Disclaimer: Disney owns Star Wars, not me. All the characters and places (except for my OC Analise) belong to them. General trigger warning is in effect.
"aaaa"-talking out loud. "aaaa" (bold and italics)-talking through a holo or com. 'aaaaa'-inner thoughts. "aaaaa"-talking through a Bond or talking during a Force Vision. aaaa-Force Vision. "aaaa" (bold)-talking in another language. ("aaa") (bold, italics, and parenthesis)-talking through a holo or com in another language.
AN: Hello everyone:) I am officially 32! I don't feel any different though LOL
Thank you to AngelElmarlienHenning, Indoraptor111, BanzEye, and Guest for the reviews.
-I won't be including anything from the upcoming final season of Clone Wars in Crossing Battlefields. Simply because the final season hadn't even been announced yet when I started planning out Crossing Battlefields. Instead I'll be using some of it at the start of Edge of Peace.
-Officially Analise will not have a Padawan, because unofficially Ahsoka is also her Padawan. I was inspired to do this because of the comment Obi-Wan makes on Onderon during Steela's funeral where he calls Ahsoka "our Padawan." I ran with that idea seeing that since Anakin and Analise are twins that Analise would play just as big a role in their sister's training as Anakin. She might not officially be Ahsoka's Master, but she is stepping into the role when there is need for it.
I am so glad that everyone liked Blades. The adventure continues as the younglings and Huyang are drifting through space while Ahsoka has been caught by Hondo and his pirate crew...
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~When we rescue others, we rescue ourselves~ Bound For Rescue, Clone Wars Season Five
Chapter Sixty-Nine: Younglings to the Rescue!
"Is anyone out there? This is the Crucible calling the Republic fleet. Please come in. Please. The Crucible has been attacked and we need help. Please..." Katooni reached up a hand and angrily swiped away at the tears that were gathering in the corner of her eye. She was a Jedi...she was a youngling, but still a Jedi. She knew that tears weren't going to help them. Tears weren't going to fix Professor Huyang or the ship.
Tears weren't going to hunt down those damn pirates and they weren't going to bring Ahsoka back.
So Katooni wiped at her tears again, refusing to let a single one fall even as she felt her hope falling. It had been so long and no one was answering their call for help. "Crucible calling the Republic Fleet!" she repeated as Petro leaned over her shoulder. "Please come in!"
"Crucible this is General Obi-Wan Kenobi. We are reading your transmission loud and clear." Petro nearly fall over as the very familiar accented voice filtered over the com channel. They had hoped that their call would reach a Jedi Commander at the very least. They hadn't been expecting General Kenobi to answer their pleas.
"Is it really him? Is it really General Kenobi?" Petro whispered as Katooni reached over and flipped on the holo. The blue glow filled the cockpit as the younglings gathered round. Gungi held Huyang's head carefully is his fur covered paws as the legendary Jedi Master appeared before them.
"We need help Master Kenobi. The pirate Hondo Ohnaka and his crew have attacked our ship and left it badly damaged. They...they also captured Padawan Ahsoka Tano. She was our chaperone."
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His skin went pale and he could sense Cody behind him. His loyal and trusted Commander now stood stiff as a plank.
Ahsoka was gone.
This was not the first time that she had vanished. They talked little of those days when Ahsoka had been kidnapped right from the battle field to be used as prey in a sick and twisted hunt. But they had gotten her back and they would get her back again.
Only this time it wasn't strangers that had taken the young Togruta. It was Hondo. Hondo who Obi-Wan had thought was a loyal ally of the Jedi. Hondo who followed a code of honor even if that honor was highly flexiable. The Jedi Master even knew that Hondo liked Ahsoka. Plo had told them all that Hondo had been impressed by the little Togruta who had chased after Aurra Sing without any fear. The Weequey pirate loved to brag that he knew the Jedi, had connections with the Order, and called them his friends.
So why had Hondo and his crew attacked a Jedi ship carrying younglings? Why had they taken Ahsoka.
Obi-Wan shook his head. The whys could always be answered later. Right now he had six Jedi younglings who had just been attacked. He needed to get them to safety and fast. He turned back to the nervous, worried faces on the holo. "I want you to stay right where you are," he ordered. "As soon as I can I am sending Commander Cody to come and retrieve you. He will bring you all back here." He thanked the Force that Anakin and Rex were off on their own mission and that Analise had remained on Coruscant to start working with Padme on the Clone Rights bill. "I'll follow once I've wrapped up everything here. We can head to Florrum and take care of Hondo there."
"Will...will Ahsoka be okay?" the Tholothian girl asked as she played with the edges of her sleeves. "They won't hurt or anything right?"
"Ahsoka will be fine young one. If Hondo were to do anything to harm her he would be a bigger fool than he already is. As soon as all of you are safe, we'll be able to rescue Ahsoka."
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"We could rescue her!" Petro burst out. "We're closer than you are Master Kenobi and we could get to her quicker than you." Heads snapped back to the Master, some holding their breath. If he said yes, it would be their first real, big mission. Not just any mission either. But a mission to rescue a Jedi and maybe take down a pirate crew.
But Obi-Wan stroked his neat beard and shook his head. He smiled a little, as though amused by Petro's heated claim and the willingness to fight for Ahsoka on their faces. "I must say that all of you have shown the great bravery of Jedi Knights, but the pirates," he shook his head again and all of their shoulders fell.
He was going to say no.
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"We were the ones Master Kenobi who drove the pirates from the ship and..."
"The answer is no," he told the human boy sternly. It was clear that he was the wild one, the rebel of the group. Another Anakin. "You are not going to jeopardize your own safety and the safety of the others with you by trying to play hero. Do you understand?" Obi-Wan stared at them until the boy hung his head and the other younglings followed.
