Ahsoka Tano Fanfiction Chapter Four

Chapter Four-

Shaak Ti met her when she strode into the base. “Where have you been?” She asked sternly.
Ahsoka jumped off the speeder and met the Master. “Just into the village, the villagers are on our side.”
Shaak Ti grabbed her shoulder as she strode past the Master. “Wait Ahsoka, you can’t just run off! I had no idea where you were, we were supposed to be training!”
Ahsoka looked at her. “I told Appo, Bow and Fives of the clones where I was going.” She replied indignantly.
“Well next time, tell me.” She strode off, her robes flapping against her legs as she carried on her angry stride.
Ahsoka grit her teeth. “Whatever you say!” she growled quietly before following her Master. She made a quick detour to her room to drop her cloak and freshen up-mainly splashing water over her face-before she headed to the Control Room, she knew everyone would be there.
She was right.
She walked into the Control Room and stopped, sitting on the chair was Master Yoda, and standing off to one side, inbetween Rex and Dogma, was Lux. She straightened to hide her surprise and walked proudly over to Shaak Ti.
Shaak Ti glanced humorously at her. “Welcome Master Yoda, Lux Belatona.” She said humbly.
“Thank you Master Shaak Ti.” Yoda replied in his strange voice. I smiled when he looked at me; but he glanced back at Shaak Ti and waved his stick at me. “Ready, is she?”
Shaak Ti shook her head sadly. “Not yet I’m afraid.”
Ahsoka scowled. “It would help if someone told me what I am supposed to be ready for!?” She muttered.
Shaak Ti looked at her and sighed. “Rex.”
The Trooper stood to attention. “Ma’am?”
“Show her.”
“Yes ma’am.” He said in a slightly darker voice. He moved over to the table in the middle of the room, pressed a button on the surface and a hologram appeared.
Ahsoka grit her teeth. “What is this?” She asked, staring at the holographic image of Darth Vader’s ‘face’.
“You wanted to know what was going on.” Shaak Ti replied. “Watch this.”
Ahsoka nodded and Rex started to message. She tried not to shiver as the strange voice reached her.
“I know where you are, you traitorous clones, and it will not be long before I finish what I am doing here and stop you. Carry on with your fruitless mission for now, but I will stop you.” The voice paused “Ahsoka,” he breathed, Ahsoka gasped and leaned forward hopefully. “Don’t bother running, or training, or hiding. I am out to eliminate every Jedi from the Galaxy, and that includes you, my old Apprentice. Be ready.”
Rex hit another button and all eyes were on Ahsoka. Ahsoka looked at the faces of everyone around her, some of the clones looked awkward, others pitying. Rex looked as though he believed in her and Yoda seemed to agree with him. Lux looked hostile and Shaak Ti looked judgemental.
“You see now why I have been tough?” She murmured.
Ahsoka bowed her head for a few moments, turned to her and raised unhappy eyes to the masters’ face. “Why me?” She sighed. Shaak Ti gave Yoda a troubled, beseeching glance.
Ahsoka turned to him. “Why me?” she repeated.
“Thought you could change him, I did.” He replied. “Wrong, was I.”
Ahsoka bowed her head for a moment. “But he was the chosen one; I was there when he found out! He saved me and showed everyone!”
Yoda’s big green eyes turned gentle. “But shadowed his path was, his future also did he see that day, but forget it, he did.”
She narrowed her eyes in confusion. “That doesn’t explain anything!” She exclaimed. “He’s coming now! I’ve seen it!”
“Yes, I had forgotten about your vision.” Shaak Ti commented and waved her hand. “Tell us what you saw.”
Ahsoka took a deep breath and closed her eyes, summoning the vision to the front of her mind. “Clones-I mean Storm Trooper-are moving down the hallway outside, stopping behind the panels that stick out of the wall in that formation you use all the time.“
“Two of them behind each panel?” Fives asked.
“Yes.”
“Yeah, that’s the one we use for attacks.” Fives nodded at the rest of the clones, who leaned forward questioningly.
“Right; well Darth Vader is walking down the centre and he opens the door. The Control Room we are standing in now is empty and he-oh!”
