"Lady Tano we must flee immediately. Your friends are lost to us." Maul was clearly alarmed and fearful of who had just arrived. The presence of Vader seemed to overcome the dark foreboding presence of the Sith Temple. His eyes darted left and right, as if jumping at every single shadow present. Ahsoka had never seen him act this way before. Scared beyond belief.
She too was scared. Of Vader. Of what lie ahead for her. Of the safety of her friends.
But she was also determined to be victorious. Even if Vader had arrived, she fully intended to face him, with or without Maul's help. She had to, to save her friends.
"I'm not leaving Kanan and Ezra to die." She spoke resolutely.
"Ahsoka, we cannot beat Vader. Your friends are more than likely already dead. We must live to fight another day." Maul replied, trying in vain to persuade her. "Come with me Ahsoka. Together we can get off this planet and hide. We can train together. Our paths are aligned to a similar goal."
It didn't escape Ahsoka's notice that Maul had called her by her first name rather than 'Lady Tano'. He was desperate. Maul wanted the end of the Sith more than anyone else. And now before them was an opportunity to defeat one of the two Sith Lords. Why wasn't he taking it?
"Maul, we can beat Vader together, and only together." She responded to him, softening her tone of voice, trying to appeal to whatever compassion Maul had within him. He clearly had some, otherwise he would not have been so distraught about the death of his brother all those years ago.
"No. He is too strong for us. We must prepare." Maul's behaviour was becoming erratic, as he grasped the hilt of his lightsaber tightly, as if expecting another ambush.
"If we wait, they will grow stronger. They will get the holocron and all the information on it. And they will know we escaped. We wouldn't stand a chance against the both of them at once. But if we take our chances against them one at a time, we just might succeed. Please Maul. I need you to stand with me now. For those we have lost."
Ahsoka knew she was taking a huge gambit in appealing to Maul's sentimental side. The Zabrak had destroyed as many lives as Sidious and Vader had. But right now, in this situation, they had a common goal. One they could achieve together.
Maul's eyes stopped darting in all directions and focused on Ahsoka's, judging her. His golden eyes bore into her blue ones, as if seeing into her soul.
The seconds that passed felt like hours to Ahsoka as she waited for Maul's response.
Eventually, the former Lord of the Sith's shoulders slumped, and he sighed.
"Fine. Fine. I'll stand with you Lady Tano. To have a slim chance to defeat Vader now. I will stand with you."
Ahsoka had to refrain from breaking out into a smile. Now was not the time for that. Instead she nodded her head in gratitude, and a sign of respect for her former foe.
"Thank you Maul." She said.
Maul nodded back before turning and sprinting up the final set of stairs to the top of the pyramid. Ahsoka ran alongside him.
"But I we die during this foolhardy crusade of yours Lady Tano I will haunt you for the rest of your life."
Ahsoka allowed a brief smirk to appear.
'Here we come Vader.'
The two Jedi and Inquisitor stared slack-jawed as Darth Vader launched himself off of the rood of his TIE fighter, landing before them. His tall imposing figure was enough to incite fear into anyone, even just by being in his presence. However, the others currently with him knew what he was capable of. Vader was a juggernaut of death and destruction. Nobody ever escaped him for long, and if they did, it was usually all for Vader's benefit.
Kanan shifted his body so he was in front of his padawan. He had to protect Ezra. Even if it cost him his life.
The Eighth Brother snapped out of his stunned stance, clearing his throat to speak to his master. "Lord Vader, a pleasure to have you with us. I have cornered the Jedi and will soon acquire the holocron for you my Lord." He knew he was sucking up to the Sith Lord, but in this case it was evident that he could no longer gain the holocron by himself. But with Lord Vader here, the Jedi did not stand a chance. Victory was upon the Eighth Brother.
"No Inquisitor, you have failed me today." Vader's voiced boomed across the chamber, sending chills down the spines of all those present.
