Chapter 19
Blood and Water
"Run, Run they're gaining on us." Iaco shouted behind them.
Iaclyn was hiding behind cover wearing a hooded poncho.
"Mom, mom where are you?" He called out.
"Get away, get away!" Arris screamed.
Elli was screaming somewhere.
Leo shot up in his bed covered in sweat, when he saw he was in his quarters inside the Temple, yellowish golden light was coming in from the window. It was night on Coruscant, and Leo was awake inside a sleeping temple, kicking his blanket off he reached up rubbing his eyes at the nightmare he had just had. He laid back down looking at the ceiling tapping his fingers on his chest but sleep refused to return. Giving up on that Leo tossed the blanket off him and started to get dressed. He left his quarters behind and started to walk through the Temple alone. He didn't see anyone else except for the passing shadows of speeder shadows in from the windows.
He went out to the larger atrium looking down at the lower levels and walkways, he spotted a Jedi Temple Guard holding a lantern as they patrolled the corridors.
Leo watched the guard walk off around a corner before he decided to move on himself alone with his thoughts. Returning to another interior part of the temple he found a stairwell walking down to the lower levels. Leo walked past the cafeteria when he heard something rustling from inside. Turning around Leo walked into the cafeteria where he heard the noise again, that's when he spotted a light coming from the cafeteria kitchen. Heading up to the door he saw the lights flickering under the door "Shhh I think someone's outside." A hushed voice said on the other end. Leo recognized the voices and smirked. Opening the door he turned the light of the kitchen on to see a whirlwind had torn through the place. Food and pans were everywhere on the floor, a bag of flower had been torn open with a small set of boot prints leading to a closet freezer at the back of the door.
He walked up to it and stood there before he grabbed a very large pot and pulled it up to him to sit on and he waited.
"Four, three, two…" suddenly the door burst open and Zatt came running out, the short nautolon was shivering and his green skin had turned blue "Ggrrra it's-s-s-s- worse than I-i-i-illum in there Petro-ro, last time you get to p-p-pick the hiding s-s-s-spot." Zatt said through chattering teeth.
"Not one, but six?" Leo said, seeing the rest of the younglings who he'd encountered on the Crucible with Petro and Ganodi holding flashlights.
Rising from his pot chair, Leo put his hands on his hips "Now what are we doing, late night snack?" Leo asked.
"Uh… no?" Katooni said with chocolate flakes around her cheek "Of course." Leo said as she noticed the flakes and wiped them from her mouth with her sleeve "Now who's idea was this?" Leo asked.
In a speed that would make a ship that make Anakin look twice all five of the padawans pointed to their soothsayer in scheme Petro "Traitors." He barked dropping the flashlight swiping at them "Sith Spit you all."
Leo knelt down snickering before he picked up the flashlight "How in the blazes did you get past the Temple Guards?" He asked flashing the light around before he saw the ceiling vent was open "Aaah, when in doubt always go for the ventilation shaft." He said remembering the time he and Barris and Ahsoka had to escape the possessed clone troopers, the twang of his vision of the Queen of Geonosis dying flashed in his mind.
"Sir Rock a-a-are you okay?" Zatt a asked warming up a bit "... I'm fine, you best get back to bed." Leo told them tossing Petro his flashlight.
"Yes sir." Ganodi said following the others up into the vent, Petro was last watching Leo head to the door "Uh Sir Rock?" He called out.
Leo stopped and gazed at him "Hmm?"
"You won't tell anyone about this will you?" Petro asked.
Leo smiled at him and held up his thumb and index finger like a zipper to his lip before he pulled it across pressing his lips together so he knew it would be their little secret.
THE NEXT DAY
Early that morning Ahsoka had risen from her bed, washed, meditated and then went out into the temple greeting the day with a calm and warm demeanor. As she sat in the cafeteria at breakfast she saw cleaning droids going in and out of the kitchen at an unusual number before she looked down to her hand under the table. In her palm she held the kyber crystal sphere that Huyang had given to her, she looked at the marble with intrigue still wondering why she'd not given it to the Masters yet.
"May I join you?" Someone asked.
Ahsoka hid the orb and looked up to see Barris standing with a tray across from her on the other side of the table "Of course Barris." Ahsoka said pointing to the open seat.
The other padawan did so "Quite the mess someone made last night?" Barris asked seeing the droids.
"Yeah guess so." Ahsoka said, poking at her food "So… when are you leaving for Nemodia?" Barris asked.
"Why are you wanting in on the glory of taking the fight to Gunray?" Ahsoka asked sipping her morning cup of blue milk.
Barriss looked at her disgruntled "As Jedi we shouldn't seek glory, especially not in war."
Ahsoka gave her a puzzled but soft smile "What do you mean, I was just joking around Barris?"
"Have you heard the rumors?" Barris asked, changing the subject "Rumors, Barris you're not one to gossip?" Ahsoka asked him, Barris waved for Ahsoka to lean in "About Leo, I overheard my Master speak in with Master Plo, they may be giving him a clone command soon."
Ahsoka leaned back "Really his own command but it's only natural right, he's a Knight?"
"It's unthinkable at this point Ahsoka, after what he really did on his 'undercover' mission, I mean you should know imagine what the Berserker would do with a clone battalion?" Barris asked, looking at Ahsoka long and hard.
Ahsoka's eyes returned to her plate "I really haven't spoken to him and he doesn't really like that name."
"Well it was appropriate now and still is, Leo is nothing of a creature of fury and carnage waiting to strike." Barris said stabbing her fork into her breakfast and taking a bite out of it.
The other padawan didn't say a word, she wasn't sure what to say about it "If the Council trust him… should we?"
"You honestly believe they trust him, I bet his knighting ceremony was just to keep him on a leash and they'll unleash him when they see fit." Barris grumbled while chewing.