Shaak Ti darted forward. “Ahsoka, what is it?”
“The vision has changed, we’re all here. The clones get in their own formation and me and Shaak Ti strike defence poses. But he stops and the Storm Troopers do nothing. He looks at us as though he knows something is amiss. Master Yoda isn’t there, but I think he sensed you. Then he gives the order and the Storm troopers start shooting.”
“Yes?” Rex pressed, worried about his platoon. “What happens next?”
Ahsoka struggles with the multitude of images. “Urmm, I can’t see clearly, but one of the clones has fallen and Vader is heading for me and-and I fight him. Then he knocks my lightsabers out of my hand and-“
“And I save you.” Shaak Ti finished. “Yes I see it to.”
Ahsoka opened her eyes to see the clones staring at each other, then Rex looks at her. “Which one of us dies?” he asks gravely.
Ahsoka walked over to them. “I can tell none of you want to know, but we have missed our chance to run and he will be here soon. We will find out soon.”
“But you know?” Rex pressed.
Ahsoka frowned slightly. “I’m not sure, I couldn’t really see. But once the fight starts I’ll know.”
“How?” Boomer asked.
“Because of where they were stood.”
They looked at each other; Fives looked determined; Appo, Bow, and Boomer looked distressed; Boomer, Kix, Tup, Fox and Dogma looked miserable; Jesse looked as though he were deep in thought whilst Rex surveyed his Platoon with a concerned expression.
Ahsoka looked at him. “You hope it’s you, don’t you?” She whispered.
He looked at her. “Yes.” He murmured back. “And no.” He sighed and rubbed his eyes. “I don’t want any of them to be killed, but I want to be here to lead them.”
Ahsoka shrugged. “My vision isn’t certain, it could change.”
“Sir!” Dogma came up to them.
“What?” Rex demanded, the uncertain expression hadn’t changed on Dogma’s face, but all of his own uncertainty was gone.
“They’re here.”
Ahsoka shared a shocked glance with Rex. Neither of them had to ask who, they already knew. Ahsoka dashed over to Yoda. “You have to go Master, I know you must. He can’t know you’re around.”
Yoda nodded. “Meet again, we shall not.” He murmured before slipping off the chair and jumping out the window.
“He’s a strange one, isn’t he?” Ahsoka jumped and turned to face Lux.
“Not the time, I hope you have some sort of weapon.” She replied, flashing out her lightsabers.
“Don’t worry about me.” Lux replied.
“Don’t worry, I won’t.” Ahsoka gave him a dry look and went over to Shaak Ti. “This is it.” She murmured to the Master.
“No Ahsoka, this is only the first time.” She looked at the younger Tagruta. “But this is the last for me.”
Ahsoka lost concentration. “What?”
Shaak Ti smiled faintly. “You lost concentration before you saw it, but I didn’t.” She looked Ahsoka straight in the eye. “I’m sorry Ahsoka.”
“What for?” Ahsoka demanded desperately.
“For not finishing your training.” She put her arm around Ahsoka’s shoulders. “This is the day I die.” She whispered before striking her ready position.
Ahsoka did the same, crouching low. “Thank you Master, I will never forget what you did.” She missed the glance Shaak Ti shot her, as though she knew the younger Tagruta’s fate as well.
“They’re getting closer!” Dogma announced. Ahsoka watched as the clones took their positions, her heart tearing. Rex glanced at her as he put his helmet on, his eyes questioning. Ahsoka nodded, she knew it was him who died now. To her surprise, he smiled and nodded, his blue eyes shining. ‘Thank you’, he mouthed at her and she nodded back, hoping she had said it all before now.
“They’re in the base!” Rex moved over to Dogma at the latest announcement.
“Keep us up to speed, Dogma.” He told the clone.
Ahsoka watched the door. “Has anyone locked that?” She asked.
“No.” Rex replied. “Will it stop him?”
“No but it will hold him up.” Ahsoka started to move forward.
“Hang on,” Rex told her. “’ll do it.” She gave him a shocked glance as he overtook her. “This whole thing is worthless if you die today.”
