Chapter Two: Take me in

Anakin walked all night and well into the morning. The adrenaline that had kept the pain at bay had long since worn off and his body screamed at him to stop. Finally the Jedi drug his aching body into the outskirts of a small village. "Help me." He tried not to sound desperate as he stumbled into a small soup shop. A dozen or so people eyed him but said nothing. "Please.." He was quickly losing the strength to stand, he knew his strength and will to go on wouldn't last much longer.

He large heavy set man with a long dark gray beard, came from behind the counter. "What can I do for you, son?" He asked as he approached the Jedi.

"Do you have a communicator here?" The man nodded, inspecting Anakin's injuries without actually touching him.

"We do," He paused as Anakin fell to a knee. "But first we should get you fixed up." The man who towered over Anakin under hooked his right arm and easily, but gently, lifted him off the ground. Anakin had always taken pride in the great physical strength he possessed. But the hulking man who was carrying him made him feel like a child.
He set Anakin in a bed in the back of the shack before disappearing; Anakin fought desperately to keep his eyes open but sooner or later we all have to sleep.

Ahsoka woke tied to a mattress, the last thing the young Jedi could remember was destroying an Assassin droid in that sleazy bar on Kessel. "What happens if the republic catches us with her?" A voice grabbed Ahsoka's attention, it was just outside the room, which was sealed with a ray-shield. "Kidnapping a Jedi seems like something they'd execute you for." The male voice was silenced by another, much more commanding voice.

"Shut up." It ordered. "I don't pay you to bother me with pointless questions; I pay you to watch my merchandise." Ahsoka felt sick but kept quiet as she eavesdropped. "Besides, I have someone who's going to pay me 300,000 credits for the brat." Ahsoka began to struggle against the metal wire that she was bound with. It cut into her flesh with every pull, and she could feel warm blood running down her arms. "Look who's up." The voice came again. Her eyes shot to the door where a very tall Pyke stood. "Try not to harm yourself, girl. I wouldn't want you to lose value." Ahsoka gnashed her teeth in anger. If she had her lightsaber she would have had it against his throat.

"I'm not your property, sleemo!" She hissed. "I am a Jedi Knight!" The pyke chuckled as he turned off the ray-shield and entered her cell. Though he wouldn't say it, he was impressed with her. Most would be begging to be let go, or be far to frightened to speak. But this child showed no fear, or

"You're no knight," He stood over her bed and her body recoiled without her consent. "You're just a padawan, with no Master to watch over you." There was a long silence, the Pyke's almond shaped eyes never left her. "I wonder if he'll even bother looking for you." Ahsoka felt tears welling up in her eyes. He'd look for her, she knew he would. Wouldn't he? "If he even survived the fall, that is." The pyke laughed as he turned on his heel and left the cell.

"What!?" Ahsoka practically screamed."What did you do with him!?" Again Ahsoka struggled valiantly to free herself, even as the pain became almost unbearable.

The next few hours dragged by. Ahsoka had lost the strength to fight free herself. She'd resigned herself to her current predicament. "Where are you, Master?" She thought silently. The anxiety and helplessness she felt was nearly unbearable.
Ahsoka began to feel a slight tingle, in the back of her mind. That tingle quickly grew into a head ache as the presence of two strong Dark side users as they grew near. Footsteps could be heard, but just barely over the pounding of her heart as her body screamed out with every fiber of her being. "RUN YOU IDIOT! RUN!" Count Dooku appeared in her doorway first, an evil smile appeared on his bearded face when his eyes met hers. The dark side aura that surrounded him made her feel sick, but there was someone far more powerful nearby.

"If it isn't Skywalker's young apprentice." Dooku smirked as he deactivated the ray-shield and entered her cell. Another figure appeared behind him, the hood concealed his identity but the dark side of the force was strong with him. Far stronger than anyone she'd ever encountered and it reduced her from a proud Jedi apprentice to the 14 year old child she was. "Tell me, Slaver, what did your Master do with young Skywalker?" Dooku spoke to the Pyke slaver, but his piercing gaze never left Ahsoka.

