A friendly reminder that the sequel—still weird to say as this is ongoing—is out, and called Daughter of Serenno.
Big thanks to my betas, Firehawk1100, Kuiil, and Mauryn for looking over this chapter. Each one brought in a new pair of eyes and critics that were essential, making this chapter one of my favorites to write as you can tell from the length.
The Prideful
Ahsoka wore a cocky grin as she swatted the bolts of plasma back to their owners, effectively shutting down some of the retreating legion of battle droids. Those she couldn't deflect, she dodged effortlessly while on top of an AT-TE walker.
In the sea of clankers, she spotted him. He stood out like a sore thumb with his gray and white uniform. He was taking pot shots whenever he could while he ran with his tail stuck between his legs.
Ahsoka's grin grew wider at the sight. You're going to see what it feels like to lose, Coquer.
With the heavy support from the walker, along with the deadly clone troopers under her command, Coquer's forces stood no chance against her advancing army. Anakin's plan was working way better than she thought it would. After the disaster that was the Battle of Dantooine, she learned to never underestimate the commander and listen to orders.
With every inch of ground they take, tens of droids fall by their might, crushed under their heels. This win was hers. Victory was already on her tongue—and it tasted sweet. What better way of proving those they doubted her ability than defeating the man who made her look like a fool on Dantooine.
Ahsoka still had a lot to prove. Just because she had gained some wins under her belt, and Shilia's belittling voice no longer rang through her ears, didn't mean she was worthy of the title of Padawan yet.
"Am I really gone, failure?"
Ahsoka clenched her jaw, focusing on the war that was raging around her.
She wasn't a failure. Her success she had racked up since that day attest to the fact, but defeating Coquer would cement the fact that she wasn't.
Her wrist communicator rapidly blinks green. With a press of a button she initiated the transmission.
"Hey Snips," her master greeted her with his usual carefree tone. "Just checking to see how everything is going on your end."
"Oh, you know." She jerked her head to the right, harrowingly missing a bolt that almost found a nice snug home in her head. "All going according to your plan."
Hearing him chuckle at her playful tone put a tiny smile on her face. She was happy to be placed under Anakin's tutelage. His caring and need to protect personality mesh well with her own and her view of what a Jedi was.
Even with her failure at Dantooine, he didn't scold her or demand for her immediate removal as his Padawan like she thought he would. Instead, he fought in her defense against Shilia and the woman's request to have her removed from the field and stripped of her title as Padawan. Even spoke up against three members of the Council and the chancellor himself.
If that didn't prove how worthy Anakin was, then she didn't know what would.
"Expecting anything less?" She rolled her eyes at his cocky tone. "Just keep pushing them to the ambush point and this battle is good as done."
"Copy, Mast—wait, what are they doing?" The droids were still in retreat but their pace was slowing down to a crawl.
"Ahsoka, what's going on over there?" Anakin asked, his worry laced in his words.
"They're slowing down," she answered. Her eyes popped wide open seeing all the enemy at once throw grenades at her and her troops. "Gotta call you back!"
"Ahso—"
Ahsoka ended the transmission. She had literally seconds to react.
"Grenade!" she shouted at the top of lungs, warning all her men about the incoming ordinances.
She couldn't save all of her troops, she knew this, but she could lower the casualties. She inhaled a sharp breath of air through her nose, deactivating her lightsaber as she reeled her arms back. Exhaling, she thrust her hands forward, using the Force to push whatever amount of grenades back to their owners. She then braced herself for the explosions by kneeling down and grabbing hold of the walker's canopy frame.
She clenched her teeth, waiting for the inevitable. Her body tensed in anticipation. The explosion never came though. Not the rumbling of the ground from the denotation nor the haunting screams and cries of the injured survivors. Instead, she felt the rough purring of the AT-TE's engine and heard multiple sharp hissing noises throughout the battlefield.
Clouds of white smoke steadily released from the grenades the droids threw, blanketing the whole area. Ahsoka could see the confident grin Coquer had as he and his forces were slowly submerged in smoke. The enemy ceased firing their blaring weapons, leaving only an unnerving sound of their heavy marching in its wake. She tried to see through the thick clouds but to no avail.
They were blind. Just like they were when he assaulted the Republic command post on Dantooine.
