Chapter 31 - Rescue Mission

DISCLAIMER: We (unfortunately) do not own Star Wars. :P

Author's Note: In which Anakin gets an ultimatum, and they begin to carry out their rescue mission. :D

~ Amina Gila

Anakin can't control the helplessness which sweeps over him. He knows Tarkin. The man is cold, brutal, methodical. The galaxy is important, he knows that, but he also knows that he cannot allow his children to be harmed. Why him? Why is he the one who always has to make these accursed, difficult choices. The last time he had to do this, he destroyed the Jedi. What will it be this time? A planet? Two? Three?

He barely registers Obi-Wan saying his name, and the hand on his shoulder finally grounds him enough to make him look up. His former master's blue gray eyes are pinned on him, a steady determination filling them. "Anakin, does he have the twins? Do you know?"

"Not for certain, but it's highly likely," he admits. "He wouldn't challenge me like this if he didn't have a bargaining chip which he knows I would take into consideration."

"Okay, then we have to secure them," Obi-Wan decides. "Bail, have you gotten anything?"

The Senator looks up, brown eyes hard. "The Rebel Alliance stands in full support of the current, or soon-to-be, Emperor. I'll call Mothma and appraise her of the situation. We might be able to allot some of our resources to stopping, or at least slowing down, Tarkin." He pauses, gaze searching Anakin's. "Do you have the plans for the Death Star?"

He picks up one of the datapads, flipping through the endless information before he finally finds the schematics. "Right here," he answers. "I was able to break through Sidious's security and download the some of the most crucial data before being locked out."

Obi-Wan glances briefly at Bail. "We need to find a way to destroy it," he declares. "What are its weaknesses?" He leans forward to get a closer look at the schematics on the small screen.

Anakin straightens, putting every irrelevant thought aside and focusing single-mindedly on the task at hand. Once they have this part figured out, the rest should fall into place as well. "Here," he says at last, after many minutes of flipping through the drawings. "There's an exhaust port here. An X-wing could probably get a torpedo through, but the pilot would have to be a Jedi."

"Is that all?" Obi-Wan seems rather dismayed.

Anakin leans back to look at him. "Master," he drawls, suddenly feeling a bit more confident of their eventual victory, "We've faced many worse odds."

"I have something," Bail announces. "I've received a communication from Commander Cody. He says that the only known ally they have aboard the Death Star is Echo." Anakin stiffens at the name. Echo had been captured by the Separatists during the Clone Wars after nearly being killed during the Citadel rescue mission – when, ironically enough, they saved Tarkin. He'd been experimented on and fitted with prosthetics, enabling him to act as a living droid, since he can access computer ports with his specially designed arm.

"He'll help us," Anakin says firmly, "But we need a plan." He looks back down at the datapad on which Tarkin's demanding letter had come, a shiver of unease running down his spine. He refuses to put his children in unnecessary danger, but he refuses to accede to Tarkin's terms either. Negotiating is, of course, an option, though there's only a full day left to do so.

Tarkin is demanding that Anakin officially make an announcement to turn the Empire over to him and surrender himself. Presumably, that means he'll be executed, a risk he's willing to take if his children will be safe. He doesn't want to die anymore, but he'll take his chances. He's not the Chosen One for nothing.

**w**

Obi-Wan sits in main hold of the Imperial shuttle, tension humming through him as he hears Rex speaking with someone aboard the Death Star, trying to convince him that, since they're the only Imperial vessel around – they managed to locate the Death Star thanks to Tarkin's transmission and Anakin's skill – the shuttle must land there, claiming an emergency. This needs to work. If it doesn't, everything will be over.

After a long pause, where he exchanges worried looks with Cody – their reunion was immensely painful, and he'd rather not dwell on the past right now – a voice crackles through the comm, telling them which hanger bay to land in. It probably helped that they're supposedly bringing classified information under Tarkin's orders and with his clearance codes. They couldn't afford to bring more than three people which is fine. Echo is waiting for them inside, and he'll be scrambling the communications and stalling the Death Star defense.

Obi-Wan can sense Luke and Leia aboard, and he touches them briefly through the Force, sending a silent reassurance. They control themselves well, not letting their relief echo too strongly around them, a sure sign that they're not giving anything away to whoever may be in the vicinity. They've been taught well.

"We're here," declares Rex as he guides the shuttle into the small, more private hanger of the Death Star. "Cody and I will deliver the information, while you go to for the children. We have fifteen minutes maximum, probably ten, before everyone else joins the party."

"Is Echo linked into the comms?" queries Obi-Wan as the lamp lowers.

"Yes, sir," Cody replies, pulling his helmet on and checking his blaster.

