A/N: Hi everyone! Here's chapter 10, and we are getting a big character reveal, and I hope you enjoy it! Things are starting to pick up a bit now, and I hope this chapter has enough action for you. If not, I think the next one does, but we'll see. Either way, I hope you like it, so please read, review, and enjoy!
See you next time!
Jedi trapped on Felucia! Clones are surrounded by droid forces. Their only hope is to escape on Republic gunships waiting to land on the embattled surface. Jedi cruisers have managed to blow a hole in the droid defenses, and have sent gunships to the rescue….
It had been over two months since the capture of Kit Fisto, and so far, the Jedi had failed to find their missing friend. Negotiations with Separatists leaders had yielded nothing, most of whom denied Grievous had even captured Kit, and Grievous remained elusive. Since Kit's capture, he hadn't engaged in any significant military strikes against the Republic, clearly wanting to ensure his prize didn't get away. The Jedi were still looking for him, and Kit, but there hadn't been as much success as they would have liked.
And on Grievous' juggernaut, Kit found himself at the mercy of the cyborg, who enjoyed torturing the Jedi. He had given Kit addicting levels of spice and truth serum, beaten him unconscious several times, and electrocuted him many times every day. But Kit resisted it all, not falling for the hallucinations brought on by the drugs and never once betraying any of the secrets he kept.
"Where is she?" Grievous rasped, "What secrets are you keeping, Jedi?"
Kit raised his head as best he could, eyes unfocused and dim with drugs, but the effort was too much, and eventually, it fell again. He only murmured something in a language Grievous didn't understand, but the next word out of Kit's mouth was something the cyborg was able to understand, "'Lorelei'? A pretty name, and one that I assume belongs to whoever Lord Sidious is looking for. Thank you for that, Jedi," leaving the cell, while behind him Kit only shut his eyes and tried to block the world out.
Ever since his capture, he had been suspended in this force field every day, sometimes for the entire day. His arms and hands were numb because of it, his wrists bloody from the cuffs cutting into his skin when he tried to get away from the pain he was subjected to. He was hungry and weak from lack of water, and his stomach screamed with agony every time electricity coursed through it from the shocks. He still held on, though, knowing in his drug-addled mind that he was protected. The woman was watching out for him, keeping him from feeling the worst of what was happening and keeping his silence for him. He hadn't betrayed that name because it was important to the Conspiracy; he had betrayed it because he desperately wanted to see the person it belonged to right now.
He smiled a little then, his split lips bleeding again. The pain had gotten so bad he had bitten his lips open, and the blood flowed freely from other wounds as well, but the medical droid kept him alive and in relative health. But still, when he closed his eyes and focused past the drugs, he was able to see her playful smile and laughing eyes, her wild spirit and gentle nature, her young beauty that would grow and mature in time. She would be beautiful when she was grown, and he desperately hoped he would be there to see that happen.
The clanking of Grievous caught his attention, and he opened his eyes and looked up without raising his head as the cyborg stormed back into the cell. Seeing the crazed light in his eyes, Kit immediately knew he hadn't gotten what he had expected from his lord, and his lips twitched into a smile again. Seeing that smile and knowing he was being mocked by the wounded Jedi, Grievous clanked over and punched Kit directly in the stomach. Again, a Force field of energy came up to protect him from the worst of it, and he was only left winded. He still coughed up some blood, though, and felt a few ribs grate against each other as he did so. Yesterday Grievous had been particularly furious at him and broken a few of his ribs, and they were rather painful.
Grievous calmed then, but only a little, and said, "You dirty womp rat of a Jedi, you knew that wasn't the right name, and you gave it anyway! What games are you trying to play here, Jedi?"
Kit actually looked at him then, the drugs fading to the background for a few moments as he said, "No games, General. You wanted a name; I gave you a name. It's not my fault it wasn't the right one."
Grievous growled and roared as he hit the Jedi again and again, not stopping until he was unconscious. Only then did he stop; his rage calmed. He yanked the Jedi's head up, but Kit remained limp, eyes closed. He dropped the Jedi's head and watched it fall limp before turning to the medical droid and saying, "Don't give him any food or water for three days. He needs to learn the consequences of lying to me."
"Yes, sir," the droid said, and Grievous left, deciding to focus on coordinating the attack on Feluscia to calm down and forget about the Jedi for a few hours. Kit Fisto was aggravating and infuriatingly calm, and the cyborg knew he was being played with.
But how to get past that annoying resistance and find out what he wanted to know?
How could he break that Jedi?
The attack on Feluscia had failed for the Republic, and Ahsoka had gotten herself into some trouble. Disobeying orders and ignoring her Master had consequences, one of which was protecting the holocron vault and Archives. Meeting Jocasta Nu and protecting the Archives turned into an adventure in and of itself when Cad Bane broke in and stole a holocron. His accomplice, a changeling named Cato Parasitti, wanting to possibly make a deal and save herself some trouble, actually gave them a lead: "Wait," she said, turning to face the Jedi, "Bolla Ropal."
"What did you say?" Mace asked urgently, clearly recognizing the name, and Cato said again, "Bolla Ropal. That's who Bane's next target is, some Jedi."
Mace and Yoda looked at each other while Anakin asked, "What's wrong?" Obi-Wan narrowing his eyes in thought as he stroked his beard, "Who's Bolla Ropal?" Anakin pressed.
"He is the keeper of the Kyber crystal," Mace said as he descended the few stairs out of the holocron vault to join them, "the data on which can only be read by holocrons."
"What's on the crystal?" Ahsoka asked, and Mace replied, "A list of every known Force-sensitive child in the galaxy. The future younglings. The future of the Jedi Order."
"We have to warn him," Obi-Wan said, knowing that this had just gotten much more serious, but Mace knew it would be difficult, "That's going to be hard to do. He's out of contact, somewhere in the Devaron system."
"Seek him out, you must," Yoda said, to which Anakin replied, "Ahsoka and I will set out immediately," as Obi-Wan took custody of the bounty hunter and said, "If this Cad Bane is still here on Coruscant, I'll find him," leading Cato away with Mace following. Ahsoka and Anakin left as well, leaving Yoda to stand at the entrance of the vault and sigh before following Obi-Wan and Mace. Once the hallway was clear, Quinlan Vos came out of hiding from between the shelves of the Archives. Ever since Kit had been taken captive, he had been assigned to his fleet and hadn't had many opportunities to get away and return to the Temple. Kit's fleet was mainly assigned to escort duty, ferrying supplies to various fleets engaged on the front lines, which was a bit boring for Quinlan.
But it did allow the woman and her allies to get themselves and the supplies they needed to various secret engagements they were involved in, without Tarkin knowing, of course, but the woman had been silent and done nothing of the kind ever since Kit had been captured. Whatever was going on with Kit was distracting her, and she had stopped what she was doing to focus on helping Kit and keep him safe, but Quinlan knew she needed something else to do. Not being fully aware of all her plans, Quinlan was a bit limited on suggestions to distract her from Kit, but this was one he knew she would jump at.
Activating his comlink and ensuring it was secure, he waited a few moments before saying quietly, "The Sith are going after Bolla Ropal. He is on Devaron and will likely need your help. They have sent Cad Bane to retrieve the Kyber crystal in his possession. I don't think the Jedi will get there in time to stop it from happening, but maybe you can do something? I will send word to him by our ways to expect you," ending the communication and not giving her the chance to back out, knowing this was something she needed.
He had no way of knowing how right he was, or how he was playing right into her plans.
On the other end of the communication, the woman listened closely and actually agreed with Quinlan. This was the perfect opportunity to help Bolla, and it set the stage for what came next. She just needed to get to Devaron before the Jedi and the bounty hunter, and considering how close she was, it shouldn't be too hard to get to the outpost.