Damn you, Coquer, Ahsoka thought, growling.
This was a trap. She had thought she learned her lesson from the last time they fought, but apparently not.
She ignited her trusty blade, readying herself for the counterattack. "Keep an eye out," she advised her troops. "This is when he'll strike back."
The clone troopers readied their weapons, keeping a watchful eye for any movement in the smoke. Seconds become minutes and minutes felt like hours in the suffocating atmosphere. The distance sound of combat was overshadowed by the rhythmic marching of the droids. It was getting louder and she spotted a few clones getting jumpy from the situation, randomly jerking their weapons to the direction of any odd sounds they heard.
Ahsoka could relate to the anxiety that was enveloping her men. She was skittish as well.
She swallowed down her nerves, reaffirming her grip of the lightsaber her clammy hand held.
I'm ready for you this time, Coquer. You're going to lose by my hand.
Ahsoka flinched at the notification of an incoming transmission on her wrist comm-link. She huffed, annoyed at herself for getting startled so easily. She was Padawan and needed to start acting like it.
She accepted the transmission and brought the communicator close to her lips. "Master, I can't really talk right now," she whispered as her eyes skirted the field for the enemy.
"Ahsoka, stand down."
"What?" She winced at the loudness of her own voice. "Master," she began, her voice returning to the hush whisper of before. "Coquer, set up a trap by using smoke grenades to mask his reinforcement."
"Ahsoka…there's no one there," Anakin stated.
She blinked in confusion at her master's words. "Master, what do you mean? I can literally hear them around me."
Ahsoka received her answer a second later. The dense area of smoke parted in the center, revealing Anakin and the rest of the 501st closely behind him. She slowly lax her stance, feeling the tension and anxiety that filled her core be replaced with confusion and bewilderment.
She didn't understand what happened. The droids were right in front of her. She knew the droids were right in front of her. Even when the smoke covered the area she heard them and many more on the way. It was just like on Dantooine, they somehow went under her nose, disappearing without a trace, but how?
Her blue eyes widened, still being able to hear the distinctive sound of marching droids despite none in sight. Her eyes surveyed the land, searching for a clue, hint, or anything to tell her what the hell happened.
"Ahsoka," Anakin called out, gesturing to her to come off the walker.
She got out of her confused state by shaking her head. She jumped off the vehicle, landing with grace fitting one of her Order.
Ahsoka walked up to her master. "Anakin, I—they were—we all saw—" She sighed in defeat. "Master, what happened?"
Anakin closed her eyes as he sighed. When he opened them, he crossed his arms. "Commander Coquer pulled the wool over our eyes yet again."
Not shit, Skyguy, she almost blurted out but swallowed her words at the last second. She was just frustrated. She got duped by Coquer again. She lost to Coquer again.
"How?"
Anakin peered over his shoulder. "Rex," he called out. "Bring the player."
"Player?" Ahsoka asked with an arched brow.
She spotted Rex walking towards them with a small black handheld device in his hand. With each step he took, the heavy stomping of droids got closer. It was getting painful to listen with her sensitive hearing ability.
"Here you go, General." Rex presented the device to Anakin.
He pressed a button, stopping the droning sound of marching. "Thanks, Rex. Radio the Resolute and tell them the battle was won and we're ready for pick up."
"Copy, sir." Rex left the two Jedi alone.
Anakin showed the device to Ahsoka. "This is a music player." He pressed the same button as before and the device came to life, loudly playing the sound of droids marching.
"W—what?" Ahsoka was even more confused than before.
Anakin deactivated the music player. "During time before even the era of the Old Republic, when wars were more commonplace, militaries would sometimes direct music or speeches towards their enemy to seed doubt or breed insanity among the ranks. Essentially, psychological warfare." He pocketed the device. "Our trickster of a commander decided to use the same method to cover up his retreat."
Ahsoka blinked at this explanation. Coquer had used a looped sound of marching droids to trick her in believing he had reinforcements on the way. She gradually tightened her grip on her lightsaber, threatening to break it in half. Her jaw visibly tensed, gritting her teeth in frustration.
"Damn it," she muttered.
