Thanks to all the supporters that I have received from this story. For those of you who question where I intend to take this story, you'll have to keep reading. I will not be giving any information out regarding what I want to do with the story, so keep reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Chapter 8:

Starkiller dodged another overhead strike from Ahsoka. He brought his blade to try and "impale" her, but she anticipated this. With a quick burst of speed, she jumped over him, turned around, and force pushed him into the wall. Starkiller quickly recovered and brought his blade up to parry her next attack. Starkiller smiled in satisfaction. He had to use Soresu to block her moves. She had not given him any chance to counter.

"You're really getting Juyo down," he said.

Ahsoka beamed. "Well, you've put me through a lot of training. If I can't learn anything from you, I can't learn anything from anyone else."

Starkiller acknowledged with a nod. For the past few weeks, Starkiller was teaching Ahsoka Juyo lightsaber combat. She was fit enough to do so. She had speed. She also had a bit of a tendency to be aggressive. Starkiller noted to work on increasing her physical strength in order to utilize Juyo more effectively. She also received some more training from Starkiller's use of the unorthodox reverse Shien grip. Starkiller was impressed by her rapid progress. She was starting to be able to hold him off longer and had even almost defeated him once. In addition to her augmented training, her spirits seemed to have returned. This was also a factor that kept her staying in the fight. Starkiller had grown accustomed to her sometimes arrogant and overconfident side, no doubt carried from her master. Although he viewed this as a bit of a danger, it amused him as well.

Starkiller then began to use Juyo against Ahsoka. Ahsoka switched to Djem So. Although not her area of expertise, she could use it. Starkiller saw this and began using Juyo to its fullest potential, not wanting to give Ahsoka the chance to counterattack. As he pushed her back, Starkiller took note of every parry and dodge she made. Ahsoka was watching him too. This was the only way she could dodge and duck with some difficulty. With this in mind, Starkiller increased the intensity of his Juyo. Ahsoka began to have difficulty meeting his strikes. There was one other thing she lacked: pushing her potential to her limits. Starkiller reflected that his time with Vader had pushed his limits. That was how he had been able to remain in the fight. This was also what he had been training Ahsoka to do as well. Unfortunately, because of the Jedi way of teaching lightsaber combat, they did not push themselves to their limits. Starkiller viewed this as weak in a way. How could one be the best of their ability if one didn't strain their abilities?

Ahsoka blocked and countered, using her ever-growing physical strength and incorporating it into her Djem So. This was what she had been training in for the past month. Starkiller was truly a brutal teacher, but a good one. His teachings had pushed Ahsoka far beyond her limits. After a few days of this, Ahsoka came to understand what kind of training that Starkiller had been through and it made her realize why the Sith fought with the aggressiveness that they did and they were often much stronger than Jedi. It was a bit of a wake-up call.

Returning her focus to the battle, she switched to the reverse Shien grip and attacked Starkiller with what he called "Sith Shien." It was a somewhat difficult move. It required multiple fast strikes coupled with big brutal strikes. Ahsoka had also noticed that Starkiller used force powers in his fighting style, making some of his attacks unpredictable and dangerous. She had not tried this yet. Starkiller's training, she reminded herself was self-taught or imitated. She remembered him telling her that Vader had encouraged him to develop his own methods of fighting. This, to Ahsoka, was very different from they way she was taught. She was taught everything she knew. She couldn't imagine what it was like to develop a personal fighting method.

They both charged at each other and got caught in a lightsaber lock. Before either of them could make any further moves, Proxy entered.

"Master," Proxy said. "Scanners are showing a large number of ships entering the system. They appear to be CIS ships."

Starkiller nodded to Ahsoka. Both deactivated their lightsabers. They, along with Proxy walked to the cockpit. For the past month, Starkiller had chosen to remain near Coruscant to monitor and prepare himself to change history. One thing still bothered him. As he already knew, the sith exist with only two, a master and an apprentice. Starkiller was well aware that Sidious was the master, but who was the apprentice? It couldn't be Vader.

Starkiller took a seat in the pilot seat. Ahsoka sat in the co-pilots seat, and Proxy sat in the rear seat. Starkiller observed the CIS ships exiting hyperspace. Moments later, they open fired upon the Republic Star Destroyers. Completely caught by surprise, the Republic ships were destroyed instantly. Almost all of them blew up and disappeared. More CIS ships continued to fill the empty space surrounding Coruscant. There were many of them. Within a matter of minutes, the republic ships were all gone.

"Proxy," Starkiller said. "Are you getting any transmissions regarding their plans?"

"I have. Apparently, the Separatists have launched this attack in an attempt to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine. With the Republic Forces spread out across the galaxy, they seem to think that this is the ideal time to strike."

Ahsoka looked stunned by the sheer number of lives lost in minutes. This was war, but she had no idea this would be happening. She never thought that the Separatists would work the nerve to invade Coruscant, but then again, with the Republic Fleet spread thin, this was a golden opportunity to gain an advantage in the war. She turned to Starkiller to see what he thought of it. Surprisingly, he looked calm, but lost in thought. Knowing Starkiller, he was probably trying to piece this together.

