Chapter: 63 The Republic Dream

"A government will try to save face before it saves lives."

A daring rescue! Jedi Knight Anna Dellian has led her valiant Deathchasers on a mission to Polis Massa. After an intense confrontation, Anna and the clones were able to rescue all but one hostage. As they struggle to extract those saved, the Clone Wars rage on across the stars. Even neutral, Outer Rim worlds cannot go unscathed...

Screens flickered and modems chimed in a pitch black room. A forest of archaic wiring spewed out from behind the hastily-assembled equipment and hummed from the energy input. A set of booted feet shuffled amidst the darkness, knocking over empty cups and unused datapads. A woman's silhouette was barely visible as she darted between desks. Datadiscs popped out and circulated as she hurriedly typed on a corresponding keyboard. Without wasting another moment, she plucked a unique drive from one modem and plugged it into another. Sweat drenched her temples and furrowed brows. The dimly-lit monitors illuminated her green and frantic gaze.

"Come on...come on!" she whispered sharply while observing a variety of downloading files. Her breaths hastened as she snapped her head towards any suspicious sound. A distant clamor had her panting and shaking her head. Having no other choice, she withdrew a handheld device and typed an encrypted message. Her thumbs raced across the minuscule keyboard as she shortened her sentences:

"OUT OF TIME. HAVE TO PURGE INTEL. NO CHOICE."

Once the agent was sure her message had sent, she threw the device down and stomped on it. She then returned to the monitors and activated a killcode.

(DELETING ALL FILES) - 10%

While the deletion continued, the woman collected her belongings. She stumbled through the darkness and grabbed a light bag. 35%

She stuffed the bag with drives containing what intel she could salvage. As her hands rummaged through it, the sleek handle of an LL-30 blaster pistol tipped outward. 58%

A series of furious squawks sounded from outside her door. The woman clutched her pistol and zipped up the rest of her bag. 70%

She slowly backed away but kept her eyes on the nearby monitor. Her heart raced when the cawing beings at the door started knocking. 83%

Their squawks had become far more aggressive and they decided to kick the door down. As they did so, the agent knocked over a nearby bookshelf, partially blocking their entrance. 89%

Her head swiveled between her opponents and the deleting files. As her feathered pursuers removed their obstacle, she clenched her pistol and took aim. 95%

The Avinarian police took cover as a high-pitched blastershot rang out across the room. They pressed their uniformed bodies against the nearest walls and drew blasters of their own. While the majority of them screeched commands in their native tongue, one of them tried speaking in Galactic Basic. "We have you cornered!" she threatened as a chief's badge clinked on her uniform. "Drop your weapon and surrender!" As a chilling silence ensued, she would be the first of her team to step out from cover. The Avinarian officer was alarmed to find sunlight glistening against her blue feathers in a once-darkened room. Their target hadn't fired at them and had instead shot out the window to their apartment. As a frigid breeze ruffled the chief's feathers, she glanced at the nearby monitor.

(DELETION COMPLETE) - 100%

"No," the Avinarian murmured and ran to the blasted window. She peered down and observed the human dashing across the lower rooftop. The wind whipped her wavy, auburn tresses back until she vaulted over a balcony. Thinking quickly, the officer activated her comlink and said, "Suspect is on the run. All units converge!"

Sirens rang out in the distance as the agent leapt to another rooftop. She scoured the forested city for a way down and descended using a drainpipe. The agent had hoped to disappear into the crowd, but several police cruisers had cut her off. "Blast," she cursed under her breath as officers exited their vehicles. Avinarians screeched from all around her while she tried to find safety. Yet no matter where she turned, the populace was more than willing to assist law enforcement with pointing her out. She had to get off the street and darted for a set of winding stairs. As she ascended, she could hear the scraping of Avinarian talons hot in pursuit.

The agent slipped between a narrow gap in a chained fence. She was nearly through when a set of feathered digits clenched her ankle. The officer emitted a high-pitched chirp to rally reinforcements. With a mighty kick to his wing, the agent was able to free herself and flee further into the building. Her adrenaline surged as she sprinted up the stairs. While she ascended, she could see numerous police cruisers approaching from the nearby windows. She reached the highest level and toppled a shelf to block the door. Only then could she comprehend her dreadful reality.

