Chapter 28 – To the Rescue
DISCLAIMER: We do not own Star Wars, even if we wish we did. xD
Author's Note: In which Tup is temporarily captured by Separatists and Ahsoka decides that he's in need of her protection... ;)
~ Amina Gila
We don't even make it out of the hanger before we see the transport being shot at. I suck in a deep breath. Yes, of course. If there were any more doubts in my mind as to what happened, I don't have any more. If the Separatists want him, that means something big is going on.
"We need to get over there and help out," decides Anakin.
Moments later, we find ourselves with Rex and Fives in a shuttle, hastily zooming up towards the transport. All four of us are wearing a suit made to withstand space. We land on the transport, which has been completely wrecked, and enter.
"The restraints have been cut," Rex calls to us from where he stands next to the bed Tup was supposed to be on. Just as I was afraid of. The Separatists got him.
"They must be responsible for whatever is happening," murmurs Fives.
"Perhaps," I reply stiffly. They're not. At least not completely, but that doesn't mean I should say so.
"It's possible," responds Anakin, turning around to face us, "All I know is they went to incredible lengths to capture him, and that means something."
"We have got to get him back," Fives insists.
"Don't worry, we'll find a way," Anakin assures him.
"We'll have to sneak onto the Separatist ship," I warn as we head back for our shuttle and take our seats inside. Anakin pulls off his helmet, setting it down beside him.
"The shuttle will drop us off just short of the main hanger," he states, "We'll spacewalk from there. Are you picking up anything of Tup's location?" Spacewalking. That's rare, but nothing's surprising with Anakin as a master. The last name 'Skywalker' does fit him well.
"I've got a faint signal but it's hard to track. It's moving," responds Fives as the shuttle slowly glides past the Separatist ship. That's bad news. They're probably planning to get him out of here first, just like we were. Which means we need to move. And fast.
"We better hurry," Anakin worries. Our spaceship flies down over the side of the starship and out into space, towards our destination. It plunges past the side of the Separatists ship and turns upside down, landing on the bottom. The second it lands, Anakin pulls his helmet back on and heads for the exit with me right behind. We carefully walk off, stepping out into the vacuum of space, only held to the ship thanks to our magnetized boots.
"I've got a better signal. Tup is heading this way," Fives declares as we walk along towards what I think might be an entrance. Once we reach the right spot, we begin climbing up the wall. I catch onto handholds along the ship, throwing myself upwards between Anakin and Fives. Finally, we reach the edge of the hanger, and the four of us cautiously peak over the edge into the ship.
Two groups of battle droids are marching towards each other not far in front of us. Anakin looks through binoculars, frowning as his gaze darts back and forth.
"Are your scopes Jedi-issue, sir?" teases Fives.
"Stay focused, Fives," Anakin chides, looking through them again. Looking through my own binoculars, I can see a large standing army of battle droids on either side of the hanger bay off in the distance, along with a starfighter. On the far side, a group of other droids are carrying a stretcher with Tup lying on it.
"There must be a hundred droids in the hanger. Not to mention a starfighter. This is stretching it, even for you, Sir," Rex cautions.
"Rex, you're beginning to sound like Obi-Wan," Anakin sighs. "You got a better idea?"
I snort. "I hope walking in there isn't your idea of a plan."
"Look," adds Rex, "I don't doubt you could pull it off, but I'm not sure if we would be around to see it happen."
"I've got an idea," Fives pipes up. Great. Because we're clearly a little out of ideas now if my master is seriously considering attacking thousands of droids with just me and two clones.
"Well, let's hear it quickly," Anakin replies, turning to him.
"Grappling hooks," Fives replies, holding up his blaster which he just put a grappling hook on.
"Good thinking," I complement, "At least that isn't sure to get us killed."
"Get ready to hold on," Fives warns.
"That's why he's an arc trooper," Rex smiles. Anakin grabs the edge of the hanger and peaks over it again just as I sense the shuttle taking off. As it zooms over our head, Rex fires a grappling hook, and Fives fires another. Anakin grabs Rex and I grab Fives, and the four of us sail away together after the shuttle.
We climb up the hooks to the entrance of the ship and Anakin forces it open. We charge in lightsabers blazing. Anakin impales the first droid in sight, and they all turn towards us and open fire. I cut down one, and Anakin jumps past me to fight three further inside. Rex and Fives remain in the doorway, staying partly shielded by the wall and begin firing at the droids.
Anakin deflects the bolt of one droid back at it, destroying it. I cut down the other droid near the doorway as Anakin grabs one of the droids he's fighting and throws it over his shoulder towards us, right into the end of my lightsabers. Two of the more intelligent ones still intact attempt to attack the clones only to get beheaded from behind by my swinging green blades.
