Leia barely had time to speak before Ahsoka grabbed her and squeezed her into a tight hug. Leia gasped as she felt herself being lifted off the ground and wrapped her arms back around her neck. When Ahsoka finally let go of her and stood back, she could see that she was smiling slightly.

"You're alright!" Ahsoka exclaimed.

"Ahsoka," Leia said softly. Ahsoka reached in and hugged her one more time. This time, Leia was prepared. She reached up and squeezed her back, feeling comforted for the first time in what felt like months.

"I'm sorry it took so long for us to recover you, kid," Ahsoka murmured. "He didn't hurt you, did he?" she asked, her voice quivering with concern.

Leia shook her head dazedly, and Ahsoka ran a gentle hand through her messy hair.

"Did he hurt you?" Leia blurted out, and Ahsoka's eyes flickered slightly.

"I'm alright," she replied, taken slightly aback. Leia stared up at her doubtfully and Ahsoka smiled back wanly. "Everything will be alright, kid. Don't worry about me."

"But what about your legs?"

Ahsoka stood up and Leia looked down at her ankles. Ahsoka turned around and lifted her leg so she could see that they were finally healed. "See? All good," she smiled, patting Leia's head reassuring.

Leia nodded quietly, deciding not to point out that even if a month had passed, she still needed to undergo physicotherapy to ensure that she was not straining her newly healed muscles. However, she decided it would be wiser to not mention it. There were so many things Leia wanted to talk to her about, to ask her - but momentarily, she could not bring herself to. All she wanted was to lean into that warm touch and close her eyes.

"Hey, I hate to cut a happy reunion short, but we've got work to do," Reva called out. "If that tattooed man is really here, as the child said-"

"He is," Leia interrupted. "I saw him myself!"

"Right," Reva ignored her, "If he really is here, as the child says, then we only have a fraction of time before either he or Vader comes after us. We've got to get a leg on this operation if we want to make it out of here alive."

"I know," Ahsoka said calmly. Although she turned away, she still held onto Leia's hand. Leia gripped it tightly, holding onto the small spot of warmth. As they followed Reva into a different room, Leia looked around her, dazed. They were no longer in the hallway anymore. Reva had brought them to a new area which had none of the dreariness of Ahsoka's prison cell. Leia looked at each of the walls, then turned to look more closely at Ahsoka's face. She seemed alright, if a bit worn down since the last time that she had seen her.

"I'm going to start scanning the blueprints of Kenobi's cell to the datapad," Reva announced. "Once they are finished, we can have a go at liberating him."

Ahsoka nodded.

Leia looked up, her eyes drawn to the tip of one of Ahsoka's long lekku. Some part of her almost wanted to reach out and pet it but she resisted the urge.

"Do you still have my comlink?" Ahsoka asked.

"What, the one Vader asked me to confiscate from you? No, it's been destroyed, obviously," Reva snapped back.

Ahsoka shrugged. "Then, can I borrow yours?"

"What for?"

"To send a message to Bail," Ahsoka replied. "To let him know we're coming."

Leia's stomach fluttered slightly.

Dad.

They were going to call on her father.

She could talk to him again.

"And yes, you can say hi to him," Ahsoka grinned at Leia. Leia's eyes widened as the exhilarating realization finally dawned on her. However, the light faded from her eyes and her expression suddenly darkened.

"I can't," Leia said, letting go of Ahsoka's hand and backing away.

"What?" Ahsoka asked, confused. "Leia, what's wrong?"

Leia shook her head, covering her face with her hand so she didn't have to see her cry. "I don't want to," she said plainly.

"The geoscanner has finished uploading the plans," Reva announced, walking out from behind her then looking down at Leia's conflicted face. "What's wrong with her?' she asked.

"I don't know," Ahsoka said blankly. "Don't you want to see your father?" she asked softly.

The gentleness of her tone and the way she mentioned him made Leia want to start sobbing out loud.

"I'll just talk to him when I get back home," she said flatly, trying to keep her voice from quivering.

Ahsoka frowned, clearly detecting that something was not quite right, but she was slightly distracted by the urgency of their situation. "Are you sure? You've been gone for almost a month...I'm sure he must be missing you," she said gently.

Leia shook her head again.

Reva's eyes shifted towards her, then she paused and turned to Ahsoka. "Let her," she said firmly. "If she doesn't want to talk, she doesn't have to."

"But...okay," Ahsoka relented. Frowning, she brushed a stray hair out of Leia's forehead before standing up again. "We'll start the call with him, and if you want to talk to him just pop in, okay? Remember, you can talk to him anytime."

