Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.

Demantis sighed as he glared at his fully-realized hand, knowing that this era's dark potency would only grow as time progressed. Yet he also understood that with the growth and development of his great-grandson, this extraordinary power would soon be nothing more than a wish.

Luke was powerful, like his father, but he had a glimmer of something in him that no other man seemed to possess: Asha. On his homeworld, Asha had been the famed ancestor that helped found their settlements through her infinite channeling ability, but her name had served another purpose as well. Despite her lack of control over her nature, she had become the symbol of hope.

And that was what Luke seemed to posses the most of: hope.

Demantis sighed as he sat back, wondering what he was really doing, suddenly feeling more like himself than he had in a long while. Feeling like who he was back when Shmi was still in his life, before the thought of her tore him in two. She had been full of hope as well.

And, a long, long time ago, so too had he.

But what was it that I'd hoped for? he wondered, staring out at the sky as he felt his subordinate approach. Something in his mind told him he'd hoped for great things of others, not himself. And when did I err away from it?

"Master?" Pestilis called out to him, a slight smile on her face. "Devaro reports that Anhilis has made the journey, having left on Mandalore as planned so that neither side could sense her departure." Blinking, Demantis felt that wholly alive part of him fall back into the darkness, like a stone dropped in a great sea.

"Excellent." Was all he said, "And what of Amidala?"

Smirking, the old hag informed him, "Devaro mentioned seeing her on Mandalore. He requested permission to pursue and kill her, since she appears to be unguarded by either Skywalker twin."

This made his brow furrow a little, and he turned about in deep thought, "And why would they take that risk, I wonder." The old hag offered him no answer to this, merely shrugging as she stepped out of his way. "Perhaps they feel confident after our last encounter? Though I find that doubtful."

"Something is clearly distracting them." Pestilis pointed out.

And then it dawned on him, "Vader."He grinned, "They must have sensed the changes in him planted by both Sidious and I and are attempting to undo them." Then, with a great smirk, the man sat down on a luxurious chair, "What an odd opportunity we see here."

"What shall we do then, master?" Pestilis wanted to know.

He thought a moment before answering her, "We wait. Devaro will soon obliterate Amidala, and we will need a decent trap to reign in on the twins for our return trip."

This seemed to make Pestilis uncomfortable, "And what of Anhilis's mission? It seems rather pointless now to have sent her away."

Demantis shook his head, "Hardly: we will need someone with the strength to enforce them to do our bidding. Anhilis will provide that for us." To that, Pestilis nodded slowly, though her thoughts seemed to be elsewhere.

As darkness fell over the city-planet of Coruscant, Anakin sighed and pulled his mask over his face. While being dressed as a bounty hunter wasn't as uncomfortable as expected, it didn't mean that he wasn't unsure about the get up. He would have gladly traded the leather trousers for his jedi garb anytime. Then there was the jacket. Yet, again, he reminded himself that this was the smallest price he had to pay for his good intentions.

He and Palpatine had conferenced extensively in regards towards who should first be eliminated to end the conflict. It was no surprise to Anakin that an old enemy of Padme's was put on that list.

With his helmet now secure, and a blaster in hand, the young man dove off the side of the building, landing lightly on the patio of one particularly well furnished suite. He had to pause a moment to regard the illuminated walls, noticing that they were thin fish tanks filled with luminescent fish. Even the floor, a special stone from a reserve planet, was littered in etchings of swimming creatures.

Continuing from the grand reception room, Anakin creeped past the various employees, only being spotted by a few security guards, who, on second glance, thought him a mere shadow. As the new model of security droid stormed the hallways, Anakin reached for his belt. There, sat what normally was his lightsaber, save for the new fitting he'd placed on it that made it appear to be an electro-staff.

Two demolished droids later, Anakin snuck into an office at the end of the hall. There, he spotted the Nemoidian representative, Lott Dod, at his desk, his hands clasped on datapads. Something about the smug smile on the vermin's face made him cringe inside in fury.

