Chapter 2

Dueling

Ahsoka walked into the dueling chambers ahead of Anakin, eying the vast room, looking for niches that she could use to her advantage during the coming fight.

“General Skywalker, you’re late,” a voice shot through the chamber and echoed off the walls and high ceiling, making Ahsoka look towards the two figures standing across from her.

There was a tall, robed man with dark eyes and dark hair to match. Next to him was a much smaller boy, with black hair in the typical style of a human Padawan, and striking green eyes. His skin was tanned, and he was about five inches shorter than Ahsoka.

“Better late than never,” Anakin replied with a laugh, walking toward the two. Ahsoka rushed to catch up with him.

“You must be Ahsoka,” the older man said. “I’m Master Kento Marek.”

“Padawan Ahsoka Tano,” she said with a slight smile.

The boy spoke up. “Padawan Carter Draik,” he said, holding out a hand to Ahsoka. He flashed a sparkling white grin as she shook it.

“And, to finish it up, I’m Anakin Skywalker,” Anakin smiled.

“Pleased to finally meet you, Master Skywalker,” Carter said, bowing.

Anakin chuckled. “You too. Your Master’s said a lot of good things about you.”

“Well, I’ve heard a lot of good things about your Padawan as well, sir.” He glanced at Ahsoka, who smiled.

“We don’t know for sure who’s better until we start.” Ahsoka activated her lightsaber, holding it in a reverse grip form of Shien.

“Ahsoka, form,” Anakin said. She rolled her eyes and reluctantly switched to Djem So, without a reverse grip. The green reflected off the polished floor of the chamber.

The Masters stood back as Carter turned on his own lightsaber, the blue glow illuminating his face. Ahsoka immediately recognized his stance as the one of Ataru, an aggressive form meant for one on one combat.

“Your move,” Ahsoka said, nodding to Carter’s lightsaber.

“Bad idea,” the black haired boy said. He quickly swung to her left side, and she moved to parry the blow, only to find herself flying through the air. Carter had utilized the Force to blow her back, and now he was using it to dash at her sprawled form on the ground at full speed. Their lightsabers met, hissing on impact. They were nearly inches apart, the glowing blades dangerously set between their faces. Carter flipped backward, and the locked ‘sabers were freed. Ahsoka jumped to her feet and charged toward him.

Without realizing it, she had switched back to reverse Shien, and she utilized the quick wrist-flicking movement common to that fighting style to strike to his left side. Carter somersaulted out of the way and twirled his lightsaber closer to her. Ahsoka blew him back with a blast of the Force as he had done earlier. He utilized the move, backflipping and planting his feet against a wall. He then pushed off with the Force, and was coming back at her, lightsaber spinning.

Ahsoka leapt for him, and their lightsabers met. For a moment, they fought suspended in mid air, before both landing lightly on the ground. Carter jumped over her, then flipped back, confusing Ahsoka only for a moment before she parried his blows.

Ahsoka wracked her brain for memories of the time when Anakin had her study all the lightsaber forms. Ataru used aggressiveness and acrobatics to overcome their opponents. That meant she had to meet his level of ferocity and energy, plus add a little extra with Shien.

Using her newfound knowledge, Ahsoka leapt into the air. She became frustrated when she realized that she was not as graceful as Carter had been, but remembered that she didn’t do this as often as he did, and that he would be awkward had his saber been reversed. They were both good at different things.

She did a little flip and attacked Carter, going on the offensive. They were evenly matched, both tiring, their movements sluggish. Ahsoka threw him to the ground at her feet with a Force push and rained down blow after heavy blow on him in a flurry of confusing movements. Somehow, he managed to block every one, but he could not stop a stab to the stomach.

She could hear the air leave his lungs in a whoosh and saw as her lightsaber burned a hole in his tunic. Lightning-like energy coursed through his body, and Ahsoka realized that she had not turned down her blade intensity enough. She frantically threw the weapon away from her. Carter sucked in a deep breath.

“Oh Force!” Ahsoka said as the Masters rushed over. “I’m so sorry!” She had difficulty breathing. What had she done?

“Not…” Carter wheezed, “Your fault… Ahsoka.” He coughed once, then resumed taking deep breaths.

Kento reached his Padawan before Anakin, and he tore off the upper half of Carter’s tunic. On his chest, Ahsoka could see a burn mark that she had created. “Carter, are you conscious?”

“Yeah.”

“This might be a bit painful then,” Kento said, bending over his Padawan’s body.

“And that wasn’t?” Carter asked, smiling despite the hurt he was in. His smile quickly disappeared and he took a sharp, hissing breath as Kento began to heal him. Ahsoka bit her lip to hold back the flow of guilt.

“Ahsoka, what did you do?” Anakin asked.

“Master, I didn’t realize-“

“Didn’t realize what? That you nearly killed my friend’s Padawan?”

“I thought the intensity-“

“You can’t afford to just think. You need to know.”

“Sir?” Carter asked, weakly standing. “It’s not her fault. She didn’t know. And she won fair and square. If I end up fighting someone like Dooku or Ventress, I need to know that pain is involved. So don’t get mad at her, please.”

Anakin nodded. “I guess you’re right, kid. Sorry, Ahsoka.”

“It’s okay Master,” Ahsoka replied.

“Carter, I’m going to go speak about yours and Ahsoka’s performances. You two can speak with each other if you wish,” Kento said.

He and Anakin stalked off, leaving Ahsoka and Carter alone together.