With Gunray captured, Vex and Ahsoka leave together, adding extra security to his transport on top of Luminara and her battalion. The two young soldiers joined Luminara and Commander Gree in the cockpit, Gunray still in their sights as the Jedi Master speaks up.
"Captain, have you made contact with the Cruiser?" She asks the lead pilot.
"Yes, General. We'll patch you through now." The pilot responds, activating the comlink, the image of three Senate Guards appearing on the monitor.
"Jedi Cruiser Tranquility, this is General Luminara Unduli, requesting permission to land." Her voice is neutral, the protocol of the situation almost radiating off of her form as she stands tall.
"You're cleared, General. We await your prisoner's arrival." The visor-less Guard states, something in his voice sending Vex's hairs on end.
"Thank you, Captain Argyus. I look forward to delivering him to you." Luminara replies, her words ringing the truth, before the link is cut.
"I am a man of great wealth. And I can be very generous to my allies." Gunray tries to bribe Gree.
"That, is a very tempting offer, Viceroy." Gree plays along, reaching around to grab something. "In the meantime, I have a gift for you." He brings his hand back into view, showing the cuffs as he jungles them as though enticingly.
"You sure I can't just punch him into unconsciousness?" Vex asks, bored, but sick of the bribing attempts.
"Sorry, kid. You'd get in quite a lot of trouble." Gree apologises as he cuffs the Neimoidian. Ahsoka simply walks over to Luminara.
"Finally. It's been such a boring, and rather frustrating trip." Ahsoka sighs in relief. The CR70 docks in the underbelly hanger, the docking bay of the Cruiser extending and attaching to the ships hatch. While the 41st depart to return to their duties aboard the Tranquility, Vex, Gree, Ahsoka and Luminara escort Gunray towards the cell block.
"This is an outrageous miscarriage of justice!" Gunray declares. "I demand my Litigator."
"If you mean your Lawyer, don't even bother." Vex retorts. "Your war-crimes already condemn you to imprisonment." Five Senate Commandos march and greet them in the corridor, the Guard/Commando from the transmission in front, his helmet in his grasp.
"Greetings, General. We have the brig all ready for this… traitor." Argyus states in distaste. His words feel odd in the air to Vex, even the word traitor making no sense. The Neimoidian's may not be a part of the Republic, but that is their choice. That does not make them traitors. And Gunray, was never part of the Republic, only the Trade Federation, a formerly neutral party, thus he couldn't be classified as a traitor.
"Thank you, Captain." Luminara bows in respect. "Commander Gree, let's get underway."
"Right away, sir." Gree assures, shoving Gunray with more force than technically needed. "Let's move!" The slippery Neimoidian follows the order, Gree and the Commandos escorting him. Luminara, Ahsoka and Vex follow at a slower pace, but keeping in sight.
"Senate Commandos." Ahsoka finally speaks. "How does a money grabbing worm like Gunray get all this security? He doesn't look that dangerous."
"Don't let your overconfidence give Gunray another advantage, Ahsoka." Luminara warns, her voice gentle, yet earning an expression of guilt on the young Padawan's face. "Even now, his allies may be conspiring against us."
"It's not a 'may', Luminara." Vex notes. "They are. And we should be prepared for it. Gunray is a vital asset to the Separatists." The Jedi Master looks to him in irritation, but understanding.
"The troopers are already on patrol and alert." She assures. They follow the escort as they place Gunray into his cell, the ray-shields barring any exit, with Luminara and Ahsoka inside, beginning their interrogation. Though it is slow, Luminara is visibly beginning to break through, until Ahsoka snaps.
"Liar. Liar!" She ignites her saber, and swiftly has the Neimoidian at blade point. "Tell us what we wish to know right now, or I will gut you like a Rocarion Dirt Fish." Gunray jumps back, falling to the floor in fear, as Luminara pulls Ahsoka back, speaking in quiet whispers. Gunray manages to stand back up.
"Perhaps I was too hasty! Let us negotiate." He offers, with Ahsoka giving Luminara a grin of success, before the ship shudders. Gree opens a channel to the Cruiser's Captain.
"Captain, status report!" He orders.
