Puissant

A Star Wars the Clone Wars Story

Ahsoka sat up with a gasp. Her head pounded and her heart beat erratically as she tried to gain better hold on her surroundings. Her heart fell with a thud as she sighed. Kriff. Her dream was true. She was still on Umbara and her master wasn't to be found. She'd spent the better part of the last few weeks wishing that her master would come and save her. Save the entire 501st, but mornings on Umbara came and went without a single word from the jedi knight.

He was way past due now.

And the 501st was mostly gone. Lying on a battlefield, alone and dead.

It was her fault.

She'd tried to contact her master, but her transmissions never went through. Ahsoka had a sinking feeling that Master Krell was blocking her specific comm channel. Restricting it. Not that she could prove it, if he was.

Proof. Ahsoka was really starting to hate that word. She had brought her concerns about the general to the Jedi Council weeks ago, but she was brushed off like a child. Ahsoka was, sure, but she was also a jedi. That should've counted for something.

"These are serious accusations Padawan Tano." Mace Windu had told her, "We'll need proof before we bring charges against a jedi master who is a decorated war hero."

Of course she knew they were serious. She wouldn't of brought it up otherwise.

That is when she started her own evidence log. Just a few days ago she'd ordered the men that could to take video with their helmet cams anytime they encountered or interacted with the psychotic Republic traitor using her and the clones to serve his blood-thirsty wishes. They were to download it to her datapad, where she would store it for now. Maybe it was a foolish plan, but it was the only one that she had. Ahsoka had decided that the darkness that had been steadily growing around General Krell in the force was all she needed to know. He was aligned with the dark side, and she knew it. It was up to her to stop him. And if she had to die to prove it then so be it.

He wasn't going to win. The fearless Togruta wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of beating her any longer. She may still be a padawan, but Ahsoka Tano was a jedi and jedi didn't need saving. She'd take him down. Her immediate thought was to just get past Umbara. Live through this then she could defeat him, but something, a feeling, told her that it wasn't going to turn out that way.

Her actual master wouldn't of stood for it for a second, so neither will she. Not anymore. Not again.

"Are you alright Commander?" Ahsoka looked towards Coric, the senior medic, with a hint of a smile. His eyes narrowed, confused. He had been held back in the later platoon than the rest of them because of his medical status. He almost figured the Commander would be upset with him. With all those who remained behind, waiting for orders, watching as their brothers died, listening to them be slaughtered. Though as he noticed the relief in her eyes, he should have known better. This padawan, this jedi, had become his friend over the year that she's been with them, and she was only glad to see that the sergeant was okay.

"How long have I been out?" Ahsoka asked, her eyes on her newly bandaged hands. They still throbbed to no end. She remembered walking into the medical tent, but nothing after that.

"Just a few hours," the veteran clone told her, "You had us worried for a minute. Nearly gave Jesse a heart attack when you passed out."

"Well I got to keep you boys on your toes somehow," Ahsoka's blue eyes twinkled before asking about the rest of the wounded men. Coric smiled as he gave her the rundown. Most of them would be okay if they could get off this planet soon. Though he did lose some; Dodger included. Ahsoka lowered her gaze as her fist tightened for a moment. Moving to stand, under protest by the sergeant, Ahsoka quickly turned towards the opening just before the general barged through the tent.

"Padawan Tano. Why aren't you at your post?" He seethed his sausage finger pointed right at her.

"I- uh, well…," She looked to Coric for assistance. The sergeant was stiff, knowing he wasn't allowed to speak out of turn. Not that he wouldn't, should it come to that, to protect the commander.

"Are you not able to speak for yourself? are you injured?" This time he was looking to Coric who gladly answered. Ahsoka resisted the urge to wave her bandaged hands in the air as in, obviously.

"Commander Tano has suffered some serious burns to her palms, General. As well as some balster burns on her shoulders and legs and a concerning head injury to her montrals. I've applied bacta-patches to them and as long as she switches them out regularly then she'll be right as rain in a few days," She needed a lot more than that, like some sleep, but the medic kept it simple and upbeat. Ahsoka frowned at Coric. She hadn't realized at first, but once he said it she could feel it. The worst being her head. A Togruta's lekku was very sensitive. Her body stumbled back to the makeshift bed.

