Synopsis: Anakin warns the Zygerrian Queen that she faces danger from Dooku and Obi-Wan and Vaessa find themselves captured and taken to a slave camp to be killed.

A people enslaved!

To locate the abducted colonists of a peace-loving world,

The Jedi infiltrated the slaver planet of Zygerria,

Only to be captured by its ambitious Queen,

Who plots to rebuild her Empire of oppression.

Now, Even Obi-Wan Kenobi, must come to terms with a life in chains...

"R2!" I said in shock. "You're here?"

R2 beeped happily. I looked to Ahsoka for translation. "He says he came to save us," Ahsoka said.

I nodded. "Good, but, uh... how?"

R2 beeped some more. "He thinks he can jeopardize the lock," Ahsoka translated.

"Okay, but be quick, will you?" I asked. "Molec's gonna be coming back any second."

R2 fiddled with the lock for a few seconds before the cage door swung open. "Thanks, R2," Ahsoka said, patting the droid. "So, where to?"

"I heard Molec talk to someone about the queen being attached to Anakin," I said slowly. "I say we start with the palace."

Ahsoka nodded. We ran along, finding Anakin and the queen on a balcony. They didn't seem to be fighting - in fact, to the untrained eye they might even seem like lovers - but I knew Anakin better than that. He was too quiet, too reserved - Anakin Skywalker wouldn't stop being arrogant unless he was upset about something, and knew he couldn't change it.

I force pushed the guards off the balcony. The queen turned in shock, but Ahsoka summoned her whip and put it across the queen's throat in a threat. However, she clicked a button on a remote and Anakin cried out in pain.

"Let me go, and I will spare your friend," the queen snarled.

Ahsoka let go of the queen without a moment's hesitation. I ran to capture her, but she quickly jumped off a ledge to what could only be a collection of waiting guards.

"Are you okay, master?" Ahsoka asked.

"I'm fine, Snips," Anakin replied. He looked around. "Where's Miraj?"

I frowned. "Miraj?" Ahsoka asked.

"The queen," Anakin explained. "Wait, how did you two get out?"

"The power of astromechs," I answered as R2 came rolling over.

"Good," Anakin said. "Obi-Wan and Rex are in a slave camp. I don't know where, but the queen does. We could interrogate her, and then we could steal a shi -"

"Or we could just take our own?" I suggested. "I don't think the Zygerrians ever found it."

"What's the fun in that?" Anakin grumbled, but he relented.

"I have no desire to end Skywalker's life," Miraj was saying. "He has become, a valuable asset to me in my throne."

"Your compliance is not optional," a familiar voice said. Me, Ahsoka and Anakin were hidden behind a pillar, waiting for 'the right moment'. "I command you to kill Skywalker."

"I will not be ordered about in my own palace, Count!" the queen's voice said. Count?! Oh no.

"If you won't to do my bidding perhaps your prime minister will," Count Dooku continued.

"What does he mean?" the queen asked.

"I'm sorry your majesty, but the Count is right," Molec's voice said. "The Jedi should die. You're not fit to be Queen any longer."

"Atai, you traitor!" the queen cried. "I'll make you both pay for this treachery!"

Count Dooku used the force to choke her. "Punishment for a slave who disobeys her master," he said coldly.

I saw what Anakin was about to do. "Anakin, wait!" I hissed, but he ran out anyway.

"That's enough, Dooku!" he yelled.

The count turned to look at him. "I see the queen has given you a long leash," he said. "One more step, and I will end her life."

"Why would you think I care about the slaver scum?" Anakin asked.

"Indeed," Count Dooku said, drawing his lightsaber. Ahsoka threw Anakin the queen's whip, which he used to attempt to fight Dooku, but he disarmed him easily. Dooku began to use force lightning on Anakin. Ahsoka rushed out to defend her master, but Dooku caught her in the lightning as well. "Two jedi," he mused. "And I sense their is a third as well." My blood ran cold. "Vaessa Orin."

Three Zygerrian guards ran in, seeing their dying queen on the floor. "The Queen!" one cried.

"She was murdered by the Jedi," Dooku lied.

I ran back to our ship at probably the fastest speed I'd ever gone at. I didn't want to leave them, obviously, but I knew that the best way to help them would be to seek help. "That's the signal, let's get going," I muttered to R2. Anakin and Ahsoka jumped on mid-flight.

The slave ship exploded. "So much for a ride home," Anakin muttered.

"What now?" Ahsoka asked.

"We get through the old-fashioned way," Anakin replied, and started to cut a hole in the door.

Obi-Wan's face appeared on the screen. "I'm glad to see you," he greeted. "But I'm afraid our host feels otherwise. You can't make everyone happy. Then threaten to kill the slaves unless you surrender."

"It's good to see you always ready to negotiate," Anakin snarled. "But I've had enough bargaining with slave drivers."

"You must realize this is a fight you cannot win alone," Obi-Wan pressed.

Anakin grinned. "Who said I was alone?"

A fleet of four ships jumped out of hyperspace at that moment.

"I hope you told master Plo not to destroy this installation before we get off of it," I said.

"All of us, and the slaves," Ahsoka added.

"We'll need a bigger ship," I concluded.

"We'll take care of those cannons," Anakin decided. "Make sure that cruiser gets down here. We're running out of time."

"I'm going to go help my people," Ahsoka said.

"I'll see if we can buy us some time," Anakin said.

"Good luck," I called to my friend.

We slashed down the defence turrets. "We're all clear," I said into my comlink. "Bring the cruiser down to the landing pad."

"Cancel that order, Vaer!" Ahsoka called. "There is no way to get the people, out of the holding cell and up to the landing platform. But I have an idea. We need to have the cruiser move in underneath the facility. We can escape on to the ship, if Admiral Coburn can get a close enough."

"You heard Commander Tano," Admiral Coburn said. "I want the men top side as rocket packs and cable guns. Move it!"

"I thank you, Jedi, and the republic for saving our lives," Governor Roshti said to me, Anakin and Ahsoka.

"Ahsoka is the real hero," Anakin countered. "Without her creativity, I don't think we would gone your people to safety."

"Indeed. Padawan Tano, might I have a word in private?" he asked.

"Of course," Ahsoka said politely. I smiled. She'd come so far from the fourteen year old girl I met in the Battle of Christophsis.