Chapter 3 - Taking It To A New Degree

Author's Note: Thoughts, everyone? :)

~ Amina Gila

The rebels managed to escape Dantooine, but barely. It was supposed to be a blow for the Empire, but from what Ahsoka's heard, it ended up more the opposite. But right now, all she can fixate on is what she sensed. She felt Anakin there. It was him. He's – he's alive, and he was fighting them.

Unlike the brilliant burning star he used to feel of, this was overwhelmingly dark. Like a star that's gone dark but is still burning just as brightly as ever.

It was definitely him, but that doesn't make any sense. She ceased entertaining the thought that he might be alive years ago. It hurt too much to consider, knowing that he probably fell defending the Jedi Temple, covering for all the other Jedi who escaped. Sometimes, that was what made her keep fighting, the knowledge that this is what Anakin died for.

But apparently, he's not dead. He never was. And he's... he's their enemy.

Ahsoka has no idea what to think or feel about that. All this time, she assumed if Anakin were still alive, he'd be fighting right beside her with the Rebellion even if they hadn't met.

Why would he ever Fall, or fight for the Empire, after how they destroyed the Jedi? She doesn't understand. She wishes she could believe that she'd sensed anything but what she did, but trying to lie to herself won't change this. She needs to know what's really going on.

She knows there are some darker parts, cells, to the Rebellion, but that shouldn't be enough to make Anakin fight them, fight her.

The door to the Ghost's cockpit behind her opens, Kanan and Ezra stepping inside. "Hera said you wanted to speak with us?" Kanan asks, sitting down.

"Please, come in." She has to know more, no matter how afraid she is.

"Are you okay?" Ezra inquires, a hint of worry in his eyes.

"I am. Thank you." Not at all, but she doesn't know them that well, and it's not their concern. Either way, she'll be fine. They have a mission to do, something to focus on, and if they're really fighting Anakin, they need to be careful. "I know you've encountered other Inquisitors before, Maul even, but have you ever fought anyone of this strength before?" She certainly hasn't. She never knew he was even out there. She thought Maul was the one leading the Inquisitors. He fought Kanan and Ezra briefly on Lothal when they had to escape the planet, after the Empire cracked down on the constant rebel activity.

Besides, Ezra's not asking about her mental state. He's asking about her, and with how Anakin shoved her back from probing at his mind, the backlash could have hurt. It didn't, because it was Anakin, and he was being... careful.

"No," Kanan confirms, immediately, "I haven't sensed a presence like that since..."

"The Clone Wars," Ahsoka supplies, because that's the last time any of them have fought true Sith, with the exception of Maul, though it was different with him. Something about Maul wasn't as... dark and oppressive in the same way Dooku's presence was, and nothing was as burning and brilliant as Anakin's is now.

She doesn't know how that makes her feel.

"Do you know who or what he is?" Ezra asks, nervously.

Yes. "No. I don't." Ahsoka turns away, staring at the inky blackness of space surrounding them. She'd do that with Anakin sometimes, just watch the stars out a viewport on their cruiser, or when they were on planet, trying – and failing – to fall asleep. How could he be fighting them? "But I do know that he will be coming. They'll all be coming now."

She doesn't think Anakin knew she was alive either, and she doesn't know what that will mean now.

"Then we've got to be ready to fight," Ezra asserts, a fiery determination in his voice that she often only sees in ones so young.

"We must find the strength to fight," Kanan responds, "But the greater strength is knowing when not to fight." Sometimes, she can tell that he has... questions about this, but with so many other Jedi fighting for the same thing, he doesn't feel it's right to stop, either.

"And we'll be beside you, either way," Hera adds as she and Zeb enter the cockpit. Chopper probably would've, too, if he weren't out in space, fixing the Ghost.

Ahsoka nods in thanks, turning to look out at the stars again, wondering and longing. "I'll look into this more and see what I can find."

That's the most she can tell the four members of the Ghost. For now, at least.

But she needs to get into contact with one of her contacts.

**w**

The translucent figure on the other end of the coded transmission is hooded, concealing any features. The voice is intentionally distorted, too – in the same way Ahsoka used to do that when talking to Hera before her identity was revealed – but Ahsoka still knows who she is.