Kriff.

"Hmm, I see," The Besalisk grunted as one hand stroked his chin. Ahsoka caught the faint glee in his eyes, "I've just heard word that the Umbarans are marching towards our position. The report also included that they may have stolen clone armor in order to get past our defenses. I was about to send you and the troops out, but being the condition you are in. I order you to get some rest Youngling. I'll have CT - 7567 take care of it."

He moved to leave, but Ahsoka struggled to her feet, "No!" She said a bit too harshly, " I can fight!" Her men were counting on her. She couldn't abandon them.

"You can barely stand. I won't have you putting your men into unnecessary danger because you feel the need to prove yourself, Child!" the Besalisk turned towards Coric once again, "Be sure that she stays here Sergeant. That's an order."

"Yes Sir!" Coric stood tall, a hand shooting to his forehead in understanding.

"But Master! I-" Ahsoka felt the air snatched out of her as he force pushed her back. She crashed into the table, gasping for breath. Pain flared through her back as her eyes glazed over for a moment. Coric rushed to her, telling her to breathe. Just breathe as he lowered her head. General Krell was now gone, but the padawan could still feel him. His treacherous stench lingered.

Something was wrong.

Closing her eyes she reached out through the force to her master. The hate and dark that had been clouding her since her assignment to Krell blocked her from getting through. She just hoped by some chance that Anakin could feel her. That he would come.

She wasn't sure she could do this alone. But she would if she had to.

"Come on Master," She pleaded through the black fog that smothered her, "You promised you'd be back by now."

Sergeant Coric watched the jedi youngling from the other end of the room. Her spontaneous meditation prompting him to retreat. The jedi were strange beings, and he didn't truly understand them. Yet he thanked the force - another thing he didn't fully get - everyday for being placed in the 501st. Captain Rex and General Skywalker were formidable commanding officers that cared deeply about their men and lead by example. Looking back at the meditative Ahsoka, Coric remembered the day she first arrived.

The clones were hesitant because she was new and she was very, very young. Nearly the youngest padawan ever assigned to battle. But under the guidance of her master and Rex. She too, became one of them. The little sister of the 501st. She walked with them, talked with them, and took the time to learn from them as individuals. The little Togruta also proved herself on the battlefield. She could hold her own. He just hoped she and they survived this mission. Besides, Coric thought with certainty, if anything was to happen to the kid, General Krell would have to face the wrath of General Skywalker and the 501st legion.

That was a battle that no one, not even a jedi master, could win.

Coric flinched as Ahsoka Tano's eyes shot open with feral growl. Whatever she had been searching for, he figured she didn't find it. Seeing her distressed eyes, the medic hoped to offer some comfort. Not that he'd received any training on how to soothe a grieving child, let alone a jedi child, but he tried anyway.

"Rex is a smart man, Kid. He and others will be alright," He told her.

"I know, but I just have a bad feeling about this."

Coric couldn't argue with her there, "Maybe it isn't about beating the General. If you think about it that way then we don't really have much of a chance."

Ahsoka's eyes widened, "Are you saying we should give up?"

Coric shook his head, "No. Never, but facing him head on isn't the best plan either."

"Okay, I think I understand," Ahsoka smiled, "We can't just take him on our own. We need a backup, like a failsafe, to make sure this is that traitorous, fish-face Krell's last mission… I just got an idea! Thanks!"

The medic couldn't stop her as the padawan bounded from her sitting position and out the door, wobbling slightly. He was pretty sure she took what he said in a complete different direction. With a sigh he resumed picking up his spilled supplies, "Great job Coric," He muttered, shaking his head before mimicking his own thoughts, "Don't worry General. I'll make sure she stays here. Yeah right."

She is a jedi for kriff's sake. What was he supposed to do?!

I realize that helmet cams might not be a thing. I'm sorry to say I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes the equipment used by the clone troopers, but it seemed like a plausible idea and it fits with where I'd like this story to go. Please let me know what you think! Thank you for reading. And thank you for the show of support so far. Means a lot.

-Flipside