Ben had made Ania analyze the lightsaber diagrams again and again until she was certain she'd see them in her sleep. Ania spent a lot of free time sketching her new lightsabers and examining her old ones, determining what parts would have to be scrapped or modified to build the new blades. After a week of work, Tolsa still hadn't completed her own lightsaber.
Ania grabbed her hilts and stepped outside, following Ben over to Tolsa. Tolsa was deep in concentration. The parts of her lightsaber drifted around her. Ania said nothing as she sat down next to Tolsa. She was finally ready to build her own lightsabers. Ania set her mother's blades in front of her and closed her eyes.
She quickly dredged up the design the Force had shown her, as well as the diagrams from Ben. Ania began to focus, letting the Force pull apart her lightsabers. Different parts unscrewed and broke off until both lightsabers were floating in the air completely taken apart. Ania called up her design and began to reshape some of the metal, twisting other pieces and reforming the lightsabers. As she need pieces, they drifted out of Ben's collection and joined her parts in the air.
Her eyes opened in the middle of a battle. A massive Imperial blockade surrounded Lothal. She flew past one of the Star Destroyers and caught a glimpse of Grand Admiral Thrawn through the bridge windows. The ship circled back, opening fire on several TIE's and doubling back for an attack on fuel cells. The comms were crackling and buzzing with activity.
As she watched, an A-wing took a heavy blast and began falling to the planet's surface. She caught sight of the familiar orange and white droid trying desperately to restore power to the ship.
The scene disappeared and another arose, but this time she was simply an onlooker. She again saw that Jedi knight engulfed in fire and a pilot and stormtrooper being thrown back into a transport.
"See and know," a voice called out to her.
"Know? Know what?"
"This is the future," the voice hissed. "The future of your friends. Your future."
She looked around desperately, but there was no one there. "What do you mean? That can't be,"
"But it is!" A guttural cackle followed the words. "They will die, one by one. Each will be taken by the Empire. Each will come so close to victory. When they draw their last breath, they will curse your name, knowing it was your fault they failed."
"No! I'm not even there! How can it be my fault?"
"You're not there."
"No! I won't let any of it happen!" She shouted.
"You cannot stop fate. I could not stop mine and you will not be able to stop yours. They will die agonizingly and then," another laugh. "Oh and then, you will die. After you have lived long enough to suffer from knowing that you failed them."
"No!" She collapsed to her knees, refusing to look at the scenes surrounding her.
Phantom hands grabbed her face and forced her eyes open. Ania screamed at what she saw. Ahsoka faced Vader, white lightsabers flying to life. Ania screamed again, calling out to her mother. Ahsoka didn't hear. She flew at Vader, attacking him and dodging left and right. Vader began to gain ground, though, and forced her backwards into the lightning storm growing around them.
Ahsoka plunged her lightsabers into the cracking ground, spreading the weakness even further. Vader roared in anger and slammed out a hand, halting Ahsoka in place. "No!" Ania screamed. The crimson blade pushed through Ahsoka's heart. Ania screamed until her throat was horse as Ahsoka fell forward, gone.
She was whisked to another time and place. Kanan and Hera were surrounded by stormtroopers. As she watched, Hera grabbed Kanan's hands. "I love you." She saw the words form on Hera's lips, but couldn't hear her say them. Kanan ignited his lightsaber and Hera drew her blaster. The stormtroopers opened fire. Kanan deflected blast after blast while Hera fired her own shots at the stormtroopers.
A blast struck Kanan in the arm, disorienting him for a minute. "Hera!" Ania cried out. The Twi'lek fired a blast and suddenly convulsed as a shot hit her from behind. Ania began screaming again as multiple shots found their target. Hera's smoking body fell limply. Kanan must have sensed it. He whirled, face contorted in pain. With a roar he hurled his lightsaber in a semi circle, taking down several stormtroopers.
Kanan gasped as a blaster rang out. He fell to his knees and crawled over to Hera, grabbing her limp hand in his own. The stormtrooper fired again and Kanan fell still, his hand still grasping Hera's.
"Stop! Let me go! Please!" Ania screamed.