As Anakin moved closer through the shadows, the indicator of an incoming transmission beeped to life. Without hesitation, the scum activated it, allowing the wide-eyed, beak-faced representative of the techno-union to appear in blue before him. "Good evening, old friend." he called towards the hologram, "I trust that things are running as planned on your end."

Slowly, Gume Saam nodded, "And what of your end?"

With a wicked grin, the man nodded, "Count Dooku has promised a small incident on our behalf, enough to push for the banks to deregulate and inflate our income as desired." And, in that moment, something in Anakin stirred to life.

He saw the faces of all the men and women he'd fought along side with who had fallen, their faces contorted in pain from the various ways they had died. He fought a growl or a snarl, he wasn't sure which one with the way he was feeling. Only certain of one thing, Anakin moved forward with perfect stealth.

In mere moments, it was over. The fiend didn't even realize he was dead until he was.

Anakin snuck behind him, executing him with a single blast from a small side arm he was carrying at the back of his head. The representative merely slumped over onto his work, not making a single sound.

Before him was now the terrified face of the Techno-Union official who called. He raised his hands, flailing them towards his keyboard to cut off the feed, but was unable to in his panicking. Without hesitation, Anakin raised an index finger his way, "You're next." he warned him, his voice distorted thanks to a voice modulator much like the one Bail Organa had used after his accident. It was therapeutic for him to watch Gume Saam tremble before the feed cut.

And then, as guards began to file in in search of the racket, he bolted out the window, landing safely on the platforms below. As he looked up towards the security droids, he grinned, satisfied in his work.

Something deep inside of him found this thrilling.

As their ship landed in the vast fields of the Confederate home-world's outer district, Ahsoka let loose a sigh of relief. So far, so good. She allowed herself to think, despite the fact that a strange, impending sense of worry still overtook her. While she wanted to believe in the faith of Anakin, Luke and Leia, she wasn't so sure she could. In all this time, she never felt like something so important had been put on her shoulders.

What was worse was the fact that she was trying not to be angry at Leia for abandoning her to this task. Anakin, after all, was her master, and she should be along side him to help. Not his… daughter.

And now she was scolding herself again. It was easy to forget that she wasn't the only one tied to her master anymore. In many ways, she was almost resentful about the idea, but was able to shrug it off momentarily.

After a short speeder ride to the outskirts, Ahsoka was surprised to find a tranquil looking estate tucked away along the hillside. It was breathtaking: green and filled with lovely flowers. Yet she had some trouble acknowledging that.

Near the entrance stood a boy, roughly her age. He was tall, slender with dark hair and eyes, and clearly had never seen much difficulty in his young life. Stiffly, he approached both Padme and Ahsoka, "May I take your bags?" While Padme remarked that the boy had grown exponentially, Ahsoka fought to not snarl at the stony stare of the young man. She even went so far as to ignore his courtesies.

Moments later, Ahsoka and Padme were being escorted to their lavish rooms on the western side of the villa. With their arrangements across from one another, Ahsoka felt a little more confident in her decision to follow along. She only hoped that her role stayed as observer and not defender.

After she had unpacked her few items into a small wardrobe, she sat back on the plush bed and stared out the window into the gardens. "What am I doing here?" She wondered aloud before falling back on her bed, "After all I have been through, I feel like I am betraying those I care for now more than ever."

"It's easy to feel that way." Padme assured her, entering in from the hall in a lovely wine-colored dress. "In many ways, nothing feels more debilitating than compromising our friendships." She sat down beside Ahsoka, her brown eyes low, "But then I remember that I have friends on both sides. Sometimes this war feels like an argument, and compromise is the only solution. That doesn't bring back the dead though." To that, Ahsoka nodded.

"I heard that as a young queen," the young Padawan began, "You had to make some pretty tough decisions." Padme merely nodded, saying nothing, "I've had to do the same as a commander… I'd rather not have to make those decisions anymore, but not at the cost of my friends' memory."

