" she asks, "They couldn't tell that she was innocent?"
It's the very question Theseus has been wondering all this time. "The Jedi are not as in tune with the Force as they used to be," he answers finally. It's probably the easiest way of explaining it to someone who doesn't know anything about the Dark and Light Sides.
"Is that why you're starting to prefer Mandalorian tradition over your... Jedi religion?" she asks dryly.
"Hey, who said that?" he protests, even if it's honestly truer than he wants to admit.
"You were wearing your armor in front of everyone, including your Jedi teacher."
"Jedi master," he corrects under his breath.
"And he didn't seem bothered, so it's obviously not the first time you did it, because I doubt he would have been too keen on it at first."
"Well, you're not wrong about that," Theseus concedes, "I don't really know what to think about that. I'm still figuring it out." Another thought hits him abruptly and he changes the topic entirely, maybe partly because he doesn't really want to talk about his own beliefs right now. He doesn't even know what to think at this point. "Have you talked to Satine at all?"
Bo eyes him. "On occasion. Why?"
He shrugs. "Just wondering. Who's going to rule Mandalore once we win?"
"The leadership position would go to me," Bo replies, "My sister... I don't think the people would have any desire to return to her ways." He isn't sure if it's that or that Bo has no interest in dealing with that again. Maybe a bit of both, he doesn't ask.
"Well that would be... interesting," Theseus utters. Really, Bo becoming ruler of Mandalore? He wasn't expecting that, even if it's a pretty obvious answer. She'd make a good ruler, if she wanted to. "You are a good leader," he blurts, then blushes at the pure awkwardness of the remark.
"Thanks," she says, smiling faintly, before her expression becomes serious again. She isn't being quite as open as sometimes, maybe because she's, unsurprisingly, very stressed over the future of her planet. "Do you think you can do it?"
Theseus blinks. "Do what?"
"Capture Maul."
Oh. "I... yes, I think we can." He hopes so. He isn't going to let the Sith get away again if he can help it.
**w**
Ahsoka is still catching up with the clones – Theseus thinks they might be talking about Fives from the few words he caught – when he passes by her again, so he goes in search of Anastasia instead. She's easy enough to find.
"Did you miss me that much already?" she teases, as he approaches.
"Why yes, I've been experiencing a great longing for your presence ever since –"
She snorts. "I don't think you have a clue what you're implying."
"I actually don't think I have a clue what you're implying," Theseus deadpans.
Anastasia rolls her eyes.
"So how have things been?" he asks after a moment.
"About the same as expected. We've been chasing Maul everywhere, trying to find a way to reclaim Mandalore, while you have fun with your war."
"Fun is not the word I would use," he retaliates. And speaking thereof... "There's something I need to tell you."
She seems to catch the serious note in his voice. "What?"
"About my –" Should he say our? "– mother," Theseus explains.
Anastasia frowns, looking almost... worried isn't quite the right word. "What happened?"
Theseus wonders, for a brief moment, if she entirely despises her mother, or if her feelings towards her are more complicated than that. She never actually knew her, so he could understand it if they were, but regardless, he doesn't know her well enough to ask such a personal question, and it's irrelevant. "She... I don't know how much meaning this will have to you, but she became a Sith." Or close enough, anyway.
His twin blinks. "All I know about Sith is that they and the Jedi can't get along, and apparently, Maul is one, so I'm not very impressed."
"And she attacked our Temple." It's been a long time, but it's still hard to think about. And it's almost easier to pretend that the last time he actually saw his mother was when she left for that mission. Because in many ways, it seems like she was never truly found again.
"I see Sith don't care much for honor," she mutters, "What happened to her?"
"She was captured, and imprisoned."
For a heartbeat, she doesn't speak, but then she takes a step closer to him, looking like she's feeling very awkward. "I know you were close with her," she murmurs, "I'm sure it hasn't been easy for you."
