Synopsis: Anakin and Ahsoka rush to defuse bombs left by Zygerrian slavers to cover their tracks and Obi-Wan and Vaessa head out to confront their imposing leader.
A planet of peace.
The artisan colony of the planet Kiros created a society without weapons.
Instead of war, they pursued art and beauty.
But in the Clone Wars, even peace-loving worlds are seemingly forced to change sides.
"All clear, sir," Cody told us. "There are no separatist craft in the system."
"It's been ten rotations since Master Yoda's transmission," I informed them.
"I just hope we're not too late," my master said gravely. "Cody, take us down."
"Yes, sir," Cody replied, and we landed on Kiros. It was beautiful and bright, with birds chattering and art decorating the walls.
It was also empty.
"Anybody else thinks it's too quiet?" Ahsoka asked as we rode on speeders. "I haven't seen any colonists."
"They're probably hiding," Anakin explained.
"Let's hope they stay hidden," Obi-Wan commented. "It makes our job easier if we don't have to worry about them in battle."
"I don't like it," Rex decided. "The clankers have never been shy about using civvies as living shields."
"I'm sure they're here somewhere," I said. "Let's make for the city centre." We zoomed away.
"Battle droids," Ahsoka warned. "Dead ahead."
"Squad, tighten up," Anakin ordered. "Form on me."
We took down the battle droids fairly easy with four jedi. "We're all clear, Master," I said.
"Captain, have your men secure the area," Obi-Wan ordered.
We checked the area. "How we doing, Boyle?" I asked.
"We're still mopping up clankers here and there, Commander," Boyle replied. "We've established a perimeter around the governor's tower. No one gets out without a fight."
"Good work," I praised. "Cody, any word from the separatist commander?"
"He's barricaded inside," Cody replied. "His name is Darts D'Nar. He has sent the general a message, commander."
My master came over to see what the fuss was all about. "A message for me?" he asked. "Put it through."
The image of a purple furry sentient appeared on the comlink. Zygerrian. "Master Kenobi, come to the tower," he said. "We will negotiate terms for surrender."
"Well, that was easy," I commented.
Anakin used the force to summon and break the comlink. "Zygerrian scum," he snarled. "I'll handle that slaver."
"Anakin, he asked for me," my master said. "I need you to locate the missing Togruta colonists."
"Fine," Anakin conceded. "I'll have admiral Yularen initiate a planetary bio-scan."
I went to check on the other troops, passing Ahsoka as I did so. "Why is he so upset?" she asked.
I sighed. I didn't want to tell her, but I doubted she'd get through this mission without knowing. Better she heard it from me than a temperamental Anakin or a biased Hutt slaver. "Anakin has never talked about his past, has he?"
"Only to tell me he won't talk about it," Ahsoka replied.
"As a child, Anakin and his mother were sold into slavery by the Hutt clans," I explained.
"Oh," Ahsoka said softly. "And these Zygerrians, they're slavers?"
"Anakin has tried to put his past behind him," I sighed. "But it's not easy." I know that more than most.
"Don't worry," Ahsoka reassured me. "I'll keep an eye on him."
"Be sure you do," I said softly.
We crept into the tower. "...make the Jedi pay for their arrogance," Dars D'Nar was saying. "I have them right where I want them."
"Do tell," Obi-Wan said.
The people on the hologram whipped around along with the occupants of this room. "Gentlemen, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi and Vaessa Orin, Jedi knight and padawan," Count Dooku said from the hologram.
D'Nar snarled. He clearly had a problem with jedi. "D'Nar, bring them to me on their knees," Count Dooku ordered.
"With pleasure," D'Nar answered.
"We were going to discuss surrender?" my master asked.
"Yes," D'Nar said. "You will surrender."
"We obviously have a misunderstanding, my friend," Obi-Wan said. On his signal, I turned on my comlink behind my back.
"No, you are wrong, Jedi," D'Nar said.
"Am I?" Obi-Wan asked, a smile playing on his lips. "You are no doubt aware your droid forces have been destroyed and you are surrounded. Do the honourable thing and give up now, D'Nar. I promise you will receive fair treatment."
"You've broken through my defences," D'Nar said. "You think you've won. Think again. I have planted bombs all over the city. No one will survive. Now, surrender."
"If you're not bluffing, then I must concede, but you'll have to make considerations," Obi-Wan negotiated. "First, you release the colonists."