She should get there in plenty of time to help Bolla Ropal safeguard the future of the Jedi.
On Devaron, Bolla Ropal received the message from Quinlan Vos. But knowing there wasn't much he could do, and knowing the Sith couldn't have the information he possessed, he knew there was only one option.
He didn't tell anyone the bounty hunter was coming, and hours before the attack he slipped away from the outpost. No one noticed he had left, so he could easily disappear into the jungle. Walking for an hour or so led him to a small clearing, which looked deserted at first glance. But it wasn't, this he knew, and he waited only a few minutes before a cloaked being came out of the shadows on the other side of the clearing. Their hood was up to hide their face, and they moved with silence and grace, and Bolla smiled slightly despite what he knew was coming and what he knew had to happen.
He only said, "I hoped you would come," before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small crystal, "Here is what that bounty hunter is being paid to collect. Can you protect it since I won't be able to for much longer?"
The being immediately nodded, and Bolla sighed before walking over and giving it to her. She took it gently and then extended her other hand, revealing another crystal. But while the Kyber crystal had been a bright blue, this one was a darker shade of blue. Bolla smiled then, realizing what this was. Only a Jedi who had seen the crystal would know this wasn't the real one, and the bounty hunter wouldn't have a clue until it was too late.
No matter what happened today, the future of the Order would be safe.
Taking the fake, Bolla bowed his head and said, "Thank you for everything. I hope to see you again, one day," turning and leaving the clearing, even though he knew he would never see her among the living again. Before he left, though, he turned one last time and said, "May the Force be with you," and the woman nodded. She disappeared into the shadows, leaving Bolla to walk back to the outpost.
Minutes later, a starfighter took off and left the planet, heading for where it had all begun all those years ago, and Bolla sighed as he walked back to the outpost and got ready for his last battle.
Hours later, the outpost was attacked, and Bolla Ropal was taken captive by Cad Bane, but the Jedi Master was at peace with the knowledge that no matter what his fate, he had done all he could to protect the future of the Jedi Order.
Stolen secrets! Villainous mercenary Cad Bane was hired by Darth Sidious to steal a holocron from the vaults of the Jedi Temple. After fleeing the scene of the crime, Bane hunted down and captured Master Bolla Ropal, who has a crystal which holds the secrets of the Jedi Order. As a Separatist fleet arrives to help the bounty hunter, Anakin Skywalker races in to cut off their escape and stop Bane from delivering the stolen holocron….
Cad Bane had successfully eluded the Jedi and escaped with the holocron and crystal, leaving Skywalker disappointed and upset. But Bane was the one who was about to be even more upset, which became evident when he arrived at his secret base in the far Outer Rim and contacted his employer: "I have delivered what you wanted. The Jedi were no problem," leaning back in his chair with his feet up on the desk, "Anything else I can help you with?"
"I need test subjects," Sidious said over hologram, "Choose four children and bring them to Mustafar. I will take care of them."
"Kidnapping innocent children?" Bane asked almost mockingly, "Seems like a small-time crime for the likes of you."
"Among the children of the Jedi, there are no innocents," Sidious said quickly. At the same time, Bane only picked some lint off his hat and put it on as he said, "Sure, sure. As long as I get paid, it makes no difference to me," before turning to the holocron and accessing the list.
Or what he thought was the list.
As he read, Sidious could see he was getting confused, and angry. After a few seconds, the bounty hunter exclaimed, "This isn't the list of children!" Sidious looked up at that, not understanding. Bane continued, "It's protocols for Senatorial procedures. How'd this happen?!" turning to his employer, knowing it wouldn't end well for him if Sidious thought he was the one who had swapped out the list.
Sidious, however, wasn't angry. He was thoughtful, and after a few moments, he said, "It's not your fault, bounty hunter. It seems we were played, and I think I know by who," Bane calmed then, and a few moments later, the Sith Lord said, "Go to Naboo. You'll find the crystal and the one who took it from the Jedi. Retrieve it and get those children, and I will pay you even more than your rates. I will also give you some droids to help you in this endeavor."
"If it's a Jedi that has the crystal, the droids are of no use to me," Bane said, "They'll just get sliced into pieces."
"It's not a Jedi, I don't think," Sidious said, "So you shouldn't have any problems retrieving the crystal. Get it for me. The droids will meet you there," ending the transmission and leaving Bane with no choice but to obey.
His fear of Sidious meant he would obey, and the promise of more money was never something he would turn down.
Ending the communication and turning to the window, Sidious took his cloak off and became Chancellor Palpatine again. Looking out at the Jedi Temple he could see in the distance a cruel smile spread across his face. He wasn't sure who had taken the crystal, the Force clouded their face, but he knew the answers were on Naboo. Even if Bane failed in getting the crystal, at least one answer would finally be answered on Naboo.
Funny, he thought, everything is coming to a head on Naboo, right where it all started all those years ago. Not with the Battle of Naboo, but decades earlier, as he watched the speeders and ships moving past his apartment windows, knowing that soon it would all belong to him.
He just needed to be patient a while longer. He had waited decades for this moment; he could wait a few years more.
In the Jedi Temple, four Jedi meditated on the Force. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu, and Yoda sat together in a circle as they focused on the Force and where it was telling them to go. Finally, after over an hour, they all sat back and relaxed, coming back to themselves, before Anakin said, "No matter what happened, the Force led me back to Naboo. Every time. I think that is where we need to go."
"Agreed," Obi-Wan said, "The answers, and perhaps the crystal, are all on Naboo."
Mace nodded, while Yoda said, "Agree, I do, that Naboo has answers. But go alone; you should not. Bring Masters Gallia and Plo, you will. Padawan Tano as well."
Obi-Wan and Anakin nodded before standing and leaving to meet Adi and Plo out in the hallway and walk with them to the ship Ahsoka was already preparing that would take them to the cruiser.
Behind them, Mace turned to Yoda but refrained from saying anything when he saw how quiet Yoda was. Granted, the wise old Jedi hadn't been talkative before the war, but he had become even more withdrawn when Kit Fisto had been taken, leaving Mace to wonder if Master Yoda actually didn't completely separate from his former Padawans when they became Knights.
Maybe that's why the betrayal of Dooku bit more deeply than Mace had first thought.
A thief hunted! In a daring assault Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka boarded the warship of cunning bounty hunter Cad Bane to recover a stolen holocron containing a list of the galaxy's Force-sensitive children and future Jedi Knights. After a desperate chase and duel with the villain, Anakin and his troops defeated Bane, but were forced to evacuate his doomed vessel without the holocron….
The capital city of Naboo, Theed, was beautiful, Adi thought. Domed buildings looked handcrafted, and the cultured city had beautiful architecture that looked unified and harmonious. Built over a vast plasma source located beneath the cliff edge, it also was on the banks of the mighty Solleu River, which led into a network of underwaterways, tributaries, and caves created by the unstable plasma energy in the planet's core. That network led to areas such as Lake Paonga and the Gungan city of Otoh Gunga.
At any other time, she would have stopped to admire the architecture and designs of the city, but right now she was running as hard as she could, following Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Plo and being followed by clones, as they chased after Cad Bane through the streets of the city. All around them pedestrians and droids quickly got out of the way of the running beings to avoid being trampled.
Bane was chasing someone in a cloak with their hood pulled up to hide their face, and he had a few battle droids with him, confirming he was working with the Separatists. The person he was chasing was incredibly fast, not to mention agile, ducking and dodging amongst the crowd with ease, easily staying ahead of the bounty hunter and not slowing at all.
