Can the Skywalker's escape?

I don't own Star Wars.

Chapter 33: Forced to Flee

Bane chuckled, as he dueled with Anakin, his blade holding up against his lightsaber.

"I've killed my fair share of Jedi. In your case though, once I defeat you, I'll just capture you. I think Vader wants the privilege of killing you himself," Bane goaded.

"I've killed my fair share of bounty hunters as well. And losing to you is not an option, because that would mean leaving my family unprotected," Anakin retorted.

"They're already unprotected. Aurra is collecting them as insurance right now," Bane said. Anakin froze, but then quickly let Bane think he wasn't worried.

"Obi-Wan and Rex won't let her touch them," Anakin said.

"We'll see," Bane said, as the duel continued between them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Come on Chewie, get that stuff on the ship. We need to be ready to go," Han urged, as he suddenly looked up and saw Aurra Sing approaching. And what was even worse was that she wasn't alone. Boba Fett was with her.

"Shit...get on the ship!" Han called, as he ducked blaster fire from the bounty hunter.

"Move and you're dead," Aurra said, as she leveled her blaster at Han.

Chewie rawled angrily and charged her, but Boba Fett took care of him by deploying his restricting cable, trapping the Wookie as he and Aurra ascended the ramp of the ship. But Obi-Wan stood in their way and ignited his lightsaber.

"Well, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I was hoping for the chance to settle an old score with Mace Windu, but you'll do, for now," Boba said.

"You will not set foot on this ship," Obi-Wan said, as he raised his blade.

Boba drew his blaster and Obi-Wan blocked each and every blaster bolt. Boba flipped back and Obi-Wan followed, as their duel continued, mirroring the one Obi-Wan had fought with Jango over twenty years ago.

With Boba occupied, Aurra Sing slipped up the ramp of the ship and hid in a crevice. She watched a young man, who bore a striking resemblance to Skywalker, run past. A young Togrutan female followed him.

"Luke no, stay here," Ahsoka pleaded.

"Ben needs our help and I'm not just going to stand here," Luke called, as he ran down the ramp. Ahsoka sighed and followed him.

Aurra smirked. This would be child's play, she thought, as she slipped into the cabin. Her smirk widened, as she saw a familiar petite brunette standing by one of the windows, gently rocking a crying infant.

"Shh...I know baby, I know. Mommy's here and Daddy will be back soon," she cooed to him, as she kissed his head.

"I wouldn't make promises to him that you can't keep," Aurra said, causing Padmé to whirl around. She was about to scream, but the bounty hunter trained her blaster on her baby son.

"Scream and I'll shoot the brat," Aurra threatened. And Padmé knew she would. "Come along quietly."

As she said that, Rex came charging at her and toppled her to the ground. They wrestled, each trying to subdue the other. But Aurra slammed the butt of her blaster into the back of Rex's head. When the first blow didn't subdue him, she hit him two more times, finally managing to throw him off.

"Rex!" Darred cried.

"Stay back!" he called. Aurra smirked and aimed her blaster.

"Rex, look out!" Padmé cried. He turned just in time and instead of taking the blast to the heart, he took it to the shoulder.

"NO!" Sola cried, as she rushed to his side.

"Come with me quietly or I finish him and this one off," Aurra threatened. Padmé nodded.

"I'll go with you, just don't hurt them and let me give my baby to my sister," she pleaded. Aurra smirked.

"Sorry pixie, but the brat comes too. Now go, or the Clone and your sister are dead," she growled. Tears pricked Padmé's eyes and she let Aurra lead her down the ramp of the ship.

"Mom! She's got Mom and Aiden!" Luke called, as he watched the female bounty hunter shove his mother into her speeder.

Luke and Ahsoka bounded toward the speeder, but Boba stopped them by blocking their way by using his flamethrower. They covered their faces and were forced to hold back, as they could only watch Aurra speed off with Padmé and Aiden as her captives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anakin exchanged furious blows with the bounty hunter, but was quickly gaining the upper hand. Bane wasn't surprised. Anakin was the most skilled Jedi he had ever faced and he still had youth on his side. Fortunately, Bane's ace in the hole was now arriving. Anakin Force shoved Bane back into the wall and extinguished his blade.