With a sigh, Padme then posed a great and unsettling question, "I just want a galaxy that Luke and Leia will be safe in…. Tell me, Ahsoka, what is more important to fight for? A memory? Or a dream?" She then stood up and returned to unpacking, pausing at the door momentarily, "Something tells me your Jedi training will offer a clearer answer than my political insight."

Sitting up as Padme left, Ahsoka pulled her knees into her chest. Staring at her toes, she wondered, Do I even have a dream to fight for? As a Jedi, that answer was the most unclear.

It had been the third time that someone from the Padawan 'incursion' had been called into the high council meeting. Mina was beginning to question exactly what the issue had really been about as she watched two more of her roommates leave, guarded by an escort of novice jedi.

Frustrated, she sat back on her bed and began to wonder to herself, was this really worth fighting for? Master Luke might be gone forever, she reminded herself solemnly, but I cannot help fighting for the chance to see him again… To feel his calm and kindness, even if I knew him only a short while.

With a frown, she closed her eyes and sighed before pulling the small orb from her satchel beside her. She rolled the silver item back and forth in her hands as her sister entered the small room. "Mani and Yaya are being questioned again." She informed the older girl, her blue eyes tired looking, "I'm scared that we won't be allowed to stay Jedi if this keeps up." Mina didn't even have a response to that.

She was afraid of that too. But is his memory really worth sacrificing my dream for? Luci's too?

Yet something told her deep inside that a life should never be sacrificed for a want. That complacency in morals only devalues an achievement. "So be it." She finally told her sister, "When we find Master Luke and Princess Leia, they'll fix everything anyway." That seemed to bring a smile to Luci's smaller face.

She hopped up on the cot beside her, staring at the small silver orb a moment before taking it in her hands. As she began to roll it, she giggled, "It's weird." She admitted, moving her small head-jewel back to the center of her forehead as she bobbed her head back and forth in play.

Stopping it, Luci's small hand clicked a lever, popping a hook-like silver loop free of the small orb. Confused, Luci held the orb up, showing her sister, "I think I broke it." She then wagged the small orb 'tail' a little with a frown, causing the small metal loop to swing. Tick.

Suddenly, Luci began to scream, clutching the orb to herself as the pendulum continued to move back and forth. A whirlwind of sorts enveloped the room, pushing Mina violently away from her sister. Yet she grabbed out, holding tight to the small, wailing Togruta girl. Tock.

Madness seemed to fill the room as the walls were melted into the very vault where they'd found the orb in the first place. Tick. Tock.

Tick.

Anakin sighed as he entered the apartment. After all he'd done that night, he really could not stomach the thought of returning to the temple. The attachment he'd used to change his weapon had been discarded in a safe location, along with his mask and clothes, all sterilized in the event of someone tracking the place down, but that didn't mean that his emotions wouldn't give him away.

Now all that was left was bringing himself back from the high of the fray, something more and more difficult to do as he'd gotten older and more complacent in the realm of fighting. He knew better than to go to Padme's apartment, yet felt a need to rest in a place that was comfortable.

Entering in the familiar, yet vast, reception room, Anakin pulled his dark cloak off and placed it in a nearby closet. Taking a moment to appreciate the finer details of the space, things he found that Padme cherished, he sighed and ambled towards the large couch. Yet, before he could even sit down, the refresher door opened, revealing a gaunt looking Leia. It was clear she had been training based on her painful walk.

"Where did you go?" She asked without pause, setting herself beside the tall man without even looking at him, "You disappeared from Force almost entirely. I couldn't pin-point you."

"I went to be alone." He spat back at her, not liking that this woman could keep tabs so easily on him, "Or is that not allowed anymore?"

Sighing, Leia glanced his way, wondering, "Why are you so terse with me? You know I am only trying to help." Her frown was so like Padme's, Anakin had to retrieve himself from admiring her likeness in a surprisingly father-like way.

"Then explain to me your wondrous plan to help me." he demanded flatly, "Because, frankly, I don't understand it." To that, she shrugged.

"That makes two of us."