He blinks. Well. That is not how he was expecting her to react. "It hasn't," he admits, "But I've been busy with fighting, so I try not to think about it."
"I guess we share a few things."
Their suddenly very emotional conversation is interrupted when Ahsoka approaches. "Am I interrupting anything?" she asks.
"Not really. What is it?" Theseus queries. He can't help but reach out to feel her presence again, still unable to believe that she's actually here. They're about to fight together again, side by side, like how they always used to.
"We're going to be coming out of hyperspace shortly, and we need to be ready."
**w**
The gunships of the invasion force haven't made it to the atmosphere yet when they get contacted by Prime Minister Almec. "What is the meaning of this invasion?" he demands, outraged, "The Republic's presence here is a direct violation of our treaty!"
"Your time has come, Almec," Bo snaps back, "We know you're Maul's puppet and we are coming for him."
"Ah-ha! Mistress Bo-Katan, the traitor," he says, crossing his arms with a near smirk on his face, "I should have known you were behind this incursion. Siding with the Republic will make you an enemy in the eyes of the people."
"I'm fine with that," she retorts, ending the call and turning away.
"You're nothing like your sister," Ahsoka comments.
Bo doesn't reply.
"I think the people will understand once this is over," Theseus murmurs.
They're approaching the surface when Bo contacts Ursa – Theseus remembers her, too – to determine the situation, only to hear that all they know is that Maul is still in the city and Gar Saxon is preparing to attack.
The connection is cut as the gunship jolts violently. "We've got incoming!" shouts the clone pilot, as Theseus struggles to catch his balance. That was fast, but this is Mandalore. What did he expect?
The doors of the gunship slide open, revealing an already raging battle. A burning gunship crashes past, trailing smoke behind it.
"What are you waiting for?" Bo yells as Theseus, Rex, and Ahsoka survey the situation. "Get out there!"
Theseus laughs. "After you," he calls, and jumps after. He pulls out one of his blasters, igniting his lightsaber in the other hand. And, okay, he's making himself a very obvious target, but at least if they're going after him, they won't go after the others.
Shots ring out all around him, and he spins his blade to deflect away the few that come even close as he continues to fly. Mostly, he picks off the red and black armored Mandalorians with his blaster, if he can.
This is far more convenient, Theseus thinks. His helmet drowns out the sounds of battle, the constant explosions and blaster shots that are so often disorienting otherwise. The clones are lucky to have theirs.
Down below, he catches sight of a gunship crashing to the surface. It smashes into the ground, exploding into flames. In the midst of the smoke, he can just make out a flash of blue. Ahsoka.
He dives downwards, heading to join her as she fends off a group of advancing Mandalorians. Even in the midst of the chaos, he can't help but note how right the blue blades look in her hands, even if he's used to seeing her with green. She's different now, and blue fits her better, he thinks.
Theseus lands next to her, shooting at the others.
Bo flies over the edge, landing on Ahsoka's other side, almost instantly followed by her group of Mandalorians.
Saxon's group begins to retreat, and the others give chase, just as the clones start to show up. He feels like he's at home here and is again struck by how right this armor feels on him.
They take over the docks quickly, and he joins Bo and Ahsoka on a platform overlooking the city. Rex and a few other clones land behind them. "No sign of Maul yet," the newly appointed commander reports.
"We can't sustain a long siege," Bo declares firmly. "I'll head for the throne room and deal with Almec. You must find Maul."
"Good luck," Theseus calls as they fly away.
"I want you to support Ursa at the docks," Ahsoka says, turning to Rex. "We must ensure Maul doesn't escape."
"If he's here," Rex counters, "If he's not, then all of this plays right into his hands."
"I'm quite confident he is," Theseus replies, "We just need to find him, and we can deal with him from there."
Rex's comm suddenly beeps. "Commander Rex, this is CT-0292. I think we have something."