Obi-Wan remains lurking in the shadows, knowing that he can rely on the Force to help him hide from prying eyes. The cameras aren't as big of a problem, because Echo should have picked up their location and shut them to loop so no technicians will realize that he's aboard. He taps the comm, activating it.

"Echo?" he checks quietly.

"I'm here, sir," the clone tells him in a hushed voice. "You're clear to make your move."

"The children are our priority," Obi-Wan reminds him. "If you can't shut down the weapons, that's fine. Ahsoka is resourceful enough to figure out another way to destroy this battle station."

"Yes, sir," murmurs Echo before falling silent.

Obi-Wan watches while Rex and Cody, both dressed in regular stormtrooper armor, speak to the stormtroopers aboard. The stormtroopers motion for them to follow them, and once they've disappeared from sight, Obi-Wan hurries down the ramp, reaching out with the Force to locate the twins. "Where are they?" he whispers into the comm.

"They're in the highest detention level," Echo answers, the hidden anger audible. "There's an entire platoon of troopers there to prevent them from escaping like last time."

Despite the situation, Obi-Wan nearly smiles, because that is totally something he would expect from a Skywalker. "You'll have to tell me the story when this is over," he comments dryly.

Echo doesn't answer, and Obi-Wan slips into a turbolift, pushing the appropriate buttons to reach the designated floor. It's him, Rex, Cody, and Echo – he won't count Luke and Leia because they're children – against everyone on board. What a wonderful chance of success they have. But Anakin was right. This was the only way. Obi-Wan still would have preferred that Anakin come in his stead. He would have no qualms about slaughtering everyone in his path, and right now, maybe some brutality is in order. He never thought he'd see the day he said that.

Everything is going as planned when the turbolift is stopped and an officer gets on. He is understandably shocked to see Obi-Wan there, but before he can call for assistance and report the intruder, Obi-Wan raises his hand, lacing his words with the Force. "You want to go to the detention level," he declares pleasantly.

The man's eyes glaze over slightly, and he nods, walking into the turbolift and letting it close behind him. "I want to go to the detention level," he repeats, pushing the button again. Normally, it would take some level of clearance, but Echo has already overridden that particular requirement. Considering how far the clone is from the hanger bay – though he could use an escape pod possibly – Obi-Wan isn't sure how he'll escape, but he tries not to let it concern him right now. Luke and Leia come first.

"You want to check on the prisoners," Obi-Wan adds, voice just as casual as before.

"I want to check on the prisoners," the officer decides.

Obi-Wan remains tense as the turbolift descends further before stopping. This is the tricky part. He lets the officer move ahead of him, showing his clearance badge to the stormtroopers on guard and distracting them with questions about the prisoners. He moves cautiously, ducking low and drawing the Force like a shield around himself projecting don't see me all around him. It's not the most effective when moving in direct sight, but it might be enough. Maybe.

He makes it to the hall where the prison cells are located before the first stormtrooper actually notices him. "Hey! What are you doing here?" he demands, pointing his blaster at Obi-Wan. Just like that, the spell is broken, and the dozen or so stormtroopers have their weapons aimed at him.

He'll never be able to mind trick so many people, so instead, he does the next best thing. He uses the Force to yank apart the wires for the alarm button before Force-shoving everyone backwards. His lightsaber is ignited before the first blaster is fired, and much as he loathes it, Obi-Wan cuts through all the conscious stormtroopers who are fighting back. He should have expected this, that the twins would try to fight back using their skills which would necessitate more security.

Holding the lightsaber in one hand, he rapidly moves down the hall from where he can feel the twins' Force signatures emanating and opens the door. Luke and Leia are sitting together on the small bed and look up in sync when they hear the door. "Uncle Obi!" they cheer, leaping to their feet and dashing towards him, still holding the other's hand.

"Is Father here?" asks Luke instantly.

Obi-Wan shakes his head. "He's dealing with Tarkin, the one who had you kidnapped," he explains. "I need you both to be as quiet and careful as possible, because we need to sneak away undetected, okay?"

"Okay," nods Leia, "But I can use a blaster. Daddy taught me how, and Father showed us how to use the Force."

Obi-Wan really doesn't want to know why Bail thought it might be important for Leia to have such knowledge. Now isn't the time to question it anyways. "That won't be necessary," he assures her. "I can cover both of you, and I'm not alone here."

The twins follow him out of their prison cell, hardly even flinching at the smoke in the air and the bodies lying on the floor. Obi-Wan leads them into the turbolift and pushes the buttons for the level where the hanger bay is located. Getting back to their shuttle won't be easy, but it can't be much harder than breaking into the prisons was. Just as he thinks that, the alarms go off. "General, we have a problem," Rex reports through the comm. Wonderful.