Ahsoka nodded and went to stand back with Shaak Ti. She missed the fact that one of the clones replaced Rex’s position as he worked to lock the door. Before he could finish however, the door was shot open and in burst a hoard of Storm Troopers. Knots tied in Ahsoka’s stomach as she heard the heavy breathing and footsteps which marked her former master’s approach. Her breathing came in ragged gasps and her eyes were trained on the spot where he would appear; she didn’t want to fight him, but her vision had told her she would, for a while at least.
Shaak Ti… She glanced at the Jedi, wishing there was something she could do. Visions aren’t always fact, she thought, I could still change her fate… She scowled slightly, Shaak Ti wouldn’t want her too, she had accepted the fact that she was going to die and had embraced it. I hope I’m like her someday.
Just then, Darth Vader appeared, his lightsaber open in his hand. To Ahsoka, the world seemed to move slower. She could see all the fissures on her Mater’s mask. When he walked, his velvety black cloak billowed out behind him as his black trousers stretched and slacked with every movement of his legs. He stopped in the centre of his lines of Storm Troopers, his new red lightsaber held in front of his face.
The two opposing sides stared each other down, no one moving a muscle. The tension inside built up to breaking point inside Ahsoka and she glanced at Shaak Ti. She was glaring at the Storm Troopers and Lord Vader. Ahsoka tried to assert the same angry authority, but she ended up just staring at him dumbly.
He surveyed the room, breathing in deeply and out again. The only sound was Lord Vader’s breathing, everyone else was completely silent.
Then the carnage began, Vader flicked his wrist and the Storm Troopers began shooting. Ahsoka and Shaak Ti deflected most of the shots but the Clones still had to duck behind upturned tables and the screens. Then the images from Ahsoka’s vision came about, Vader leaped for her and she met him with fear rising inside her, she had always relied on her master’s strength and skill to help her and guide her and now she was against it. She fought furiously, remembering Obi Wan Kenobi and Padme Amidala and Ki Adi Mundi and Barriss Offee and Aaylar Secura.
She flashed one of her lightsabers to his thigh, but he deflected it and forced it from her hand. It flew across the room and landed in a bowl of fruit. Ahsoka scowled up at her mentor and had to meet him in hand to hand combat, and now it was even. She briefly wondered what Lux was doing here and what he was fighting with, but the threats surrounding her overrode that instinct.
“You have become sloppy Ahsoka.” Vader’s voice reached her. “When I was training you, you would never have let an enemy disarm you.”
Ahsoka narrowed her eyes and attacked again, swinging her amber lightsaber at his neck, he deflected again and aimed for her waist. And suddenly, she was on the defensive. She had never been good at defence, and her Master knew that, he had beaten her too many times before in training, but that was with sticks or poles, this was for real. She couldn’t let him beat her this time.
She slashed and parried and deflected every blow, sweat beading on her brow. Her breathing came in tired, ragged gasps whilst her heartbeat accelerated until she was sure it would deafen the clones and troopers around her. She wished furtively that she could look into her master’s eyes, see where he was trying to move to through the expressive portals. Their ragged dance of their private war took them all over the control room and as they ended up in the centre of the room, Darth Vader was able to relieve her of her remaining lightsaber.
He forced her to the floor; she tried to scramble away from him, but he was approaching her far faster than she was escaping. Her blue eyes glanced of her former master’s helmet, unable to find any purchase there, unable to find any way to reason with her master.
She felt hopeless tears well up in her eyes. “Please…” she whispered, somehow knowing he could hear her. “Wasn’t killing Padme enough?”
He paused, and Ahsoka swore she could see his hand shaking, whether from remorse or anger she couldn’t tell, but before she knew it, the moment had passed and he strode forward. The time it took for Vader to cross the distance seemed like an age to Ahsoka. She tried vainly to struggle away as the cruel clutches of the Dark Side’s awful power closed around her throat and she felt herself lifted off the ground. She thrashed around in the air but Vader’s stance never quivered. She could almost feel the waves of hate and anger and despair rolling off him. She felt pity well inside her and wondered, not for the first time, what could have happened to her master.