"In Need of Wings"

Chapter the Twenty-Sixth

"I need to…"

Kill Cad.

Clouds, red as blood, swallowed the last of the dying light, wrapping Ahsoka Tano and the monster who used to be Anakin Skywalker in complete darkness.

"You can do it, can't you? I don't like that he's between you and me. If I can get rid of everyone else between us, can't you do it for just one person?" He cocked his head at her, his yellow eyes and white teeth glowing.

"What? Skyguy?"

Kill a former enemy, now a friend. Someone she once would have braved an army to stop, now braved an army to save. Earned his trust as much as he had earned her fondness. Her tears had soaked his shoulders night after night. The cheap whiskey he kept on his ship burned the back of her throat weekend after weekend when they stared up at the stars and pretended they weren't fugitives. His terrible jokes went on for hours until she threatened to steal his hat if he didn't stop.

Her most unlikely friend when she was in need of a friend the most.

"So you won't do it for me?" Vader's smile slowly faded, forming into a snarl. "You're supposed to be willing to do anything for me. I did everything."

"What do you mean?" Tears clouded her vision. He was but a shadow in her eyes now.

"The Jedi Order is gone. They took you from me, held me back from who I could be…from what we could be." He took a step back, the wind pulling at his black cloak and long locks of dark hair. "The Republic is gone. Treated you unjustly, pulled us apart, lied to us. Now they're fallen. Don't you see, Snips? I did all of it, and I did it for you!" His teeth were now fangs, glistening in the reflection of fire, his eyes burning. Like an animal about to pounce on her. "I changed the galaxy to get you back. And you won't even kill one bounty hunter scum for me?"

She hung her head.

"And listen, hear that ship approaching? I can sense he's here." Suddenly, Vader grinned again. "Wasn't that hard to lead him here, really. My Boba helped. Now finish it!"

If I don't do this, Vader will never take me back. If I do it, I will never be able to live with myself again.

Cad…

Vader watched her every movement, waiting for a sign of her answer. None of the light she once saw in Anakin's eyes remained anymore. Anakin had been burned out. A fallen star.

If I don't kill him, won't Vader do it anyway? Vader hates him so much, there's no way he'll be alive much longer, no matter what I do.

He'll torture Cad to death. Probably make me watch, too. She shivered at the thought. Knowing it was simple logic, not her own paranoia.

But I could do it painlessly…quickly. I could spare him from that.

She grabbed her lightsabers. Against her will, tears ran down her cheeks.

"That's right. You can be my apprentice again. My sweet Snips. My little tart." Vader licked his chapped lips.

It's all she ever wanted. Ever since she left the Order, she wanted her Skyguy back. To be by his side again. The galaxy at their fingertips, every star waiting for them to be the heroes.

"You're home now. Just open the door. I know you have it in you…"

Ahsoka turned around and began a slow walk across the bridge leading to the landing platform. There, just as Vader had said, a ship had landed. She felt Bane's presence in the Force again. It did not calm her.

Spare him. Vader's voice whispered in her head. He already read her thoughts.

And for the first time, that didn't even bother her.

Unbeknownst to her, Ahsoka's eyes had already begun to change color. And Vader, always with his eyes on his apprentice, watched from a distance.

Bane descended the ramp of the ship, taking a glance at the scenery around him. When he saw Ahsoka, his eyes widened and his shoulders seemed to sag, as if in relief. His walk towards her as he approached the bridge soon became a run, holding onto his hat. She glanced back at Vader, hidden in the shadows, before running towards Bane, wondering how the hell she would pull this off. How she could even feel the pull in her to kill the one person who had remained her friend, and not be horrified by it.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Bane shouted at her. But she knew him well enough to hear the fear in his voice. Fear for her life, not his own.

"I had to, Cad."

"That sounds like bullshit."

She clenched her jaw.

"You wouldn't understand. You don't know what it's like to have his voice inside your head. Day and night, alone and not alone. Not letting you eat or sleep." He could sympathize, try to help. But the moment he acted like he knew how it felt to have Vader in his mind like that…

"What are you talking about?" He frowned. "Shut up and get on the ship."

A laugh started in the back of her throat.

"You know, really, this is the first time in years I haven't been in danger. I'm safe here. And you're telling me to leave?"

"Vader's getting to you. You're a smart enough kid, you should know better than letting him in."

Ahsoka stepped closer and stood as tall as she could, glaring Bane down.

"You should have just turned me in to him when he gave you the chance. Everyone would have been happier. I wouldn't be suffering so much, you wouldn't have nearly been killed, Vader wouldn't be alone…but you had to be stubborn. What's the matter, Cad? Don't you want me to be happy?"

"What?"

"I said, don't you want me to be happy?!" she screamed.

Bane's eyes seemed to flicker.

"So you're saying I made a mistake in saving you?"

She nodded.

"Mmm-hm! You never could save me. Only Vader can. I see that now. So thanks for holding me back all that time, but I'm sick of it!"

"I'm not leaving without you, 'Soka."

"Yes, you are." Ahsoka ignited her lightsabers. By now, only half her consciousness was aware of what she was doing. The other half felt as if it had been sucked into a black hole, twisted and deformed beyond repair. "Get out of here, now. Please…just run."

"No!" He stood his ground.

"Please…Cad, go." If you don't run, I'll have no choice but to kill you, she silently added. It was true. What other choice was there? No matter what happened, he was going to die anyway.

Bane's lips curled into stubborn sneer.

"Not without you, little bit."

