Clone Wars: Inquisitor

Escape

Everything was going well for the Sith Lord until he heard the scream. He looked towards the direction of noise and saw Assaj curled up on the floor. 

'Don't you dare turn your back on me'.

Darth Occlus turned around and saw the Jedi lunging at him. He parried every attack the Jedi threw at him before before unleashing a flurry of his own attacks. The Sith Lord had to take care of his apprentice but this Jedi wouldn't give him the leeway. He looked at the two women again but immediately turned back to defend against a more enraged Jedi. 

'I said don't turn your back on me'. Darth Occlus could suddenly feel the rage begin to emanate from his opponent. In the past, this would have made the battle much more entertaining but with the current situation, he more annoyed than anything else. 

'I've little time for you, Jedi', said Darth Occlus as he held his lightsaber against the Jedi's. 'You're not even worth my time'. 

His enemy roared at him before pushing him away. It took only a moment before both the Sith Lord and the Jedi were exchanging blows ones again. Neither of them gave an inch over the other. The Jedi swung his weapon, aiming at the Sith's vitals, an intent to kill. Darth Occlus laughed to himself, realizing that his enemy his completely lost himself. Darth Occlus extended his will towards the Jedi, curious as to what his current state is. His will was quickly pushed back by his enemy, followed by another flurry of attacks. 

Then, Darth Occlus noticed a broken piece of rubble hanging in the corner of his eyes. The large piece of metal, held by a few cables, swung with the wind and just about to fall. The Sith Lord waited for the right moment, blocking every attack the Jedi gave him. And just as the large hunk of metal fell, the Sith Lord threw his opponent in its direction. The metal debris crashed on the ground and landing on the Jedi. He extended his senses forward, feeling the Jedi still breathing underneath the rubble.

The Sith Lord was tempted to end him once and for all but he had an apprentice to tend to first. He rushed to the other side of the battlefield, kneeling right next to where Assaj laid down on the ground. He turned her around and finally realized that she was gripping her hand on her arm, or what was left of it. He felt her presence in the force, trying to calm it down. However, his soothing presence was overpowered by the swirling emotions of rage and pain. In his haste, Darth Occlus failed to realize that Ahsoka was standing behind him. 

On instinct, he took his weapon and quickly held it against the padawan's neck. He looked her in the eye, ready to cut her down at the slightest hint of danger. Instead, what he saw was guilt. A Jedi's conscience, perhaps. Or something more. Darth Occlus didn't care either way. For now, he had to focus on his apprentice. 

He held her tight as he pulled back the her arm. He checked on whatever was left of her arm. Seeing how the stump was already cauterized, there's not much he needed to do. He pushed all of her emotions aside, instead, forcing her into sleep. Assaj's flailing stopped and, for a moment, everything grew still. 

He could feel the padawan behind him, her anxiety coming out her like a prickle on his skin.

'I- I just-'. The padawan stuttered, now knowing what to say.

'You did what you were told'. Darth Occlus looked at Ahsoka, making her step back. 'But it ends here. You've done your master's bidding. Now, return to him. He needs your help more than you need to kill us'.

'I just want to say that-'

'Go'. The padawan ran to her master, leaving the Sith Lord alone with his apprentice. He carried her and brought her to the only starfighter not damaged during the invasion's initial attack. He looked at the strange controls, letting the whisper guide his hands as he pushed buttons without truly understanding their functions. As he pressed the final button, the engines began to hum and the starfighter flew off.

Ever since his return at the temple, Darth Occlus could feel a strange presence looking over him. This was not  the spirits he used to control. Neither was it the Force in any way he's experienced before. This was something new. Something pure. He listened to its voice, following its guidance. And now, its whispers are telling him to go to the man leading the attack. To the man who brought him back. He drove the starfighter towards the destroyer's closest docking bay which quickly opened as they approached.

Darth Occlus exited the starfighter, carrying his wounded apprentice on his shoulder. He was greeted by an army of droids lined up in neat rows. A few meters in front of him stood the old man who awoke him, Count Dooku, and a tall four-armed droid that looked menacingly at his apprentice. He looked at it more closely with his Force senses, seeing the broken being hiding inside the metallic warrior.  

'My Lord'. Count Dooku bowed his head low, followed by the more hesitant droid. 'We have come to free you from the Jedi and return you to your rightful place within the Sith'.

Darth Occlus looked around him, a fallen Jedi, a broken warrior and an army of mindless droids. The Sith Lord sighed. 'Is this what's truly left of the once great Empire'.

The old man looked at him. 'That is why we have brought you back, my lord. To return the Sith to glory and power. With you by our side, we will show the Jedi that-'.

'Enough'. A wave of dark energy burst out from the Sith Lord. 'The Sith Order has fallen due to your incompetence and nothing more. You are all pathetic and weak. Why should I even bother to help you?'

'My lord, I'm sure with-'.

Count Dooku was then cut off by the the droid standing behind him. 'If you're not going to help us, then what use are you?'

The droid armed himself, using a lightsaber on each of his four arms. He rushed to the Sith Lord. Darth Occlus raised a hand, pushing him back with the Force. 'Don't test me. I won't warn you twice'. Count Dooku glared at the droid but made no effort to stop it. Instead, Darth Occlus could sense anticipation coming out of the old man. They wanted to see his capabilities. It was a test.

'Is that the best you can do?' The four armed droid laughed and charged at him again. 

Now more annoyed, the Sith Lord drew out his anger and a blast of lightning flew from his hand to the droid, throwing him a few feet away. Darth Occlus moved forward, continuing the barrage of lightning. The droid screamed as waves of agony enveloped whatever was left of his miserable little body. 

'Enough'. A shout echoed through the docking bay.

The Sith Lord looked at the old man who was foolish enough to give him an order. Realizing what he'd done, Count Dooku quickly backed away and lowered his head. 'What I meant is that he's more useful to us alive. My lord'. The wave of lightning eventually stopped, leaving the warrior coughing and gasping for breath. 

'You're lucky, droid. I've given you another chance. I suggest you don't waste it'. Darth Occlus then looked at the count who still had his head lowered. 'As for you, Count. Take good care of this one. I've taken her under my wing. I suggest you take good care of her because your life may depend on it', he said as he handed his apprentice's unconscious body to the old man. 

'But my lord, if you need an apprentice, I'm sure I can't find one more suitable than-'. The count's mumbling stopped when his eyes met with the Sith Lord's glare. The old man bowed his head and quickly set up to the task given to him.

Ahsoka felt her master under the rubble. She lifted the metal scraps with Force, uncovering the injured Anakin. 'Master'. The padawan rushed to him, raising his head and checking him for any major injuries. 'Anakin, please wake up'.

With a few more nudge, her master eventually woke up, coughing as his body began to feel the damages dealt to it. 'Where's the Sith?' he asked with each breath.

'They're gone, master', she replied, more focused on her master than the escaped Sith. 'We have to get you treated. Wait here. I'll get the-'.

'No'. Anakin held her back. 'We have to go after them'.

'You can't even move. How are you even planning on getting them in that condition?'

Instead of answering, her master just looked intently at Ahsoka's eyes. The padawan responded to him in kind. They both stared at each other, their eyes filled with their determination.

It was Ahsoka who finally gave in. 'Fine. But if Master Obi-wan finds out, I'm telling him it's your fault'. Ahsoka carried the limping Anakin and, together, they entered a ship and drove it to space.