Leia nodded silently.

Reva ripped off her comlink and started pressing buttons to activate it. Ahsoka walked over and leaned over her shoulder, peering at it. Reva glared at her and she backed off slightly, giving her some space. Reva looked away and went back to inputting numbers into the datapad.

"Okay, I've tapped into the holonet," she announced. "You may initiate the transmission. However, it will be audio only. No visual." Her face flushed slightly as she stepped away from Ahsoka and handed the comlink over to her. Ahsoka nodded and immediately began punching in the code for Bail Organa's secret communicator channel.

"Senator?" Ahsoka called out as the comlink began to emit a loud sound of static. "Senator, can you hear me? Come in, please, Senator."

The static began to sharpen slightly. "Fulcrum?" a familiar voice called out on the other end, both alarmed and wide awake. "Fulcrum, is that you?"

"Yes, it's me, Senator. I have your daughter with me, she's safe," Ahsoka announced.

There was a brief pause as Bail Organa gasped loudly. "You have her? She's alright?"

"Yes," Ahsoka said, turning around and beckoning at Leia. "Come," she mouthed, grinning brightly. "Don't be shy, say hi."

Leia stared up at her blankly.

I shouldn't speak to him. I'm the reason he got into so much trouble in the first place, Leia thought to herself.

Ahsoka kept trying to get her to come to her, but Leia' legs felt as if they were made of lead. Part of her wanted to run over on exhausted legs and grab her arm so she could press the comlink to her cheek and scream into it. But a darker part of her was not so sure. She could feel Vader's shadow lingering on her, emanating from her and destroying all that it touched.

All I do is bring trouble and misery to others, she thought to herself. If I didn't let myself get kidnapped, none of this would've happened. Now, I can't even be his daughter anymore.

Reva frowned, watching her from a distance. "You spent a month talking off my ear, demanding me to let you speak to him," she remarked sullenly. "And now you want to pass on the opportunity?"

Leia stiffened.

Ahsoka threw a quick glare at her, then looked over at Leia with concern. But Leia did not seem affected by Reva's jab. Instead, she seemed to feel a bit more courageous now. Walking slowly towards Ahsoka, she looked up and faced her with as much dignity as she could muster. "Can I speak to him?" she asked.

Dumbfounded, Ahsoka nodded slowly and handed her the comlink. Leia swallowed nervously, feeling her legs wobble slightly as she slowly raised it close to her face. The comlink was heavy, and required both of her hands to hold it up. She was very concerned about accidentally dropping it. However, all those worries faded away the instant she heard her father's voice through the speaker, warm and mellifluous like a sunshine in a field of flowers.

"Leia?" Bail called out, his voice trembling.

Leia closed her eyes, pretending for a moment that she was back home with him, hugging him by her side.

"Daddy," she said softly.

Bail's voice trembled. "Leia," he said again, his voice shaking with tears of joy. "Leia, it is you. Oh, Leia! I've missed you so much."

Leia squeezed her eyes shut and a tear ran down her face. Reva approached her and she looked up at her, confused. Bending down, Reva took off her black glove nd wiped the tear of of her face and brushed her hair back so she could see. Blinking the last drops of moisture away, Leia looked back down at the communicator and breathed in slowly.

"I missed you too, Daddy," she mumbled quietly. "Thank you for not forgetting me."

On the other end of the communicator, Bail went silent for a moment. Then he smiled grimly, wishing he could see his daughter's face as he spoke the words at the tip of his tongue.

"Oh, Leia. How could I ever forget you? You are all that I could think about this whole time," he murmured. "I love you."

Far down, deep within the annals of Fortress Vader, the battle between the Emperor's two Sith Apprentices raged on.

"What motive do you have for going against me?" Vader demanded angrily. "Did the Emperor promise you something in exchange for this foolish endeavor?"

"Nothing much," Maul smirked, "Only the lives of Kenobi and Tano."

Vader snarled angrily and charged him, driving his lightsaber up against Maul's staff forcefully. Maul grunted and shoved him off, panting heavily then twirling his saber to build up momentum before they both jumped forward and clashed blades again.

"However, I reckon I may have a third on my hands now," Maul smirked. "Who is she? Some new Apprentice? Your secret lovechild?"

Vader growled angrily and slashed his saber at Maul's prosthetic legs, catching its tip against one of the metallic joints and causing sparks to fly off it. "You will not lay a hand on her."

"Oh, wouldn't dream of it," Maul replied. "I'm not interested in killing Younglings. That's more of your thing," he smirked.

