Chapter 10

"Are we all set Admiral?" Anakin asked, as he, Ahsoka, Plo, and Penny entered the bridge.

"Yes sir," Yularen responded. "Ready to jump to Raxus on your orders."

"Very well, let's get going then. Ahead full."

The crew quickly went to work on the many consoles of the ship preparing the sublight engines and hyperdrive as they walked up to the front of the command bridge. Penny gazed across the ship's vast frontal section from the large window in fascination. Anakin grinned, remembering the first time he set foot on a starcruiser. The sleek Naboo royal starcruiser that took to Coruscant for his Jedi training. He also remembered how he felt on his first lightspeed jump...oh, yes of course. In his line of thought he had almost forgotten to notice the jump into the hyperspace dimension. As the ship jumped, he peered back down at Penny who had stiffened up and staggered back a bit at the sudden rush. Anakin chuckled and briefly placed his hand on her shoulder, "You get use to it after a while," he said reassuringly.

Penny struggled to find words, "What...what exactly...is this?"

"This? Oh, well, you see we're now moving at the speed of light, so this is the dimension that we enter when we jump to the speed of the light."

"General," Yularen said, walking up from behind. "We should be at our destination in approximately thirty standard minutes."

"Good Admiral. Rex? Why don't you finish the tour of the Resolute with her? I'll be here if you need me."

Rex nodded, "Yes sir," he said. "Come on kid. I may even be able to find you temporary quarters...uh, you know, a room, to stay in...for now."

She could tell he was having trouble speaking to a child, so she nodded and followed him back out the door. Though he wasn't going to be there, he had other things to do, Ahsoka required major improvement on her lightsaber training, nothing new there, also, there was Padmé. He hadn't seen her, or even sent her a message for almost a standard month now. So, with that he left the bridge to his quarters, where he composed a small, private message allowing her to know he was alright and he missed her as usual. "Hey, Skyguy?" Ahsoka's voice came from behind just as he cut off the transmission.

Anakin nearly leapt off the floor when he spun around to see his teenage padawan standing in the doorway, he sighed briefly as he said, "What is it, snips? And I told you, don't call me that!"

"Sorry Sky...master," she apologized. "I was just wondering, if we were still doing that practice session."

"Oh, right. Get the training remote and I'll meet you down there."

She nodded and left, Anakin rose and looked at his personal holo-comlink and thought of his wife, then of Penny. The sooner we get them out of this, the better.

Anakin sat on a crate in the main hanger as he watched the training remote whir around Ahsoka, who had her eyes closed but was still effectively dodging the training bolts. "Master, I still don't understand," she said, deflecting yet another training bolt.

"Well, remember what master Yoda says, 'Your eyes can deceive you, you can't always trust them.'"

"No, it's not that," she said, deactivating her lightsaber and opening her eyes, allowing the training remote to sail upward into its standby position. "I still don't understand how Grievous could have found those two. I mean, it's an average girl and an average dog, on a planet nearly standard centuries behind our technology. How did Grievous even find the planet?"

"I don't know snips," Anakin replied, scratching his chin. "I think…there may be something about this dog. He's been really alert when he's around her. In fact I don't think there's been a time where he hasn't been around her. I wonder if he's protecting her from something. But what...?"

"General," said Yularen who was standing nearby. "I've received word that we are ready to revert to realspace and send a scouting party to Raxus. I assume you are going to lead it?"

"You assume correctly, Admiral. I'll take Torrent company down with me to search for these metals."

"I shall come along," Plo's voice came from behind. "It's been a while since I've been to Raxus Prime. I would very much like to see the trash heap once more."

Anakin smirked, "There's not much to see, master. But any help is welcome."

"Do you think we should take the girl along?" Plo asked.

Anakin froze for a moment, he had already thought of this. She would have nothing else to do, but she might even be more uninterested if she went along. Then again, it's a twelve year-old girl, she's bound to be interested in a new planet. May as well. "Uh…alright. Sure, when will be prepared to leave?"

Rex who was standing beside them spoke first, "The men are set, the Twilight's been loaded, we're ready to depart as soon as we enter orbit sir."

Anakin could tell Rex had a proud smile on his face, he was eager to put his new men to the test. He had lost nearly all of Torrent company back on Teth, neither of them couldn't and wouldn't allow that many casualties in one battle again. "Alright, get the kid and some of the members of Wolfpack too." Anakin ordered. "We leave as soon as we're in orbit."

Rex nodded obediently and walked away, as did Yularen leaving Plo with the two. "We don't have much time before the Separatists realize what we're up to," he noted.

"Agreed," Anakin replied, turning back to his padawan. "Ahsoka, get to the Twilight, get Artoo, and make sure we're all set."

You got it Skyguy," she responded cheerily.

"Okay...what? Hey, snips! I told you..." Anakin sighed as she had already pranced away. Not to call me Skyguy. At least, when no one else is around.

