Ahsoka's departure hit the entire crew hard. But Kanan felt the worst about it. He had known Ahsoka when she was a Padawan, but not well. He let his anger at her keeping the secret of the Sith Lord's identity get the better of him. What he didn't realize was that Ahsoka was feeling more guilt than he ever could. Half a galaxy away, she was questioning everything she had done in the past fourteen years, starting with leaving the Order. With the shuttle on auto-pilot, she attempts to meditate, but her thoughts are chaotic.
"I shouldn't have left the Order. I could have done something to help Anakin. Maybe I wasn't a good enough student, if I'd been more attentive to his teachings; I would have been able to see his anger. If I could have just gotten him to open up to me about his past…,"
For a brief moment, a calming voice interrupts her thoughts. She doesn't know who it is, other than the voice is clearly male, and most likely a Jedi.
"Anakin's fall to the Dark Side was not your fault, child. We all believed in him, none more so than I. He was seduced by the Dark Side, so do not blame yourself. Anakin's fall was of his own making."
Ahsoka tries to focus on the voice. She doesn't know how he is speaking to her through the Force, but she wants to know more about who he is. She wants to know why he's so sure she shouldn't blame herself. But there's one more important question she asks instead.
"Who are you?"
Her question goes unanswered as the voice has withdrawn from her consciousness. She tries for several more minutes to contact whoever he was, but fails and is interrupted by the auto-pilot announcing she had reached her destination.
"Shili, I never expected to return home. Maybe I couldn't have done anything to help Anakin if I had stayed in the Order. But Kanan was wrong, I can save him. I know the Empire is looking for me, so if they want me bad enough, this is where they'll have to find me."
Weeks passed as Ahsoka settled in to her new life on Shili. She had stayed away from her home village, because she knew that what she was waiting for would only cause pain to those of her family still alive. It was when she finally let her guard down, that her chance would present itself.
"Lord Vader, we have located the Jedi you tasked us with finding."
"So one of my Inquisitors has finally succeeded, where are they?"
"He has not located them all, but he did find the one the Emperor has the most interest in."
"The Apprentice, the others can wait. Where is she?"
"My Lord, she has been spotted on her home-world of Shili."
"Set our course. She made it all too easy for me to find her. When she is captured, she will lead us to the other Jedi."
When the news of this discovery reached the Emperor he was more than pleased. While it would take some time for Vader's Star Destroyer to reach the planet, Palpatine knew that his final victory was close at hand. The Apprentice would lead them to the other Jedi willingly, or she would prove stronger than Vader, and she would take the place of her former Master at his side. Either way, he would win. When the Star Destroyer arrived after a week long journey, Vader had already made his plan.
"Lord Vader we have reached Shili. What are you orders?"
"We will wait for her to come to me. I can feel her presence in the Force."
On the planet below Ahsoka was in a peaceful meditation when she felt the Dark Side growing around her. She knew that he had arrived, and the time for their confrontation was at hand. As she steeled herself for the coming battle, the voice that spoke to her from her journey returned.
"You have no need to do this, child. This is not your time. If you confront Vader, it will only end in darkness."
"I have to face him. There has to still be good in him. I know I can save Anakin."
"If you choose to face him, this is a path you will walk alone. I cannot interfere."
"I don't even know who you are. I sense the Light side of the Force surrounding you, but your identity remains a mystery."
"I was a Jedi long before you. Anakin was to be my charge, I thought I could train him in the ways of the Force, and he would fulfill the Prophecy of Balance."
A thought crosses Ahsoka's mind, and for a moment, she believes Obi-Wan is speaking to her. The belief does give her strength, but when she questions the spirit again he finally reveals his name.
"Master Kenobi, I know this is you. I didn't want to believe you had perished during Order 66."
"No young one, I am not Obi-Wan. He does still live, but is in hiding until A New Hope can arise for the Galaxy. Even now, he watches over the future of the Jedi. I am Qui-Gon Jinn."
"Master Jinn, Anakin spoke of you. As did Master Kenobi. I must do this. Anakin believed in me, I have to believe that I can save him."
"Then may the Force be with you Ahsoka Tano. I cannot."
As Master Jinn's presence faded from her mind, Ahsoka knew she was taking a risk, but she would not be deterred. Even Vader felt the presence of Qui-Gon, and it would lead him straight to her.
"Captain, ready my shuttle. I know the location of the Jedi."
"I will ready the 501st as well. They will…,"
"NO. This is something I must do alone."