Vader did not reply, only stubbornly thrusted at his only weakness; the artificial legs attached to his waist. Maul spun his saber, easily blocking each blow that Vader aimed towards them.

"Your strength is impressive, but you cannot fight me forever," Maul remarked. "Believe me, I know better than anyone how exhausting these old metal contraptions can get...you'll tire, sooner or later," he hissed as Vader put all of his upper body strength into ramming his saber at him. "I may be half metal, but you are more than three-quarters. You're hardly a man anymore, Vader. I daresay you are more of a droid."

"Then you shall see just how dangerous this quarter-human droid can be."

Maul grinned, his eyes glinting with bloodlust and excitement. "Quarter-human, half-alive, soon to be all-dead," he replied arrogantly.

"I was informed that you were defeated by the Master and Apprentice of Anakin Skywalker. You cannot hope to stand a chance against me."

"Indeed, your combat skills are most impressive," Maul replied. "I can see why Sidious has decided to make you his puppet." Vader growled angrily at the insult, aiming a quick slash at his head. Maul ducked just in time and jabbed his staff into the side of Vader's abdomen, nearly missing his circuit board and causing him to howl with pain. "But a puppet will never be as good as the master pulling its strings."

Vader panted and swung his blade at him, but Maul parried the blow again, pushing back until Vader was forced to bend backwards. Their blades crackled with electricity as the pulsating blood-red glow of the lightsabers fused and oscillated against one another, creating a disturbing frequency.

"So, tell me Vader," Maul drawled, "What is the name of the wench? If you even remembered to give her one?"

Vader grunted and pushed back against him, breaking the blade lock and plunging the end of his saber right into Maul's right leg. Maul hissed and drew back, the tip of his foot now smoking as the metal glowed bright hot red. Vader swung his blade again, hacking at his saber and hitting its control panel. Maul dropped the staff and stepped back immediately, allowing it to fall to the ground as it sputtered out and deactivated. Vader held out his hand and used the Force to push it away, making it slide to an unseen spot somewhere on the ground. Now disarmed, Maul looked up as Vader began to advance on him menacingly.

"Yield," Vader demanded, pointing his saber towards his neck. "Or I will kill you as you stand."

Maul smirked.

"I think not," he said slowly. "I'm sure you must be wondering why I chose to ally myself with your old Master after what he did to me."

"I do not care," Vader spat.

"It does not matter if you care," Maul replied. "What matters is, I know your weakness now. And I will remind you, I am a Nightbrother, the son of our Clan Mother. She and my brother taught me everything they knew before they passed."

With that, Maul raised his hand and brought it down on Vader's helmet, creating an enormous electric shock that glowed the same bright green magical mist that surrounded his home planet of Dathomir.

"And now," he continued, "You shall find out, what it means to be a manipulator of the Waters of Life."

Vader gasped as lightning sparked and flickered all around him, generating a charge that shook him to his core. He cried out in pain as Maul narrowed his eyes, concentrating his energy into generating more Force lightning. Vader squirmed and shuddered, trying to get away as Maul held him down and forced electricity to flow through his entire body, trapping him in complete agony.

"You see, Vader," Maul hissed, "That is the difference between us. You have metal arms and metal legs. I have a metal lower body and both of my original arms," he smirked. "I can still conduct the Force however I please. You, however, would only harm yourself."

Vader cried out in pain, screaming and trying to break free of his grip.

"Does it hurt, Lord Vader?" Maul whispered. "Tell me, can you remember the pain that turned you when you were but a Jedi Knight? Do you feel it now, the strength that the Dark Side has accorded me, and the punishment it has inflicted upon you?"

Vader howled angrily, reaching for his face. Maul easily swatted his hand aside, tightening his grip and increasing the voltage twofold.

"You remember now," Maul hissed, "What it was like, when Lord Sidious found you...weak, trembling, and helpless..." Vader trembled and gasped. "I was once like you...frail, limbless, crawling on the ground like an insect. But no longer, Lord Vader. Or do you even deserve that title anymore?" he sneered, leaning over him. Vader continued to writhe in agony, still fighting against the wave of electricity that permeated his traitorous metal extensions. "Funny. And to think Lord Sidious used to speak so highly of you," he hissed, grabbing his staff and standing back up.

Vader made a choked sound and reached out, trying to summon his lightsaber. Maul immediately stomped on his hand and snatched the hilt up, igniting it.

"I'll be taking this," he announced. "You don't mind if I borrow it, do you?" Vader's face contorted with anger. Maul laughed. "Well, then. I'll be seeing you later, Lord Vader. Or should I say, General Skywalker?"

