Synopsis: Anakin, Vaessa, Obi-Wan, Rex, and Ahsoka go undercover at the slave-market to find the colonists and Anakin is forced to make a difficult choice.

Kidnapped!

During a Separatist invasion of the planet Kiros,

Thousands of peaceful colonists were abducted by Zygerrian slavers.

Determined to find the missing colonists,

The Jedi travel to Zygerria,

Home to the galaxy's most notorious slave empire.

We travelled to Zygerria on the starship Anakin and Ahsoka stole from D'Nar. "It looks like Zygerria is a popular place these days," Anakin remarked, looking around.

"Hmm," Obi-Wan said. "Whatever is happening is attracting plenty of high class scum. Let's just hope the information our spies gave us about the Queen is accurate."

"Remember, I'll keep her occupied while you locate the missing people of Kiros," Anakin reminded us.

"And how do you plan on keeping the Queen occupied?" I asked.

"With my magnetic charm, of course," he said.

"Yes, of course," I said.

"Hold on to this, will you, buddy?" he asked, giving R2 our lightsabers.

Two hours later, me and Ahsoka were walking down the streets wearing full battle armour while Anakin, Obi-Wan and Rex all wore Zygerrian armour.

"Remind me why we're the ones playing the parts of the slaves?" Ahsoka asked, annoyed.

"I tried it once," Anakin said darkly. "I wasn't any good at it. Besides, the role of master comes easily to me."

"Really?" Ahsoka said testily. "Well, this time try to be convincing at it." She leaned in closer to me. "Why do we actually have to do this?" she asked.

"Because we're young," I explained. "And female. Whoever we're pretending to be stolen from is a lot more likely to have a teenage girl for a slave than a thirty year old man."

Ahsoka wrinkled her nose. "Ew."

I nodded. "It's gross, isn't it? But we're just playing the part. We're not going to be Zygerrian slaves forever, just today."

She looked around. "How can a civilization this advanced still practice slavery?" she asked, the disgust in her voice imminent.

"It makes them wealthy and powerful at the expense of others," Anakin replied. "Before the Hutts bought my mother, she was sold in a market just like this."

A twi'lek fell to the floor out of exhaustion. "Get up, you useless skug," a Zygerrian scowled.

"Master, the bonds, they are too heavy," the twi'lek explained.

"Tell it to my whip," the Zygerrian snarled. He brought it up over the man's back, but just then, Ahsoka reached out and stopped it.

"You don't want to do that," she said dangerously.

I grabbed her back. "Ahsoka, no," I muttered.

"You dare touch me!" the Zygerrian yelled.

"Excuse my slave, friend," Anakin said. "She is freshly caught."

"Hmm," the Zygerrian frowned. "What have we here? You wear Zygerrian armour, but you are not one of us. Who are you?"

"I've come for an audience with the Queen," Anakin replied smoothly. He wasn't actually that bad of an actor.

"Then you have an invitation?" the Zygerrian asked. "We can't just let anyone in to speak with Her Majesty."

"No invitation, but I do bring news, news the Queen will be eager to hear," Anakin said.

"I doubt that, you're nothing more than a brigand," the Zygerrian scoffed.

"I wouldn't say that, especially when the Queen learns you prevented her from hearing the news about Bruno Denturri," Anakin smirked.

"Halt!" a droid ordered. "Cease all hostilities. This man is to be escorted to the palace, by order of the Queen. Make certain all preparations are complete for this evening. And fetch refreshments."

` …

"My Queen, I present Lars Quell," the Zygerrian said, bowing before the queen.

"Hmm," the queen said softly. "So, you are the man who claims to be acquainted with Bruno Denturri?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Anakin said, his voice stupidly flirty. "However, when I spoke with him he failed to describe your beauty."

"Really?" she chuckled. "And did Bruno speak of my intense hatred of him? Or did that escape his memory as well?"

"He needed not speak of it, Your Majesty," Anakin said. Oh no, I knew where this was going. "In fact, Bruno Denturri will not be speaking ever again."

"What do you mean?" the queen asked delicately.

"Bruno Denturri is dead by my hand," Anakin claimed. "Here are two slaves from his palace, compensation for my efforts." He revealed us.

Ahsoka was wearing a light blue tank top and skirt, both braided with gold. She was wearing gloves of the same colour, and her montrals were covered in gold beads. I meanwhile, wore a pink dress with a very deep V-neck and short skirt along with small pink slippers and gloves, my hair braided with pink flowers and gold beads.