The slaver shrugged his shoulders and folded his log arms before speaking. "We marooned him on Dantooine. We figured if the fall from our transport ship didn't kill him, the devastation of losing his padawan would." At that Dooku's hand lifted and with it the Pyke as he choked and gasped for air.

"That is a shame." Dooku turned towards the pyke. "I might have spared you if you had Skywalker in your possession. But with just-" Before he could crush the Pyke's windpipe the hooded figure put a hand on his shoulder.

"There is no need for violence, my friend." His voice was calm. Carrying no hint of anger, nor did his presence in the force, though Ahsoka still flinched when he approached her bed. "Skywalker's apprentice will be quite useful." His long boney fingers caressed Ahsoka's cheek. "You, my dear, will lure your Master to us." Ahsoka hook her head to get his hands away from her.

"My Master would NEVER fall for any of your tricks!" Ahsoka spoke with confidence when she spoke of her Master.

The hooded Sith exchanged looks with Count Dooku, before they both broke into laughter that sent chills down Ahsoka's spine. "Skywalker's love for you blinds him, Padawan." Dooku spoke with a grin. "He'd do anything to save you; even if that meant dying for you."

Anakin snapped from his sleep, his heart racing and his battered body drenched in sweat. Ahsoka was in danger, he could sense her fear through their bond. "Take it easy." The familiar voice of the man who had promised to help him. As Anakin reclined it was then that he realized his robes had been removed and his wounds had been carefully bandaged. "You're hurt. You need to rest." Anakin tried to hide his frustration.

"I need to contact the Jedi Counsel." Anakin again tried to sit up but the man's hand again thwarted his efforts.

"Don't worry, I already contacted the Republic." He spoke calmly. "They're coming." Anakin smiled slightly.

"I'm Anakin Skywalker." He held out his mechno hand for the man to shake.

"Kaerlig." He smiled. "What happened to you, Anakin?" Kaerlig questioned, glancing at Anakin's arm that sat in a homemade sling.

"I was on a recon mission with my padawan, Ahsoka." Anakin swallowed hard, thinking of his failure. "I blew our cover and they marooned me here, and they took her." There was a long silence between them. It was in this silence that a realization hit the young Jedi and the relief that he'd felt slipped away. "Did you use a secure com link when you contacted the Republic?" He questioned frantically.

"What?" He raised an eyebrow. "Why would I do that?" At that Anakin kicked the thin sheet that covered him off and stood from the bed, causing the man o back away from him.

Anakin limped to the window and stared up at the late afternoon sky. "If you contacted the Republic on an open com line anyone could have heard it." Anakin paused as 3 Separatist' warships came into view in the late afternoon sky. "What planet are we on?" He finally asked as he searched for his lightsabers.

"Dantooine." Anakin knew help was a long way off.

"Send another message to the Republic. Tell them the Separatists are here for me." Anakin spoke hastily as he tried to put his armor plated clothing without hitting any of his numerous injuries.

"What are you going to do?" Kaerlig stopped Anakin on his way out of the hut. "You may be a Jedi but you're hurt and you are hopelessly out numbered." Kaerlig was a good man, who helped him without any reason. But he was right, Anakin's body was bruised and battered, and he could still feel Ahsoka's fear and sadness and that was draining his energy on its own.

"I'm gonna fight," Anakin paused as he nodded his head slowly. "Until the Republic gets here, or until they kill me. Thank you, for everything." And with that he exited the hut and drew his lightsaber as two dozen battalions descended towards the village. Normally he would fall back and wait for reinforcements. But Anakin knew if he hid the droids would slaughter the villagers without a moments hesitation, and he wasn't going to stand by and let that happen.