Ahsoka looked at her long time friend at a loss "Barris, what's wrong this doesn't sound like you?"
Before they could get an answer, a sudden commotion had taken over the cafeteria with people getting up and running to the door. The two girls saws O-Mer run past them "O-Mer where's he fire?" Ahsoka asked.
"You haven't heart, Skywalker and Leo are fighting in the training yards, lightsabers." Ahsoka remembered all the times Leo and Anakin had butted heads fearing that finally neither could take it anymore. She jumped to her feet and followed Jinx, along with a small crowd of padawan, knights and younglings up the stairs to the courtyard. The crowd was bigger than the time Leo had challenged Mace Windu to a contest, when Ahsoka pushed through the front she saw both Anakin and Leo's lightsabers lock in a cross against one another. The azure blue and ghostly white of the swords burned against one another before Ahsoka saw something she didn't expect to see, they were both smiling.
They broke the lock and circle one another "When are you going to stop with the single blade and make it interesting Leo?" Anakin asked before he charged Leo striking from left and right before flipping over him, Leo was ready for each strike and caught Anakin as he flipped with a kick to the chest.
"Soon as you stop holding back?" Leo replied.
"Fine by me, no quarter given." Anakin said before the two ran at one another, Leo twirled his lightsaber and Ahsoka noticed that the hilt of his lightsaber was extended by half it's original length with a new emitter on the end. Followed by a gasp from the crowd Leo had activated the other end of his lightsaber to reveal a second blade.
Wailing the saber staff in a windmill of slaves and strikes, Leo's double bladed lightsaber form hadn't wavered since the loss of Exar Kun's mighty weapon.
Anakin caught each of the incoming blows from top to bottom before the other knight switched tactics. Leo went for full three sixty degree strikes, but in the attempt to overpower Anakin there was a small window where Leo had his blind spot to Anakin, one Skywalker surely took advantage of. Before Leo could land the next strike, Anakin dropped low to sweep out Leo's feet from under him.
Leo hit the training floor hard before he could get up. He came face to face with the end of Anakin's lightsaber "Do yield?"
Clawed at the dirt Leo squeezed his lightsaber hilt, "See." Barriss said next to Ahsoka sensing the anger rising from Leo, then Ahsoka and Leo's eyes met while he was scanning the crowd of Jedi. His fingers uncurled from the lightsaber and Leo dropped his head back into the dirt "I yield." Leo sighed. A strong applause followed Anakin's winning of the contest before he offered his hand to Leo who took it with a smirk that matched Anakin "And here I was hoping you'd get back up and I could kick your in front of all these Jedi a second time." Anakin said, patting him on the back "Be you ever so humble." Leo said dusting himself off.
Ahsoka looked over at Barriss who had been proved wrong "A trick, he's just deluding us you watch, the dark side is still in him." Barris said leaving with the others.
O-Mer stayed by Ahsoka's side watching her go worried "I'm worried about her." He said looking at Ahsoka "Who Barriss, she's just proper that's all." Ahsoka said dismissing his worries, the cerean shrugged "I do hope so." He replied before he followed Barriss and the other Jedi.
Ahsoka looked back down into the courtyard to see Leo and Anakin walking out together side by side "How's the new emitter?" Anakin asked.
"Works like a dream, but I may alter the design a bit flashy for my tastes." Leo said back.
"Flashy, it's a lightsaber, it's what it does." Anakin replied.
Up top Obi-Wan suddenly appeared next to Ahsoka "It seems I've missed the festivities." He whispered to Ahsoka "Not much of a show, Master." Ahsoka said looking up to Obi-Wan who looked gravely at Leo and Anakin, when his apprentices saw him the others frowned.
"What is it?" Leo asked walking up
"We've received a distress code, an old one used by Jedi used before the war." Obi-Wan said Leo and Anakin.
"Uh oh." Anakin said re-emerging Morti.s
They followed their fellow Jedi down back into the temple into the hall toward the transmission room where the signal was playing on a holomap way in the outer rim already around the table was Plo Koon, Sassee Tiin, Yoda and Mace Windu. A red marker blinking was going on and off in the eastern reaches of space "That's Hutt space?" Anakin said, seeing the region.
"It is, the signal is an older one, but it checks out, but there's a holomessage attached." Plo Koon said walking around the holotable "Addressed to you Rock." He added
Leo frowned, arms crossed "Last time we got an old distress signal it didn't go too well." Leo said before she played it.
The recording immediately played with Leo's heart sinking at who it was "Is this on… Leo, if your get this I don't have a lot of time, Mom, Dad, Iaclyn and I are in trouble." Leo recognized her the blonde hair fair skinned girl from Raxus Prime "... Elli." Leo gasped seeing her, she was cloaked looking over her shoulder.
"I don't know who, or what is chasing us but they haven't stopped since we left Raxus, I don't know what to do other then call you- please we're trying to get to the Republic were we'll be safe but we're trapped here on Nal Hutta until dad figures out a way off- someone's coming I have to go…. help us big brother you're our only hope."
"Big brother?" Anakin asked, shocked hearing that "You mean that's your sister?" Ahsoka asked, pointing to Elli's face with her thumb.
"You contacted your family?" Obi-Wan asked.
Leo looked to Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka one at a time before he looked at them all again "Yes, yes and… not intentionally but yes." Leo said to all of them before he looked up at the hologram."
"This is a serious crime in our Order Rock, even for a Jedi Knight?" Mace Windu said, starting to berate him.
"How in the blazes did your 'sister' get her hands on a Jedi distress signal code?" Anakin asked, Leo and Obi-Wan exchanged glances thinking they both new the answers "That's a mystery indeed, what matters now is what we do about it." Obi-Wan said before looking to Anakin.
