How to Take an Empire

Chapter Forty-Three: Rumination

Even one-handed, Ahsoka could make quick work of training droids on the highest settings. And training droids on the highest settings weren't enough to cool her ever-increasing fury at Vader for ruining her mission like he had. He'd ruined missions before, though. Both personally and by sending an agent to interfere. Sometimes inadvertently. But this time was different. This time he'd not only stopped her from getting information about a planet-killing battle station—the Death Star Rex told her he read in the files—he'd also known about said planet-killing battle station and hadn't thought to mention it to her. Which begged the question, why? The only thing that made sense was that he had every intention of using it one day, and she'd known he wouldn't approve. And if Vader was willing to use a planet-killing battle station, what did that really say about him? Would she be willing to hand over the galaxy to him if that was his plan to enforce his rule?

When all this first started, she hadn't been too concerned about how Vader planned to rule his Empire. Not only did he at least seem to be the lesser evil compared to Palpatine, but it was far enough off that she didn't have to think about it. Now, it wasn't so far off. Now, she had to think about what an Empire with Vader at the helm was going to be like.

Ahsoka sighed, deciding to test her stiff shoulder with a simple kata. She dropped her saber halfway through when the sequences and mentally cursed Vader for throwing her into a wall.

"Kriffing Darth Vader," Ahsoka muttered to herself.

"I definitely understand that sentiment."

Ahsoka didn't turn around as she said, "I was wondering how long it was going to take you to come in here."

"I should have known you knew I was there," Cal said dryly. Then he added, "You're really good. With your sabers, I mean. I haven't met another Jedi dual wielder in a while. Well, you know..."

"That's right," Ahsoka said, remembering how the knight had separated his blade into two. "You're a dual wielder too."

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that. My saber skills are okay, but I've never had the time or anyone to really train me how to balance out the use of both blades at the same time. And experimenting with that in a fight probably isn't a good idea," Cal admitted.

That reminded Ahsoka that Vader lost his arm in a duel using two lightsabers, something he admitted to her when she'd decided to pick up a second blade.

"That is definitely true," Ahsoka said with a smile as she looked at him. "But that's not what you wanted to talk to me about. Is it?"

"I did plan on asking you about it at some point," Cal replied.

"But that's not what you intended this time."

Ahsoka dealt with enough politicians to know when they were trying to get her to let her guard down.

"No," Cal admitted. "I... I came to tell you that when you asked me what I saw when I held your lightsaber, I didn't tell you everything I saw."

"I knew that."

"Yeah. I figured you did. That's why you paired us together on Geonosis. To keep an eye on me and make sure I didn't give away any of your secrets."

Ahsoka smiled. "Part of it. I also like you, Cal Kestis. You remind me of a friend."

Cal's response was silence for a long few moments. Then he said, "Vader. Right?"

"What?"

"The friend. It's Vader. Isn't it? Before he was... well. Vader," Cal said with an apologetic shrug.

"Did you see that when I gave you my lightsaber?"

"Yes and no," Cal replied. "I did see it, but I didn't put it together until you told me to leave you with Vader. At first, I thought you were just brave. But then I realized that you weren't being brave. You weren't afraid of him at all. Like you knew the real him. If I hadn't had those visions earlier, I wouldn't have even noticed."