This had been going on ever since the Jedi and their clones had landed. When they had landed, they had been greeted by Naboo security forces, who had told them Bane had already been spotted and was chasing someone. The Jedi had wasted no time following the security forces' directions to an area near the city's edge that led to a massive waterfall. That waterfall fed a lake far below that led into the planet's core, and now they were running on a walkway along the edge of the river as they tried to get ahead of Bane and the person he was chasing.
They weren't having much success, but eventually, they came to a dead-end for the person being chased: a corner in the walkway, as they had stopped and were looking down at the far drop below them. Droids were coming from both directions, and the person was effectively trapped, the droids ready to open fire. Bane was ready too, and he had his pistol out. The person only stood there, not turning around as they looked down at the water far below.
The Jedi and clones immediately stopped and drew their weapons, waiting for Bane's next move. It came soon enough since he said to the cloaked being, "You! Hands up, or we shoot!"
The being slowly put their hands up without turning around, and Bane smiled slightly before saying, "Now turn around, slowly. You have something of mine, and I want it back," ignoring the Jedi and clones for a moment and knowing the droids would deal with them if they moved.
The being only hesitated a moment, but the second Bane signaled the droids to get ready to fire, and they cocked their blasters; the person ever so slowly reached for their hood and pulled it down before turning around slowly, revealing something everyone standing there hadn't expected. It was a young woman, about Obi-Wan's age or a little bit younger, and as they watched, her long, dark brown hair caught the wind and escaped from the hood, revealing complex braids. Two long tails of braids on either side of her face behind her ears kept her hair out of her eyes, while two more braids came around the sides of her head to the back, where they joined to create a long tail all the way down her back, leaving more than half of it out to catch the breeze. She was tall too, easily the height of Obi-Wan or Skywalker, and stood proud and strong. She was dressed in tight-fitting trousers with a blue knee-length skirt over top and strong boots that had a bit of height to them in the heel, and unknown to the Jedi and bounty hunter, hidden sheaths for her vibroblades. Her blue top exposed her midsection and back, tying around her neck and back to stay in place and also going between her shoulder blades. Muscles were easy to see in this outfit, and it was clear she was fit and robust. Fingerless gloves that went up to her elbows were complimented by a more high-tech comlink than the Jedi had ever seen on one arm and a bracelet made of multiple, tiny beads of different shapes and types on the same arm. In the center of the bracelet was a large, light blue stone crisscrossed with light brown lines. A utility belt completed her look with several pouches and pockets, and around her neck was a necklace.
The necklace had a large, circular, light blue stone embellished with gold along one side, almost like a feather. Set in that feather were many blue sapphires, the gold complimenting the blue as it hung over a top part of the stone. The stone itself was a lighter blue than the stone on her bracelet and had many slightly darker blue lines crisscrossing it. In the shape of a triangle with a sapphire in the center, more gold secured it to the necklace around her neck, which was made of several interwoven strands. Some of the strands were just light blue cords, while others were made of dark beads, and others of gold beads.
It was a beautiful piece and clearly important since it was partially tucked into her top to keep it from going anywhere or falling off.
But what the Jedi, and the bounty hunter, really paid attention to was her face and its features. They were unlike anything any of them had ever seen before. Her eyes were framed by dark lashes and thick brows and were the purple and red of a Nautolan, complete with no defined iris or pupil. Eye ridges like a Nautolan were over her eyes and came up from her nose, which was also Nautolan. Her cheeks were sunken in like a Nautolan, the cheekbones visible and defined. A small scar ran along her left jawline, but other than that her face looked unblemished. Above her ears on both sides were a set of gill plates, the same as a Nautolan. The long braids on either side of her face kept her hair out of her gills and gave her a rather exotic look. Her skin looked human and was a light tan from being out in the sun, and overall she looked healthy and strong. By any standard, she was actually quite beautiful, and her features worked well together. As they watched, the wind caught her cloak and undid the ties, sending it flying away while her hair whipped around her face and blew with the wind, but she ignored it to watch the bounty hunter and his next move.
She cocked her head then, breaking all gathered there out of the trance they seemed to have fallen into, and Bane said softly, "A half-Nautolan," before saying more loudly, "Give me the crystal, and I won't kill you."
The half-Nautolan only looked at him with a slightly cocked eye ridge, and the Jedi could tell she was weighing her options. Then, she looked behind her, hands still raised, and looked down at the waterfall behind her. She turned back then, and Bane clearly knew what she was thinking since he said, "You won't survive that fall, and you know it. It's not worth a crystal. Give it to me!"
Behind him and watching closely, the Jedi could see that the decision was already made, and they rushed in as one to stop her, but the droids attacked them. The Jedi and clones were forced to defend themselves, quickly dealing with the droids. At the same time, Bane ran towards the young woman, who only leaped up onto the stone ledge behind her before turning back, warning in her large eyes. Bane immediately stopped, but by then the droids were destroyed by the Jedi and clones, and the Jedi were edging closer as well, not wanting the woman to jump.
But the decision was clear for her. Since being a prisoner wasn't something she was planning on being, she only looked at Bane one more time and then the Jedi behind him before leaping off the ledge.
"No!" Obi-Wan cried while Bane rushed to the edge and looked down before shaking his head. He took off then, using the rocket boosts attached to his boots to fly away, knowing his bounty was over with and the Jedi would take him prisoner if given a chance. But they didn't seem interested in taking it since they also raced to the edge and looked over, including a few of the clones, as did many other people on the walkway, having seen the fight and the young woman jumping off the edge into the water hundreds of feet below.
"No one could survive a fall like that," Master Plo said, "Why did she jump? Even if she didn't have it, her life was not worth the crystal!"
Anakin nodded, "Why was Bane so sure she had it? And how did she get it? I know I opened it on the Separatist frigate, so how did she get it?"
"Perhaps we will need to go for a swim to find out," Obi-Wan said, "If nothing else, perhaps we can find her body and get some answers."
The others looked at him before nodding, and Anakin called in Ahsoka, who had been waiting back where they had left the gunships to arrange for a Gungan bongo to meet them at the bottom of the waterfall. As they were going, Adi couldn't help but look down at the water far below, a lake that fed into a river and then into the watery core of the planet. Shaking her head, she left with her companions, wondering how someone could so casually jump to certain death.
Meanwhile, Cad Bane had retreated to his ship to regroup. He had hidden it on the city's outskirts and was now reaching out to his employer. After a few minutes, he was able to get the transmission through, and the cloaked figure of the Sith Lord appeared. After a few seconds, the bounty hunter said, "I'm on Naboo. I tracked down the person who had the crystal, but they got away. And the Jedi showed up as well."
"Perhaps your reputation has been exaggerated," Sidious said, clearly not impressed, and Bane immediately went on the defensive, trying to get his fear under control, "It's not my fault. The person with the crystal gave me the slip. You didn't tell me she was a half-Nautolan!"
Sidious went still, clearly surprised, "What?" he asked, and Bane nodded, "Yeah, she's a half-Nautolan. Worth a fortune in the underworld. She led me straight to the edge of the city closest to a large waterfall, then jumped a few hundred feet to her death! I don't have the means to follow her, and the Jedi are definitely on their way to find her body and the crystal!"
Sidious nodded slowly, processing the information before saying, "She's not dead," looking at the bounty hunter, "She is definitely not dead, and I want her found and captured. If she is killed, all the better, but I don't want her in action."
"I can't follow her into the water," Bane repeated, "I don't have the ship or equipment to find her."
