Aroc and his men led them into an abandoned Quadranium mine that served as their headquarters. The mine itself was an endless labyrinth of interconnected tunnels and passageways that extended deep into the ground. Anakin could tell that they were far beneath the surface, so far down that, they were practically undetectable to any sensors that the Empire would undoubtedly have. It was the perfect hiding place.
"How do you know where you're going?" asked Neri as she stared around at the endless maze in wonder. She held tightly onto Anakin so as to not get lost in the dark.
"We know where are we going, little one," replied Aroc as he turned back to face them, his tanned features illuminated by the torch that he held. "I have lived in these mines for the past ten years. I know them like I know the back of my hand."
"Has anyone ever gotten lost?" she asked.
He nodded, "many have ventured down here and many have never returned."
Neri's eyes widened as her grip on Anakin's hand tightened.
"That's enlightening," muttered Anakin under his breath as Aroc laughed.
"I did not mean to scare you, little one. You are safe so long as you stick with us, but I do not recommend exploring on your own. These mines are interconnected with ancient volcanic tubes that extend far past the planet's crust."
"What would happen if we fell into one?" asked Neri with childlike curiosity.
Aroc grinned, "you'd fall all the way to the other side of the planet."
"Really?" asked Neri as she tugged on Anakin's hand, her wide eyes looking to him for confirmation.
"No, but it would make an unpleasant death," said a woman, a green-skinned Twi-Lek who had been one of Aroc's soldiers. The masked individuals had long since removed their masks to reveal a diverse group of people, but most of them chose to remain silent during their journey.
"Vera is right," said Aroc, "it would most definitely not be a pleasant experience. Some say these tunnels are haunted by the spirits of those who fell into the pits. Sometimes, when you listen hard enough, you can hear their screams as they fall."
"You don't believe that, do you?" asked Ahsoka skeptically.
"Honestly, I do not know, but I have heard their screams before. It is a sound that you don't easily forget," he said simply as he rounded the corner. The tunnels they were in opened up into a large cavernous cave with many stalactites hanging from the natural roof. They could barely see anything, but they could see large winged creatures flying overhead.
Anakin glanced over to the right to where the natural path gave way to complete darkness, a seemingly bottomless pit that anyone could accidentally walk into if they were not careful. How far it went down, he didn't know, but he could sense that the bottom was a long way down.
"Be careful," said Vera as he looked back at the group. "Stay behind us and do not venture off the path."
"You don't need to tell us that," said Anakin as he placed a gentle hand on Neri's shoulder and guided her away from where she had wandered over to, her little form standing near the bottomless pit as she peered over the edge. He could almost imagine her losing her footing and falling to her death and it made his stomach churn at the thought.
"Stay close," he commanded as she began to struggle in his grip.
"Can I walk with Leia?" she asked as he nodded. The girl's eyes lit up as she let go of Anakin's hand and latched onto the Princess
Aroc, who had been watching the conversation with mild curiosity, asked, "does she belong to any of you?"
It took Anakin a moment to realize what Aroc meant by that before shaking his head, "no, we picked her up off the street. She was looking for her father when she tried to pick-pocket us."
"I was going to say, she looks very familiar," commented Aroc before turning his attention over to Neri. "Tell me, child. What is your name?"
"My full name is Nerys but my papa calls me Neri," she said happily as she swung both hers and Leia's interconnected hands.
"Her father was taken by your men," said Anakin. "She's been living on the streets ever since. Care to tell us what happened to him?"
Aroc tilted his head to the side, "you say it was the Black Storm who took her father? What sort of man was he that my men went after him?"
"We were hoping that you could tell us that," said Ahsoka as both Vera and Aroc shared an uneasy glance.
"Tell me, Neri. What is your last name?" asked Aroc with narrowed eyes.
"Obfa— Obantri—" she struggled to form the correct word.
Both Aroc and Vera visibly stilled.
"Obfanteri?" suggested Aroc as Neri nodded in confirmation.