She'd climbed a tower and the Avinarians had her surrounded. More police cruisers were closing in while officers on foot were ascending through the stairwell. Avinaria's architecture exemplified its society's cooperation with nature. Tremendous tree trunks wound around and grew between the city's largest towers. The agent peered into one of the colossal tree's gaping cavities. The hollow seemed to stretch on forever like a natural, black hole. She took a breath and clenched her backpack while staring into the blackness.

A wave of police speeders soared towards the tower's apex. One of the piloting Avinarians cawed in alarm and pointed as the agent emerged. Civilians gasped from the street below when she dared to leap from the tower. Any theorized suicide was dismissed when the agent fired a grappling hook into one of the police cruisers. Her device clanged against its wing as she swung to an adjacent edifice. The agent rolled forward to break her fall and dashed for the nearest door.

She was almost to it when the door swung out to her. Taken by surprise, the agent was slammed back and crashed across the rooftop. A blue-feathered wing emerged from behind the door, revealing the chief of Avinarian security. Her shiny, imposing talons tapped on the roofing as she closed in on the downed agent. Meanwhile, more Avinarian officers dropped down from hovering cruisers. The human was soon surrounded with an arsenal of weaponry pointed at her.

The chief's ruffled feathers made her all the more intimidating as she loomed over her prey. Her piercing, violet stare was hardly visible in Avinaria's blazing sunlight. She leaned towards the agent and realized her bag was missing. "Where's the backpack?" she sternly questioned.

The human looked up at her captor, ignored the amount of weaponry pointed at her, and shrugged. "What backpack?" she asked coyly.

Infuriated with her answer, the security chief scowled. "Take her away," she ordered and an officer approached with cuffs.


It didn't matter if Elsa Dellian was a Padawan or a Jedi Knight. Standing before the council always served as a humbling and inspiring experience. The great masters looked upon her as she bowed her head respectfully. Her opening statement left the majority of them feeling bewildered and exchanging confused glances amongst each other. "Forgive me," Elsa said. "For while I have been knighted, I fear that I have abused such a title."

Master Mace Windu leaned forward in his seat. "How so?" he asked.

"Although I have told myself that my actions were justified in the service of a greater good, I have pursued Crimson Dawn in my own self interest. I believe I was motivated by the pain I endured. The betrayal," she clarified.

"You speak of the former senator," Master Depa Billaba inferred. "Dia Veritaz."

Elsa nodded. "She had a slave right in front of me for months on end and I had no idea. I felt so helpless after first learning the truth and could only imagine how much more corruption is out there. I just wanted to put a stop to it all right then and there."

Grand Master Yoda hummed in deep thought. "Much disorder the galaxy is filled with," he said. "The Dark Side of the Force, powerful it is. But carry the full burden against it, you cannot."

Elsa sulked until Master Plo Koon spoke up. "But do not feel ashamed for trying. Acknowledge the courage you possess to recognize when to step back and know your limits."

"How did things end with your investigation?" Windu asked.

"I turned over what information I had on Crimson Dawn over to Lieutenant Divo of the CSF," Elsa answered. "Utilizing encrypted data transfers, they've been able to rescind the authorized donations to Crimson Dawn and might even be able to track them. Either way, I acknowledge that these events are no longer my concern. I must abide by the will of the council."

"And we shall obey the will of the Force," Windu affirmed. "Always remember, Knight Dellian. The Force works in mysterious ways and we must remain open to receiving its guidance."

Yoda squinted towards Elsa and queried, "More to say have you, hm?"

"Yes, master." Elsa answered. "In order to best serve the Jedi Order, I am prepared to choose my path of study. In this time of war, I want to choose peace. I look around and see just how much diplomacy is truly needed in our galaxy. I've seen the best and worst of Republic politics. I thought becoming an assistant in the Senate would help, and perhaps it gave me a new perspective." The council listened in as Elsa stood tall. "But I want to advocate for harmony and democracy not as a politician...but as a Jedi. I wish to become a Consular."

There was a momentary silence as Elsa gulped. Council members whispered amongst one another until Yoda called the group to order. "Shown promise for such a field, you have."

"To wield the Force as a gift of peace is not an easy feat," Master Adi Gallia added. "But even by withdrawing from your own campaign, you've demonstrated a deep understanding of responsibility."

"Allow you to follow this path, the council does." Yoda decreed and Elsa fought to contain her giddiness. "Act on our accord, you shall."

"Of course," Elsa assured and bowed. "I am ready to begin my studies."