"Quitting already Skywalker? Back in the day, if you had me cornered, you'd run me through with that thing," Bane taunted.

"Things change and so do people. You're practically unarmed and I don't kill unarmed people," Anakin replied.

"Even ones that would turn your little girl over to Darth Vader without batting a eye, cause that's exactly where she's going. Vader will be her executioner," Bane taunted. Anakin ignited his lightsaber again and pointed it at Bane.

"If you are wise, then you'll leave here now and never bother my family again. I won't let you harm them and if I have to kill you to protect them, I will. I'm giving you a choice and I suggest you make the right one," Anakin warned. Bane chuckled.

"You've gone soft, Skywalker. There's one hell of a payday on your head and anyone who is associated with you, so I won't stop until I collect or you try and stop me permanently. What choice will you make?" he goaded, as he saw Aurra's speeder in the near distance.

That's when Anakin felt Padmé's fear and heard Aiden's cries. He turned sharply and ran toward the slowing speeder. But the female bounty hunter held her blaster to Padmé's head, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"Not another step Skywalker, because nothing would give me greater pleasure than to blow her pretty head off," Aurra growled.

"Ani...I'm sorry," Padmé cried, as she tried to rock their inconsolable son.

"It'll be all right, angel," he assured her, as he turned to Bane and extinguished his blade.

"My, my, another brat. You've been a busy boy," the bounty hunter chuckled.

"Let my family go and you can take me to Vader," Anakin said.

"Daddy no!" Leia cried, as she started toward him, but Bane grabbed her arm and held her back.

"Just like that, huh?" he goaded.

"The woman and the brats are worth too much for us to just let them go," Aurra argued.

"Skywalker is worth the most. Let them go," Bane said, as he released Leia's arm. She tore away from him and threw her arms around Anakin.

"Daddy, you can't do this," she cried. In the short span of a year, Leia and Anakin had grown close and in a way, it was like they had known each other much longer. Perhaps it was because they shared a special connection. He held her tightly and kissed her hair.

"It'll be okay. You and Luke need to take care of your mother and Aiden for me. Make sure you go somewhere where they can't find you," Anakin told her.

"No...Daddy you can't go...he'll kill you..." Leia cried, as Anakin cupped her cheek.

"If it means protecting you, your mother, and your brothers, then I have to take that chance, Princess," he told her.

Tears slipped down Leia's cheeks and suddenly, she was a little girl again, having a nightmare. In her nightmares, her real father, though she hadn't known that's who he was at the time, had come to rescue her and to kiss away the tears. But now the nightmare was real and he was saving her again. But this time, it was by sacrificing himself.

"You need to help Luke take care of your mother and your baby brother for me," Anakin told her. Leia could only nod, as tears streamed down her face.

"Let's go Skywalker. I'm anxious to get my money," Bane snapped.

"Let me say goodbye to my wife," Anakin requested. Bane rolled his eyes and put his hand up to Aurra, signaling her to lower her blaster.

"Boss..." Aurra refuted in disgust.

"Let him say goodbye to her. He's never going to see her again, after all," Bane goaded. Aurra snorted in disgust.

"Make it fast and no tricky moves," she warned, as she lowered her blaster. Padmé climbed out of the speeder and ran to Anakin with Aiden in her arms. She put her free arm around him, as his enclosed around her.

"You can't let them to do this to us. I need you...we need you," she sobbed.

"I know, but this is the only way to ensure that the rest of you are safe. I'll find a way to get away from them before they can hand me over to Vader," he whispered to her.

"How? It will be impossible once you reach Coruscant, you know that," Padmé whispered back.

"But if it means protecting you and our children, then I have no choice," he replied softly.

"I can't live without you," Padmé sobbed.

"You have to try...for our kids. They need you," he told her.

"They need you too," she replied. He cupped her face with his hand and leaned down, pressing his lips passionately against hers.