He heard Plo chuckle from behind him, "I'll admit, she's quite a handful, Skywalker. But it's all part of training a padawan."

"Yes, of course master," Anakin grunted. It's almost not worth it.

"...So we'll do a brief search of the planet for the location, and then we'll get you home," Plo finished explaining to Penny as they approached the Twilight.

Penny nodded intently, then shifted her gaze to the ship before her, "This is the ship?" she asked, trying not to sound ungrateful.

"Yes," Anakin replied curtly. "It may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts. Plus there's a lot of special modifications I've made."

"Um...alright. Okay, so when exactly do we...you know?"

"As soon as we get on board," Anakin answered. "Rex, are we ready?"

"Affirmative sir," he replied, saluting him.

"Let's get moving boys!" Anakin ordered, as he walked up the boarding ramp.

The others hastily followed, as Penny waited until everyone else boarded to make it easier on Bolt, so he wouldn't have to constantly be on the alert. She could tell he didn't trust their new allies, she bent down and scratched his ear, and reminded him once again they were only trying to help. "Coming kid?" Rex inquired, at the top of the ramp.

"Oh, yes, I am," Penny rose from her spot and jogged up the ramp, Bolt ran up to the top before her to ensure nothing happened. He glared briefly at Rex, who glanced back at him and tried to smile, "Is your dog...normally friendly?"

"Yes he is," she said, quickly. "He's just a little insecure with the new environment. He's sort of...protective of me."

Rex nodded and walked to the bridge. They passed through the passenger compartment, seeing clone troopers occupying the multiple seats, some with blue stripes and others with more detailed armor, maroon stripes that formed the Republic emblem and black markings on their helmets that appeared to be a wolf. She took her seat next to the door that lead to the bridge, when Anakin entered and looked at her, "You can sit up here...if you want, that is," he invited.

"Sure," Penny responded eagerly, placing Bolt on her seat and ordering him to stay.

Anakin smiled and turned back to the bridge Penny right behind him. She was once again fascinated by the bridge and all the different mechanisms, also noting the small, cylindrical droid in the back, plugged into something, it was like being in the cockpit of an airplane. Rex offered her one of the side seats. She sat in the chair, admiring their treatment of her. Of course, though, it couldn't last, she still had to return to Earth and stop Calico. She hadn't forgotten about her father, and wouldn't. Then she heard the static of a comlink, then a clone voice informing them they were clear to launch. Anakin and Ahsoka pressed a large number of buttons in their pilot seats and the ship rose of the hanger floor. Penny stiffened up, feeling unsafe in the chair without a belt. The ship went through the atmospheric containment shield and went off towards the smoggy wasteland of a planet. She became less nervous and more excited at the flight. "Where should we start?" Ahsoka asked as they rapidly approached the planet

"Mines are a good start," Plo answered.

"Artoo, pinpoint the nearest Raxian mine," Anakin said, without looking back.

The droid chirped happily and began scanning the vast junk landscape. Within minutes they had flown through the atmosphere and were approaching their destination. "We should arrive at the area in about five standard minutes," Rex informed from the opposite side of the bridge.

"Alright, Anakin said. "Prepare for landing Ahsoka. Let's hope the Separatists don't..."

Suddenly the entire room was filled with a bright red light and the ship lurched violently, knocking Penny out of her chair. "WE'VE BEEN HIT!" Rex shouted.

Hit? Great. Simply wonderful. But who? Anakin pondered. There aren't that many locals, and the ones that are there aren't this territorial. Unless... The Separatists. It was the only explanation. But how? They've gotta have some sort of tracking station. Meanwhile, Penny struggled to resume her position until she felt Rex's plated arms wrap around her and pull her back into her seat, then he wrapped the seat belt she hadn't seen around her waist. "Hold on tight, kid!" he ordered, placing his helmet on his head, as he shot out the door.

She clutched her seat as the ship continued to shake, hoping Bolt was secure. She just closed her eyes and waited for it to be over, hearing the shouts of the clones and Anakin. "Artoo! Try and stabilize it!"

"It's no use!" Ahsoka shouted. "The starboard engines are completely gone!"

"We're losing control!"

"Divert all power to emergency thrusters!"

"They're gone too!"

"Snips, I mean kriffing repulsorlifts! Anything we can use to slow us down!"

"It's too late Skywalker!"

"Brace for impact!"

Then, Penny dared to open her eyes and look out the front window. She saw a large mountain of metal coming closer and closer to them, then she noticed the crash positions Anakin and Ahsoka were taking. The mountain was right in front of them. She closed her eyes once more as the ship lurched more violently than ever. The belt snapped and she was thrown from her seat halfway across the bridge as was the rest of them. She tried to pick herself up, only to be thrown back against the wall. The glass of the viewport shattered as the cockpit seemed to be imploding. "Bolt!" she tried to scream before being slammed against the ceiling.

Then all went black.