"Yeah! That's it!" she gave him a toothy grin. "Nerys Obfanteri."
Anakin frowned, "you know who we're talking about, then?"
There was a moment of silence before Aroc nodded, albeit hesitantly. "I know who he is, yes. I had no idea he had a daughter. He never made any mention of her."
"She's been living on the streets ever since your men took him," said Ahsoka. "She was left to fend for herself."
"That was not our intention. If we had known about her, she would not have been left alone," said Aroc truthfully, guilt lacing his features.
"Who is he?" asked Anakin, curious as to what sort of man Neri's father was. "What did the Black Storm want with him?"
"Why the sudden interest in a man you know nothing about?" asked Aroc suspiciously. "Unless there is something you and your group have not told us yet."
"Neri said her father's a smuggler," replied Anakin truthfully. "We need parts for our ship, but because of the Imperial blockade and tariffs, we can't get the parts we need to repair our ship."
"Well, I hate to break it to you, but what that little girl said is only half-true," said Aroc as he turned to continue down the path.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Ahsoka as they followed after him.
"It means that there is more at play here than you think," replied Aroc simply. "I will tell you more when we arrive at our camp, but I do not believe Neri's father will be of any help to you. We will try to get you the parts that you need, but we cannot guarantee when you will be able to leave the planet."
"Well, we don't have forever," cut in Leia sharply. "We need to repair our ship so we can help regroup the fleet before the Empire finds out where we are."
"Regroup? What happened?" asked Vera.
"We were attacked a few days ago by the Empire," said Anakin. "We were forced to flee when we took heavy damages to our ship. This was the nearest outpost."
Aroc laughed, "and by luck, you managed to come here, of all places. Perhaps the Force does work in mysterious ways!"
"Why do you say that?" asked Anakin, his curiosity growing.
"You want to know why the Empire is mining Actium, don't you? Well, that's something you'll have to ask Zett Obfanteri when we arrive in camp."
Nobody said anything more on the subject as they continued on their trek. An air of tension settled in between the group as they followed Aroc and his soldiers further and further into the mines, which eventually flowed into another natural cave system. Aroc had gone into great detail to Neri about the extensive caves that laid just underneath the planet's surface. Only a few of Aenear's natural caves had ever been explored. It was a whole world that had yet to charted or explored for that matter
It was an hour later that they finally reached the camp, although upon seeing the settlement Anakin hardly thought camp was an appropriate term to describe the underground city. It was smaller than the average city, but it was vast nonetheless. There were dwellings carved out of the soft stone as well as dozens, perhaps even hundreds of tents arranged together. The cave where the settlement was located was the largest cave Anakin had ever seen in his entire life.
"Is that a lake?" asked Neri as she excitedly pointed off to the distance. Anakin looked over to where she was pointing and was surprised to see that there was indeed a lake that snaked its way around large mounds that jutted up out of the ground. The interior of the cave was illuminated by a strange blue light that reflected off the water to create a magnificent array of blues and purples. The plant life itself was bioluminescent and breathtaking to look at.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" asked Aroc as he came to stand next to them at the entrance of the cave, a grin plastered over his face as he took in their befuddled expressions.
"How—?" began Leia as she marveled at the sight before them.
"As I said earlier, this planet holds many unknown wonders, untouched by the Empire and the Hutts," said Aroc as he threw his torch into a stream of water nearby. "This cave has its own ecosystem and climate as well as a natural water source."
"Can we eat the plants?" asked Neri as she reached out to touch a large purple shroom, her eyes full of wonder and excitement.
"No, in fact, most are highly poisonous and some are even venomous," said Aroc as he grabbed her hand to prevent her from touching it. "This plant here is called the Purple Death. One touch is all it takes for a deadly neurotoxin to seep into your skin and into your bloodstream, causing your body to go rigid as paralysis set in. Eventually, you would be unable to expand your lungs and you would slowly suffocate to death."
Anakin did not like the sound of that at all as he yanked her hand back from the tempting plant.
