Daughter of Mortis

Visions

    "No we can't!" She felt a tear leak out of her eye. We? I join the Rebellion?

    "You have to."

    "This is your last chance, girl. Tell me where she is or he will die!"

    No response. She was searching the blue eyed boy's face for answers.

    "Tell me where she is!"

    Still nothing.

    "Where is Ahsoka Tano?"

    Tano...my name. Ania lifted her head defiantly. "I don't know."

    "Then he dies." Ania lurched forward in the stormtrooper's grips as a crimson lightsaber blade pushed through the boys chest.

    Agonizing pain blazed through her body, as though she were feeling what the boy felt. Her breathing was labored and uneven and anger and hurt welled up inside her. Vader deactivated his lightsaber and kicked the boy to the ground. Ania saw the light fade from his eyes as he gazed at her. She struggled more, trying to reach him. She reached out to him with the Force, finding a sliver of his presence left. She clung to it, refusing to let go, before her own body snapped.

    The pain and anger seeped up into her and she saw glimpses of a strange planet and an altar. Images of a tattooed man and a beautiful woman. Her head was thrown back and beams of white light shot out of her eyes and mouth. She cried out in pain and felt the Force surge out of her body in waves. When the light faded, every stormtrooper was lying in smoldering pieces and Vader, his mask partially broken, was staring at her with horror in his eyes.

    Ania opened her eyes and smacked her palm onto the hard metal floor of the Ravager, grounding herself in her body again. She slowly regained her breath and calmed her troubled thoughts. "I wonder who that boy was," she thought aloud. "And that name. Ahsoka Tano. Who is she?"

    A frantic beeping broke her out of her stupor. Ania leaped to her feet and ran back to the cockpit on unsteady legs. She was nearing Lothal. She skimmed her fingers over the control panel, slowing down her speed in lightspeed so her exit from hyperspace wouldn't end up disintegrating her. Ania deactivated the hyperdrive and the stars stretched out again. Then she dropped out of lightspeed and was gently cruising towards a planet surface. The large planet was mostly blue, due to its vast oceans. The land masses were green and brown, where the grasslands were. "Well, it's not the most beautiful planet, but it's nice," she said. She breezed past the twin moons orbiting the planet.

    The Imperial Blockade came into view as she passed the larger moon. "B-wing Ravager, identify yourself," a voice crackled through her comms.

    "Mercenary Ania Tano. Sending clearance codes now." She typed in the required letters and numbers and sent them in.

    There was muffled static for a while, then, "Commander Tano, welcome to Lothal. Please proceed to Lothal City, docking bay 19."

    "Copy that." She switched off her comm and eased the Ravager forward between two Star Destroyers. She flew past multiple hover droids, that would be scanning the city. Ania set the auto pilot for the coordinates the Imperial Officer had given her and relaxed. She let her senses roam the planet's surface, getting a feel for the place. The Force's presence was strong within the planet.

    As Ania let herself expand across the plain's, she could see the Loth Cats, and further on, Loth Wolves. She let a strange rhyme unfold itself in her mind. "Loth Bat, Loth Cat, Loth Wolf run. Pick a path and all is done." She had no idea where she had heard the chant before. Still another mystery from her dreams. She drew herself back in as her ship decelerated and began to lower into the docking bay.

    The life support cycle released steam outside the ship as she lowered the boarding ramp. Ania checked that her blasters were in their holsters and her lightsabers were at her hips. She then stepped out of the ship, entered the security password into the keypad beside the ramp, and stood on Lothal soil. An Imperial Officer followed by four stormtroopers approached her.

    "Commander Tano," the officer said, "allow me to introduce myself. I am Lieutenant Quin. What brings you to Lothal?"

    "My master informed Agent Kallus and Governer Price of my arrival already and what my purpose here is. Perhaps instead of taking things upon yourself, you should check with your commanding officers beforehand," she snapped.

    Quin took a step back. "My apologies, si...ma'am?"

    "Sir, ma'am. I don't care what you call me so long as you don't interfere where you are not needed," Ania rolled her eyes.

    "Commander Tano. I see you are making yourself quite at home." The newcomer, a tall man a little over 6 feet, with blonde hair and brown eyes, approached. His black armor and strange helmet gave away his identity immediately. A bo-rifle was strapped to his back. Kallus' eyes strayed to her hips, where her weapons were on full display.

    "Agent Kallus," Ania smiled. "It's nice to finally meet someone that's in charge around here."

    "Likewise," Kallus smiled. Well, a butchered smile anyway. "Let me show you around Capital City."

    "Thank you. I'm excited to see what is so interesting about this planet." Ania followed the Imperial Agent out of the hanger and into the city. Quin and his stormtroopers remained behind them.

    "Arrogant mercenary. Just who does she think she is?" Quin growled as he followed them into the city.