"We understand Master Kenobi."
"Good. General Kenobi out." Obi-Wan turned off the transmission and switched the holo to the galaxy map, inputting the coordinates of the ship. His brow furrowed as he located the blinking dot that represented the Crucible. "This isn't good," he told Cody as he leaned on the terminal. According to their coordinates they are close to Florrum. Dangerously close." He magnified their location and his frown only deepened. "I don't want those younglings to get any ideas about playing heroes. I need you to leave quickly Cody..."
"General Kenobi!" Cody and Obi-Wan's heads swung around as one of the officers. "The enemy fleet is coming out of hyperspace!" Alarms started to blare as a Separatist fleet dropped out of hyperspace. Their guns began to blaze and Obi-Wan could make out vulture droids launching from the Munificent-class star frigates.
"Everyone to your battle stations and launch all fighters! Looks like you're staying here for right now Cody."
He hoped the younglings would be okay.
And that they wouldn't do anything foolish.
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Zatt and Ganodi had been quick to shove them out of the cockpit after the transmission had ended. There was no need for all them to stay up there and the two of them could work faster if they were left alone.
So they had retreated to the training room. Artoo with them. The astromech had focused his attention on fixing Huyang. The younglings had something more important to focus on as they drifted through space, waiting for help.
They lightsabers to build.
So each had claimed a little spot in the training room where they could sit with their parts and crystal. They sank into their trances. Deep enough to connect with the Force, light enough to be aware of what was happening around them. Artoo kept as quiet as he could while he repaired Huyang.
This time it was different. They could all it on the currents of the Force as it drifted around them, through them, wrapped around the metal and circuits for their lightsaber and into their crystal.
Last time there had been excitement, anticipation that with the creation of their lightsaber it was finally all real. That they were a part of the Jedi Order and they were taking the first big step on the road to becoming Knights and Masters. None of them could wait for the final pieces of their saber to click together, to hold the hilt, and ignite the blade.
But now the excitement and anticipation was dimmed. Now there was more a sense of urgency behind their creating. Because now they knew that sooner rather than later they would be forced to use them. The war, the battles that seemed so far away and more like stories to be whispered to each other at night, were now real. They were real, staring them in the face, and forcing them to realize that they had little choice now but to grow up fast.
Petro opened his eyes and smiled at the finished saber floating in front of him. He reached out a hand to grasp it, but paused. The failure of his first attempt was there, taunting him in his memory. But now was not the time to let a memory of failure control him. So Petro reached out, grasped the hilt in his hand, and hopped off the stool. Taking a deep breath he flipped it on. The blade snapped and hissed, glowing a bright blue.
And the crystal was singing. He could hear it just like his instructors had told him. "What do you guys think?" his words broke the heavy silence.
"I think that you finally made a lightsaber," Katooni joked as she took her hilt and hopped down from her stool. She went up to Petro, standing at his side as she studied the blade. Byph and Gungi came also, each with their own lightsaber in their hands. "But a finished lightsaber doesn't mean that you actually know how to use it."
"Hurry up and finish your saber Katooni. Then we can find out," Petro teased as he let his body fall lightly into a ready stance. There came two snaps and hisses. Petro turned and smiled at Byph with his light aqua blue saber and Gungi's forest green.
Katooni shook out the tendrils on her head. She pressed the switch on her hilt, shaking it, and frowned as nothing happened except for something crackling inside. The Tholothian looked back her three friends, standing proudly in the glow of their sabers and sighed heavily. "Making a saber takes time. I'll just finish it when I'm ready to."
The three boys switched off their sabers, the lasers vanishing with soft hisses. "Well since it looks like we've been forgotten by our rescue party, you'll have plenty of time to work on it Katooni," Petro said with a shrug as he jumped back onto his stool.
"They really should have been here by now."
"There's nothing to worry about. I think they just got delayed," Katooni said with a shrug. "We are at war you know."
"Yeah?" Petro spun around on the stool. "Ahsoka needs our help now and not later! Instead of being out there helping her, we sitting around here like we're a bunch of kids instead of Jedi." Katooni rolled her eyes.
"That's because we are kids Petro."
"Well I'm saying we take a vote. And I vote that we should mount a rescue mission and save Ahsoka ourselves!"
"I'm with you Petro!"
"See? Gungi agrees with me. What do you say Byph?"
The normally nervous Ithorian's eyes were steady and narrow as he rapidly did his people's version of a nod. "We're safe because of Ahsoka. So now we should save her."
Petro nodded and grinned. "So that makes it three votes for the rescue mission and..."
"One against of course." The three boys sighed, Gungi smiling sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. Boys it seemed, no matter the species, were always thinking with their gut instead of their heads.
The door to the training room opened and the four inside turned. "Hey there Zatt, Ganodi. You two have perfect timing."
"Thanks, but we've got a big problem with the ship."
"Problem? What kind of problem are you taking about?"
Zatt scratched his head underneath his still growing head tentacles. "When we broke away from the pirate ship it ruptured the entire filtering system of the Crucible."
"And what does that mean?"
"It means that the Crucible is venting coolant Petro. If we keep going as we are instead of landing, the engines are going to explode. We need to find somewhere to land where we can let the system reset."
"That's it then," Petro waved his hilt slightly through the air. "The Force has made the choice for us. If we stay here we're going to die. So let's go to Florrum. We can rescue Ahsoka from the pirates while the engines cool down."
Ganodi stared in shock at the boys before exchanging a look with Katooni. "Seriously? We're going to run a rescue mission."
"I've got a bad feeling about this." Artoo gave himself a jolt and focused his attention on repairing Huyang's head. Good thing he was there.