"Don't worry about it," Sidious said, "I have someone already on the planet who will find her and retrieve her and the crystal. Just be ready to get the information. I will send coordinates for a rendezvous with them so that you can continue your assignment," Bane nodded, and the transmission ended. Moments later, he took off for the rendezvous point to meet whoever Sidious had sent.
Apparently, the Sith Lord had thought ahead, even though he clearly hadn't expected a half-Nautolan to mess up his plans.
Back on Coruscant, Sidious smiled as he removed his cloak.
After all this time, she had finally revealed herself again, and now he was actually ready to take her on and defeat her.
This time, he wouldn't back down and run.
Hours after the half-Nautolan had appeared before jumping to her death, the Jedi were in a Gungan bongo in the lake below Theed, looking for her body. The bongo was equipped with tide charts and maps on how the currents flowed, so they searched everywhere the water could have taken her body. So far, they weren't having much luck, but with Anakin piloting they were making steady progress as they looked, each Jedi taking a side while Skywalker kept going.
After a few hours, Ahsoka said quietly, "I'm not seeing anything. Is it possible for a body to get this far downstream?"
"If the currents are strong enough, certainly," Adi said, "But I would think it couldn't have gotten this far."
Master Plo had a more gruesome theory, "It is possible her body was eaten. There are plenty of creatures here that would eat it if given a chance."
Ahsoka shuddered at that and went back to watching the sides of the underwater canyon they were moving through. Both sides led up to the surface, while the bottom disappeared far below them. All sorts of ocean life moved about, fish and other creatures, and craning her ears she could hear larger fish moving in the deep. But she didn't see what they were looking for, and they had been looking for hours. She was getting bored with this and knew they were running out of time and daylight. The Gungan they had borrowed the bongo from said this canyon was dangerous at night and recommended they didn't stay out too late in it.
Shaking her head to refocus, she again looked at the canyon wall. She was on the right side of the bongo, watching for anything out of place. The currents on this wall were weaker than the other, she had noticed, so fish and other creatures were more likely to make a home on this side where they weren't in danger of being sucked down into the canyon's depths. As she watched, though, something moved against the current. She jerked in surprise, rubbing her hands over her eyes before looking again. This time it was definitely something bigger than a small fish. As she watched, a shadow separated itself from the canyon wall. It had been lying still and silent on a ledge, but it came into the light seconds later, surprising her more than she would have thought possible.
"Master!" she exclaimed, and the other Jedi turned to look. Seconds later, they were shocked into silence, as the half-Nautolan they had thought dead swum out from the canyon wall and started following the bongo. She swam gracefully and quickly, keeping pace very well and clearly not injured from her fall.
"How…?" Obi-Wan asked before trailing off, while Master Plo said softly, "She survived."
Skywalker immediately slowed down, and they could watch her for a few moments. She swam like a Nautolan, keeping her hands to her side and moving her feet and legs up and down in the water to propel her forward. Even with her heavy boots on, she moved quickly through the water and was a strong swimmer as they watched her swim against a few currents and cut across them as well. As they watched, she looked at them curiously before blowing out a stream of bubbles from her nostrils, and seconds later, they were able to see her gills bring more water in. Her necklace was still about her neck, while her comlink looked like it had been waterproofed.
"She can breathe air and water," Skywalker said breathlessly, while Obi-Wan said, "And clearly she is stronger than we thought if she could survive a fall like that. Is the recorder running?" he asked Ahsoka, who nodded without taking her eyes off the half-Nautolan.
As they watched, the young one swam out a bit farther into the canyon but eventually came to an invisible line that she refused to cross. She stopped and just watched them for a few moments, then suddenly cocked her head back a little before taking off like a rocket, speeding away in seconds. Anakin immediately raced after her, trying to keep up, and eventually drew up alongside her as she slowed down a little. She then flipped over onto her back and swam that way for a bit, and Adi said, "This is a game for her."
"Yes, it is," Obi-Wan said, "A very dangerous game, if that Gungan is to be believed. Who knows what lurks in the depths of this canyon?"
That was clearly a rhetorical question, but seconds later, it was answered as the half-Nautolan flipped back over moments before something slammed into her. Whatever it was moved quickly through the water and clearly surprised her, but she compensated soon enough and was able to get away. She raced away then, going as fast as she could, as behind her a Karkarodon male raced after her, trying to catch her. The Jedi looked at each other before Anakin raced after them, saying, "So much for a rhetorical question, Master!"
Obi-Wan said nothing, while behind him Master Plo asked, "Why is he going after her?"
"Maybe he's after the crystal also?" Ahsoka asked, but no one could answer as the Karkarodon had caught up to the woman and was fighting with her. But it wasn't really a fight since she was doing everything she could to stay a bit ahead of him, using all her agility and speed to stay just out of reach. But that was only temporary since a few minutes later, she was able to get out of the invisible circle they had trapped themselves in swam away. She came back after a quick regroup, swimming right for the Karkarodon as fast as she could. He wasn't prepared for such a forward attack and seconds later, her head slammed into his chest, propelling him back to the canyon wall and not letting up for a moment. He slammed into it, and the woman swam away, but not before the Karkarodon lashed out.
Blood, reddish-green blood, appeared in the water then, as his claws gouged four deep gashes into her back. She shrieked in pain, a high whistling sound that pierced the eardrums of everyone there. She swam away again, trying to get away, but this time the Karkarodon was on top of her, pushing her down and into the canyon's depths. But she wasn't going to let him, reaching around and landing a bite on his arm that made him let go, and she raced away, putting a good distance between them. She swam after the bongo, about ten meters ahead, before diving under it and to the side, trying to get back to the canyon wall.
For some reason, she was desperate to stay out of the canyon's center.
Anakin, who had been watching the fight as well as piloting the bongo, turned to look where he was going before suddenly pulling up with a, "Whoops! Need to look where I'm going!" as a massive colo clawfish appeared out of the depths of the canyon, clearly interested in finding where the blood was coming from. Anakin twisted the steering, and the bongo went around the creature, leaving Obi-Wan to say tiredly, "Anakin…."
Skywalker only turned to him with a cheeky grin before turning back to what he was doing: bringing the bongo around to see what was happening between the half-Nautolan and the Karkarodon. So far, nothing, as both were trying to avoid the colo clawfish while it tried to eat them. Finally, the Karkarodon released a noxious mixture out of a pouch on his belt, causing the colo clawfish to roar and swim back down into the abyss below them. Whatever was in that pouch also cleared out all the sea life along the canyon walls, as the fish disappeared as well.
The mixture irritated the half-Nautolan also since she was shaking her head to try and get it out of her nose and mouth, but she stayed. Whatever it was clearly didn't bother her as much as the clawfish, and she still swam quickly to get away from the Karkarodon. She didn't get very far, though, and the Karkarodon caught up with her again after a few seconds. But this time, Anakin was ready, quickly firing a few lasers in the direction of the fighting beings. One of those lasers hit the armor of the Karkarodon, making him let go and he turned to look at them and their bongo. That was the only opening the woman was looking for since she sped away out of range before suddenly stopping in the middle of the canyon and started letting out some very strange calls. They were short and sharp but also high-pitched. She did them over and over again, for almost a minute, before falling silent. Seconds later, an animal called in the deep, and the Jedi and Karkarodon slowly turned around, looking for what had made that sound.
It came soon enough, and it was unlike anything any of them had ever seen. It was a long animal with a long neck and tail. The tail ended in a fluke that went up and down as the creature swam, and four flippers attached to its body propelled it forward. The head at the end of the neck was long, with strong, powerful jaws and sharp teeth. Two fleshy horns came out the top of its head, and the eyes were large and meant for seeing in the dark as well as during the day. The skin was a dark gray on top with a lighter gray on the bottom, the light gray starting on the underside of the jaw and going all the way down to the tail. Easily the length and width of the bongo, the creature swam fast and sure straight towards it, its body easily the size of the cabin of the bongo.
