This is an Ahsoka fanfiction. It kicks off before the show, will extend through the end of season one, and hopefully conclude with post-show content before season two of the real thing airs. Let me know how I’m doing in the comments!
I’ve started loading chapters into Archive of Our Own. Let me know if you follow over there!
Rating: General, Spice Level: None
Characters/Tags: Original Character, Master and Apprentice Relationships, Original Female Character, Original Jedi Character, Ahsoka Tano, Huyang
Read Chapter 21 here.
Chapter 22: The Hilt of Truth
The dizziness and nausea had not worn off as Kendra crept toward the expected location of their enemy. She’d left ahead of Sabine and Ahsoka to put her skills in the forest to good use, apparently the only thing she could offer on this mission. She paused well before the tree line, and planted a small beacon into the damp dirt.
Dark stone columns stood in a circle at the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. A blue globe emanated from the center, where the map from Arcana sat on a support pillar. While the weather was the opposite of Arcana, the ruins reminded her of that planet. The two were connected, somehow.
Waves crashed beyond her view. Gray clouds covered the sky, blocking any of the afternoon’s fading light. That, at least, was the opposite of Arcana.
Droids and soldiers scurried around the ruins, loading supplies into one of two shuttles, though none were like the droids encountered at the earlier ruins. Morgan Elsbeth and Baylan Skoll stood next to each other, monitoring a computer display. It appeared to be interacting with the map.
Where was the padawan? A cold chill crept down Kendra’s back as she looked behind her and reached out with the Force. There was no one behind her. Ahsoka and Sabine could defeat her, if she was out there somewhere, looking for them. Kendra needed to stay focused on the ruins and the map.
As the droids loaded the final crates on the open ship, the soldiers prepared the craft for departure. Morgan shared a few words with Baylan, then boarded. Baylan walked slowly around the perimeter of the ruins as the shuttle took off. The last guard against the Jedi.
Kendra eyed the map at the center. They must still need it for something, or Baylan would have left too. If he walked to the far side, could she make it there to steal or destroy it before he noticed? Ahsoka had told her not to engage, but this might be their best chance to stop Morgan.
She realized Baylan had stopped pacing. He stood between her and the ruins, gazing into the woods around her, hands clasped behind his back. The man felt calm and strong in the Force, like a solid boulder in the midst of the lake in her mind. Confident, but not quite fitting.
“You can come out,” Baylan called to the woods. “I have no intention of fighting you and won’t hurt you unless attacked.”
Did he really know she was there? How? Or was this just a test? Kendra studied the man who had taken down so many Republic soldiers on his attack to free Morgan, but she didn’t move.
“It was wise of you to scout ahead,” he continued. “Ahsoka should be forgiven for not anticipating I’d be able to sense you.”
How did he know it was Ahsoka?
Baylan sat on a stone outside the circle, looking at where Kendra hid in the woods before casting his gaze upward. “I hope to leave soon. I would like to hear about your master.”
Did he mean Ahsoka? How did he know Kendra was a padawan? Her mind spun through all the possibilities. She would like to talk to the man, find out why he’d turned from the Jedi way. She wouldn’t need to get too close to him to find that out.
“I assume,” he said, “Ahsoka is on her way. It will be difficult for us to talk at that point. Again, you have my word, I won’t harm you unless you choose to fight me.”
And if she did get close enough, she could take the map. She stepped forward, out of the trees. “I’m not sure what your word means.”
“Fair,” he said. He remained relaxed. “You are not familiar to me, so I have to assume you were born after the Clone Wars. Was Ahsoka your master?”
“No.” She paused. There was no harm in identifying her master. “Edith Galloway.”
He smiled. “Ah! I’m glad to hear she survived. She wasn’t much of a fan of the fighting. She taught meditation at the Temple when I was there. A fine diplomat for the Order. You’d be good at that too, though I sense something else. A healer?”
“How did you know that?” Kendra asked.
“The Force flows differently around Healers. It is a rare and beautiful gift of the Force. We did not often see them scouting; better to keep them safe.” He looked at the sky again. There was no sign he intended to attack. “Is she still with us?”
“Yes,” Kendra said. “Well, not here.”
“She’s probably a little advanced in years for an adventure,” Baylan said. “Did she teach you how to heal? Use your lightsaber?”
“She did.” Master Edith had been too old to provide too much instruction in the lightsaber and didn’t want her to heal anyone, lest she give them away as Jedi. But he didn’t need to know that.
“I’m sure Ahsoka is helping with that as well,” he said. “She is more than qualified at combat. And there are other Jedi out there now out of hiding who could provide instruction. It is too bad we did not meet before.”
“Why did you…” She stumbled. “Why are you…”
“Doing this?” He waved his hand back at the ruins and sighed. “You are strong in the Force; I can sense as much. Have you ever known you were called to do something, even if no one else knew it? Perhaps healing. Or bringing peace to a situation.”
She nodded.
“I feel that now. It is hard to explain. With the Order gone, our role may have changed.”
“Into violence?”
“Solving problems,” he said. “Some are called to do that more than others. Like Ahsoka, for example. And her master. Has she told you about him?”
“No.” Where was this going?