Leo looked at Plo Koon and at Sassee Tiin, Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka "Why are you all looking at me?" He asked.
"It was your message and they are your family?" Plo Koon pointed out.
"I'm… not sure Masters, I had a vision last night of the four of them in danger I know why now." He said looking at the floor, Anakin could see an all too familiar pain inside Leo "So what are we waiting for, lets go get them." Anakin said to the crowd.
All eyes were on him "I beg your pardon, have you forgotten about the invasion of Neimoidia?" Obi-Wan asked him.
"Of course I haven't, but that has to reach the Chancellor's desk to be authorized and that'll take three days at least we have plenty of time to get to Nal Hutta, find them and get out?" Anakin said, shrugging.
"I can't ask you to do this Anakin, there in danger because of me." Leo said over to him "If I may interject?" Plo Koon spoke up suddenly.
He approached both Anakin and Skywalker, "Why were you undercover you were given many freedoms Rock, however it is a serious crime within the Jedi to contact your family without the Council's consent or knowledge." Mace Windu's said disapprovingly.
"Such emotional attachments are dangerous for this very reason." Plo Koon said referring to the message they'd just received. Leo turned to Plo Koon then, "I know more than enough reasons why my father's parents would be in danger in a world like Nal Hutta, least of all because of my actions over others but my sister and brother are innocent children in all this." Leo said alluding to something that only a select few in the room knew.
Tiin approached Plo from behind "Skywalker makes a valid point Plo?"
"Help those in need, a Jedi always must." Yoda said looking at the other Masters then at the Jedi "Kenobi, Skywalker undertake this mission you would."
"Of course old friend." Obi-Wan said "Master Yoda, I have to object." Leo said adamantly.
When he had the Master's attention "I never meant to contact my family, but I had to keep up the ruse. I'd abandoned the Jedi way for Dooku to accept me, either way I warned them of the danger they were in if anything were to happen to me." Leo explained.
"You told them of your mission?" Ahsoka asked him "No I never, I only told them to leave Raxus if something happened, Dooku would surely have killed them for revenge if they hadn't warned them, they're in danger because of me." Leo justified.
"I know their Separatists, but they don't deserve to die at the hand of Dooku's assassins because they were dragged in because of my mistakes." Leo said bowing his head to the Masters "I accept whatever judgment you have for me breaking one of our sacred laws, but please let me save them before you do." He asked Master Yoda, bowing in respect.
Master Yoda looked to Mace Windu who gave a reluctant nod "Go then, you will." Master Yoda said before Windu made his own consent known "Obviously as you're going into Hutt space, you won't be able to use Republic forces or ships with the Jedi Orders markings to identify yourself."
"Leave that to me." Anakin replied.
Later, Leo walked into the temple hanger holding a data pad, he had Oculus with him "I've uploaded you with some extra programs that should help you with splicing into computers or any locked doors we encounter." He said, looking at the green and white probe droid when leo tripped over something stumbling onto the floor. He looked back to see someone had been pushing a cart and he wasn't paying attention. The cart had been knocked over a bunch of spare parts toppling over onto the floor. Across from him was an abyssian man wearing a temple staff uniform.
"No, no, no." The man said with one big eye like all his kind had, he had white hair too and quickly started top pick up the pieces with his three fingers
"Sorry I wasn't looking where I was going." Leo said getting up and holding his hand out, the spare parts and crate lifted off the floor going back into the box and then back into the cart. The abyssian looked in awe behind the cart as the mess was cleaned up in a matter of seconds "Wow that was… oh my gosh what an honor to see the Jedi work." The man said.
Leo smirked "It's nothing..." Leo looked at the abyssian's name "... Jackar?"
"My name is-" "Oh I know who you are Sir Rock." Jackar said "oh I'm so sorry for interrupting you Mr. Jedi- Master Jedi- uh ah…. shut up Jackar." He said to himself bowing in front of Leo.
HIs over politeness made Leo smile "It's fine, I'm sorry about your cart." Leo said apologizing "I'm on my way to a mission and wasn't paying attention." Leo said looking at Oculus who handed him the datapad.
"How exciting, a young Jedi Knight like you off yo save the galaxy thank you for speaking to me, my wife won't believe I actually met you, do you want to see a picture?" He asked.
Leo looked at him puzzled but smirking "Uh… sure?" He said reaching around his neck scratching it. Jackar reached into his coat and pulled out a picture of a human woman with tattoos on her face with black hair and a slender face "A human?" He said seeing he was an interspecies husband.
Jackar smirked looking at the picture "I know, I know it's unusual but we made it work for me and my Letta." Leo could sense the warmth and compassion coming from the man "You must truly love her."
"I do Master Jedi… oh no I've taken up to much of your time, I should really get back to work." Jackar said shoving the picture back into his coat "Please forgive me Master Jedi."
Before Leo could start to say he was fine, the abyssian shoved his cart away quickly leaving Leo alone. Shrugging Leo rolled his eyes and started to walk down the hanger "Alright, where's that ship?" Leo said before he sensed a wrench coming his way. Leo held up his arm and caught it looking over to see Ahsoka and Anakin working on "The Twilight?" Leo gasped seeing the old G9 Rigger class light freighter. They'd flown when Leo was a padawan under Anakin and a bit when he was with Obi-Wan, the ship had seen better days. It's lower wing had started to rust, the windows were covered in dust barely able to look through.
"She's uh… seen better days?" Leo asked crossing his arms.
"Hey the Council said no ships with the Navy or the Order, and the Twilight was once owned by smugglers it'll fit right in to Nar Shaddaa." Anakin said as he closed a hatch.
"She should get us to and from no problem." Anakin said patting the ship when something inside made a very heavy lurch then crash.
Ahsoka finished her work grumbling "We're all going to die." She mumbled to herself.