"Ahsoka, it's okay." He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "He got me too with the same trick. That's why I told you to stand down. No one could have predicted that he'd used a long forgotten tactic."
She relaxed from his touch. "But I was—I mean, we were so close in capturing him. I feel like, despite our victory, he still won."
"I know Ahsoka, I know." He gave a nod and assuring pat on the shoulder before retracting his hand. "Like what I said on Dantooine, what you're feeling is normal, but you can't let hurt pride grow into resentment. That'll lead to the dark side."
"I know Master, and thank you."
His face took on an inquisitive expression. "For what?"
"For accepting me as your Padawan," Ahsoka answered. "I never said that to you when we met on Dantooine, but—"
Anakin stopped her mid-sentence with a simple raise of a hand. "Snips, no need to thank me. Like I told you, you wouldn't have made it as any other Padawan except for mine." He flashed her cheeky grin. "Now, come on. We have to report to the Council about our success."
Ahsoka smiled at him. "Okay, Master."
Ahsoka lay sitting on her bed, her legs crossed and her eyes closed. Her hands were loosely placed on her knees. Her small chest expanded as she inhaled through her nose. She held it for a second or two before exhaling.
She felt the Force swell up inside her core with each breath she took. She always felt comfortable mediating. It granted an outlet for any stress that may have lingered after a mission—and she definitely had a lot of leftover stress after having the unfortunate pleasure of dealing with Coquer.
"I'm one with the Force, and the Force is with me," she whispered.
But that wasn't the main reason as to why she was meditating. She had been afflicted by a vision for some time now—three weeks in fact. Three straight weeks of the same scene, replaying over and over in her head. She had told Anakin about the haunting vision. He was obviously worried about what the vision entailed, but there was not much he could do other than advise meditation to understand what the vision could be telling her.
"I'm one with the Force, and the Force is with me."
Ahsoka could see something—sensed something. Her eyes shot wide open. Her lungs sucked in a sharp breath of air.
A black space, empty of the smallest form of life. There was not even a sensation of air in the vacuum of space.
Suddenly, two people dueling with crimson lightsabers, lurched forward.
The bout between the two individuals was ferocious, with each clash of their blade roared out with their raw vile emotions, teeming with the dark side of the Force. The one with a double-bladed lightsaber taunted the one brandishing a curved hilted blade, causing them to snarl like a feral animal. They lunged their hand out, unleashing the brightest of lightning from their fingertips.
Just before the lightning could make contact with the double-bladed wielder, the scenery changed.
Bursting into existence, was the scene of a battered Togruta woman with an orange skin tone on her knees, her head proudly held upright with her long lekku draped over her shoulders. A large shadow gradually formed from behind, towering over her with its imposing height. She muttered something with a tiny smile but the soft words were drowned out by the sharp hiss of a lightsaber being turned on.
A young Togruta woman stepped up to her, wielding a crimson pike-saber. Her face was blurred beyond recognition.
"Mom!"
"I love you, Z—"
A sharp knocking on her hatch broke the trance Ahsoka was in. She slouched forward, breathing heavily. Her mind went a klick a minute to make sense of what she just experienced.
Was that the Sith she saw fighting one another? The lightsaber one of them was handling looked to be the same as Count Dooku. Could it be a battle between master and apprentice, she pondered.
And that woman at the end. Her face was in serene peace despite the dire situation she seemed to be in. The haunting resemblance of the woman of her vision compared to herself was something she certainly did not enjoy viewing.
But, if Ahsoka had to say which part was the most shocking of the vision, she would have to say it was the young Togruta stepping up to the older one.
"Why Mom?" What did it all mean?
There was another round of knocking on her door, causing her to gasp. She forgot there was someone at her door. She could mulled over the details of her vision at a later date. Though Ahsoka did wonder who it was at her door. Everyone on the Resolute knew she did about two hours of meditation after each mission debrief.
She stood up from her bed, walking to the hatch. With a press of a button, it opened with a slick whoosh. She was welcomed with the sight of her master with a human woman, standing a few inches shorter than he, by his side.
"You okay, Ahsoka? It took you some time to answer the door," Anakin asked, his eyes mirroring the concern in his voice.
Ahsoka rubbed her shoulder with an awkward grin. "Sorry, Master. I was meditating and got too lost in the trance." She looked at the stranger. "Who's this, Master?"
