Resist: Here is chapter 9 everyone, please read and enjoy!
Oni: Yeah, we hope you all are loving this series!
Resist: Without further stalling, Echo and I don't own Star Wars or any of its characters
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
The Rescue Part II
Arthur sat in the escape pod nervously twiddling his thumbs waiting for Mia to enter so he could leave. She may have sent him away, but he wasn't leaving without her if it meant that he would die as well. "Hurry up Mia" he whispered.
"Let's get this thing moving!" he heard Mia's voice as she bursted into the airlock. She sprinted up the steps and into the pod, "We have ten seconds before this thing collides with the fleet."
Since Arthur had already did all the preflight checking and programing completed, Arthur was all set to pilot the escape pod away from the ship. Arthur hit a few more buttons to start the pod's engines and then hit the last button to finalize the ejection sequence and immediately the pod ejected them away from the cruiser.
Mia gave out a sigh and looked out the viewport. "How do we get out of this situation now? Can you contact Green yet?"
"One problem at a time. Like I said, I didn't think this far ahead," came the sarcastic reply of Arthur. "Green can you hear me?" asked Arthur into his wrist comm.
"I can barely hear you, kid," Green's voice came in broken and filled with static, "What the heck happened to your ship?"
"It is becoming a scrap pile" replied Arthur, "Need a pick up. We are in escape pods" finished Arthur, who then waited for Green's reply, hoping he could still hear him.
"W-we'll be r-ight the-" Green's voice cut off and the transmission came through as pure static. Mia rolled her eyes at this and leaned back in her seat, "At least he knows we're here. I just hope that the Separatist fleet is gone by now." Looking out the viewport, she found that they couldn't see the results of their plan. Arthur gave a smile at the look she had on her face since she couldn't see the action. Arthur closed his eyes and focused on their pod, and started to rotate so that they could see the fireworks happening around them.
"Ah," Mia exclaimed in surprise as the pod began to move. When she realized that Arthur was using the Force, she sighed and sat still.
"Better?" asked Arthur with a smirk on his face that was impossible to miss, as he saw Mia's face change expressions.
"Much better," Mia said with a chuckle as she admired their handy work. It was guaranteed now that the Separatists were no longer a threat. The Republic cruiser had completely demolished the flagship it crashed into, causing a chain reaction and decimating the nearby ships.
Arthur gave a long whistle at what was happening to the now scattered fleet of Separatists. "See my plans always work" chuckled Arthur at the chaos that was happening around them. The fun continued for them, as Green's ship entered out of hyperspace and started to blast what was remaining of the Separatist armada.
"I'm liking your plans more and more," Mia said, giving Arthur a smirk. Arthur couldn't help but smile at this and her encouragement made his feelings for her grow even more, if that was possible. "Well Green should be able to pick us up after he is able to make the Separatists retreat, which shouldn't take long" Arthur said to Mia, adding sarcasm to that last part.
"Let's see if the comms are back in order," Mia said, leaning over a control panel. Finding the right switch, she tried to hail Green's ship. Sparks flew from the device and caused the young woman to spring back. "Uh, yeah, comms are still down. But I guess that gives us time to plan our next move. How are we supposed to arrest Koth? Besides him giving away the coordinates, we don't have any solid proof."
"Thought maybe we take what we know to Master Yoda, but you're right, we really don't have any solid proof that he did this. The only other thing I can come up with is we investigate his place, but I'm really fresh out of ideas" replied Arthur, not really wanting to admit that to her.
"Let's ask Green when he picks us up," Mia suggested, "Though I have a feeling he won't be very subtle. We may not want him around Koth." Arthur sighed knowing she was right, "We may have to interrogate Koth without Green present so we can get some answers, or Green may shoot first and ask questions later."
Mia scoffed at this, "There won't be someone to answer the questions if we let him have his way. He's a marshal commander, right?" asked Mia, and Arthur nodded his head in reply, "Yeah he is" replied Arthur. "Well," Mia shrugged, "He was most likely trained for interrogation, maybe his anger could give us an advantage and find out how much Koth told the Separatists."