Aayla Secura, one of the top members in the Jedi part of the rebellion network. Ahsoka doesn't know specifically who else is above that because it's safer that way.

"What is it?" Aayla asks.

"We confronted another Sith," Ahsoka replies, keeping her voice steady, despite her wild emotions, "I sensed him, and I believe he is... Anakin."

There's a long moment of silence over the line. "Was he after you specifically? Or was it simply a brief confrontation?" Aayla asks.

Ahsoka expected shock, but that's not what she's seeing. Did the other Jedi already know? "He was after all of us. But he sensed me, too, for... the first time, I believe. Did you already know he was alive?" She understands the need to compartmentalize information sometimes, but this? Yes, it would be better for most of the younger Jedi fighting not to know that someone like Anakin turned on them – it would severely affect morale – but he was her master and at least she has the right to know something like that.

"We suspected," the reply comes statically over the line. "If anyone confirmed with certainty, I never heard."

She sucks in a breath, the stinging betrayal, hurt, and confusion threatening to overwhelm her. "If he's against us, that will make defeating the Empire far more difficult. Should I look into him more?" Not that she isn't intending to, anyway. She has to understand what's going on. It... doesn't make sense.

"Go ahead," Aayla replies, "We sent a bounty hunter after him and the Inquisitors recently, and she has... vanished. But Command has other plans in the works. Any information would be vital."

Why does she have the feeling 'other plans' might mean something a little more significant than what Aayla is saying? Probably – hopefully – it does, because this fight needs to end eventually, and there's no sign of that.

But right now, Ahsoka just wants answers. "I'll update you with what I can find," she confirms, and Aayla cuts the connection there, leaving her alone again.

She's used to being alone, but it's a sudden, gnawing ache flooding her with the cutting knowledge that the one person she always thought would be by her side is fighting against them. And she has no idea why.

**w**

Vader has to reluctantly admit he's been brooding ever since he felt Ahsoka. His conversation with Leia helped minimally, at least immediately, but now that they're in his Star Destroyer again – the Empire has many much bigger, better ships, but Vader prefers Star Destroyers because that's what he used in the Clone Wars, and it's what he's familiar with – when he started... thinking.

He hardly knew Ahsoka, all things considered. It was only three years, and it was so long ago, but he still loves her every bit as much as Leia. They're both important to him, in totally different ways, but if he has to choose, he can't... imagine doing that.

Can't accept doing it.

Vader knows he'll confront Ahsoka eventually, that it'll have to happen, and it needs to, but he's afraid of what it might lead to. Afraid of what it'll bring back.

It hurts, almost unreasonably, that Ahsoka choose to leave him, choose to fight against him. She did, even if... he doesn't hold it against her. That doesn't stop the deepfelt hurt of it.

Or his fear. Obi-Wan left him. Ahsoka left him before, so how does he know she'll have any intention or desire of coming back, no matter what he and the Empire has to offer her?

Oddly enough, it's not Leia or even Cody who finds him brooding in the hangar. It's Ventress.

"Something wrong, Skywalker?" she drawls.

"Vader," he corrects sharply. Snapping and telling everyone to go away won't change anything. Doesn't stop him from wanting to, though.

Ventress rolls her eyes, sitting down beside him on his precarious perch on one of the boards in the hangar that overlooks the ships below. It's out of touching distance, though still a little too close for comfort. "Alright, Vader," she drawls. "Why do you insist on using the name your master gave you?"

Vader twitches at that, glancing at her. "He's not my master," he argues. Sidious is, in fact, not his master. Not anymore. "The Sith have evolved, as have the galaxy."

"Heard rumors of the Triumvate," she responds, "Doesn't mean I believe it."

"Believe it." Once, he might've been willing to strike up a conversation with her, but he's not... social anymore. After what happened to the Jedi, Vader doesn't trust people easily. Anakin used to, but he... is not Anakin. Not exactly. He's changed, and he can't say he's all proud of what he is, but it's like he said. He's evolved, as has the galaxy. Not all changes in life are good. (Most aren't.)

"Is it Sidious?" she asks, and her voice has a slightly less playful note now. It's a genuine question. "Or are the Jedi being difficult again?"

"Tell me," Vader replies, sharply looking up at her as a sudden thought occurs to him, "When you were with the Rebellion, did you hear of Ahsoka?"

