~Dooku's POV~
"Master. Lux Bonteri has…Escaped,"
"I am aware of your failure, Count Dooku. Perhaps I should have put Vader in charge of Bonteri's captivity after all. You have proved yourself incompetent to the task."
"I will not fail you again."
"I daresay not. Your punishment will be too severe. I believe I will let your Sith brethren dish out the just deserts."
"Yes, my master."
"Good. In the meantime, Bonteri's unfortunate escape did avail us something much more important. Skywalker and his family are awaiting our attentions,"
"You have a…Plan, my master?"
"Yes. I believe I will…Stall the plans for the Death Star to be released until a later date. Let the Jedi struggle to earn their beloved Ilum's freedom. I enjoy watching them scurry about like drowning ants. Soon enough they will bow before the might of the Sith Empire,"
"The Jedi bow to no one."
"You are too confident in the pride of your former Order, Darth Tyrannous. My plan will not fail. You are dismissed."
"Yes, my master."
"Oh, And Count Dooku? Do not forget to stop by Vader's quarters for your punishment on the way out."
"Y-yes master."
~Anakin's POV~
The fighting was approaching the heat of an inevitable climax when they lugged Lux's escape pod back to the Resolute. Between his and Ahsoka's fighters a cable wire had shot out from either side to catch and hook unto the sides of Lux's escape craft.
Anakin bit his bottom lip. He usually hated leaving a battle this early; or right now to be specific. When the intense heat of adrenaline pumped through his veins, dancing in tune with the force and propelling his heart on, he felt most alive. He felt like he was the son of the galaxy and it helped him in any way it could.
Yet, at the moment, he couldn't care less about any of it. As they had dragged Lux through space, no small task due to the battle raging around them, and ships dodging everywhere in their line of path, he had searched the young man's force signature.
Lux's force signature reminded him of brightly colored autumn leaves smashed into fragmented, vibrant bits beneath heavy feet.
It reminded him of the look of a weary traveler whose fire had just gone out in the middle of the frigid night. It reminded him of a man stuck out in the pelting, cold rain, trying in vain to shield himself from the merciless tide.
It felt weary, and broken and hopeless.
That worry preceded all things. Smoothly, (how could grace and smoothness even exist anymore, after the damage that had been wrought here and a thousand times before?) his and Ahsoka's starfighters landed in the hangar bay. Lux's escape pod slowly lowered itself to the ground between them.
Waiting expressionlessly, Intrepid, several clone medics, Obi-wan and Bail stood. He is exhausted, Anakin lamented to Obi-wan, who acknowledged with a small scowl, stroking his beard contemplatively.
Bent, not broken, came the terse response, followed swiftly by a memory of jangling chains and a hot flash of anger, which quickly smothered itself. Anakin spared a small smile as he popped open the top hatch.
It would forever confound him how whenever he had been unspeakably abused, Obi-wan felt no anger or resentment, hate or wrath, and yet when it was someone else that's when he decided to feel anger on their behalf.
Intrepid stood at attention, her face expressionless, chin tipped back just a bit, eyes hard as stone and mouth set into a determined line.
He could feel her force signature, the calm before a waiting storm, the unmovable Cliffside in a terrible tsunami. She had buried all emotion, scoured herself from anger and horror. Anakin admired her silent strength.
"Give him space, men," Intrepid ordered; her voice uncharacteristically soft at the same time as being abnormally sharp. The clones bustled farther away from the escape pod, muttering uneasily.
Obi-wan and Bail stayed put at her side loyally. Bail's arms were crossed; his dark brown eyes were concerned and a bit fearful. Anakin doubted he had ever seen a torture victim fresh from their experience.
He wished that no one in the universe had ever seen it. Ahsoka charged out of her starfighter ferociously, not bothering to hide her anxiety to get to the escape pod. "Lux?" She called worriedly as they ran up to the escape pod's hatch together.
Not bothering to wait to see if Lux would open the door by himself, they dug their lightsabers into the metal in unison, old training bond opening up to provide them with perfect timing and one-minded vision.
The only difference was that this was personal. This was their friend, their brother in arms, and they both had felt his force signature and both knew what it meant. Within seconds, an oval had been sliced into the hatch, and it fell from place as easily as warm butter.
Anakin and Ahsoka stepped aside. The entire hangar went dead silent as Lux stepped, jerkily, confusedly, into the light. He gasped softly, Ahsoka along with him, their shock and horror splatting the pure and white light side with a red stain. It was clear Lux had been electrocuted, many times. By force lightning and regular electricity.
Hair disheveled, clothes hanging onto a slim and malnourished frame just barely, blood smeared over face and neck, shoulders, arms and legs, cuts and jagged gashes adorning his entire body, Anakin was shocked he could even stand.
Lux did not look…Like Lux. He looked feral and wild, a crazed forest dweller, not the sophisticated, dignified friend they knew, the brother/son he had accepted and respected.
Despite all this, however, when Lux looked up, and his gaze, unsettled, fearful, weary and still red and puffy from weeping, caught sight of the astonished crowd, he only smiled weakly and stepped down from the escape pod. Anakin saw his knees wobble, and also saw Ahsoka move forward at the same time as Intrepid.
Their timing was so perfect it could have been choreographed, so slow and deliberate were each of their movements, for at that exact moment Lux fainted and fell right into both sets of arms. Anakin exhaled slowly, watching how tenderly the two girls treated him.
Theirs was a display of close intimacy that had nothing to do with sexual desire or thoughts; this was the living intimacy of siblings who had shared blood, sweat and tears.
Who had fought back to back, death at their doors and yet had not backed down from the challenge because they were willing to die together. Anakin felt as if he were watching from behind a glass window, so remote was this spectacle.
Moving slowly as not to jostle him, Ahsoka gently maneuvered Lux's unconscious form into Intrepid's arms, working silently.
Intrepid took him, and without even a shudder in her arms, stood, cradling him with his cheek pressed against her shoulder maternally. If Intrepid was having such an easy time carrying the grown man, Anakin figured he hadn't eaten in awhile.
"I have to go," Ahsoka told Intrepid softly, pressing slim fingers against Lux's forehead benignly. Intrepid nodded knowingly.
"I know. May the force be with you," she said, and without another word turned and placed Lux on the hovering stretcher already set behind her. Ahsoka glanced up, and their eyes met.
She was relieved to have Lux back, Anakin could tell. Yet she was worried, too, a thing they shared at this moment.
With a somber nod of his own, Anakin glanced at Obi-wan, helping to lead the way back to the med-bay, and sighed. Battle, all of a sudden, did not seem so important and glorious.
Next post will be Xmas eve, and I hope to have a cheerful holiday flick starring our favorite Jedi legends crew up to show everyone. Maybe a cute Luke and Leia and a ghost Qui-gon...
~Queen Yoda