As we continue progressing our way down the hall, Anakin Force-throws another droid into a second which promptly starts shooting at us. Another droid runs up behind Anakin and attacks him. I promptly chop off its head.
Anakin grabs the remaining droid, holding his lightsaber to its neck. Yes, Skyguy, I don't think that method works on droids, at least not ones that are programmed properly. "What do you know about this clone?" he growls as Rex and Fives shoot down the battle droids in control of the ship and Rex scrambles over to the controls.
"I am programmed to resist intimidation," it insists in a monotone, and he promptly chops off its head.
"You know, we could have just downloaded it's information," I remind him.
Anakin ignores me, his attention already diverted to Fives and Tup. "How's he doing?" he questions, walking over to them.
"Not well. Not well at all," responds Fives gravely, "I think he's dying, sir."
"We have to get him to Kamino," Anakin says worriedly, walking past towards the cockpit.
**w**
"I want a full report from Kamino. If Tup is the victim of some Separatist plot, we have no idea how widespread it already is," Anakin declares, crossing the hallway of the cruiser. More like the victim of a Sith plot.
"I should go with them, Master," I state, "I get the feeling there's something really big going on, and we'll need a Jedi to be there – other than Master Shaak Ti. Besides, there's still a risk of being attacked on the way." Anakin looks thoughtful for a moment. He might not think it is necessary, but he trusts my judgement.
"Alright," he concedes, "But stay out of trouble." Like he needs to tell me that.
"I will." Well, I'll try anyway, but since I'm probably about to mess up the Sith's plans, no promises.
"Permission to go with him, sir? He's my best friend," Fives asks Rex as I walk over to them where Tup's stretcher is being carried down the hall.
"You may help, but everything must be done by the book," he informs.
"Understood, sir."
"You're to stay by his side at all times. I don't want any more slip-ups."
"Yes sir," he nods emphatically.
"Good, let's go." The three of us follow Tup and the others down the hall towards the waiting craft.
Hours later, we've landed on Kamino, the nearly continuous rain of the water world beating down on our ship. We make our way to the facility where Rex reports what transpired.
"You will have to say goodbye to your friend now," the Kaminoan doctor says, as we reach a certain point in the hall.
"Yes, doctor," Fives agrees reluctantly. Tup is taken down the hallway, around a corner, and out of sight as Master Shaak Ti approaches us.
"General Shaak Ti," Rex greets her, removing his helmet.
"Knight Tano, Captain Rex, and Fives," she acknowledges.
"Yes, General." he confirms.
"You've served with Tup?"
"Yes."
"You must come with me," she declares.
"Will all due respect, General, I cannot just abandon my friend," he argues.
"You must let the doctors do their work," she turns and starts walking down the hall, "Do not be afraid. Your friend is in quite capable hands. Doctor Nola Se is the chief medical scientist on Kamino. She was one of the primary engineers of all the clones. Now we must take care of you."
"Me?" frowns Fives, "There's nothing wrong with me, General. I'm perfectly fine."
"We can't be sure of that until we complete a full exam to see if a virus was the cause of Tup's breakdown," she replies, "You have more than likely been exposed to the contagion. You haven't entered the advanced stages yet as Tup has, but any information we could gather from you could help to find a cure for Tup."
"I do not think this is a virus, Master Shaak Ti," I interrupt, "There was something far more serious going on. He clearly had no recollection of what transpired, and there's no way a virus could do that. I figured it was something more like mind control." How could she possibly fall for something like this so easily? It's easy to see now how the Jedi Order fell. They were too blinded, to convinced of their own power to believe they could fail. Too trusting, even in the midst of a war and with Sith lurking everywhere in the shadows.
"Perhaps it is some sort of mind control infection like those worms on Geonosis," she suggests, "And this is why Fives must take the test." If only it were that simple.
"Alright General, if it will help Tup," he agrees.
"Captain Rex, General Skywalker has ordered you back to the war zone," Shaak Ti informs him, "You are to leave immediately."
"I'm sorry, Fives," Rex addresses the other clone, as he puts his helmet back on, "I wish I could stay."
"Don't worry," I hastily reassure him, "I'm here. Everything will be fine." Or so we hope. If things get too serious, I'll call Anakin in to help.
"It's fine, Sir," adds Fives, "Fighting a virus is a nice change of pace from all those clankers."
"Take care of yourself," Rex says, putting a hand on Fives' shoulder, "And you too, Commander," he adds, glancing at me before looking back at the other, "And Tup." With that, he turns and heads off down the hall.