Author's Note: Happy Frozen Force Friday, everyone! Before we venture off to our Frozen galaxy far far way, I'd like to thank you all for helping me reach this milestone. Having hit forty chapters, "The Frozen Force" is now the longest single story I've ever written! Thank you for everything and I can't wait to soar across more milestones with you. We've got plenty of adventure still ahead of us and I'm excited to bring it to you! Stay tuned for the note after this chapter to read an ecstatic announcement about "The Frozen Force" hitting social media and its promotional artwork! So grab your lightsaber, unholster that blaster, and leap into action with the 40th installment of this epic saga!

Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You,

~ Michael


Chapter: 40 (Shattered Part: I)

"No matter the losses, a life saved is a chance to begin again."

Surprise Attack! Jedi General Savil and her clones are overwhelmed with droid forces on the planet Felucia. Realizing the odds are against her, Savil sends a distress signal to all Republic frequencies. Having received her message, Jedi Master Destin Mattias rushes alongside the 213th clone battalion to mount a rescue. As Commander Frost and his troops prepare for a dangerous extraction, Mattias can only hope they reach his friend in time...


The midday sun scorched Felucia's mucky surface. No amount of thin cloud covering could blot out the sunlight baking such a fungal world. There was a sharp whistling as several oblong silhouettes darted through the air. Trails of fiery smoke snaked behind each projectile while they sliced through the clouds and plummeted towards the Republic base. "Incoming!" a clone trooper yelled before the Separatist mortar shells bombarded his position. The explosive rounds left colossal, fiery craters in their wake. The very clone who'd warned of the mortar strike could no longer be heard amidst the smoky disarray. His dented, soot-filled helmet eerily rolled out of the ashes. Its visor was completely shattered while flames crept into its remnants. The fire diminished when a metal foot stomped on the helmet. Its white plastoid crunched beneath the heavy heel and sunk into the dirt.

"Foolish clones," a voice computed. The boxy-bodied, flat-toned tactical droid scanned its surroundings. Its pale and narrow eyes briefly flickered as it calculated its next move. The tumultuous sound of marching droids filled the blasted area.

A yellow-marked B1 battle droid saluted its tactical superior. "TQ-12," it said. "The walls are secure. What are your orders?"

TQ-12 examined the profuse amount of units at his disposal. "Advance on the standing structures and level the base," he ordered. "Take no prisoners, captain."

"Roger roger," the captain nodded and thrusted a skeletal arm forward. "Charge!"

B1s and their super counterparts surged onward. Some trudged through the wreckage while others blasted at the remaining buildings. A clone's hand stretched from the smoke and a super battle droid took aim. "No," the trooper pleaded. "Wait!" The droid's emotionless, tireless face illuminated red as a laser fired from its wrist. With its dark incentive accomplished, the droid simply moved on to terminate other survivors.

The ravaged base became hauntingly quiet. The occasional laser blast was all the more dreadful as the droids worked their way through the wounded. A B1 unit swayed its blaster through the smoke and discovered an orange-plated astromech. R3-T8's dome-shaped head swiveled and beeped in alarm when the battle droid took aim. The B1 appeared confused and glanced back at its superior. "Um," it computed. "What about other droids, sir? Are we destroying those too?"

"Capture it," TQ-12 instructed. "That R3-series astromech may contain information vital to the Separatist Alliance."

"Roger roger," the B1 nodded. When he moved in, R3 spun around and wheeled himself further into the smoke. "Hey!" the battle droid scolded nasally. "Get back here!" R3's cylindrical body trembled when he swerved into a dead end. He nervously backed up into the corner as the B1 caught up. "Gotcha," it said. In that instant, a blue lightsaber beamed through the smoke and bisected the droid.

Any other pursuing B1s were caught off guard when Jedi Master Savil launched her surprise attack. "Now!" she shouted and lunged into battle. Blue lasers zipped from within a crater as her clone troopers ambushed the approaching droids.

"Scrap'em all!" Blazer growled while blasting away.

"There they are," TQ-12 spoke calmly. "All units, engage."

While Savil and her troops managed to down the unsuspecting droids, they didn't count on so many units converging on their position. "There's too many of them!" Sparx warned as lasers bombarded his cover.

"It's the damn tactical droid," Blazer deduced and casually tossed back a live thermal detonator. "That thing can coordinate and calculate faster than any other clanker. We take it out and we can scrap the rest of this army no problem."

"Sergeant," Savil intoned while deflecting shots.

Blazer peeked from cover and caught a glimpse of the tactical droid from afar. "I see his clunky head," he snarled. "General, I can get'em. I know I can!"

"No," Savil asserted. "We need a better plan."

"I'm giving you the best plan," Blazer retorted. "If you all cover me, I can get behind their lines and blast that clanker to bits."

"I'm not losing you-"

"If everyone does their job, this will work." Blazer assured. "Just let me-"

"You stay here!" Savil's heart pounded. She tried to focus on batting away laserfire while maintaining her debate with Blazer. Her blood ran cold when one of the surviving clones was killed in the firefight.

"To hell with this," Blazer scoffed and stood up. "Cover me!" he ordered the others for himself. Before he could dash into an absolute kill zone, Savil angrily tackled him back into their crater.

"Sergeant Blazer!" she roared. "I am ordering you to stand down! I know you think you can make it out there, but this isn't about you. Look around!" Blazer glanced across the crater to see Sparx, R3-T8, and the few surviving troopers barely holding. "Even if you took out the tactical droid, we do not have the strength nor numbers to defeat this droid army. We win this by surviving and I cannot lose any more of you."

Blazer huffed and wriggled out of her tightening grasp. "What's your plan then?" he asked.

"Whatever it is, make it quick!" Sparx warned and blindly fired at droids.

Savil thought back to when she and Blazer were observing the sunrise. She recalled the nearby jungle and contemplated where it could lead them. "Smoke grenades," she uttered. "Does anyone have any smoke grenades?"

"I managed to grab a smoker," Sparx mentioned and withdrew a grenade. "I don't know how much good only one of these will do you."

R3 chimed and a compartment on his body popped open. A thin funnel ejected and remained prepped for use. "Of course," Savil realized. "Your fire extinguisher. Clever thinking, little guy. Spray as much as you can at the top of this crater. Sparx, toss that smoke grenade of yours right in here. Once its down, we're going to bolt for the jungle."

"We're retreating?" Blazer blurted.

"Die for the sake of dying or live and die with purpose?" Savil inquired. Her words silenced Blazer for a moment as she prepped the others. "Get ready to run!"

"Finish them," TQ-12 commanded. His droids marched towards the crater as R3 sprayed his fire extinguisher upward. The residue formed enough of a smokescreen to buy them some time. Red lasers darted through the makeshift veil while Sparx tossed his smoke grenade.