"Okay, new rule. No one touches anything, alright? Especially you," said Anakin as he pointed at Neri.
"I wasn't going to touch it," argued Neri as she shoved Anakin away.
"Really? Cause that's what it looked like," said Anakin pointedly as both Leia and Ahsoka snickered.
Aroc looked amused, "are you sure she doesn't belong to you? You are quite protective of her."
Anakin glared over at the man, "someone has to be considering it was you people who left her to fend for herself on the streets."
Aroc's grin faded, "an incident I was not aware of. I can assure you that I am not the type of man who would leave an innocent child behind to suffer. The Black Storm does not harm children. Only those who deserve it."
"And if one of your men did harm a child?" asked Leia. "Surely there have been children that have died in your struggle against the Hutts."
"Innocents are always the ones most affected by war and conflict, Senator Organa," replied Aroc truthfully. "Yes, I know who you are Princess. I have seen the wanted posters with my own eyes. But tell me, how many children have died in your efforts against the Empire? How many innocents have been caught in the middle of your glorious Rebellion to restore the Republic?"
"I can see you are not a fan of the Republic," commented Ahsoka as she stepped in.
Aroc shook his head, "should I be? Tell me, Ahsoka Tano, what has the Republic ever done to help the slaves in the Outer Rim?"
Ahsoka said nothing. None of them said anything as Aroc nodded.
"Thought so. You can't tell me because the Republic never did anything. They stood by and watched while millions of people were sold into slavery. And what did they do? They made laws against slavery that only looked good on paper and then they patted themselves on the back for their efforts. Now, I don't know about you, but that is not a government that I wish to see restored."
"I thought most slavery that occurred during the days of the Old Republic took place in Hutt Space, which retained its autonomy and right to governing outside of the Republic," replied Leia.
"Ah, you are not mistaken there, Princess," said Aroc before adding; "although not entirely accurate either. It is true that slavery was and is mostly practiced in Hutt Space, but the Hutt slave trade extended far past the reaches of their own borders."
"You said you were from Tatooine, did you not?" asked Vera to Anakin.
"Tell me, Anakin. When did Tatooine become apart of Hutt Space?" asked Aroc.
Anakin shook his head. He knew where this was going.
"The Hutts have only been in control of Tatooine for a few short generations," continued Aroc, "less than a century, actually. Before then? Tatooine was a part of the Republic. And yet, slavery has existed there for hundreds and hundreds of years. How long has slavery been outlawed in the Republic? A good few millennia if I'm not mistaken. Now is it just me, or does the math just not add up?"
"It doesn't," replied Anakin in agreement. Aroc knew his history and the way he spoke made Anakin certain that Aroc was highly educated in the history of the Old Republic. It was very apparent that Aroc was not the typical ex-slave.
"So that's why the Black Storm won't join the Alliance," commented Ahsoka. "you don't want the Republic to be restored."
"Not all Rebels fight for the same cause," replied Aroc cynically before adding; "To many of us, the Republic was no different than the Empire. A corrupt political institution created and maintained by rich bureaucrats who saw fit to systemically oppress those who they saw as being beneath them. A system created by the elite, for the elite. Everyone else be damned."
"The Republic never tried to purposefully oppress anybody," argued Leia, "at least, not to the extent that you're saying. The Rights of Sentience protected—"
Aroc held up his hand to stop her, his face calm yet argumentative at the same time. "The Republic may not have personally sought to oppress anybody, but they did enact policies and laws that were useless in practicality and did nothing to help the people. Take slavery for example. The Republic must've had dozens of laws prohibiting the ownership and selling of sentient beings, and yet slavery persisted. Why?"
Nobody said anything. No one seemed to have a good enough answer.
Aroc chuckled, "I will let you think on it seeing as no one here can answer that very simple question. Until then, do not criticize us for not wanting to join your cause.
With that, he turned and made his way further down the path, leaving the rest of them in his wake.
"You'll have to excuse him. He's very dedicated to the cause," exclaimed Vera as she made her way over to them and began to lead them down the path.