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They hadn't gotten the crystals, but they had celebrated all the same. The music had been loud and pumping, the drinks flowing, and the food perfectly unhealthy. A decent number of drunken fist fights had broken out and at least one of his men had wound up dazed and confused on a table. Their Kowakian monkey-lizards were running underfoot, scooping up the scraps of fallen food which had gotten bigger and bigger as the night had gone on.
Hondo felt wonderful. He was drunk enough that the guilt that had been bothering him was far enough away that he no longer thought about it. Instead he was happily counting out the money he stood to make by selling his young Jedi to the right buyer. Instead he was happily focused on the two Weequey women who had wrapped themselves around him, purring all sorts of suggestions into his ears that Hondo was more than looking forward to.
"You would be seen as a very wise man Hondo if you would let me go." With a sigh Hondo shrugged off his admires and spun around in his chair. Ahsoka was behind him, trapped in a containment field and arms bound in front of her. She glared at the half-drunk pirate.
"No Ahsoka. Letting you go would be unprofitable, not wise. So tell me why I would ever think of doing something shortsighted like that?"
"Because if you don't let me go...I'm going to make sure that you wish you had been born a protocol droid!"
"Ha! Too late Jedi. I already wish that some days," with a light grunt, Hondo rose from his seat and on just barely shaky legs went to stand in front of Ahsoka. "Besides young lady, you are currently in no position to make any sort of threats." He tapped the rim of the cup as he brought it to his lips, but tilted his head instead of drinking. "You do look really stress. How about a drink?" Hondo held the drink within reach of the Togruta.
The teen drew back for a moment, wrinkling her nose as the powerful scent wafting up from the cup. The fumes alone were enough to make her dizzy. It smelled worst than the stuff the vod'e would brew not-so-secretly in the barracks. The stuff that Rex and her siblings refused to allow her to drink. Which was okay with her because being drunk didn't seem like fun.
But Hondo was right. She was thirsty and beggars couldn't be choosers. So Ahsoka took a deep breath and leaned forward...
"Hahaha!" Hando yanked the cup away and shook a finger at the Padawan as though scolding a toddler. The pirates behind him broke out into laughter at the confused look on her face. "My apologies Ahsoka, but I really don't like to share." He downed the rest of his drink as the pirates broke into another round of loud, body-shaking laughter.
Ahsoka glared at them all as Hondo returned to his seat before sighing.
She would get out of this.
She just knew it.
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He had to get them out of this.
Ahsoka needed him.
To say that the battle wasn't going well would be an understatement. The ship was shaking as explosions rocked it back and forth. Panels were coming loose and wires were exposed, falling down. Every so often he would notice sparks sprinkling down on them.
Cody glancing at his General could see the steel-grey of the Master's eyes as he glared at the battle taking place on the holo. "It's no use General," Mica told them as he ran through different projections of what the outcome might be. "We're getting overrun by the Separatists. They are already sending out boarding parties."
"Blast," Obi-Wan thumped his fist down on the terminal. "We need to get to the main hanger and repel them. Let's go Cody!"
"Yes sir!" Mica watched the pair take off as he moved around to take the General's spot at the terminal as another explosion rocked the ship.
They would get out of this.
Mica knew that General Kenobi would get them out of this.
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Beings would say that there is no sound in space. It was true the pilot knew to a certain extent. Unless you were in a ship or wearing a suit with coms, then you couldn't hear sound in space.
But you could see the sounds during a battle. He didn't need to hear the explosion to know what it sounded like because he could see in the explosions of fire and smoke and metal.
So he could see it when his ship was hit and exploded into a fireball.
And then as he could hear it as the ship began to free fall.
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Obi-Wan and Cody made it to the hanger just in time to see a Y-Wing crash onto the landing strip. The droid ships were close behind it, the flames lighting their way. The droid ships didn't land. They only hovered and stayed just long enough to unload the droids they had been carrying.
It was the Sheathipede-class transport shuttle coming in behind them that landed. The doors opened and a pair of IG-100 MagnaGuards, their electrostaffs already crackling with electricity stepped down the ramp. Rough, horse laughter mixed with coughing echoed over the sound of explosions, blasters, and flames.
The leader of the droid army, General Grievous himself had arrived.
A part of Obi-Wan leapt at the opportunity that had suddenly appeared in front of them. Taking out Grievous could be the very thing to turn the tide of the war, of the shadows creeping up on them, everything in their favor. He had faced the cyborg enough to know what buttons to push, what moves to make to bring him down and...
'No!' Obi-Wan ordered himself firmly as he ran past flames so hot he could feel them through his clothes. This was not the time to be focused on taking out Grievous. If they did great, but Ahsoka needed to be his focused. He needed to end this battle fast with or without getting the General so that he could get to Ahsoka and the younglings.
They needed him more.
He stopped just long enough to scoop up the A-Wing pilot who had been able to eject as soon as his fighter had reached the ship. "You're okay," Obi-Wan reassured him. The pilot was quickly passed off to waiting medics with strict orders to get him and any other wounded to the escape pods just in case.
"Move it men! They're overrunning us! Push it forward!" The droids were already marching their ways past the shield, firing as soon as they were inside. The men had taken whatever spots, whatever small cover they could get. They were crouched down behind crates and fighters. Some fired blindly and hoped to hit something metal that would go down quick.
Obi-Wan ignited his blade and ran.
Without a second thought he plunged headfirst into the frey. Cody kept at his side. He wouldn't forgive his Jedi if the fool went running ahead and got himself hurt because he couldn't wait for Cody. Such was the character flaw of many a Jedi. Their desire to protect their men, to protect everyone meant that they never really stopped to think about saving their own skins.