"We're on our way, Captain," Theseus responds. It feels so right as he and Ahsoka head off together. For a fleeting moment, it feels almost as though nothing has changed at all, though he would be foolish to believe it. Ahsoka is older now, and in some ways, she seems more mature than he remembers.
As it turns out, the clones encountered Gar Saxon heading into a tunnel system of sewage ports and conduit access pipes or whatever else the clone listed off.
"Sewage pipes," Theseus mutters as they climb into the darkened tunnel, "How lovely."
They've moving in absolute silence, and Ahsoka is stalking in that predator-like way she always does as they move down the halls. They're all nearly identical, and there's practically no light beyond the clones' helmet spotlights. If someone was hiding at the end of one of these tunnels, it would be hard to even notice.
His comm suddenly beeps, and he reluctantly answers and turns the sound down as low as possible. "Theseus, you're walking into a trap," Bo warns.
"I'm counting on it," he answers quietly, because he is, since the moment he heard that Saxon tried to flee through here. He springs traps with Anakin and Obi-Wan every other day. They'll can handle this one.
They keep moving in silence, and he can't shake the feeling that someone is lurking right around the corner, but every time they look, no one's there. Ahsoka suddenly jerks to a stop, a second before the Force screams of danger. Theseus whirls around, but not quite fast enough. "Get down!" Ahsoka shouts, throwing out her hands, and knocking the incoming explosive into the wall. The explosion throws her to the ground. Theseus is flung against the wall, but rapidly pushes himself to his feet again, his armor having taken the worst of it. The clones are already moving forwards, shooting.
"Wait!" he yells, running after.
He hears Ahsoka calling behind them but doesn't slow. The Mandalorians keep disappearing around the next corner before they can get a chance to catch up, taking down the clones while they're at it. "Wait here!" Theseus calls to the remaining clones. Thankfully, they obey when they reach the last turn, and Theseus runs forwards into an area where several of the tunnels are connected with one another, as the Mandalorians disappear from sight.
Ahsoka finally sprints around the corner, running over to join him. "Anything?" she asks.
"I sense something." He recognizes the darkness here. It's the Dark Side, much the same way it was in Dooku, just stronger. More wild and intense. He has no question as to why.
There's sudden movement and his head snaps up as several Mandalorians appear on both doorways blocking the exits though they don't shoot.
Theseus and Ahsoka immediately move to stand back-to-back, holding their lightsabers ready. The Mandalorians on the doorway opposite the one they came through suddenly step aside, and an all too familiar figure strides out of the shadows. "I was hoping for Kenobi," Maul intones, "Why are you here?"
"He had far more important things to attend to than dealing with the likes of you," Theseus retaliates, eyes narrowed. His anger flares as he glares at the Sith in front of him. This was the man who murdered his father, who killed his grandmaster. He may not have known Qui-Gon, but Theseus knows what the man was like – how could he not? And as for his father, for as evil and twisted as the man was, he still cared. Theseus cared, too, and he never got the chance to say it, to set it right.
Because of Maul.
So, yes, Theseus wants vengeance.
"So he sent his padawan in his stead."
"I'm flattered you remember me."
The Sith ignores the remark, looking past Theseus. "And another. Ahsoka Tano, is it? I can't say yours is a name familiar to me."
"Well, I know you," she retorts, glaring at him.
Maul walks down the steps into the room, slowly circling around them. "Yes, I imagine we have several mutual friends." Theseus resists the urge to snarl at the comment, and the casual way the Sith says it. He can't afford to lose his cool and do something irrational just because he wants revenge.
"I wouldn't put it that way," Ahsoka retorts, turning to face the Sith, discreetly pushing the button on her wrist as she does.
"Of course not," he agrees, "But I'm afraid your way of thinking is behind the times. I was certain that Kenobi would have come himself. Perhaps bring his loyal foal, Skywalker, is it?"
