POV: Ahsoka Tano
I watched Master Kenobi closely as we went from planet to planet, searching for some clue as to where my Master had been taken. Master Skywalker has always been the reckless type, but I never imagined him being taken forcibly. It hurt to watch Master Kenobi. He was so angry, so panicked. He wanted Anakin back and he wanted him back now. I had the feeling that there was something much deeper than just a former apprentice and Master relationship, but I didn't pry. I knew how compassionate Anakin was. I also knew how easily he formed attachments. Maybe he was rubbing off on Master Kenobi finally.
We were now sitting on our ship once again and he was glaring down at the holomap before him, his eyes tired and weary. It's been nearly two months since we, or rather he, heard from Anakin. He was frustrated with the Council for not sending more Jedi out as a search party, but he was more distraught by the fact that everywhere he went, all he found was dead-ends. "We've been to every damned slave planet in the Outer Rim. Where the hell is he?" he all but screamed. I flinched as he pounded one fist on the dashboard.
"Master," I whispered, fearful. Never had I seen this man lose his composure in such a way. He could joke around or lecture Anakin, but I'd never seen him truly angry. He looked over at me, his age shown clearly on his face. He always looked so young to me, but the weariness and exhaustion on his face showed that he was nearly forty years old. "I'm worried about him too. I miss him as much as you do. We won't find him if we stress ourselves or focus our energy on negative emotions."
He sighed and shook his head, looking back at the holomap. "There are things about this situation that you may not understand, Ahsoka," he said quietly. He sounded pained. He didn't know that I already knew what the situation was. Anakin was very handsome and, with the wrong kind of people, that would be used against him. "We need to save Anakin before he loses hope, before his will is shattered."
"Did…" I trailed off, pausing momentarily to collect my thoughts. "Did Master Skywalker suffer horribly when he was captured by slavers before?" I know he told me it wasn't his place to share Anakin's stories, but I was concerned. I wanted to know what I would be facing once we found him.
He nodded and I saw his eyes glaze over until he blinked back the tears that began to form. "He was sixteen," he whispered and my heart leapt into my throat. I was sixteen right now, almost seventeen, and I couldn't imagine how afraid my Master had been in that situation. "It all happened so fast and he was gone before I knew it. I was too late. I was too slow. He was so broken, Ahsoka." He looked at me then. "Have you noticed how haunted his eyes look at times?" I nodded and he continued. "As a child, he was beaten when he disobeyed his master or when he wanted to protect his mother. He, at that age, was prepared to take a beating. At sixteen, he wasn't only beaten. He was used, but not explicitly."
I could only begin to imagine where he was going with this and I chose to interject, knowing that we would eventually broach the subject one way or another. "Was he…raped when he was captured?" My voice sounded a lot more timid than I intended it to be, but I'd never said that word before. I never had a reason to until now.
"No, not entirely. They didn't force sex upon him." I could see the same ghostly look in his eyes that I saw in Anakin's at times. Those repressed memories haunted them both. "They…" He looked unsure of how to put whatever it was he was thinking about. "They made him give them oral, but they never penetrated him otherwise, which I suppose is fortunate." My stomach churned and I felt sick. It wasn't because of what my Master had to do. It was because those monsters hurt him at such an innocent stage in his life. No wonder he was so protective of me.
I nodded and admitted, "I feel terrible and I'm scared. I don't want them to hurt him." I bit my lip and tears welled up in my own eyes now. "I want my Master safe and at home."
He smiled weakly at me and I knew it was more of a sad smile than anything else. "I want him safe too, Ahsoka. Please, for my sake, keep this knowledge to yourself. Anakin is terrified of being looked at differently because of what he was forced into." He stood and came closer to me, resting a hand on my shoulder. "You are very important to him. He doesn't want you to see him as something he truly isn't. He doesn't want you to think he's weak."
I nodded again. Never would I discus that particular event with my Master. That was his business and my knowledge of it hadn't changed my image of him in the slightest. He's been my war hero since the beginning. He would always be the strong, heroic, bold, and courageous man he's been since before I became his apprentice. "He's a lot stronger than he thinks he is. Most people would never be able to put on the face he does or fight as he does after being violated in such a way. The fact that he can still smile and get through the day makes him very strong."
Master Kenobi surged with respect and pride and I smiled up at him. "I'm glad you see it that way, Ahsoka, because that is exactly what I've thought since it happened."
