"You ready to do this Rex?"
"As ready as I'll ever be. Are you sir?"
"Not one bit."
Slavery is a disgusting and horrible profession. Sucks even more to be a part of it. I hate slavers and this will be a difficult act to put on. Disguising as one of these monsters was not my idea. Walking through Zygerria is weird because it seems so familiar yet so far away. The smell, the mood, the conversations, all of it reeks of classism and injustice. Obi-Wan came with me and I can feel his eyes on me. I just have to focus on the mission. Find Dooku.
"Who are you?"
"I am Lars Quell, a buyer. Am I in the right place?"
"No, the entrance for buyers is on the west entrance. Let me guide you."
"Thank you."
I follow him while scanning the area. On the way to the opposite side, we pass by captives and cells. One cell for some reason stood out more than the others. It was a stone cylinder with a single small window and a reinforced door. A guard opens a small hatch and pushes a plate through, I get a glimpse at a young girl. I wonder why she is in there. That is none of my business. Mission, find Dooku.
"Anakin, you ok?"
"Yeah, it was nothing."
We enter a booth with a view of a stadium. I am placed in a booth not that far from the Queens. I see the slaves being lined up for sale. This makes me sick. I scan around looking for Dooku. Hard to see with the huge helmet. Then I feel his presence enter the area. There, he wears a cloak and sits in the Queens booth. What is he doing? The sale begins.
Slaves are sold left and right. Then I see the girl from the cell. She is chained and surrounded.
"This is a high price slave. Our very own Ahsoka Tano. You may have met her before at these events, serving you. She is not like most slaves, this one can move stuff with her mind. She is stronger and faster. She has been a humble servant of the Queen for years and we are glad to sell her today. Start placing your bids now."
I lean over to Obi-Wan.
"Is she force sensitive? Is that why Dooku is, to get a new apprentice?"
"That is what it looks like."
I look over at Dooku and he places a bid for the first time throughout the entire auction. And it was the final bid.
"Obi-Wan, should I bid against him? Are we going to save her? What is the plan?"
"I have no idea Anakin. But we need to think fast."
She struggles to listen to the guards and then gets whipped. Looks like she is a fighter. She still fights against them even though it is obvious she will lose. I see a guard start approaching her with a taser. Before I think, I grab my lightsaber and jump out of the booth. I quickly enter the arena. Guards surround me. I look over and the young girl stares at me. The guards brutally punch her and her big eyes shut and hit the floor. Obi-Wan joins me.
"Could you have at least let me know the plan?"
"Well, this time had no masterful skywalker plan to it."
"I could tell that."
The guards start closing in on us. I look up and I see Dooku has disappeared.
"Kriff, Dooku escaped."
"Let's leave too, regroup and make an actual plan."
"Agreed."
The guards start trying to whip us but we use our lightsabers against them. We then jump over them and make a break for the exit. We swerve and lose them. Rex spots us and meets up.
"Was I supposed to join you or were you just going to do your Jedi stuff?"
"You did the right thing. Let's go back to the ship and figure it out."
Man, that was weird. That togruta girl was weird.
"Hey Obi-Wan when we get that girl, will she join the order?"
"Most likely not. She is too old and probably not worth it. And if Dooku is interested in her, she is probably perfect to fall to the dark side."
"You guys said I was too old and yet I am a great Jedi."
"First, you were 9, she is a teenager. Second, you know that is different, you are the chosen one and a request by Qui Gon. She wouldn't fit in with the rest of the temple. Remember how you were lonely and bullied about your age when coming up. And who would be her teacher, you?"
"No…. you're right. I just got some kind of vibe from her. I don't know. Get ready, it is almost time."
It is dark and we make our way to that cell. We flow with the night. We get to the guards around her cell and knock them out. We silently open the door, the girl sits on the ground, knees to her chest, and looks back up at me. Her face looks scared.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"Such thanks for the people trying to save you."
"No."