"Unhand me, brigand!" Ahsoka said as soon as Anakin removed her cloak. I felt like putting my head in my hands, but luckily the queen didn't notice her terrible acting.

"You impress me, Lars Quell," she said. "They are quite the prizes. And to have defeated Bruno Denturri in combat, you must be quite the warrior. Hmm. Mmm-hmm." She looked at us, running a finger around our faces. I gritted my teeth and bared it, but I doubted Ahsoka would do the same. "The slave is certainly of fine stock, Bruno always knew how to choose a beautiful female -" she tried to rub her fingers on Ahsoka's arm.

"Don't you dare touch me!" Ahsoka snarled, jerking away.

"Though this one will have to be processed," the queen said, her voice distasteful. "Her demeanour leaves much to be desired. What is your price for them?"

"With respect, how can I price the beauty of this slave, when I look upon the magnificence of Your Highness, whose beauty would make the brightest star seem dull by comparison?" Anakin asked, really playing it up.

"Lars Quell, you flatter me," she giggled. Giggled.

"No, Your Majesty, however..." he whispered something in her ear. I could only imagine what he was saying.

"Lars, stop it," the queen giggled. "Stop it! You are a bold one, aren't you?"

"My reputation precedes me then," 'Lars' flirted.

"Perhaps we can find a way to put a price on your slave," the queen suggested. "Come, walk with me."

They left, fading out of earshot. As soon as they were gone, I rounded on Ahsoka. "'Unhand me, brigand?' Really?"

She looked at me sheepishly. "Uh... yeah? I thought it was a good line!"

"No, it was not a good line!" I stressed. "It sounded like something from an Old Republic Holodrama."

"Well..." Ahsoka looked even more sheepish.

"Tell me that wasn't your aim," I groaned.

"So what if it was?" she asked bravely. "I watched Highways of the Sky twice last night in preparation."

"Ahsoka, there is a reason why no-one watches holodramas to learn to lie... they're not real!"

"They co-" Anakin and the queen came back in, and we fell silent.

"Your Highness, Zygerrians, and guests from a thousand worlds, our auction begins with slaves of unmatched quality and impossible quantity," Atai Molec announced to the screaming crowd. Me, Anakin, Ahsoka and the queen were all in the top box, watching with dismal faces as slaves were lead to their end. "I give you Togruta from the Kiros System!" The governor came out, looking beaten and dishevelled.

I exchanged a glance with Ahsoka. "Oh, no," she muttered.

"This handsome sample represents a lot of numbering, no less than 50,000 beings," Molec continued. "Note the compliance. Virtually untrained in combat. There will be no rebellion from these slaves. So where do you keep 50,000 slaves, like the people of Kiros?"

"Your Majesty, I have urgent news," a Zygerrian said. He whispered something to the queen I couldn't catch.

"All will be revealed in time," Molec continued. "Before we begin the auction, I would welcome a most special guest, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi knight!"

I jerked up, alarmed. This wasn't the plan. I looked at Ahsoka and Anakin to see faces just as shocked as I felt.

"Down with the Jedi!" the crowd called. "The Jedi are not so tough!"

"My friends, my good friends, do not fear the Jedi," Molec told the crowd. "They are no different from others we have forced into submission, for they have forsaken their ideals to serve a corrupt Senate. Every Jedi has become a slave to the Republic. The Jedi Order is weak, and we will help break it."

To my horror, the queen handed Anakin a whip. "Teach the Jedi his place," she ordered.

"Whip the Jedi! Whip the Jedi! Whip the Jedi! Whip the Jedi!" the crowd called.

Anakin walked into the ring. "Prove to me you are a slaver," the queen ordered. "Swing that whip, or die beside him."

"Those are some lousy options," Anakin said, bowing as he activated the whip. "You leave me no choice, Highness."

Ahsoka force slammed Atai into a wall as I put my lightsaber to the queen's throat. "Looks like your slave empire is finished, again," I remarked.

"Get that thing out of my face, you little skug!" she cried, and I felt sudden pain. The world went black as the screams and yells faded from my ears.

I woke up in a cage. "What?" I asked, looking over at the other captive, an orange-skinned, blue-lekkued togruta. Ahsoka.

"The Queen has promised once the other Jedi is tamed, you will be mine, little skugs," Molec snarled. Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. Before I could stop her, she used the force to fling Molec off the ledge of the building.

"You better hope that doesn't happen," she said.

She lit up with electricity. "Ahsoka!" I cried as she fell to the floor of the cage. "Don't do that," I told her. "You'll get yourself killed."

"How else are we going to get out?" she asked weakly.

I couldn't answer.