Ahsoka could feel the ground under her soft booted foot, silently moving forward through the densest vegetation she had ever seen. Each footfall brought her closer to her quarry and she challenged, internally, the means to get as close as possible without spooking the beast. Broken branches, long since dropped by the trees too tall to identify littered the ground between rocks, dead fallen leaves and grayish green vines. The brackish, mist shrouded, water to her right, housing many things unseen but present as the circular ripples signified. Closer to the prey she inched, each step its own challenge. Silently advancing on the form fifteen meters ahead of her. Fauna of all types calling to one another in their songs of jubilant life, ignoring the stalker as it moved slowly through the swampy jungle. Ten meters. The blaring of native birds beginning to cease, the toads becoming less inclined to give away their positions. The trees themselves quieting their rustle. Five meters. All becomes deathly silent and still. The water freezes in place, the circular waves end their vigilant ripples. The air becomes heavy, thick. One meter. Ahsoka slowly reaches down for her sabers, feeling the cool metallic hilts in both hands. The figure, the target, has form. A hooded figure looking away from her. Two more steps. One more step. Ahsoka brings her sabers to bear just as the hooded figure turns toward her. The olive skin, the blackened lips. Barriss Offee. In the blink of an eye Ahsoka ignites the sabers, tears, and cleaves Barriss from head to toe. The carnage is relentless and brutal. In a heap at Ahsoka’s feet is what remains of Barriss.
“Your anger makes you powerful Padawan” Anakin says. A disembodied statement she feels more than hears.
She switches off the sabers, realizing only then that the scene was bathed in a red glow.
Ahsoka shot up screaming, banging her forehead on the bunk above her. She instantly regretted the move and instinctively moved her hand to cover the pain. Breathing heavily, she swiveled her legs onto the floor and remembered where she was. The dream felt so real but what took the wind out of her was the fact that it didn’t feel like a nightmare. Barriss didn’t present to her anything remotely close to the personage of her deepest anger, in fact she had inflected forgiveness toward Barriss for all that happened as Ahsoka was feeling the same tension within herself but directed towards the Order for what it was turning into. She would have chosen different methods of change, however, to be sure. She thought about her surroundings from her dream and could not place it anywhere she had been or even heard of. Similarities but nothing definitive. It could wait, she convinced herself and got up from the simple, yet oddly comfortable, bed she had been laying in and began slipping her boots back on. The singing birds from her dream, although barely audible, had yet to quiet their songs. Making her way past the astromech attending to servicing cooling lines and into the cockpit, noticing immediately they were still in hyperspace, she realized she had only been asleep for a brief time. She found Kowani in what should have been the tac seat in the rear corner. The entirety of the tactical station, she noticed was now servicing a holotable that was currently running a holodrama, Kowani with her feet up on the upper lip of the table. “Screaming is a terrible way to wake up.” She remarked rather flatly.
“It seems to be the only way I wake up, that is, if I actually have time to sleep” Ahsoka realized more than said.
“Tano by the way. My clan name.” Ahsoka said assuredly.
“Ahsoka, I will admit to already knowing that. Your exploits throughout the clone wars were both legendary and inspiring for a host of us and for a host of reasons” Kowani admitted. “The Empire can’t scrub ALL data” she added with a smile.
“Then you understand I’m a fugitive” Ahsoka said outright.
“All Jedi are, providing that is what you are. Are you a Jedi Ahsoka Tano?” It was sincere.
“I was but walked away from the order before the war ended.” It felt good to say, always felt good to say. “There were certain objectives that didn’t agree with me, nor I with them.” Ahsoka finished.
“Add yourself to the list that includes Separatists, a corrupt senate and a daft Empire.” Kowani said. “The number of stories is endless, but usually always end the same way. Nothing good ever comes from too much of any one thing, even credits. I make enough to get to where I want to go, find something that interests me, do it for a time then change things up again. Like your Jedi, too many of them, well at one point anyway.” She fell silent suddenly, then added “The galaxy needs things in balance, too much of one thing, then BOOM!” she slammed a fist into her palm for emphasis “The force compensates by creating more of the lesser, so the scales don’t bottom out.”
Hearing someone else mention the force almost brought tears to Ahsoka’s eyes and Kowani clearly picked up on the facial contortion Ahsoka had employed to fight them back.