Obi-Wan joined them a few minutes later "My eyes may be old, but are we going in that…?" He asked.
"What is everyone's problem with my ship?" Anakin asked looking at it "The G9 Rigger is a classic?" he said look at Ahsoka.
"It's no Rogue Shadow, now she was one of a kind." Leo said boarding the ship with the other Jedi coming in behind him, Artoo included "That stealth ship you had when you were Dooku's apprentice, the one Hondo took?" Anakin asked as everyone got into their seats.
Leo frowned "You mean the one you let Hondo take."
Anakin rolled his eyes taking a seat in the pilot's chair when both he and Leo both jumped into the seat at the same time "What are you doing?" Anakin asked him.
"I'm piloting?" Leo asked him, the other Knight shoved Leo out of the chair "My ship, my seat." Anakin snarked before Ahsoka laughed seeing Leo go down on the floor. Leo snickered, getting up and taking a spot in the communication array while Obi-Wan sat in the navigators chair "What are you laughing at?" Ahsoka asked confused at why Leo was laughing.
"Just feels like old times." He said back, but the call back of happier times made her face sour.
Anakin started up the ship with a big smile "You, Ahsoka, Obi-Wan and I off on another adventure into the unknown to save the day yeah sounds like old times but there's something missing?" Anakin said as they took Twilight out of the hanger "What's that… oh no don't you dare Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked as it left the hanger.
Skywalker's smile turned evil "Oh yeah I forgot how much you hate flying Master." Leo said before Anakin smashed the ship's ignition blasting off into the stars.
With hyperspeed rushing past them in the blue vortex of faster than light speed travel taking them to their destination Anakin looked back in his corner to see Obi-Wan hunched over a trash bin wiping his mouth "I hate it when you do that."
"I know Master." Anakin said chuckling before he propped his feet up on the dash hands behind his back, "It's a long way to Nar Shaddaa best get comfortable." Anakin said to everyone.
Leo stood up then "I'm going to see if our medical stores are accurate, in case any of them are injured."
"Already done, we're fine." Anakin said still leaning back in his seat.
Sitting back down Leo looked over at him "Oh, thank you and… thank you for coming with me." Leo said under his breath.
"We're Jedi it's what we do." Anakin said nonchalantly.
"Do you have any idea where your family would be?" Obi-Wan asked.
"There not my- I don't know, but if they're on Nar Shaddaa I'm sure I can find them." Leo said back to Obi-Wan.
His sudden dismissal of them being his family before he cut himself off caught Anakin's attention "We'll find them, I promise."
"Even when he was a criminal Iaco Stark was a crafty one, all of the planet will be looking for him if not these assassins your sister claimed are after him?" Obi-Wan stated plainly "You know him Master?" Anakin asked him.
"I know…. of him?" Obi-Wan started giving a glance at Leo.
Anakin frowned, turning around in his chair, "Why do I get the sense you two aren't telling me something, all three of you?" Anakin said his senses making him look at Ahsoka in his copilot seat.
"Does the name Iaco Stark mean anything to you?" Leo asked him.
"Leo?" Obi-Wan started "Master, he has a right to know just as much us." He told the older Jedi.
Anakin looked at the others confused "Know what?"
Leo paused gathering his thoughts "My father is Iaco Stark, he was a pirate who united mercenaries, smugglers farmers even into a rebellion against the Republic." Leo started "The Republic no army so they sent in Jedi and volunteer militia to quell the uprising but the fighting was so fierce the Republic was unprepared until a Jedi Master discovered that Stark's wife was with child, a child strong in the force." Leo elaborated looking to Anakin "The Jedi offered Iaco and his wife a deal, betray his army, he and his family would live but the child would go to the Jedi to be trained." Leo finished pausing so Anakin could take it all in.
"You're the child." Leo nodded "And the Jedi Master?"
Leo looked to Obi-Wan to answer that question "It was… Dooku when he was a Jedi."
"Whoa… that is like…. whoa." Anakin said at a loss of words, Leo looked at Ahsoka wondering if she'd bring up the words he and she heard from Count Dooku about Leo being the seed of destruction for the Republics downfall "That would mean Dooku wanted you as his apprentice since you were a youngling?" Anakin asked him.
"Maybe even before that, maybe he was the one who told the Council to give me to Krell." Leo said curling his hand into a fist at the memory of his first Master, cruel Krell who had tortured, sending him to the front line, battle after battle. He took a deep breath letting go of the memory.
Leo shook his head to get it out of his mind "All I do know is that after Stark betrayed his followers, those who weren't slaughtered are probably hunting him and we need to save them."
"But you're a Jedi now." Obi-Wan told him.
"Now and always?" Anakin asked him.
Leo looked up nodding "Now and always."
NAR SHADDAA
Upper Atmosphere
The Twilight dropped out of hyperspace, descending to the planet below, a giant black orb with golden lines of the city running around it in hexagon formations. Nar Shaddaa, nicknamed the "Smuggler's Moon," was the notorious moon of the planet Nal Hutta, homeworld of the Hutt species. It was home to a large criminal underworld dominated by bounty hunters and Hutt crime lords. An ecumenopolis, the entire surface of Nar Shaddaa was covered in urban sprawl. Nar Shaddaa was the largest moon of the planet Nal Hutta, which was located in the Hutt Space region of the Outer Rim Territories. An ecumenopolis, its surface was covered entirely in urban sprawl. Its city lights were visible from space. The capital of Nar Shaddaa was Hutta Town, which was made up of huge tower blocks with a patchwork of shanty town structures called skyslums filling every available space between the Twilight flew down into the city landing in one of the many spaceports landing pads, in the upper levels. A twi'lek sleeping outside the landing pad woke from his name at the sound of the ship landing, he had on goggles and teeth filed to fangs.