"Droid fighters, incoming. They've brought boarding ships!" The Captain explains. Gree then switches frequencies, as the Cruiser opens fire upon the small ships.
"Green Company! Prepare to repel the enemy!" Gree orders, his troopers gearing up and making their way towards the breached hanger. Vex unholsters the carbine on his back, holding it within his grasp.
"Green leader to Commander Gree! Super Battle Droids have breached our hull!" The company leader reports. A few moments pass, before he speaks again. "They're headed for the detention level. We need reinforcements." Then the sound of close range blaster fire, and the leaders grunt as he takes a hit point blank, then static.
"Commander, I'll need your assistance." Luminara states, Gree putting his helmet on as the Jedi Master leads the way.
"Let's go." Ahsoka adds, only for Luminara to stop her.
"You will stay here with Captain Argyus." Luminara orders her. "Guard the Viceroy." Ahsoka moves to argue, but the stare that Luminara gives her has her halting in her tracks.
"As you wish, Master." Ahsoka relents.
"Better to have you here, in case some droids break through, to help the Commandos, rather to leave them alone." Vex notes. "Besides, I don't think the droids are all that was brought."
"What makes you say that?" Captain Argyus asks. Vex turns to glare at him.
"Experience." He replies simply.
"It seems you are in no position to negotiate now, Padawan. Perhaps after my rescue-" Gunray is cut off.
"Rescue?" Ahsoka scoffs. "They're probably here to make sure you don't talk, if nothing else." Her words have Gunray stagger back, concern evident in his alien features.
"All units! There is a bald-" The words are cut off, as the faint sizzle of flesh rings in Vex's ears.
"Did you hear that?" He asks, both Padawan and Captain shaking their heads in response. Vex checks his energy cell, before turning off the safety. "I think we're going to have company." He warns. His words have Ahsoka's hands lowered to her saber, but the Commandos do nothing. Minutes pass, and Ahsoka eventually eases up, Argyus moving to the others by the control panels in the center of the room. Vex stays where he is, his carbine, while in a resting position, ready to be used at a moments notice.
Argyus ushers Ahsoka over, when he hears it, the paint patter of footfalls in the ceiling. The red blades carving through is the second warning. He brings his carbine up, aiming where the intruder would fall, but holds his fire, as a familiar figure drops down and kicks the two Commandos unconscious. Ahsoka then rushes to the edge of the corridor, facing towards the saber wielding intruder.
"If it isn't the hairless harpy." She mocks.
"If it isn't Skywalker's filthy, obnoxious little pet." Ventress purrs back.
"How nice of you!" Ahsoka retorts. "Tell you what. I'll give you a merciful death." She positions into a fighting stance, as Ventress ignites her sabers. She leaps at Ahsoka, and being so focused, doesn't notice as Vex charges, the moment she meets Ahsoka's blade, she is shoved away, though manages to right herself.
"Remember me?" Vex asks. He aims his carbine and fires, hoping that Ventress was still off guard, only to have the bolt returned to him, knocking the carbine from his hands.
Ahsoka dashes forward, engaging in a saber lock, as Vex moves into range, sending a fist towards Ventress' mid section, her body curling slightly from the hit. She pushes Ahsoka back, and tries to bisect Vex, only for him to swat her arm from it's trajectory with a precise motion, following up with a kick that he is forced to pull back, less he lose a leg. Ahsoka attacks in a flurry, forcing Ventress to defend, though without much difficulty, her power lacking, as Vex continues to jab at Ventress and just keep her completely occupied alongside Ahsoka, until Luminara arrives, three troopers with her.
"Surrender, Assassin." Luminara orders. Ventress disengages her sabers, the near silence revealing the beep of a detonator, before the ship shudders, knocking Vex, Ahsoka, Luminara and the troopers down. While the troopers are able to aim their weapons and fire, Ventress is already at the Elevator and jumps down. Ahsoka moves to follow her, but both Luminara and Vex stop her, as the lift soon makes it's own descent. Vex then turns towards the Cells, finding Gunray's door open, and the two Commandos guarding it dead, blaster bolts through the heart.
"Motherfucker." He curses almost silently. "We have a problem." His words gain everyone's attention, as they look to see the same thing as him.