Really, it was a miracle that as many of the Jedi had made it as long as they had without Clones watching their back.
Obi-Wan was not stopping to think about Cody and the rather earned scoldings that the Clone Commander was sending his way. Honestly he wasn't even focusing on the battle droids as he sliced them down as though he was simply sleep-walking.
Instead the Jedi Master's focus went beyond the battle droids in front of them, marching their way across the hanger. His eyes were upon the glowing blue laser he could see. The stolen lightsabers waving through the air as Grievous marched steadily on and used them to cut down any Clone in his path.
Obi-Wan would see those sabers taken from Grievous one day and returned to the Temple.
But that day was not today.
The Master spun around to take out the droids that had come upon them from behind. The crystal in his saber sang its battle cry loudly to his soul as it cut easily through metal, circuits, and wires.
"Kenobi!" Obi-Wan swung around and his stomach dropped to the floor. Grievous had pinned one of his men to the ground. His large, clawed foot was pressing hard on the man's chest and neck. The Clone was trying desperately to break free, clawing at his captor and wiggling around. But he couldn't breath and Obi-Wan could even hear the cracks as bones started to break. Grievous laughed as he saw the way that the Jedi and the freaks went still.
Then he put all his weight down. The Clone was only able to let out a moan as his neck was broken and the weight of Grievous' foot broke his chest, crushing his heart and lungs.
And he was angry.
He could feel the anger that he now felt almost daily when he thought of Grievous. Of the lives, innocent lives that he had taken, of the Jedi and Clones he had killed. "You're going to regret that," Obi-Wan growled as he forced himself to keep his anger under control. To not allow it to control him. The droid General only laughed harder as he took a second lightsaber, igniting the green blade. His hands began to spin, the lightsabers becoming whirls of deadly color.
Obi-Wan leapt towards Grievous. He wrapped the Force around him, asking it to aid him in protecting his men and ending Grievous' reign of terror and death.
Their lightsabers came together again in a crash of singing and screaming crystals.
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"Hey guys, we're here." The others looked up when Ganodi spoke. "That's Florrum." The mostly brown plant with streaks of green and white hung heavy in the starry sky before them. It didn't seem like the type of planet one would just randomly visit for fun or business unless that business or fun was less than legal.
Katooni eyed the planet from where she sat and took a deep breath. "Alright. I guess this is it then."
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Ganodi and Zatt had found a plateau big enough for the Crucible. As soon as the ship had been set down, they had gathered back in the training room. "Here Artoo," Zatt sat the head of Huyang down by his neck. "Can you finish reassembling Professor Huyang? It hurts me to see him like this."
"Don't worry. He'll be back to normal soon."
"Ganodi you're going to need to stay here with the ship."
"Really Petro? I don't remember anyone putting you in charge." Petro ran a hand through his black hair.
"What we're going to do means that we need to be able to make a quick escape. You're the only one here out of all of us that got flight simulator training back home." The Rodian frowned then nodded.
"Well when you put it like that, yeah..."
Petro nodded and gave her a smile. She reached out, snagging Katooni in a tight hug as Gungi softly cuffed "We'll be back." Then her friends were walking out the training room door and leaving her behind.
Ganodi watched them go, a sinking feeling in her chest. But she shoved that away. This was the right thing to do after all. They didn't know what Hondo had planned for Ahsoka, but they knew it wasn't good and that there might only be a small window of time in which she could be saved.
"Don't worry," Artoo chirped as he rolled up beside her.
And Ganodi did her best not to.
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Florrum was dusty and dry. Mesas and plateaus jutted up out of the ground. It felt like they were the only beings on the planet.
"I'm not seeing anything or anyone out there," Katooni lowered electrobinoculars. She peered down at Petro from her spot on one of the landing supports. "Are you sure that their base is even nearby?"
"You know we couldn't land too close to them," Petro crossed his arms. "They would have spotted us in a heartbeat and then the mission would have been over." And they would probably be locked up alongside Ahsoka.
"Hey guys, I'm picking up some readings of a strong power source. According to my scanner it's that way," Zatt interrupted the pair before their argument could get too wild. "I'm betting that the source will be the pirates' base." Katooni hopped off the support.
"That's good news Zatt, but let's be honest. We have no plan or even an idea of just how we're going to get inside the base, find Ahsoka, and get back to the ship. Do we?"
"You've got nothing to worry about. I'm working on one already."
"You can work on it while we walk."
"Yeah...Byph is right. We need to get moving so that we don't lose too much time. We can figure out what we're going to do on the way." Katooni huffed and shook her head. Maybe she should have stayed back with Ganodi.
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"You already know that there is no way that the Republic is going to pay any sort of ransom for me." At least Ahsoka didn't think they would or at least the Chancellor wouldn't. Any sort of ransom demand still had to go through him and she had always thought that she wasn't his favorite person. The twins, especially Anakin sure seemed to do their best to keep Ahsoka away from Palpatine. "You also know from your own experience that the Separatists aren't to be trusted. Hand me over to them and they'll kill me then turn around and kill you."
His drinks had worn off faster than he had wanted and the little tingles of guilt were back, prodding at his brain as they grew bigger and bigger. "Yes, I already know all this my dear Ahsoka and as you say, the Separatists are far from friends of mine." Hondo swept his arm to the side, a blade in his hand. He began to walk slowly around the containment field. "I honestly don't know why, but Dooku does hold such a huge grudge against me. All because 'I-held-him-hostage'," the pirate scoffed. "Let me be honest with you Ahsoka. My sights are set on someone far higher than just another nefarious criminal such as myself. I have discovered a businessman of means who was willing to pay a small fortune for either a kyber crystal or a Jedi. A very handsome payout if he gets a female Jedi."