"My Lord?" The Eighth Brother replied, concern in his voice. Kanan and Ezra just stood at a distance watching. They couldn't run, they would be hunted if they did. They had to stand their ground.
"The Jedi possess the holocron and the temple and weapon are no longer activate. Furthermore, you allowed the Jedi to remove the holocron from its place." Vader turned his attention to the Inquisitor alone, yet did not move from his spot. The Eighth Brother tensed. This was not how it was supposed to go. He was supposed to be rewarded, not reprimanded.
"The temple would have killed us all my master. I was merely ensuring that I could gain possession of the holocron and live to deliver it to you." The Eighth Brother's voice started to pick up speed, panic filling his voice.
"No Inquisitor! You intended to claim this temple as your own prize. Why did you not summon me upon its discovery?" Vader questioned, voice still booming with malicious intent.
"I did not know you were available my lord. I could have handled the situation myself." The Inquisitor was growing desperate, that much Kanan and Ezra could see. What was Vader doing?
"And yet you did not report when my quarry arrived on this planet with her friends. Nor did you report the presence of Darth Maul." Vader's anger was growing, his voice fluctuating despite the mechanical sound of it. Through the force, Ezra could feel the Inquisitor's fear of his master.
The Eighth Brother dropped to his knees before Darth Vader and pleaded. "Please my master. I know have I have failed you today. Let me put this right. I will kill the Jedi and get you the holocron myself."
Silence filled the chamber as Vader stared at his agent. The tension in the air was palpable as the two Jedi and Inquisitor waited to see Vader's response. After what felt like hours, Vader responded.
"No Inquisitor. You have failed me for the last time. Here is your... reward."
Vader's arm and hand rose quickly, faster than the Inquisitor could react. A sharp and powerful force push hit the Inquisitor and sent him flying backwards at a ridiculous velocity. Any impact would kill the Inquisitor outright.
However, rather than hit a wall, the Eighth Brother kept flying backwards, trying in vain to grip the floor to halt the force push, when suddenly the floor ran out. Vader's force push had sent the Inquisitor out of the central chamber, and off the edge of the pyramid.
As the Eighth Brother disappeared over the edge, plummeting to the levels below, all Kanan and Ezra heard was a panicked scream of terror from him, before Vader turned to face them.
"Unfortunate. He was most useful. Now give me the holocron!" Vader began to advance on the two Jedi, lightsaber up and ready for a fight.
"You'll have to take it from us Sith." Kanan responded, he and his padawan getting into their ready positions. This would be a tough fight.
"So be it Jedi!" Vader responded before swinging his saber at them. Kanan caught the blow with his blade, before Vader dashed at frightening speed around him to attack Ezra. The Sith Lord took a swing at Ezra, clashing blades and making Ezra stumble under the force of Vader's swing, before trading a series of blows with Kanan, putting him on the defensive.
Vader's strikes with his lightsaber hit like a turbolaser compared to Ezra and Kanan's. Despite this his style was controlled. Methodical, yet brutal beyond all belief. Every time Ezra's blade came into contact with Vader's Ezra was knocked back a step or two from the sheer force or the blow. Kanan too was struggling despite being old and better trained in the art of lightsaber combat.
The two Jedi began to succumb under Vader's offensive style. While they had enjoyed previous success against the Inquisitors, and had trained together to improve their skills, as well as their ability to work as a team, none of this seemed to matter when they faced Vader. He was way out of their league even now.
Vader launched another barrage of attacks, clashing with the two Jedi and knocking them back. This time Ezra was knocked backwards onto his side, saber falling from his hand. Kanan attempted to take the fight to Vader alone, pushing his blade forwards hoping to find an opening in Vader's defences. However, Vader was quick to put Kanan back on the defensive himself, locking blades with the Jedi. The two were face to face again, as they had been on Lothal, pushing against each other, seeing who would crack first.
"Enough of this!" Vader boomed, striking his head forward, helmet coming into contact his Kanan's face.