"Oh, right." Anakin cleared his throat. There was a tinge of red on his cheeks. "This is Captain Ounessa and she has a few questions she needs to ask you."
Ahsoka's eyes darted between the two adults, worry clouded in them and the hefty weight of dread filling the pit of her stomach. "D—did I do something wrong?"
"No, you haven't, Lady Tano," the woman answered, her voice curt and monotone. "Let me properly introduce myself. I am Captain Miram Ounessa of Republic Intelligence." She gave a quick sharp nod.
"Uh, hi," Ahsoka acknowledged. Her voice was still kind of tense, nervous. "I'm Padawan learner Ahsoka Tano."
Miram blinked. "I know," she deadpanned. "I was tasked by my superior to compile dossiers on all officers of the CIS that the Republic deemed—" she paused for a second before continuing with, "let's say, dangerous towards future operations in the war."
"Oh." Tension slowly left Ahsoka's body after Miram's stiff report of the reasoning on why she was here.
"She's here to ask you about Commander Coquer," Anakin added. "Apparently, we're one of the rare few to have lost and beaten him."
"Correct," Miram affirmed. "I already have Master Skywalker's input about the event, as with any additional details he deemed necessary to tell me. All I need is yours, then I will be on my way back to Coruscant."
"Uh, okay," Ahsoka said. "What do you want to know, Captain?"
"I prefer discussing such matters in a secured location. One can never be too careful." Miram gestured for Ahsoka to exit the room. "I already have a space prepared for our interview. If you follow me, I can lead you to the location."
"Uh, okay?" Ahsoka was not used to such curt politeness. The woman was also kind of unnerving to talk to with her monotone voice and her unchanging expression. "Lead the way, Captain."
Miram nodded and started walking to their destination. Ahsoka followed, matching the woman's step with her own.
"So, Captain," Ahsoka began, gazing up to look at Miram, whose eyes were focused forward. "What made you join Intelligence, not the army or navy?"
"It was a logical decision." Her eyes didn't deter from staring forward. "I always have a, let's say, knack in gathering information and using it to its utmost capabilities."
"Oh, cool." She never met anyone from Intelligence before. Most people she had met were either other Jedi or clones. "How do you do your job?"
"I apologize, but that is classified. I'm sure you understand."
"Oh." Ahsoka let out a nervous chuckle. She guessed that should've been obvious. "That's fine. I understand."
"Thank you for understanding." They stopped in front of one of the many hatches that littered the passageway. "We're here."
Miram reached inside her left sleeve, pulling out a short silver cylinder. Ahsoka had never seen an object such as that. The captain placed the device in the control panel.
"What's that, Captain?"
"It's a prototype security device," Miram answered. The door opened and she placed the device back in her sleeve. "I apologize, but I can't divulge much after that. It's still classified."
The room was cramped, barely able to fit the table and two chairs that filled it. It kind of felt...intimidating to stare at it. Like she was face to face with an interrogation room. They entered the room, taking their respective seats. Miram reached inside her breast pocket, producing a small black disk-shaped device.
"This is for recording our conversation so I can better analyze what we discussed today at a later date." She hovered a finger over the white button on the device. "Is there any question you would like to ask before we begin?"
Ahsoka shook her head. "No. I'm ready when you are, Captain."
"Very well." Miram pressed the record button. "When and where was your first encounter with Commander Coquer?"
Miram ended the recording. "Thank you very much for your cooperation, Lady Tano. Your input will broaden our view on the Commander's tactics."
"I'm glad to help."
Ahsoka thought the whole interview would be more of a nerve wracking experience. After all, the captain was kind of odd. Her inexpressive tone never fluctuated in pitch, staying in its emotionless state throughout the questioning process. Her blank impassive stare, breathing in every information Ahsoka answered with. It was like conversing with a droid rather than an actually living being.
That being said, it wasn't entirely an unpleasant interview. The intelligence officer stopped with her questioning every so often, asking her if she needed a break or refreshments. When she had a hard time explaining, Miram suggested words to aid in her inputs.
"Before I go, do you have any questions you would like to ask me?" Miram offered, putting the recording device away.