"Should I move?" Anakin asked suddenly, but before anyone could answer, the creature was almost on top of them. Seconds later, it dove under the bongo and came up the other side, heading straight towards the half-Nautolan, who spread her arms out in greeting. The creature didn't slow either way, and the young woman grabbed onto his neck. The creature sped away then, and after a few seconds of surprise, the Jedi followed them as quickly as possible. By the time they caught up to her, she had slid down the creature's neck to the base, where she now sat, a leg to either side, and her hands gently gripping the skin. She looked over at the bongo for a moment, but seconds later, she cocked her head and gripped the skin more tightly with her left hand before pulling to the right. The creature dipped to the right as the Karkarodon sailed past her, missing her by nothing more than a few centimeters.
She straightened out the animal again as the Karkarodon came around for another pass, but at the last second, the creature reared up its neck as it stopped in the water suddenly and opened its large jaws, letting loose a loud bellow. The Karkarodon veered away then, not expecting the animal to go on the offensive, which allowed the woman to give the creature a gentle kick. The creature raced off again, swimming faster than the Karkarodon, who still tried to keep up. But it was no use, and only the bongo could catch up with the creature and the half-Nautolan. The woman held on tightly but gently and looked over at them before turning back to the creature she was riding. She rubbed its neck gently, and the animal looked back for a second before facing forward again, opening its mouth to let out another low call as the woman let go with her legs and started letting the water take her backward. She slid along the back of the creature, using her hands to keep a grip before finally reaching the tail. She kept going, and as the Jedi watched, she reached the fluke, moving with the movement of the tail.
She looked up then and looked ahead, and that was when Anakin asked, "Does anyone want to take a guess which way she's going?" and they all looked to see that the canyon split in two, and there were now two options for her to go in.
"I have no idea," Ahsoka said, while Master Plo added, "She will choose whichever path she thinks is right. If that creature came to her so easily and quickly, then she knows these waters better than we do. She has a plan."
Anakin shrugged as they went back to watching the woman. She was now standing, crouched, on the creature's tail, waiting for the right moment. Just then, there was a roar behind them, and they all looked to see that the Karkarodon had found a minisub somewhere and was speeding after them as quickly as possible. But the half-Nautolan didn't look concerned and, after a few seconds, let out a loud whistle that they all heard. Again, an earsplitting sound caused everyone in the bongo some discomfort, but the creature heard it and stopped using its tail. It slowed a bit, but seconds later looked over at the woman one more time, who nodded with a determined look in her eyes and a slight smirk on her face.
The creature stopped suddenly but flung its tail forward, and the woman catapulted off of it and sped away down the right canyon. She disappeared around a corner then, going much faster than a minisub or the bongo could hope to catch up with, and the creature let out one more cry before also leaving, taking the left canyon instead.
Turning to the bongo's maps, Anakin said, "That canyon she took dead-ends. What was she thinking? We can catch her there," heading after her, while Obi-Wan quietly stroked his beard in thought. After a few tense minutes, they reached the canyon's end, which did indeed dead-end. But there was no sign of the half-Nautolan, and since the canyon got significantly shallower, they could see the bottom. She wasn't hiding anywhere there. After a few seconds of looking at the scanner and radar, Anakin said, "All I'm picking up are fish and mollusks. She's gone."
"She didn't just disappear," Adi said, speaking for the first time in a long while, "She must have surfaced," looking up towards the water's surface.
Skywalker nodded and steered the bongo up. Moments later, they had reached the surface and hopped out of the craft to look around for clues. Looking at the ground with the help of flashlights as the sun had almost set, they looked for fresh footprints. But after many minutes of searching, Ahsoka said, "I don't think she came this way. Maybe there was a way out of the canyon underwater that we missed? A way that wasn't on the maps?"
"Perhaps," Master Plo said, "Either way, we aren't going to find the answers tonight. Let's go and return the bongo. We can come back when it's light."
"Hopefully, that Karkarodon will be gone too," Ahsoka said as she followed the others back into the bongo, "What did he want with her anyway?"
"I think he was after what Cad Bane and we were looking for, Ahsoka," Obi-Wan said quietly, causing the others to look at him, "Think about it: he only showed up when she decided to and kept attacking her as if looking for something. Even when that creature showed up and any other being would have retreated, he stayed to attack her repeatedly. He was looking for something, and I'm willing to bet he didn't get it," nodding over to the other side of the lake they had surfaced into.
The others all looked and were just able to see someone slip between bushes and trees and disappear into the dark. They let him go, knowing there was no way to successfully find him in the dark, and then Anakin piloted the bongo under the water and back towards Theed.
Once it was out of sight, the half-Nautolan peered out from behind a large rock in the canyon wall. Seeing that it was gone, she turned and disappeared down the tunnel the rock concealed, navigating the tunnels and passageways until finally exiting the water many kilometers away, where the Ghost waited. Seconds later, she had entered the ship and taken off, leaving the planet before she was found. Feeling the sting of the wounds on her back, she knew there was only one place she could go for help.
Even if it was the last place she wanted to go to right now.
The Karkarodon had failed to get the holocron crystal and said as much to Sidious when he met Cad Bane at the rendezvous. Instead of being upset by this news, though, Sidious was surprisingly calm, "I expected her to pull a stunt like this, Tamson. We will get her next time, and we will be more prepared when that happens."
Riff Tamson nodded, while Sidious turned to Bane and said, "I have transferred the money to your accounts, bounty hunter. The job wasn't finished, but I didn't expect it to be in the end; she is much more skilled than originally thought. But you have earned your fees. If I need your services again, I will contact you."
Bane only nodded, "I'll be available," and Sidious smiled under his hood. The transmission ended after that, and Tamson said, "My ship is on its way."
"Good," Bane said as he got into his ship, "I had no intention of giving you a ride anywhere anyways," taking off a few minutes later and disappearing into the night sky, leaving Tamson to wait for his ship and hope he met that half-Nautolan again. Despite the warning Sidious had given him, he hadn't been entirely ready for her and hadn't expected her to attack him the way she had. Next time he would be more prepared, and next time she wouldn't fight him off so easily.
Next time he would be ready to kill her.
The next day there was still no sign of the half-Nautolan, so the Jedi were called back to the Temple to reveal what they had found. They arrived in record time, Anakin dismissing Ahsoka to get some rest while he, Obi-Wan, Plo, and Adi dealt with the Council and delivered the news they had. Also joining the meeting was the Chancellor via hologram, and Dr. Sionver Boll, a brilliant scientist, would be there in person. The Senator from Glee Anselm was joining the meeting later.
With nothing else to do, Ahsoka wandered the hallways. It was late, and everyone had settled down for the night, but she was still active from the last few days and had decided to take a walk to settle herself. Somehow her wandering feet took her close to the Room of a Thousand Fountains, and as she was walking past one of the rooms, she heard a low voice coming from inside, speaking quietly.
Ahsoka frowned; who was in Master Fisto's quarters at this hour? Especially with him missing?
Thinking that thought brought a twinge of grief with it for Ahsoka, as it did for many, she was sure. Everyone liked the kindhearted Nautolan, who was always ready with a smile for anyone who needed it. For him to be missing was a blow to the Order, and everyone was hoping for his safe return.
Which meant that whoever was in his quarters at this hour should be more respectful and get out.
With that thought in her mind, Ahsoka entered his quarters, fully intending to find out who it was. If it was a Master, she would leave immediately, but she would make sure they left if it was a youngling or Padawan.