Hondo felt his stomach roll. The buyer was interested in any Jedi, but he had been very clear in his interest of young and beautiful female Jedi. He had always done his best to stay out of the slave market, but he wasn't blind. Hondo knew that whatever this unseen savior was planning for the Padawan, it wasn't good. It wasn't something he wanted to think about.
"Jabber all you want Hondo, but you don't scare me one bit."
The pirate Captain believed her. She was floating in the air, hands bound together, dirt and bruises covering her bare skin. But she still glared at him.
His men laughed at her daring and Hondo stopped, took a deep breath, and turned to face her. "The buyer doesn't care if I hand you over alive or dead. Makes no difference to them I guess." It was kind of a lie. The buyer said he didn't care if any male Jedi were alive or dead, he very much wanted the females alive. "I would rather you stay alive. Makes less of mess to clean up. But as I told you my moods change rather quickly these days."
Ahsoka got the message. She needed to stay quiet.
But she was going to get out of there.
No matter what.
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Obi-Wan let out a hard grunt as Grievous' foot kicked his stomach with enough force that he flew through the air and slammed into the side of a latty. He thought he heard something cracking and prayed to the Force that he hadn't. The last thing he needed or wanted was a scolding from his Moonbeam or Che or Cody or Anakin or anyone really because he let himself get hurt.
Again.
He glared at the leader of the droid army and shoved himself to his feet. Obi-Wan wrapped his free arm around his mid-section, using his blade to block the incoming blaster fire. "General Kenobi!" he glanced over at Cody who had taken cover in the shuttle. "Use the fuel barrel!"
"Got it!" Obi-Wan reached out, wrapped the Force around the fuel barrel, and tossed it at Grievous. Cody leaned out and fired rapidly.
The barrel exploded. But he knew it wasn't enough to take Grievous out. Obi-Wan waved his hands and his men ran. He followed close behind, using the Force to close the latty's side doors all in some vain effort to slow Grievous down.
He could already hear the horse, rough laughter behind them.
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"Fall back! We need to fall back!" Obi-Wan gave the order as the fighting made its way into the corridors of the Negotiator. Every able-bodied Clone who wasn't busy with some other pressing need for the battle, had grabbed a blaster and ran to the fighting.
Some of the men gave way to let Obi-Wan and Cody through, staying back to provide cover fire even if it meant loosing their lives.
Obi-Wan hated that. But it wasn't something he could stop and think about now.
So instead he switched on his com as he ran, linking it to the internal system. "Attention! This is General Kenobi. All men abandon ship! Abandon ship!"
"We really should stay and fight Obi-Wan. We can't afford to lose the Negotiator..."
"We have to face facts that the Negotiator is already lost Cody." Obi-Wan turned and gave a little smirk to his Commander as he ran beside him. "But we're going to leave behind a nice little parting gift for Grievous."
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"A ship! I can see a ship!"
"Really?" Petro reached out and took the electrobinoculars from Byph. They had been walking for what seemed like hours without seeing any other beings. "What kind of ship?" The human boy held the electrobinoculars up to his eyes and peered through them. "Looks like a beat-up YV-865 Aurore-class freighter...Oh the side says 'Preigo's Traveling World of Wonder.' Wow! That's a lot. Oh!" Petro bounced up and down a little as he lowered the electrobinoculars. "That's a traveling carnival act!" He turned to the others with a bright smile. "I think I found our way to save Ahsoka."
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"Faster! Faster you fools! If we're late Old Hondo is going to make us pay." Not that Preigo was in any sort of hurry to get to Hondo's base. The pirate was a skinflint on his best days and downright murderous on his bad days.
This wasn't the life he had pictured for himself when he had created his circus. He had had dreams of glory. Of Preigo's Traveling World of Wonder traveling to all the richest planets where planetary leaders, rulers, beings from all walks of life would crowd around to see the amazing, spell-binding acts that only he could provide. He would become rich and his fame would grow and grow...
But instead Preigo was here on Florrum once again racing to Hondo's base and hoping that all his performers would be on point. It could mean a bigger payday if Hondo was in a good mood. It would mean another dead performer if he wasn't.
Being drunk didn't make a difference and Preigo already knew that Hondo would probably be very drunk.
"Do you hear me up there?"
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The three Aleena piloting the ship weren't worried about Preigo's anger. For all his bluster, the Dug was a good employer. He paid them well, they had a place to sleep, and food to eat. They weren't worried about Hondo either. He and his pirates never paid attention to them, especially when he caught sight of the Togruta beast handlers.
"Stop the ship!" one of the Aleena shouted and pointed out the window.
For in front of the ship stood five younglings as though they had been waiting for it.
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"Hey!" Preigo shouted as the ship came to a screeching halt. "What in hells are you doing up there? I told you go faster! Not stop!" It rocked back and forth for a minute until it settled.
"Excuse me sir!" The gaudily dressed Dug righted himself and peered out. He could make out five younglings. It was the human boy in the middle who had spoken. "Are my friends and I correct that you are on your way to the pirate stronghold?"
"Yes. Where else would we be going? But what's it all to you? Who are you all? How in the blazes did you get out here?"
"We were traveling sir, but our ship crashed and we got stranded out here. But that misfortune of ours is actually your very good fortune."
Preigo chuckled. If anything he could tell that the boy was a good barker, a good salesman. But then again Preigo was an expert at that so he wasn't going to fall for it. "Your misfortune is my fortune? Why do you say that my curious friend?"
"Well...you...see...we just happen to be a band of acrobats. We're entertainers!" The boy flipped and posed as the other four began to bend and twist. They flowed smoothly from one move to another without missing a beat. Then they all stopped, holding their poses. The Tholothian girl was even balanced on one leg without shaking. "We were hoping that you would allow us to join in your act so that we can travel along with you to your next destination."
