Discalimer: I do not own Star Wars

Chapter 7: Where to Go

Starkiller meditated. As he did, he disassembled and reassembled his lightsaber. He had already done it a few times. He could hear the door to the chamber open, but he continued to meditate. After he reassembled his lightsaber, Starkiller turned to face Ahsoka. She looked a bit surprised.

If he makes everything levitate when he meditates, then he must have an extremely strong connection to the force, Ahsoka thought. It surprised her. I wish I had this strong a connection to the force.

For a moment, Starkiller mentally laughed to himself as he sensed her thought. Ahsoka treated him like an idol sometimes. She often acted like a little kid. Then again, she was still young. He could still forgive her for that. Starkiller wished he could have been a kid. His training with Vader had allowed no childish behavior, only brutal training and strict discipline.

"You shouldn't envy me, Ahsoka. You should be proud of who you are."

Ahsoka reeled back in surprise. He could sense her thoughts? This guy is like the ultimate prodigy of the force. Never in her years had Ahsoka encountered someone with such a strong connection to the force. Perhaps he could rival even Yoda.

Starkiller looked at Ahsoka, staring into her blue eyes. They reminded him about Juno. Starkiller had never really got to know Juno that well. He wondered how she fared. Would he ever see her again? It didn't matter. What mattered was…

"Starkiller, are you okay," Ahsoka asked.

Starkiller snapped back into reality. "Yeah, you remind me of someone else who had your brilliant blue eyes."

Ahsoka blushed and looked down.

"Speaking of which, where have you taken us?"

"That's the thing," Ahsoka replied. "I have a problem."

"What's wrong?"

For a moment, she didn't answer. "We have the whole galaxy in front of us…and yet for the first time in my life, I don't know where to go. I was hoping you had an idea."

Starkiller nodded his understanding. Ahsoka was usually given orders by the council on where to go or what to do. She hadn't been able to go where she pleased. Starkiller could connect to her. Without Vader, Starkiller wondered what he going to do. Even if Vader could lead him, Starkiller felt he owed no loyalty to him, or any sith lord.

"I take it that you don't having many ideas either," Ahsoka interjected.

Starkiller looked at her and suddenly, something struck his mind. This was the year 3,634 ATC. This was the year of the Great Jedi Purge. This was the year that Order 66 was issued to all clone troopers. Starkiller had studied this time of the Galactic Empire thoroughly. The Emperor had this plan in the makings. Being the Chancellor of the Galactic Republic…wait.

Starkiller's thoughts flew back to the trials that he and Ahsoka faced together. He knew who Palpatine was. He was the Emperor, but now, he was the Chancellor. Starkiller suddenly realized there was something to do. He could stop the Galactic Empire before it even happened. As this crossed his mind, Starkiller realized that maybe he could stop the Galactic Empire before it even happened. Starkiller also had no doubt that Palpatine had sensed the great darkness within him. Perhaps this had caught his attention. Perhaps not.

Finally, he answered, "We need to…keep an eye on Coruscant. I sense…something is wrong."

Ahsoka gave a puzzled look. What was he sensing? Was it something related to him? As far as she could tell, Starkiller had never been wrong before, so she couldn't ignore what he was feeling. She also suspected that he was withholding something from her. And if he was hiding something, why wouldn't he tell her? Ahsoka suddenly remembered that he had been kind enough to protect her and continue to train her. Patience, she reminded herself. When he's ready to tell me, he'll tell me.

Starkiller continued to debate whether he should spill the truth about Palpatine's plans. Would she believe it? Probably not considering that the Jedi Order is practically blinded to it. Starkiller knew how powerful Palpatine was. His mastery of the dark side enabled him to shield himself from the Jedi. No Jedi would ever believe that Palpatine was a sith lord. Then again, the was a distraction enough. Although respectful of the Jedi, Starkiller saw the Jedi as overlookers, and perhaps a bit arrogant at times. If he could somehow convince them that the Chancellor was an imposter and the enemy, he might be able to stop the Empire. Then again, why did he care?

Anger and hatred were all that Starkiller had known for his whole life. Maybe he couldn't let go of these emotions, but maybe he could use them for more constructive purposes, to use them for good intention.

"For now," Starkiller said. "We can train. I have a feeling that you will need it."