Arthur looked at her, curse her genius, he thought. "We are going to need all the help we can get, interrogating a Jedi is not going to be very easy" said Arthur. "I bet they didn't give him the title "marshal" for no reason," the young woman tried not to laugh. "Are the comms still jammed?" Arthur looked out the viewport of their pod and saw that the Separatist fleet was all but gone, so he tried to get Green on the comms. "Green can you hear me?" asked Arthur through the comms.
"Kid?" Green's voice came through, "We've been trying to contact you. Are you hitting decline again?" Arthur shook his head and replied light heartedly, "No, that was only one time just to annoy you, and our pods comms are shot so I'm using my wrist comms."
"I'm dying from laughter over here," Green said dryly. "We're sending a shuttle out to pick you guys up. Have any ideas of what our next move is? I can't promise I'll have subtle ideas in mind."
"Well…..we got a plan. Mia and I are going to arrest Koth, and we need you to be the bad guy in the interrogation, which I'm sure you can handle" responded Arthur over the wrist comms.
"If you're asking for good cop bad cop," Green stopped to laugh, "I hope Koth made peace with the Force."
"Sounds more like bad cop worse cop to me" chuckled Arthur at Green's reply. Arthur turned to Mia and looked her in the eyes, "So what's the plan to arrest Koth?" asked Arthur, who was still out of ideas, but would never admit this out loud.
Mia nodded and looked around the pod. "Good question….I don't have an answer for it." Arthur got somewhat frustrated at how his plan was falling apart and slightly started tapping his first on the panel in front of him. "One second my plan is working, the next it comes to a hault."
"Don't worry kid," Green said over the transmission, which was still active, "There's a ton of regulations we still have to face. But….I can guarantee you it will be worth it in the end. Oni's going to make it out."
The escape pod was small and was a tight fit, but Arthur still stood up and found what little room he could and started pacing in a tight circle. He was doing good till his plan started to fall apart, and he wasn't sure what to next.
"The plan is going as," Mia paused, "planned. You shouldn't be worrying now. Save that for when we bust your master out of the dungeon." Arthur only registered about half of what she was saying as he continued to pace around the tight spaced pod.
"Arthur."
Arthur stopped and stared at Mia who had a worried expression plastered on her face. He was initially shocked at what he saw, because usually Mia was tough and hardly ever looked the way she was looking at him. She got out of her chair and stepped towards him. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she looked him dead in the eye. "Stop pacing," Mia placated, "Keep breathing."
Arthur held her gaze for a little, but couldn't hold it for long, he slowly looked down at his feet, and sighed heavily in defeat. He knew Mia was right, and he hated pacing himself, because it made him look weak and vulnerable. "It's so hard sometimes" mumbled Arthur in a saddened tone.
Mia smiled sympathetically and cupped his face. "I know, Arthur, I know." Arthur melted at her touch and put his head on her shoulder and tears started to run down his face. Mia was the only one who could make him melt like this. "I just want this to be over" sobbed Arthur into Mia's shoulder, "I'm a jedi, I'm suppose to be strong, and not like this" Arthur mumbled, as tears continued to fall from his eyes and onto Mia's shoulder.
Mia embraced him tightly and rubbed circles along his back. "I'm sure anyone would feel like this in your situation. Just remember that your master is okay and will come out of this all right." She pulled away and looked Arthur in the eye. "You have to be brave," she jabbed a finger at his chest, "You have to be brave for me, for Green, and most importantly for your master."
Arthur's tears began to stop as he continued to stare at Mia's eyes. Arthur couldn't help but stare at her eyes, for he always found them captivating. "I will." was all Arthur said, as he was still being mesmerized by Mia's beauty.
"Speaking of Green," the young woman frowned, "Where is he?" The pod suddenly jolted and Mia looked around, "Oh, there he is."
"Sorry I'm late, kids," Green spoke over the comm., laughing, "Hopefully your life support hasn't run out yet."
"Nope, we're still breathing" Arthur replied through his wrist, still not removing his gaze from Mia. Just then the pod shook again and Arthur lost his balance and fell forward and he and Mia hit the ground. Once Arthur collected himself, he realised he was on top of Mia and quickly got off, his face was beat red, and hotter than Tatooine. "Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Arthur said nervously, throwing his hands up in defence.