Foal? Is that some strange way of saying "child" or is this supposed to be an insult? "Like I said, they both had much more important things to attend to," Theseus snaps.
"Indeed," Maul replise, turning away. Really, isn't it a little dumb to turn your back on an enemy like that? Theseus wonders if he'd feel better if he stabbed his lightsaber through the other, but it's not the Jedi way and he's certain he'd feel guilty if he did. "I wonder... the moment may be upon us." What moment?
"Why you?" the Sith asks finally, turning again, "Why did Kenobi send you?"
"Why don't you surrender and then we can all go and ask him?" Ahsoka snips.
"My surrendering." The Sith laughs as he continues to pace in a circle. "Well, that would be pointless. For if I am correct, soon the Jedi and Republic will no longer be the controlling interest in the galaxy."
For as angry as he is right now, the words make Theseus' blood run cold. Maybe the Sith is being dramatic, but maybe he isn't. He knows far too well that the Republic and the Jedi are falling, and he can keenly sense the rapidly growing darkness in the future. With Ahsoka's return and everything, he was distracted from it, but it's still there.
"And who will be? You?" Ahsoka retorts. Has she sensed it? Theseus wonders. He hasn't seen any indication of that, but maybe they can talk about it later. Maybe. He's not sure he wants to.
"No. Darth... Sidious."
Sidious. That name again. They still don't know who he is.
Ahsoka falters for a moment at the word, concern flickering through her eyes as she glances briefly at Theseus.
Before any of them have the chance to speak again, a blaster shot suddenly rings out, and one of the Mandalorians in the doorway collapses to the ground. The others whirl around, just as a group of clones sprint into view, shooting.
Maul ignites his lightsaber in a flash, lunging at them. "Not yet," he hisses, as his red double-blade clashes against two blue and one purple. Theseus stumbles a step back from the unexpectedness and strength of the blow. Maul takes advantage of that, of course. The Force tightens around his neck, lifting him off his feet, before Maul throws him at Ahsoka.
They both tumble to the ground, slamming into the wall on the far side of the room. Maul spins around, running out the other end of the tunnel with the rest of the Mandalorians close behind. "Come on," Ahsoka urges, scrambling to her feet.
Theseus hastily pulls himself up, and they instantly give chase. The tunnel splits in half almost immediately, so Theseus takes one way and Ahsoka the other. In the end, it doesn't really matter, because Maul and his cronies are already gone.
Reluctantly, Theseus contacts Bo to tell her the situation. "We encountered Maul," he tells her, "But we lost him in the tunnels."
"We have all exits surrounded," Bo states grimly, "We'll find him again." They can hope.
"We'll be ready and waiting," he promises before ending the call.
"Sometimes it's easy to forget that you're friends with these people," Ahsoka comments, moving closer to him. They're standing far enough away that they're out of earshot of the clones.
Theseus looks over at her, a small smile appearing on his face. "Yeah, I imagine it is."
"So, you and Bo-Katan... She's the one you were telling me about on Onderon, isn't she?"
Oh. Oh. He shouldn't even be surprised that Ahsoka noticed. "Was it that obvious?"
"Clear enough," she tells him dryly.
Looking back, Theseus can't help but wonder if he ever truly had actual feelings for Ahsoka. Or if it was simply that they'd always done everything together and so he assumed that they always would.
He doesn't feel that way towards her anymore. Everything changed between them after she left. He still deeply cares about Ahsoka but he can see how he'd be able to survive without her, hard as it's been.
But he doesn't know how she feels about it. Even if things aren't the same between them, he doesn't want to hurt her.
"Do you mind?" Theseus inquires quietly.
Ahsoka is silent for a few long moments. "Not... no," she answers slowly, "I can see that this is what you want."
Theseus is silent for a moment. "What do you want?" he asks finally.
"I don't know," she admits, "It's like I told you on Onderon. I'm not ready for a relationship like that. I'm not sure I really want one either. Don't let me hold you back."
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