A/N: Hope you enjoy the new chapter! CONTENT WARNING: The last section with Anakin & Ahsoka ("Sneak Attack") has someone making a suggestive/harassment comment towards Ahsoka. Nothing explicit happens "on screen" or off, but I wanted to add this just in case.

Comments feed the mighty muse & help improve my writing- but in any case- please enjoy the latest chapter and may the Force be with you!

Survival

Obi-Wan forced himself to move forward as he snuck through the darkness of the makeshift prison. He couldn't afford to stop moving, not even for an instant, not now. Not when his Master was in danger and he had a chance to help.

Both of their sabers had been damaged; he was left only with his wits and a small dagger that he'd stolen from a guard. The blade was highly polished, reflecting any bit of light that managed to find its way through. The hilt was unassuming, a single gemstone embedded into the center, its own shine muddled by the grime that was clinging to every inch of the padawan as he fought to maintain his grip.

There were others here, he could sense them. Other sentients- their fear bleeding into the Force so strongly that it was almost overwhelming. As much as it pained him, Obi-Wan had no choice but to harden his heart and focus on that small glowing tether. Strained as it was, their bond was active. Qui-Gon was still alive.

Indeed, Qui-Gon Jinn was alive, but only just. It was not often that the elder Jedi found himself so completely incapacitated. A near lethal combination of a paralytic and a Force suppressant collar had rendered him completely imobile in body and mind. He had strength beyond measure, but his captors had only needed rope for restraints before they tortured him. Not to gain information, but for their own amusement.

Obi-Wan couldn't help the lance of fear that skewered him when he finally entered his Master's cell. He was days away from his fifteenth birthday, and never in his apprenticeship had he seen his Master like this. Later, when they were safe, teacher and student would meditate on this moment. Every Jedi feared this, confronting one of the hardest truths- no one was invincible.

But that would be later and in this moment, Obi-Wan ran to his teacher's side, small hands clasping the clammy cheeks. A burst of the Force broke the collar, and he could feel their bond revive, Qui-Gon gasping like he'd been starved for air.

"Master, wake up. Master, please, it's me. It's okay, you must wake up." Obi-Wan kept his voice low, cursing how shaky it sounded.

Qui-Gon reached for his apprentice mentally, relieved, though his mind was still largely muddled by the drugs.

/Obi-, you're here?/

Obi-Wan lit up with a smile, even as he started mentally cataloguing the long list of his Master's injuries.

/I'm here Master. I'm getting you out, but we must hurry. We don't have much time./

The teen couldn't wait for a response, grasping his Master's bound wrists and slicing through the rough woven rope with one swift stroke. Even when he'd cut through the other restraints, it was clear that Qui-Gon wouldn't be able to move.

Thirty seconds. Obi-Wan allowed himself thirty seconds to gather his strength, drawing every last bit of energy he could to himself. With a heavy breath, he picked up his Master and held him over one shoulder. Immediately, he could feel the weight, the sheer strain on his muscles. But his mind yanked forward one of Master Yoda's favorite phrases, and it became his mantra as he began walking towards freedom, the dagger still clutched in a trembling hand.

Size matters not. Size matters not. Size matters not.

Sacrifice

"Master, you cannot be serious."

Obi-Wan turned around, deliberately stepping between his student and their hosts. He was not incredibly tall, especially not when compared to his tree of a former Master, but eleven year old Anakin thought him plenty intimidating.

"Anakin." Obi-Wan replied quietly through gritted teeth, hyper aware of the audience behind him. He was doing his best to seem calm and in control. Two years of being a Master and he was still making up most of it as he went.

"The Ambassador has made a very polite and reasonable request. One that we will be honoring, as a sign of respect. Is that understood?"

Slavery had taught Anakin many things, including how to hide his true feelings. He adapted a perfectly neutral facial expression, and answered as casually as if he was commenting on the weather. Only Obi-Wan could sense the boy's confusion and upset as their bond rippled with unchecked frustrations.

"Master, I was only wondering if the Ambassador would be so kind as to explain the purpose of the ritual before we performed it. You know, as part of my education on the Zelosian culture."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, but quickly pivoted back to face the Ambassador and the various dignitaries that had arrived on the landing platform to welcome them.

"Ah, yes. Ambassador, if you would- my apprentice is very interested on the origins of such a custom."

Anakin was stalling, he knew, but if it would put the child at ease and didn't offend their hosts, Obi-Wan would play along.

To his credit, Anakin looked outwardly calm and interested as the Zenosians explained why they required all visitors to their planet to provide a sacrifice of blood.

At first glance, Zenosians could be confused for humanoids, but had a plant ancestry, and a deep cultural connection to it. Thus, by showing that you could bleed, guests demonstrated respect for their own ancestry and humility before their hosts- since Zenosians could not bleed.

Even still, Anakin's hands trembled where they were clasped behind his back. As the Ambassador finished his explanation and beckoned to Anakin, Obi-Wan intervened.

"Ambassador, if I may-" He reached out and took one of his student's hands, holding the palm up.

He smiled, infusing the bond with as much reassurance as was possible, pleased when Anakin responded with a steady pulse of trust along their link.