"Go!" Savil ordered as she and her men began their escape. They climbed out of the crater while R3 used rocket boosters on his legs to hover over.

When the smoke cleared, the droids had the crater completely surrounded. Their wires fizzled as their heads craned in confusion. "They're gone, sir," a super battle droid reported in.

The tactical droid's blocky fingers clicked together. "An unorthodox diversion," TQ-12 calculated. "While clones are capable of these fallacies, reports indicate that a Jedi arrived on Felucia during this unit's previous engagement. She must still be alive and organizing a counterstrike as we speak. I calculate that the Jedi will take her troops to a concealed area in an attempt to regroup and pick off our forces. The jungle most likely, but this will not work." TQ-12 stomped towards one of the decimated walls and scanned the scorched fields. He then spotted Savil and the survivors fleeing towards the jungle. "All too predictable," he boasted tonelessly. "STAPs, pursue and destroy."

"Hurry!" Savil urged and continued to guide her group to safety. Suddenly, an ominous buzzing sounded from over the hills. It was mechanical in nature and seemed to be traveling at increasingly high speeds.

"Now what?" Blazer muttered.

Thin shadows rushed across the land as several vehicles flew overhead. Each sleek platform had a set of twin blaster cannons and was powered by repulsorlift engines. The five B1s piloting them soared in a V formation and set their sights on the survivors. "STAPs!" Sparx warned while R3 let out a high-pitched series of beeps.

The STAPs opened fire and gunned one of the clones down. Another trooper went flying betwixt the explosive blasts. "Blazer!" Savil commanded and stood her ground. "Get everyone to the jungle. I'll deal with them."

"I can help you!" Blazer insisted and raised his pistol.

"I know you can," Savil replied. "But they need your help more."

He reluctantly obliged while she flourished her saber. The STAPs focused their fire on her and she was able to deflect a blast into one them. The hit caused the droid to spiral out of control and crash into its ally. With three STAPs left, Savil remained light on her feet. "Come on," she whispered while clenching her saber. "Come on...come on." Sweat dripped down her temples as the STAPs closed in. Their engines buzzed while her eyes narrowed. "Steady..." Savil waited until they fired again to roll forward. Once she dodged the blast, she threw her lightsaber into a STAP and called it back with the Force. While the severed vehicle crashed, she expected the remaining two to turn for another pass. However, only one chose to attack her. Savil's eyes shot open when the other glided towards the clones. "Blazer!" she warned via comlink. "Incoming!"

"I see it, I see it!" the sergeant grumbled. He spun his pistol and cautiously took aim. After steadying the blaster on his other forearm, he lined its sights on the approaching STAP. "Lieutenant, get everyone into the jungle."

"Sarge," Sparx warned. "There's a drop here." Sparx and the survivors peered down to find a dangerously steep slope leading further into Felucia's foliage.

"Well we've got droids the other way," Blazer murmured while aiming. "So we're gonna have to jump."

"This fall could be just as deadly," Sparx considered.

Blazer pulled his trigger and sent a laser burning straight through the STAP driver's head. The rogue vehicle sporadically spun towards them as Blazer backed up. "I'll take those odds," he said and shoved everyone forward. "Jump!" The clones and R3 leapt just as the STAP crashed behind them. Their bodies tumbled down an increasingly steep and mucky slope. They shouted and grunted with each horrid hit. Plastoid crunched against jagged rocks and crooked branches. Helmets clunked while others went rolling off into the unknown. Blazer struggled to find anything to slow his fall. He clawed at Felucia's gunky terrain and snagged a slippery root. It inevitably snapped under his weight and he crashed against a rotten log.

Back above the slope, Savil faced off against the final STAP. She deflected its incoming blasts, but the driver was skilled enough to evade them. Savil opted to take the fight to the B1 and leapt towards the STAP. She pounced on the controls and impaled the driver with her lightsaber. Never flown one of these before, Savil thought as she kicked the droid's body off and took over the controls. Let's see what this can do. She spun the STAP only to see the rest of the droid army approaching her position. Their laserfire was overwhelming and she felt as exposed as the B1 she'd defeated. With widened eyes and a deathly grip, Savil accelerated her STAP towards the jungle. She was almost to it when a super battle droid launched a wrist rocket towards her. Realizing the projectile would reach her sooner than she could flee, Savil leapt from the vehicle as it exploded in midair.

Blazer slowly stirred amidst the darkened, jungled depths. He wiped the mud from his visor and sat up despite his aches. He noticed the familiar stars painted across a fellow clone's helmet and whispered, "Sparx."

"Sarge?" the lieutenant grumbled and cautiously looked up. "Are we...dead?"

"Not yet, brother." Blazer replied. "We need to find the others."

Sparx tried to stand up, but felt something sticky beneath him. He initially thought the ground was shifting due to dizziness, but the oozing substance between his fingers was suspicious. "Sarge?" he worried and examined his surroundings. Rows of bioluminescent jaws had him completely surrounded. By the time Blazer realized it, whatever plant Sparx had fallen in was already snapping its jaws on him.

"No!" Blazer roared. He punched at the plant's vine-ridden tendrils and tried to pry its mouth open. "Hold on, Sparx!"

Sparx pushed from the inside as the jaw plant's digestive fluids splattered over his armor. "Help!" he grunted.

The commotion sent other surviving clones rushing over. "No one shoot!" Blazer ordered. "Sparx is in there!" While the others pulled at the jaws, Blazer grew impatient. "Let him go, you damn weed!" The sergeant tried repeatedly punching and kicking at the plant. Even R3 wheeled over to offer assistance. The astromech activated his electric pike and tried shocking the jaw plant's vines. "Together, brothers!" Blazer ordered. "Pull!" Through the group's combined efforts, they yanked open the jaw plant's maw and Sparx fell out.

The lieutenant's armor was drenched in lime green digestive fluid as he caught his breath. Blazer couldn't help but chuckle at the sight and pet R3 as one would a canine. "Not bad, domehead," he panted.

Their relief was short-lived as the jaw plant lunged for another attack. Its thick roots propelled it forward just as Savil leapt from above. Her saber sliced across its upper jaw and rendered the creature a bisected mess. Savil deactivated her weapon, dropped to her knees, and lost herself in the stillness of the jungle. "General," Sparx gasped.

"Lieutenant," she answered between huffs. "Are you alright?"

"Thanks to all of you," Sparx assured.

"What's our status?" Savil inquired.

The rush of battle had gotten to Blazer. He hadn't truly understood their casualties until he sat in their current silence. "It looks like we're all that's left," he said.

