V.E.: Oh boy, Bespin. We're reaching the climax of this second arc. So…..almost half way done, I think?

(Numerous red dots appear on her head, causing her to sigh) Please give me some mercy guys. This isn't my only story and I am trying to branch out into other fandoms. I'm honestly surprised this story got as popular as it did. I'm also surprised at myself that I've kept at it for this long.

Also to repeat myself, THE NEW TRILOGY AND ROGUE ONE ARE NON CANON TO THIS STORY. IT CAME BEFORE THAT STUFF, SO CONSIDER IT LIKE STAR WARS REBELS REGARDING THIS STORY AND JUST DISREGARD IT. I'M PRETTY SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS DONE THIS.

IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T REALIZED, FANDOMS ARE INCREDIBLY DIVISIVE.

Anyway, let's get into the action as best we can.

Quote: "A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it."- Jean de La Fontaine

Jedi Halls of Healing, Jedi Temple, Coruscant BBY 19

"Truly remarkable…..I cannot believe the readings on this data."

Ignoring the comatose Togruta where said data came from, Assistant Healer Lyon Briez couldn't help his eyes widening as he transcribed the data into his own notes. He knew very well that if the Head Healer caught him here, he would be in so much trouble that it would make his earlier punishments from running off to the archives for his research purposes rather than attending to his duties (which he did always feel a little guilty for doing, regardless of what the Head Healer may think) look like a slap on the wrist.

But he just couldn't help it! This Force induced coma was like nothing he had ever seen before! Even back during his training days, he had always been drawn to the more obscure, rare medical conditions. While he certainly did not envy the young woman lying there, he was utterly over the moon that he was being able to study it this up close and personal.

At the very least, he'd been able to get some of his paperwork done while also monitoring Ahsoka Tano's condition. The ex-Padawan had mostly been left alone when it was clear her condition was stable, and she was not going to wake up any time soon. With everything else going on, there were a lot more urgent things than just one person dreaming for quite a while. The only other person than Doctor Neema (who was her assigned healer) who came to visit her regularly was Yoda, who always visited about the same time that he could easily avoid.

Lyon hoped he would be able to observe this just a little longer and given how disarrayed things had been these days, one rather average looking human Assistant Healer slipping under the radar was inconsequential in a lot of people's minds.

His hazel eyes observed the sleeping young woman once more.

I wonder what you'll have to say when you wake up. Maybe I could talk Doctor Neema into letting me interview her, or at the very least tell me about any lingering side effects….

Just as Lyon was pondering his potential future observations, he heard the door behind him open. Without turning around, he mentally sighed at having been caught. It seemed the Doctor was here. Well, it had been nice while it lasted though he felt slightly odd about the timing. He supposed she had finished up some of her other patients early for a change

He slowly slipped his notes back into his bag and slightly back up.

"I am so sorry about this Doctor Neema, I know very well I shouldn't be here considering she's your patient, so I'll just get out of your way."

The human healer turned around to find a blaster pointed at his face. Held by someone who was definitely NOT Doctor Neema.

The blue alien spoke in scraggily kind of voice.

"You a healer?"

Lyon nodded, his hands held up. He got the feeling talking wouldn't help him right now.

The stranger with the blaster than gestured to the sleeping Togruta.

"You know how to handle that?"

The healer's assistant certainly did not want to give this man (who he was pretty sure might be a criminal) an answer, but he got the feeling that it would be worse if he didn't. So, he nodded.

"Then get her ready to move."

Cloud City, Bespin 3 ABY

"Whoa…."

Ahsoka smirked at the young man's awe of the sight before them.

"You know, that awe of yours whenever we go somewhere new, never gets old."

Luke rolled his eyes.

"Hey, be serious."

"I am being serious. Doesn't mean I can't lighten the mood every now and then."

The two quieted down as they got loser to the city in the clouds. Ahsoka had to admit the pristine sight of Cloud City was incredibly beautiful. She wishes that this visit could have been done under better circumstances.

"You know, many would consider going off to a place you've only seen in a meditative vision and with no idea where it exactly is would be the definition of crazy."

Her copilot wryly smiled.

"Well, good thing we're not most people. Though, you'd think that if the Empire was here, they'd have picked up on us by now."

"Which means that we're actually lucky for once or…."

"Or it's a trap."

Ahsoka sighed as she started pressing the buttons to get ready for landing.

"Yeah, I think we're due for Master Yoda's version of 'I told you so' when we get back to Dagobah. I can dream though."

R2, who had mostly been silent during their travel, beeped in agreement.

Luke also made his preparations as he spoke.

