When She Was Gone

Chapter 5

Anakin ran as fast as his legs could carry him, using the Force to speed himself up. The Sith remained five steps ahead of him, and once he almost lost them when he arrived at a tunnel intersection. The two were going far into the base's back tunnels now; Anakin knew he'd get lost sooner or later.

But the Sith seemed to know where they were going; almost as if they were tracking something. Anakin knew better than to ignore this.

Thoughts raced through his head as he raced through the tunnels. His heart was pounding, and it wasn't from the exertion.

It's not her.

She's dead. It's just a lightsaber grip.

"I'm alive."

Get it together.

Anakin skidded around a corner, then realized he'd lost the Sith. He cursed under his breath and looked around.

The tunnel intersection he was currently standing in was obviously old and not in use very much. Then again, the whole place looked like that except for the big main room. There were two doors to the left, two to the right, and one on the wall behind him. The remaining wall was covered in a mural of Loth-wolves.

Where have I seen that mural before?

He turned in place slowly, and then it hit him.

These are the safe rooms.

The Sith had been going here.

~~

Padmé and her children huddled against the wall, sandwiched between two other families. Everyone was pale or flushed, and a few were crying. Luke was tucked securely under her arm, where he watched the heavy metal door with a steely glare in his eye. He looked on the brink of being sick out of fear. Leia was laying down with her head on Padmé's thigh, shivering. Padmé rubbed her back reassuringly.

Everyone in the safe room froze as faint footsteps moved past the door. A few silent moments passed, then heavier footsteps followed and seemed to stop abruptly. Leia slipped a hand under her tunic where she gripped her lightsaber, preparing for the worst. Padmé picked up her pistol off the floor, and Luke moved his lightsaber from the back of his belt to the front. They were probably the only armed people in the room.

A high, cold laugh came from outside. Luke jumped.

Then the telltale hiss-buzz of two lightsabers.

Force help us, Padmé thought desperately.

~~

Makari was perched on a stalactite, watching Skywalker look about the tunnel in bewilderment. She had to be careful and not use the Force to sense his thoughts, or he'd know she was there. So instead she waited patiently for the realization to dawn on him.

He froze, staring at the safe room door. Makari smiled. That was her cue.

She dropped down to the floor behind him, and he turned quickly to face her.

"Who are you?" He asked. There was an edge to his voice—not fear, not anger, but not calmness, either—that surprised Makari. She smiled again and laughed at him. He seemed taken aback by her high, filtered voice.

"Why, don't you recognize me, Master Skywalker?" She opened her mask to reveal her face. His eyes opened wide in horror, and he shook his head slightly in disbelief.

"You're dead," Skywalker said softly.

"Am I?"

Makari drew her lightsabers, connected them with a twist, and pressed the ignition coils.

Hiss-buzz.

"My Master will be very pleased to hear that I have finally found and killed you, Skywalker," she said through her voice alterer. "And Mrs. Skywalker too."

She could sense his relief when she stopped speaking.

Relief?

~~

Anakin and his former Padawan circled each other in a battle stance. She had her lightsabers drawn, but he refused to draw his own. He couldn't fight Ahsoka.

"My Master will be very pleased to hear that I have finally found and killed you, Skywalker," she said. He was still trying to find her real voice through that buzz of a voice alterer. "And Mrs. Skywalker too."

Relief flooded Anakin when she stopped at Padmé. She didn't know about Luke and Leia. But he was still horrified and shaken. Who was standing in front of him? Was it Ahsoka, his loyal Padawan and comrade, his sister, his friend?

Or was it someone else entirely, merely living in Ahsoka's body?

"Ahsoka," he said. "This isn't you."

Her expression hardened. "Isn't it?" She asked him sharply. Anakin had a sting of deja vu. It was Mortis all over again.

"No," he said quickly. "You are no Sith."

She let out another cold laugh. "Look at me. Of course I am. You just don't see. The Dark Side is freedom." Her expression changed at those last words, as if she didn't quite believe what she was saying. Hell, he couldn't believe he was looking at someone he thought was dead for over a decade.

"Who is your 'Master'?"

"The swiftest Sith Assassin ever created," she said maliciously. She enjoyed what she was saying. "Darth Kaivo."

"Kaivo," Anakin muttered. "Sounds like a nutcase, if you ask me." She glared threateningly at him. "And what am I supposed to call you now?" He asked sadly.

"I am Makari. Silent Killer. I was once the first Grand Inquisitor. I am Shadower, I am Red Knife."

Anakin winced. She even had a new name. "No...Snips, why are you doing this?"