Ania cracked her eyes open, barely registering the walls around her. A subtle throbbing remained throughout her entire body. She shifted herself into a sitting position and quickly checked for injuries. None met her eyes. Her bag, blasters, lightsabers, and comm had been taken however. A set of footsteps sent her back to the ground. She screwed her eyes shut and evened out her breathing. The cell door hissed open.
"Still asleep? How high was the stun level?"
"Four, sir."
"Then she should be awake." The footsteps clomped closer to her and a set of strong hands began to shake her. Ania let herself go limp, keeping her eyes closed. The hands dropped her roughly. "Bring her to me as soon as she wakes."
"Yes, sir." The two sets of footsteps faded and the door hissed closed behind them.
Ania waited a few minutes before sitting up. The cell around her was made completely out of metal. If she used the Force, she could rip right through it. Ania inched her way towards the wall and touched it. Instantly, sparks laced her hand. Ania bit back a cry and pulled away. She turned her wrist over and groaned, spying a faint blink of light beneath her orange skin. A tiny scar gleamed at her.
The door hissed open behind her and two Mandalorians stormed in. They grabbed her arms roughly, pulling her to her feet. "I suggest you don't fight if you plan to live," one of them said.
Ania let them pull her along. They wrapped a blindfold around her eyes. She cast her senses out anyway, feeling her way around. She felt herself going up several flights of stairs. All the walls around her whispered of metal and concrete. At last, the blindfold was removed.
Ania stood before a crowd of multiple species. Mandalorians, Trandoshans, Zabraks, and Twi'leks met her gaze. Her attention was drawn towards a metal throne on a raised dais. Specifically, to the man seated there. The human wore black and silver Mandalorian armor and a red cape was draped over the sides of the throne. A silver Mando helmet rested on the arm of the throne. Next to him sat a purple skinned Twi'lek, dressed in a blue silk outfit.
The man flicked a finger and the Mandos marched her forward. The man tilted his head. "On your knees, Togruta."
Ania raised her head defiantly. "I bow for no one."
The man laughed. "The dark lord's hand does not bow?" A jerk of his head and the Mandos sent the butts of their rifles into the back of Ania's knees. She crunched to the ground, sickeningly. She raised hateful blue eyes to the man.
"What a story this will make! Ania Tano, right hand to Lord Vader, bowed before me! Me, a lowly crime lord." He laughed again. "Unless the rumors are true, that is. Rumors are, Miss Tano, you betrayed your master and are now a fugitive."
Ania remained silent. The man waved someone forward. The Zabrak handed him Ania's lightsabers. "Fascinating," the man said. He activated one of her blades. The amethyst hue hummed with energy. "Well, that's not a common sight, but neither are lightsabers. Not anymore, anyway." He deactivated the lightsaber. "I think the Emperor will pay handsomely for your capture, Ania."
"I think you'd be a fool to expose yourself to him."
The man smirked. "I don't think the Emperor can hurt me. Do you even know who I am?" His eyes narrowed. "I am Feton Ralius, one of the greatest crime lords on Coruscant!"
Ania laughed. "You do not know the Emperor or my former master very well. That is exceedingly obvious." It was her turn to narrow her eyes. "And...you do not know me." The purple Twi'lek leaned forward, observing Ania.
Ania bowed her head. Quick as lightning, she leaped to one foot and swiped her leg beneath the Mandos. They fell to the ground, crying out. Ania reached her hand out, pulling a lightsaber to her with the Force. She quickly cut the shackles off her wrist.
Feton rose and pointed at her angrily. "Restrain her!" The Twi'lek shot a look at Feton. Blast bolts began to rain down. Ania quickly deflected them all, pulling her shoto to her as well. She activated its white blade.
Feton's eyes grew wide. "Impossible!"
Ania felt a surge of power ripple through her. She no longer felt the lightsabers in her hand. Her eyes began to glow white and an otherworldly aura emanated around her. "You have no idea what's possible!" Her voice was not her own. Someone else was speaking through her. She raised a hand and pointed it to Feton. The world faded to black before she could move.
"Hey, wake up!" Someone was shaking her shoulders. Ania blinked her eyes open and found herself in another cell, made entirely of concrete. The purple skinned Twi'lek let go of her. "Are you all right?"
Ania sat up and hissed in pain. Bruises marred her skin and her very bones ached. She bit her lip, recalling how she had been forced down in her own body. "What did I do?"
"I...I'm not sure. One minute you were incinerating the entire room and the next, you were unconscious on the ground. Feton had you heavily restrained and sedated and moved here. What was that? What are you?" The Twi'lek asked.
"I'm...was...an Imperial Mercenary."
"Was? The rumors were true then?"