Windu and Yoda glanced at each other before returning their focus to Elsa. "An assignment, you shall be given." Yoda declared.

Elsa raised a brow until Windu explained. "You're already a knight, Dellian. Choosing a path of study now coincides with the assignments you're given along the way. Think of it as if we're all students, constantly learning as we go."

"I think I understand," Elsa admitted. "So what is it you need of me?"

The ensuing pause was heavier than its predecessor. The masters looked to one another as if Elsa had arrived at the perfect time. "A Republic spy has been captured on Avinaria," Windu said.

"What?" Elsa blurted. She didn't even realize how impulsively she'd snapped and tried to regain her composure. "Apologies but...isn't Avinaria a neutral world?" Windu nodded eerily. "Then what was a Republic spy doing there?"

"We don't have the details," Windu confessed. "At least nothing else the Grand Army was willing to share with our Order. All we know is that as a Jedi, you are the only one who can be guaranteed safe passage into a neutral world. Chancellor Palpatine has asked us to recover the spy before any harm comes to her."

"So this isn't on your behalf?" Elsa concurred. "Respectfully, Master Windu, I returned to the temple to serve the Order."

"And we are loyal to the Republic," Master Ki-Adi-Mundi asserted. "Together, we form a symbiont circle. What happens to one will affect the other. You must understand this."

"I don't understand," Elsa confessed. "Avinaria respectfully seceded from the Republic, so why did the latter send a spy there?"

"Unknown this truth is," Yoda answered. "But as a Jedi, a greater threat you must stop."

"If tensions escalate-" Windu said. "-Avinaria could view this spy as an act of war."

"Or even join the Separatists," Mundi added.

"Then that would be the Republic's fault," Elsa insisted.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't matter whose fault it is," Billaba told the knight. "What matters is that the responsibility to keep the peace falls to you, Elsa Dellian." She glanced at Windu and said, "My old master was right. The Force does work in mysterious ways and it has called you to save the Republic from entering another war."

All of this concern for the Republic and its spy, Elsa thought. But what about Avinaria? There must be more to the story that I'm missing. Either way, let the will of the Force be done. Elsa bowed to the council and said, "I shall leave immediately."

As Elsa descended from the grand spire's elevator, she took a moment to gather her thoughts. I suppose serving the Light Side of the Force knows no boundary, she thought.

"Indeed," Evara, Wraith of the Force, answered from within. "But regardless of affiliation, I trust you to see the truth. You must be willing to have that same faith in yourself."

The elevator doors opened and Elsa traversed the temple's expansive corridors. She was on her way to the hangar when she noticed a familiar yet unsettling sight. Not only were her companions, Kristoff and Sven, in the temple...but they were also being escorted by Jedi Sentinels. Rows of masked temple guards had them and several strangers gathered in a strict formation. Elsa shuddered, for just the sight of a guard's mask was enough to take her back to that fateful night at the pageant. Although she had a mission to accomplish, Elsa chose to investigate Kristoff and Sven's presence.

She observed the group's path from the upper balcony and intercepted them at a set of stairs. Battlemaster Cin Drallig was leading the group and ordered them to halt upon seeing Elsa. His inquisitive, blue gaze fixated on her as she descended to his level. "Elsa Dellian," he greeted. "Knight of the Republic." There was a hint of dismay in his voice. It was as if he was still coming to terms with her belief system. Mentioning her name was enough to have Kristoff and Sven's eyes lighting up from behind Cin. They tried subtly waving and Elsa nodded.

"Master Drallig," the knight responded. "What's going on here?"

"Ah this?" Cin remarked and gestured to the group. "Say hello to the future, young one. You see...after the chaos at Miss Coruscant, the Republic found itself shaken." Cin pursed his lips and huffed. "Because you can have a hundred tragedies, but people only get upset when entertainment is threatened. But I digress. A Jedi's betrayal didn't sit well in the public eye. In fact, Republic approval of our Order as a whole has fallen. In an effort to regain public trust, Chancellor Palpatine has ordered the use of non-Jedi security in our own temple." Cin gestured to Kristoff and Sven. "These boys became quite the heroes at the pageant and came highly recommended."

"No offense to them or anyone in this group-" Elsa began. "-but approval or not...isn't this invasive? How can the chancellor do that without the Jedi Council's approval?"

"They did approve of it," Cin intoned and watched Elsa's eyes widen. "Don't be so astonished, young one. A non-Jedi security force once patrolled our sacred halls in the days of the Old Republic too. Under my command and watchful eye, this group shall be no different."