While there was silence, a sharp thought brought Anakin to chuckle and voice a comparison, "You are a lot like me." He was relieved to hear that Leia was laughing as well.

Time passed a while longer as a small droid brought them water, which they sipped silently as they reached out to enjoy the calm of upper Coruscant in the Force. It was a wavering feeling, well maintained in the quiet living room, where crystal chandeliers and well tended terrariums brought a little of Naboo to the space. Yet, this quiet was short lived as Leia inquired, "Where do you go?"

"I'm sorry?" Anakin wondered, while certain he knew what she was referring to.

"When you are lost, where do you go?" The question was clearly intended to only appear innocent. Anakin had the sense he was being investigated once more.

Filled with some irritation at this move, he replied sharply, "To see a friend." Sensing she was prying too deeply, the young woman let the topic drop. Rather, she attempted small talk in another direction.

"The lightsaber works really well." She admitted with a smile, "I can't wait to show Luke this amazing new blade… I think he might be a little jealous of it, actually."

Rolling his eyes a little at the very blatant attempt to disarm his guard, Anakin appeased her with a slight grin, "Why is that?"

Nodding towards the tool on his belt, Leia informed him solemnly, "Luke used to use your lightsaber… It was something he was very proud of. I think he believed that the weapon was his only connection to you, though we now know that the droids are just as rooted in our family." The idea mildly intrigued the man.

"What happened to it?"

Sighing, Leia informed the man, "He lost the lightsaber when he lost his hand. We've never found it since then… though we have looked quite hard. Something tells me it will surface when it is needed."

Noticing a peculiar air about Leia as she said that, Anakin wondered, "Do you often get feelings like that?" When she nodded, he admitted, "Me too, though they are rarely any good. Most of them are nightmares."

Frowning, Leia admitted to him, "Mine used to be… all the time. It always terrified me when they came to pass, but then I met Luke. Once we were reunited, it seemed like I had no reason to be afraid anymore and the nightmares went away."

Curious, Anakin leaned forward and wondered, "And why would meeting your twin make the nightmares go away?"

"I guess," Leia paused to formulate her answer carefully, "I felt that I'd lost so much, that finding something filled me with too much hope to see the nightmares anymore."

"So you blocked them out." Anakin realized, his expression thoughtful.

"I realized there was more to live for than the nightmares." Leia corrected, standing up with a small smile, "And I think that my father understood that at the end too, which is why I truly do believe in you." He watched her walk away in a stupor, amazed at how much like Padme she was when she wanted to be. And how much like himself as well.

He found himself laughing at the debate as to whether Leia was a dream come true or a nightmare. The question was enough to calm him into sleep when he finally relaxed enough on the couch, his ears affixed to the occasional clinking of the chandeliers in reaction to the winds of the city.

Dinner had been most intriguing as Mina, Lux, Padme and Ahsoka all sat around the table. While the older women engaged in quite amicable discussion, the younger two fell into a silence that was disconcerting. After a time, when the war came up, Lux had to leave the table to spare his emotions.

Ahsoka watched the young man leave, confused by his actions as Mina and Padme deliberated bringing the war to its abrupt end. "I realize that there is little chance your compatriots would agree to realigning themselves with the republic," Padme surmised, "But I would give anything to end the fighting."

"As would I," Mina retorted, taking a another sip of her beverage, "Yet it is difficult to see the republic agreeing to a ceasefire when they have invested so much in reclaiming our territories."

"This is all so complicated." Ahsoka noted, growing a little frustrated with her former perspective, "Before Leia spoke out, I thought this was all about good versus evil… Now I'm not even sure who the evil is." Both older women smiled and glanced at one another.

"If only more Jedi were like you, Ahsoka." Mina complemented her, "Those I have met are very guided by the council and not near as inquisitive." Padme nodded her head to the left, as though not able to agree with that statement herself, but silenced any thoughts with a sip of her own drink.

"Master Anakin always tells me to look beyond what is before me." Ahsoka replied, "He says that real answers are never in plain sight… Though his follow through on his advice isn't always the greatest when he's frustrated." A small smirk from Padme showed that she was not alone in this observation.

