Chapter Nine: Over the Edge

Wow, I can't believe it! Chapter nine already? I now have to actually really look at the drop down list on here when checking over a chapter! :D

Anakin, Farah and Ahsoka rushed through the hallways, their hearts about to beat out their chests. Vizsla hadn't been lying when he told them about the booby traps. So far they had faced a flame filled hallway, a miniature battalion of droids tricked out with extra armor and heavy artillery and to top it off a floor that collapsed steeper and steeper the more they walked.

Farah sighed. "Do you have the darksaber?" she asked, running a pale hand through her singed hair.

"Yep," Anakin nodded, patting his utility belt. He had recovered his actual lightsaber, so now he didn't have to use the darksaber anymore.

"Uh-oh, there's something up ahead…" Ahsoka muttered; shivering as a cold gust of wind came their way, cooling the sweat that beaded on top of their skin.

"Is there any other way?" Anakin moaned, coming to a stop.

"Sadly, no, I checked the base's floor plan, remember? There are no other ways to the hangar," Farah sighed.

"That's inconvenient," Ahsoka muttered.

"So we have no choice, oh, well, might as well get it over," Anakin smiled, half grim, half cocky as he grabbed Ahsoka and Farah by the hand and raced into the center of the room, to their protests. It was plain and empty, its silver walls gleaming spotless and shining.

"Oh, well, I guess we were- ARGH!" Ahsoka started, ending with a scream as a painfully cold, sharp blast of air shot down from the ceiling. It filled the room with an impenetrable white mist. Farah and Anakin followed.

Anakin scrambled to his feet, gritting his teeth as his skin began to itch from the cold. He knew it only because his nerves were overloaded from the sudden change in temperature, but it didn't make it any less painful, "Ahsoka, Farah?" he yelled, squinting. They didn't respond. Suddenly, he heard Ahsoka send him a message through their bond.

Master, where are you? she said.

Ahsoka, stay put. I'll find you!

So, so cold… she muttered weakly. Anakin then felt his padawan pass out.

No! Ahsoka, Ahsoka? He screamed back. There was no response, only silence…


Obi-Wan and Mace walked quickly down the ramp of their ship, looking around the deserted palace. No one was in sight, but maybe that was just because it was fairly late.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan fell back, putting a hand on his forehead, "Argh…" he winced, stumbling.

Mace turned around, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder to steady him, "Obi-Wan, are you okay?"

"Yes… well, I am anyway, but I think Anakin and Ahsoka are in trouble. I can feel their distress," Obi-Wan murmured, looking around. "I don't think we'll find any leads here. Let's go."

Mace nodded as they turned back to the ship. "Maybe, but something's horribly wrong. This place is completely deserted, and I don't like it."

"Me neither…" Obi-Wan muttered as they turned back into the ship. "But I think that can all wait… let's go rescue the others."


Ahsoka slowly tried to open her eyes, but something was stopping her. She realized it was just a few small icicles caked on her eyelashes. She tried to reach up and brush them away, but she was met with resistance. Suddenly, she realized her hands were handcuffed behind her. Sighing, she rolled over, coming face to face with Anakin and Farah, who were handcuffed as well. Ahsoka glared at both of them, willing them to wake up.

Anakin's eyes squinted open. "Ahsoka," he murmured, trying to get his bearings. "You okay?"

Ahsoka sighed, "More or less, I can't really move."

"Yes… I think we're in the same room, though," Farah said suddenly, rolling over. Even though the room was much warmer, the air was still mist filled as the Jedi breathed.

"What now? I thought Death Watch left," Ahsoka frowned, confused.

"Not all of them," said a familiar voice.

Anakin glared at Bo-Katan, "Oh, it's just you."

"Yeah, just me," Katan rolled her eyes. "I see you defused the bomb; impressive. Too bad it was for nothing, since you're still going to kick the bucket," she said as she reached over and hit a few buttons on a panel. The room's temperature immediately began to drop again. "A Senator for ransom and three Jedi dead in one day," she murmured to herself as she left.

"You what?" Anakin growled, lunging at Bo. Ahsoka stuck out her foot as Bo closed the door, tripping him.

"Master, please, not now…" she sighed, looking at him with an exasperated expression.

"They've got Padmè!" Anakin cried, getting up off his face. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Ahsoka traded a look with Farah, "No, not in this moment."

"Yeah, since we're trying to avoid hypothermia!" Farah muttered, shivering.

