Signature Bonds - Star Wars TCW

Chapter 16

Cloned Anakin wandered out of his quarters on the ship that he was currently inhabiting. It looked quite similar to his room in the Jedi Temple, but it didn't hold all of the other annoying younglings. It was quite stupid, actually. He had been among the Jedi for over five years and never once did they suspect him.

He let out a breath, rubbing his arms with the cold that filled his bones. It felt as if the marrow itself had been frozen, and he would soon be a chunk of ice. He had to be careful while on that ship; if he came back darker than when he left, the Jedi would sense something was off, if it wasn't already sensed.

"Collin," a voice called from behind him. Cloned Anakin's shoulders immediately tensed, and chills ran down his spine. 'Collin' was what his other name was, the one he went by at the temple, and on the ship. But, his captive was unlucky enough to not know his actual name, so she could only think of him as Anakin. It was kind of disturbing, actually, she had so many mushy thoughts sometimes, especially recently, as she hadn't slept in about a week. Her thoughts had become delirious, and she hadn't really been able to block them, so she was practically shouting in his mind. It wasn't just mushy stuff either.

There were a number of times she had 'said' that she just wanted to punch him.

Repeatedly.

His thoughts drifted back to the being calling his name, and Collin shakily walked to the door, dreading the moments to follow.

"Oh Collin, my dear, how is our... captive?" A chilling feminine voice drawled, and as he stepped into the room, the figure owning the voice came into view. It was a Dathomirian, with pale skin and purple marks, lacking any evidence of hair. Even though she wasn't much older than the clone, she was still very intimidating.

"Asleep, and in a lot of pain, Lady Ventress," Collin responded through frozen lips. The Dathomirian typically had that affect, and was able to freeze him to the bone. It probably came from being too warm with the light for so long, Collin mused, hoping silently that he wouldn't get her anger taken out on him this time.

Whatever she was angry about.

"Good," Assajj Ventress purred, one hand stroking one of her twin sabers. "I'd hate to have to go to," she paused, "extra measures." Collin gulped, his eyes darting to her hips where her sabers rested before looking back to her face.

"I know, milady, but-"

"Collin?"

"Yes, milady?" He swallowed again, knowing he had successfully condemned himself to extreme punishment.

"You know I really hate when you call me that, right?"

"Yes, Lady Ventress."

"And you know I was being sarcastic, correct?"

Collin tried not to turn tail and run at that moment. She always did this before she released it. The inner beast, something which she could look less of with a bit of hair...

"Yes."

"Then you know what comes next?"

He gulped. A sickening smile crossed Ventress' face.

"Yes."

---

Ahsoka awoke to cries of pain, and screams of agony, but she blocked it out. Sympathy for her captor was not something she needed to feel, even if her captor looked just like her bond-mate. Sometimes she wondered if she would ever be able to leave, but she knew it was useless to even think about that. She'd have to be set free. She was not that great of a Jedi yet, and she wasn't even a padawan, much less a knight or a master. Everything was against her.

She was tired.

She was young.

She still didn't have her force abilities fully tuned.

And she was small.

It was then it hit her.

She was small, it was true. But, she was small enough to fit into that vent!

The small togruta sat bolt upright scurrying across her cell, before testing the vent. A small smile graced her face. The vent was only barely bolted on, and it would be quite easy to undo. And, with the cries of pain coming from some kind of torture chamber, (Ahsoka wasn't quite sure; nor did she really want to know. It's not like she was sadistic.) it didn't seem that her captor would be back any time soon-

- the door to her cell opened, and her shoulders slumped. She was not going to leave any time soon.

"Hello, Ahsoka Tano."

---

Anakin awoke twenty-four hours later, and he sat up quickly. Long story short, it was a really bad idea. He immediately went smashing back into the bed he found himself on, his senses blurred and his head feeling as if all of the blood had suddenly rushed out of it. Minutes later, he slowly sat up, feeling some of his bones pop, and his muscles tense, weak from a day without use.

As he looked around, he soon noticed that he wasn't in his quarters, nor was he in the Halls of Healing, where he expected to wake up. (It had become more and more common over the years.) The walls were a dull grey, so were the floors, ceiling, and just about everything else was too.

He turned to his side, hoping it had been a dream, a terrible, horrible nightmare and Ahsoka was still there. She wasn't. His memories came rushing back, and he remembered why he had slept for so long in the first place, and why he hadn't been able to feel the playful, affectionate little fireball that was his bond-mate.

Sadness settled over him, and as he sat there, the door opened. Obi-wan Kenobi stepped into the room, a bittersweet smile crossing him at the sight of his padawan.

"We're going to get her back, you know."

Anakin smiled sadly.

"I hope so."