A sudden thought burst into my mind. Perhaps what I had been seeing as some kind of increasing relationship between Master Skywalker and his former Master wasn't what I thought it was. "Did you rescue him back then?" I asked, receiving a slight nod. Maybe their closeness was a sign of how secure and safe Anakin was around him. He was saved by this man and I'm sure Master Kenobi was the only person he trusted more than he could express. I noticed that the way Anakin curled into Master Kenobi seemed to make him feel safe and the way Master Kenobi's arms drifted around him in their sleep made it evident that he was trying to protect his former apprentice.
The transmitter between our seats went off and his attention immediately snapped to it and opened the channel. "Kenobi here," he said hurriedly. Masters Windu and Yoda appeared, looking very solemn as they stared at Master Kenobi's holographic image.
"Obi-Wan, a lead, we may have." I glanced sideways at Master Kenobi, happy to see a spark of hope flicker in his eyes. "Near Cartodia Two, you are, hm?"
"Yes, Master." We were only a short distance from Cartodia Two. Knowing Master Kenobi, we could be there within a matter of hours.
"A slave trade, there will be. A possibility it is, that young Skywalker is there." I smiled. Master Kenobi's relief and anxiety were very tangible. Maybe we would finally be able to bring Anakin home. I could only hope that were the case. "A private transaction, there will be. Far from the trading area, it is not."
"Ahsoka and I will check on this private transaction first and then we will go to where the trade is taking place." He paused as Master Yoda nodded. "Master, I thought Cartodia Two was a free planet?"
Yoda grunted through the hologram and Master Windu looked uneasy. "Free it is, Master Kenobi, but host auctions and trades, they do." Master Windu transmitted the location of where the trade would take place on the planet. He informed us that at least two thousand slavers would be attending, give or take a few hundred. He told us that we would need to disguise ourselves because it was a possibility that we may see someone we've encountered before.
After the Masters finished discussing the plan, Master Kenobi entered the coordinates to the planet and we were on our way, the transmission now shut off. "I hope you aren't going to make me play the part of slave again," I said under my breath. He laughed lightly and I knew that that was exactly what I would be doing.
As soon as we landed, he went into town and found trashy clothes for me to wear as well as a single chain and a collar to place on my neck. He would never activate it because he wasn't as much of an idiot as Master Skywalker had been. He'd allowed the Queen of Zygerria to activate my shock collar and he'd done it himself, forgetting to turn it off before jumping into the fight to save his former Master. He bought himself something plain that wouldn't make him out to be someone of a very high status.
Once we were clothed appropriately, we made our way into the main capital. The private transaction proved to be nothing more than one man selling a pleasure slave to another man. It had disgusted me, but Master Kenobi told me that we were here to free Anakin, not the entire slave population on the planet.
Cartodia Two was full of high class persons and it only made sense for us to look beneath that. He, as a disguised slaver, probably didn't want to make it seem as though he spent his fortune on buying slaves for his needs. He was anxious as we neared the crowd of people around the designated trading area. He scoured the stage at the very front of the crowd, looking through the line of slaves as fast as I was. There was no sign of Anakin just yet.
We decided to wait a little while and see if Anakin came up from the small housing area behind the stage. As the trade began, it appeared as more of an auction. Bids were taken, slaves were sold, happy slavers left with their winnings after making their payments, and the line of slaves just kept moving on and on. Master Kenobi held my chain very loosely. I knew he hated the thought of enslaving someone, even if it were only an act. He held it just to make it appear as though I were off limits because he owned me. I rubbed my wrist nervously, as was my habit, and we waited.
After nearly two hours, Master Kenobi sighed in exasperation. He led me out of the crowd and sat down on a bench with his head in his free hand. "Anakin won't be here. For all we know, he was never here to begin with. This was a lost cause." All of the hope I'd seen in his eyes on our ship was completely gone and it made me sad.
"Master, there are still plenty of slaves. Maybe they're saving the best for last. We both know how feisty Anakin is. He's probably one of the best slaves there is." I hated referring to my Master as a slave. It made me sick. He wasn't property. He was a man.
Master Kenobi's head shot up and he smiled. "Ahsoka, that's probably the most enlightening thing I've heard all day." I gave him a confused look and he continued. "They do not sell the best of their slaves. Anakin's personality would make him more desirable." His cheeks went bright red as he said the last part. "During auctions, trades, transactions, and such, the best slaves are taken to a very luxurious building where they can still provide their services. If Anakin is here, he will be there."