"Ugh...please, I feel my lunch coming back up," Aurra complained.

"You've said your goodbyes, now it's time to go," Bane ordered. Anakin kissed Aiden's head and backed away.

"I love you!" Padmé called.

"I love you too, angel," Anakin replied, as Bane shackled his wrists and ankles.

"I can't have my credits trying to escape. Let's go," Bane said, as he led him to the speeder.

"Take a good look at them, Skywalker, because it's the last time you'll ever see them," Aurra goaded, as she fired the thrusters. Padmé gave Aiden to Leia and started toward the speeder. But Aurra's blaster stopped her.

"Give me a reason to shoot you, because nothing would give me greater pleasure," she growled.

Padmé stopped and looked at her husband, as tears streamed down her cheeks. She saw his eyes move down and then back up, before doing it again. She casually looked at the ground and noticed his lightsaber by her foot where he had relinquished it.

"Remember what I've taught you, angel. This is our only chance," Anakin called to her through their Force-Bond. Padme stared at the cylindrical object and concentrated.

"Say goodbye to your beau, cause you'll never see him again. I do hope Vader offers to let us watch him torture your husband, before he finally grants him the sweet release of death," Aurra leered. The lightsaber shook and Padmé caught it in her hand, concealing it beside her leg.

"The only one that's going to die today...is you," Padmé growled, as she ignited Anakin's lightsaber.

Aurra fired her blaster and Padme deflected the bolt with the glowing azure blade.

Thanks to the distraction, Anakin lunged forward from the back seat and elbowed Bane in the face, before wrapping his arms around Aurra's neck. Bane stumbled out of the speeder, as he wiped the blood from his mouth and set his sights on Padmé.

Anakin squeezed his arms around Aurra's neck as hard as he could. She flailed and dug her nails into him, trying in vain to either overpower him or get him to loosen his grip. Anakin growled in pain, as she felt her nails pierce his skin.

He knew he had to end it now and he quickly enhanced his strength with the Force. There was a sickening crack as Aurra's neck snapped and her body slumped lifeless against the seat.

Anakin jumped out of the speeder and Padmé used his lightsaber to free him from the shackles. He took control of his weapon and sliced through the ankle shackles, just in time to see Bane trying to get away on foot. Anakin quickly pulled Padmé into a kiss.

"You saved me, again," he said.

"There was no way I was going to let them take you away from me...not again," she replied, as tears still streamed down her face. He knew she needed him, but Bane was getting away.

"Go...we'll be fine. Just come back for us," Padmé urged. He kissed her quickly and dragged Aurra's body out of the speeder, before hopping in.

"Get in. I have a feeling that Bane might not be the only bounty hunter around. You'll be safer with me," Anakin decided, as Padmé took Aiden from Leia and they both climbed into the back seat.

They put their harnesses on and Padmé got uneasy, because this speeder had no child seat. She held Aiden tightly, as Anakin took them into the air in pursuit of the bounty hunter that had tried to destroy their family.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You're losing your touch, old man," Boba Fett taunted, as Obi-Wan continued to block his blaster bolts.

"I seem to be fairing fine and as long as there is breath in my body, I'll not let you anywhere near my family," he replied, as he dodged Boba's flamethrower. Ahsoka and Luke jumped into the fight, trying to break through Boba's defense.

"Aurra Sing is dead," Ahsoka told him.

"You're lying," Boba refuted.

Though bounty hunters never usually got close to anyone, he had cared for Aurra like a mother figure of sorts; in a twisted evil way, of course. But she had taken care of him after his father had been killed and it angered him now that the Jedi had once again taken someone he cared about away.

"I'm sorry, but I felt her life force fade. You'll be facing the same fate if you don't retreat," Ahsoka said. Boba chuckled.

"Sorry, but you're not getting rid of me that easily. In many ways, I'm far more skilled that the likes of Aurra Sing and I'll prove it," he growled, as he kicked her in the chest, throwing her back.

Luke charged at him, lightsaber blazing, but Boba released his restricting cable, capturing the young man.