"There were hundreds of us stationed at that base," Sparx said. "Now there's only six of us left." R3 chimed in protest by his legs. "Sorry, little one. Seven of us."

"This is a fight we cannot win without support," Savil said. "I fear Felucia may be lost, but my priority is getting us home safely. This isn't about trade routes and sectors anymore. Right now all we have is standing alongside us."

"Do you think anyone's really coming?" a trooper asked from the ground. "Are seven lives worth a planetary assault?"

"You'll have to forgive CT-9185," Sparx said. "We're all just on edge. It'll be alright, 85."

Savil knelt beside the weary clone. He'd lost his helmet and she could see every ounce of raw emotion on his face. "Even one life is worth saving, trooper," she told him.

"Then with all due respect-" the clone insisted. "Let me save all of yours." His tired eyes listed towards his legs and Savil gulped. The plastoid shinguards were charred, shattered, and sizzling. "The STAPs got me, general," 85 lamented. "Whatever they couldn't hit, the fall finished off. I can't...feel my legs. I'll only slow you down, so just give me a blaster and-"

"No," Blazer asserted. "No brother gets left behind. No matter what."

As they spoke, a distinct whirring echoed from atop the slope. The consistent hum had Savil's eyes widening as a metallic orb descended towards them. Several limbs hung from its underside while a bulbous photoreceptor scanned the jungle. "Probe droid!" the Jedi whispered sharply.

"Everyone hide," Blazer commanded and picked up 85. He was about to crouch in some plants when Savil stopped him.

"No!" she warned. "Those are buaroshades. Touch those and the neurotoxic effects range from paralysis to even death."

Blazer instead moved to join the others between several massive mushrooms. The group remained absolutely still as the probe droid hovered over. Its photoreceptor twitched towards any screeching creatures in the distance. The probe's flight pattern came to a halt and its lens zoomed in on the jaw plant. It analyzed the sizzling gash across its maw and transmitted the images back to TQ-12.

"Curious," the tactical droid commented. "Such a unique attack on a primitive lifeform leaves few culprits. The Jedi is down there. All troops, advance into the jungle and hunt them down."

Trees collapsed from atop the slope as Separatist tanks barged through. "Down there!" a B1 declared before slipping and falling to its demise.

With their cover blown, Blazer emerged and blasted the probe to bits. The group delved deeper into the jungle to screen their movements. "So much for hiding," he said as Savil started to hyperventilate. The clones looked to their general's twitching eyes. She paced across the muddied land and clasped a mushroom for stability. "General?" Blazer asked out of concern.

"It's my fault," Savil uttered.

"Woah," Blazer asserted. "No one is blaming you for-"

"I am!" Savil snapped. "If it wasn't for my lightsaber slash on that plant, they wouldn't have found our location. I failed to keep us hidden and failed to protect the base. I couldn't save those troopers just like I couldn't save Surk!"

"General Savil!" Blazer snapped and removed his helmet. "Get a hold of yourself! This is war and you're in command here! We're in this together and we all aren't dead yet."

Her twitching gaze fixated on his furious glare while several chimes came from R3. She heard him start up his holoprojector and sighed. "Recording another distress call isn't going to help right now," she told the droid.

"What about an answer to your first one?" a familiar voice spoke through a hologram.

Savil's eyes lit up as she spun to face R3's projection. "Mattias!" she rejoiced.


The Deliverance thundered out of hyperspace and soared towards Felucia. While Admiral Taka kept the Venator on course, Mattias spoke with Savil from the bridge. It saddened him to see her so exhausted and bruised in the hologram. "Am I glad to see you, my friend." Savil sighed. "The base is lost and only seven of us remain. We were forced to flee into the nearby jungle but the droid army is in pursuit." Mattias bit his lip and glanced at Frost while she continued. "Our coordinates will remain linked to this R3 unit so you can find us."

"You just stay alive," Mattias intoned. "We're going to get you and your men home safely."

Savil smirked. "It's good to see you out in the field, Mattias. Thanks for coming." Her calm demeanor faded as laserfire rang out behind her. She ignited her lightsaber and yelled, "R3! Cut transmission and get to cover!"

"Savil?" Mattias worried. The holomessage terminated and left the master on edge. "Commander Frost," he said. "Prepare the gunships for an extremely hot extraction. This isn't about destroying that droid army, but instead getting those survivors out of there."

"Yes sir," Frost replied and saluted.

"General Mattias!" Admiral Taka shouted from the bridge's forward viewport. "Delay those gunships."

"Why?" Mattias inquired and trudged over to her. "We're here to save Master-" His boots skidded to a halt when he glimpsed what she saw. "Oh." A Separatist dreadnought drifted between them and Felucia. The droid warship eerily tilted its nose towards the Deliverance and launched multiple fighters. "Battle stations?" Mattias suggested instead.

"Battle stations!" Taka screamed on the intercom. "All units, prepare for incoming fighters!"

"By the Force," Mattias uttered. "The Separatists must've been planning this attack for months." He looked to the planet and spoke as if Savil could hear her. "Hold on, friend. We'll get to you as soon as we can."

Republic gunships wouldn't make it to the surface so long as that dreadnought was blocking their path. Vulture droids strafed the Deliverance's hull with rapid fire lasers. "All units!" Taka reiterated. "Get to your battle stations! All batteries, fire! Fire!"

Rip and Doubles were chowing down on rations in the mess hall when the announcement reached them. "Battle stations?" Doubles inquired. "Oh kriff, we're under attack!"

"What if the wampas are back for revenge?" Rip jested as they re-equipped their helmets. His singular and Doubles' split mohawks vanished beneath their helms before they rushed off.

"Wampas can't fly ships, you fool." Doubles refuted.

"How do you know?" Rip asked. "Are you a wampa?...Yeah, that's what I thought." Rip and Doubles ran to the gun deck where multiple troopers were manning turbolaser turrets. Rip and Doubles hopped on the turrets next to each other and started them up. "Now remember, Doubles," Rip lectured. "Press the trigger to make it shoot. And if you don't get anyone, it's okay to admit I'm the greatest clone ever bred."

"Do you ever shut up?" Doubles growled.

"I'll let you know when I find out!" Rip cackled as they fired at incoming fighters. While vulture droids continued to strafe by, they cleared the way for a set of bulkier ships.

"That can't be good," Doubles grieved as the ships flew overhead.

Hyena-class droid bombers descended upon the Deliverance and launched a storm of proton bombs. The Venator shook and Taka nearly lost her footing from the bridge. "Admiral!" a clone officer beckoned from his station. "We've lost our deflector shields!"

"Intensify our forward batteries," Taka ordered. "I don't want anything getting through if those bombers make another pass."