Mia chuckled as she stood up. "Don't worry," she said, "I'm sure Green and your master have had their share of incidents." Arthur was so nervous, he opened his mouth to say something but it never happened, he just closed his mouth and looked at the ground, and if it was possible for his face to get any redder, it did.
"Sorry, you probably don't want to be thinking about that," Mia stopped and frowned, "What would that be like? I mean, a Jedi and a clone commander. Hmm."
"No clue, definitely would be tough to keep hidden from the council and all the clones that Green would interact with on a daily basis" Arthur replied, after finding his bearings again. "Heck, it will be tough for me to keep us a secret from my master, so I can't imagine what they do" finished Arthur, who started to scratch the back of his head after he mentioned him and Mia as an "us".
The young woman gave him a smile, "Obviously they are doing something right. I guess we should find out what that is, shouldn't we?" She laughed before continuing, "Maybe it's some sort of couple's yoga?"
Arthur tried not to laugh, but he couldn't help it and busted out laughing. "Yeah, I'm sure that's what it is," said Arthur, while giving Mia a smirk.
The escape shook as the shuttle landed in the hangar of Green's cruiser. Mia slightly flinched as the door to the pod creaked. Slowly, it opened and Green poked his head in. "You guys all right?" he asked, looking between them.
Arthur gave Mia a quick glance then replied, "Yeah we're good. Any plans on how to capture Koth?" Arthur looked at Green with hopeful eyes, since he was fresh out of ideas on how to get Koth, except to invade his home.
Green narrowed his eyes and smirked, "Oh, I have a few. And they all involve pain. Don't worry. I already sent a message to Master Yoda. He said they'll have Koth in interrogation by the time we get back. Now, c'mon, let's go. I don't want to be late for my turn to beat the living-I mean, ask questions."
"Hey we're doing good cop, bad cop, so good guys go first, then you can have him." Arthur said, slightly chuckling at him. Green pretended to pout and crossed his arms. "Just get out of the pod," he snapped.
"I think I'll stay in here a while" replied Arthur leaning back in his chair, who just received a glare from Green, and a half smile from Mia. Arthur then laughed himself and proceeded to get out of the pod as ordered to.
"Now that we're not being watched," Green said as he looked around, noting that the nearest trooper was well away, "How is she?" Arthur didn't know himself for sure, but seeing that he didn't feel any painful disturbances in the force, figured she was still alive, so he replied the best he could. "She's alive, that's all I know"
Green sighed and ran a hand through his hair, which was slightly messy from all the stress the past few weeks. "I haven't been able to feel her part of the bond for days," the commander said, shaking his head, "I've been practically pulling my hair out since."
Arthur decided to find out more about his master's condition to give Green some closure and himself as well. Arthur took in a deep breath and closed his eyes and let the force take him to his master. Arthur felt her as the force was able to take him to her, but all he heard in his head was Dooku's despicable voice. "I'm greatly impressed by your resilience Master Kao, but you will fall soon enough." rang the voice of Dooku through Arthur's head. "You will die, but not till I get your padawan here to watch in pain" Arthur couldn't take it anymore and cut off the connection and fell to the floor, clutching the sides of his head.
"Arthur!" Mia exclaimed and knelt down. Green did as well and shook him slightly, "Kid, what did you see?" Arthur didn't hear them at all, he was in pain, and even as he tried to cut the connection to his master, he still heard Dooku's voice all around him. "Get out of my head!" Arthur yelled as he continued to keep his hands clamped to the sides of his head.
"Patch, get down here now," Green shouted through his comm. link. He gave Arthur's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "Just try to fight it, kid." Mia looked between Green and Arthur in concern, "What's going on?" The marshal commander sighed and looked and at the young woman. "He's having some sort of Force-related trauma. Oni used to get that sometimes when she would meditate. If it gets worse, I'll have Patch sedate him."
"Who's Patch?" Mia asked with a raised brow. "Our chief medical officer," Green replied and watched as Arthur kept cringing in pain, "He knows about me and Oni. I trust him."