"It is a lot easier to guide the lives of others than our own." Mina replied to her, "Though, sometimes we could really use our own advice at times. I keep trying to reach out to Lux regarding his own hurts. This war affected the both of us deeply when it took his father." Ahsoka sighed, her eyes downcast.

But, just as she was about to comment, a sliver of cold washed down her spine, alerting her to a great danger in the vicinity. Without regret, despite her own, pushed away fears, Ahsoka took her blades into her hands and stood quickly, her eyes scanning the vast gardens for the source of her worry.

As she glanced around, her eyes caught sight of Lux running towards them, panic in his brown eyes. "Lux!" she shouted, answering the unheard pleas from the older women.

Running down the dirt and stone lane, Ahsoka leaped over Lux, urging him to run while she held off the assailant. With both blades humming to life, she entered her preferred Shien stance, staring down the tall figure coldly.

He was a Togruta, taller and older than she was with proud montrals over striped lekku. His face, while mostly orange and striped in white like her own, showed patches of peach that revealed his mixed heritage. With yellow eyes blinking red, it was clear that this was more than the average sith assassin she was used to fighting. "Stay back!" she called out to the observers on the veranda.

As if reminded the others were there, the hateful glare of the assailant turned towards the distant party watching, and he drew his own lightsaber, one of crimson red, in preparation for meeting with them. "Let me pass!" he demanded of Ahsoka, "My mission is of no concern of yours."

While his voice sounded young, his expression showed that of a hard life. Unable to ignore this odd, nagging feeling that she should focus protecting the others and not fighting him, she stepped back. "And what mission is that?"

With a scowl, he informed her, "I am to kill Luke and Leia Skywalker." The statement sent shivers down Ahsoka's spine.

"Y-you're from the future!" she gasped, instinctively switching her stance to the more aggressive Djem So. If Luke had trouble with this guy, she was worried of what she could accomplish against him. Or rather what he could accomplish without her allies.

Nodding, the fiend stepped closer, his intimidating gait forcing Ahsoka to take a tentative step back. She swallowed, trying to find her courage once more in the Force, unsure where it was hiding. "Then why were you after Lux?" She demanded, her voice shuddering slightly.

Sighing, the warrior stopped and turned his eyes back her way. "To save your life." He insisted, "Mother." In shock, Ahsoka dropped her stance, staring down at the Togruta with new eyes. It seemed that his vengeful, red eyes were less pronounced as he stepped closer, "Please don't make me fight you. I only want to keep you safe."

Reminded of their impending conflict, Ahsoka renewed her stance and shook her head, "No son of mine would attack an innocent bystander!" She informed him with certainty, "I would have taught him better than that."

With a partial grin, the warrior took an unfamiliar stance and raised his blade, "Hard to teach someone when you're dead." he pointed out, "As a result of Lux Bonteri trying to push you back into the rebellion, our home was invaded by imperials. He needs to die so that it never happens."

Suddenly reminded of Luke's commitment towards not blaming Anakin for things that have not yet happened, Ahsoka fired back, "And how do we know it will still happen given all you and your master have changed?" He stared her down, growing less receptive and more angry at the allegation. "Don't be foolish and put innocent blood on your hands!"

Frowning, the warrior's eyes grew redder than before, his skin less orange and peach, and more pale and gaunt. He appeared sickly, his skin smoking as though the very light around him were searing his skin, "So be it."

His blade grew level with his shoulder for a split second before he leaped forward, slashing at Ahsoka, who needed both of her blades to hold back his superior strength. It was apparent that he was older and far more talented that she'd anticipated. With a sweeping step, she managed to dodged his blade and side step his assault, rushing to his left to strike at his leg, hoping to maim this potential child. Yet he dodged easily.

Swirling the blade in his left hand comfortably before returning it to his right, he shifted gears and proceeded to move into a new form. Knowing that she was still far better at Shien than Djem So, Ahsoka did the same, waiting patiently for him to charge her so that she could use his strength against him. Again, he glided her way, a new, horizontal strike knocking her back against a large, decorative boulder. She sighed, trying to stand.