"Can we take out that many bombers in time?" Mattias asked.

"Let's hope so," Taka replied while focusing on the viewport. The hyena bombers flipped leftward to make another pass. When Taka realized the enemy was targeting the bridge, she wondered why minimal lasers were firing on them. She noticed her officers struggling to get weapon systems primed and yelled, "Intensify forward firepower!"

"It's too late!" Mattias yelled as the bombers prepared to strafe again. Suddenly, another set of turbolasers blasted the bombers until they broke formation. Another Republic Venator had emerged from hyperspace and its overseer hailed the Deliverance.

"This is Admiral Jata Shang of the Typhoon," his voice boomed.

"Admiral Shang?" Mattias realized and turned to Taka in disbelief. "The Admiral Shang? As in one of the most prestigious fleet commanders in the Republic Navy?"

Taka was subtly awestruck herself. "That is correct," she replied. "His naval command records and prestiges are only second to those of Wullf Yularen's. And he's the only one of us who insists on wearing an admirals cap," she jested. She motioned to one of her officers. "Patch me through to the Typhoon." She cleared her throat as the frequency was established. "Admiral Shang, this is Admiral Taka of the Deliverance. Thank you for the save."

"Admiral Taka," Shang replied. "I've heard your name at the naval academy several times. I take it you're responding to the Jedi's distress signal as well? The Republic contacted me for I had one of the closest destroyers in the area. By the looks of things, I don't think you'd mind some assistance."

"Be my guest, admiral," she said with a smirk. "We may be able to defeat this dreadnought if we flank it from both sides."

"A classic wedge maneuver?" Shang identified. "I like where your head is, admiral. Let's do it, but you'll need to get your shields operational before you attack. Otherwise that dreadnought will tear you to shreds."

"Whatever the plan is-" Mattias added. "-we need to act quickly. The survivors on Felucia are counting on us."

"Get some space between you and that dreadnought," Shang said. "I'll launch my fighters and buy you time to get your shields operational. Then we attack!"

"Affirmative," Taka complied and ended the transmission. "Bank left and dive! Get us away from the enemy!" she commanded to her officers.

As the Deliverance shifted, Mattias approached her. "I'm no admiral," he admitted. "But I can still help. What do you need?"

Taka hummed as she thought of a plan. "Go with Commander Frost and secure the shield generator. Safeguard the technicians I'm sending to work on it!"

Frost and Mattias nodded before dashing off. The Venator's corridors rumbled each time a set of lasers struck the ship. Taka could barely maintain her footing from the bridge while the Deliverance turned. "Admiral!" an officer called. "We have incoming vessels!"

"Bombers?" she queried.

"No," the officer replied. He winced as if struggling to make out what was on the scanner. "It's moving too quickly for me to get a proper reading." Taka looked out across the viewport and watched a four-pronged craft spiral through space and zoom over the bridge. "It's heading for the shield generator!"

"A boarding craft," Taka deduced and activated her comlink. "General. Commander. Pick up the pace. A boarding ship is making for the generator."

"We're almost there," Frost called back. "There's no sign of the-"

A set of four spikes pierced the Deliverance's hull and sent the duo tumbling backward. Mattias caught Frost, helped him to his feet, and said, "You were saying?"

Smoke puffed from the boarding craft and obscured the hulking masses dropping in. Metal feet clanged against the floor while Mattias unclipped his lightsaber. Frost clenched his blaster rifle and contemplated setting it to stun. Mattias dared to ignite his saber and its green hue illuminated the hall. A row of super battle droids aimed their wrist blasters and Mattias surged forward. If one thing was for certain, those hulking droids were far less intimidating to a Jedi then they were to a clone. Frost watched as Mattias easily blocked their scorching lasers. With a swift swing of his blade, he bisected a droid and impaled another.

"Any time you want to help, commander," Mattias quipped passive-aggressively. Frost snapped out of it and fired into a droid's legs. His blue lasers simply grazed their thick, metal shells until Mattias finished them off. "No offense, Commander Frost." Mattias muttered. "But most clones tend to aim for a droid's torso."

"You're right, sir." Frost nervously concurred. "I just figured the less they're damaged, the more likely they can be repurposed."

Mattias raised a brow until he recalled which Padawan had just been working with Frost. "While your initiative is appreciated," he said. "These droids are trying to kill us. Just like they're trying to kill Master Savil and her troops...your brothers...on Felucia. Padawan Elsa Dellian said I was in good hands. Can I trust you to have my back?"

Frost's gaze alternated between Mattias and the slashed droids. He observed their decimated wiring and wondered what Elsa would've said or done. "Yes, general." Frost obliged. "You can trust me." Another boarding craft impaled the Venator and had Matias running towards it.

The technicians working on the shield generator leapt for cover as battle droids closed in. "Everyone stay down!" Mattias assured and sprung into action. He severed a super battle droid's arm and then Force-pushed the appendage into another's face. Utilizing a hint of furious Ataru, Mattias frontflipped and drove his saber into a droid's chest. While the attack was successful, his maneuver had him howling. Mattias gritted his teeth as the overexertion caused his spinal cybernetic to strain. "No," he grunted and dropped to his knees. As he waited for the cybernetic to realign, one of the foes he'd merely downed stood up. The super battle droid loomed over Mattias and aimed at his head.

Frost took aim, but his finger remained hesitant on the trigger. Come on, do it! he told himself. I can't. That droid is as alive as I am. But if I don't take this shot, then the general's done for. "Karabast!" Frost cursed and impulsively shot the droid's wrist. With its blaster destroyed, the super battle droid was forced to reach for Mattias with its empty hand. The Jedi's cybernetic realigned just in time and Mattias went for an upward slash. His green blade ran up the droid's body and had its two halves clanging to the floor. Mattias caught his breath while Frost rushed to his side. "Are you alright, general?" the commander asked.

"Ask me again when this is all over," Mattias quipped. The terrible sound of more boarding craft had Frost and Mattias bracing themselves. They peered through the nearest viewport and saw a swarm of pronged ships closing in. Mattias forced himself to stand and firmly grasped his lightsaber. While his back was failing him and his partner had conflicted ethics, Mattias stood his ground. He knew they were the only ones standing between the incoming droids and the Venator's shields.

Before the boarding craft could strike, a barrage of yellow lasers reduced them to scrap metal. Mattias and Frost watched in sheer disbelief as a squadron of sleek fighters rocketed by. Their swivel-mounted wings rotated while they flew in formation. "Those aren't Republic ships," Frost commented.

"I've never seen anything like them," Mattias admitted while watching them hunt droid fighters. "So agile...so powerful. Well whoever they are, I'm glad their on our side.