“Yes, Ahsoka, I know the force. Not in the way you do, or did, or still do, not like a Jedi anyway. Mirialan are all keen to the natural force. We sense it and feel it as if it were a smell, a touch, or a taste. We can feel it flow around and through us, and sense when it’s blocked. There were many Mirialan Jedi for that reason alone. My skill is in feeling emotions, reading them, only because that is how I see the force flowing around me, or through someone else. I feel your acceptance of what I am saying as a matter of fact, and could, even if I wasn’t looking at you. I can feel the trepidation within you about sharing your past, which is why you don’t. But I’ll end it there because I can see the relief in you already. And, yes, I trust you.” She added the last to answer the unasked question Ahsoka had ready for her.
Averting her gaze to the transparisteel canopy, the hypnotic visuals of hyperspace only added to the affecting calm of talking with Kowani. Quick with a blaster, yet more interested in confusion than explosions. Adept at the art of conversation to the point of knowing when silence is necessary. Yes, Ahsoka trusted her. Admitting to herself that she was usually the trusting type anyway, she could innately sense the Mirialan was different. She came right out and admitted initially that her interest in Ahsoka was in her piloting skills but left the door open at that for other things to fall into place. And they were.
“Kowani, I knew two Mirialan Jedi. A Master and an apprentice.” Ahsoka said without turning her gaze from the blue spiral.
“Unduli no doubt.” Kowani was certain. “The apprentice?”
“Barriss Offee.” Ahsoka struggled with the name of the person she had just murdered in her dream.
“Offee, Offee. I’m not familiar with the name or even the family.” She remarked.
“We were friends, good friends actually.” Ahsoka said more to herself.
“Wanna share, because I already know how you feel about it, or her as it were?” Kowani asked.
“Yes, but another time. Some aspects are still…. fresh.” Admitted Ashoka with gradual hesitation.
“That sounds like a……” Kowani cut herself off as navcomm signaling was alerting anyone listening in the cockpit that they had reached their destination. “Till later then Ahsoka, welcome to Nal Hutta.”
Ahsoka was uninspired by the claim and was trying to focus on what had gotten her off Malachor to begin with but with each moment that passed by, not hearing Yoda again was getting discouraging.
Kowani cut the hyperdrive as the planet snapped into view.
“We have our choice of Bilbousa or Nar Shaddaa, either of which will work for our purposes here.” She pointed out. “Moving clouzon is easier than finding breathable air.” She finished.
Ahsoka had either been privy to, or been accomplice to, many clandestine affairs and this was no different. That Kowani seemed to only move mild commodities through black market dealings was not reason to raise concern. The fact was the Mirialan was growing on her by the minute, and she honestly didn’t want to see her get into anything more nefarious simply to keep her out of the deeper danger that that could get her into.
“I have no preference actually, the place has yet to endear itself to me.” Ahsoka said honestly.
“I’ll have to admit, slimy mudholes aren’t my preferred choice either but it isn’t Malachor.” Kowani said with a smile. “I’ll set down on Nar Shaddaa, easier to remove ourselves if that becomes a need.”
Angling away from the planet, her course set to the large moon, the sub lights engaged.
1 MONTH AGO
Palpatine was losing his patience with the assembled team on Lothal. Minister Veris Hydan, who was given an unlimited budget and as many resources as requested to deliver to his Emperor the answers requested, was beginning to connect various reports together to unravel the secret behind the gateway. His latest discovery being the inclusion of Mortis, from data archived in the former Jedi temple on Coruscant, although no clear ideas on how they are connected to the glyphs themselves. He was certain the sectioned stone was in fact inscribed instruction but had no basis or cornerstone to begin any form of translation. He needed more data, and time. Knowing full well his Emperor had supplied him with as much as he would receive of both. Hydan had been included in the research at Palpatine’s own request due to his diligence and passion for Jedi myth and had taken his project to new heights since doing so. It was Hydan that identified that this portion of temple, identical to the temple on Jedha, was a gateway. To where, he hadn’t figured out yet. Palpatine was able to locate enough information on a ‘gateway’ to understand time had no meaning in it, per the scrawling of Sith adepts from the old republic.
“How information like this gets lost to the ravages of time I will never understand.” Hydan remarked. He truly did appreciate his Emperors vision of enlightenment and understood fully both the wisdom at his control and the lasting effect of any real discovery he would make. “If it were a path to a place where time was irrelevant, this Empire will be immortal,” Hydan, again, voicing his thought trail. “Eternal indeed.” His eyes glimmered at the prospect.
Present day
Upon receiving the report from the late Commander Kalav, Vader mulled his options. The last communique the ship had received was from a shuttle that had never arrived, following reports of a disturbance at the small spaceport outside Vyndal township. The fact that there weren’t any Imperial casualties, nor reports of reinforcements deployed could only mean that whoever had, in fact, incited the disturbance, was no longer there. Planet bound? Possibly, but there was nowhere to go on Vyndal. The planet’s proximity leading him down a considerable number of possibilities. Until there was more information to work with his options were too countless to measure.