While Kristoff and Sven understood that Elsa had her own duties, they were still surprised by how she barely acknowledged them. Elsa wanted to see how they were doing, but the wall of temple guards made it difficult to reach them. As she departed, Elsa nodded to her friends once more and observed the other new recruits. First a Republic spy on Avinaria and now non-Jedi guarding our temple? she thought. Something doesn't feel right. The amount of freedom Chancellor Palpatine possesses is...concerning at times.

"By the way," Cin said before Elsa was out of earshot. "It's good to see that you were willing to do what was necessary." She froze and couldn't bring herself to turn around. "With Klee, I mean."

As if he could mean anything else, Elsa thought and clenched a fist. She didn't even bother answering him and proceeded on her way. While she still struggled to put the past behind her, she had to believe that her new assignment was a chance to better herself.


"What the hell do you mean we 'let them take her' hm?" Anna snapped. The Polis Massa facility quaked as the battle in space raged on.

Lieutenant Commander Krennic glowered. "You clearly weren't fast enough. You let Dr. Morzetti fall into their hands." He winced as his leg remained impaled by a severed shard of railing.

"You'd better watch your mouth, sir." Anna grumbled. "You're lucky we even came for you in the first place."

Sergeant Blazer and Speedy found a stairwell leading to Anna's position. "Sparx is keeping the scientists secure," the sergeant assured.

"Yeesh," Speedy whispered after seeing Krennic's thigh. "Whatever you do, don't pull that out. Not here anyway."

"We need to move him," Anna said. "But we also don't want him bleeding out."

"Preferably not," Krennic snarked.

An idea struck Anna as she gently lifted Krennic's thigh. He groaned from the tenderness of his wound until she let go. "Here's what we're gonna do," she instructed. "Sarge, haul his upper half. Speedy, you'll keep his leg steady. I'm gonna sever the railing and you lift when I tell you to."

"I hope you know what you're doing," Krennic scoffed. "If I have to get a blasted cybernetic I'll-"

"You'll what?" Speedy inquired and prompted Krennic to look at his legs. The lieutenant commander quieted and Speedy nodded to Anna. "All set, general," he said.

While keeping Krennic suspended, Anna activated her lightsaber and cautiously snuck it beneath his leg. Krennic gritted his teeth as the blade's intense heat shifted below his thigh and ultimately sliced the bent railing. While keeping the impaled portion intact, Anna motioned to her clones. "Go!" she ordered and they lifted the wounded man. "Take him up to the others." While her troopers obliged, Anna called the Legacy. "Shang," she reported. "We're all set for extraction down here. All but one hostage was recovered. Apparently she was taken before we arrived."

The admiral's voice was obscured by a cacophony of laserfire. "Bad news," Shang replied. "Without Skywalker's flagship, the rest of the fleet has its hands full and we're dealing with a dreadnought ourselves. An extraction is going to take time."

"We don't have time," Anna intoned. "The lieutenant commander needs medical treatment effective immediat-"

"Dellian," Shang asserted. "The Legacy is a military frigate designed for protecting larger ships, not taking one head on. Until we get more support, you'll have to make do with-"

"Fine," Anna snapped. "You want support? I'll get you that support. Just be ready to move in on whatever window you get." Instead of joining the clones and those rescued, Anna stormed out towards the nearest exit.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Shang asked.

"Just be ready," Anna instructed...mostly because she was still formulating a plan.

"General?" Blazer worried.

"Just stay with the persons of interest and prepare for a hot extraction," Anna answered and placed another call. "Ahsoka, do you read?"

"I copy," the Togruta said as lasers zipped over her cockpit.

"Can you make it to the facility for extraction?" Anna asked.

Ahsoka was taken aback by her request. "I can get down there-" she responded. "-but my starfighter's a one-seater."

"That's fine," Anna said while fastening her oxygen mask and goggles. "I'm just hitching a ride."

Although she was still confused, Ahsoka dodged incoming lasers and darted towards the facility. Her sleek starfighter slipped through Separatist defenses and landed on the asteroid's smoothed surface. Using the lack of gravity to her advantage, Anna left the facility and bounced over to Ahsoka's ship. She clung to one of the ship's extended flaps and knocked on the cockpit.

Ahsoka called Anna via comlink and blurted, "Are you crazy?"