While the battle continued to rage in space, the Deliverance's technicians rushed to repair the shield generator. "That should do it," one of them said. "Go ahead and fire it up!" He motioned to his coworker and she typed away at a panel.

The generator's mighty rumble had everyone cheering and Mattias called Taka. "Admiral," he said. "The shields are back online."

The news brought a grin to Taka's face as she hailed the Typhoon. "Admiral Shang," she called. "Our shields are operational and we are ready to engage. Thank you for the support and prepare for wedge maneuvers."

"I read you," Shang replied. "Let's show this dreadnought what happens when one messes with the might of the Republic Nav-"

The transmission cut and several flashes caught Taka's eye. Thunderous explosions followed and her heart sank when she realized their origin. Multiple blasts had severely crippled the Typhoon and left Taka desperately calling in. "Admiral Shang? What's happening? Admiral Shang! Please respond!" Tremendous clouds of black smoke billowed from Shang's star destroyer as it listed out of formation. Thinking quickly, Taka relayed new orders. "Break off wedge maneuver. Station the Deliverance between the Typhoon and that dreadnought." As her Venator moved into position, Taka contacted Mattias. "Master Jedi, we have another situation."

"We saw the explosions from here!" Mattias called back. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure," Taka admitted. "I've lost contact with Shang and anyone aboard that Venator. It may just be us against this dreadnought after all." Mattias pursed his lips and nervously paced around. "Master Jedi?" Taka asserted. "Are you there?"

"Yes," Mattias inevitably answered. "I was just lost in thought." His eyes darted between Felucia and Shang's smoking Venator. A dreadnought kept them from reaching Savil on the surface, but now more lives were at stake in space. Mattias' hand trembled as he struggled to make a decision. His mission had been to save Savil and her unit, but other casualties were on the line. He considered how Yelena had been warning him about attachments and how he'd been slipping with Anna. With a deep and resigned sigh, Mattias made his decision. "Commander Frost, how quickly can you prep a gunship?"

"Within minutes, sir." Frost assured. "But what about the dreadnought?"

"It isn't for Felucia. I have to trust in the Force that Savil can hold out. But time may not be a luxury that those aboard the Typhoon possess." He firmly gripped Frost's armored shoulder. "You said this is now a search and rescue division, right? Well we're going to board the Typhoon and get its survivors to the Deliverance."

Commander Frost was a man of his word. From the moment Mattias relayed his plan, Frost ordered a gunship to prep for launch. He assembled a team of clones to accompany them and they awaited orders in the hangar. Rip and Doubles were among the troopers he had personally selected for the operation.

"But I was having fun on the turret," Doubles griped.

"You literally hit nothing," Rip murmured to him. "You were bred to spray weapons. Not actually aim them."

"Like you shot any vulture droids," Doubles grumbled.

"I definitely got one," Rip boasted. "...after those fancy ships out there weakened it," he clarified.

"Any idea what those mysterious fighters were?" Mattias asked as they boarded their gunship. The clones around him were all equally confused.

"No idea," said the clone pilot. "But here's hoping they provide the cover we need to reach the Typhoon. It isn't that far, but a lot can happen in such a short distance."

"You're the finest pilot in the 213th, Donz." Frost said. "If anyone can get us across, it's you."

"Hold on to your helmets," Donz warned and primed the engines.

The gunship's hatches sealed and Mattias clenched a handhold. His back still ached from where his cybernetic was readjusting and any turbulence wasn't helping. I thought cybernetics were supposed to help, not hinder, he complained to himself. Blasted technology.

As soon as the gunship soared out from its hangar, it became an instant target for vulture droids. The bulky craft was hard to maneuver and required Donz to focus on speed. What the LAAT lacked in evasiveness, it made up for in durability. Its thick blast shields held up against the majority of droid laserfire, but the gunship could only take so much heat. A heavy laser stuck its underside and forced Donz off course.

"Rip," Doubles grunted while holding on. "If we blow up, I just want you to know...you're the best brother a clone could ever ask for."

"Doubles," Rip replied. "In case we die, I want you to know I've always thought I was better than you."

The vulture droids closed in for a deadly strafe until the mysterious fighters blasted them away. A cobalt-colored craft zoomed alongside the gunship and called in to Donz' communicator. "This is Skull Leader," a deep voice bellowed. "My squadron's coming over you now."

More of his fighters rocketed overhead as Donz remained astonished. "Thanks for the save, Skull Leader," he said. "Can you cover us to the Typhoon?"

"Consider it done," Skull Leader replied. "Skull Squadron, form up on me. Pick your targets and eliminate all hostiles." He and his unit soared in a lethal formation which pierced the swarming droids. Explosive laserfire erupted behind the gunship while Domz landed safely aboard the Typhoon.

The hatches hissed open and Mattias activated his lightsaber. He swished the blade forward and yelled, "Secure the deck!" Frost and the other troops leapt into action and found a grim scene. The entire hangar was a devastated mess teeming with wreckage and spreading flames. The bodies of white-armored clones were easily distinguishable amidst the refuse piles. "By the Force," Mattias gasped at the sight. "Fan out and search for survivors. I want a separate team to go to the command bridge and find Admiral Shang."

"General!" Doubles hollered. "Got something over here!"

Mattias' eyes widened when he heard troopers calling for help beneath debris. "Stand back," he told Doubles and deactivated his lightsaber. The Jedi took a deep breath and reached out with his open palms. Though the steel beams were colossal and numerous, Mattias was able to shift them with patience and concentration. The debris slowly lifted as he guided it with the Force.

Meanwhile, Frost located the Venator's nearest terminal and ran over to it. Although its screen was cracked, he was grateful that it was still functioning. A set of footsteps shuffled behind him as Rip returned. "Commander," the clone grieved. Gone was his quippy and spontaneous demeanor. It was enough to make Frost nervously turn and see Rip hanging his head.

"What is it, soldier?" Frost asked.

"The other troops and I just got back from the bridge," he lamented and held out a charred, admiral's cap. The Republic emblem was barely visible from the blast it had endured. "The admiral didn't make it."

"No," Frost uttered in disbelief as the ship rumbled around them. He looked to Mattias who was rescuing troopers from the debris.

"Get to what ships can still fly-" Mattias instructed. "And make for the Deliverance. Otherwise, you can ride with us." As the survivors went off, Mattias marched over to Frost. "Hopefully Skull Squadron can provide more cover." The Jedi's brows furrowed when he noticed Shang's burnt cap. "Is that-"

"I'm afraid so, sir." Frost said from the terminal. "The Typhoon may be too damaged to recover so I'm going to follow Republic protocol. I'm running a diagnostic and downloading its encrypted information for us. We might be able to find out what happened." As Frost typed away at the panel, several images of the Venator flashed with warning symbols. "The Typhoon's engines, bridge, hangar, and stabilizers were all struck at exactly the same time."