"Fine. Be that way." As hot tears rushed to her eyes she stepped towards him. "I told you to leave."

At first, he didn't look surprised. Like this was some prank he had been expecting. But the closer she stepped, the more his initial reaction caved in to confusion. Bewilderment.

"Wait, wait…'Soka? What are you doing?" He slowly raised his hands.

"Voice in my head said so. He's not going to go away until…"

Until he dies. That's right, Snips. Wouldn't you like this torment to end?

She swung her lightsaber at his chest, not close enough to strike. Bane stepped back, staring at her in disbelief.

"Ahsoka!" he shouted. "What's the matter with you? Snap out of it."

"Wish it were that simple…" She swung again.

Bane grabbed her wrist, holding her lightsaber just above her head.

"Let! Go!" She bared her teeth at him, wanting him to fight back. Wanting him to get angry. She kicked his shins, spat in his face, dug her nails in the back of his hand. Still he wouldn't back down.

Finally, a weak point…Bane saw Vader standing in the distance, watching. She swung her other lightsaber at him and he let go of her hand, backing away just in time. Stumbling, he kept moving away from her as she advanced, like a predator. Ahsoka bit her lip to hold back a scream of rage. Her lightsabers cut at either side of him, chopping up the railing, sending sparks up at him. Bane backed up again until he was at the end of the bridge. He kicked at her stomach to slow her attacks. Again, he grabbed her arm. This time she was prepared.

Ironically, using a technique he taught her once, she swung over him until he let go. The edge of her lightsaber cut a diagonal line down his back. She heard him cry out, but he didn't fall. Not deep enough. Not fatal.

Bane turned around, breathing hard. He had not looked this weak in a long time. Ahsoka grinned at the sight.

"You're not much of a challenge. I've got you right where I want you," she mimicked.

"Maybe I should have killed you back there after all."

"What, and miss out on all the fun?"

Vision narrowed, Ahsoka watched herself cut down on his left arm's gauntlet. Watched the metal melt against the blade, burn through his skin. She heard his cry of pain and alarm, but it was too late to stop what she was doing. Her lightsaber sliced up until it had cut right below the shoulder blade.

Vader giggled inside her head.

Just like me now…just like me. Three more to go! And then off with the head we go. If Ahsoka didn't know better, it sounded as if he was singing to her.

Bane looked down and saw where his left arm used to be. He froze in shock. Ahsoka gave him a small push with her boot and he was on his knees in front of her, trembling. Now on the verge of death, she saw Bane in a way she had never seen him before. He looked like a child.

There is always death.

"I…I…"

"Speak up." She held her lightsaber against his throat. So much for killing him quickly and painlessly. Oh, well…it was sentimental at best.

"I'm sorry…" Bane whispered.

She hesitated.

"You're…sorry?"

The roaring lava around them nearly drowned out the sound of another ship approaching. So much so that Ahsoka did not hear it until it was close.

Snips, little Snips…something is coming. Be careful.

Is it Ventress? she wondered. But even though she saw Sleight of Hand break through the clouds and draw closer, she could not feel anyone's presence in the Force. What the hell is going on?

One lightsaber still against his throat, Ahsoka turned around to get a better look at the ship, then frowned in confusion, watching it fly down, heading for the gap between the bridge and lava below. How could it be flying if she didn't sense anyone on it? Unless…

Of course. Todo 360 could fly the ship on his own.

Movement rocked the bridge. She spun around to face Bane. He had already turned and pushed his body over the railing, falling down. With a loud crack, she heard him land on Sleight of Hand. His legs were bent unnaturally moments after the fall. By then the ship was already flying out of her reach.

"Dammit!" She prepared to jump after him before it was too late. A blast from Sleight of Hand's turrets struck the bridge, tearing it in two. Cursing, Ahsoka jumped back and stood on the landing platform. "Vader, help me stop them!" she pleaded.

She could see Bane, dragging himself on a broken leg, pry open a hatch on the ship and disappear inside. That little droid had saved his life after all Bane had done to him. It was so unfair.

Vader, too, was shaking with fury. He reached out to stop the ship using the Force, but his grip was already weakening as Sleight pulled away, heading back for the sky. It was too late.

She couldn't believe it. Her first task as Vader's apprentice…and she failed.

"Why didn't you help me sooner?" she cried out across the chasm now separating them.

Vader gripped her whole body in the Force. Suddenly, she couldn't move. Her eyes widened in fear. Her feet left the ground as he slowly pulled her up, hovering her over the place where the bridge once stood.

"This was your test, not mine. Looks like you have some work to do before you can truly be my Apprentice again. My little tart. You disappointed me. This was supposed to be easy."

She could have sworn he was still smiling. The lava felt hot underneath her even though she was over fifty feet above it. Helpless, she kicked her legs a little.

"I…I promise. I'll do whatever it takes. I'll hunt him down and kill him, Master! I'll kill anyone for you!"

"Will you?" He dropped her several feet, and she screamed.

"Yes! I'll do anything! Just let me be your apprentice again!"

And then he pulled her to safety, taking his precious time so she knew what it was to be completely at Vader's mercy. In that moment, just one short temper away from a horrific death, Ahsoka understood what it was to be Vader's apprentice rather than Anakin's. And she understood the major difference all too late. When she landed, she hit the ground roughly and knelt in front of him, just as Bane had in front of her minutes ago.

"Good. That's all I wanted to hear." He smiled brightly. "Follow me. I have someone to introduce you to." And he turned away.

Ahsoka followed him into the darkness, and accepted that she, too, had burned out like a star.