The Unchronicled Adventures of Ahsoka Tano, Book Seven

Chapter Eleven: A New Threat/ It's All In Your Head

SHIMA

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The assassin, codenamed Shima, listened to the drops of water falling from the roof of the cave to its stone ground at her feet. With a gentle flick of her wrist, the dripping stopped. She sat back on the round stone in the center of the small, crystal-filled chamber where she had chosen to meditate.

Her Master had sent her here, to the planet Cialone. Once she had arrived, he had told her to hunt down and kill Ahsoka Tano. She had only smiled, bowing, and said that she would. That little Togruta had every right to die.

The last time Shima had seen her had been years ago. She didn’t know the girl very well, but they had a few scores to settle. A few old wounds that only revenge could heal.

As she settled into her meditation, and her breathing slowed, she was able to make telepathic contact with her Master.

What is your will, my Master? She asked, and she could almost see the face of her Master, partially hidden by a cloak.

You must be ready to carry out the next phase in my plan, he replied, his soft and almost whispery voice resonating as clearly in her mind as if he was right next to her. I will begin my infiltration shortly. Although I am no longer in control of my own body, I will soon have another.

Her mouth curled into an evil smile. You have found a suitable host, my Lord?

Yes, apprentice Shima. I have been waiting a long time for this. The era of the Jedi is over, and soon that of the Empire will be as well. The time is coming for Palpatine to fall. I shall take his place as Emperor, with you at my side. And then we will have sealed our victory, our final triumph. Her Master paused for a moment. And WE shall rule the galaxy.

Yes, my Master. I have failed others before, but I will not fail you.

JINOYAR ARCANI

Jinoyar walked down the halls of the medical ward, once again working a double shift. Sometimes it felt like he hadn’t slept in weeks. But that was the price of constantly taking Chissi’s shifts.

But to be honest, it was worth it. Until she got over whatever cold she had caught, he was happy to help out. The two had been very close friends when they were younglings, and he would so anything for her. She was like his sister.

Suddenly he heard something, like an echo. He didn’t quite catch the words, but they sounded menacing, and scary. Keeping his eyes and ears open, he continued walking down the hallway. He took his lightsaber off his belt and held it in his right hand, just in case. He didn’t like this.

Suddenly all of the corridor’s lights went out. The only sources of light were then the dim luminosity of the computer screens and monitors in the adjoining rooms. He turned his lightsaber on and held it up. Even though he was better at Healing than fighting, he could still use a lightsaber as well as any other.

And then came the silence. Absolutely perfect silence, interrupted only by his breathing, his heartbeat that was gradually speeding up, and the gentle hum of his ice-blue lightsaber. Then there was a high-pitched whine, and the whole hallway seemed to fill with black, odorless smoke.

Instinctively, Jinoyar buried his nose and mouth in his woolen sleeve, to what he thought was the result of a fire out of his lungs. In the other he held his lightsaber at the ready.

“Whatever or whoever you are, this is not cool at all!” he said through the fabric. “Show yourself!”

All of a sudden, the smoke rushed towards him, enveloping him, and creating the most agonizing pain in his head that he had ever had. It squeezed tears out from under his closed eyelids, and if his teeth hadn’t been clenched together, he would have screamed.

And suddenly it was gone, all of it. The light returned, and the smoke and the pain disappeared. But had Jinoyar been near a mirror, and able to see his reflection, he would have seen that his eyes changed briefly.

The veins became more pronounced, like he had a bad eye infection, and his irises turned an ugly, infected yellow rimmed with blood red. This only happened for less than three seconds, and then they reverted back to their usual warm hazel color.

Shaking his head, for all he remembered was feeling dizzy for a moment, he continued down the hallway.

*What just happened to Jinoyar? What - or who - just attacked him? And who could Shima and her Master be? People long gone, from years past... or from the present? You will find out in the exciting next chapter of the Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano!

Hello people! Because I don't know if you live in different time zones or not, I'll just say that it's Saturday afternoon about a week or two away from my March break. I'm counting down the days till I can forget about school for a week...

Fight for your freedom against an oppresive government and may the Force be with you,

Sharron