"Suspicious," Mattias said and pointed towards a readout. "The ship's shields were at maximum capacity. These blasts weren't hits...they were detonations."

Doubles was making his way back to the gunship when he noticed something peculiar on several fallen clones. Unlike the others killed in the blast, these troopers had laser holes in their armor. "What the-" Doubles muttered and kept his blaster cannon close.

"But if these were detonations-" Frost told Mattias. "-there'd have to be a-" In that instant, a reinforced figured landed on the rafters above them. His feet skid on the railing when he perched forward like an armored predator. "-a saboteur."

While Frost seemed unsure, Mattias looked upon the saboteur like a sworn enemy. As if their factions had been warring long before either of them were even conceptions. A mix of dark greys and royal blues culminated across a flak vest of beskar steel. Mattias ignited his lightsaber and stared into the T-shaped visor of a Mandalorian warrior. "Commander Frost," he said. "Get behind me."


Elsa Dellian was overjoyed to be back on Coruscant. The Jedi Temple's quiet halls garnered a sense of tranquility that had her gently smiling. Her calm steps on the temple's soft carpeting were only cut short by the ring of her holocom. Elsa activated the device and Yelena's face came into view. "Padawan," she greeted. "I take it you're on your way to the senate."

Elsa chuckled while traversing the Halls of Healing. "Master, I haven't even visited Anna yet. I agreed to do this for Master Mattias. Plus, Senator Veritaz said she'd need some time to recover after the Hoth rescue."

"I know," Yelena huffed. "But it doesn't mean you can't make a good first impression."

"The rescue was our first impression," Elsa quipped. "I know you're worried about me, master, but I'll just be an hour or so."

"I just want you to excel," Yelena assured. "You were phenomenal on Hoth...again. You were able to separate yourself from attachments and I just get nervous about seeing you fall back into them."

"Master," Elsa glowered. "Anna's my sister."

"And she's an attachment," Yelena intoned.

"So I'm not supposed to care?"

"It's not about a lack of caring," Yelena explained. "It's about not letting your emotions dictate your actions. You control them. Not the other way around. You've been given a rare opportunity for a Padawan. Senator Veritaz could open up doors for you and I just don't want you to waste that."

Elsa sighed. "I understand, master. I won't take too long. I'll tell Anna you say hello and meet up with you afterward. Then we can make that second first impression," she joked.

In the Circle of Jedi Healers, Rapunzel was returning to her and Anna's room. "I am so sorry about the wait," she sighed and laughed off her stress. "Master Gothel can be such a handful. She seriously wants to be the first Jedi to enter the Miss Coruscant beauty pageant. Does she have any idea how vain that sounds? And then she wanted me to help pick an outfit for her. It was ridiculous." Rapunzel's snicker simmered when she realized how quiet their room was. "Anna?" she called. When the silence persisted, Rapunzel rushed behind the bed and even checked under it. "Where did you-" Rapunzel searched everywhere from behind the dresser to the canvases. Peering at her patient's painting of a wingless bird had her overthinking. "Anna," she said aloud. "What did you do?"

Rapunzel stormed out into the hall and scoured the area. While the area may have been tranquil, Rapunzel's mind was anything but. Her heart raced while her eyes frantically darted across every shadow. Every passing Jedi could've possibly been Anna, but she just didn't know. As she felt herself over-stressing, Rapunzel chose to quiet her mind. She softly shut her eyes and breathed deeply. Calling upon the Force, Rapunzel cleansed her senses to think rationally and better assess her situation.

"Okay," she whispered. "Let's try this again. Padawan Dellian!" she called.

"Yes?" another voice responded.

Hearing Anna's older sibling had Rapunzel's heart pounding all over again. "Elsa?" she blurted. "Oh Elsa!" she laughed nervously and fidgeted with her blonde locks. "What are you doing here?"

"Master Mattias couldn't make it, but I'm here to visit Anna in his stead." Elsa replied. She could sense the Jedi Healer's anxiety and furrowed her brows. "Are you alright?"

Rapunzel couldn't bring herself to lie to Anna's sister. She slouched forward and exhaled grandiosely. "No," she confessed. "Elsa...your sister is missing."

"What?" Elsa gasped.

"I was called to the Archives and I was coming right back. I trusted her and she-"

"Anna's in your care," Elsa asserted. "She's your responsibility."

"I know," Rapunzel admitted. "I'm sorry. I was wrong to give her the leeway. I just felt like I was confining her."

"Maybe she hasn't gotten far," Elsa considered. "We need to find her."

"She's not in our sanctuary," Rapunzel deduced as they departed. "I've looked. Where else in the temple would she go?"

"Perhaps she'd try the dojos," Elsa said.

"Even if she doesn't have a lightsaber?"

"I don't know!" Elsa accidentally snapped. "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to think of something." She reached for her utility belt only to stop midway. "She doesn't have a comlink or holocom on her, does she?"

"No," Rapunzel groaned.

"Excuse me," a man spoke up from behind them. Elsa and Rapunzel turned to see a temple guard at his post. While he was masked, his golden accents brandished the horns of a Nikto. "I couldn't help but overhear your rather...boisterous predicament," Udo Klee said.

Elsa shrunk back and replied in a hushed tone. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Udo replied. "For nothing is without purpose, and all is heard when it should be. If I may ask, this person without a lightsaber..." He pointed at Elsa. "Roughly your height. Freckles. Hair as fiery as her temper?"

"That's Anna!" Elsa blurted.

"She's my patient and shouldn't be out," Rapunzel added. "Have you seen her?"

The guard nodded. "I knew there was something suspicious about that girl. I would've kept investigating had another Sentinel not stepped in."

"Who was this other Sentinel?" Elsa inquired.

"Our resident loudmouth," Udo grumbled. "Knight Westgard."

"Hans," Elsa and Rapunzel hissed in unison. They were surprised by each other's reaction while Udo continued.

"Last I saw, they went off together and said something about an investigation. I'm sorry I can't be of greater assistance."

"This helps plenty," Rapunzel assured and bowed to the guard. "Thank you." She walked off with Elsa and sneered. "Hans? By the Force, what is Anna doing with him? What investigation are they looking into?"

Elsa raised a brow as she considered a possibility. "After surviving the incident on Scarif, Hans was promoted for apparent 'heroism' and given jurisdiction over a district in Coruscant." Elsa pursed her lips as she struggled to recall the name. "The Collective Commerce District!" she exclaimed and snapped her fingers.

