The Dark is Patient [a.s]

Ready or Not

  Life as a citizen of the Empire was bleak and filled with repetitive hard working days that gave little pay off. Unless you were offering them a traitor on a silver platter, the Empire didn't care about you. At first Ahsoka was confused at how people could be so complacent with this new and cruel shift in power. How could people watch as people got trampled on and tricked?

After a while though, as she observed and experienced her own hardships she came to realize people simply lost hope. The ones who were supposed to protect them failed. She failed. She knew she wasn't a Jedi, but she had the power to help put an end to things and she wasn't able to. Ahsoka struggled with the guilt everyday, the fact that other Jedi also failed didn't do much to ease the pain in fact it only made it worse. The keepers of the peace only brought forth death and war. All people could do now was go on, survive, the Empire not being a problem as long as they didn't look up at all the flags, almost pretending nothing had changed. Acting as if the storm troopers had always been there, flickering them in and out and meshing them with the memory of the clones that once stood in their place.

Wiping sweat from her brow, Ahsoka shook herself from her thoughts and got back to work. She had two jobs; fixing transport machines or droids by day and bartending at night. The latter was an extremely rocky start, she had no idea what she was doing and she half expected her boss to fire her for her messy training period. But she was good with people and they found her... interesting to look at. There weren't many Togruta on Tatooine and despite how weird it made her feel when people ogled the tips were nice and it put food in her stomach. The money from the junk shop covered her stay at a small place she had found that was owned by a nice old woman, as long as she didn't cause a fuss and paid rent Ahsoka could stay as long as she liked.

Her life here, as mundane as it was, gave her a sense of stability and comfort. She was aware it couldn't be like this forever, she had to do something but she felt that was impossible with her current state. Why had her connection with the Force began to crumble? Was she not worthy anymore? Was the Council right?

Don't be ridiculous Snips, you're more than just a Jedi . Anakin's voice comforted her and she wished she could actually talk to him rather than have her conscious dangle the fact she missed him so damn much in front of her nose. She had been trying the whole 'inner peace' thing Master Kenobi always preached about. Besides Anakin, the way Obi-Wan moved with the Force as if they were one always mesmerized her. She too once felt it, and Ahsoka feared she was only talented at one thing: war. That was when she felt her strongest, fighting and not giving up till the battle was won. Only for the process to start all over again and she was thrown back into the field. Now she was just... stuck.

It wasn't that she missed the Clone Wars, but they had been her entire life. Her entirety of her developing years and being a Padawan were dedicated to learning how to become a warrior. It was all she knew and the people who surrounded her; Anakin, Rex, Obi-Wan, her troops– they had all turned to dust so quickly Ahsoka didn't know what to do.

She felt lost, stumbling alone now. Even more alone than when she had left the Order because she knew in the back of her mind that if anything got worse she at least had something or someone to go back to. Yet now there she was, alone on a desert planet fixing machines, making drinks and having a daily existential crisis.

At the end of her shift, she headed back to where she was staying to eat before going to her bartending job. When she entered the front room she found Marta, the woman who owned the place, sitting at the table and watching a halonet nervously.

Ahsoka approached her, trying to see what could possibly get her so worked up. Marta was an unshakable woman, made up of hard lines and tanned skinned yet her eyes held a warmth Ahsoka could only assume was motherly. "What's going on?" She plucked a cup from the overhead shelves and filled it with bantha milk.

"They're coming?"

She furrowed her brows as she searched the cabinet for something to eat. "Who is? Hey, what happened to the biscuits– Marta what's wrong?" When she turned, the woman's gaze was hazy and for the first time Ahsoka realized she was scared.

"Storm troopers are one thing, but the Empire is coming. Here. They say it's for some campaign but I don't believe that." Marta shut off the halonet and shook her head, deep frown lines appearing in her face. "Tatooine for a campaign? Please! They're probably just going to wreak havoc and ruin more things."

Ahsoka could barely hear her, panic shooting straight to her heart and infecting her veins. She tried not to let her own fear grow, fear was a mind killer and an unhelpful path to follow. She told herself she shouldn't be afraid, she's fought Sith and survived but without the Force she feared just how much her fighting talents might've relied on the Force. Surely she had muscle memory, but so much of a Jedi's training was how to let the Force direct your actions and movements. It had always been a welcomed friend on her shoulder, giving her directions and providing a sure route to victory.

She cleared her throat, "well it's a big planet. Maybe they won't–"

"No child, they're coming here ."

Ahsoka felt all the blood drain from her face. "Why?" That made no sense. Ahsoka made sure to pick one of the most quiet and remote towns on Tatooine, barely anyone had heard of it. So why was the Empire coming there? An answer popped into her head but she was terrified to give it much attention.

And then he spoke, his voice clear and sure. It should've been comforting but there was an undertone of a threat, a warning and Ahsoka went cold and rigid.

I'm coming for you, Ahsoka.

She dropped her glass and it shattered, the sound of it breaking made her snap out of it and she dropped to her knees to quickly pick up the pieces. "Sorry I–" she was at a loss for words. What the hell did that mean? Was her mind playing tricks on her?

A spark of hope shone dimly. Maybe he knew she was on Tatooine and heard the Empire was coming, so he'd come out of hiding to help her. Like he always had when they were together, he always knew when to step in. Yet, if Anakin knew where she was this whole time why hadn't he come to get her sooner?

She tried to shake off the wariness she felt and didn't even realize her hands were bleeding from the broken glass. A treacherous thought that felt like fire burned the inside of her skull and sent scorching waves to her heart and everything ached. He couldn't be coming with the Empire, could he?

Ahsoka felt guilt rip at her insides, not quite believing her mind had even entertained that idea. But, for the first time in months, it was as if the Force peaked out from its hiding place. Whispering she was on the right track.

His voice came again, softer this time and almost a whisper. It sounded like a promise, nearly a loving caress and this terrified her even more.

I'm coming for you, Ahsoka.

Her voice wavered as blood dripped on the floor, flashing red in her eyes. "What's the campaign for?"

Marta shrugged and walked over, handing Ahsoka a wet cloth to wrap her hands in with a look of concern in her eyes. "Not entirely sure, something about recruitment I think."

"Recruitment," she echoed. That seemed appalling, Tatooine was known for not having the best attitude towards the Empire even if they did comply. But she supposed she could understand the appeal a position could offer, it was a free ticket off the planet which many people normally couldn't afford.

"But who knows. The Empire always says one thing and does another. Let's hope we avoid a bloodbath."

Ahsoka came to a horrifying realization she didn't have her lightsabers anymore. Yes, there were a multitude of other things she could fight with and admittedly if she did get in trouble and just happened to have the weapon of the Jedi, that wouldn't blow over well. She had to practically rip her tongue off the roof of her mouth with how dry it was. "When are they coming?"

Marta gave a sympathetic smile, misinterpreting Ahsoka's fright. "In two rotations."

I am coming for you , Anakin lulled again and Ahsoka shivered. She had been missing her Master dearly, trying to follow whispers and dead ends to where he might be hiding but the entire galaxy thought he was dead so her efforts often went south.

Now though, he felt closer than ever and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was awfully, terribly wrong.