Work Text:
Her eyes closed tight as she sat on the ground with great effort, her back leaning against a tree. Her bloodied hands applied pressure to open wounds on her stomach and ribs.
The pain in her side tore through her body. It branched out through her veins and nerves. Breathing and movement only brought more shock waves of pain. Ahsoka berated herself for getting into a fight with no less than three Inquisitors. She thought she had grown out of her reckless phase. She let out a fake laugh at the sight of the dead Inquisitors scattered several feet away.
"I fail to see how this situation is humorous to you," a deep mechanical voice said as heavy footsteps stalked towards her from behind.
Ahsoka drew in a sharp breath and her eyes widened at the Sith Lord circling around to stand in front of her. The only thought in her head wondered how she had missed his presence. The tole on her mind and body from the fight must be higher than she previously believed. Ahsoka said nothing. Her surprised expression turned into a glare.
"Were you any other Jedi, I would end your life right now without hesitation. As it is, I will not kill you while you are down and injured. I wish to kill you when you are capable of properly fighting back. In our last battle, you were a... formidable opponent." Darth Vader said. His highest complement.
"I'm flattered," Ahsoka said, her eyes staring hard at him. "And I told you last time we saw each other: I am no Jedi."
"Indeed."
"Besides, our rematch would probably just end in another tie."
Vader's right eye twitched at her statement. "Perhaps," he said as he turned to walk away.
"I met your son," Ahsoka called out to his departing form. He halted, standing stock still.
"What?" his mechanical voice a near whisper.
"I met Luke a while back."
Darth Vader whirled around and was near her once again, hands clenched her shoulders in a steel grip. "Where?! Where is he?" The vocoder morphed his shout into a snarl. The fiery coldness of his mind slammed against her shields.
"It was months ago, no way he's still there," she gasped at the pressure on her shoulders and mind.
"Where?" he demanded, quieter than before, but more vicious. Any thread leading to his son would not go unraveled. Any chance to see him - to reclaim him - would not go unpursued.
Ahsoka let out a heavy breath and glared into the dark lenses, knowing she could not resist his mind probe in the state that she was in. "It was on Kashyyyk. But that was seven months ago so don't bother looking for him there."
Vader stared at her, sensing no lie in her words. "How was he?" They were both surprised at his question.
Ahsoka hesitated only a moment, "He was good. Safe." Her mind drifted to the memory of aiding Luke in protecting the Wookies from further enslavement. Vader saw this in her mind as well. He watched her a few seconds more, then slowly stood. He turned and began to walk away, only taking a few steps before her voice reached him again.
"He's... he's a bit like his father," she said. He halted again and peered over his shoulder at her as she spoke once more, "But only a little bit."
Vader continued on and did not look back again.