The Knight retrieved a small dagger from his belt, an old but reliable tool he'd picked up decades earlier. The folded durasteel was well cared for, razor sharp, and Obi-Wan's hands steady- allowing him to slice Anakin's palm in a fluid motion, holding tight to his wrist so he could not flinch away.

Obi-Wan wasted no time in cutting his own palm and the team extended both outward to the Zenosians. Yes, it was traditional for their hosts to be wielding the knife, but they were counting on the inflated mysticism of the Jedi.

"My deepest apologies, Ladies and Gentlemen. As my student, Anakin is my responsibility- to heal as well as to harm. If blood is to be shed outside of combat, I must cause it. All who teach our young abide by this rule."

Anakin, too distracted by his stinging palm to remember his place, looked up at his Master curiously. There was no such rule and it was kind of ridiculous when you thought about it for too long.

Thankfully, the Zenosians did not, and were eager to get on with business. As the welcoming party escorted them to their accommodations, Obi-Wan winked at his student, tucking the dagger away and handing him a strip of gauze.

Later, as Obi-Wan was bandaging Anakin's hand properly, he explained:

"The Zenosians demand a sacrifice of blood. According to their traditions, they are the ones to make the cut."

"So, why did you do it instead? Isn't that being disrespectful?" Anakin was grateful that his Master had stepped in, but he was normally such a stickler for protocol.

"Because, my young padawan. Unlike the Zenosians, the Jedi believe that no one truly makes a sacrifice alone. Only with the support of others can we truly give whatever is asked of us."

Sneak Attack

"I'm not going to tell you again. Give me the girl, and we'll be on our way. No one has to get hurt." Anakin was calm, controlled, despite whatever his inner signature might betray. This was literally one of his nightmares made physical, and he'd walked right into it.

Ahsoka wasn't exactly helping his emotions, not that there was anything she could do. Really, she was playing her part perfectly- looking scared and helpless as the Rhodian held her tightly in a headlock, pressing his blaster against her temple.

The Council needs to stop sending us on undercover missions. They always end up like this.

On the bright side, they hadn't been found out yet. The weapons smuggler they'd approached with a job offer had ended up turning on them, yelling some nonsense about how they were really spies for his competition. (They'd actually killed his competition three days ago, not that he knew this yet.)

But their target had moved so suddenly, they hadn't even had time to react. A thousand words had passed silently between Master and apprentice when Ahsoka had been grabbed. Yes, this was bad, but if they were revealed as Jedi- escape would be made that much more complicated. They still had to tread carefully.

Anakin could sense his student's frustration and that she was using it to cover her anxiety. She needn't have worried. Anakin had been prepared to kill from the moment the low life had laid hands on his padawan. He was trying to be less overbearing, to let Ahsoka be more independent- but that all went out the window when she was in danger.

"I've got a better idea." He sneered. "Why don't you leave, and I'll send your pet out when I'm finished with her."

Anger, pure and blinding hot, shot through the Force. It was so encompassing, Ahsoka couldn't even muster the energy to be disgusted, putting all her focus on the weapon against her head and the supernova of power in front of her.

/Master./ She called, firm and insistent. /Put the blaster down. Backup plan./

The corner of Anakin's mouth twitched up into a smirk for just a fraction of a second. They locked eyes and Ahsoka steadied herself. The plan was on.

"Alright alright!" Anakin yelled. "I'm gonna put my gun down, and then I'll leave. Just don't mess up her face." He pushed down a wave of nausea, forcing a sick smile onto his face as he knelt and set the blaster on the floor.

"I like her pretty."

As soon as the word left his lips, three things happened in the span of a heartbeat.

Ahsoka went limp in the smuggler's grasp, sliding through his arms and dropping to the floor.

The smuggler,suddenly realizing he'd lost his hostage, re-aimed his blaster and tried to fire.

And Anakin pulled out the dagger hidden in his boot and threw it at the smuggler. It landed in the center of his throat, sending him stumbling back in shock.

Another heartbeat, and the Rhodian's body hit the ground with a dull thud. Blood began to seep from the wound, pooling around the lifeless figure. Ahsoka scrambled backwards as fast as she could, until Anakin grasped her elbow and yanked her to her feet.

"You okay, Snips?" Anakin tried to phrase it as a question as he rapidly scanned her through the Force.

"Uh huh." She mumbled, leaning her forehead against his sternum for a moment.

He smiled, running a hand over the top of her lekku gently. "You did good. Code word worked perfectly, just like we practiced."

She nodded, taking a few more deep breaths, giving herself another minute to let the feeling of the creep's hands on her fade away. But they still had a mission to complete, so she straightened and managed a smile.

"Master, where did'ya even get that dagger?"

He chuckled, retrieving it from the now dead smuggler and slipping it back into its hidden sheath.

"Just something Obi-Wan picked up when he was a kid. You know how he is, blasters are 'uncivilized', but knives can always come in handy."

Ahsoka couldn't argue with that, nor did she have the time to. Instead, she made a mental note to ask Obi-Wan for the story later as they slipped off into the darkness.