"We could tell," said Ahsoka, sardonically as Vera sighed.
"Aye, he's a strange one. You'll never meet another like him, that's for sure," she said as Anakin frowned. She was right about one thing, whoever Aroc Soonteri was, he was one of a kind. A Force-sensitive from the Inner Rim leading a lone rebel faction dedicated to fighting back against Hutt rule as well as the existence of slavery in the Outer Rim was enough to make Anakin scratch his head. But he had seen stranger things before.
"I couldn't help but notice that he has an accent," commented Leia, idly. "It's very refined."
"Aye, it is very particular, innit?" said Vera in her own thick Outer Rim one as she carefully traversed the steep path, her green lekku swaying with each step.
"And Coruscanti if I'm not mistaken," said Leia as both she and Anakin helped Neri down the rugged terrain.
"You're good," said Vera with a grin. "Aroc does indeed hail from Coruscant, yes. Or Imperial Center, if we're talking technical."
"How did someone from Coruscant end up leading a slave rebellion against the Hutts on some backwater Outer Rim planet?" asked Anakin. It was hard for him to imagine that someone like Aroc could've ever been a slave, but then again even Anakin could recognize the hurt and the pain in the older man. The same hurt and pain that Anakin had been subjected too.
Then there was the fact that Aroc was Force-sensitive. If he truly hailed from Coruscant as Vera claimed, did that mean that Aroc was once Jedi? He was strong in the Force and he did know how to wield it… No, Anakin would've recognized his presence if he was. They would be near the same age now and Anakin either knew or was familiar with all the padawans and younglings from his own time. Aroc was not a Jedi, he knew that much. But everything else remained a mystery.
"Now that's a story you'll have to ask him," said Vera. "S'not my place to tell ya."
"What about you? What's your story?" asked Anakin as he maneuvered down the sloped path.
"Born and raised a slave," replied Vera matter-of-factly. "That was til' I met Aroc. He showed me what it was like to be free."
"You're together, then?" asked Ahsoka, not trying to pry but clearly trying to get a feel for what sort of person Aroc was.
"Aye, that we are. He's my husband. Has been for six years now."
"And now you're both fighting the regime together," said Ahsoka before adding; "serious couple goals right there."
Vera laughed, "S'pose that's one way to put it."
"How else would you put it?" asked Ahsoka.
"What Aroc and I have—" Vera paused before adding; "what Aroc and I have is complicated. We love each other and we depend on each other, but we are not like most married couples. We do not love each other as a husband and wife should."
"Oh," said Ahsoka in surprise. She hadn't expected the conversation to take this sudden and unexpected turn. It seemed as though Vera was a very open person.
"What I mean to say is that we are more friends than spouses. Aroc loved another woman before he met me and her death had a profound effect on him. While I cherish him, I also understand that he will never love me as he loved her."
"And that doesn't bother you?" asked Leia as Vera shook her head.
"Not anymore it doesn't," was her simple reply as she led them further down the path and into the settlement. Aroc stood at the entrance, obviously having been waiting for them to catch up as both he and Vera led them into the tented city.
"Where are you taking us?" asked Anakin as he looked around. The settlement was bustling with life and Anakin was surprised to find a very diverse group of people of all species, gender, and age going about their day. There were those who were clearly soldiers, but there were families too, many of whom stopped to stare at the newcomers.
"You wanted to see Zett Obfanteri, did you not?" asked Aroc as he guided them over to a tent where two heavily armed men stood guard. "Well, look no further."
He led them into the dark tent, which was much larger than they had first realized. The only light that could be seen in the pitch-black tent was the light from old fashioned wax candles, much like the ceremonial ones at the Temple.
There, against the far wall of the tent was a small rusted cell and inside the shape of a man could be seen huddled against the far wall, his face turned away from the outside light as if the mere sight of it caused him pain.
Anakin looked over at Leia and Ahsoka, who looked just as confused as he did as they watched Aroc walk over to the cage and begin banging on the rusted door frame.