"This is our only shot right now," Anna insisted. "I need you to fly us up to that dreadnought and into its hangar. Once aboard, we'll cause enough of a distraction to buy Shang time. Then we're out of there!"

"You could've just answered yes," Ahsoka murmured. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"Me too," Anna confessed. "Just try and keep your ship level...while dodging lasers...and not getting us killed. Easy."

The Togruta huffed and slowly ascended. As Anna clenched the ship's flap, she glanced over at the stationed astromech. Its green and silver-plated dome swiveled towards Anna. "How's it hanging?" she greeted the droid.

The astromech beeped and tooted until Ahsoka gasped. "R7!" she scolded. "Be nice."

"What'd he say?" Anna asked.

"We should really focus on this plan of yours," the Padawan insisted.

"Ahsoka...what did he say?"

Before their conversation could continue, a scarlet blast zipped across the starfighter. "Hang on!" Ahsoka yelled and took evasive action. Anna obliged as the starfighter rolled to evade laserfire. A wave of fearsome vulture droids pursued their ship across the blackened void of space. While Anna's grip tightened, her legs dangled behind the starfighter's cockpit. She gritted her teeth beneath her mask while dangling for dear life.

Perhaps this wasn't my brightest idea, Anna thought. But there's no turning back now!

The chase took them past the Legacy and towards the dreadnought. Aboard the Hammerhead's bridge, Shang and a clone officer had to perform double takes. "Admiral," the officer uttered. "Was that...who I thought it was?"

"Either that or were all high on spice and deathsticks," Shang murmured. "Open up comms." The officer obliged and Shang practically shouted into the frequency. "General Anna Dellian...have you gone completely insane?"

"Ask me again if I survive this!" Anna yelled over the nearby lasers. "Get ready for that extraction!"

Shang angrily ended the transmission, yet obliged. "You heard the general," he said. "Keep the shields up, but divert weapon power to the engines and await further commands."

Ahsoka flew towards the dreadnought's massive, ray-shielded hangar. "I've got to knock those out if we want to stand a chance," she said. In that instant, a blast from a vulture droid struck one of her engines. The starfighter trembled and Anna nearly lost her grip. R7 chimed in alarm and looked to his owner.

"Focus on the turrets," Anna said. "I'll deal with the vulture droids."

"How?" Ahsoka queried.

"No time!" Anna snapped. "You do your job. I'll do mine!"

Ahsoka stared down the hangar's shield generators. As she opened fire on the first one, Anna released her grip on the starfighter. While backflipping through the blackness of space, Anna activated her lightsaber and dug it into a pursuing vulture droid. Using her weapon to snag on to its wing, she kept the droid occupied while Ahsoka blasted out the dreadnought's shields. With the hangar's entrance exposed, its emergency bulkhead launched into action. Before it could slam shut, Ahsoka darted through and Anna followed atop her ravaged vulture droid. The other pursuing droids weren't so fortunate and crashed into the sealed bulkhead.

While Ahsoka landed her ship, Anna crashed her commandeered ride. The knight tumbled off of the vulture droid as it crashed into a nearby wall. Flaming scrap metal plummeted across the hangar as Anna tumbled to break her fall. Their intrusion went far from unnoticed as a wave of battle droids descended on their position.

Flourishing her green blade, Anna leapt into the fray. She massacred the first line of B1 units and sent their lanky limbs clattering across the hangar floor. Ahsoka unbuckled from her cockpit and launched from the adjacent side. She front-flipped to Anna's position and engaged foes alongside her. Before a super battle droid could open fire, Ahsoka's lightsabers sliced across its thick armor. Anna watched as the green blade and yellow-green shoto twirled in Ahsoka's reverse grips.

"I had that one," Anna teased. Ahsoka scoffed at her as they went back to back. Their lightsabers spun wildly, batting away blasterfire and downing incoming droids. "Think this is enough of a distraction?" Anna inquired.

"Not enough to get the bridge's attention," Ahsoka considered. "We'll need something bigger. Something explosive."

As their skirmish continued, Anna and Ahsoka noticed several droid gunships powered down above them. Armed with powerful missiles, each gunship was suspended on a durasteel latch. The Jedi smirked at each other and engaged the next wave of droids. Their foes' scorched and skeletal frames littered the floor. "How are we supposed to get up there?" Anna asked.

"Or bring them down here?" Ahsoka considered. A pair of battle droids fired upon them. Anna and Ahsoka deflected the shots at precisely the same time and sent both droids toppling over.