“My Lord, Director Krennic will be arriving shortly.” Vanee broke his train of thought. The emaciated and sallow skinned human continued, “My Lord had asked me to notify him when the Bacta was prepared.” he began ushering himself back the way he had come.
“Distractions.” Vader mumbled as he began removing the helmet.
✦
The Liberator was descending into a private bay, landing sequence both initialized and transpiring. Ahsoka could only imagine how deep Kowani was into moving her ‘cargoes’ if privatizing a bay for her was on the list of whomever her contact was.
“It is completely up to you if you stay onboard or come with me, but coming with me will necessitate some cover on your part, as you have said ‘fugitive’ Tano.” Kowani said quite forthcoming with a slight grin. “Agreed. What do you have onboard?” Ahsoka asked.
“A testament to good will and faith I see with the hastened response and commitment to our partnership, wherever it takes us.” Kowani replied with a laugh. “To the right in my quarters, take what you need.”
Ahsoka wheeled around and set to the task of finding something to mask her appearance upon walking into Kowani’s quarters. An ankle length robe of tanned synthfiber with an oversized hood stood out almost immediately. It was at that precise moment the quiet song she had been hearing since her dream began to filter in with more volume. She could feel the song flowing through her body, her muscles relaxing to their vibrations, her bones soothed by its melody. Her mind coming into singular focus by the ups and downs of the harmony. Immediately she saw shapes in her vision. A moon (?) moving into alignment with a planet she recognized but couldn't place. Obi Wan, older, igniting his lightsaber. Yoda sitting on a fallen tree in the setting of her dream. Tarkin staring out a viewport. Bail’s daughter standing in front of Vader. The scenes stopped changing at the last, Vader turning as if to look her in the eye and outstretching his hand as if to greet her. His face changing to that of Anakin and mouthing words she couldn't hear. He kept repeating it, over and over. ‘Come Home.’ Ahsoka snapped back to reality, grabbed the robe, and ran back to the cockpit where Kowani was finishing off the sequence to power down and prep lock all her gear.
“Kowani, I saw something.” Ahsoka panted.
“In my room? What was it, if its moving I’m gonna kill it.” She shot out of her seat and immediately drew her blaster.
“No, no. The force is reaching out. I believe it was a premonition, a vision of events to come.” Ahsoka stated without really knowing. The song still playing its lulling tones for her. “Do you hear it?”
“Hear what?” Kowani questioned with growing anticipation.
Ahsoka suddenly realized she’d heard this song before, a bright but elusive melody. Her memory conjuring visuals from her own distant and not so distant past, the song of the Kyber. Hers. But hers were at her hip and they weren’t the ones singing.
“Kowani, is there Kyber on this ship?” Ahsoka asked in growing desperation and more than avid curiosity.
“Sure is, twelve small Kuati crates full. Why?”
“I know you, we, have an agenda here, but as things are kind off the hip anyway, can you show me where they are?”
“Absolutely, this way.” Kowani set off for the aft ‘smugglers’ cargo hold. “Of all things contraband in the Empire, Kyber is tops. The Empire, in the last two to three years had stripped, stolen, purchased, smuggled, and confiscated everything it could. I had been mining this for almost two years on Malachor actually.” She confessed as she slid the hatch cover open and off the hold. They both slipped down to the bay. Ahsoka stopped Kowani from advancing any further with a gentle hand on her arm and closed her eyes.
“It’s not all of them Kowani, its only one.” She knew it was true.
She could feel them, all of them, the living force in them was responding to her and calmly flowing into and out of each one in a singular direction. She followed the path in her mind. “The 3rd crate from the bottom, center stack.” Kowani keyed in the location on the data pad she pulled from her pocket and the crate issued forth resting gently at Ahsoka’s feet. Ahsoka knelt slowly, her eyes still closed, and placed both hands over the crate’s lid which hissed open releasing its vacuum. The lid clanged to the floor as the assembled crystals shone brilliantly in the ambient light of the bay. But Ahsoka only focused on one. All currents from this, and all the other crates, were centralizing on a single crystal. Ahsoka could see the eddies of color changing as her mind was assembling a new weapon. She could see greens, blues, oranges, yellows, purples, white, even an absence of color. She could see the metallic sheathing forming around the power assembly. A recharge socket and energy gate fitting into a conductor and vortex ring wrapping around an insulated power cell. The focusing chamber assembled into the emitter and this tiny crystal seated at the center. Her controls nestled into the ignition switch chamber. The same metallic sheathing blackening as it came together in her mind. As she pressed her eyes tighter shut her mind activated the new creation, bathing her vision in a deep maroon hue. The decision was hers to make, although she was hesitant to make it. Time stopped for her at that moment, but she was determined to follow this through, wherever it was taking her. She exhaled ever so slowly and wrapped her fingers around the small crystal clutching it away from its siblings and pulled it to her chest.
