Thanks for reveiwing! I do not own Star Wars, or the Altar of Mortis scene this chapter contains.
Ahsoka glared at Dooku as he paced before her in his palace on Serenno. The green tinted windows cast eerie shadows across the room.
The bounty hunter had dragged her back to Dooku and put binders on her that prevented her from using the Force. She could no longer talk to Anakin, and now they were halfway across the galaxy from Agamar.
"I don't want to hurt you, child," Dooku said. "I just wish to talk to you."
And I'm a Gundark's uncle, thought Ahsoka. "Aloud, she said, "You dragged me halfway across the galaxy just so you could talk to me?"
"In a manner of speaking," Dooku said. "I believe you have recently had some... troubles on a distant planet known as Mortis."
Ahsoka eyed him suspiciously. "How did you know that?"
"I have my contacts in the republic," Dooku said airily. "I also happen to know that there was an incident on Mortis that you seem to have... forgotten. That you wish to know about."
Ahsoka glanced at him. "My Master will tell me when he wants me to know."
"You do not believe this is so. But I can unlock your memories now." Dooku's eyes glinted as he stared at her. "You have great power, Ahsoka Tano," he said, almost to himself.
"Have I not made it clear that I don't trust you?" Ahsoka snapped.
"Oh yes, quite clear. But whether you trust me or not, we both know that your Master will not tell you anything anytime soon."
Ahsoka considered this. She wanted nothing more than to know what had happened. But this was Dooku that was offering to help her.
"What's the catch?" she asked warily.
"There is no catch," Dooku said, looking wounded that she would suggest something like that. "I simply believe there should not be secrets between Masters and Padawans."
Ahsoka still didn't believe him. But she found herself nodding against her better judgement.
Dooku waved his hand like he was using a mind trick. But instead of twisting her mind, he unlocked it's memories.
The ground seemed to pitch under Ahsoka's feet and she found herself falling. She only had fallen for a few metres when she landed on a hard surface. She got to her feet and looked around. She was in a large courtyard with a solitary tree planted in the middle. To her right, a set of doors led into a tower and by the clouds swirling around the tower, Ahsoka had a feeling she was very high up.
This is the Son's fortress! I'm actually in my memories!
The doors opened and her Master walked in. He glanced around the courtyard, his gaze sliding over Ahsoka like she wasn't even there.
Ahsoka supposed that was true, in a sense.
Anakin's eyes fell on the tree and relief washed over his face. Ahsoka blinked in confusion. Sitting beneath the tree, her back to them was... herself!
"Ahsoka!" Anakin called. "Ahsoka, its me, you're safe, now let's get out of here!"
"Are you... proud of me, Master?" the other Ahsoka asked without turning around.
Ahsoka frowned. That wasn't her usual voice. It was dark and soft, almost threatening.
"What?" Anakin seemed shocked. "Of course, Snips. Of course I'm proud of you, now lets get out of here!"
"He's right," the other Ahsoka said and now she did turn.
Ahsoka gasped when she saw her appearance. The other Ahsoka's face was tinged with black, as if the blood running through her had turned to poison and her eyes were a sickly yellow. The colour of a Sith's eyes...
Oh no.
"Right about everything," Dark Ahsoka continued. "You must join him!" She smirked slightly. "He only wants what's best for the universe."
Ahsoka swallowed hard. I have a bad feeling about this...
Anakin stared at Dark Ahsoka. "Hey," he said, dread in his voice, "Whats wrong with you?"
Dark Ahsoka glared at him. "Always with the criticism, Master," she said. "Never really believing in me. Trusting me. Well," she turned away. "I don't need you anymore."
"Ahsoka," Anakin said frantically. "Ahsoka, listen to me. He has done something to you, snap out of it! This isn't you, Ahsoka!"
"Isn't it?" Dark Ahsoka flung out her arms. "I feel more like myself then I ever have!" Then her voice dropped to low and threatening. "He asked me to give you a message."
Ahsoka assumed she meant the Son.
"He said if you don't join him, he will kill me!" Dark Ahsoka gave a little laugh.
"I wont let him!" Anakin said fiercely.
"Then you will be forced to kill me!" Dark Ahsoka shouted, whirling around, lightsaber in hand.
Anakin just sadly stared at her. He made no move to activate his own.
Dark Ahsoka scowled and leaped forward, aiming her lightsaber for Anakin's head.
For a second, Ahsoka thought he wasn't going to block it, but at the last possible moment, his lightsaber flashed up to meet Dark Ahsoka's.
Ahsoka remembered that Anakin wouldn't be killed, as he was very much alive in her own time, but it was still hard to watch the fight.
Anakin ducked away from Dark Ahsoka's swings, seemingly unable to hurt her.
He should have killed me, Ahsoka thought miserably. I didn't deserve that.
"I don't want to fight you, Ahsoka," Anakin said desperately. His response was a kick in the face that sent him flying backwards. His lightsaber skittered away as Dark Ahsoka raised her lightsaber.
"And now, the student will kill the Master!" she declared triumphantly.