The front common area was deserted and dark, but there was a very dim light coming from under a door in the back. It wasn't the door to Master Fisto's sleeping quarters or the refresher; it was to another room that was usually empty since multiple people used to live here at one point. Going over to it quietly, Ahsoka leaned closer to hear what was happening and heard one voice speaking softly and soothingly. She listened for a few moments more but couldn't make out what exactly the person was saying, and so, deciding enough was enough, she opened the door and walked in boldly before stopping dead in her tracks.
Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't this.
On the ground were two people. One of them was Rig Nema, one of the Jedi healers, her back facing the door, while the other was lying on their stomach, head on their crossed arms and facing away from the door, their top off but a blanket pulled up to their hips. They were lying on a mattress, trying to relax, but it was clear they were in pain and unable to do so fully.
Rig turned around then in surprise, "Ahsoka!" she said softly, and the other person jerked as they turned to look. Ahsoka couldn't even bring herself to say anything; she was too surprised. It was the half-Nautolan they had followed on Naboo just the day before, now in the Jedi Temple, getting help from a Jedi healer.
What was going on here?
Rig looked slightly guilty for a second, but that faded away as the half-Nautolan made a decent attempt to get up but was too weak, and the healer turned her attention back to her patient, "No, stay down, it's alright," she said soothingly, and the young woman did, but the distrust in her eyes was clear to see. Rig turned to Ahsoka then, who was still frozen in shock and said gently, "Come here, Ahsoka, it's alright," when Ahsoka made no move to do so and only looked at the healer like she was crazy, Rig smiled gently and said, "It's alright, she won't hurt you. She's just afraid," holding a hand out.
Ahsoka stared at that hand for a few moments before slowly walking over and taking it. Rig gently pulled her down on her knees to be closer to the half-Nautolan. This close Ahsoka could see that she was badly injured, and even her untrained nose recognized the sickly-sweet smell of infection. Looking closer in the dim light from a single lantern nearby, Ahsoka could see the four gashes the Karkarodon had left in her back. They were deep and long, easily stretching the width of her back, and were a few centimeters wide at their widest point. Ahsoka couldn't help but feel pity for her, and looking her directly in the eye, she was surprised to see a wariness and uncertainty that she had never seen in another being before.
"What's happening, Master Nema?" Ahsoka asked quietly, "What is she doing here?"
Rig sighed, "Looking for help, I'm afraid. I think she tried to take care of these on her own but couldn't because she couldn't reach them by herself and couldn't go to a hospital. She knew I would help her if she came here, and that is what I have been doing."
"But why here, in Master Fisto's quarters?" Ahsoka pressed, "What's so special about here? And why not let the Council know?"
Rig smiled softly as she turned back to cleaning the cuts, "Here, in Master Fisto's quarters, because she trusts him with her life, and feels safe here," she looked at Ahsoka then, a serious light in her eyes, "Master Fisto is her oldest friend, and has protected her for the entirety of her life, even though doing so would be against the wishes of the Council. She is always in danger, but she trusts him to keep her safe. Their relationship is long-lasting and deep, and something I have never seen the likes of before. And with him gone, it is a safe space for her. She can rest and recover without anyone being the wiser."
"And the Council?" Ahsoka asked, "Shouldn't they know she is here?"
"You can certainly tell them if you want," Rig said softly, "But she will be gone by the time they get here. Master Fisto asked me to keep this secret many years ago since he knew it wouldn't look good; a Jedi keeping an attachment like this is dangerous. But there is another reason she is here and decided to make her existence known on Naboo. She could have stayed secret for the rest of her life."
"Which is?" Ahsoka asked, "What reason?"
Rig looked like she wanted to respond, but at that moment the door opened behind them, and Ahsoka whipped her head around in surprise as Quinlan Vos walked in. He stopped short when he saw her, then looked behind her at the half-Nautolan lying on the floor. A few seconds later, he turned to Rig and asked, "What have you said?"
Rig smiled again, "Nothing more than what you and I know about her relationship with Master Fisto. Although I think it's been established that you know more than I."
Quinlan only shook his head as he walked over and gave Rig some supplies, "I was able to borrow these from the medical center on my cruiser. No one is the wiser, and the inventory has been changed."
"Thank you," Rig said as she took the supplies and continued cleaning the wounds. A few seconds later, she had taken out a scalpel and turned to Quinlan, who only said to Ahsoka, "You should get out of the way," when Ahsoka looked at him in confusion, he added, "This is going to hurt her, and she might lash out in pain. I don't want you getting hurt. She is much more dangerous than you think."
Ahsoka nodded slowly before getting up and letting Quinlan take her place. He sat down and reached out, pinning the half-Nautolan's shoulders to the ground as Rig began lancing the wounds. Ahsoka heard a slight groan, but that was the only sound she made as her wounds were cut open and drained of infection before being cleaned again. It was done a few minutes later, and Rig began suturing the wounds closed. She looked up and nodded at Quinlan, who slowly let go before standing up and walking over to Ahsoka.
Once beside her, he said, "You have questions, most of which I can't answer. Not here," Ahsoka looked at him, and he added, "If you want to know the answers, meet me later. I will send you the time and coordinates to a hotel in the underworld. We will both be there," nodding at Rig, "and likely she will be there as well. We will be having a meeting to explain everything to you, and then, after that, if you feel like telling the Council what we are up to, no one will stop you. Fair enough?" his dark eyes boring into Ahsoka's.
Ahsoka stared at him for a few moments before looking over at the half-Nautolan. She was resting with her eyes half-closed, breathing deep and even as Rig stitched her back closed. Seeming to sense she was being watched, she opened her eyes. She stared at Ahsoka, her purple and red eyes curious about what her answer would be and almost daring Ahsoka to say no. But Ahsoka had never backed down from a challenge before, and she wasn't starting now. Turning back to Quinlan, she said, "I'll be there, and it better explain everything, Master Vos. I'm tempted to tell the Council about this right now."
Quinlan smiled at that, "At least wait until the end of the meeting. You might be surprised by what you learn."
Ahsoka clearly didn't believe him, but she only left the rooms, the door closing behind her. Once she was gone, Quinlan returned to Rig and the half-Nautolan, watching as the latter rested. He reached out for a second as if to brush some of the loose hair out of her eyes but then thought better of it. She needed her rest, and despite what Rig might have told Ahsoka, as he had told Ahsoka, this woman was incredibly dangerous.
More dangerous than any Jedi could ever hope to be.
So instead, he turned to Rig and said, "You think we can trust her?" nodding in the direction Ahsoka had gone. The half-Nautolan was ignoring them so that she could rest, not caring what they were talking about anyway.
"I don't think we have a choice," was the only thing the healer said as she started bandaging the cuts after applying antibiotic ointment to the neat lines of stitches she had made. Hopefully, the young woman would let herself heal completely before going on more adventures into the unknown.
But knowing her, the healer highly doubted it.
As this was happening, most of the Jedi Council, and Dr. Boll, met with Obi-Wan, Anakin, Adi, and Plo to review the footage they had shot the day before. Chancellor Palpatine was also there, joining them via hologram because he hadn't been able to get away from the Senate so quickly. All gathered there watched the holovideo in surprise and curiosity, until finally, Palpatine said, "Incredible. I don't think I have ever seen anything quite like it," watching the half-Nautolan woman swim easily and quickly through the water, and smiled when she flipped over onto her back and swam upside-down for a game.
"Neither have I," Dr. Boll said, "I have heard rumors about humans trying to have families with Nautolans many centuries ago, but it was my impression that it was never successful. I must say I'm surprised to see one doing so well."
Eeth Koth turned to her then, "Why not?"