When the jedi left the ship they were all wearing robes, Anakin and Obi-Wan in dark brown, Ahsoka had on her burgundy robe with Leo coming out in a faded brown one beside them.
The twi'lek harbor master approached them scratching his backside as he walked up "Landing fee." The man said, holding up his hand.
"You want him or should I?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan.
"Actually let's have Leo give it a try." Obi-Wan suggested "What?" Leo asked, seeing them look to him "Oh right."
Leo walked up to the harbormaster "How much?" Leo asked him.
"One hundred for the whole pad, no questions asked." Leo reached into his robe and pulled out handful of republic credits "Republic credits, nah that won't do."
"Republic credits will be fine." Leo said waving his hand over the man's eyes.
The harbormaster started to wobble "Republic credits… do fine." He said as Leo put the credits in his hand and he walked off.
"Alright, time to find the most hated man on the outer rim." Leo said before they made their way into the inner city.
Later the Jedi had entered into the city, compared to Coruscant Nar Shadda's underbelly was twice as packed with aliens, bounty hunters, mercenaries, smugglers. Even amongst the crowd the Jedi saw other hooded people walking through the streets, people in alleyways made deals and handoffs. Bounty Hunters dragged off their next payday or in line outside cantinas looking at wanted postings from the Republic, Separatists, Crime Syndicates and more.
They walked by a brothel with scantily clad prostitutes in all manner of seductive clothing, "Want to come inside handsome?" A blonde haired woman with red lipstick in black asked Leo.
He ignored them walking on "How about you sweet one?" A male torgurtan with red skin and a green and white lekku asked looking at Ahsoka, he wore no shirt and had a sculpted chest.
"Ahsoka?" Anakin whispered back as she starred "What I wasn't?" She said following him.
The four Jedi approached a balcony on their level looking out at the city, as far as the eye could see was towering skyscrapers reaching for the heavens, speeders flew through the air. And even a wild freighter went over their heads making them all duck before a patrol vessel followed it "This place is insane, we'll never find them here?" Ahsoka said seeing a brawl break out in a nearby cantina.
"Hmm maybe we should check out the local watering hole?" Obi-Wan suggested.
"Good idea, we should split up, you and Leo go check out that cantina, Ahsoka and I will go to that one?" Anakin said.
"Why not we all check a bar individually, we can cover more ground that way?" Ahsoka suggested.
Anakin shook his head "Out of-" "I agree, Ahsoka can take care of herself." Leo said, agreeing with her plan.
"This isn't Coruscant, this is Nar Shaddaa." Anakin pointed out "Which is why we need to hurry." Leo said under his hood. Anakin saw he was outvoted and proverbially tossed his hands in the air "Fine, but keep your communicators on all of you." Anakin insisted before they all went to the four winds to find the lost Starks.
Ahsoka headed to a cantina with bright pink neon lights on it with a drunk Rancor hologram dancing over the sign which was in huttese probably the same name as the cartoon. Before she could make it to the door someone from behind grabbed her arm "Hands off-" Ahsoka was about to clock whoever had grabbed her in the jaw when she saw it was Leo.
"Alright, alright I just wanted to talk to you for a second?" He asked hands in the air, both of them.
"What are you doing, aren't we here to find 'your' family?" She asked.
Leo nodded scanning the crowd in case they were close or if anyone was watching "I know, but I need to talk to you." He said taking her arm again and dragging her into the alleyway next to the bar.
She tore her arm free abruptly "What?" She snapped.
"Why are you avoiding me?" He asked.
"Huh...This really isn't the time?" Ahsoka said sarcastically "That's not the answer." He shot back.
"Because you don't need one, we're on a mission." Ahsoka pointed out about leaving the alleyway "Ahsoka I've changed, I'm not the person I was before." Leo insisted.
Ahsoka stopped at the entrance to the alleyway and looked back "I never wanted you to change who you are Leo, least of all for me."
"Then what do you want from me Ahsoka, I said I was sorry I told you I made a mistake joining Dooku, I'm trying to correct it." He added walking up to her before she could take another step.
Ahsoka didn't look at him, "I don't know what I want Leo." She said hurrying away from him into the cantina.
In another cantina, Anakin had walked in, it was yellow and dimly lit with lots of smoke from hookahs being lit in the corners, the bar itself was mostly empty except for a few getting high in the back, the bar itself was empty except for the bartender. Plugging his nose, Obi-Wan approached the bar that had fans in front of it to keep the smoke away from ruining the cocktails and drinks the bartender, a kaleesh, was serving.
"What'll it be, Jedi?" The Kaleesh asked.
Anakin's eyes got wide "I beg your pardon?" The knight asked.
"Air of confidence bordering on arrogance, nice trim, good manners, a plane robe to make you look inconspicuous, oh and the lightsaber poking out of your robe like your happy to see me." The bartender said cleaning a glass to look like he was busy "See a lot of weirdos come in here." He said putting his glass away "Jedi are usually the more normal of them, so what'll it be?"
Anakin smirked at the bartender's straightforward attitude and sat down "I'm looking for information."
"Hey I just work here, I don't know anything." The bartender said at the beginning of the dance, Anakin played along by placing some credits on the table "Hmm now that I think about it, I heard about the place with the thing, you remember it right?" The bartender asked.
The Jedi smirked seeing he had his attention "I'm looking for someone, someone who doesn't want to be found."
"Someone who doesn't want to be found… on the Smuggler's Moon, gonna have to be more specific?" The bartender snickered taking the credits and holding out his hand for more "Someone who people are after, use to be a pirate, some would almost say kingly?" Anakin asked if the bartender would pick up the pace he was dancing too.
Most certainly the bartender did take his hand away "Hmm so you're looking for him too."
"Who else is?" Anakin asked "You and every other pond sucking lowlife on this moon, Iaco Stark." The bartender said arms crossed.