Arthur continued to roll around on the ground as Green and Mia tried to hold him still. As they struggled to do so, the doors opened and in walked Patch. "What seems to be the…...oh" Patch took in the sight of Arthur squirming around on the ground and yelling in pain.
"Yeah," Green said and stood up, "You should probably sedate him. I didn't know all Jedi go through this."
"You got it coach" replied Patch, as he joined the commotion and pulled out a needle and sedated Arthur. Arthur's violent twists and turns began to slowly disappear, before stopping all together. "That wasn't so tough" said Patch. No one could see the smirk he had on his face, since he was wearing his clone helmet that had a hand drawn red cross on one side of it.
"You just love sticking needles into people, don't you, Patch?" Green asked with a smile, which was forced. He sighed and looked at Arthur, who was now asleep. "What do you think he saw?" he asked in concern. The fact that he couldn't feel if Oni was still alive killed him.
"Hard to tell, no figuring out the jedi and the force" replied Patch. Since he knew about Kao and Green, he couldn't imagine what Green was going through at the moment, event the kid, that was now sleeping in front of him. "Mia, help me carry him to the med bay?" asked Patch.
Mia snapped to reality and shook her head, "Oh, uh, yeah." Before she reached out to pick up Arthur's feet, she noticed Green was staring off into the distance. The young woman sighed and placed a hand on the man's arm, giving it a squeeze. "She'll be okay." When the clone turned to face her, she smiled sympathetically. "Arthur told me that Oni has been captured before. If she can survive it once, she can make it out again." Green looked away in thought before turning to Mia with a grateful smile.
Nodding, Mia gestured for Patch to pick up Arthur's upper half. Patch did so and the duo carried Arthur's sleeping body to the med bay so that he could rest comfortably before waking up. "So you and Arthur together?" asked Patch, already knowing the answer to the question.
"How did you know?" Mia asked with a shocked look.
"I do now" Patch chuckled, as he made eye contact with Mia, then quickly wished he didn't with the death stare he was getting back. The young woman's upper lip began to quiver as she thought of justified ways she could hurt him. Sighing, she decided to turn the attention somewhere else. "At least one of us isn't in a prison somewhere," Mia said, looking Arthur, "I can't imagine what the commander is going through right now." She stopped and looked at Patch, "How did you find out about him and Master Kao?"
"I figured it out after General Kao returned from being tortured the first time. Green never left her side, and skipped most of his duties around this ship to be with her. Didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out" Patch chuckled.
"Oh," Mia nodded, "So are they like….together together?"
"Married? Heck no, not yet anyway" replied Patch. "I doubt that would happen, not till the war is at least close to ending" he said. Mia chuckled, "Just wanted to see if it was possible. I mean, if a member of the Jedi Council could get away with it, I'm sure Arthur and I could." She stopped laughing when she realized what Patch said. "Wait, what do you mean 'not yet'?"
Patch was laughing hysterically at what Mia said and it took all his might not to drop Arthur's head on the floor. "Oh, I am definitely telling Arthur what you said when he wakes up" Patch said, still laughing as they came close to the med bay.
"What did I say?" Mia tried not laugh herself. "You and Arthur getting married" Patch said, as he started to calm himself down.
"Oh, well," Mia started to blush, "That's if he wants to ask, but I was asking about...oh nevermind!" She tried to push away the embarrassment. "Are Green and Oni?" she asked. "I think they will" Patch said as they entered the med bay. Patch and Mia carried Arthur to an open bed and laid him down and covered him with a blanket. "You wanna wait here or go back with me?" Patch asked Mia.
"I'm needed here," Mia said as she sat on the edge of the bed, "But do tell me when we've arrived to Coruscant." Patch nodded his head and left, leaving the two alone.
Resist: Well there is the next chapter ladies and gents
Arthur: I'll admit, I liked it even though I'm in pain
Resist: Arthur, why are you talking? You're asleep.
Echo: Yeah, I thought Patch sedated you. You should be drooling in the med bay.
Resist: He's drooling alright, over Mia
Arthur: HEY!
Green: He was….
Echo: Haha, well, while Arthur continues to drool over Mia, please make sure to leave a review and come back for the next chapter! Thanks for reading!