Dr. Boll sighed, "Because the genetics never worked out. The differences were too great, and at the time, geneticists just didn't have the means or technology to combine the DNA of two completely different species. The few attempts made were unsuccessful; most of the children born only lived a day or two with devastating health consequences, so the idea was abandoned."
"Clearly, someone kept trying," Anakin said, nodding at the video, "And apparently was successful enough to create a half-Nautolan that is not only capable of breathing both air and water but also could survive a fall of a few hundred feet without being injured or killed. That's not an easy feat to pull off."
"No, it is not," Dr. Boll said, "I would be interested in studying her biology if possible. Perhaps there are things that can be learned."
"You had better do it fast, doctor," a new voice said, and the Jedi and doctor all turned to where it was coming from. Coming towards them and escorted by a Temple guard was the Senator of Glee Anselm, Darsana. He was an Anselmi, one of the land-dwellers of Glee Anselm, with blue skin and four fingers on each hand. He nodded respectfully to the Chancellor, who nodded back with a gentle smile. Once he had joined the group, he added, "You won't have much time, I'm afraid."
"Why not?" Adi asked.
Darsana sighed, "My king and queen are not pleased with this development. They have ordered their soldiers to look for this young one and contracted bounty hunters to find her. And kill her," looking at Adi as he said this.
Everyone was shocked, and Saessee Tiin asked, "Why? She is not causing any harm to them."
Darsana shook his head, "The monarchy is concerned this will cause others to start experimenting. Half-Nautolans are illegal, Master Jedi; their very existence is a crime. The only recourse is death, not just for her, but for her parents if they can be found."
"You can't be serious," Shaak Ti said, "It is not her fault she exists; she shouldn't be punished for the actions of others."
"And it looks like she is not suffering," Master Luminara said, "She seems healthy and thriving. Why should others decide if she lives or dies without her say? It seems to me like she is enjoying being alive; why should others get to decide to cut that short because they feel she shouldn't be allowed to exist?"
Darsana sighed, "Please, Master Jedi, I am just relaying the words of my king and queen," Obi-Wan looked ready to add his opinion as well, but the senator wasn't finished yet, "Just because you can't see the blaster pointed at my back, don't think for a second that it isn't there," with that he bowed and left the communication center, following the Temple Guard out. Clearly, there was more going on than met the eye, and the threat to the senator was more than apparent to those gathered there.
Only once he was gone did Dr. Boll say, "If what he says is true, then perhaps an attempt should be made to find this young one and get her protection; that way, the monarchy won't be able to do what they threaten. If I can get a sample of her DNA and give her a physical, then perhaps the monarchy will leave her alone if we can prove there are no adverse health conditions," turning to the Chancellor for his permission.
"What do you think, Master Jedi?" Palpatine asked instead, turning to Master Yoda.
Yoda, silent for the entire time as he watched the holovideo, finally said, "Offer protection, we can. A science experiment, she is not. Agree to it, she must."
"I agree," Master Windu said, "This is a complex being who has survived very well and has her own feelings and beliefs. We cannot do what the monarchy of Glee Anselm is doing and take those away from her. They are doing it because they don't believe she has sentience, but you say she does?" turning to Master Plo.
"Yes," Master Plo said, "I could sense it when she came close to the bongo. She was thinking and feeling and understood what was happening around her and with us. There is a being there, capable of thought and pain, which should be respected. Unfortunately, we couldn't retrieve the Kyber crystal because she disappeared so completely. Still, I don't think the bounty hunter got it either. There is a chance she has decided to protect it for now, but why she would do so is a mystery to me."
Master Windu nodded slowly, while Master Gallia said, "She was certainly adept at navigating the waters of Naboo. I would guess she is from there or has spent a lot of time there. She was able to call a creature of the deep after that Karkarodon injured her and gave us the slip quite easily."
Obi-Wan nodded, moving the video to where the half-Nautolan had called for help. Her short calls were easily heard through the system, and a few minutes later, a young Nautolan came into the room, looking around as if there was trouble. Not seeing anything but seeing the entire room looking at him, he immediately looked over his shoulder as if wanting to leave, but Master Luminara wouldn't let him, "Come here young one."
The youngling froze for a moment before quietly walking into the room, eyes down, clearly expecting to be reprimanded for being out so late. A few seconds later, he looked up before quickly looking back down, and Master Ti smiled gently before saying, "You heard those calls and understand them, young one?"
He looked at her before nodding, saying, "Yes, Master, that's a distress call. It's how she would tell any Nautolan in hearing distance that she needs help, and would send any male in five kilometers racing to her aid."
"I see," Dr. Boll said, while Anakin asked, "Do you know what this is, Zatt?" nodding at the creature that had rescued the half-Nautolan. Zatt edged a bit closer to see more clearly, and after a few seconds, said, "I think it's an each uisge, a water horse. They're found on Glee Anselm, but are very rare."
"How did one get on Naboo?" Dr. Boll asked.
"Ummm," Zatt said softly, and everyone turned to him, "I don't know how that one got on Naboo, but they do start out as eggs that are very easy to transport. Perhaps someone brought him and raised him there. He's too big to move now, though, since he looks full-grown."
"That's a male?" Obi-Wan asked, and Zatt replied, "I think so; the females are said to be smaller. The each uisge are only from one area of Glee Anselm and were hunted for sport to near extinction. Apparently, their intelligence can rival a person's, making them something worth hunting to big game hunters. Now the odds of seeing one in your lifetime are slim to none. And that area of Glee Anselm is hostile to visitors; apparently, the clan in the area doesn't like outsiders and attacks them to keep them out."
Obi-Wan nodded slowly while Master Windu said, "Thank you, Zatt, for that information. Now I think it is time for you to go back to bed."
The young Nautolan nodded and bowed his head before leaving the room. Once he was gone, the Chancellor said, "I will reach out to the monarchy of Glee Anselm and see if an arrangement can be made to spare her life. I will let you know what develops from those negotiations," ending his transmission after a quick smile and nod to Master Yoda.
Once he was gone, Master Plo said, "And now all we can do is wait and see what happens."
The others gathered there all nodded, while Aayla Secura, who had been silent the entire time, said sadly, "I wish we had found Master Fisto by now. Perhaps he could communicate with the half-Nautolan to reach an agreement that everyone would agree to."
The others gathered there all nodded sadly, all of them wishing Kit Fisto was back where he belonged with them. None of them had noticed how much they liked seeing him around the Temple until he was gone from it against his will.
It was a strange thing to have to get used to and not something any of them had expected to have to do so soon.
Hours after the meeting in the communication center, Grievous entered the detention cell where Kit Fisto was being held. The Jedi was still suspended from the force field but had regained consciousness, somewhat, and became more aware when the cyborg came into the room. Grievous looked him over before holding up a holoprojector and activating it, displaying the cloaked form of Darth Sidious. Kit only looked at him for a moment before looking away, refusing to give Sidious what he wanted.
And what the Sith Lord wanted was the Jedi's fear.
After a few seconds of this, Sidious finally said, "You can stop playing this game, Jedi. She has revealed herself, again, and you can't be there to protect her this time. You can't stop what happens next."
Kit smiled slightly before saying, "That's what you think, Sidious. But she has already set her pieces, and you can do nothing about it. The game has begun."
"Maybe," Sidious nodded in agreement, "But I like my chances of staying ahead of her. You are of no use to me now, and I should have you killed. But the General would like to continue his fun with you, and you still have information that can help my cause. Her name, for starters, her plans next. Give it to me, and I will let you live a while longer."