Skywalker remained silent "Someone spotted him here oh about a week ago, running from some shadow before he blew up a whole building to escape?" The Bartender added "Was there anyone with him?" The knight then asked.
"Not that I can figure, but you may want to notice why the bars empty?" He said pointing to the empty seats around the cantina "The bounty is a bonus for most of the people here, more just want revenge for the rebellion."
"You mean the Stark Commercial Combine." Anakin corrected, the bartender looked at Anakin from across the bar crossing his arms.
"You know what Combine means Jedi?" He asked, Anakins was about to answer but the kaleesh held up a clawed hand "It means that unity, something the Outer Rim had never seen until you started the clone wars." The Kaleesh added.
Anakin started to grow tense being accused of starting a war "Republic let th corporations do whatever they want, no different then the Hutts then all of a sudden some crazy pirates and mercs start sticking it to you all and boom you got your Great Stark Hyperspace war, ha what a joke." The Bartender said as he reached under is bar and pulled out another dirty glass.
"As much as I'd like to learn your history, I'm on business." Anakin reminded him by throwing on more credits.
The bartender eyed them before taking it "Last I heard a bunch of hunters died in the water treatment center here on the planet, that's the best place you start looking." The bartender added.
"Thought you said a lot of hunters were here?" Anakin asked "I did, but these ones were all killed after their hands were tied and had their gear stolen, you don't take a hunters gear unless you need it."
Inside another bar, Obi-Wan had found it harder to get the bartender to give him anything, as it was a droid that only spoke huttese. Obi-Wan was at the bar, a sports one no less with gambling boards and holo screens with video feed of whatever sport people were betting on was playing. "Well thats a face I thought I wouldn't see anytime soon?" A woman's voice said behind Obi-Wan.
Kenobi turned around to see the zabrak mercenary Sugi standing in front of him, she was wearing her red top and grey pants but had on a baggy grey jacket over her shoulders hiding who knew what kind of weapons in it. "Sugi?" Obi-Wan said seeing her.
"Ah so you do remember me?" She asked smirking at him under her face tattoos "How could I forget, you helped us save those farmers on Felucia. It's not every day a mercenary proves me wrong." Obi-Wan gestured to a nearby table.
Sugi joined them and had road bring them drinks "So what brings you out here Kenobi, Jedi business?"
"Not exactly, my associates and I are looking for someone?" Obi-Wan said it plainly enough for Sugi to put her cup down "That someone wouldn't be a red haired bastard with a price on his head?" She asked him to reach for her blaster.
Obi-Wan didn't move for his lightsaber just yet "And if it is?"
"I'd say you're a little late to the party Kenobi, more than half the planet is looking for you know who." She said keeping her voice down "What is your…. guilds stake in all this?" She asked swapping out orders for the guild as not to draw suspicion, still holding her blaster in its holster ready to draw it at a moment's notice.
"It's not him we're after, he has a family who are innocent in all this, two children." Obi-Wan explained, Sugi let go of her blaster "Oh, uh they like you all…" Sugi held up her blaster hand, waving it a bit to mimic how a Jedi would use the force.
Instead of answering Obi-Wan paused "Hmmm, interesting Kenobi and lets say I help you find these kids?" She asked leaning back in her chair.
"Then we would be most grateful, most grateful." Obi-Wan said leaning in "And what does most grateful get me?" She asked him.
"A favor." Obi-Wan replied "A favor from a Jedi is a rare thing?" Sugi said looking at her glass before she toasted it "Deal."
Obi-Wan held up his glass and they clinked them together "Also the tab." She added to sweeten the deal.
Back with Leo after Ahsoka had left him hanging, he finally made his way into a seedier cantina then all the rest. It was absolutely filthy inside with a twi'lek waitress in a one piece walking around giving drinks, he noticed one bounty hunter try to cup her backside only to get a bottle smashed in his face to everyone's gleeful laughter before she kept serving. Walking over the glass covered hunter, Leo scanned the crowd of patrons. They were a colorful crowd, smugglers making under the table deals, a pazak game in the back with a small crowd, a large black haired wookie sitting alone enjoying a drink. Then a back room where he saw two very large gamorreans guarding it before a small wiry rodian walked out breathing a sigh of relief.
Eyeing it with curiosity, Leo followed his senses up to the door where the two guards glared at him "Take a break." Leo said waving his hand over their weak willed minds.
Both gamorreans eyes glazed over and they walked past Leo to the bar, leaving the door unguarded for Leo to pass through. As soon as he walked in he heard five blasters being drawn followed by "Excuse me but who the hell are you mate?" A voice sad behind a red leather chair in the back behind a sparkling clean desk, the chair turned and at first Leo thought it was empty.
Leo looked down at an ugnot with a translator wearing a dark black suit "Someone who needs information, I'm looking for Iaco Stark."
All the blaster holding mercs snickered "Talk of the town that one is." The ugnot said "And whats your score with him, hmm don't tell me your Ma or Pa fought with him in the War, the old war was it?" He asked.
Leo glared at the ugnot "Hmm not it, but close I'm good at reading people so who are you?" He asked.
Leo didn't answer "You know it's rude, not just breaking and entering but not introducing yourself I'm Zam Wesa and I run this part of Nar Shaddaa for the Hutts that is." The Ugnot said his translator was doing the work for him.
"Now the Hutts they want him dead for their own reasons, money of course, and money of course can get you the information where you want to find him?" The ugnot said "Now either you show some credits or get the bloody hell out of my establishment." Leo glared at the ugnot and at his six guards, the room was small blasters wouldn't be much use here in a close range fight he thought. "Oi you deaf boy I said get the hell out of my-" Leo moved at the first guard grabbing his blaster arm and moving it outta the way making him shoot.