She hums, looking away. "Not that I recall. Why'd you ask? See her?"

"Sensed her, actually."

"And you're afraid to see her again?"

It's a guess, but a good one, and he doesn't really appreciate how close to home it hits. If it were anyone other than Ventress, if it were someone he trusts, he'd truthfully answer the question immediately. "What are you playing at?" he asks bluntly. "You're not here for money, are you?" Is it confrontational? Yes, but Vader has never really been one for words. He needs the truth, and he needs it now, before Ventress gets too far in whatever she's planning.

Something in Ventress's expression shifts a little. "When I saw who the Jedi sent me after," she replies slowly, "I knew it would be wrong to carry out their orders. I know you don't believe me, and I don't blame you, but I've changed."

Vader has to admit that she's right about that – she has changed, and he can feel it in her presence. He has, too. Everything changes, and that's part of the problem he's having with Ahsoka right now.

"You can't stop change any more than you can stop the suns from setting," his mother's voice from so long ago whispers through his mind.

Which – he knows that, at nearly forty, but that still makes it no less difficult to deal with.

And what freaks him out the most, is that he can sense the ex-assassin's sincerity. She is genuinely upset about the Jedi sending her to kill Leia, and Vader is... He still instinctively suspects she may have other motives, but probably, that will never change. Leia is his daughter, and he'll never stop being worried about her, stop being afraid of someone trying to hurt her.

"What do you intend to do here, then?" Vader asks, finally.

"I can help you," Ventress offers, "You look like you could use it, especially with that tiny apprentice of yours trailing you everywhere."

At least she didn't say pet for once. He was beginning to find it unreasonably irritating. Leia's his daughter, and he doesn't appreciate her being called such demeaning terms. "With the damage the Jedi are causing, any... assistance would be of help."

"Well," she snarks, "I'm glad I could be of service to your glorious Empire."

... He can officially feel a pounding headache and a very long day.

**w**

It's the rebel's second major stand in such a short time, and it makes Vader wonder if they're planning for something bigger, as he streaks through space, firing on the rebel fighters.

Except this time, they aren't just rebel fighters. They're stolen Imperial TIE defenders. The clones have TIE defenders, too – a project that was started only recently, but Vader pushed for production as soon as possible to give the Empire the advantage they badly need – but it's still far harder to deal with the rebels when they have stolen Imperial technology. And they've already disabled all the preinstalled kill switches in the ships, so they can't take them out.

Several rebel fighters make it past them for the Star Destroyers, shooting down at the ship as they fly over it. The cannons would've taken them out if they were any normal ship, but the shields on the TIE defenders are far stronger, and they can take far more fire without any damage. The laser blasts spark across the surface of the Star Destroyer, flames licking along the surface.

Vader reaches out with the Force, pushing the rebel ships off-course. They spiral wildly out of control as they struggle to reorient themselves from the unseen force, and Vader spins his own ship around to shoot at them. When he's reaching this deeply in the Force, he can practically feel the individual lives of everyone surrounding him.

Unlike on the ground, it's easier to not be so overwhelming, since beyond the lives of those in the battle, there's nothing but the gaping emptiness of space. He can sense any sharp fluxes of emotion, and nearby, he can feel one of his boy's growing panic, as his fighter comes dangerously close to blowing up.

Reaching out, Vader pushes it away from the rebel fighters, unleashing a barrage of shots on the fighters. A few of them explode in a shower of fire and debris, and he spins back to fly towards one of the Rebel cruisers.

That's what he needs to focus his efforts on right now. They're the ones wreaking havoc on his Star Destroyer. It's already smoking badly, and the fire must be raging inside, since it can't burn well on the outside of the ship when there's no air for it.

The Imperial forces keep pressing forwards, though, firing constantly. Vader circles around the rebel cruiser, a few of the cannon shots striking his shields, but the energy dissipates quickly. He fires on the cannons next, flying along the top to take them all out before they can take him down. The cannons disintegrate in a shower of sparks, one of them exploding – albeit causing very minor damage when it tries and fails to fire at the Star Destroyer again.

Several rebel TIEs immediately flock to concentrate fire on Vader, and he spins out of their way, leading them away from the rest of the fighting to take them down without interfering in the clones' fight.