"CoCo Town," Rapunzel realized. "You saw how Anna was at a temple briefing. If something happens to her out there...I don't even want to think about it! We have to find them. I can get us an airspeeder from the hangar."

Elsa swallowed hard as she came to terms with all which was unfolding. She contemplated whether or not she should call her master, but considered the speech on attachments. Whether Yelena was right or wrong, Elsa couldn't rest knowing her sister was missing again. She recalled the helpless agony she felt watching Ventress fly away with Anna. She couldn't re-experience that pain and boldly dashed to the temple hangar with Rapunzel. As she did so, Elsa grabbed her comlink and called Hans. The frequency number she'd only acquired for when Anna had initially gone missing was being used for that purpose all over again.


Coruscant's afternoon clouds were rolling over CoCo Town. A Nautolan was just about to cross the street when a low-flying airspeeder zoomed by. "Hey!" Hans barked from the driver's seat. "I'm flying here! Damn pedestrians."

Anna shook her head from the passenger seat and asked, "Do you have to fly so low? Can you even do that?"

"First of all, it's the best and quickest way to search the streets. Second of all, hell yeah I can. I'm a Jedi. These people are lucky to have me and I can do whatever I want out here." Hans' green gaze narrowed on his dashboard when an incoming call rang.

Anna was busy searching for the witness from her window and asked, "Are you gonna get that?"

Hans glared at the caller ID on his dashboard and scoffed at the custom name he'd set.

(SMELLSA DELLIAN)

He hurriedly blocked the transmission and his dashboard read:

(FIVE MISSED CALLS)

"Blasted wrong numbers," he mumbled. "Any luck, beautiful?"

"Not yet," Anna replied. "I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to be looking for. I've never seen an Ortolan before."

"Big trunk and floppy ears. The kid's a weird-looking-"

"Kid?" Anna gasped as a smile crept across her face. "Hans, you lost a kid?"

The knight pouted and wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, what of it?"

"I can't believe you let a child get the best of you," Anna snickered. "I shouldn't be that surprised though. After all, you aren't exactly the best with kids." She thought back to his impatient self getting harassed by younglings in the Archives and giggled.

Hans rolled his eyes at her teasing. "Hey," he defended. "This kid was different. Little Dumbo wouldn't listen to anything I said. He just kept staring and throwing up gang symbols. It was terrible!"

"Did you ever consider that he might be deaf?" Anna proposed. "And that maybe he was trying to sign to you?"

Hans slammed on the airspeeder's brakes and nearly caused a pileup behind him. He didn't know whether to be astonished by the discovery or furious that he didn't figure it out himself. He slowly turned towards Anna with a stupefied and dumbfounded expression. She relished in his bewilderment and donned a cocky smirk. "Holy kriff," he muttered over the concept. He pulled Anna into a passionate kiss while halted speeders honked behind them. She hummed with delight as their lips parted. "Sign language!" Hans proclaimed. "Of course. It all makes sense now." He flew them away and continued to plan. "We-"

Another call came in and Hans feared Elsa's name would show to Anna. He breathed a sigh of relief when it was actually Lieutenant Tan Divo. Hans motioned for Anna to stay quiet while he answered the call. "What've you got for me?" the knight asked.

"I was actually hoping you'd have some answers for me," Divo responded. "It's been over a week, Westgard. Do you even have any leads on the witness?"

"I'm working on it," Hans assured. "I don't see you doing anything."

"I have a multitude of cases on my desk. You are a Jedi Knight tasked with one district. I expect more from you."

Hans rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well...I have a good feeling about today." He winked at Anna before continuing. "I'll let you know when I find something. This trail hasn't frozen over yet." He ended the call and stuck his tongue out towards the dashboard. Anna laughed at his gesture until she accidentally snorted. "Wow," Hans murmured. "That was...annoying."

Anna's cheerful demeanor crumbled and she covered her mouth. She was unsure whether or not to apologize for her laugh and instead focused on the case. "So," she huffed. "Where was the kid last seen?"

"Well this old Ithorian told me he saw an Ortolan down in this alleyway. I'm pretty sure he was messing with me though, because it just turned out to be a poster of one."

"I say we give it another look," Anna said and Hans glared at her. "I'm serious! You missed the possibility of this child being deaf. Who knows what else you missed? But please, if you have a better idea of where to look I'm all ears."

"Fine," Hans groaned. "We can check it out again." He flew them towards the alley and they passed Dex's Diner.

Anna observed a team of workers engaging in extensive repairs. "So that's where the crash happened?" she queried. "Poor Herv. There's no way it was an accident. And then you said the skylane traffic camera's just happened to glitch during the incident? Oh come on." While Anna observed the construction workers, one of them powered up an electro-drill. Bolts beamed from the tool and the sight had Anna shuddering back into her seat.

Hans noticed her discomfort and asked, "You okay?"

"What?" Anna whispered as if waking up from a traumatic trance. "Yeah...yeah I'm alright." Hans dismissed the situation and took her word for it. He parked their speeder at the designated alleyway and reached for multiple food capsules in his center consul. "What kind of journey are we going on that we need that many pellets?" Anna inquired.

"They're not for us," Hans explained. "If little beady-eyes is here, he'll sniff these out with that trunk of his."

Anna stepped into the frigid alley and felt a chill climb up her spine. A hissing tooka cat made her leap and Hans snorted at her reaction. Still, she persisted past the feline-infested trash cans and found a malodorous garbage heap. Hans gestured to the tattered poster above it and snarked, "See?Found him."

"The Max Rebo Band: Core World Tour," Anna read. "I love his music. He scored the soundtrack to Celeste, you know."

"Fascinating," Hans mumbled. "Can we go now? The kid's obviously not-" The junk pile suddenly shifted. "-here?"

"Hans," Anna urged. "Hand me one of those food capsules, will you?" The knight obliged and Anna withdrew an energy pellet. She knelt beside the heap and held the food out in her open palm. Her heart fluttered when a distinct sniffing sounded from within. Emptied cans and crinkled wrappers rolled over as a bright blue trunk snaked its way out. "Oh kriff," Anna whispered while the trunk sniffed her palm. In the blink of an eye, it swiftly snatched the food and slinked back under the pile. Eager to draw him out, Anna laid a trail of food pellets leading out of the trash heap. Within moments, the sniffing returned and the Ortolan crawled out. "Hey little fella," Anna spoke softly. The child's ears flopped at his sides as he waddled out and collected each pellet. He practically inhaled them and was eagerly sniffing the rest of Anna's capsules. "You want more? Sure!" Anna dumped an entire capsule and watched him chow down. "Poor kid's probably starving. Living out here in the garbage. Think he's all alone?"