Kit didn't even bother to hide his amusement at that threat, laughing dryly until Grievous punched him in the side. Once he had gotten the pain and his breathing under control, he said, "I won't give you anything Sidious, and there is nothing you say or do that will change my mind."
Sidious stared at him from under his hood a few moments longer before saying, "If that's how you want it, then so be it," turning to Grievous and saying, "Make sure he talks, one way or another, but don't kill him before I tell you to."
"Yes, my lord," Grievous said, bowing his head as the transmission ended. Once the Sith Lord was gone, Grievous looked over at the Jedi before clanking over and grabbing Kit's right arm. Instead of pulling him out of the force field, he twisted the arm slowly, twisted it until the shoulder dislocated. Ignoring Kit's cry of pain that he couldn't hold back, Grievous kept twisting a few moments longer before finally letting go. Grabbing Kit's chin and forcing his head up, Grievous watched as the Jedi struggled to get the pain and his breathing under control one more time. Satisfied, the cyborg let go of Kit's chin and let it drop, turning to the medical droid and saying, "Drop him."
The droid obeyed immediately and deactivated the force field, causing Kit to fall to the ground. He landed on his damaged shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain again, and Grievous said, "Bind his legs and make sure he can't leave. I want the Magnaguards here to make sure he doesn't escape."
"Yes, sir," the droid said, coming over and putting stun cuffs around Kit's ankles, binding them as tightly as possible to each other. The cyborg and the droid left then, leaving Kit alone for the first time in days. For the last few days, the medical droid hadn't left, and Grievous was an infrequent visitor who only brought pain with him. Now they were gone, satisfied that Kit couldn't escape even if he wanted to.
The drugs and the bindings would prevent that.
Once they were gone, Kit finally raised his head as much as he could, focusing through the pain and drugs. He moved carefully to his other side, mindful of his broken ribs, and rolled himself into a sitting position, holding his right arm immobile against his chest as he did so and breathing heavily all the while. Once he was up, he leaned against the force field generator, resting for a few minutes. The drugs threatened to come to the fore one more time, but he forced them down. Before they knocked him unconscious again, there was something he needed to do, looking at his injured shoulder.
He was no medic, but he knew enough about bones to know that they shouldn't stay out of place for too long.
Which meant he would have to put this one back where it belonged quickly.
Taking a few deep breaths, Kit pushed himself up against the generator a bit higher before carefully taking his right arm in his left hand and moving it into place. It hurt, a lot, but he pushed through the pain as best he could before again moving his arm, feeling the tendons and ligaments getting out of the way. One more manipulation got the nerves out of the way, and he took a deep breath before moving his left hand to his shoulder and pushing in as he yanked his right arm forward.
A crack was heard, and Kit had to bite his lip against the pain, but now his shoulder was back in place. Feeling the joint slide easily inside its socket, he breathed a sigh of relief as he put his arm down and rested his head back against the generator. Without meaning to, he passed out, the pain and drugs coming to the fore before he could stop them. It gave him a reprieve from everything going on in his body, and he collapsed limply onto his left side, head falling on his arm.
Hopefully, tomorrow will be a bit better than today.
Deep in the underworld, Ahsoka found the meeting place for whatever Quinlan Vos and Rig Nema were planning. When she got there, she was surprised to see that it wasn't just Quinlan and Rig; many others were involved.
Padmé Amidala, Bail Organa, Chuchi, and others from the Senate were there when she entered the room. Also, there were a few others she didn't recognize. The half-Nautolan was there as well, and she looked up from the map she was looking at when Ahsoka entered the bare room. Quinlan smiled at her before saying, "Welcome, Ahsoka, to the Conspiracy."
"What is this about?" Ahsoka asked, "What is going on here?"
Quinlan didn't answer, but Padmé did, "We'll tell you some of what's happening, Ahsoka, but there are things that do need to stay secret for now. They will be revealed in time. For now, all I can say is that this Conspiracy is dedicated to preserving the galaxy and is led by this one," nodding at the half-Nautolan, "and Kit Fisto. We are working on how to rescue him from the Separatists without anyone being the wiser or revealing this Conspiracy. No one can know this exists for now, even though keeping the secret will be a bit harder now that she," nodding at the half-Nautolan, "has revealed herself, but we will do our best."
"But why?" Ahsoka asked, "What's so special about this that it has to stay secret?"
Padmé hesitated before looking at the half-Nautolan, who only nodded, a serious light in her eyes. Padmé only beckoned Ahsoka closer, and the Togruta came hesitantly, the door shutting behind her all the way as the meeting started in earnest.
It didn't end for many hours.
With many leaders of the Senate having a secret meeting in the depths of Coruscant, Sidious was able to contact his apprentice directly from the Senate. The transmission went through after a few minutes, and Sidious said as soon as he saw Dooku, "The one we were looking for has revealed herself. I want you to find her, and kill her."
"Yes, Master," Dooku said, "We will start searching immediately."
"Good," Sidious said, "I don't have her name yet; Grievous is working on that. Kit Fisto knows what it is, but we will have to work with the information we have until we know for sure. We can use her name to lead us to her once we have it. She is a half-Nautolan, half-human hybrid, and we won't be the only ones looking for her. The Jedi are searching for her to offer their protection since the Monarchy of Glee Anselm is also looking for her. Perhaps a meeting with them will convince them our interests are aligned and can be used together to track her down. I am sure they have means we do not to find her."
"I will reach out immediately, master," Dooku said, "I'm sure a secret alliance can be reached."
Sidious nodded before the transmission ended, and Dooku turned back to directing his forces to begin their search for the half-Nautolan. Outside the doors of the bridge, Ventress walked away, having listened in on the entire conversation. She needed to reach out to her contact and see what they wanted to do. Knowing her contact, her answer would likely be to go with the flow and be careful.
That was what it usually was.
A few hours later, the meeting was over, and the Conspiracy had left the hotel. Ahsoka left with Rig, Quinlan taking another way to make it seem less suspicious to anyone who was out and about at such a late hour. As they walked, Ahsoka thought over all she had heard and learned during the meeting. Just before they entered the nearby hospital with a tunnel that led to the medical center of the Temple, she turned to Rig and said, "I will keep this secret, Master Nema. At least until Master Fisto is found, and he can explain it more. After that, I'll decide if it is something I want to keep doing."
"That is all we're asking for, Ahsoka," Rig said, "Just your patience and understanding until Master Fisto is found. He can answer more of your questions than either myself or Quinlan."
Ahsoka nodded before asking, "What about her? Will she come back to the Temple and stay a few days more?"
Rig shook her head, "I doubt it, Ahsoka. She will stay at the hotel for a little while and then move on. She just came to the Temple for help she wouldn't have been able to get elsewhere, and now that she has gotten it, she will keep moving. Part of the reason she has stayed alive this long is that she never stays in one place for very long. She is always moving, always running."
"Running? From what?" Ahsoka asked, to which Rig sighed and said, "Everyone."
That was all Rig said on the subject, and eventually, they had to go their separate ways as Ahsoka headed for her quarters and Rig headed for the medical center to make sure the supplies she had used were accounted for. If there was one thing she had learned from the half-Nautolan, it was to make sure it never looked like anything was out of place or unaccounted for.
Once there, she sighed as she made the corrections to the inventory. Where was Master Fisto when she needed him?
He was the only one who could control the half-Nautolan, and keep her safe at the same time.
On Glee Anselm, the king and queen exchanged a glance before ordering their soldiers out to find the half-Nautolan. One hunt had ended with the capture of Kit Fisto by the Separatists if it was to be believed they had him, but this one could finally continue and end, now that there was a confirmed sighting.
It had been decades since she had started being protected by that Jedi, but now that protection was gone, and it was time for the hunt to finally end.