I smiled and he led me away from the trade entirely. We went into a shop and he subtly stole better, fancier clothes for us both. My outfit was still slave-like, but it was like I was a slave for someone of a higher class, which Master Kenobi dressed himself to look like. We wandered through the capital until we found something that almost looked like a palace. It was a haven for prostitutes and sex slaves.
As we entered, he was told that I couldn't go in with him, much to my dismay. My lightsabers were beneath my skirt right now and I wanted to be there to free my Master. Master Kenobi nodded and ordered me to stay put while he disappeared from my view and entered further into the building. I began to pray that he would find Anakin.
POV: Obi-Wan Kenobi
I would not lie. My heart was hammering in my chest. If anyone were to come close, they would probably be able to hear it. I searched through each room and carefully as I could, searching for anything that would lead me to Anakin. He had to be here. He just had to be here. I stopped outside of a closed door as I heard some…action on the other side. It was two females and I decided to continue. I knew Anakin's voice and all the sounds he could make.
He and I hadn't been physically intimate yet, but I had teased him enough to know his moans, groans, and any other sensuous sounds he could possibly make. I had to play it safe right now though. If I let my emotions and feelings for him blind me, I would never find him. Even if I did, I wasn't sure that we could get him out of here safely.
I heard one man screaming profanities at his slave. He was urging said slave to impale him or herself faster and my stomach lurched. I was revolted to think that people could be so vulgar with an act involving so much intimacy... It disgusted and disappointed me. I wished that all beings of the galaxy shared my views on sex and love making. Sex, whether it be casual or otherwise, should not be used on someone who isn't willing. Of course, I couldn't help if it was.
"Fuck me, you little bitch!" the man screamed, once again drawing my attention towards him. I moved towards the door and heard how badly the slave was being abused. Said slave was being hit continuously and, eventually, thrust from whatever furniture was in the room and onto the floor. I was surprised by how silent the slave was. He or she never made a sound as they were beaten and thrown. This slave was broken beyond repair and that was saddening.
One living being's will was broken by another living being. It was rather unfair and unjust. I sighed and closed my eyes, thinking about what could have been done in the two months that Anakin was missing. I couldn't even begin to imagine how angry and hateful he would be when I found him. I didn't want to think about the bruises, scars, and other injuries he could have right now. The image I conjured in my mind was far worse than when I'd seen him bruised and injured as a teenager.
Now that he was a young man, he would definitely put up a fight, which would get him into more trouble. If his mouth wasn't running, his thoughts and fists certainly were. He would strike as fast as he could and try to make his escape within moments. I wondered if perhaps this attempt to find him was futile. It wasn't because I feared he may not be here. I feared that he may have gotten himself killed, committed the act himself, or he'd been shattered far worse.
"What happened wasn't your fault, Master." His small voice whispered in the further part of my mind. I could see his bruised and bloody face as a teenager again and my heart tightened. "It will never be your fault. Neither of us knew… You couldn't have known."
"Well, I should have," I whispered aloud, as angry as I'd been then. Anakin's teenage face transformed and his current appearance took its place; stronger, more defined, and beautiful. The scar on his right eye would appear almost minute and invisible in comparison to what else I thought would now be prominent on his skin. Blood would trail in numerous places, cuts would either be sealing or reopened, and he would be very unhappy, a deep frown and sadness haunting him.
I should be faster. I should be the one used a slave, not Anakin. He didn't deserve this. He deserved love, care, security. As a slave, he wasn't gifted that. As a pleasure slave, never would he be gifted that. "Please," the slave's voice finally croaked after several more blows.
It was a male and he sounded very hoarse. "Please what?" his owner taunted. "Please let you come? No." I shuddered. I had a hard time keeping my release in at times when Anakin and I slept in tents together. I knew he took care of his sexual needs on the other side of the tent. He was quiet, but not quiet enough. I couldn't imagine being forced to stop the orgasm, to stop the warmth threatening its way through your body until you're satiated.
"Please," he croaked again. This time, his voice sounded a bit stronger, but not quite strong enough. "Please let me go." No. No fucking way. I stared at the door, bewildered. How could I not have noticed sooner? He was struck and he cried out and that was when I knew it was him. My sweet Anakin was here.
Again, my heart picked up its pace. I wanted to break the damned door down and burst in, lightsaber blazing, and slaughter the man who claimed Anakin as his sexual property. I had to be rational about this. If I went in there forcefully, Anakin may be killed. I didn't know any details of his bondage or if the man with him had any weapons that would instantly be used to take his life.
Instead, I chose to take the more patient approach, despite my wish to be as impatient as Anakin always was. I knocked on the door.