Ahsoka did not give a second thought. She ignited her lightsaber. She had modified the weapon to suit her style. The once-bent saber was now straighter and looked more like her old lightsaber. She held her lightsaber in reverse Shien grip. With a small smile, he ignited his lightsaber and held it in a reverse Shien grip too, deciding to allow Ahsoka to go on the offense. With that, Ahsoka charged forward. Starkiller began using Soresu to counter her moves. Despite being very skilled at Soresu, he noted how quick Ahsoka was, moving from one side to the other in an attempt to exhaust him. Starkiller suddenly switched to Juyo and began to push her back. Starkiller had noted that she lacked a bit in defense. Keeping that in mind, he took care to lessen his Juyo enough to be challenging for Ahsoka

Ahsoka meanwhile was thinking of ways to counter Starkiller. His practice of Soresu was almost exactly like Obi-Wan Kenobi's style. Knowing this, Ahsoka decided that she wasn't going to break through Starkiller that way. As she was forced back, she took not of how concentrated he was on her. Maybe she could move fast enough to catch him off guard. She wouldn't be able to hold off his Juyo for long. It was now or never. She moved to intercept Starkiller's blade with her own, broke off abruptly and tripped Starkiller. He fell flat on his back. Turning around to deliver the final blow,l she was not surprised to watch him grab his blade with the force and hold his blade horizontally to block her vertical slash.

"I got you real good," Ahsoka gloated.

"The battle's not over yet. And don't let your guard down." Starkiller suddenly force pushed Ahsoka, causing her to lose her lightsaber and fall to the ground. Starkiller moved to quickly hold his blade towards Ahsoka. She continued to look defiant. Finally, she relaxed and surrendered.

Galen deactivated his lightsaber. "How about this? You have a lightsaber and I have no lightsaber at all?"

"Getting a little over your head, are you," Ahsoka retorted. How could he hope to win a battle without a lightsaber.

"I wouldn't be so sure. Lightsabers aren't always necessary to win."

With that, Ahsoka once again reactivated her lightsaber and swung and lsashed at Starkiller. She was surprised at how much stamina and agility he displayed, dodging and ducking with relative ease. She began to get frustrated and Starkiller began to note that she was attacking more aggressively. Deciding to risk it, he let out a small force repulse. Ahsoka was unprepared for it and she flew back and hit the wall.

Ahsoka stood up in pain. A force repulse? Only the most powerful force sensitives could utilize that ability. Starkiller seemed to only appear more powerful as he displayed more and more of his capabilities. Starkiller knelt beside her.

"Are you alright?" Starkiller was worried that he used too much.

Ahsoka realized that she could use this moment to surprise him. Deciding to play with the game for a second, she replied, "Yeah, I'm fine." With that, she forced pushed Starkiller to the other side of the room. He hit the wall and fell to his knees.

"I see you took my distraction to your advantage," he commented.

"Well, I had a good teacher," Ahsoka answered back.

Starkiller chuckled a bit and went to retrieve his lightsaber. "You know, we don't always have to spar. You could help me with meditation. I need to reflect on some things."

Ahsoka nodded. It had been a while since she had meditated. "Why do you stare into your lightsaber blade when you meditate," she inquired.

"The blade helps me associate things. When my blade was red, it reminds me of blood and fire, which helped to fuel my anger. The blue blade makes me think of water and the sky, more peaceful things. I figure if I am renouncing the ways of the sith, then I might as well embrace some Jedi teachings."

Ahsoka nodded in understanding. She had never thought to meditate like that. She wondered if she could commit to it as much as Starkiller could. With that in mind, she activated her lightsaber and sat across from Starkiller, who already had his blade ignited, staring deeply into it. Ahsoka looked into her blade, its green color reminding her of plant life, planets full of life. She felt more refreshed and she forgot about her surroundings and concentrated.

Starkiller, meanwhile looked into his blade as something crossed his mind.

I sense someone far more powerful nearby. Where is your master?

The dark side has clouded your mind. You killed my master years ago.

Then now you will share his fate.

A son…

Run!

Come with me. More will be here soon.

Starkiller let out a cry and his lightsaber deactivated. Ahsoka, felling his pain, snapped back to reality and quickly raced to Starkiller's side.

"What happened? What did you see?"

Starkiller looked at the floor, uncertain of what to say. He looked Ahsoka in the eyes. He appreciated her concern, but he didn't know how to explain it. Was it a memory? Something else? Did it matter?

"I…do not know what it was," he said, almost in a depressed voice.

Ahsoka felt his pain. This was the first time, he seemed…human, not completely brutal, or blunt.

"Maybe I should go." Ahsoka turned to leave.

"Wait, don't go. You're presence…helps me meditate better."

Ahsoka was uncertain how to respond to this. She was both unnerved by it and sort of flattered by it. Also, his hesitation suggested that he was trying to say something else. Ahsoka quickly dismissed it as unimportant.

"I'll be here if you need me," she finally responded.

Starkiller nodded. As he turned to resume his meditation and focus on what he had just seen, another thought crossed his mind. It felt…familiar.

Galen Marek.

I apologize for the long period of inactivity, but school has been occupying my time. April braek will give me a chance to catch up on a couple stories. Also, go read my more recent story Star Wars: TFU in Time . It's a story about Galen transported to the time of the Phantom Menace. Hope you enjoyed. Hope to write another chapter this month. Peace!