As the shuttle descended towards the planet, Ahsoka was leaving her small village behind, working her way into the forests. Knowing it was impossible for her to hide from her enemy, she cast herself out with the Force, drawing him to her.
Soon enough, she caught sight of the shuttle cresting the horizon. When it landed, and the ramp touched the ground, the black clad figure who stepped into her line of sight was not what she expected.
"Skywalker's Apprentice. I have long waited to meet you, young one."
"You met me once before. Whatever happened to you, I don't believe you are beyond redemption. This armor doesn't suit you. Even now I can feel there is still some good left in you, Anakin."
"That name has no meaning for me. You are a fool to still believe in the Jedi."
"It's the name of your true self, or has the Emperor convinced you that you're not human? That you're nothing more than what he has made of you."
"Anakin Skywalker is dead. You know this to be true. Like all the Jedi before you, you will fall."
"Then I will die with my lightsaber in hand."
Ahsoka ignites her twin green blades, and enters a battle ready stance. Even as Vader ignites his own crimson blade, she refuses to show fear or back down. When the battle begins she is a flurry of motion, the green fire of two lightsabers swinging back and forth in controlled strikes. She's faster than the Sith Lord expected her to be, but despite her speed, he has a greater mastery of the Force. He easily parries each strike, and stands his ground during her vicious onslaught. If anything of Anakin remained, he would be impressed at how much his apprentice has learned.
"Most impressive young one, but my strength with the Force is far superior to yours. You don't know the power of the Dark Side."
"I don't need too. The light has all the power I need."
The battle continues for many hours, even with the Force flowing through her, Ahsoka can feel herself tiring. Moreover, she hasn't even managed to land one hit against her opponent as he continually blocks each strike. For a brief moment, she sees what she thinks is an opening in his defense, but it was only a feint and he strikes out in her moment of distraction, forcing her to lose her grip on the saber in her right hand. It flies away, but she can't let the loss of one blade hold her back.
"Now I guess we're even."
"We were never even; Jedi. You are only delaying the inevitable."
Ahsoka strikes again, but this time she feels anger at her enemy toying with her. She knows this is what he's been doing for the whole fight, and finally she loses control. Her emotions rage like a Kamino thunderstorm, and she lets an opening show that she wouldn't have if she had maintained control. Vader strikes out again, relieving her of her other lightsaber.
"You are beaten. Surrender and I will make your death as painless as possible."
Weary and exhausted, Ahsoka falls to her knees. She can no longer maintain her balance after expending so much Force energy, she only has the strength left to spit at Vader's feet.
"You have made the wrong choice, young one. I have a fate in store for you that will make you wish for death."
The young Jedi's eyes widen in fear as Vader reaches out and opens a hand. Suddenly she can feel a crushing pressure around her throat, but her hands are locked at her sides. When she passes out the Sith Lord releases his grip, and levitates her body with the Force while retrieving her lightsabers as well.
"Soon you will meet your new Master. He will not be as kind as I was."
When Vader reached his shuttle, he secured Ahsoka's prone body in the cargo hold. While the table he placed her on was equipped with metal bands to restrain her, he used the Force to keep her unconscious, as well as unable to move if she should happen to wake. His Star Destroyer was still in orbit, and as he docked the shuttle, the Captain informed him that the Emperor wished for contact.
"Captain, take us out of orbit so I can get a clear signal. Then lock the Jedi in the Detention level."
"It will be done, My Lord."
When his subordinate departed, Vader knelt down on the holographic communication pad, and waited for contact. He knew what the Emperor was issuing contact for.
"Lord Vader, have you captured the Rebel Crew?"
"They were not on Shili, Master. It is only a matter of time before I have them."
"I am displeased, Lord Vader. Your Inquisitors were to capture them. Their failure is yours."
"Master, the Inquisitors have completed their task. Events are in motion that will bring the Rebels to us. I personally have captured the Apprentice."
"Then this is just the beginning. You will interrogate her, and get the information we desire. Then the Jedi will truly be extinct."
"She is strong in the Force, Master. She will not be easy to break."
"Then you must bring her before me. If she does not break, she will die. Bring her to Byss."
"Yes, My Master."
As Vader returns to the bridge to have the crew set new coordinates, in the Outer Rim on Tatooine, Masters Kenobi and Togar are both violently expelled from their meditations.
"I have felt a great disturbance in the Force."
"I felt it too; Obi-Wan. Something has happened to Ahsoka."
"Then what I feared has begun. I do hope she has the strength to resist what is coming."
"And if she doesn't?"
"Then only one hope will remain. I will have to see to him."