“Pity. There’s much to learn there. Sadly, his over-confidence took him to the dark side. Brought down the entire Order.”
“What?” Kendra shook her head. “What?”
“After Ahsoka left the Order, of course.”
“I don’t understand.” Was this true? Did Ahsoka know this? Did Master Edith? “It was the Sith who destroyed the Order.”
“Yes,” he said. “Anakin became a Sith Lord.”
Ahsoka’s master had been a Sith Lord? Kendra remembered Master Edith was guarded about both him and Ahsoka, but never mentioned the dark side.
“It can be an easy thing for some, sadly.”
Kendra had learned everything from Master Edith. What had Ahsoka learned from the Sith? If it was true, she reminded herself. And thought about the bounty hunter in the lower levels and the Imperial they helped escape. Was there darkness there and she didn’t really see it?
He sat silent for a moment, allowing her thoughts to spiral. “It hasn’t been easy since the Empire came, or since they left, really. We all have to make decisions.”
She tried to thrust the thought of the dark side and Ahsoka out of her mind. There was a more pressing problem to solve. “And you’ve decided to rescue Thrawn.”
“Do you even know who that is? He is just one man. Not even Force sensitive. I’m not sure he survived his ordeal.”
“He’ll start a war.” How did one man start a war? Confused, Kendra just repeated what she’d been told.
“Perhaps,” he said. “Or perhaps peace will prevail once again. After you’re done on this planet, perhaps you could offer your services to the New Republic. As a healer, or as a diplomat.”
She’d wanted to join the New Republic when it was still the Rebellion, but didn’t know what she’d be good for now. “I don’t know if I’d be any good at that.”
“Are you good at being a fighter?”
Kendra thought about throwing up in the shuttle. Twice.
He raised his eyebrow. “Have you ever won a fight? On your own?”
She probably would have died to the nexu if not for Ahsoka. And the Tarnox. Probably would have lost to the thieves under Coruscant. Definitely would have been killed by the droid on Arcana.
“Have you chosen any of your fights? Or did someone else pick them for you?” he asked. “Someone as strong as you should be somewhere safer, guiding others to safety. Not out on personal quests with a misguided former padawan. You could be of great use to the New Republic.”
Kendra shook her head and ignored the growing unrest in her chest. “This is where I want to be.”
“I’m only suggesting there are others in the New Republic who could benefit from your skills. Or could teach you new ones. Something to consider later.” His gaze drifted to his right. “I feel we will soon find this conversation ending. I wish you well, Kendra.”
“I don’t understand why you’re doing any of this,” she said.
He smiled slightly as he stood. “Someone as good as you probably can’t.”
“Kendra.” Ahsoka emerged from the woods.
“Ahsoka, I…”
“I sensed her in the Force,” Baylan said. “It was not her fault.”
The implication it was Ahsoka’s lingered in the air, unspoken but felt by both women. Kendra looked for Sabine, but didn’t find her. She didn’t feel now was the right time to ask. Maybe the Mandalorian would arrive from a different way.
Ahsoka walked toward Baylan, as tense as Kendra had ever seen her. It was a day of firsts it seemed; Kendra had never been in a space battle and had also never seen two Jedi clash with lightsabers. Former Jedi, she corrected herself.
Baylan said, “Anakin spoke highly of you.”
“Interesting.” Ahsoka moved toward the ruins. “He never mentioned you.”
Kendra followed, but stood to the side. The other two circled each other, slowly, though Baylan was always between Ahsoka and the map. Kendra tried not to look at it as she considered how she might dislodge it.
“Everyone in the Order knew Anakin Skywalker.” Baylan entered the ring of stones opposite of Ahsoka.. “Few would live to see what he became. Surely that must leave a mark. Is that why you walked away? Abandoned him?”
“I’m not here to discuss my past,” Ahsoka said.
Was it true, then? Was her master, Anakin, as Baylan had said? Focus, Kendra, she told herself. You can ask her that later.
Baylan said, “The only reason I’m here is to secure the future.”
If there is a later, Kendra thought. Her heart had already been beating too fast, and now it seemed like it might explode from her chest.
“For you?” Ahsoka asked.
“Something far greater,” he replied.
How am I going to fight him? Kendra’s mouth was dry like cotton.
“Ambitious,” Ahsoka said.
“Necessary,” he replied.
I need to focus on the map. Her fingertips went numb.
Ahsoka said, “And you find starting another war necessary.”
“I’m not starting a war. But Thrawn will. It is an unfortunate evil but speaks to a greater truth. One must destroy in order to create.”
Ahsoka pulled one lightsaber from her belt.
Kendra grabbed her own, making sure she had a good grip on it before releasing it from her belt. Her arm shook and her vision narrowed.
“How inevitable.” Baylan reluctantly pulled his weapon. He made eye contact with Kendra. “I’m sorry about all this.”
Kendra felt the familiar tug of the Force for a brief second before being hurled by it toward Baylan and his orange blade. Her distraction would cost her life, she realized, as she flew head first toward him. She heard Ahsoka yell, but it was too late. At the last moment, he spun his weapon so her forehead connected with the hilt instead of the blade. A flash of light and immense pain washed over her head, and everything went black.
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