"How did he escape?" Ahsoka questions in confusion.
"Argyus." Vex answers with a growl. "I knew something was off with him. I just should have said it." He berates himself.
"Beyond that." Gree notes, checking the control panels. "They've crippled the whole ship. We've got no propulsion, communications, everything else is running haywire."
"Our attacker, and traitor, came for Gunray. They've likely regrouped." Vex explains.
"I'll confront them myself. We don't need anymore bloodshed, barring theirs." Luminara states.
"Master, all due respect-" Ahsoka is cut off.
"Fuck that. General, you don't stand a chance. You've never fought against Ventress before. I just did, and honestly, I can understand not wanting the troops to go, but at least let Ahsoka go with you." Vex argues. "She's fought and survived against Ventress a few times, her experience is invaluable."
"He's right. At this stage, Ventress is too powerful for almost any one Jedi to fight alone. Let me help you." Ahsoka adds.
"I am more than capable of dealing with a lone assassin armed with undisciplined fighting skills." Luminara denies. Vex glances to Gree, concern on his face, while the Commander just shrugs. "Stay here, and keep a clear head, or go find the traitor and Gunray." Luminara leaps down the elevator shaft, leaving the others behind. A few moments of silence pass, before vex sighs audibly.
"Go." He assures. "She'll need your help. Gree and I can hunt down Argyus. You just make sure Luminara lives to see tomorrow." Ahsoka smirks sadly, before following the path the Jedi Master took. Vex turns to Gree, looking at him knowingly. "Have all available troopers converge on the docking port to the CR70. That's their primary escape." Gree nods, and relays the orders, though they themselves are unable to leave the level they are on. Not until everything is reset. Vex and Gree move over to the console, and begin to restart all non-essential functions, beginning with the elevators and doors.
"Commander! They were already aboard!" A trooper reports, as the ships shudders slightly. "They're firing on the docking-" The connection is lost, as static enters their ears.
"Are the weapons systems online?" Vex asks.
"No. They're out of commission." Gree sighs in frustration. "Shields are down too. They've got a free ticket out."
"Does the ship have a tracker?" Vex asks. Gree stills immediately.
"It does." He eventually affirms. "Good thinking."
"Get comms up. Everything else can wait. The sooner we can contact the Republic, the sooner they can start to track them." Vex states, the two soldiers going to work on resetting the systems, thankful that there was a control panel and console in the brig as well as on the bridge.
Once comms were online, Vex and Gree sent a transmission to the Republic, before getting the other systems up and running again. The only thing that could not be fixed were the engines, as the whole engine room had been destroyed. The two met back up with Luminara, a red eye and injured leg to show her mistake in going for Ventress alone, while Ahsoka was just a little charred, though in better shape than the General.
"I'm sorry that despicable wealth worm Gunray got away." Ahsoka apologises, Vex and Luminara on each side of her.
"It's alright, Snips. I know you did your best." Anakin assures her.
"Master, I-" Ahsoka is cut off.
"Troubling, is the treachery of the Senate Guard, Captain Argyus. Revealed all around us, our enemies are." Yoda states.
"Not all is lost." Luminara assures. "Vex and Gree sent you a transmission as soon as they could to tell you that they stole a Republic ship. It can still be tracked."
"A coward, Viceroy Gunray is, but powerful allies he has. Swiftly, we must move, if we are to recapture him." Yoda warns.
"Last we were informed, General Fisto's fleet was close to where the tracker was headed, before it left our sector and our range." Vex notes.
"Indeed. I've already contacted him to follow the signal." Luminara assures.
"Ahsoka, Vex, I'll meet you at the rendezvous point." Anakin states.
"Yes Master." Ahsoka affirms.
"Mind if I stay here a bit longer?" Vex asks. "They're gonna need some assistance getting their engines back up and running. And it would be good to learn how to do it." Anakin ponders a moment, before answering.
"You've got a week. I expect you back on time for our next deployment." Anakin relents.
"Thanks. I'll be there." Vex assures, as the connection is cut, looking to Ahsoka and Luminara. "Looks like you'll be stuck with me for a few more cycles, General." His smirk shows his mischievous intents.