“Aahhhhsoka…. what the hell just happened?” Kowani didn’t move a muscle. She didn’t see anything of course outside of Ahsoka reaching into the crate and pulling out a single crystal, but felt the currents, the eddies and flows of the living force magnified like she never witnessed before centering themselves to a single point, of which was now pinched between two Togrutan fingers. She knew something deeply meaningful had just transpired but was bewildered by what it was.
“A sign.” was all Ahsoka said. And Kowani, for the time being felt it best to leave it at that.
Ahsoka could not explain her vision. The saber constructed itself as her mind sought best to arrange it. The meaning behind the reddish beam however was a conundrum. She felt no inner turmoil, no need to submit to the darkness that always called, in the same way she refused to let the light guide her entirely. Although inexplicable as it was, it was her lack of fear she acknowledged. With certainty she knew she would not yield to be swayed in either direction completely but maintaining her freedom to choose could swing one way or the other dependent on a great many things, and what a given situation called for more of one over the other. She was able to sum it up plainly with that but knew she needed guidance for what came next, and she needed Master Yoda to be that guide.
“Kowani, I know what I must do but I have no idea where to start or where to look or where to go. What I just saw in my mind was exactly what I feared it may be.” She looked down at the crystal between her fingers then placed it slowly into the open palm of her other hand. “As we’ve been straightforward in our conversations, that is what you witnessed. The pull to a crystal is deep and individual. I used to assist in voyages to Ilum with younglings when I was in the order and went through this process many times with them. The blades color is dependent on many variables and can be made to any shade imaginable by the addition of components or subtraction of others. This build was simple with no alterations to the emitter yet shone a deep maroon. I tell you this in good faith and so that we remain in the realm of trust of which we’ve grown accustomed.”
Kowani was speechless. In this moment she had never known a more trusting bond and knew there was nothing she would not do for this Togrutan. She felt the conviction in Ahsoka’s every word. The concern over her reservations in the beginning touched her deeply. The color of the blade made absolutely no difference to her. It was Ahsoka that her trust was in, implicitly. And that fact brought a tear to her own eye. Ahsoka was quick to embrace her, there, in that small cargo hold, on a Hutt controlled moon, in a time of unknowing. With that act, Ahsoka was finally able to let go of the last of the blame she had placed on Barriss, unknowingly, and cried her own tear of absolution.
“Ahsoka...I.” Started Kowani, but a knowing look from Ahsoka hushed her unfinished sentence. “I know, I feel it too.” And with that Ahsoka slid the lid back on the crate and ascended the ladder back into the main hold, pulling Kowani up behind her. A bond created, one she knew she could rely on; she began running through a litany of options to get her, and them, on the path she sought out. There was only one guide she knew she could rely on to help her unleash the darkness in a controlled manner, yet the vision clearly held Obi Wan in favor for reasons she couldn’t explain. There was nothing in the vision’s surroundings to declare his location however and unless she took the time to meditate, time to connect with the deeper force, she would remain clueless.
“Kowani, there is little to act on, but I need to find someone. One of my old masters. Well, I need to find two of them but finding one will lead to the other. I have no idea where either of them are, only that they live.” Ahsoka explained.
“Ahsoka, that's nothing to act on. I can feel your hesitation, restraint, so tell me what you need me to do.” She said with sincerity.
“I need to reach out to him, one of them. Doing so could put us both in great danger however, as it would surely draw unwanted attention. I usually don’t attempt it planet side for that reason alone.” Ahsoka explained. “We would also need a distraction of sorts to waylay Imperial interests to a location of our choosing, which would, in effect, localize their efforts while leaving the galaxy a little less congested for my…. our…. search.” She added, seeing the smug grin turn into a faint smile on Kowani’s face.
She understood immediately where Ahsoka was going with that thought, “A Jedi sighting, an active Jedi sighting, on Nar Shaddaa might just do that. Assuming of course your old master isn’t in the system.” She added wryly.
“About that refined clouzon, I think it’s time to meet your buyer.” Ahsoka said as she swung the robe over her shoulders. Pulling the cowl up over her montrals.