"Wake up, Doctor. You have visitors," he said before he stepped away and looked over at Anakin expectantly. He motioned dramatically for him to step forward.
The man groaned but did not look up at the newcomers. Neri, who had been standing behind both Leia and Ahsoka, perked up at the sound of her father's voice.
"Papa?" she asked as she gently pushed past them, her attention fixed on the form of her father.
The man visibly stiffened before he weakly looked around in an attempt to locate his daughter.
"Neri?" he asked, his voice both weak and hopeful as he blinked. "Is that you?"
"Papa!" screamed Neri as she flung herself over to the cage, her little green arms flailing as she tried to reach him through the bars. The sight of his daughter through the bars was enough to bring him out of his stupor as the man, a young human male much to Anakin's surprise, got to his knees and crawled over to her. They latched onto each other as they both cried tears of joy.
"Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?" asked Zett as he finally pulled away from his daughter so as to analyze her, his hand coming to rest on her dusty green cheek as she shook her head.
"No, I'm okay Papa," she assured him, tears streaking down her cheeks. Her father reached out and gingerly wiped them away. "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too," he replied before adding; "where have you been? You're filthy."
"She was on the streets pickpocketing people to get by," said Anakin as he stepped forward. "That's how we found her."
"Papa, I found the Jedi, just like the ones you told me about," said Neri excitedly as she stood up and started pulling Anakin and Ahsoka over to the cell. "They're Jedi, see? They have light swords just like you said and they helped me too!"
The man frowned as he appraised the two Jedi with weary eyes, his eyes traveling down to where their lightsabers hung from their utility belts.
"You two are— Jedi?" he asked in surprise.
"I'm Anakin Skywalker and this Ahsoka Tano," said Anakin before he motioned for Leia to join them, "and this is Leia Organa. We found your daughter wandering around the spaceport. She tried to pickpocket us."
The man nodded, "thank you for looking after her. I am in your debt."
Anakin nodded but said nothing further as he turned his gaze back to Aroc, who had been silently watching from the shadows. It didn't go past the Jedi's attention that Zett Obfanteri looked as though he had been both beaten and starved, which forced both Anakin's scrutiny and disapproval. Just what had this young human male done to deserve such harsh treatment?
"I suppose you have questions," said Aroc as all three of them nodded.
"I think we've waited long enough, don't you?" said Ahsoka pointedly as Aroc sighed.
"You want to know why the Empire is mining Actium? Well, only he can answer that," said Aroc as he pointed to Zett. "After all, he is the one responsible for the entire operation in the first place."
All three of them turned their gaze back on Zett, who nodded hesitantly after a few silent moments. He shakily rose to his feet, his hands grasping the metal bars for support as Neri also rose from the ground.
"It's true," said Zett, weakly. "I'm the one who discovered Actium on the planet to begin with."
"You?" asked Leia in surprise. "You're an Imperial?"
"I used to be," admitted Zett as his grasp on the bars tightened. "Not anymore, though."
Ahsoka frowned, "I thought the name Zett Obfanteri sounded familiar. You were a prominent member of the Imperial Science Corp until you went missing a few years ago. No one has seen or heard anything from you in a while."
He nodded, "after the destruction of the Death Star a few years back, I was made the head of a research team appointed by the Emperor. It was a highly classified research effort into discovering new ways to refine and stabilize kyber crystals."
Anakin frowned, "what does the Empire need with refined kyber crystals?"
"Kyber crystals are what powered the Death Star," whispered Leia, her face turning pale as the room grew cold.
Anakin pursed his lips, "what does the Death Star have anything to do with the mining operations here?"
"Because," began Zett Obfanteri as he rose to his feet and braced himself against the bars of his cell, "the Empire is in the process of building another Death Star. And they need Actium to do it."
AN: Dun dun dun. Sorry for the late update! Life and college got in the way, but I am determined to finish this story, even if it kills me. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
Big thanks again to my beta reader Khalthar.