The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano, Book Five

Chapter Fourteen: The Plan Changes

DARK SIDE ASSASSIN

The assassin had been hiding in the kitchen tent.She had waited patiently as Ahsoka Tano had sniffed around for any kind of danger that might be hiding there. Like her. Then she had watched as that silly girl had run off yelling, “Stop!”

Her prey then disarmed the bomb – as the assassin knew that she would, since she had been careful to choose a type that she would know and that would give her the next clue – and had taken off running after her commando droid. It had been an expensive purchase, but would have been worth its weight in credits in her grand scheme.

She then stole out of the tent and made her way up the slope and towards her ship. It was hidden in one of Cialone’s many caves, daringly close to the camp, from the prying eyes of the Jedi by the stony outcrop of rocks.

Her soundless steps over the grass turned into slightly louder ones as she crossed over to the stone of her cave. There was no need to be absolutely soundless here. It was close to the camp, but not so close that heightened Jedi hearing would pick up any stray noises.

She walked up to the ramp of her ship and swaggered aboard. All was in order, as it was supposed to be. She was just about to sit down on the cushion in her favorite room on the ship when the transmitter at her wrist made a prolonged beeeeeeep!

She flipped the switch on it, and a hologram of a hooded old man with grotesquely pronounced wrinkles on his face came up. “What news, assassin?” he said more than asked. He sounded bored.

“Ahsoka Tano has just gone running after my droid. She will be very interested in what it has to say when she catches it,” she replied coolly. “She will soon fall right into my hands.” She curled her long, gloved fingers into a fist to prove the point.

“Excellent. But, might I propose a change?” The Emperor was acting too civilized. Her guard immediately went up. As if it had ever been down.

“Of course.” Her voice and posture didn’t change.

“I would greatly appreciate it if you could deliver her to me. On Tatooine, perhaps. I wish to… process her.”

This was unexpected. “Oh? She has information that would be of interest to you?”

“Perhaps. That is what I would like to find out.” He deftly avoided her question.

“Very well. But there will have to be an increase in my pay, if I’m to get her to Tatooine.” She smiled a calculating smile. “Fuel isn’t inexpensive, you know.”

“I am aware of the terms of our agreement. If I make any changes, your pay goes up,” he said. It was a disguised reminder that she was to do as he told her. “It will not be a problem.”

“Good. I will be there in two day’s time at the latest.”

“Until then, assassin.” He ended the transmission.

This was unusual. So she would have to get her to Tatooine? Well, then she had best get to work. She would have to make a few changes in the message that the droid was carrying.

Once she was finished recording and the newer message had been sent to the droid’s transmitter, she left her ship and the cave behind. She stole, darting from one covered area to the next, back down to the camp and through the back of the kitchen tent. She had a few loose ends that she still needed to wrap up, if her plan was to succeed.