Chapter Text
Luke quietly watched as the ship carried on into hyperspace, aware of the person sitting beside him. The tension wasn’t overwhelming, but it was present enough that it left a heavy feeling in his chest. They weren’t sent on missions together frequently, but this was Jedi business or at least needed someone who understood the ways of the Jedi. Luke didn’t know enough about the old Order to partake in this on his own, hence Ahsoka Tano.
He knew that she had a history with his father. The look on her face when he stated his last name was enough to convince him, but it was the million questions that immediately followed that clued him in how much she actually knew. And it was interesting to meet another person who had a personal relationship with his father, especially with someone as mystifying as Ahsoka. She barely gave any answers to his questions and she refused to talk about her past, though she was vague about it rather than unforthcoming. It wasn’t easy to know there was someone who had some answers to the questions he had but wasn’t willing to talk about it.
He met her a year after the Empire fell, turns out the reason she didn’t help was that she was dead, or at least until she was saved by someone who she also refused to name. It was frustrating because everyone expected Luke to know everything when it came to the Force and the Jedi, but in reality, he was just as clueless as them. His training was never completed and his questions never answered. And the person who can help with it all was extremely reserved. It didn’t exactly pave the way for a working relationship.
That didn’t stop Leia from putting both of them on this mission together, however.
“Luke, you can’t go out there by yourself. You said it yourself, you’re not an expert on all this force stuff. Ahsoka knows this and has offered to join you.”
Leia walked over to her desk where she set down her three datapads. “I don’t want to worry about you while you’re out there. Please, for me, take Ahsoka with you. It will make me feel so much better to know you have another Jedi watching your back.”
And Luke could never deny his sister that, so there he went, leaving behind his X-Wing to join Ahsoka in her dainty little thing that was decently modified. He really missed his X-Wing.
“We’re coming up on the planet. We’re landing three clicks away from the ancient temple. Is that okay with you?” Luke asked, flipping the switches to prepare to come out of hyperspace. Ahsoka let him pilot, he didn’t even ask.
She stayed silent this time, only leaning forward to watch the planet come up.
He figured this is what the entire trip would be like, so he prepared himself for all the unanswered questions.
They came out of hyperspace to the planet towards the edge of the Galaxy: Thule. Left abandoned centuries ago, it hadn’t been used or remembered until after the Battle of Endor. It was in the databases in the Imperial system, and Luke was glad they were able to explore before the Empire touched it.
They entered the gray clouds and came up to the decaying temple, landing a few clicks away. Debris was spread everywhere, and it would take a while to walk through. Luke exited the ship, breathing in the cold air.
The Force felt different here. Darker. It left him feeling wary. Ahsoka came up behind him, pulling her hood down. She closed her eyes, before stepping forward.
“The Force is dark,” she said. “It doesn’t want us here.”
Luke wrinkled his brow, crossing his arms over. It made sense, with the wariness he felt. If the Force didn’t want them here, what would it do to keep them out?
“Come,” Ahsoka said, walking forward to the temple. It was so lifeless here that it felt like the Force had choked out any color in the world. It was all stale gray.
Luke followed Ahsoka to the entrance to the temple, but it was blocked by fallen pillars and rocks. They lifted enough to let themselves through, but they didn’t enter. Luke knew he wasn’t the only one having the feeling of hesitation. It definitely didn’t want them in the temple.
Ahsoka inhaled deeply before saying, “It’s a Sith Temple. That’s why the planet is dying. That’s why the force is dark. It’s taking the life force from around it.”
Luke had never heard about Sith Temples before, and he didn’t know they even existed. “Should we...should we go inside?” he asked. He didn’t know the rules when it came to the Dark Side. He only knew it was something he didn’t want to be a part of. Ahsoka didn’t answer, but she stepped forward inside. So Luke followed her.
It was so dark they couldn’t see, so they turned on their lightsabers. Luke was more than okay with Ahsoka taking the lead, as she walked down the long hallway. There were sections broken off, including doors sealed shut. But neither attempted to go through. It was as if they were looking for something specific. Luke just didn’t know what.
