Book 1: Love Amidst War

Chapter XXIV

Korriban was quiet, save Ahsoka and Aden sparring as usual. Their skills had quickly gone from advanced Padawan/Knight level to Jedi Master level in only a year. Sidious had informed them of a plan that would be taking place soon, a mission that would determine if they were worthy to be his apprentices still. They were to head to Mandalore and deal with a... Old ally... Of Sidious. Now they were training fiercer than ever.

Aden blocked two quick strikes before parrying inward. Ahsoka deflected it and spun around, only for her to be pushed back onto a defensive. Aden was much quicker in a duel than he was before, easily matching Ahsoka's acrobatic movements. Ahsoka parried his movements with her twin crimson sabers, only to be met with a heavy deflection. The Dark Side fueled them both, and it was clear in the way they battled. Aden kept up a heavy offensive, his strikes being forced away by Ahsoka.  Ahsoka was more used to his light finesse, not this aggressive offensive he had started to use. Tano backflipped away than ran forward, spinning both blades into quick double swings. Aden would always block the first and deflect the second, which Ashoka would catch onto. She'd keep it up, letting him repeat his defensive moves. Aden had always been the more naturally skilled duelist, but his one flaw was that he fell into a certain rhythm and flow and wasn't use to switching up at the drop of a hat. Ahsoka knew this and spun around, forcing Aden to counter hard. Ahsoka didn't use much power and moved off of his counters momentum, spinning back around and holding a blade to his throat. Aden hadn't even seen it coming and he smirked.

" Damn... Okay I'll give you this one. " He said as he switched off the black blade of his lightsaber. Ahsoka rolled her eyes and switched her twin blades off.

" Give it to me? You lost fair and square and you know it. " She says, punching his arm lightly.

" That's how YOU see it. I just gave it to you because I felt bad that I kept beating you is all. " Aden said.

" You're impossible. " She rolls her eyes again.
Aden chuckled and place his hilt on his belt.

" Come on, that's enough training. Mandalore awaits us. " Aden said as he walked towards a comm-device he had placed on a terminal.

" Mandalore? What's on Mandalore that's so important? Didn't Dooku already fail with that project? " Ahsoka asked.

" You didn't pay attention to Lord Sidious's plan did you? " Aden asked as he pressed a few buttons on the terminal.

" It's not my fault he sounds like he's been smoking for 30 years. " Ahsoka jokes. Aden chuckles as he pulls up a holo-map.

" Sundari, the Mandalorian capital. Lord Sidious wants us to go and eliminate an old rival of his. He's apparently some Sith dude that failed to meet his expectations and now he's become the secret ruler of Mandalore. " Aden explained.

" So he's a failed apprentice? If he's a failure, why bother with him? " Ahsoka asked.

" According to Sidious, he only failed due to a simple mistake, and that he's no joke in a fight. He also seems to have a brother who he's taken as an apprentice and Sidious wants them both dead. " Aden responds.

" Ohhh... Well it sounds simple. Nothing we can't handle. " Ahsoka smiles and holds Adens hand. Aden smiled and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.

" Let's head out. " Aden says as he grabs some supplies for their shuttle. " Ahsoka nods and helps him...