"Argh!" Kanan grunted in pain, stumbling backwards from the impact, being forced to break the saber lock. Vader seized the initiative and brought his blade, swinging the blade horizontally in an attempt to cleave the Jedi in half. Kanan managed to step back in time to avoid the mortal blow, but not enough to avoid it altogether.
Ezra had regained his footing, lightsaber in hand ready to re-join the duel when he witnessed it happen. Vader head-butted his master, sending him backwards in pain before swinging his blade at Kanan. Kanan evaded death, but not injury.
Kanan's scream of agony filled Ezra's senses completely, as Vader's saber cut along Kanan's face, right across where his eyes were. Kanan fell to his knees clutching his face, alive but wounded.
Kanan's vision was filled with nothing but a bright red light. A horrific burning sensation covered his face as he tried to cover the wound. It occurred to him seconds later where Vader had wounded him. Kanan was blind. His eyes. Gone.
"Kanan! Noooooo!" Ezra called in alarm, charging Vader and clashing blades with him.
In response Vader redirected Ezra's blow, making him stumble and bringing his own blade down up the boys saber hilt. The ruined lightsaber tumbled to the floor out of Ezra's hand, as he fell backwards next to his wounded master.
Vader slowly approached the two, towering over them with his saber poised for the kill.
"You have failed Jedi. And you will die here today." Vader threatened the two, taunting them on their loss. This time there would be no escape for them.
"I'm not afraid of you Vader." Ezra called defiantly.
"Then you will die braver than most!" Vader raised his blade, ready to end the Jedi. Ezra lowered his head in shame. He had failed to protect his master. He had failed everyone.
Vader's blade descended.
"Not today Ezra! Not ever!"
Vader stopped mid swing. That voice! He knew that voice! It may have been over sixteen years since he last heard it, but he recognized it anywhere. The boy and his master could wait. His prize had arrived.
Vader pivoted on his heels and turned to face the new arrivals. Before him stood two figures. One was clearly the pretender Sith Maul. Vader had no interest in the Zabrak other than his demise, which would come shortly. For now, all his attention was focused on the familiar Togruta women. She had grown considerably since they last met, both physically and mentally it seemed. She was as tall as Anakin Skywalker had once been, and clearly more powerful than anyone else present in then room.
She would make a fantastic apprentice for him.
"It was foretold that you would be here. Our long awaited meeting has come at last." Vader began, extinguishing his saber, a sign that he meant no harm to her.
"I'm glad I gave you something to look forward to." Ahsoka replied. Despite the years apart, and the evident change in his way of life, Ahsoka couldn't stop the snippy remark from leaving her. She felt no compassion for the man before her anymore. Only disgust, and strangely pity. What had happened to him?
"I do not seek to fight you my old apprentice. Instead I offer a proposal to you." Vader spoke, taking a step towards Ahsoka and Maul, and one away from Kanan and Ezra. Behind Vader, the two Jedi slowly crawled backwards from his towering figure.
"And what proposal is that?" This was the third time in one day that a darkside users had offered her a proposal. First Maul with his alliance, then the Inquisitor with the holocron. What was with her and the Sith today?
She dreaded and anticipated what Vader was about to offer her. Some part of her knew what was coming next. She proven right when Vader responded.
"You have grown very powerful in the ways of the force apprentice. However your training is incomplete. I could teach you the ways of the darkside of the force, and together we could overthrow the Emperor and rule the galaxy in our image."
"Why would I do that?" Ahsoka spat in return.
"Why do you continue to help the Jedi? They betrayed you. Lied to you. Used you, as they used me. Only I stood by you the day you were accused of being a traitor. How long will it be before the rebellion begins to question your loyalty Ahsoka Tano?"
Everything Vader had said was true. She had been betrayed by the Jedi, by everyone during the Clone War. Only Anakin and Padme had remained loyal to her in her time of need.