"Really? You're telling me that you all want to join my act?" Preigo was already finding space for them in the show. He could already tell that they had some sort of training, that they were good, and if what they had shown him was just a small bit of their talent then he couldn't wait to see what they could actually do. But at the same time if they weren't as good as they claimed it would be the end of everything he had worked so hard to build. He patted one of the Aleena performers. They started to tumble next to him. "So you expect me to believe that every single one of you want to join the act so that you can travel with me to perform at Hondo's?"
"Yes sir," the girl said and smiled sweetly at him. "We very much want to."
Preigo shook his head. "No. No, no, no. I must refuse my dear. "The pirates we are going to perform for can be a very unforgiving bunch." He wrung his hands and shook his head. "No. I can't allow myself to let you...What?" Pregio had lifted his eyes from his hands and now stared in shock.
The younglings had while he had not been watching formed a tower. The Wookie along served as the base while the human and Tholothian each stood on one of the Ithorian's arms. The Nautolan was at the very top, performing a handstand. The tower wobbled a little, but none of the younglings seemed to even be struggling.
"My...on my, my!" Preigo started clapping his hands. "Artists! All of you are true artists! Tell me young man, just how many of tricks like this can you actually do?" As he spoke, the tower changed. Now the Nautolan and human each stood one of the Wookie's shoulders and held hands. On their shoulders, perfectly balanced on one leg stood the Ithorian and Nautolan.
At some silent signal, the top row flipped off the tower and then the second. They all landed, not a single one tumbling to the ground. Instead they rose and each took a pose as though they were heroes of legend. The boy rolled to the front before taking his pose with a smirk. "Just how many tricks do you want?" he asked with a slight shrug.
"Who cares? Welcome to the show my young friends! Welcome!"
As Preigo and the performers clapped, Petro turned back and winked at his friends.
So far the plan was going along just as he had hoped.
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The Negotiator, Obi-Wan Kenobi's flagship, was a prime prize. Many a military leader in the Separatist army drooled at the thought that they might one day take down the Venator-class Star Destroyer and maybe even the great General Kenobi himself.
"The ship has been secured General."
But those worthless, spineless beings could keep drooling. Grievous gazed around the bridge. He and he alone had taken the Negotiator from that coward Kenobi. He could not wait to meet with the Jedi again on the battlefield and brag about his victory before killing him and adding another trophy to his still growing collection.
"Excellent news. Now I don't want any time to be wasted. Get on those data banks and get me every last piece of information they contain."
"Hello there General Grievous." With a snarl the cyborg Kaleesh turned to stare at the terminal. A smirking holo Kenobi stood there with his arms behind his back. "I admit that you have defeated me and taken control of my ship General. Congratulations on your victory. But if you are currently watching this it means that right now I am boarding an escape pod. I will very shortly be safely away from the Negotiator because it is going to self-destruct." Grievous felt his eyes go wide as he realized that his victory was suddenly not the grand victory he had thought it was going to be.
The message began to repeat, but he wasn't going to wait around to hear it again. He was going to get out of there and the next time he saw Kenobi...
Well for right his thoughts about what he would do to that Jedi would have to do for right now.
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He wasn't the type to get attached to a ship the way Anakin could. But he was still going to miss the Negotiator. It had been like a second home to him, to Analise, to Cody, to all of them. And now they had to destroy it so that they could live to fight another day.
Obi-Wan waited until all the remaining vod'e had made it onto an escape pod and then he waited until Cody had ducked into theirs. Only when there was no one else did he climb in and wait for the pod to launch.
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The droids were expendable.
He was not.
Grievous ignored the droids as they stood by the shuttle ramp, saluted, and called him "Sir." Instead he pushed one to the side and shoved the other into the shuttle as he hurriedly ran up the ramp.
"Wait General!" a battle droid called out as the shuttle took off leaving the remaining droids behind. "Wait for us! Wait...oh no..."
The Negotiator exploded, the hanger bursting into flames just as the shuttle got away.
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Cody watched his Jedi as the ship's flames reached long out into space. He was one of the very few who probably knew what it had cost Obi-Wan to destroy the Negotiator and to let Grievous go. Neither of them doubted that the droid General had made it out alive. He was like a nexu with many lives.
Finally Obi-Wan sighed, his shoulders slumping as he turned away from the pod's viewport. For there was something else weighing heavily on his mind and spirit. "The younglings are on their own now Cody," he told the Clone quietly. "We can do nothing for them until we get some help of our own."
And Cody prayed that the help came quickly.
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The mood was festive as Hondo's men carried him out on his chair to watch the show. Tonight he planned to let loose and drink a lot more to forget about the guilt nudging at the back of his mind. Already Preigo's show had arrived and his spirits were lifted.
Pretty female Twi'leks wearing little stood and did back-flips as they rode upon the backs of dalgos. Lovely Togruta females strolled along the edges with beautiful convors perched on their arms and chirping in time to the music coming from the ship. A male Twi'lek, his face painted in bright colors juggled to the childish amusement of his crew.
Yes. Tonight would be a good night.
Preigo himself soon appeared, riding upon a narglatch. The narglatch then jumped down from the ship and landed upon a ball that was balanced on the back of a fambaa. The fambaa lowered his neck and the ball rolled down to the ground. The narglatch hopped off the ball and Preigo jumped off his mount, flipping as he landing in front of Hondo with a bow.
The pirate, a cup in his hand that he waved through the air, laughed as his crew clapped. "Preigo my old friend!"