A sudden, daunting clamor had the Jedi widening their eyes. Their heads snapped towards a vulture droid as it deployed to face them. Its pronged wings spread to function as deadly legs. Like a disturbing and mechanical spider, the vulture droid advanced for the attack.

"They walk?" Anna blurted.

"They walk," Ahsoka confirmed and prepared to face the titanic droid. Her stance was interrupted by encroaching B1s. The vulture fired its powerful laser cannons and the Jedi deflected together. The second burst came quicker than expected and forced the duo to take evasive action. As Ahsoka slid behind a scorched supply crate, she observed the gunships hanging above her. An idea sparked within as she hollered to Anna. "I know how we can get to the missiles!"

"I'm all ears!" Anna yelled back and took cover.

"You love crazy, right?" Ahsoka said. "I need you to rush that vulture droid and only take out its hind legs. Trust me!"

"You trusted me enough to cling to your ship," Anna replied. "How could I not return the favor? Wait here." Anna flourished her blade and dashed out from cover. Screaming like a madwoman, the knight dodged incoming laserfire until she was right under the vulture droid. It tried piercing her with its legs, but she was able to cartwheel behind it. Once Anna was in range of its hind legs, she swiped her lightsaber to sever them. Scorching sparks flew from the rigid limbs as the vulture lost its balance. While it fell back and was forced to look upward, Ahsoka leapt to its head and slashed open its data-brain. Ahsoka then jabbed one of her sabers into a specific, cylindrical modulator and caused the droid's weapons to malfunction. Rather than shut down, the vulture's laser cannons switched to a rapid-fire burst. Before its guns could overheat, Ahsoka Force-pulled the droid to serve as her personal laser turret. Its high-powered blasts were angled and directed towards the gunship's latches.

"Look out!" Anna warned as the durasteel components were blasted off. Each gunship crashed to the hangar floor with a deafening bang. Ahsoka angled the vulture's final shot into the nearest gunship and sparked a minor fire. Anna glowered at the overheated guns. "It was worth a shot," she said.

"Oh I'm not done," Ahsoka assured. She sliced the vulture droid's underbelly until fuel spewed out. She then used the Force to guide the copious fluid towards the flaming gunship. "Run," Ahsoka murmured as Anna raised a brow. "Run!" she yelled until the knight caught on.

Anna and Ahsoka dashed back to her starfighter. As the Togruta leapt to the controls, Anna grabbed the nearest flap. Ahsoka flew them out through the hangar's opposite exit while B1s closed in on their former position. They marched through the smoke and took aim as a single unit. "Surrender, Jedi!" one of them demanded. Its expressionless, slender face was perplexed by its findings. It followed the trail of fuel as it quickly approached the gunship's flames. After noticing the arsenal of missiles, the battle droid merely hung its head. "Uhoh..."

As Ahsoka flew them to safety, Anna glanced back at the monumental explosion. They expected flames to burst out of the hangar, but they never expected the dreadnought to break apart from within. "Holy kriff!" Anna gasped at the sight. Their sabotage had prompted a chain reaction of explosions to trigger across the warship. They hadn't distracted the command bridge...they'd obliterated it.

"Please tell me you got out of that," Blazer called over comms.

"All good," Anna panted.

"Karabast, little sister," the sergeant marveled. "We can see the light show from all the way down here."

"Then I know Shang saw it."

"That I did," the admiral replied. "I don't know how you managed to bring down a dreadnought, but I thank you."

"I had a pretty awesome partner," Anna replied and glanced at Ahsoka in the cockpit. "You're certainly clear to land now. We'll meet you by the facility. Let's retrieve our people and get the hell out of here."


Outnumbered and outgunned, it wasn't long before the rest of the Separatist warships fled the Subterrel Sector. The Guardian arrived shortly after and regrouped with the Legacy.

Ahsoka, Anna and her team ventured to Watcher's central command bridge. While they waited in the elevator, Anna couldn't help but ask. "So how'd you get that vulture to shoot like that?"

"An old trick my master showed me," Ahsoka explained. "He knows his way around a droid or two. How did you know hanging on the vulture behind me would also get you into the hangar in time?"

Anna paused and scratched at her head. "I...didn't. I was kinda wingin' it."

Ahsoka sighed. "You and Anakin have more in common than you think," she teased as the elevator doors opened. The group reported for debrief as Anna introduced her superior.