"See and know," the voice hissed.
"Daughter! Help me, please!"
"She has no dominion here. It is just us."
Ania tried to close her eyes again as Sabine and Zeb appeared. Sabine soared overhead, her jet pack humming to life. Zeb growled and fired at the approaching Mandalorians. Ania tried to call a warning to Sabine as one of the Mandalorians raised a blaster. His shot rocketed into Sabine's jetpack. The jetpack exploded in a wave of light, taking Sabine with it. Zeb roared and covered his eyes. A detonator rolled towards him. Zeb whirled and tried to run. One of the Mandalorians blasted him in the leg. Zeb collapsed on the ground just as the detonator went off.
She hit the ground, drenched in sweat. Sand was already sticking to her bare arms. Ben and Tolsa leaned over her, anxiously. "What happened?" Ania lifted a hand to her face. Her cheeks were wet with tears and her head pounded. Her partially constructed lightsabers lay beside her.
"You lost control," Ben said, kneeling beside her. "I recognize the presence that stole over you. It reminded me of the Son."
"Did I say anything?"
Tolsa shook her head. "As soon as your demeanor shifted, your lightsabers stopped building and fell. You started floating and crying. What did you see?"
Ania inhaled sharply. The pained faces of her friends flashed through her memory. "I don't want to talk about it." A beeping began to draw her attention.
"Your wrist comm has been beeping for a while," Tolsa pointed out.
"I'm going to take a break." She stood and brushed some of the sand off. Ben took her lightsabers and the parts, stashing them in a box.
"Back to work, Tolsa," he said as Ania walked off.
She made her way quickly to the ship. Her wrist comm had been beeping on and off the entire way. Sure enough, when she stepped on board, the transmitter was flashing. Ania fell into her seat and switched it on. Ezra's hologram appeared.
She raised an eyebrow, taking in the Imperial armor he wore. "What is it?" She brushed some more sand off. It clattered slightly as it hit the metal flooring.
"Hera was captured days ago," Ezra began. Ania felt a sinking pit form in her stomach. "I couldn't contact you because the Empire found out how to trace our transmissions. I couldn't risk trying until now."
"How long?"
"Long enough. We're staging a rescue today," Ezra replied.
Ania covered her mouth with her hand, letting her chin rest on her wrist. "We can't leave yet."
Ezra nodded slowly. "Please come back as soon as you can."
"I'll tell Tolsa we need to hurry. We can try to leave by tonight."
"Whatever it takes."
"Please be careful. I know how dangerous this mission will be," Ania said.
"That's why I had to risk contacting you. I don't think I'll,"
Ania held up a hand. "Don't even finish that sentence. All of you will make it back all right."
Ezra swallowed hard, visible through the hologram. He scanned her face intently. Muffled voices hollered in the background. "I have to go," he murmured.
"Get her back. We'll be there as soon as we can," Ania replied. She switched the transmitter off and ran back to the house.
Tolsa was deep in concentration. A few more pieces of her lightsaber worked their way together. "We have to leave today," Ania called out as she approached. Tolsa opened her eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Hera was captured by the Empire. Ezra said they're leaving for a rescue mission now. We need to get back as soon as we can," Ania explained.
"Then you'll need to finish these." Ben held out her lightsabers. Ania took them, hands shaking a little. "You will be tested again, Ania. Face whatever he shows you but remember that nothing is set in stone," Ben said.
Ania nodded and sat down. She clenched the lightsabers tightly and released a taut breath, but closed her eyes. The lightsabers drifted up, the pieces continuing to work their way together. Tolsa mimicked her movements. Ania concentrated on her lightsabers, trying to finish as much as she could before he would come again.
"You didn't let me finish."
"There are bigger things at stake than my mentality," Ania hissed. She returned her focus to the lightsabers, building on them a little more.
"That will do you no good. You will never truly be rid of Ania Tano. Everywhere you go, she will go. Everything you will do, she will do!" The phantom hand trailed down one of her arms. Ania refused to let herself balk. She continued working.
"Perhaps she'll realize she was wrong when she sees where my life is going," Ania retorted.