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Katooni had never been the youngling to think about what her life might have been like, what her future could be if she hadn't been taken in and raised to be a Jedi. But as she donned the white and purple mask trimmed with fake gold and blue gems, she thought that maybe she might be doing something similar. Maybe she would even be training to be a dancer. One like Knight Analise had told her she had trained to be before coming to the Temple.
She shook her head. No, she was to be a Jedi like Analise and there was no real point to picturing what her life might have been.
"I really, really hope you know what you're doing Petro," Katooni hissed as the pair peered out between a stack of crates. "Because right now I don't see Ahsoka anywhere."
"Have some patience. You know like what they tell us back home." He only grunted a little when Katooni jabbed him in the side.
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"Great Hondo! You're most humble servant, Preigo has spent much time searching far and wide to provide you with the best most illustrious plunderer of the known galaxy. Tonight I bring before a most wonderful and special entertainment!"
"Good, good Preigo!" Hondo laughed heartily as he sprawled out in his chair. "I would hate for them to wind up the same as the last act you showed me. You know how I had to cut off their heads? Remember them?" Preigo gulped as he saw a pirate lounging on a crate pick up a skull, hold in front of his face, then draw a finger across his throat as though he was slicing it off. "You do remember them right?"
The pirates echoed their leader in laughing loud and hard. The Dug hoped that none of them could see how nervous he was beneath his showman's mask. Hondo slapped his knee. "I have to hand it to you Preigo. You are a very brave man to be able to come back and face me again."
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"Look!" Petro's sharp eyes had caught the glint of sliver hilts when Hondo's hand had brushed aganist his jacket. The pirate did it again and the boy nearly started to vibrate with nerves and excitement. "See there? He's got Ahsoka's lightsabers on his belt!" Even Byph, who was the most nervous of them all, lowered his hands down from his face and hummed happily.
"Then that will by my job," Katooni said. "I'll grab them."
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"Now then!" Hondo clapped his hands loudly. "Where is my little Jedi? Ah!" Ahsoka bit her lip to keep even a soft grunt from leaving her as two of the pirates shoved her to her knees on the dirt, her hands bound behind her now. She glared up at Hondo from the corner of her eye, but the drunk pirate only smiled. "There she is, good. I didn't want her to miss the show. Hopefully it's better than last time."
And the small part of him that felt guilty even when drunk wanted to give her at least some happy memory before sending her off to an uncertain fate.
A gonk droid wobbled up to Hondo, a fresh drink on top of its flat head. "Excellent!" the Captain cheered as he grabbed the cup than kicked the droid down. "We're all here so let the show begin!"
"Yes! Of course great Hondo. Right away!" Preigo grabbed his loudhailer from where he had set and brought it up to lips. "It is now my honor to present to you," his voice echoed around them, "The amazing Animal Instincts!"
The lights from the lantern droids grew brighter as four younglings, dressed in elaborate costumes meant to mimic planets and animals came flipping out of the ship. A Wookie balanced on a rolling barrel before flipping off it to pose with the rest of the group. An Ithorian dressed as a flower came in from the side, doing an odd shuffle dance before posing in the center.
"This is great!" Hondo shouted over the roaring laughter of his crew. "I always love a kiddie act!"
But Ahsoka was thinking only one thing.
'Oh no...this is going to be trouble.'
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It was hard for them to really understand why beings were so fascinated by their acrobatic feats. Of course what they were doing had more flair than the simple tricks they ran through back home, but to them it was all fairly ordinary and standard.
Petro laid down with his legs bent. Katooni flipped herself onto his feet. He tossed her in the air and she came back down to sit on them. He tossed her back up and Zatt dove between the pair before Katooni landed back on his feet. He tossed her once more and the girl landed on the ground next to Zatt, holding his hand.
This was the distraction to allow two of the Aleena to place a wooden plank across the barrel, forming a see-saw. Gungi pushed one side down and stood on it. Still holding hands, Zatt and Katooni flipped back onto Petro's feet. The boy tossed them both into the air. They landed on the other side of the plank, forcing Gungi up into the sky. The Wookie roared and pounded his chest. The pair had scrambled and switched places with Petro. When Gungi landed, it was Petro who went flying. Gungi slide down the plank to the other side in time to catch Petro's feet in his hands!
The pirates were laughing and clapping as he then flipped down from Gungi into Zatt and Katooni's arms. He jumped out of those and smiled beneath his mask as he came face to face with Hondo. He held out his hand.
"Now...what's this...this...what's happening here?" the pirate's words were slightly slurred as he swayed back and forth.
"I believe they would be honored if you would take part in the next stunt," Preigo explained and hoped his voice wasn't shaking.
"Oh ho! That's what he wants is it?" Hondo greedily gulped down the last bit of liquid in his cup before throwing it to the side and half-raising. Suddenly a pair of Twi'lek were on either side of him, wrapping their arms around him and helping him stand.
"Come with us great pirate lord," one of them purred in his ear even her nose slightly wrinkled from the smell of alcohol wafting up from him.
"Hey now...which one of you pretty ladies said that?" he laughed before reaching out and shoving aside one of the female Weequeys who had tried to prey the Twi'leks off of him. "Dear ladies I may not be the young man I once was, but now I'm better. I'm older!" He burst out into gales of laughter at his own wit.
"Now you just stand right here sir." The ladies placed him on the lowered end of the plank where he started dancing.
"Hey! Who out there wants to see Hondo's moves?" The laughter and cheers of his crew only egged him on.
Which suited Katooni just fine. Hondo was so busy making a fool of himself that neither nor anyone else watching saw her hands slip beneath Hondo's jacket and remove the pair of lightsabers! She held them behind her back and as the music reached a crashing crescendo and lights dimmed, she slipped away.