Vader growled furiously and Maul clenched his fist, using the last of his energy to create a burst of lightning powerful enough to knock him out. Vader's body stiffened, then went completely limp. After checking to make sure he was passed out, Maul stepped over him and strolled out of the meditation chamber with renewed purpose.

"Now," he hissed to himself, "This is where the fun begins."

Leia stared wide-eyed at the comlink, unable to believe what she had just heard.

I love you.

She wanted to cry.

She wanted to jump and scream with joy.

She wanted to say, "I love you, too."

She didn't know what to do.

"Daddy," she whispered, her legs trembling.

"Yes, Leia?" Bail Organa asked eagerly, leaning in closer so he could hear Leia.

Leia took a deep breath. "I-"

Just then, she heard a loud crash behind her. The tall silhouette of the tattooed man filled in the doorway with none other than Vader's saber strapped to his waist. Ahsoka brought her quivering hand to her mouth as her mind was filled with horrifying thoughts of what had just transpired. Her eyes briefly widened with recognition before she glanced at Leia and grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her back and out of the man's attack range.

"Lady Tano," Maul said. "We meet again, at last."

Ahsoka stood up, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Maul," she hissed and moved protectively in front of Leia, igniting both of the Inquisitor's lightsabers that Reva had given her. "Keep away from the child, or I will not hesitate to use force."

Maul laughed. "How amusing," he smiled. "First the Master, then the Apprentice. I wonder, have you made her your Padawan? Perhaps I can cut down all three generations in one day," he smirked.

Leia let out a gasp and hid behind Reva, trembling with fear. Silently, Reva placed her hand on her head the way she had seen Ahsoka do the same. Leia squeezed her eyes shut, leaning into Reva's hand and trying to still herself.

"You will not harm her," Reva announced. "We have you outnumbered," she snarled, unsheathing her lightsabers and entering the same defensive stance as Ahsoka.

Maul blinked, looking from side to side at both of them, then his grin widened. "Ah, I suppose you must be the new Grand Inquisitor," he drawled, unaffected by the threatening glow of all four red blades pointed at him. "I know the Emperor has been meaning to greet you in person. Congratulations, by the way."

Reva scoffed. "You can tell the Emperor that his words mean nothing to me."

"Pity," Maul said. "You know, I find it interesting, this new group of Inquisitors that the Emperor has created. You use the Dark Side, yet what are you, really? You are neither Acolytes nor Masters," he sneered. "At best, you can barely call yourselves Apprentices."

Reva lunged at him, attacking one side of his staff. Maul simply swung it around, hitting her with the other end of his blade. She cried out in pain as sparks flew from the place where the saber connected with her armor then fell onto the floor, clutching her injured arm. Ahsoka gasped, faltering slightly. Leia watched as she wavered between joining the fight and staying in place to protect her.

"Now, you shall see what a true Lord of the Sith can do," Maul declared. "You may rest assured knowing that a death by my hands is the highest possible honor I can bestow upon you."

He brought his staff upwards, prepared to deliver a finishing blow. Just then, he was knocked over as Ahsoka charged and leapt at him, throwing all of her weight into the jump. Maul stumbled over and glowered as he was pinned down by the neck with his own saber. Ahsoka heaved, using both of her arms to hold the staff in place.

"Go, run now!" she shouted over her shoulder at Reva. "Take her with you!" she added, nodding at Leia.

Reva's brow furrowed. "But Kenobi-"

"I'll get him myself," Ahsoka panted.

"You can't possibly-"

"Go!" Ahsoka yelled.

Reva stood up and grabbed Leia by the hand. Together, the two of them sprinted out, not wasting another second.

Ahsoka had only about a second of warning before Maul finally shoved her off using the Force. Not wanting to hit her back against the ground, she flipped over and barely managed to land on her feet. Maul snarled and picked up his staff, spinning it dangerously.

"I told you, you will not harm her," Ahsoka said calmly.

"It doesn't matter," Maul hissed. "I'll get you, and Kenobi, and your little protégé. I defeated Vader, and I can defeat you just the same."

"I'd like to see you try."

Maul deactivated his staff with one hand and sent a bolt of lightning towards her with the other. Ahsoka flipped out of the way, dancing carefully across the obsidian floor. Maul generated a second lightning bolt, a stronger one this time, and Ahsoka frantically swung her lightsaber at it.

Maul had not been expecting her to do that. He barely dodged the lightning bolt as she deflected it back at him, nearly electrocuting him with his own power.