"Well, it looks like we're all in agreement. Anyway, remember the plan; get in, find the others, get out as quickly and subtlety as possible, and if we do find Vader…"

Ahsoka answered as their ship landed on a platform that would lead into the city, almost as if they were standing on a cloud.

"…. we do it together, I know. Are you reminding me or yourself?"

The young man flinched slightly at the question.

"Little of both."

They ceased the conversation then as they opened their cockpits, Luke jumping to the ground to check if there was anyone nearby while Ahsoka went to their silver blue astro mech droid to detach it. The Togruta smiled as she did her work.

"And you remember what to do if we do get separated?"

R2 beeped several times in a high pitch, conveying his unhappiness about it but understanding of the orders.

"Come on, you can probably handle being on your own better than any of us."

The droid's beeping pitch went low as it turned to face her, almost somberly.

Ahsoka fondly sighed, getting the message.

"I know, which is why if it does come to it, Luke and I are going to do it together. Two on one would even the odds a little better, don't you think?"

That didn't change the droid's countenance at all which for some reason, gave Ahsoka some pause.

"Well, we're going to have to fight him eventually, even if it's not today. You know that too, don't you?"

R2 let out a somber lone beep.

Now Ahsoka was starting to feel really concern.

"Artooie, is there something wrong?"

Before the little droid could beep to confirm or deny it, Luke came back to where the two were with the ship.

"Everything's clear, ready to go?"

"Just a minute."

And with one last bit of tweaking R2 was out as Ahsoka Force lifted him down to the ground, following right after. Her hands ghosting over both her light sabers, she turned to face Luke.

"Got your weapons?"

Luke nodded, glancing to the city ahead.

"Both of them. So, do you really think Vader is here?"

Ahsoka a deep breath, looking at what was in front of her. Once again, the strange mixed feeling of dread and anticipation that she had felt on the Death Star was back.

"I'm pretty sure he is."

"Are you ready?"

"Not sure about that, but I have you."

Luke nodded, pulling up his blaster.

"Okay, let's go then."

The two Force users walked forward, R2 following close behind them as they went into the city.

As they went on, Ahsoka was rather impressed by the look of the city. After dealing so many war zones, she had never thought she would come across a place that seemed as pristine and orderly looking as the Jedi Temple and yet Cloud City was very much so. The only differences the Togruta could really see was the difference in approach to technology, the Temple was a lot more subdued by comparison.

At the same time however, it felt as if there was something wrong about it. There wasn't anyone around, just the clean white buildings that felt just a little too clean. And there was this tension in the air, outside of Ahsoka's strange mixed feeling that was only getting stronger as the two humanoids and droid walked further into the city. It was a sense of unease, of dread, and Ahsoka wasn't sure if this was also because of Vader or something else entirely.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed walking through the buildings until Luke suddenly took a few steps back and brought out his blaster. Carefully she stopped as the two tried to get some cover. She peered to see what it is Luke saw.

It was a group of people, in front was a person in Mandalorian armor that felt slightly familiar, but Ahsoka couldn't really place him. She was pretty sure he had nothing to do with Death Watch so she felt at a loss to that. Following behind him was two men carrying some rectangle thing as well as two Storm Troopers, she couldn't be sure exactly the rectangle thing was at this distance though it just made her dread swell even more than before.

Han.

It was a strange, quick feeling that felt like the blink of an eye and yet Ahsoka felt that thought was true. Knowing this wasn't the time talk though, she kept quiet.

After the Storm Troopers passed, Luke went forward to get a better look with her and R2 right behind him. Still keeping hidden behind a wall, Luke's blaster was out. The quiet was broken by R2's beeping and seeming to want to roll onward to be stopped by both holding their arms in front of the little droid. Turning back to where the group was, only to be greeted by blaster fire from the Mandalorian.

The two of them managed to dodge it as they once again took cover, only this time for defense. Ahsoka unclipped her light sabers as the firing continued.

"Alright, it looks like subtlety is out."

Her former student answered in gritted teeth as readied his blaster.

"Pretty much."

It was then that R2 started beeping relentlessly, pushing at the twos' legs to get them to go forward. Ahsoka and Luke shared a look, nodded, and after checking whether or not they could move forward (even as it seems the group was gone behind a closed doorway); they all moved onward down the pristine halls.

But just as they rounded another corner, shots were fired, and they had to dodge that while moving onward, getting a glimpse of more Storm Troopers, someone who looked to be an Imperial officer, and an older man in unfamiliar clothes who she had no idea who he was.

They finally got close enough to see Chewbacca, half of C3P0 on Chewbacca's back, and Leia (in a new hair style and clothes that looked rather well on her, but now wasn't the time to focus on that) being surrounded and led away, Ahsoka calling out to the former princess as Luke readied for a shot of his own.