Anakin simply extended a hand and his lightsaber flew into it in time to block the deadly blow.
"Getting ahead of yourself, aren't you, Snips?" Anakin's tone was light, but Ahsoka caught an emphasis on 'Snips', as if he was using her old nickname to help her remember what she had been. But it didn't work. Dark Ahsoka's face contorted with rage.
"Don't call me that!" she snapped. "I hate it when you call me that!"
Anakin recoiled slightly, but regained his composure and continued the fight.
Ahsoka glared at her past, wishing she could join the fight. That's not true! "I'm sorry, Master," she whispered, knowing he wouldn't hear her.
The battle continued across the courtyard. At some point, Obi-Wan joined the fight, but that did little to slow down Dark Ahsoka.
Finally Anakin used the Force to throw her back several feet, then turned back to Obi-Wan.
"Any suggestions?"
"Yes." Obi-Wan pulled a long dagger from his belt. "We cut her free!"
Ahsoka blinked. The dagger of Mortis!
"Where did you get that!" Dark Ahsoka shouted. Ahsoka realized in horror that her voice had an undertone of the Son's in it. "Give it to me!" She sprang forward, but the battle had only just begun again when the window in the tower above them shattered and the Son and Daughter came flying out. Seconds later, the Father landed in front of them.
"So glad you could make it to our little party, Father," the Son said, sending a stream of Force-lightning at him. The Father blocked it with his hand, but it seemed to take a lot of strength to do that.
"You will stop this!" he commanded.
"You are too weak for me, old man," the Son sneered. "You mean nothing to me anymore!"
The lightning soon became too much for the Father to block, and he was thrown off his feet. Ahsoka watched helplessly as the Son poured more lightning into his father.
"Anakin- now!" Obi-Wan shouted, tossing the dagger of Mortis to him. But before he could catch it, Dark Ahsoka leaped forward and snatched it out of the air. She then ran to stand beside the Son, who stopped shocking his Father to turn to her.
"Everything has transpired exactly as I planned," he announced.
"You showed them.. the Altar?" the Father asked the Daughter weakly. Ahsoka wondered what the Altar was.
"I am sorry, father," the Daughter said sorrowfully. "I didn't know how else to stop him!"
"Give it to me, child," the Son commanded Dark Ahsoka.
"Ahsoka, no!" Anakin pleaded.
Dark Ahsoka shot him a hateful glance and presented the dagger to the Son.
Please tell me this is just a nightmare! Tell me I didn't really do that, Ahsoka thought.
"Thank you," the Son said, waving the dagger experimentally. "Your usefulness has come to an end." He touched two fingers to Dark Ahsoka's forehead and she immediately crumpled to the ground. Ahsoka saw her chest rise and fall. It did not resume.
"Nooooooo!" Anakin screamed, racing toward her. Before he could reach her, the Son used the Force to throw him back.
Ahsoka stood there, stunned. How could I be dead? I'm alive right now!
The Son turned back to the Father. "The Jedi have brought me the dagger and you have brought yourself. Now, Father," he raised the dagger. "You will die!"
"Father!" came a cry, as the Daughter ran forward. She threw herself in front of the dagger and was impaled in the back.
The Son looked at his dying sister in horror, then screamed in anger and flew off in his gargoyle form.
The ground pitched under Ahsoka's feet again and she was falling. Like before she only fell for a few metres before landing.
Ahsoka looked up to find Dooku staring down at her. "Let me go back," she demanded. "I want to know what happened!"
"There is really nothing more that you should remember," Dooku said. "Your Master thought nothing more could be done for you, and was just about to leave when the dying Daughter offered to transfer her life-force into you. Unfortunately, that process returned you to the light side with no memory of what happened.
"Why did I even turn to the dark side in the first place?" Ahsoka asked.
"The Son offered you great power, the chance to be greater than even your Master. And you were, if even a short amount of time. You saw that in your memories. Your Master does not want you to know, because he thought if you knew, you would turn again. He didn't trust you not to turn again."
"How do you know?" Ahsoka demanded. "How do I know that everything you have told me isn't all lies?"
"I told you before, I have my contacts inside the republic," Dooku replied. "And, you saw what happened. I can do a lot of things, but I cannot fake a memory like that." He studied her intently. "When the Daughter died, she not only gave you life, but some of her Force power as well. With training, you have the potential to be greater than your Master. Greater than Yoda. Join me, Ahsoka."
Ahsoka took a step back. Great power? She hadn't asked for that. But her Master...
He doesn't trust you, whispered a voice in her head. All he sees in you is a way to become a Jedi Master. Choose the better path.
Ahsoka remembered when she had first met her Master.
"You're reckless, little one," he had said. "You never would have made it as Obi-Wan's Padawan... but you might make it as mine."
Why would he have spent those countless hours training her if he had no attachment to her at all?
Jedi do not form attachments.
But my Master is no ordinary Jedi.
Ahsoka looked up. "I've made my decision," she said and took a step toward Dooku...
*Uses Jedi mind trick* You will reveiw!