"Interesting," he hissed. "I guess you are still full of surprises."

Maul continued to shoot small bursts of lightning at her and Ahsoka continued to deflect them. She successfully managed to avoid every one of his blasts using her lightsabers. However, as the kyber crystals of her lightsabers absorbed the energy of each lightning attack, the hilts began to crack. By the time that Maul decided to give up on using Force lightning and reactivated his staff, there was a visible split down the middle of one of her lightsabers.

Ahsoka charged him again and swung at his staff, mindful to duck or parry the blow when he swung the opposite side towards her. Just as she was blocking it, however, her blades flickered for a moment. She frowned, staring down at her hands.

"It appears your emitters are damaged," Maul remarked smugly. "You should either toss them away, or surrender. They will most likely combust soon."

Ahsoka glared at him. "Not a chance."

"Very well," Maul replied. "You have signed your own death warrant."

He began to aim forceful thrusts at each lightsaber's hilt, trying to speed up the process of its emitter matrix breaking down. Ahsoka fought back, protecting her hilts and spinning away from him at each opportunity. However, this became a riskier strategy as her blades occasionally sputtered, almost allowing Maul's saber to penetrate through their blades. Ahsoka immediately switched strategies and started to play defensive. Maul began to grow impatient as she spent more time dodging his attacks, twirling and flipping away from him.

"Stop running away from me, Tano," he growled. "Fight me like a real Jedi!"

"I am not a Jedi," Ahsoka yelled.

"You cannot deceive me with those cheap Inquisitor's toys!" Maul sneered. "The Force surrounds you everywhere with a foul and loathsome light like none other that I have seen. Yes, you are a Jedi, through and through, and when I am done with you I will have added another of your kind to my list of victories."

Ahsoka inhaled slowly and twirled her red sabers. She didn't have much time before the kyber crystal would explode, igniting the hilt on fire and potentially killing her. Deciding to take her chances, she immediately deactivated both blades.

"Giving up?" Maul asked smugly.

"There are other ways to fight," Ahsoka replied.

With that, she lunged forwards, startling him for just long enough to climb onto his back and twist his weapon arm. Maul growled angrily and tried to shove her off of his back with his free hand, but Ahsoka jammed her unlit lightsaber hilt into his shoulder and reactivated it. The faulty blade immediately jutted out, impaling him through the shoulder. Maul cried out in pain and she took advantage of his distraction to seize his staff, kicking it away from him.

"I'm sorry," Ahsoka said quietly. "But I can't allow you to follow me."

With that, she turned around and ran.

Maul snarled angrily, desperately aiming another blast of Force lightning at her. Ahsoka held out his staff with both hands, using it to deflect the shock back at him. Maul howled as it hit him, his body convulsing briefly before he passed out.

Ahsoka leaned over him, beginning to reach for Vader's lightsaber that was still strapped to his side.

Just then, Anakin's voice flashed into her mind.

Retreat, Ahsoka!

Ahsoka winced, quickly withdrawing her hand and standing up. Something told her that she needed to move fast.

Quickly, she grabbed the datapad that Reva had scanned the blueprints of Obi-Wan's cell onto. She also grabbed the faulty lightsaber hilts. She figured she could use them a bomb if she threw them against the wall, allowing the unstable blade emitter to be destroyed, causing the kyber crystals to crack and emit a huge wave of energy.

Just then, she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. She immediately let go and left Maul's staff next to him then ran out of the way so she could hide. She barely managed to find a place that concealed her before she heard the sound of someone approaching from the hallway adjacent.

Seconds later, she watched as a blue-skinned alien dressed in military uniform and flanked by Purge Troopers slowly strolled into the room and looked around. If it were not for his glowing red eyes, she might have mistaken him for a Pantoran. But this man was a Chiss, originally from the Unknown Regions.

Ahsoka inhaled sharply.

This must be the right-hand of the Emperor who Reva was talking about.

"Lord Maul?" Thrawn knelt down and tried to rouse his ally. The Zabrak made no response. "Hm. He must have been knocked out," he remarked aloud to the Purge Troopers. "I suspected there was a fight. However, it appears I have arrived too late."

Standing up, he turned to face the Troopers on either side of him. "Have him brought out and placed in a bacta tank," he commanded.

Ahsoka forced herself to be quiet and not breathe aloud.

"What about Kenobi?"

"I will go look for him myself," Thrawn replied. "But I am confident that he is still where we last left him."

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes, clutching the damaged lightsaber blades to her chest.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," she whispered.