Cad Bane began to chuckle quietly. Ahsoka was confused. Shouldn't he be worried? I mean, that was Anakin Skywalker standing there! He'll probably won't be happy when he finds out you've also kiddnapped his former padawan along with his kids.
Anakin rushed to his twins as they cried out to him. He gave them both a hug like Ahsoka did. Luke and Leia were both talking to him, asking questions like, "Where's Mommy?" And also trying to say, "Soka, she came and-" "Daddy, there's a bad cloak man!"
"Hey, don't worry. It's going to be okay." He told them, backing up and stroking their hair. He then noticed something different about Leia. "Leia, sweetie, what happened to your cheek?" He asked, stroking her cut with his thumb.
"Daddy! Cloak Man hurt me! And-and-" She stuttered, and then began to cry.
Anakin shushed her, "Don't worry, I'm going to get you both out of here." He unsheathed his blue lightsaber, then asked himself, "Where's Ahsoka?"
Ahsoka shifted, wanting to cry out to him. But Bane made sure that didn't happen. "Remember my warning? Keep quiet and the kids stay alive." Ahsoka glared at him. He chuckled. "You don't understand, do you? My job now is to torture you in my own way. And that way is having you watch helplessly as your master is forced onto the Dark Side."
What? She thought. Why in the universe would he do that? Bane isn't intimidating! He's just a bounty hunter! Why-? Then she felt a jab in her side, like a soft ball was pressing against it.
She realized what it was. Lolly. Why didn't Bane take her away like he did to her lightsaber? Did he not think it was a threat? And where was he lightsaber? Bane didn't have it on him.
Ahsoka's attention snapped back to Anakin and the twins as he lowered his weapon and cut the chains. Luke and Leia were free, and they jumped up to their father and wrapped their arms around him. He hugged them back, sheathing his lightsaber. They were like that for a few moments, until a voice came from the hole in the door, "Hello there, Anakin."
Anakin's head snapped around to face the voice. It came from a cloaked figure with a hood to conceal his face. Ahsoka sensed the Dark Side in him. "Who-?" Her former master asked, as he stood up and held his lightsaber held infront of him, but then he must of sensed it too, because just as the twins started to tremble in fear, he asked, "Sidious?"
The Sith nodded. "Who else?"
Luke and Leia huddled behind Anakin as he protected them with a confused expression. "But, Bane took them-"
"Because I hired him, Anakin. Him and Robonino. They took the children, and now I get to use them in my own way." He gave an evil smiled towards them and Leia began to cry again.
Anakin glared at him, "What have you done to them?" He growled.
Darth Sidious smiled at him now, "Nothing permanent. Yet." He stepped into the room. "But, you can prevent anything from happening to them, Anakin."
The Jedi kept his lightsaber up in defense. "Or, I could kill you."
Sidious took a deep breath. "You're anger makes you stronger. You could kill me, but the Torgruta will die."
Anakin's eyes went wide. "You have Ahsoka? Where?"
Sidious crackled, "She's Bane's hostage now. He's watching our every move, knowing once you strike me down, he blasts her helpless body into smithereens."
It was now Anakin breathing heavily, trying to decide what to do. Ahsoka realized it then, why the twins were kiddnapped in the first place, why she wasn't part of the picture untill now. Sidious wanted Anakin to join him. And he would do whatever it takes to make sure he says yes.
Ahsoka's heart stopped. She had to get out of the vent and help Anakin fast. She wriggled a tiny bit, trying to figure out how to escape. With her hands tied tightly behind her back, her legs pinned down by Bane's weight, no lightsaber, and a gag covering her mouth, there was little to work with.
Sidious was getting tired of waiting. "Make your choice. You have three options: Join me and save the ones you love from suffering, kill me and your former padawan dies, or don't join or kill me and I will keep your children. Either kill them or have them be my new apprentices."
Anakin froze with that thought hanging in the air. He glanced down at them, fearing for them. Why would he let them turn to darkness, when he could avoid it from happening? And he couldn't have Ahsoka die, he knew Sidious wasn't lying about that.
Well, he must of taken too long. Because then Sidious told him, "I see you need some persuasion." He Force-pulled Anakin out of the small room and into the larger one behind him. After he landed against the back wall, the Sith then did the same to the twins, but let them fall in the middle.
