The Unchronicled Adventures Of Ahsoka Tano, Book Ten

Chapter One Hundred And Two: The Decision To Stay

AHSOKA TANO

Ahsoka watched, transfixed, as Maul surged forward and landed gracefully before the Inquisitors, sending his blade crashing down on theirs in a long, arcing blow that forced them to scramble back to avoid it.

He carried himself like a predator that knew it had its prey well within reach, his every move precise but at the same time overconfident and almost anarchic as he relished in the dark, chaotic energy of the Temple. He was aiming to distract the Inquisitors now; keep them on their toes, and, most importantly, on the defensive without a chance to regroup and use their combined strength against him.

He kicked Seventh Sister mercilessly to one side, stopping her attack run almost before it could begin, and turned to the other two Inquisitors,

"What are we waiting for?" Ezra demanded, pulling his body from a waiting defensive position into a standard ready form and raising his lightsaber.

How little it takes to convince him, Ahsoka thought to herself. I guess we can only hope that he isn't so taken with Maul that when the time comes and he betrays us, Ezra will be a weak spot in our defenses against him.

A long look passed between Kanan and herself as they consulted one another to weigh the pros against the cons in their own separate ways.

Finally, Kanan's brows pulled together a fraction more than before, and Ahsoka realized as he had that waiting here was pointless. While they couldn't trust Maul implicitly, an alliance against a common enemy meant twice the chances for all parties that stood against it to emerge the victors.

As of now, with how much of a danger these Inquisitors had become to the still vulnerable Rebellion, it was an opportunity they couldn't afford to waste.

"Why would you come here?" Seventh Sister asked as she and Maul locked blades, her gaze wary.

Fifth Brother answered the question for her as he primed his lightsaber and prepared to spring. "He knows of the artifact!"

But, much to Ahsoka's surprise, Kanan rushed to meet him before he could get to Maul, catching him in a saber lock and holding him there. He glanced back at her, and on an unspoken signal, she moved to join him, intercepting the new Inquisitor with one white blade.

"The holocron," Ahsoka's opponent hissed, turning to Maul, "do you have it?"

Maul flashed him another wolfish grin. "You will find out soon enough."

As he spoke, a subtle but still unmistakable tremor of disquiet passed through the Inquisitors' auras in the Force – something in what he had said or the way he had said it seemed to shake them. Ahsoka wondered with a note of fear what kind of menace it took to unsettle beings who were usually so haughty and confident so deeply it bled out into the open where everyone could sense it.

Seventh Sister bared her teeth, but her expression was that of a wounded creature who knew the odds were against her; that the combined forces of Sith – even a former one – and Jedi had them outmatched. "Fall back," she cried, and the three Inquisitors activated their repulsorlifts and took off.

"Maul," Ahsoka called once they were gone, lowering her sabers but definitely not her guard, "what game are you playing?"

The former Sith Lord seemed to sense her and Kanan's collective wariness of him and kept his saber lit as well, declaring, "I am the enemy of your enemy now, and I have my own reasons for wanting the Empire to fall. But we have little time – the one they call Vader will be here soon."

Ahsoka fought to squash a spark of panic as he said that name before it could set the whole of her being aflame, memories of encountering him in the aftermath of her apprentice's death flashing before her eyes. Then we'll have to hurry so I can get out of here long before he arrives, Ahsoka thought. I can't face him, not now that I know the face hiding beneath that mask I can't. I'll go insane.