"Here is my counter offer," D'Nar said. he pressed a button and their was the sound of an explosion. "There will no colonists in that structure, but there could have been," he told us. "Now bow down and surrender to me, you Jedi filth."
We placed our lightsabers on the table. "Very well," Obi-Wan said. "We surrender."
"Long before this war, you Jedi destroyed the great Zygerrian slave empire," D'Nar snarled, standing up. "I would kill you now, but Dooku would prefer you alive."
"We understand your frustration," Obi-Wan said. "It is unfortunate you and I cannot resolve our differences as you do in the Zygerrian tradition."
"With no weapons, you would fight me?" D'Nar laughed.
"For good reason," Obi-Wan explained. "Say, if I win, you reveal the location of the colonists and the bombs."
"And if I win, I'll deliver both of you to Dooku in a cage, like one of these filthy creatures," D'Nar requested, gesturing towards the caged animals.
"Perhaps," Obi-Wan said vaguely.
I didn't pretend to specialize in physical combat. I tend to prefer things like negotiation and agility. But even I could tell Obi-Wan was losing badly. It was funny, because I knew for a fact he could take Darts D'Nar easily. He wasn't even putting up a fight. I was about to intervene when Obi-Wan sent a pulse through our force bond. Wait. Of course. This was a classic Obi-Wan Kenobi plan - keep the enemy busy while Anakin does the work. And why not drag me into it while you're at it?
"Careful," D'Nar said. "You're disturbing my pets. They fetch a high price." I felt like throwing up.
"For thousands of years, Zygerria supplied slave labour to the galaxy," D'Nar continued. "We prospered. Our customers prospered."
"The slaves didn't," I muttered, but not loud enough for him to hear me.
"Then the Jedi came," he continued. He looked at Obi-Wan in disgust. "Now I'll take revenge for my people, Jedi."
"Sir, you have an urgent transmission," a droid informed D'Nar. "Sorry to interrupt, sir, but you weren't responding."
"What is it?" D'Nar spat.
"Uh... the Jedi have disarmed your bombs," the droid said.
"What?" D'Nar turned around. I used the opportunity to help my master up. "Give me the detonator!" He pressed it, but it didn't go off.
"Certainly it took him long enough this time," Obi-Wan said. As he dealt with the guards, I force-summoned our lightsabers ssnd threw him his. "Shall we discuss your surrender..." - we activated our lightsabers - "...again?"
"I still have one bomb left, Jedi," D'Nar snarled. He turned on a hidden bomb at the back of his droid.
"Sir, how could you?" it yelled in anguish. "Ah! No! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" My master force-pushed it out the window. The brief distraction gave D'Nar what he needed to escape.
"Anakin!" I called into my comlink "Anakin, come in. D'Nar is making his escape from the tower."
"On our way," Anakin replied.
…
We met up with him and Ahsoka on the Resolute. "Well, I see you've pulled a save out of nothing yet again," I commented, eyeing the captured D'Nar.
"Hey, you weren't exactly useless either," Ahsoka replied.
I smiled. She never would have said that two years ago. "You grew up fast," I told her.
"Yeah, well, I am nearly sixteen," Ahsoka said proudly.
"I wasn't as responsible as you when I was fifteen," I told her.
"Really?" Ahsoka looked at me doubtfully. "I can't see you as irresponsible."
"I was never exactly irresponsible either," I said. "I was just a little naïve. When you first met me, I was older than you are now, remember? I think I'd grown up a bit because of the war, and I dare say I've grown up since."
"You're turning eighteen in what, two weeks?" Ahsoka asked. "I say you definitely have."
We entered the bridge for the debriefing. "Sorry we're late, masters," I said.
"That's okay, Vaessa," Obi-Wan said. Me and Ahsoka organized ourselves around the table.
"General Skywalker, I ran the bio-scan twice, but the results were negative," the admiral was saying.
"Are you saying the colonists are not in the city?" Anakin asked.
The admiral looked at him gravely. "I'm saying they're not even on the planet. The entire population appears to have simply vanished."
"Vanished?" I asked.
"That's impossible," Ahsoka said. "Those are my people."
"Troubling is the return of the Zygerrians," Yoda said.
"It is likely they mean to use Dooku to rebuild their slaver empire," Master Plo suggested.
"We cannot allow that, Master," Anakin said.
"Agree I do, but first find the colonists you must," Yoda said. "In great danger they are."
"What is it, Master?" Master Plo asked.
"Sense, I do, a darker hand in this mystery," Yoda told us. "Slavery, a great tool it is for the rise of the Sith."