The voice laughed. "Perhaps you should see what else lies in store for you."
The phantom hands pulled her towards a scene. Ania shuddered but kept building her lightsabers. Tolsa was running through the winding streets of Coruscant. Kein Rei chased after her, blasters smoking. Tolsa whipped out a lightsaber and blocked another blast.
She turned down an alley and kept running, panting heavily. Tolsa glanced back but Kein was gone. A heavy weight hit her from above. Tolsa knocked against the ground and lost her grip on her weapon. Kein wrapped a hand around her throat and lifted her. Ania clenched her teeth, still trying to build her lightsabers.
Tolsa clawed at Kein's hand and kicked her feet towards him. Kein blocked her feeble attempts and kicked her lightsaber into his hand. Kein turned it over, analyzing it. With a devilish grin, he activated it through Tolsa's gut. Tolsa gasped as Kein released her. She drew in a few shallow breaths before her eyes glazed over.
Ania felt tears streak her face again. The phantom hands wiped one away. "Emotions are such fascinating things. I remember a time when you wouldn't have cared what happened to any of them." Ania didn't bother to reply. She kept her focus on her lightsabers. The last pieces clicked into place. Ania couldn't see the person with her, but she could feel their wicked smile. "Now that I have your full attention," it hissed, "I saved the best for last!"
The phantom grabbed her and pulled her into another scene. Ania's eyes widened in horror and recognition. She found herself suddenly kneeling between two stormtroopers, hands bound behind her. A doorway hissed open and Ezra came flying through. He hit the ground with a sickening thud. Vader loomed behind him.
Ania struggled in the stormtrooper's grasp. "It's just a vision," she whispered to herself. "Remember, it's just a vision!"
"It may be a vision now, young one," Vader said, "but it will become a reality soon enough."
Ezra lay still, but his blue gaze met hers. Ania saw words form on his lips, but no sound came from him. She struggled again as Vader neared him. "Get away from him!" Ania screeched.
Vader extended a hand and Ezra rose, gasping for breath. Ania pulled against the stormtroopers some more. Vader's hand tightened. Ania fell still. "Good. I see you know your place." She tried to move but found herself immobilized.
"Let him go!" She hissed.
Vader's blade hummed to life. Ania's eyes widened and she tried to surge forward again. The lightsaber hissed through Ezra. Ania screamed and light erupted around them. As it faded, she didn't bother to look around. Her now free hands dragged her to Ezra.
She grabbed his shoulders and pulled him onto her lap. His blue gaze found hers for a moment, before glazing over. His head fell limp. "See and know," the voice said again.
Ania opened her eyes and drifted to the ground. Her newly made lightsabers hovered over her hands. Tolsa stood, gripping her lightsaber as well. Ania quickly brushed the tears from her eyes. "Try them out," Ben motioned to the girls.
Tolsa activated hers. A brilliant blue blade hummed to life. She grinned and deactivated her lightsaber. Tolsa flung her arms around Ben, hugging the old man tightly. He smiled as she let go. Ania wrapped her hands around the new hilts. They would take some getting use to after her old ones. She activated them quickly. Her familiar white and purple blades hummed to life. Ania quickly joined the two halves together and twirled the duel blade, before breaking them apart again.
She clipped the new lightsabers to her belt and hugged Ben. "Thank you," she murmured.
"You girls will have to come visit me sometime. It gets lonely out here," Ben said, smiling. "And bring your friends. I'd love to hear your stories."
Tolsa and Ania glanced at each other. "Don't worry!" Tolsa said. "We'll be back."
"We should go," Ania motioned to the west where the twin suns were swiftly sinking. They waved goodbye to Ben and headed towards the ship.
As soon as they were on board, Ania activated the thrusters. They pulled out of the cave and flew over Ben's house. He was still standing outside, an arm raised towards them. As they started to ascend a landspeeder flew below them.
"Hey, it's Luke!" Tolsa exclaimed.
Ania glanced at the disappearing speeder. Sure enough, Luke was lowering a hand after waving. They quickly left the planet's atmosphere and made the jump to hyperspace. Ania calmed her breathing slightly. I hope we can get to Hera in time.