The others opened fire but Leo pulled the first in between him and the others shielding himself, the guard wasn't so lucky.
Leo picked him up and through him at the three across the room from him before Leo moved on the two beside him. The nearest guard tried to shoot Leo but he dodged before jumping up and kneeing him in the snout breaking his nose, Leo tore the blaster out of his hand and flung it at the third hitting him in the neck cutting off his air supply. When Leo landed he roundhouse kicked his opening into the ugnot table "Bloody hell!' The Ugnot squealed.
When the other three had shoved their dead comrade off of them Leo charged them, he punched the one on the left in the face, kicked the one on the right in the nether regions and head butted the middle one. Next grabbing the guard on the left Leo swiped the feet out from under him and smashed the back of his elbow on the guards head. The one who had his balls crushed saw Leo shoot up with an uppercut before Leo grabbed the one he head butted and lifted him up throwing him across the room at the ugnot chair.
The ugnot Zam Wesa was flung to the floor "Whoa, whoa wait a minute you can't do this." The Ugnot squeaked as Leo moved on him.
He took Zam Wesa by his collar and picked him up smashing the small ugnot into the wall, Leo being a young man and a ugnot the size of a child their was no physical contest.
"Where is Iaco Stark?" Leo asked "You bloody fool once the Hutts fin-" Leo smashed Zam Wesa onto his own desk and drew back his fist hitting him three times "Where!?" Leo barked.
"Go to hell- I ain't telling you nothing." Zam Wesa spat blood into Leo's face before Leo reached into his robe and pulled out his lightsaber. When Zam saw it he chuckled "aaaah just my luck a bloody Jedi." He said through his translator "What are you gonna do if the Jedi arrest me?" Zam taunted chuckling through the pain.
Leo glared at Zam before put his lightsaber away "Last chance." Leo replied.
"Or what?" Zam asked smugly, Leo grabbed the ugnot translator and tore it off his neck "Or else you better hope someone knows what a ugnot crying for help sounds like?" In five minutes Leo walked out of the back room and the entire Captain was looking at him for a moment before moving on to their own business. Back inside Zam Wesa was tied up beaten red and blue in his own chair.
As Leo walked out of the cantina he saw Obi-Wan, Anakin and Sugi standing at the end of the levels street, "Master I see you found something?" He asked before he recognized you "Sugi?" Leo asked.
"Wait a second your this ones padawana something right, hmm new hair color?" Sugi said seeing Leo's white hair "Former I'm a knight now, where's Ahsoka?" Leo asked Anakin.
BOOM
One of the cantinas exploded behind them, the one with the neon pink had gone up in flames. "Ahsoka!" Leo shouted about to run when someone grabbed his arm "Relax Rusty I'm right here." The jedi and Sugi looked to see Ahsoka standing behind them, alive with some tears in her robe "What… what happened in there?" Anakin assked looking at the flames.
Ahsoka sighed "Long story short, a rodian put his hand where he shouldn't when I corrected him his friends took exception to that, so we had a friendly conversation in the kitchen where someone left the pilot light on and that rodian I corrected tried to show of his blaster skill sooooo…?" Ahsoka said looking back at his flames.
The Jedi looked at them to then back at Ahsoka "You got in a fight with rodian smugglers who chased you in the kitchen, then you turned on the pilot light expecting them to shoot and…. blew it up?" Leo asked her.
Ahsoka shrugged "Yeah that's what I said." She said annoyed he had to dumb it down like that.
"So what did you all find?" Ahsoka asked looking at them "Stark was last seen in the water treatment plan and half the planet is looking for him." Anakin reported.
Obi-Wan was next "Sugi had agreed to help us in exchange for a special fee."
"What kind of fee?" Leo asked "A favor from you?" Obi-Wan said to him "From me?" Leo asked, speechless.
"Your mission, your debt." Sugi walked up to him and slapped Leo playfully on the cheek "Relax handsome, it won't be anything you won't enjoy I promise." Leo shuttered after she turned back around "What about you girl?" She asked looking at Ahsoka, who frowned at how she had touched Leo.
Ahsoka sighed "Couldn't get anything after suction fingers tried to grab me." She said bringing up the rodian.
"Leo?" Obi-Wan asked "The Hutts are looking for him too."
"Hmm not a very promising start, but it's better then nothing we better hurry to this water treatment plant we may be able to pick up the trail."
After they followed Sugi to her ship, she flew them across the city to the region's water treatment plant. Massive pools the size of lakes were purifying and filtering water back into the city in gigantic pipes far outside the skyline. Swamp rats and other small creatures scurried over them as the golden and emerald haze of Nar Shadda's urban skyline shone over them.
When Sugi's ship landed, the doors opened followed by the five hunters getting out "So Sugi, what happened to the rest of your crew?" Ahsoka asked.
"Embo went his own way, Carabast got out of the game and the others knew." She said parking the ship and turning on the safety locks before she followed them out of "And your sister?" Leo asked.
Sugi got quiet and didn't answer "Let's just get this over with." She said putting an end to the Jedi's questions. They had to land in the only open spot in the water treatment plant between three of the lake sized pools. With three corridors around them leading to the rest of the plant.
"So do we split up again?" Leo asked.
"If you want to find Stark, that's your best bet." Sugi said, reaching into her ship's floorboards, opening it up and taking out a blaster rifle.
"Teams this time, Obi-Wan and I will go this way, Ahsoka and Leo go that way, Sugi who do you want to go with?" Anakin asked the bounty hunter while pointing down the pathways between the pools.
Sugi shrugged as she fitted a sniper scope to her blaster rifle and an extended barrel "Kenobi and good looking." She said winking at Leo. "Please no." The white haired grumbled at her continuous flirting, Sugi snickered as he squirmed loving to see it before she followed Obi-Wan and Leo down one corridor between the pools. Ahsoka and Anakin headed down another one parting ways. Leo, Obi-Wan and Sugi walked between the two pools with pipes on each side of them and under their feet on metal frames.