"Throw down your weapons!" The man shouted, his Montrals appearing more like devil horns from the angle he stood, "I'd rather not kill my own mother today!"

A new pop-hiss sounded as a blue blade came crashing down with ferocity against the crimson light aimed at Ahsoka. Both Togrutas turned to find Padme holding the lightsaber, a determined look on her face as she fought against the unnatural strength of their opponent before he pushed her back easily. Catching her breath quickly, Padme resumed her stance, staring at the Togruta carefully, "You aren't killing anyone's mother today!" She informed him.

Surprised more than anything, Ahsoka returned to her feet and moved to defend Padme. "No!" The senator informed her, "We work together or we get nowhere."

Chuckling, the supposed son from the future reminded her, "You've no real connection to the Force. How do you plan on fighting me?"

"Dumb luck." Padme spat back.

Again, the Togruta had a crass retort, "Plucky… Like your son." This time he drew a second, shorter blade and fell into a deep crouch, clearly done playing around.

His movement was faster than a blink and Ahsoka found herself barely able to block his initial blade while Padme countered the other, holding her own in a way even she was surprised about. Yet, as they continued to struggle against him, the villa guards opened fire, forcing their opponent to break the deadlock and block the blasts.

Padme and Ahsoka took this opportunity to find the high ground on the stairs, returning to their stances on the next patio. As focused as Ahsoka tried to be, she was amazed to find a certain calm in Padme, as though she wasn't afraid. It amazed her how strong this woman was, for all her lack of power.

"Interesting." The Togruta hissed as he once more deflected the bolts, eliminating one of the last guards, "I wasn't expecting this."

"Well, we're just full of surprises." Ahsoka spat, suddenly noticing an odd light emanating from the pouch attached to her supposed son's belt. It seemed her gaze caught their opponent's attention, as he reached for the pouch, pulling from it a small, silver orb. The light, it seemed, was coming from this small contraption.

"Impossible…" He uttered just loud enough under his breath, "She just barely left a day ago, she shouldn't be returning yet." Yet, as he spoke, the light grew brighter until it was almost blinding.

A great whirlwind formed, nearly bowling both Padme and Ahsoka over. Dust flew about in choking clouds, hiding the flowering plants and garden benches from sight. But this only lasted a mere moment, before the light subsided in entirety, revealing two young Togruta girls standing before the older male.

Dressed in Jedi apparel, the older of the two was no taller than Ahsoka, while the younger only met her shoulder in height. It was the younger who spoke first, stepping closer towards the slightly blinded assailant. "Zion?" she asked, "What happened to you?"

Yet, before he could answer her, the older of the two grabbed at the younger child's shoulders and pulled her back, "Stay back Luci… He's different." Her voice was cautious, much like her feet, which now stepped back slowly. "We need to be careful."

"Mina…" Zion, as he was apparently called, mumbled, his eyes losing all their red luster as the dust and smoke around his form faded away. It seemed this transition pained him some. "Luci… I…"

"You need to stay back!" Mina shouted, pulling her little sister behind her, "I don't recognize you anymore! My own brother! I want him back first!" Zion raised a trembling hand, glancing down at the prosthetic fingers before clenching his fist and then growling.

A tear fell down his eye before he dashed off wordlessly.

An instant later, both girls fell, unconscious, on the burned grass. Padme and Ahsoka ran to them, their blades back at their belts as both checked each girl's vitals. "They're okay." Padme admitted, "Just passed out."

Staring at the girls, both who were orange and striped like their brother, and fitted with a variety of peach patches, Ahsoka was in awe. "So that's what this feels like." she told Padme, who merely nodded with an all knowing smile, "I guess I know what my dreams are now." She glanced down at the smaller one, Luci, and brushed one of her head jewels back onto her forehead.

So this is what I am fighting for?

Author's Note: Happy Valentine's Day!