"Yes, I betrayed my master and ran. It's not safe for me to stay here. I only meant to stay long enough to lose those metal heads and then leave but that didn't seem to work out for me." Ania gritted her teeth, flipping her wrist over.
The Twi'lek followed her gaze and exposed her own wrist. A familiar red blip mirrored Ania's. "Feton marks everyone with these when he takes them. They're painful to remove and if you make one mistake and trigger the alarm in it, it'll explode and take you with it," the girl explained.
"How long have you been here?"
"Since I was 13. Slavers took me from Ryloth and sold me to Feton. I've had to serve him for six years now."
"What's your name?"
"Tolsa Lee."
Ania smiled faintly. "Well, looks like we both have a score to settle with this guy."
Tolsa cocked her head and pulled a small metal sphere from her pocket. "I need to ask you something." She held the sphere in her palm and focused on it. Ania raised an eyebrow in surprise as the sphere lifted.
"You're Force-sensitive," Ania stated.
Tolsa nodded. "Can you teach me?"
Ania scoffed. "I'm not exactly qualified to teach Jedi materials. I've been a mercenary, just under an Inquisitor since I was 10."
Tolsa slid the sphere back into her pocket. "Do you know someone who can teach me?"
Ania thought for a minute. "I think so."
"Then I'll help you escape, but in return, you have to take me with you. I need someone to teach me so that I can defend myself," Tolsa said.
"Your powers aren't very strong," Ania pointed out. "They won't be able to teach you very much."
"Yours are strange," Tolsa said. "My powers reach towards you but pull away at the same time."
"Hm. Well, I suppose we have a deal." Ania stuck her hand out. Tolsa gripped it firmly.
"Feton likes young girls like you. He dresses them up and makes them perform for him at his parties. Lucky for you, there's a party tonight. I can convince him to let you dance with me and we'll drug all the drinks," Tolsa said, the plan already forming in her mind.
"How are you doing to convince Ralius to let me out of here? He saw what I can do."
"He knows I'm Force-sensitive. I'll convince him that I can control you. Feton isn't very bright when it comes to things like that."
Ania nodded, a grin forming on her lips. "Great. I can't wait to turn him in to the Emperor for conspiring with a traitor."
"What?"
"Oh, you know. Just a rumor here, a little lie there. Feton will be swept under a wave of stormtroopers and we'll be able to escape easier."
Tolsa smirked. "I like it." She stood. "I'd better go. I'll be back for you tonight if everything goes according to plan." She slid out of the door without another word.
Ania let out a sigh and crossed her legs. What did I do? Is it proof that my vision is going to come true? She closed her eyes, letting the Force enfold her and pull her out of her body.
She opened her eyes in a starry chasm, one she had seen before. Ania stood and walked across the transparent walkway. A convor sat on top of one of the portals. The portal glowed and the beautiful green haired woman appeared again.
"What was that? What did you do to me?" Ania shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the Daughter.
She raised her hands defensively. "I did nothing. It was you who summoned me and it was your anger that turned me."
Ania bared her teeth. "I could have killed everyone in there! What were you thinking?"
"No, what were you thinking?" The Daughter redirected. "It is my spirit that lives inside you, not the other way around."
"Really? You could have fooled me, what with all the visions that float around in my head!"
The Daughter's gaze grew cold. "You are untrained and your power is growing quickly, much faster than Ahsoka could have anticipated. You must go to her so she can teach you what you must know."
"I know how to use the Force. There's nothing Ahsoka can teach me," Ania spat.
"You know nothing of the Light Side, dear one. Your destiny is great. It could help save the galaxy, or be the very thing to destroy it. You must obey me. Find Ahsoka and let her teach you." The Daughter began to fade.
"I don't even know where she is!"
"Follow the Force. It will lead you to her," the Daughter's voice echoed.
Ania blinked her eyes open and groaned. "How am I supposed to find Ahsoka? It's been a year! The Inquisitors could have killed her by now!" She leaned forward, resting her head in her hands. "Ezra. I bet Ezra would know where she is."
She fell silent as the door hissed open. One of the Mandos stepped inside and tossed a purple and gold outfit to her. "Put this on. Feton wants to see you dance tonight."
Ania forced herself to frown. "I'm a mercenary, not a dancer."
"Too bad. You're a dancer tonight." The Mando tossed the outfit to Ania and left.
Ania raised an eyebrow at the outfit. She rolled her eyes and quickly changed. The headpiece fit her montrals almost perfectly, but it was a bit tight. She knocked on the door, signaling she was finished. She had forgone her boots. After all, they'd have to come back this way to find her other belongings.
The Mando opened the door and went still. Ania shook her head. "Are you going to gawk all night or am I gonna have to move you?" She hissed. She held up a fist threateningly. The Mando shook his head and grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the cell. Ania smiled mockingly, awaiting her freedom.