But finally, the first rebel cruiser is thrown off-course entirely. Except, it's too close to the nearby planet's surface. It's pulled into the planet's gravitational field and starts crashing towards the surface. That... is going to cause untold damage down below, but first, they need to deal with the rest of the ships in space, preferably without them crashing the same direction.

Except, then all the other cruisers start jumping to hyperspace, though several smaller ships fly for the surface after the rebel cruiser, probably intending to help out any survivors.

"Cody?" Vader calls into the comms, as he goes in pursuit of the crashing rebel ships.

"Yes, sir?" the Commander asks.

"Track the ship's destinations," he instructs, though he knows by the time they get there, any chance at tracking them will likely be lost.

"Already on it, sir," he assures.

"Send forces to the ground. We need to secure the perimeter. And blockade the planet so no one escapes." It's likely many of the rebels down below will survive and escape, but maybe it'll also be an ideal opportunity to capture someone higher up who might have information on the rebels' plans.

**w**

Cody joins Vader on the ground before long, but by the time they have the area around the cruiser surrounded, it's been long enough that many of them have probably already escaped. The smaller ships already took off, and most of them are presently engaged in a shootout with the Imperial fighters a distance over the city.

Explosions and smoke fill the sky far above as Vader starts towards the nearby town that the rebels are retreating into, to take cover. He'd help in the air, but the clones are doing fine for now.

The clones are combing through the streets of the town when they finally get there.

"What have you found?" Cody asks, approaching one of them.

"Nothing yet, sir. They're hiding themselves well."

Vader pauses, reaching out with the Force to see what he can sense. When the rebels are hiding close by, he can always feel either their fear or single-minded determination, but it's harder when there's so many other civilians in the crossfire.

"What about the locals? Have they spotted anything?" he presses.

They don't have to wait to go ask someone though, because a blue Rodian approaches them. He feels a mix of unhappy and upset, but nothing suspicious. He's just another civilian who's as tired of the violence as Vader himself and wants it to end. If the Jedi are trying to gain support for their cause, they're only doing the opposite. "We saw a few run past here not long ago. They were heading for –"

A blaster shot rings out.

Vader reacts instinctively as the sharp flare of danger in the Force, turning sharply to deflect the blaster bolt away with the Force. If he moved even one second slower, it would have hit the Rodian.

They don't even have any qualms about shooting someone entirely innocent, just for disagreeing with them. And it more than disgusts him to see the things they're supporting. (Ahsoka couldn't know how far this has fallen. She would never support it if she did. He's certain of that. But he also knows she can be unfailing stubborn if she wants to, and –)

The man jumps back with a startled cry, as Vader instantly follows the line of the shot to a figure – definitely a rebel fighter – perched on a nearby rooftop. He's already in motion, sprinting for the edge away from them.

Vader reaches out, catching him with the Force before he can try jumping off the other side on a grappling hook, and pulls him back over the edge, lowering him to the ground. The clones instantly move forwards, blaster raised, and he wisely surrenders without hesitation.

"Stay indoors where you will be safe," Vader advises the Rodian, as soon as he tells them the location, and he and Cody start off again.

Blaster shots ring out not far ahead, and Vader picks up the pace, abruptly rounding the corner to see a group of rebel fighters shooting at a group of stormtroopers. They must be from the elite squad of younger conscripted soldiers who he occasionally fights with.

But there is something very wrong with the armor of one of them. It's supposed to be white, and it definitely is not. It's painted the most ridiculous rainbow colors, entirely against protocol. But he just finds that genuinely amusing. Whoever that is, clearly has... initiative.

Oh, and he can relate to it a little, because the white, identical armor is admittedly very boring. At least with the clones, it's creative.

Vader draws his lightsaber, striding towards the rebels, and Cody immediately takes up position behind him, shooting where he's protected. They've done it countless times before, the same way he and Rex always used to work seamlessly together.

But now, he's been with Cody more years than he ever knew Rex. Cody helped him raise Leia, the same way Rex once helped him raise Ahsoka. Even if Cody hasn't been involved nearly as personally. Still, sometimes, he misses those days Rex was here with an aching, gnawing longing. He doesn't know what happened to him. The other 501st boys said he defected, that he was fighting the Empire, but Vader's never seen any traces of him.