"Leia!"

Leia called back to them, struggling as their captors dragged her and the others away as quickly as they appeared.

"Ahsoka, Luke, don't! It's a trap! It's a trap!"

A Storm Trooper fired one more shot at Luke and Ahsoka for good measure before returning to its group.

That left a moment for Ahsoka and Luke to take a breather. He looked at her earnestly.

"Well, we came all this way."

She nodded.

"Only one thing you can do when you willing walk into a trap, spring it."

The two then moved forward into the buildings, going into some sort of anteroom. Just as R2 was about to roll into the room with them, the giant metal door came slamming down from above, cutting Ahsoka and Luke off from both their little friend and the exit. Luke groaned as Ahsoka got closer.

"Great, just great."

"Hey, we were expecting this, remember? R2, go on ahead of us and help Leia and the others as much as you can. We can handle this."

A loud beep made it very clear that the silver blue droid heard her, leaving the two alone once more in the strange black anteroom. Luke took lead though Ahsoka was right behind him, her hands tensing around her lightsabers as they walked forward amongst hissing pipes and steam. Luke then looked up to see an opening right above them.

"Well, how do you suppose we get up there? Considering that seems to be where we're wanted to go."

Ahsoka looked around before pointing to the ground.

"I'd imagine we get on that platform."

"Alright then."

The two then proceeded to stand on that small platform, which did exactly as they expected and raised them up into an abandoned looking large chamber. After which, the platform was closed off, once again the two being blocked from going back. The steam was more prevalent than before with more pipes and chemical tanks. In the middle of the room was a round pit with some sort of control panel nearby.

Luke glanced around the place, his stance tensed as he put away his blaster (somehow knowing he wouldn't be needing it for what comes next).

"What do you think this place is used for?"

"Somehow, I get the feeling that the answer is nothing we're going to like."

Ahsoka then spotted something small on the ground near the hole. Clipping one of her lightsabers back at her side, she went over and crouched down to see what it was.

Her blood ran cold as she picked it up. She examined it closely, once, twice, three times, but nothing changed about the item.

She would recognize it anywhere.

"It can't be…."

Luke saw the utter shock on his former teacher's face and came over to her.

"Ahsoka, what's wrong?"

The Togruta shook her head slightly as her eyes were utterly focused on what was in her hands.

"This…. this is…."

The young man was utterly confused at what she was so spooked over.

"A braid of beads?"

She stilled herself as she explained.

"This is…. was my Padawan braid."

Luke's eyes widened as he remembered one of his past lessons.

"Right, you said that Jedi whose races don't have hair would usually have braids of silka beads. But that doesn't mean that this…."

Her hand clenched around the beads, her mind running in a thousand different directions.

"No, it's mine. Don't ask, I just know. But it doesn't make sense. I gave this to your Father the day I left the temple. After so many years…how could it…?"

Before she could finish her thought, the room lit up and the steam built up, Ahsoka rising to her feet and putting the braid away for the moment. Then they heard a voice that put any doubts they might have had to rest.

"The Force is strong with you two."

It had all gone as planned: Solo was frozen for Fett's delivery, the princess was being escorted to his ship, and Luke and Ahsoka had shown up here.

So why was Vader not completely happy about this?

Ah well, he could muse on these mixed feelings later when he had time to.

He watched as the two came up, watched as Ahsoka found the braid (surprising himself slightly, he hadn't realized he had dropped it), and showed himself at the right time. All his thoughts stilled as he looked at the two, one thought echoing through his head.

"We only need one."

That was the Emperor's decision and if turned out he could not get them both at his side, he knew he had to choose. He had struggled with it for some time, but he had come to a decision.

He still hated himself for it though.

"But you are not a Jedi yet, Young Skywalker."

Luke and Ahsoka looked at each other and nodded, igniting their light sabers as an answer to him and getting themselves in better position to fight.

His own red-light saber followed theirs and as he steadied himself for what was to come, he silently thought to himself.

Ahsoka….I am so sorry, but I know you'd have made the exact same choice.

And his old lightsaber leapt in to begin the action and this duel of fate began.

V.E.:…At least it didn't take a year to update, right?

(Crickets.)

V.E.: Yeah, I'm not going to pretend any silence or anger at the delay isn't unwarranted. I'm sorry guys, I don't really write as much as I used to. And I've got other fandoms as well. I still plan on finishing this story, but it will take a while. Sorry if this seems short or rushed in anyway, but we did spend quite a few chapters just laying low and talking.

1:41:18? Not bad, almost done with the movie. Just remember that as I stated earlier, my action scenes suck.

Please review and I hope to see you next time, which I hope will be before summer, though I can't control my muse on all of my stories.