across the stars ( original edition ) ( complete )

Chapter 25

A true heart should never be doubted.

Ahsoka came too with a splitting headache, trying to remember what happened. They had left the ship, Barriss grabbed her, and the ship blew up. Ahsoka staggered up and clutched her head, her ears ringing. There was fire and debris everywhere. She pulled her hand away and felt the sticky blood on her hand. Something must have been bleeding. She noticed a piece of miscellaneous metal with blood on it. It must have flown off the ship and cut her. Ahsoka located Barriss and helped her up, noticing a rip in her arm that was bleeding.

"What happened?" asked Barriss, wiping ashes off her face and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"The ship exploded and you saved my life," said Ahsoka.

Barriss's face was stricken. "Al! Where is she?"

Ahsoka looked over to the other side of the platform. "Al! Al, are you awake?"

"What's going on?" Al asked groggily. "My head hurts."

Ahsoka walked over to her, avoiding the fire. "The ship exploded. Don't worry, you're not dead."

"Not yet that is," said a voice above them. Ahsoka recognized it and looked around for it's owner.

"Too scared to show yourself Ventress?" she said, helping Al up. Al had no scars that Ahsoka could see, but she was clutching her stomach as if it was bruised.

Ventress chuckled and jumped down from the upward rafters. She shot a glare at Barriss and unclipped her lightsabers. "Still have my old ones?"

Barriss did the same and winced at her arm. "I gave them away. Their in good hands."

Ventress yelled in rage and lunged at Barriss, slamming her lightsabers down on hers. The impact was surprisingly strong and Barriss staggered a little.

"We need to help her," said Al.

"No," said Ahsoka, helping Al sit down. "I'll go. You're injured worse then me, so wait here."

Al looked hurt, but didn't complain.

Ahsoka ignited her lightsabers and Ventress took one of her lightsabers and slammed it towards to Ahsoka who made a X with her two blades, blocking Ventress. Barriss threw Ventress's saber off hers and attacked her left and right. Ventress, caught off guard, released her saber from Ahsoka, causing Ahsoka to kick Ventress in the stomach, sending the witch hurdling over into some crates, sending them flying. But Ventress wasn't giving up. She hissed and used the force to send Ahsoka and Barriss towards some flames. Ahsoka stopped herself, but the hinge of Barriss's dress got lightly scorched. After putting it out, the two girls made back at Ventress, but were blown back into the wall. Ahsoka swore she felt her back break as she collapsed on the floor. Before she had the strength for standing, Ventress pulled her and Barriss to her feet. There was the sound of a blade being ignited and a red glow was cast on the floor. Ahsoka felt heat on her neck and knew that Ventress was going to kill her.

"How cute," said the ex Night sister. "You will sit here and your friend will watch you die."

"HEY!"

Ventress turned around. Al was standing clutching her chest, her green lightsaber on and at her side, eyes flashing. "Get away from my sisters you bitch."

Ventress chuckled and turned to Al. "You think you can save them. They will die."

Al raised her lightsaber and spun it around, strengthening her position. "Over my dead body."

"So be it," said Ventress. She lunged at Al and slammed her blades down on Al's green one. Their sabers collided in an unusual display of Christmas colors. Ahsoka looked at Barriss and the two made to grab their lightsabers and help Al. Ahsoka picked hers up and turned back to the fight. Ventress was aggressively hitting her lightsabers on Al's. Al was wincing at every step. Barriss noticed something off. Ventress was only using one. Her other was behind her back, gripped firmly in her hands. She held it out as Al leaned over her.