"Ahsoka-" she began. "This is Admiral Nuri. Codename: Watcher. Watcher, Ahsoka Tano...She's-"

"I already know all about Commander Tano," Watcher asserted and Anna scoffed. "Nice work with your rescue. Unorthodox...but you get results. What I need is intel regarding this operation. Those you rescued are being treated as we speak. However, they all mention the lieutenant commander being separated from them alongside this missing scientist. But Lieutenant Commander Krennic cannot provide more information given that he's passed out in a bacta tank right now."

Good, Anna thought to herself. Something to finally shut him up.

"What can you tell me about the insurgents?" Watcher asked.

"They didn't seem that organized," Anna answered.

"Weapons varied," Sparx mentioned. "Could mean mercenaries."

"Would also explain so many different species," Anna said.

Watcher sneered. "Don't underestimate them," she intoned. "Whoever these people are, they're still out there with one of the Republic's top weapons specialists. Dr. Morzetti must be found at all costs, so what else happened?"

"There was a voice," Anna recalled and caught the admiral's attention. "This bizarre...breathy voice on a gunman's communicator. He sounded like he had been listening and watching me."

"What did he say?" Watcher inquired.

"It honestly sounded like nonsense," Anna confessed. "He babbled on about blasphemy and sins. Sounded real anti-Jedi. Even the man I'd taken down said something like 'Deliver us from Jedi evil'."

Watcher's brows furrowed as if she recognized the phrase. She turned to a several clone officers stationed at their computers and said, "Cross reference that word sequence in the galactic database."

Her command heralded a storm of rigorous typing until one officer spoke up. "I've got a match, ma'am," he said. "Pulling up the file now."

Watcher's holotable glowed as a haunting propaganda poster projected into view. The image depicted a hooded, bearded Jedi with ominously glowing eyes. His lightsaber hovered over a crowd of various fists rising up in protest while the Jedi Temple loomed in the foreground. A set of chilling, pale text contrasted against the poster's dark blue hues.

DELIVER US FROM JEDI EVIL

"Well that's...unsettling," Speedy remarked.

"It's pathetic," Anna growled. "What kind of brainwashed idiot would actually believe something this?"

An officer handed Watcher a datapad and she read over the latest intel. "This poster was designed by Republic defector and known Separatist, Moshenu Phobi," she said. Images of a pale-skinned and fine-suited Umbaran projected across the table. While holding a position in the Galactic Senate, Phobi hid anti-Republic messages through his official communications." Watcher grimaced, for it disgusted her to even read the report. "Through the Plooriod Cluster Printing House, he was able to stir up plenty of anti-Republic sentiment. This combined with the 'alleged' persecution of Umbarans in Coruscant led to him defecting from our noble Republic. Once he became a Separatist, he started creating works like this despicable poster." Watcher jabbed a finger at the poster and looked to Anna. "Right now, Moshenu Phobi is our only link to these insurgents. Sources here detail that he's been living in exile on the Separatist world on Onderon. General Dellian, you are to take your team and find out what he knows."

"We won't let you down," Anna said. "I'll inform my admiral and leave once we refuel." She saluted Watcher and turned to Ahsoka. "Thanks for your help back there." Anna raised a brow when the Togruta didn't answer.

Instead, Ahsoka remained focused on the poster. "What do you think makes someone feel that way about us?" she asked.

"I don't believe you have to put that much thought into it," Anna answered. "This Phobi guy is no different than Dooku is. They spread lies to frighten people and turn them against the Jedi. If anyone truly believes in 'Jedi Evil' they need to look in a mirror. We're the only ones willing to stand up for what's right in this galaxy."

Ahsoka slowly nodded as a message appeared on her vambrace. "You're right, Anna," she said. "I have to believe that we're making the galaxy a better, safer place."

Anna noticed the Togruta's changing expression and glanced at her device. "What's that message say?" she asked.

"Anakin and Obi-wan are alright, but Anna..." It was as if Ahsoka understood the gravity of her next words. "Asajj Ventress...is dead."


Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this week's chapter of "The Frozen Force!" It's always an honor and pleasure to bring this adventure to you. I hope everyone has a happy May the 4th next week and enjoys "The Bad Batch" on Disney + ! As for this continuous story, I'll see you next Frozen Force Friday as Elsa and Anna each embark on a special mission. Get ready for the return of some familiar faces!

Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You!

~ Michael