Anakin cocked an eyebrow, "Oh, really? I'm surprised at you of all people, Ahso-"

"Don't try to guilt trip me because I could just as easily guilt kick you," Ahsoka glared.

"Stop fighting, both of you!" Farah snapped. "Ahsoka, have a heart; Anakin, stay in the here and now, okay?"

Anakin sighed. "Fine… sorry, Snips."

Ahsoka nodded, "I'm sorry too…"

Anakin smiled softly. "Apology accepted. Now come on, I have an idea to get us out of here…" As he stood, he noticed he still had the darksaber. Well, I guess even the bad guys forget…


Mace and Obi-Wan slowly skirted around the Mandolorian's base, under the cover of the night.

Obi-Wan glanced at his comrade. "How is it possible this base was erected so secretively?"

Mace sighed, "Bribes, and an unnoticing populace." He muttered, cutting a large circle into a backdoor. Obi-Wan helped as well. Soon, they were moving quietly through the deserted hallways. No one was there, not even droids.

Obi-Wan checked the boiler room. "I think Anakin was here…" he muttered, moving on. But just as they stepped into the next room, the entire floor collapsed! Boxes and other items skid downward, right into a green, toxic looking liquid. The fact that everything dissolved on contact revealed it was acid.

"Argh!" Mace cried, grabbing a handhold on the wall.

Obi-Wan grabbed Mace's foot at the last minute. "Well, this is lovely," he smiled darkly.

Mace rolled his eyes, "It's annoying when you only possess a sense of humor in the face of danger or death, Obi-Wan," he grunted, swinging under Obi-Wan's weight.

Obi-Wan snorted, "You sound like Qui-Gon…"

Mace smirked, "I should hope so…"


Anakin, Ahsoka and Farah crawled stiffly through the vents, the cold air pushing them back painfully.

Ahsoka shivered, slowly moving forward. She glared at Anakin, "T-this was your plan?" She growled, barely able to move her lips.

Anakin glanced back his padawan, "What? We would get this cold anyway… besides, these vents have to end somewhere."

"Do you have any idea how to get these cuffs off, then, Mr. Smarty Pants?" Farah asked pointedly. They had managed to get their hands in front of them, but they still wore the cuffs. It made for awkward, painful crawling.

"I'll do it… hour-tarily," Anakin smirked to himself, stumbling a little.

"N-not f-funny," Ahsoka glared at her master.

"Hey, there's an exit!" Anakin said suddenly, throwing attention away from himself. He quickly pulled the grate up, jumping down. Farah and Ahsoka followed.

"Finally, we're-" Farah stopped. "Someone's in trouble!" She took off running. Anakin and Ahsoka traded looks, but followed.

Anakin sighed, "Here we go again..."

Farah skidded into the doorway of Mace and Obi-Wan's deathtrap, gawking, "Whoa…"

"Padawan Danew," Mace grunted. "Go get hel-" He stopped as Anakin and Ahsoka ran up.

Anakin took out his liquid cable launcher. Handing the end to Ahsoka and Farah, he said, "Hold this. I'll go down and get them."

"Master… I think the floor slants the more you walk, so be careful," Ahsoka warned, glancing at Anakin as he handed her the cable.

Anakin smirked as he climbed down. "Don't worry, I'll be- ahgh!" He cried, as the moment his foot touched the cold, slanted metal floor, it collapsed even more. Farah and Anakin, still holding the cable, tumbled over the edge. Ahsoka managed to not fall, but she was still holding her end.

She glared down at her master, "I told you to be careful! How long exactly do you think I can hold you and Farah?"

"Um, sorry," Anakin smiled sheepishly.

Mace looked like he wanted to bang his head on the floor in front of him, but he knew that would only make things worse, "Skywalker…"

"I'll have to agree with Mace here, what were you thinking?" Obi-Wan sighed.

"He wasn't," Farah said simply.

"Hey! Don't bite the foot that holds you!" Anakin called down to Farah, shaking his foot a little for emphasis. Farah tightened her grip on it, frowning.

"Stop it! You'll make things worse," Ahsoka snapped, tightening her slipping grip. She leaned back, trying to stop from falling over the edge.

"This is stupid! We're Jedi, how were we brought down by a slating floor and cheese-poof brain here?" Farah moaned.

"I'll have to concur with Padawan Danew on that," Mace glanced over at Anakin, who was sulking.

"I am not a cheese-poo-" Anakin started.

"That's a matter of opinion," everyone chorused in sync, glaring down at him.