And Padme was dead, leaving only Anakin. And he, or some variation of him stood before her, offering her a chance to be by his side again.
She considered his offer, and that horrified her. She may not of been a Jedi any longer, but she was no Sith.
'You would make an excellent Sith Lady.' Maul's voice rang in her memories from earlier. Had he also been attempting to turn her, gain her as an apprentice, as Vader was now?
It would be nice, to be back at Anakin's side once more, fighting together. She had missed it. Longed for it even. And it was the apprentice's duty to remain loyal to their master, was it not?
"Together we can restore order to the galaxy, and right the wrongs set upon us. We will find those that betrayed us and exact our vengeance upon them. Come Ahsoka, take your rightful place by my side." Vader reached out his hand, gesturing her to come to him. Through the force, through the mangled master-apprentice bond that once existed by now lay dormant between them, Ahsoka could feel Vader's longing for her. He was being serious! No manipulations. No betrayal intended. The offer was genuine.
She almost accepted.
"Never!" Ahsoka snarled at the towering Sith Lord. "I will never join you. My master is dead, and you are just a remnant of my past that I would like to forget."
Vader tensed, growing agitated. But he was not finished yet.
"You claim to be a symbol of the light, yet here you stand working alongside another Sith Lord in an attempt to destroy me. In order to protect members of an order that sold you out. Who is the true hypocrite here apprentice?"
Vader was taunting her and Maul, Ahsoka knew this, but she would not rise to the bait.
Unfortunately, Maul did. "You are a poor excuse for a Sith Lord Vader. You stand in my rightful place, and today you shall die." The Zabrak twirled his saber in his hands, preparing to charge. Despite his anger, he waiting for Ahsoka's signal.
"Your rightful place? The only thing you have ever been good at is failing Maul. It is you who shall die today. And Tano will be mine!" Vader's unoccupied hand clenched into a fist. He too was preparing for a fight. "Come apprentice, strike down Maul and the Jedi, and take your place by my side."
"No! Maul is right. You die today Vader. In the name of those you have killed. In the name of those you have wronged." Ahsoka help her own hilts in her hands. She was ready. She had to fight him. It was the only way.
"You stand with the Jedi, yet you use tactics of the dark. Revenge is not the Jedi way Ahsoka Tano!" Vader boomed. Through the force, Ahsoka could feel his anger.
Ahsoka stood tall and ignited her lightsabers, Maul doing the same beside her.
"I am no Jedi!"
To Vader's surprise Ahsoka was upon him in seconds, swinging her lightsabers in an upwards arc to catch him off guard. Vader barely had enough time to ignite his saber and counter the blow, before Ahsoka had moved around him like water and pushed her offensive. She tried to get around the various cracks in his defence, aiming high and low, trying to dismember his limbs in a fluent manner. Vader's training allowed him to counter each blow and redirect it to keep himself safe. He really didn't want to harm her, but if that was the only way to get her to cooperate... so be it.
Ahsoka jumped backwards out of range of Vader's blade work and delivered a force push to his front. While it did not have the intended effect of launching him backwards, the impact of the force push did cause Vader to stumble slightly. The force cried out a warning to Vader, to which he pivoted in response to clash his blade with that of Maul, who had also joined the fight.
Like Ahsoka, Maul decided on a fast paced fighting style against the Sith Lord, utilizing both ends of his double bladed saber to force Vader to move and counter quickly. However, despite his size, Vader was just as fast as the Zabrak, quickly forcing him onto the defensive. Vader alternating to his preferred fighting style, putting maximum impact behind each swing in an attempt to stun Maul. Maul continued to counter Vader's brutal strikes however, until Vader too unleashed a force push upon Maul, this one much more effective than the one that had hit him. Maul was knocked backwards and temporarily out of the fight.