"Skywalker will do anything to save one of his children, but this time, I won't muck it up like Bane did," Boba said, as he raised his fist and hit Luke over the head. His head swam with dizziness and he lost consciousness, as the bounty hunter tossed his limp form over his shoulder.

"NO!" Ahsoka cried as he started to fly away with his jet pack, but he wasn't counting on Rex's interference. The former soldier, with blood running down his face from a head wound and searing pain in his wounded shoulder, shot the thrusters on the jet pack, killing it.

Boba and Luke went falling to the ground, but while Boba hit the concrete hard; Ahsoka and Obi-Wan used the Force to gently set Luke down. Obi-Wan threw him over his shoulder and they both headed up the ramp.

"Tell the Captain to take off and head toward the outskirts of town. We'll pick up Anakin, Padmé, and Leia there," Obi-Wan said. Satine nodded and rushed off to tell him. Rex's legs gave out and Darred was by his side in an instant.

"Chewbacca, please help me get him to a seat. As soon as we're in hyperspace, we can take him to the med bay," he said. Chewie rawled and effortlessly lifted the man, while the others followed him into the cabin to strapped in their harnesses.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Boba snarled, as he watched the ship leave and he stumbled toward his own. This wasn't over and he would wait for them to leave the planet, before following.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bane climbed up the ladder on the side of the building. He had signaled his crew and they would be closing in on his location soon. Unfortunately, he saw Skywalker park his speeder below.

"Stay here," he called to his family, as he began following him up. Bane snarled and climbed faster. He saw his ship in the near distance and pulled out his ascension gun, just as Skywalker reached the top.

"We'll call this one a draw...again, but we'll meet again and I will collect that price on your head, so enjoy your life while you can," Bane called as he fired his gun and his ascension cable latched successfully to his ship, allowing him to escape. Anakin stared after him for a few moments, before climbing down.

"He got away," he told them. Padmé reached out and squeezed his hand, as she rocked their baby.

"You'll get him next time. The important thing is that we're all safe," Padme said. He nodded, knowing that she was right. He kissed her forehead and Aiden's, as he helped her out of the speeder.

Leia got out and hugged him as well, just as they saw the Falcon slowly lowering above them. The ramp dropped as Han got as low as he could. Anakin helped them onto the ship, before getting on himself.

"Boba Fett was here too. It's likely he's going to try and tail us," Obi-Wan said as he and Anakin headed for the cockpit.

"Han, I need to take the controls. I'm going to need to lose Boba Fett," Anakin said.

"You think Boba's waiting to follow us?" Han asked.

"I'm afraid so. He's not one to give up so easily," Anakin said. Han slid over to the co-pilot seat, as Anakin took control of the ship. He headed for space, leaving Naboo's atmosphere quickly.

"I don't see anyone tailing us. Are you sure?" Han asked. Anakin nodded.

"Oh he's back there," he said.

"Look, you aren't thinking about fighting him, cause I'll tell you right now; the Falcon doesn't have the firepower to take on a ship like the Slave I," Han warned.

"I know, so we're just going to lose him. Watch the monitor," Anakin said. Han saw Boba's signal trying to lock onto them, which would allow him to follow their vapor trail once they jumped to hyperspace.

"He's made us. He's got a lock," he called. Anakin smirked.

"Not for long," he said as he flipped a switch.

"What are you doing? We can't jump to hyperspace on auto pilot," Han warned as all the warning lights and signals started to fire on the console.

"I know, but the interference I just caused terminated our signal on his ship's computer. And we'll be gone before he can lock onto us again," Anakin said as he flipped the switch, took control again, and readied them for hyperspace.

The Slave I attempted to lock on again, but Anakin was too fast and made the jump to the safety of hyperspace. Now, all they had to figure out was where they would be lying low. Things were still too risky to bring the Rebellion back together fully yet and they would remain scattered in smaller groups until they could come together again.

"Artoo, start scanning for suitable safe planets and let me know what our options are," Anakin said as he undid his harness and went back into the cabin with Han following him, once again impressed by Anakin's exceptional piloting skills and experience.

Read and review, please!