Obi-Wan and Leo took their lightsabers in their hands without turning them on "Sugi do you know what happened to the last group of bounty hunters, Anakin said a whole group of them were slaughtered with their hands bound?" Obi-Wan asked him.
"Heard that too, looks like Stark hasn't lost his touch may have gotten a bit sadistic in his oldage." She said watching the shadows behind them with her blaster.
Leo noted her use of words "What do you mean, did you know Stark when he was a pirate?" The former padawan asked.
Sugi shook her head "No, but I heard of him he never did execute his prisoners let them go to spread his legend."
"And that legend was?" Leo asked curious to know more "That its best to surrender when you saw his ship, cause you'd live." She added. Obi-Wan looked to his apprentice wondering what Iaco's son was thinking, meanwhile down the other walkway, Ahsoka and Anakin were walking through a haze of steam coming to a set of metal stairs they walked up.
Ahsoka watched their six before they reached the next level "Master, can I ask you a question?" She asked.
"Of course?" Anakin replied.
"Why are you so eager to help Leo?" She asked him, Anakin nodded "Are you asking as a Jedi or a friend?" He asked.
Ahsoka shrugged "Both I guess?"
Nodding, "I had a vision like Leo's once, it still haunts me for not acting on it when I did, hopefully this will bring Leo closure."
"So you don't want Leo to go through what you did, but I thought as Jedi we weren't suppose to have such attachments?" She asked.
"I was brought into the order when I was older Ahsoka, I found it hard to let go, this Leo's chance to… face those attachments." Anakin explained. Ahsoka was about to speak to them again when the when the two of them sensed immediate danger, a sniper up on one of the higher walkways squeezed the trigger a laser bolt shooting between them when they flung themselves into cover behind some pipes. The crack of the sniper echoed across the water treatment plant reaching the others.
"Anakin." Obi-Wan said out loud looking over their shoulders "No?" Sugi said "That's the completion." She said answering her own question.
Back with Ahsoka and Anakin the sniper kept them pinned in their spot, Ahsoka peeked out her hood and had to draw it back the second she saw a red laser bolt heading her way. "I see the shooter, he's up in that tower." Ahsoka said pointing to a large radio tower in the center of the plant.
"He's got us pinned." Anakin pointed out taking out his comlink "Obi-Wan, Leo, do you read?"
"We read you, I see him in the tower?" Leo said running with Obi-Wan and Sugi behind him.
Leo was fifty yards from the sniper when he jumped up onto a higher pipe sprinting to the tower "Leo, wait." Obi-Wan called out. But Leo was sprinting ahead of the others and the sniper noticed turning his sights on Leo opening fire while he ran on the pipe. Leo dodged the first couple bolts but seeing he was on a narrow path to the tower Obi-Wan knew he wouldn't last long "Sugi, cover him."
Sugi took aim and opened fire on the sniper to give Leo time to reach them, the sniper hid behind what cover they had as Leo came up to the tower. Using the force Leo jumped up to the top of the tower to see the sniper rifle that had been shooting at him but no shooter. What he did find was a bundle of the thermal detonator wired together "Oh great." Leo said before it blew.
"LEO!" Ahsoka screamed down below seeing the tower go up in flames.
The tower went down in twisted metal and fire crashing into the center of the plant, Sugi and Obi-Wan hurried to the wreckage followed by Anakin and Ahsoka "Where is he?" Anakin asked.
"I'm right here." Looking over to a smaller pool Leo came climbing out soaked to the bone in some kind of liquid, he threw off his soaked robe now weighing him down "Leo thank goodness your…. oh my." Ahsoka was about to hug him when she all got a whiff of him. Leo sniffed himself, followed by his face turning the same shade of green as his robes both Sugi and Anakin started to snicker and laugh seeing out of all the pools Leo fell into it was the sewage one.
Sugi tossed her blaster rifle over her shoulder "Come on, this place will be swarming with Hutt thugs soon."
"How can you be sure?" Obi-Wan asked her "Because those are Hutt patrol craft." Sugi said, pointing six o'clock to a group of lights attached to ships heading their way.
"Come on Stinky." Ahsoka said to Leo as they followed Sugi back to the ship "I've got a spot in the lower levels we can hide, no offense but I'd rather not have you stink up my ship kid." Sugi said to Leo when they got back to the ship. Sugi flew the Jedi back into the city where she landed on a platform attached to a strange apartment building, which had landing platforms for ships of every make and model. The first thing they did when they got to Sugi's apartment was let Leo get in the fresher, outside the bathroom. The apartment wasn't anything fancy with one bed, a holodevice in the corner and a balcony overlooking the city. Obi-Wan and Anakin were outside while Sugi sat on the bed looking at a hologram of the bounty hunter Embo who she was speaking with.
Embo said something in his own language making Sugi smirk "Hmm, well take care of yourself Embo, thanks for the tip I'll hit up Greedo see if he knows anything."
Outside on the balcony Anakin and Obi-Wan were watching the city "So, any ideas?" Anakin inquired.
"We'll have to wait till Sugi's contacts can tell us anything?" Obi-Wan suggested back to him "We're running out of time, we need to find Leo's family."
"We or you?" Obi-Wan asked "What?" Anakin asked, "I know what happened to your mother still haunts you, you think this will help you or Leo by saving them?" Obi-Wan asked him. Anakin leaned on the balcony railing not saying a word about it.
Inside, Leo was drying off in the shower room wearing nothing but a towel when he sensed someone outside the door. It was Ahsoka she was about to knock but took her hand away leaving him alone in the room with his thoughts. Leo looked back at himself in the mirror, was he a Jedi, a Pirate, or something else.