Vader turned in time to face his other opponent, the one he deemed worthy. To his surprise Ahsoka descended from a force enhanced jump, barrelling down upon him from the roof. The two clashed blades again, this time locking them together. Vader's pure strength with just one blade left Ahsoka little choice but to push back with both of her sabers at once. Whatever augmentations Vader's suit offered was clearly in the benefit of his brute force strength.
Ahsoka pulled back out of the saber lock, forcing Vader towards her, who in turn performed a series of swings at her. She deflected two strikes, ducking under another and vaulting the next one along, before she seized her opportunity. Ahsoka angled one blade for his leg and another for his midsection. To her surprise, Vader too jumped over both swings, before landing behind her, cape billowing dramatically.
By this time Maul had got back to his feet and dashed past Ahsoka, clashing blades with Vader. The two traded a series of blows, neither on the offensive or defensive. Both sides were attempting to wear the other one down, to make the final strikes easier. But neither side seemed to tire.
Ahsoka and Maul worked in tandem against Vader. Maul would engage him, before breaking off to recover his stamina. Ahsoka would then move in, duelling her former master till she too broke off, allowing a then recuperated Maul to re-join the fight. The goal was to force Vader into a situation where he could not rest, unlike his opponents.
However, Vader did not seem to waiver in the slightest. Perhaps it was the Sith temple feeding him power. Perhaps it was his own drive to succeed. Neither Ahsoka nor Maul could tire him out it seemed.
Ahsoka swapped out for Maul again, entering another saber lock with him before being on the receiving end of another force push courtesy of Vader. Ahsoka was slid backwards onto her side, coming to rest near Kanan and Ezra, the former still clutching his apprentice close to him to protect him, despite his injuries, the latter watching in awe as she and Maul fought Vader.
"I grow tired of this!" Vader boomed. He broke off his engagement with Maul before raising his hand in a claw motion.
Maul froze in his spot, his hands reaching up to his throat as his was lifted into the air. Vader was choking him with the force. A common Sith tactic. Ahsoka had used it in the past herself. Maul was clearly beginning to run out of air, as he dropped his saber, the weapon clattering to ground.
Ahsoka had never moved so fast.
She got up from her position, sprinting towards Vader forcing him to drop Maul before he moved to lock sabers with her again. Maul slumped to the ground groaning. He was out of the fight.
Ahsoka and Vader were face to face once again, pushing against each other will all their might. Ahsoka, fighting for those who were lost, verses Vader, who sought to control everything he could not.
"You have grown powerful over the years my old apprentice. Your destiny lies with me, you know this to be true." Vader spoke as he put more pressure behind his pushing, forcing Ahsoka back a step. It was clear to Ahsoka what Vader was trying to do to her. He was trying to break her in order to turn her.
"No. I will never be like you. You have become a monster!" Ahsoka retorted, snarling and bearing her fangs at the Sith Lord. "I'm loyal to my friends, and I will never betray them."
Through the force, Ahsoka could feel Vader's hate. Not for her, but for her friends. For those who he believed had stolen his apprentice from him.
"Then they will die. All of your friends. Your family. Everyone you love will die. The rebellion you have worked so hard to build will fall. And you will belong to me!" Vader boasted, confident in his abilities.
"NO! NEVER!" Ahsoka screamed at Vader, beginning to push him back slightly. Vader countered.
"Yes my apprentice, use your hatred. Together we will reign supreme."
Vader was trying to break Ahsoka, as he had so many before. It was a common way to turn people to the darkside, to make them do your bidding. It was how Sidious had claimed Anakin Skywalker as his own. Break a person by focusing on what they cherished most, and thus exploit it.
But in his hubris, Vader had made a terrible mistake. He could not break Ahsoka Tano. Would not be able to.
Because Ahsoka Tano was already broken. She had been broken since the day she left the Jedi, left Anakin, and no amount of time could repair the feeling of betrayal from that day.
She thought of those she cared for, those that cared for her. A pair of Jedi. A Twi-lek pilot. A Mandalorian warrior. A Lasat. A grumpy astromech. Her Clone Captain from so long ago.