He has no idea if Rex is alright, or what exactly it means. Vader has admittedly long since given up hopes of finding him. It hurts, and it will always hurt, but letting go is easier than trying to hold onto everything from a past that will never come back.

(Ahsoka would probably know where he is. But he has to find her first.)

The rebel fighters quickly realize they're losing, and scatter, fleeing for cover elsewhere.

The buildings up ahead are abandoned. Vader can sense it from how empty they feel. Destruction in this area wouldn't cause senseless damage, so he delves deeply into the Force again. There's too many up ahead, and too scattered, to stop them with the Force, but he doesn't need to.

Energy pulses around him, and it only takes a momentary focus to concentrate all of it on the ground up ahead. He learned it from some of the countless holocrons he's studied, and he can sense it as the ground ignites. Fire has a certain feel in the Force, almost as though it's a living spirit of its own, desperate and hungry to consume everything in its path, yet oddly peaceful at once when it isn't wild.

He can sense as much as see the fire crawling along the ground up ahead, blocking any chance of the rebels getting through. They won't have much choice but to surrender now.

The other clones swarm forwards to deal with them, and Vader starts back the way he came. They have almost everyone now, except likely a few stragglers.

"Quite the design," Cody states dryly, eyeing the colorful stormtrooper.

"Yes," Vader agrees, approaching them, "I see you have... redesigned your armor."

She – he can sense it's a she – looks up at him. "White didn't really suit me," she replies.

"This is more creative," he concedes dryly. It looks ridiculous, and he kinda likes it. It reminds him a little of how some of the boys were... well, they all stuck to blue and white, but some of them did get really chaotic about it once they were comfortable enough. "What's your name?" he asks, mostly curious. He asks the clones that all the time, for all those he doesn't already remember.

"Sabine Wren."

Wren? That means... "You are Mandalorian?"

"Yeah," she confirms, cheerfully.

As a whole, there's much unrest on Mandalore because the Mandalorians don't really want to be ruled by anyone, even if it is doing good for their planet, but some of the younger ones have still joined the Imperial military.

"Your old armor may suit you better," he muses. It would be far more effective if the Mandalorians did still use their beskar armor, even after siding with the Empire.

"I thought that wasn't protocol," Sabine objects.

"Nor is this," the stormtrooper next to her – also a girl and probably Mandalorian – reminds.

"Not now perhaps, but that... may change." He could talk to Sidious about it sometime, though that isn't a prime concern at present.

"Sir, we're receiving a transmission," Cody interjects, approaching.

Vader can't say why he suddenly has the feeling it's something important. Maul's waiting for them over a hologram when they get back to the cruiser. And suddenly, he just knows even if he's not prepared to hear it.

"I found Tano," Maul says, gleeful, "She and her Jedi sidekicks are heading to Lothal as we speak. I am enroute already."

"I will be there," he replies, with far more certainty than he feels.

Vader knew it's been coming for a long time, but it still feels like he isn't ready. Probably, he never could be. This is Ahsoka, and this will decide the future of everything they used to be. He wants to believe she'll see the truth and join him, stay with him and Leia and Cody and the family they've forged for themselves, but he also needs to be realistic.

The chances of Ahsoka coming back, leaving the fight she's built for herself, is... low. She has always been stubborn, and her stubbornness was usually for the best, though there were sometimes that... it hurt her. There were times that the war went downhill, and she was too stubborn to follow orders, thinking she could push on and finish the fight on her own, and it got a lot of people killed.

It'd nearly gotten her killed before, and somehow? That's exactly what Vader suspects will happen now.

"Are you going alone?" Cody queries, eyeing him, a hint of concern in his dark eyes.

"Yes." Bringing someone else wouldn't change the outcome. This is up to Ahsoka.

"You'll be alright?" he asks.

Vader nods, even if he doesn't know that that's true. His concern still... helps.

"If the Commander saw what we have here, I don't know how she could support the rebels," Cody says, sighing. It's touching how even now, many of the clones refer to Ahsoka as Commander. They've never forgotten the days when that's what she was to them. Even now when they're on opposite sides of the conflict.

"I do not either, but she may not be willing to see it." That's what he's most afraid of.

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