She glanced back as drums began to build a pulsing beat. A spotlight illuminated Byph as he stood atop the ship, waiting for his cue. The pirates were so distracted that not a single one noticed the young Tholothian as she crept among them.
Katooni smiled bright when she reached Ahsoka for even the guards had gotten caught up in the show and forgotten what they were suppose to be doing. "Hi Ahsoka."
"Hi Katooni...you know you guys shouldn't be here. What if they catch you?"
"No worries. We've got a great plan." A gong sounded. "Well I think it's a great plan."
Ahsoka sighed and followed the youngling's gaze to watch.
Clearly she wasn't the only one learning bad habits from Anakin. But maybe that really was just a Jedi trait liked the men joked about.
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In the silence that fell after the gong had rang out, Byph gathered his courage. He was not the bravest among his friends, but there was no way he was going to let Ahsoka or them down.
"Onward!" he shouted out as close as he could get the word oya that the Clones had taught them as a rallying cry. Byph stepped off the edge of the ship and let himself drop down onto the raised end of the plank. He hit the plank with all his weight, launching Hondo high into the air.
"Look at me! I'm flying!" the pirate cheered before he made crash landing, ramming into a pole and falling onto a pile of crates and containers. Preigo grabbed at his tendrils , his skin paling. "No! What...no, no, no! Not this again!" he cried out as pirates rushed to help their Captain.
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"See? Told ya we had a plan?" Katooni turned on Ahsoka's shoto and used it to slice off the binders. She switched it off before handing both sabers back to Ahsoka. Then Padawan and youngling ran to met up with the others.
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Hondo chuckled as he was helped to his feet. "Hey now Preigo, that was a pretty good act." He wobbled slightly as he rested on his knees upon a pair of crates.
"Hang on!" one of his men shouted as he saw the performers taking off with the Togruta who was suppose to be their prisoner. "It's those damn bleeding Jedi brats!" At his cry the pirates were scrambling for their blasters.
"Wait!" Hondo rocked back and forth as the pair leaving him ran to join in the fight. "They're the kids?" He tumbled backwards off the crates as blaster fire echoed around him.
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Ahsoka spun around as the shots bounced around them and switched on her sabers. From around her came the ignition of four other sabers, their crystals singing with hers. The younglings mimicked Ahsoka's movements as she wove her sabers through the air, nothing more than a blur to block and deflect the shots.
"Get to those speeders now!" a pirate yelled. She set her feet and face.
It was going to take a lot more than that to get them.
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"We need to get out of here now! Knew I shouldn't have taken on those blasted kids. They ruined everything! Hondo's going to have all our heads!"
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Ahsoka and the younglings began to cough as Preigo's ship kicked up large amounts of dirt and dust. There was a crash and her hunter eyes was able to catch a pair of the pirate speeder bikes crashing into each other, unable to see. The ones on foot continued to press forward.
She needed to get them out of there and back to the Crucible.
Ahsoka's eyes darted around as she automatically blocked the incoming shots.
Then she spotted it.
A WLO-5 battle tank just sitting there. "Quick! Everyone get to the speeder tank now!" she shouted at them. Ahsoka kept the younglings behind her as they ran to the speeder tank and jumped in. Gungi grabbed the pilot's seat. Only when she knew they were all there did Ahsoka flip herself onto it, her lightsabers still at the ready. "Get us out of here Gungi!"
"On it Ahsoka!" the Wookie roared as he powered up the speeder tank and they went speeding away.
Ahsoka knew that the pirates would quickly be after them. She just hoped that by the time they caught up to them, it would be too late.
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"Okay, okay...what in hells is going on?" Hondo stumbled around as he watched his crew on speeder bikes and tanks taking off. "I want my Jedi! Where's my Jedi? Bring her back! Hurry it Gwarm! Stop them! Get them!" A large nose nudged Hondo, letting out a quiet growl. The pirate stopped his shouting and turned instead to pet the fambaa left behind by Preigo. "I know exactly how you feel buddy. You now have no Master and I don't have a Jedi!" Hondo wrapped his arms around the fambaa's snout as he cried. The fambaa, wanting his new friend to cheer up, opened his mouth and gave him a nice long lick.
Hondo stumbled back, wiping at his face and clothes. Then he turned and glared out into the Florrum night.
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They were still tense. Still watching and waiting to see if anyone was chasing after them. If anyone was still out there and...
"How are you feeling Ahsoka?" The Padawan lowered her guard and switched off her sabers as she turned to face Zatt, Katooni, and Byph. Petro had taken up a watch position while Gungi was driving them as fast as he could to the Crucible. She sighed and sat down as she hooked her sabers onto her belt, and took the canteen that Katooni was offering her.
"I'm feeling much better now." She took a sip of the cool water and eyed the three faces staring back at her. Ahsoka knew that Petro and Gungi were listening to her every word. She sighed, rubbing the top of her head between her montrals. "Look, I could pretend to be angry with every single one of you for being so foolish...but what you did was also very brave. Thank you for coming after me."
"We didn't follow the orders that Master Kenobi gave us," Petro said as he jumped down to stand beside her. He took off his heavy mask, his face sadden as he realized just what they had done. Just who they had ignored.
Ahsoka gave him a soft smile. "That's one of the more important lessons my Masters have taught me. Sometimes in order for us to do the right thing, we need to bend the rules." And she would be reminding Anakin of that a lot more often in the future.
Petro smiled, reassured by her words. He carefully made his way to the front of the speeder tank, standing by Gungi. "Hey Ganodi, come in. You need to get the ship ready for take off."
They were going home.
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Translations
oya: Literally: Let's hunt! Colloquially adapted as a positive and triumphant cheer with potential meanings including "Stay alive!", "Go you!", and simply "Cheers!"
vod'e: brothers, sisters, comrades
