A/N: Okay, I know that there's like zilch Obi-Wan in this chappy, but he'll make a bigger appearance in later chapters. I just have to show what's going on with everyone else as well. ; )

Into the Shadow

Chapter Five: Mustafar

A grim smile spread across Anakin's face as he approached Mustafar. He had only spent a short time on the planet, yet it already held such bitter memories for him. He didn't think about what would happen to him if it was a trap or if he failed Padmé and the twins. The only thing on his mind was to find them and bring them back safely.

Failure was not an option.

000

"Are you alright?" Mace asked Aayla, extending his hand to help her up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied accepting Mace's help. "But Anakin…we have to go after him," she said.

Mace nodded. "I know; and finding him shouldn't prove difficult. After all, where else would he go besides Mustafar?"

Aayla nodded in agreement. "Let's go."

000

"I'm fine," Felix insisted, standing up defiantly.

"We both know that you aren't fine; that woman shot you!"

Felix looked ahead to where Aurra Sing had been just moments ago. "Darn that…humanoid," he spat. "She's always gettin' in my way."

"Well we won't get in hers. Come on, let's get out of here," Sabé said. She had never been fond of the boiling planet and she would rather be any place else.

"Yeah, let's get back to the ship," Felix agreed.

"So I can treat your wound properly," Sabé finished.

The ship

Once they were on the ship, Felix immediately set their course for Corellia. Sabé, who had walked into the cockpit moments earlier with the medical supplies, stared at him in confusion.

"Why Corellia?" she asked.

"Because that's where the girl is going," Felix said casually. Then seeing the look on Sabé's face, said, "You didn't think that I'd give up that easily now, did you?"

Sabé scowled. "I suppose this is as much as one could expect from a bounty hunter. Now sit still so I can examine your wound."

"It's nothing," Felix protested.

It was too late; Sabé had rolled up his sleeve and had already begun treating the wound. "You're lucky," she said. "It just grazed you."

"I told you it was nothing," Felix said.

"But if it would have been left untreated then you could have developed an infection," Sabé said, she soon found herself locked into a gaze with him. "And by the way," she said, hoping to break the silence. "Thanks for doing what you did."

Felix was shocked at her remark, and it showed in his face. He hadn't really done much selfless things in his life, but in the short space of time he had known Sabé, he had grown to like her. Yes, he had thought of her as a pretty face when he first met her on Mustafar, but now he was strangely beginning to discover that he cared for her.

000

Anakin's mind was solely on getting Padmé and the twins back. He knew where they were most likely being held captive, and so he landed not far from the structure. He emerged form his Jedi Starfighter, armed with his lightsaber; he was ready to cut down anyone who stood in his way.

He knew that he had to be cautious, for the building was heavily guarded. He hid behind a mound of ash just in time, for the main door slid open and several Sith emerged. Anakin held his breath. He hoped that the Sith wouldn't sense the presence of an enemy. This was his only chance and he had to get it right.

But he wasn't so lucky.

The Sith were walking in his direction. They sensed the light side of the Force; and they knew that whoever it was was hiding behind the mound.

Anakin could hear them walking slowly in his direction; he wanted to kick himself for not being more cautious, but now he knew that he had no choice but to go forward. He considered his options; it would give him a slight advantage if he emerged and surprised them. He would also get a chance to give some of the first blows. But he knew that once he emerged, he would have to kill every Sith so that they wouldn't have a chance to alert anyone else.

Without giving it another moments thought, Anakin emerged from his hiding place with his lightsaber ignited. The Sith were definitely taken off balance, but they soon composed themselves—especially when they saw that he was the only one to emerge.

Anakin knew that he was badly outnumbered, yet the odds meant nothing to him. He used the Force to send one of the Sith crashing against the wall of the building. But he had made a costly error.

The Sith took advantage of his lapse in concentration and in unison, used one of their darkest powers—Force lightning.

The impact knocked Anakin to the ground, writhing in pain. The Sith didn't stop until he was unconscious.

Normally, they would have killed him, but they were under strict orders to bring Anakin Skywalker into the building, alive.

000

Mace and Aayla weren't far behind Anakin. They landed further away from the headquarters than Anakin had.

"There's no telling who could be watching us," Mace said, looking around cautiously.

Aayla nodded. "We must be cautious."

They advanced slowly. Taking cover in the shadows to cloud them from any Sith's view. They unknowingly took a different route than Anakin—their route led to the academy. Their path began to get steeper and steeper until they stood not far from the edge of a cliff overlooking the Sith Academy.

Outside, the Sith were everywhere. Mace and Aayla looked on in despair, knowing that there was no way that they could fight them all, while still having to face more if they tried to find Anakin, who was no doubt already inside, looking for Padmé; or worse—captured.

Aayla looked at Mace, knowing that he was thinking the same thing; she only voiced it. "We have to head to Dagobah and get help; there's no way that we can do this alone."

Mace nodded. "Let's go; there's no time to lose."

000

After Sabé had tended to his wound, she silently joined him in the cockpit, and began to think of how much had happened since she had met the man on Mustafar; yes, he was cocky and overconfident at times. But that day he showed her a different side of him. He had risked his life to save hers, and that was something Sabé didn't take lightly.

She was a bodyguard to Padmé, and so she knew that in order to put your life at risk in order to save someone else's, you needed to be sincere. She had thanked him earlier, and she had seen the surprise in his face, and she began to blush as she recalled his words to her.

"Did you seriously think that I was gonna let her hurt you?"

Sabé sighed; of all the bounty hunters she could have ended up with, she was with one who actually had a heart. Maybe life wouldn't be as bad as she had thought.