Padmè slowly crept around a corner, glancing around. She had left Aimee and Kalcric in the hangar. It turned out Bo-Katan had lied; she actually had no idea where the senator was. She'd been bluffing, just to make Anakin suffer internally before he died. The base was quiet, filled with an eerie, deadened silence.

"Anakin, where are you?" she muttered, turning down a bend. She soon got her answer. As she turned down another hallway, she heard grunting sounds coming from the end from the hall, "Ahsoka?" she asked, rushing down the hall, glancing in an open doorway.

Ahsoka glanced up, a frown on her face. Padmè realized the padawan wasn't looking at her, but trying to keep ahold of something.

"Ahsoka, are you ok-" Padmè stopped as she glanced around Ahsoka, spying a sheepish looking Anakin.

"Hello, Milady," Anakin bit his lip, embarrassed.

"Anakin," Padmè moaned, taking ahold of the cable for a moment to let Ahsoka rest, "can't you stay out of trouble for a moment- or at least not pull everyone else into it? Literally… oh, hello Masters Windu, Kenobi."

Obi-Wan Mace nodded, "Senator."

Meanwhile, Farah was studying the green liquid below them. It was unnaturally still, but it seemed a lot deeper than when she'd first looked at it… Suddenly, it hit her. The acid level was rising!

"Masters..?" Farah asked quietly.

"Yes, Farah?" Obi-Wan glanced down at her. "What is it?"

"The acid level, I think it's getting deeper!"

Anakin paled at this revelation. "Maybe it isn't acid?" He said nervously, feeling like he has just gulped down a whole mug of hot tea.

"Oh, really?" Farah asked with a cocked eyebrow. Keeping one hand on Anakin's foot, she used the other to pull a strand of her hair out, dropping it. The group watched, holding their breaths as it fell. Finally, it hit the surface, burning to nothingness with a hiss.

"Okay…" Ahsoka muttered, turning to Padmè. "Can you help me pull them up?"

Padmè shook her head, "No… even together, we can't lift them both."

Ahsoka bit her lip. Suddenly, she jumped, "Hey, Farah?"

"Yes?"

"Can you jump over to Master Obi-Wan and hold on for a bit? I have an idea."

"That you haven't cleared with- ouch!" Obi-Wan winced as Farah swung over to him, grabbing his legs. Now, just Anakin was left on the other side. Padmè caught on to Ahsoka's plan, immediately helping the padawan pull up her master.

Anakin smiled at his apprentice as he brushed himself off. "I'll take it from here…"


"My lord," Count Dooku bowed to Darth Sidious.

"Has the mission succeeded?" Sidious asked, gabling his hands.

Dooku hesitated, before nodding, "Yes," he lied.

Sidious studied him, before slowly nodding, "Ah, I see… bring me the bodies."

"Master, I will have to warn you-"

"I am not one to be squeamish," Sidious' lip curled.

"Of course, my lord…" Dooku bowed.

Sidious smirked, "I hope you're not lying, for your sake…"


Farah, Mace, Padmè, Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan boarded a vacant, fairly small ship. They also had Aimee and Kalcric with them.

Anakin frowned, flopping warily in a chair, "This is too easy…"

"Don't tempt fate," Farah muttered, warily powering up the ship.

"But a lame end to this all would just be… lame," Ahsoka snorted.

Aimee rolled her eyes at this, smirking, "The redhead's right."

"The blonde is ah-nah-ing," Ahsoka fired back, ridiculing Aimee's stiff, leisurely accent.

"Says the-" Aimee started.

"Girls…" Anakin sighed, glancing sideways at a disapproving, but silent Mace.

Ahsoka snorted, "Me? We wouldn't really even be here if her mother didn't make dirty deals with Death Watch."

"Wait, where is Megara anyway?" Obi-Wan frowned.

Kalcric looked quietly at everyone. "They killed her after you succeeded in retrieving the darksaber and their plans failed."

"We're sorry about your loss," Farah muttered. "I know how that feels…"

Anakin nodded, "Yes, we- uh-oh!"

Ahsoka started, "What?" She raced over to the readings, quickly skimming them as Anakin had taught her.

"Check the scanners! Something's-" Anakin didn't get to finish, as a loud BOOM suddenly rocked the entire ship, spinning it off its course.

Eeee! Chapter nine is a go! I hope you enjoyed it. Also, I have an announcement: Only two or three more chapters remain, not counting the epilogue :(