"No, I don't—" Ahsoka paused. A dastardly thought ran through her mind.
She had an opportunity standing right in front of her, and she didn't even realize it until the very end. This woman sitting across from her had been gathering information about Coquer. She probably knew more about that man than anyone in the Republic. She might know a weakness that Ahsoka could exploit for their unavoidable encounter.
She could defeat him.
"Actually, now that you mentioned it, I do."
Miram crossed her fingers together and gently placed her hands on the table. "What may they be, Lady Tano? I will try to answer them with the utmost of my abilities."
"Well, I was wondering if you have any information about Coquer you can tell me," Ahsoka asked with a nervous tinge in her voice. "You know, in case I ever fought him again," she quickly added.
The woman didn't respond to her request, electing to a blank stare and sitting stock still. If it weren't for the subtle rise and fall of her chest from breathing, Ahsoka would have thought she suddenly died.
"I'm sorry," Ahsoka hurriedly apologized. "I shouldn't have asked. It's probably classified, right?"
Huh?
There was a glint in Miram's eye, but as soon as Ahsoka noticed it, it was gone.
She shook her head. I must be imagining things.
Miram cleared her throat. "I should apologize for my lack of words, Lady Tano. I have a tendency to, let's say, overthink when confronted with a surprising question," she explained. "Also, to answer your inquiry, I can. The information about the Commander is not classified."
"I—it isn't?"
"Correct, Lady Tano," she confirmed with a nod. "What would you like to know? Be warned, much is still not known about Coquer, so our information about the Commander is still expanding."
That made sense to her. The only information she was able to scrunch up on the HoloNet about him was that he was the ward of Count Dooku and hailed from Serenno like his master.
"Just if he has a flaw or habit I could use against him," Ahsoka responded. "Like, if he favored a more offensive strategy than defensive one. Or if he is better versed in ship combat than ground warfare. Now that I think about it, is his flagship a different model from the other Separatist? It seems more equipped than the ones my master and I have faced so far."
Miram regarded her with a blank stare once again. This time, the silence didn't last nearly as long as before.
"You dislike Coquer, don't you," she said, less of a question and more of a statement.
Ahsoka recoiled from the blunt words, not at all seeing it coming. "W—what, no! I mean, yes. It's—ugh." She closed her eyes as she took a big breath, attempting to compose herself. After a second, she opened them. "I just want to be prepared to face the Commander again."
Miram blinked. "Lady Tano, do you know I studied the tenets of your Order?"
A confused look crossed Ahsoka's face as she tilted her head to the side. "I didn't think anyone besides other Jedi knew of our code."
"Yes, I know it is rather uncommon, but they are those that sought to learn it to, let's say, better understand your kind, as well as themselves. I decided to learn it due to you all being unknown to me when those of your order were placed as generals and commanders of the GAR. One thing you should know about me is that I dislike unknowns immensely."
That made a lot of sense. Jedi were really restricted in what they could and couldn't do during conflicts. It seemed like the other officers of the Republic either didn't respect their beliefs or simply didn't care enough to understand it. Everything would be a lot easier if they went the extra mile and tried to see it from her Orders' point of view.
Unlike the other admirals and generals of the GAR, Jedi couldn't go above and beyond in ensuring the enemy's defeat. It went against, there is no chaos, there is harmony, part of the code. Jedi don't create chaos, nor do they destroy—they seek balance in all things. Ahsoka would not lie, she found it nice to hear someone taking the initiative to get to know her Order better.
"The reason as to why I'm mentioning it, is because I know it is against your tenets about, let's say, disliking the enemy. But you must understand, we are at war and what you are currently feeling towards the Commander is quite normal."
"T—thank you, but really, I harbor no ill feelings towards the man."
Ahsoka couldn't convince herself with that lie.
She wanted to say she hated the man, but it was too strong of a word for her feelings towards Coquer. At worst, she didn't have a good attitude towards anything remotely related to him. He made her look like a fool and played her like an idiot on Dantooine, then kept outsmarting her and her master when they crossed paths.
It was infuriating.
"If you say so, Lady Tano," Miram said, taking Ahsoka out of her own thoughts. "Now, back to your question. From what I've been able to gather, he does have a singular weakness that I believe could be utilized against him."