Starkiller watched as ships began to race down towards the planet. This was not what it looked like. Since the Chancellor controlled both sides of the war, there was no doubt that this was no ordinary invasion. Palpatine had to have prepared for this. The question was what was the purpose of this invasion? What could Palpatine gain by doing this? Starkiller sighed and focused on the transmission, not having an answer.

Palpatine stood in his office, meditating. As planned, the CIS were attacking, planning to "kidnap" him. The Jedi were trailing him. Although they were not weary of his intentions, he needed something to distract them. This invasion was the solution. It was also time to test if the Chosen One was ready to become his apprentice. Darth Tyranous had proven to be useful, but he would be cast aside soon. The rise of the Galactic Empire would be one of great power. The Sith would rightfully rule over all. Even as Palpatine thought of the Chosen One, he could not help but think back to a certain trial.

The Trial of former padawan Ahsoka Tano and that boy, Starkiller, was an unusual one. As the two sides gave their arguments, Palpatine could sense that the dark side was strong within. The boy was making no effort to hide his nature. Palpatine could also sense his extremely powerful connection to the force. Such power was almost primal. What if this boy could become his apprentice? Was it possible? Could this boy, who looked barely sixteen years old, defeat the Chosen One? Palpatine could not simply ignore this boy. This boy's power could rival his own. If this boy becomes my apprentice, then nobody could oppose me. I would be unstoppable.

Even though this boy was strong within the force, the Chosen One could not be ignored. He was quickly developing, and Palpatine sensed that Skywalker was ready to face a test that would determine if he worthy to become a Sith Lord. His practice of Djem So was strong, and with a push from the dark side, it could turn into something truly deadly. And his connection to the force was powerful. When fully mastered, he could easily become the greatest force-sensitive person to have ever lived.

Palpatine finally made up his mind. The plan would not change. Anakin would be tested, and if he killed Dooku, he would become Palpatine's apprentice. Then, Palpatine would test this boy against his new apprentice to see who was a worthy apprentice. One way or another, he would have an apprentice that couldn't be matched by anyone else. Palpatine also reminded himself to make sure that there was a recording of this confrontation between Skywalker and Starkiller. Such a battle would serve as an example to future Sith. It would push them to further the power of the dark side.

Palpatine began to reach into the force to begin planting the seeds of doubt in the young Starkiller's mind. These visions would push him further down the dark path and would truly unleash the boy's full potential.

Starkiller saw the unmoving form of who he recognized to be Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka's former master. His eyes were closed. He showed no sign of life. In that moment, Starkiller turned his head to face Darth Sidious. Although not wearing his sith robes, there was no mistaking who he was. On the ground lay Ahsoka, looking weak and defeated, smoke rising from her body, no doubt from force lightning.

"Excellent." He turned to face Starkiller. "Lord Vader was powerful, but not powerful enough. I knew that one day, you would replace him."

Anakin Skywalker was Darth Vader? How could that be? Starkiller suddenly realized that was how he had recognized Anakin when he first saw him.

"You have just one final test." Sidious continued. Starkiller didn't need to hear the words to know what the test was.

Starkiller turned to look at Ahsoka on the ground, attempting to get up, but was still too weak to do so.

"Kill Skywalker's Jedi padawan...and at last, you will become as Sith Lord!"

Starkiller activated his lightsaber and watched as Ahsoka turned her head to face him. Her eyes had lost their fierce glow and instead, there was only a defeated and pleading look.

"Galen, I know you don't want to do this," she pleaded. "Don't do this. You know what this leads to."

Galen? Did she call him Galen? Was that his birth name? Galen Marek?

Without responding, Starkiller lifted up his lightsaber and prepared to strike. Ahsoka continued to carry a pleading look in her eyes, but now they were followed by tears. With his lightsaber raised high…

Starkiller screamed as he snapped out of his vision. He was back in the pilot seat of the Rogue Shadow. Ahsoka reeled back in surprise, now knowing that something was truly wrong. This time, however, she would not let this one slide.

"What? What did you see?" She didn't need to try and probe his thoughts to see that he had seen a vision.

For a moment, Starkiller stared off into the stars without so much as an acknowledgement that he had heard Ahsoka. He debated what to tell her. Should he tell her about Anakin being Vader or that he saw himself about to kill her?

Without thinking, he said, "It's Vader. I sense him."

Ahsoka wasn't sure how to respond to this, but she knew how much Starkiller seemed to hate his master after his betrayal. The dark side was still with him despite trying to use its powers for good, but Ahsoka was worried that the dark side would draw him back to evil. Why was she feeling concerned for Starkiller?

Cliffhangers are so much fun! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry for the slow updates, but school has really been taking up time. Not that I hate school. Anyway, favorite, follow, review, all that good stuff and I'll see you guys next chapter. Peace out!