Sidious stode into the room where the Skywalkers were. He stood a few feet from where Luke and Leia were. "I suggest you make up your mind, Anakin, and fast." He held out his hands and blue lightning came from his finger tips. They hit the twins.
The screams were unbearable. It was the more horrible sound Ahsoka had ever heard in her entire life. And what was worse, she couldn't even help them.
Anakin jumped up and yelled, "No! Stop!" But Sidious laughed and kept going. Luke and Leia, the toddlers, were still screaming, their eyes squeezed tight in pain.
Bane chuckled quietly, enjoying the entire show. Ahsoka took in a deep breath, trying to relax. She figured out how to escape, but it involved perfect timing. And now was the perfect moment, while Bane was distracted.
She used all the strength she could muster and slammed Bane into the side of the vent. His head hit it first, and made a loud BANG while he went unconcious. Ahsoka then quickly thrusted her body into the vent cover, which it burst open.
Sidious and Anakin turned to look at where the racket was coming from just as Ahsoka slammed onto the floor. She landed on the side of her arm quite hard, but ingnored the pain as she bounded up and jumped as her tied hands came under her legs. She finally took off her gag and said to Sidious, "I would listen to Anakin if I were you."
"Ahsoka!" Her master said with surprise, "How long-?"
"Have I been in there? Long before you came." Ahsoka told him, "Cad Bane's in there now, with a dent in his head."
"Why you little-!" Sidious growled, dropping the twins to the ground, where they lay moaning. Then he relaxed a bit, "I see, you want to be the hero too and help save those in distress. But, you can barely do anything without your lightsaber." He patted his side, where Ahsoka now knew her weapon was.
"Give it back, or you'll have to face the consequences." She held out a still-bound hand as she stepped into the large room.
Sidious crackled. "You'll have to give into hate to get it, young one. Just like your former master if he ever wants his precious children safe and sound." He turned to Anakin, who was directly across from Ahsoka. The Sith was in the middle of the room just like the twins, except they were crumpled on the floor.
"Listen," Anakin said, holding his blue lightsaber out so the tip pointed at Sidious, "I will never join you, and neither will my kids, and now I have Ahsoka to help make that happen." He grinned towards her, which she returned.
"Ah...I see." The Sith said, "So, you won't take my warnings. And now you shall suffer just like the children and the weaponless Jedi." He smiled to himself as Ahsoka realized what he was about to do.
Just as she jumped to get the twins out of the way, Sidious released more blue Force-lightning from his hands. It hit not only Luke and Leia, but Ahsoka as well. Anakin shouted for him to stop, but was drowned by the laughter coming from the Sith Lord.
The pain was excruciating. Ahsoka couldn't even think straight as the pain traveled through her body, making every bone seem like it was on fire. It tortured her to the point where she didn't know if she was dead or alive. She screamed to Anakin, screamed to express pain, screamed so the entire universe could hear.
Eventually, she and the twins were dropped to the ground. They seemed unconcious, but Ahsoka had her eyes open so she could see her master on his knees, begging for Sidious to stop.
"Please!" Anakin said, his lightsaber on the ground, sheathed, and his arms reaching out to the victums.
"I will, Anakin, if you join me." Sidious said calmly. "I will protect your family and Ahsoka."
Anakin breathed heavily as he thought about it. Ahsoka stuggled to say, "No, Master!" But it seemed like he couldn't hear her.
He looked up at the Sith Lord, his face reading that he made the decision. And right when he opened his mouth, a bang came from outside.
Everyone looked toward the locked door. Footsteps were behind it. Then came a beep, then some murmurs, then a whistle. Ahsoka was very confused.
The door opened, and a figure came through it. The lighting didn't help Ahsoka identify who it was, but Anakin seemed to. It made sense, he was only a few feet from the entrance.
Ahsoka could just make it out. A slim body, hair in a messy braid, red jacket, and a gun resting on the shoulder. The eyes had a look that could scare a rancor.
"What have you done with my kids?" Padme asked in an icy voice.
A/N: What now? What do you think so far? Thanks so much for reading and thanks to all my reviewers and those who are going to (Please do). And the next chapter might not come out for a while because I'm going on vacation next week. So stay tuned!