Of the Senator from Alderaan. Of a pair of sisters from Raada.
Those were the people that she cared for. The people Vader was threatening.
Ahsoka may have been broken for so long, but she had never fallen thanks to them.
So rather than break her, all Vader had succeeded in doing was making her angry.
And anger in a Sith temple was amplified exponentially.
With a scream of pure fury, Ahsoka broke out of the saber lock and advanced on Vader, swinging her blades in deadly precise arcs.
Left. Right. Up. Down. She attacked her former master furiously, Vader trying in vain to deflect all of the blows. He was surprised, yet somewhat pleased by this sudden outburst of anger from her. She would make a fine apprentice for...
Pain! Agonizing white fury lanced through him in an instant. His face burned. His vision distorted. No longer could he see in a pure red mechanical gaze, but for the first time in years, he could see with his normal eyes.
Ahsoka had managed to slip through his defences, her shoto striking Vader's helmet, making a gaping hole in one side, revealing his eye. Vader stumbled backwards in horror, before his rage took over. He brought his blade downwards, attempting to strike the Togruta. The sheer amount of force in the strike would have killed anyone, but Ahsoka flowed around the side of him, evading the blow and brought her primary saber across his arms, severing his hands from his body, lightsaber erupting in sparks as it too was destroyed. The shock of the blow, as well as the pain Vader felt forced him to the knees before Ahsoka.
His breathing apparatus was ruined, evident by the shallow breathes he was taking, as well as the usual sound of his respirator being distorted. He slowly lifted his head, looking up at the person who had bested him. Ahsoka stood before him, staring at his eye with shock. Her blades were still activate, ready for if got back up.
"Ahsoka?" Vader muttered softly, in a pleading tone.
Ahsoka looked into his eye. It may have been years since she last saw it. His face may be disfigured beyond repair. His eye may be bright gold, a symbol of the darkside. But to her, his eyes looked exactly the same. Her master had fallen!
"Anakin?"
Ahsoka felt a presence behind her. Maul had regained his footing, and stood behind her saying nothing. This was her decision. He would respect that.
She had told Maul countless times that she would end Vader if she got the chance. She had been bluffing at the time, saying what he wanted to hear.
But here and now, facing what her former master had become, what he had done. Ahsoka found herself conflicted.
She gripped her primary saber tightly, angling the ignited blade so it pointed towards Vader's chest, towards his heart, what was left of it. One lunge. That was all it would take to end this.
She could end this. Save her friends from being hunted as Vader said he would.
But could she live with the guilt of knowing that she had killed her master? Without even considering why he had done what he had done?
"Ahsoka? Ahsoka please." Vader whispered to her again.
Ahsoka refocused on his eye, seeing to desperation in it. He really did want her by his side once more.
But he had also done unspeakable things, and he wanted her to help him rule with fear. That she could not abide.
Ahsoka made her decision. She may one day regret it. But in that moment, she knew what she wanted to do.
Ahsoka lunged.
Author's Thoughts
So... yeah... plot twist!
I know some will not like what just happened at the end there, and I know that others will love it. Know that I will respect you either way, and want to know your stance on it.
However, from the ofset of this fic, I was adament that it happen the way it did. I personally felt it suited the atmosphere of this story in particular, as well as the upcoming sequels.
Either way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
I also hope I was able to get the confrontation between Ahsoka and Vader right, both the dialog and the duel.
Also... R.I.P Kanan's eyes.
Following this will be an epilogue to round off the story in a 'neat' little bow.
Thanks again for reading, and feel free to comment. I especially want to hear your opinions on this chapter. :)
Speaking of which:
Mysterious Guest that commented on chapter 9: Thanks for the compliment. Glad you are enjoying it so far.
FossilQueen1984: To be honest, it wasn't an intentional reference, merely a coincidence in the writing. Hope you enjoyed this installment, one that is surely to be controversal.