He has a weakness?! "What is it?" Ahsoka asked, excitement building inside.
"His mentor, Admiral Trench," Miram replied.
Ahsoka's nose wrinkled at the answer. "His mentor?"
"Yes." Miram undid her fingers and placed them flat on the table. "Based on my reports, his relationship with the Harch is similar to that of a Master Jedi and a Padawan; close, strong, and more importantly, nurturing."
Ahsoka didn't know Coquer had someone like Anakin in his life, lest of all someone who wasn't Dooku. She had thought if he was the Count's ward, they would have such a close relationship.
"What are you saying? How is having a mentor a weakness?"
"Simple," Miram replied. "To have Coquer questioning his every decision, to wonder if the war is truly worth fighting in, to have guilt riddle his conscience, you must first eliminate the Harch. For only then, would we be able to— " she smiled, the first one since they started talking. "—let's say, further the cracks in his armor."
"What?!" Ahsoka abruptly stood from her seat, knocking her chair to the ground. "I can't do that. You know I can't do that."
Miram hummed, gauging her reaction with an analytical gaze. "Yes, your code. There is no chaos, there is harmony, correct?" She stood up from her seat. "Well, in this case, it would be more appropriate to say, there is no emotion, there is peace."
She walked around the table to Ahsoka's side. "Like I said before, Lady Tano, I know your tenets and what goes against them, but like I also said, we are at war, and we must sometimes go against what we believe in for the greater good."
Miram ignored the worryingly gaze cast by Ahsoka as she picked up the downed chair, patting off the dust of the furniture. "Your master, Anakin Skywalker, understands this and, let's say, plays loose with the Jedi code to accomplish his missions. He understands what is at stake, especially since the CIS is being manipulated by Dooku."
She made her way back to her chair. "Admiral Trench is currently located at the planet Christophsis in the Savareen sector of the Outer Rim. He's leading the blockade on the planet, halting all attempts of us trying to provide relief to the inhabitants and freeing them of the Separatist might."
Miram retook her seat, crossing her fingers and placing her hands on the table. "We are already planning on launching a campaign, which will entail clashing against the Admiral and subsequently, eliminating him." Her dull green eyes bore into Ahsoka's wavering blue ones. "I have the authority to place the Resolute to lead the assault. Though assisted by other starships, you will have the opportunity to strike against the Harch. An opportunity to strike Coquer."
Ahsoka could not believe what was being told to her. What was being asked for her to do? Could she really kill—destroy, not kill. Jedi never kill—the individual who taught Coquer just to have a chance to defeat him down the road? It was against the Jedi way. Against everything she was taught since she was youngling.
But Miram was also right. They were at war, and her master had taught her that the code, while you must follow it, couldn't dictate every decision you have to make during these trying times.
"Why are you telling me this?"
That was one thing Ahsoka didn't understand. Why would a random Republic officer inform and basically ask her to do the impossible.
Miram sighed, it was long and sounded tired. "I understand how you feel. To want to prove yourself in your master's and others' eyes. I want to give you the chance like I was given a long time ago."
She motioned to the empty chair that Ahsoka was once sitting on. "If you accept my offer, please take a seat, and I'll explain everything about the Admiral to prepare you for the battle of Christophsis. If not, you're free to leave and you will most likely never hear or see me again."
Ahsoka's eyes flicked between the exit and the woman. Her hand trembled at the decision before her.
Betrayed her beliefs just to defeat a single man, or risk continuing to lose against him for the rest of the war. Risk continuing being made a fool—continue to be a poster child as to why they shouldn't let rejects like her stay in the Order.
I'm not a reject. Not anymore.
Ahsoka took the seat. She had to defeat Coquer. Just this once. She wanted—needed to prove to everyone that she was a Jedi, and not a necessary act.
"Lady Tano, if it is of any consolation, I believe you are making the right decision."
"Yeah..." Ahsoka trailed off.
I'm sorry, Anakin. I hope you'll understand.
Author's Note: I always love writing scenes with Miram, especially with Ahsoka. I got big plans for the both of them in the future so keep an eye out for that. The next one is the Battle of Christophsis which I'm sure most of you have been waiting on since Trench's introduction. I hope I could live up to the expectation.
Till Next Time