"Let's find out," Hans replied and rummaged through the garbage heap. "Any other Ortolans in here?" His shuffling caught the child's attention and he came running towards Hans. "Oh no," the knight griped. "Not again." His body went stiffened as the Ortolan hugged his leg. "Yes, it's nice to see you too. Please get off." Anna and Hans watched as the child frantically signed away. "I can't understand a hint of this," he sighed. "I don't know if he's talking about the incident or the food or my good looks."

"We need to find someone who understands sign language," Anna suggested. "Perhaps a Jedi Master or maybe that Divo friend of yours."

"The lieutenant might know," Hans considered. "Let's get the kid to him." Hans tried ushering the Ortolan to his speeder, but the child wouldn't budge. "Seriously? If you come with us, I'll give you more food." The Ortolan stared blankly at him and simply scratched his belly. "We don't have time for this." He tried pulling him by the trunk, but his feet remained planted. "Come on, Dumbo!" Hans yelled. "Don't make me Force-push you into the speeder!"

"Stop," Anna scolded and swatted Hans' hands away. "Let me try something." She knelt beside the Ortolan and smiled softly. His wide black eyes met her blue gaze as she motioned towards their speeder. She took his plump hand in hers and gently caressed it. When she tried guiding him forward, he still refused to walk. Rather than just retaliate, the Ortolan pointed up to the Max Rebo poster. He scurried over to it and nudged the edges with his trunk. It was as if the image was alive to him.

"Talk about a super fan," Hans quipped.

"I think he's missing his family," Anna inferred. "He could be abandoned...or an orphan."

"Maybe he's Max Rebo's secret lovechild," Hans jeered.

Anna ignored his comment and reached for the poster. "I'll tell you what," she said. "We'll take it with us, okay?" She gingerly removed the poster from the wall and rolled it up. "You can carry it!" She handed it to the child and he joyously cradled it. With the poster secured, he was more than willing to leave his heap behind and take Anna's hand. She guided him into the airspeeder while Hans started up the engines. Anna huffed while lifting the Ortolan into the backseat. "Woah," she grunted. "You're heavier than you look." She sat him down and buckled him in. For a brief moment, the seatbelt's click made her think of binders on her wrists. She was starting to stress when the Ortolan's trunk started sniffing across her face. He tickled her freckled cheeks until she giggled and backed up. "I already gave you all of my food!" she laughed and returned to the passenger seat.

As they took off, Anna felt different for a brief moment. She considered what it would be like to have a child and wondered what a Jedi parent would be like. Perhaps it was the holodrama-obsessed, hopeless romantic speaking within her, but Anna daydreamed about what kind of father Hans' would be. She imagined him, her, and whatever children they'd have disappearing to a-

"Anna?" Hans grumbled. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Anna didn't realize how long she'd been amorously staring and snapped out of it. "Oh nothing," she sighed.

A call came in via Hans' communicator and he glanced down to answer it. "Looks like Divo saved me a dial," he joked until he saw the ID. The contact was unknown as Hans cautiously answered. Anna leaned in while the Ortolan's trunk snuck over her seat. "Hello?" Hans answered.

"Master Jedi?" a timid voice spoke up.

Hans and Anna exchanged perplexed glances before he followed up with, "This is Hans. Who is this?"

"Timia," she panted. "Timia Lok."

Hans' brows furrowed. "Wait, I remember you. You're the Mon Calamari from air traffic control. How did you get my frequency?"

"From the CoCo Club dancers." Her comment left Anna feeling uneasy as she continued. "Please, I don't have much time. Herv Bobak was murdered."

Anna and Hans' eyes widened. "Is this a confession?" Hans asked.

"Yes...no! They threatened me. Said they'd kill me if I didn't glitch the footage."

"Who's they? Why didn't you go to the police?" Hans interrogated and leaned closer to the dashboard.

"They never gave their names. Can't trust the police. I don't know who to trust. But the Jedi are true. This is why I called. This is big, Master Jedi. I'm not sure how big but surely beyond this celebrity. They could even be listening to this call."

"Why speak up now?"

"Because I can't live with this guilt any longer," Timia confessed. "I took an oath to protect Coruscant's citizens, no matter the risk. Oh no...what if they're listening? I'm a goner!"

Hans started to take off. "Timia, where are you now?"

"Mydral Apartments," she said. "Second floor, Room: 207."

"Okay, stay calm and lock yourself in. Turn off all of the lights and find a hiding spot. We're on our way to you now."

"Please hurry," the Mon Calamari pleaded as her transmission became scrambled. "The kilers...could...I...black speeder..."

"Timia?" Hans called and tried to boost the signal. "Timia!" The transmission ended and he slammed on the dashboard. "Damn it!" He caught his breath and locked in coordinates for the Mydral Apartment complex. "We need to get her out of there."

"If the killers were listening," Anna said. "She just gave away her entire location."

"I know!" Hans growled frustratedly. "But it's down to us now. We can't trust the police on this one. If this is as big as she says, who knows how far up it goes. Herv Bobak died for something. And whatever it was, he told Dumbo back there. I feel like we're holding all these scrambled puzzle pieces and we can't make them fit."

"Getting more answers from Timia will be a start," Anna affirmed. "We need to find out who these killers are and what their goal is." Anna sighed. "So much for not needing my lightsaber."

"Think you can manage without it?" Hans inquired.

"Hey," Anna smirked and glanced back at the Ortolan. "This is me we're talking about." She returned her focus to Hans and nodded. "I can do this." He accelerated to maximum speed as they raced to reach Timia in time.


Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading Chapter: 40 of "The Frozen Force"! I hope you're enjoying the adventure and I have some very exciting news. GoldenHeart Stories is now on Twitter! You can find me by either searching GoldenHeart Stories or tweeting GoldenHeartHQ. Twitter is going to be your go-to site for updates on all of my stories. I'll be posting teasers for upcoming stories and chapters ranging from fanfics to original content. But it gets even better. Love "The Frozen Force"? We've got artwork inbound! Follow me to see incoming art of Anna, Elsa, Mattias and Yelena. If you're looking for sneak peeks and covers, Twitter is where you shall find it! We're celebrating "The Frozen Force at 40" later today with exclusive artwork of Tori Vica! You can see this and much much more here at GoldenHeart Stories! I love sharing this adventure with you all and I hope you're having fun. With twenty chapters left in Season 2, we're just getting started!

Next Week Preview: Master Savil and her Republic Forces are trapped on Felucia but aid cut is off from space. Mattias and Frost take on a mysterious Mandalorian threat. Rapunzel and Elsa race to find Anna while she and Hans rush to save Timia. The board is set and the pieces are moving. Nothing is without purpose and all paths are coming together. But the outcome...remains to be seen!

Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You!

~ Michael