The first two ships touched down and out poured 500 battle droids and 100 super battle droids. Anakin cracked his neck as he ignited his lightsaber, which immediately drew blaster fire. Deflecting each bolt with ease he slowly advanced towards the small army that was simultaneously advancing towards him as well. Droid after droid fell as the Jedi redirected their attacks, but Anakin knew he couldn't hold them off for long. A lone Jedi in an open field couldn't stop the onslaught of a droid army. Certainly not with only one arm. "There has to be a way to destroy them." Anakin thought silently as he dove away from a homing missile that came just mere feet from striking the Jedi. Anakin's body screamed in protest with each movement.
Again he found himself deflecting blaster fire, but he was now being forced to slowly retreat as another two battalions touched down. His eyes searched for anything that he could use to his advantage but suddenly he noticed droids were dropping like flies. His eyes shot back to Kaerlig, who stood with six other men, each with a blaster in hand as they fired at the advancing droid army.

"I didn't spend four hours bandaging your wounds and listening to you mumble about your padawan to let these droids kill you." Anakin couldn't help but laugh as he ran back to his newfound comrades. Anakin deflected the blaster fire, as the small militia behind him picked the droids off one by one.

Anakin knew he couldn't block all of the hundreds of blaster rounds that were being fired at them. A few of them grazed his robes, singeing the sturdy material. 'Arg!' Anakin turned to see one of comrades doubled over in the grass, gripping his stomach wear he'd been hit, writhing in pain. The Jedi felt a growl escape his throat as he returned to blocking blaster fire.

"All of you, fall back, now!" Anakin commanded, his eyes looking at the two battalions preparing to land.

Kaerlig stepped froward. "I'm not going to let you die, Skywalker." Anakin didn't bother looking back to Kaerlig. He knew the way he was looking at him because he looked at Ahsoka the same way. Kaerlig was a Father by nature; he'd die protecting someone, even if he barely knew them.

"I'm not dying here, and neither are you." Anakin began as he focused all the strength he could muster on one of the droid transporters. "I-" Anakin paused as began to try and force pull the massive ship from the sky. "I just need you to trust me!" He was now speaking through clenched teeth, his hand still clutching his lightsaber as the ship began descending faster. "GO!" Anakin screamed as he pulled the transporter into another that had already landed, causing a fiery explosion. The shockwave knocked Anakin from his unstable legs and set him flying backwards.

When he finally regained his bearings Anakin stood from the grass. "That could have gone better." He coughed. His eyes scanned the field until they finally found nearly 200 hundred droids that had survived the explosion. "Why can't I just once get a break!?" Anakin growled to himself as he ignited his lightsaber.
Before Anakin could engage the droids that remained a familiar Delta-7 Interceptor passed over head. Leveling a third of the droids in its first attack. "Obi-Wan." Anakin exhaled with a smile as he took a knee and watched the Separatist Warships flee the system when confronted by the Republic fleet in the upper atmosphere.

The starfighter finished off the rest of the droids just as three Gunships filled with Clones landed and secured the area. "Anakin!" Obi-Wan called as he force jumped from the cockpit of his fighter. "Are you alright?" Obi-Wan rushed to the aid of his former padawan.

"We have to go." Anakin spoke quickly, but stood very slowly.

Obi-Wan began inspecting Anakin's injuries, which were well bandaged but still needed immediate attention. "Yes, we need to get you to the medics." He stated not realizing Ahsoka was missing as he began to lead Anakin by his good arm.

Anakin tore his arm away from Obi-Wan. The culmination of sleep deprivation, the pain from his injuries, and the constant feeling of helplessness was slowly driving Anakin insane. "Listen to me!" Anakin practically shouted. "My cover was blown on Kessel. I was dumped here and they took Ahsoka!" He ended in a huff as Obi-Wan stood in a shocked silence. "I need to find her."

Author's Note: I guess this is as good a place as any to end this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it and as always if you could drop a review I read and appreciate them all. Chapter three might take slightly longer to update as I am going out of town for a few days and wont be able to write but Ill update ASAP!