Ahsoka stopped suddenly where the hallway ended and split into three sectors. There were symbols on the wall, but Luke didn’t want to read too much into that. The Force felt suffocating enough as it was, he didn’t want to add anything more to it.
She headed to the right sector and continued down that hallway. Luke stood still for just a moment, but the Force almost screamed for him to move, so he did.
They wandered around for a while, taking a couple of turns, letting the Force lead them. They finally stopped at a set of stairs that led into more darkness below.
“Are you sure we want to go down there?” Luke whispered for some unknown reason. It felt too much to actually speak normally.
“Yes,” Ahsoka answered without hesitation, before starting down the stairs. Luke debated for a second of waiting on top but he knew he couldn’t. Just in case anything happened, he knew he had to be by her side. He descended downward.
Ahsoka stood at the bottom and Luke came up behind. He paused as he took in the scene in front of him. Ancient scorch marks were all over the room, and what looked like relics were shattered against the floor. It looked like an old battle scene, except right in the middle of it was a purple triangle that hovered over a tablet. Ahsoka stepped toward the triangle, walking around it as she analyzed it.
“This is what was calling us,” she said. “It was drawing us towards it.”
“Do you know what it is?” he asked, stepping closer.
“No. But it is a Sith relic, it has an immensely dark signature. There is something sinister about it.”
“And I am assuming it’s powerful,” Luke said, eyeing the room. “It’s what everyone in this room was fighting for.”
“I just don’t understand what its power is. It drew us here for a reason.”
Luke shrugged, too unnerved by everything dark on this planet. “Maybe we should take it with us and study it.”
“Absolutely not,” Ahsoka said, turning to Luke. “We don’t know what ancient power it holds and we don't know what it can do. It should stay here.”
“Stay here?” Luke asked doubtfully. “Where anyone else can walk in and take it? No, it should come with us where we can study it, maybe even learn what it could do.”
“You don’t understand Luke. This is a Sith relic. It harnesses the dark side. We can’t risk unleashing any power it has.”
“We can’t just leave it here unattended. Again, anyone can walk in and try to use it. They could unleash the power themselves.”
“It’s been fine in this temple for centuries unbothered. We can just seal the temple and make sure no one comes to know of it.” Ahsoka moved to go up the stairs.
“No!” Luke said, whipping around. “We can’t leave it here. We came all this way for it, we need to know more. We don't even know what it does or if it’s even dangerous!”
“Luke, please,” Ahsoka stepped toward him. “You don’t understand. The dark side is nothing to be messed with, it’s extremely dangerous.” She got right in front of him. “I died in a Sith Temple. I’ve seen firsthand the power they hold. We need to let it go.”
Luke looked down, but he nodded to her. As much as he wanted to learn more, he knew when to stop when there was something going on that was bigger than himself. They both moved towards the stairs at the same time, when the purple triangle pulsed, sending light their way. Luke and Ahsoka whirled around, watching as the triangle pulsed again.
“Do you know what it’s doing?” Luke asked, watching as it continued to move.
“No,” Ahsoka said, her eyes narrowing.
The triangle started shifting, moving as its light grew brighter.
“Maybe we should leave,” Luke said, his anxiety rising with each move the triangle made. Something was about to happen. The Force was warning him about it, but it was also urging him to stay. He didn't know which side to listen to.
Ahsoka stepped toward the purple light, almost as if mesmerized.
“Ahsoka, wait,” Luke started, moving forward to grab her. But the triangle sent out a stronger force, which felt like a gust of wind. Luke flinched backward as it did it again and again. Something was happening and Luke didn’t know how to stop it. His vision became blurry, his breath started to come out faster.
“Ahsoka!” he tried to cry out but another pulse was sent out. All he could see was purple and white, and he felt blinded.
“Ahsoka!” he called again, until finally purple and white flashed so bright he closed his eyes and finally felt his body let go.