Chapter 27 – Attack on Kadavo

Author's Note: In which the Zygerria arc ends. :D

~ Amina Gila

All Theseus knows for sure is that he's not ready to see this royal slave auction Anakin has been invited to attend by Queen Miraj. Then again, he also wasn't ready to see Anakin flirting with her and seeing the way she falls for it is equally disgusting. Seriously, he sees Obi-Wan do it enough, and seeing Anakin go this crazy is making him majorly start questioning the sanity of this galaxy.

Not to mention he also definitely wasn't ready to see that Twi'lek slave commit suicide after a failed assassination attempt on the queen, and he gets the feeling that whatever he sees at the auction might be a lot worse, if such a thing is even possible. He can't wait until this mission is over. He's itching for his lightsaber, and to get this stupid collar off that he got stuck wearing since all slaves do, so he can start actually freeing the colonists. He wants to move, not keep waiting here, thinking of the best non-Dark Side methods of killing every single slaver here.

It's plain sick how many thousands of people have showed up for the auction. There are crowds everywhere. "Your Highness, Zygerrians, and guests from a thousand worlds," the auctioneer calls where he stands in the central plaza, "Our auction begins, with slaves of unmatched quality and impossible quantity. I give you Togruta from the Kiros System!"

The door at the far end of plaza opens, and the Togruta Governor is shoved out. He's stumbling, barely able to walk as he's lead to the center stage, accompanied by several guards.

"This handsome sample represents a lot of numbering no less than 50,000 beings. Note the compliance. Virtually untrained in combat. There will be no rebellion from these slaves."

"So where do you keep 50,000 slaves like the people of Kiros?" Anakin asks casually, turning to the Queen.

The door behind them suddenly slides open, and a guard enters, rudely shoving Theseus out of the way as he approaches Miraj, whispering something to her that he doesn't catch. But suddenly he has a bad feeling about this. Did something go wrong? Miraj's expression doesn't really change, so it's hard to tell, but he can't shake the feeling that something did.

He casually circles around behind the queen, moving to stand near Anakin. If things are going to go downhill, he'd rather be nearby. "All will be revealed in time," Miraj answers Anakin's original question once the guard disappears back through the door. She stands up, approaching the railing of the balcony they're standing on. "Before we begin the auction, I would welcome a most special guest. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Knight."

What?! Theseus doesn't manage to suppress his jerk of surprise, or the shock that definitely flits across his face. Anakin looks equally stunned, though he hides it faster.

The crowd starts chanting, yelling out insults at the Jedi. "My friends, my good friends, do not fear the Jedi. They are no different than others we have forced into submission, for they have forsaken their ideals to serve a corrupt Senate. Every Jedi has become a slave to the Republic. The Jedi Order is weak, and we will help break it." Theseus hates to admit it, but she does have some points. The Council does, in fact, blindly serve the corrupted Senate now.

Miraj picks up a too familiar object, handing it to Anakin. "Teach the Jedi his place," she requests, though Theseus can sense the underlying warning in her voice. She wants to know if they're spies too, or if they're actually who they claim to be.

Anakin gives her the fakest smirk ever – he's honestly surprised she doesn't seem to notice – before taking it and disappearing out the door behind her. Artoo beeps, rolling up to the edge of the railing. This wasn't supposed to happen, but it's a good thing the droid is here with their lightsabers, because Theseus knows they're going to need them momentarily.

"Prove to me you are a slaver!" Miraj calls as Anakin walks up behind Obi-Wan, who's on his knees on the ground in between the guards. "Swing that whip or die beside him."

"You leave me no choice, Your Highness," Anakin replies, activating the whip in one hand, while raising the other in a salute – actually a signal to Artoo. The droid immediately opens its compartments, Anakin and Obi-Wan's lightsabers flying out as Anakin swings the whip at the Zygerrian guard. Obi-Wan leaps to his feet in a flash, throwing the other one aside as well as their lightsabers land in their hands.

"Guards! Subdue them!" shrieks Miraj, eyes widening in alarm.

Now. Finally, he can act. Theseus reaches out with the Force, detaching the stupid slave collar from his neck and throwing it to the ground. "Artoo, signal the ship," he orders, pulling his lightsaber to him from the droid and igniting it. He spins around, deflecting away the blaster shots from the guards that shoot at him. Both of them collapse to the ground, hit by their own shot. Stalking forwards, he holds the blade up to the queen's neck. "And so, you lose again, slaver scum," Theseus smirks.

"Get that thing out of my face, you skug!" she snaps, in a failed attempt to be threatening.

Down below, Anakin is fighting off the guards with his lightsaber in one hand and an electrowhip in the others. The guards are circling around him, Obi-Wan, and Rex who appeared out of seeming nowhere, trying to take them down, mostly with electrowhips.

"Stand down!" Theseus orders, hiding his lightsaber up to the queen's neck. "Or I'll kill her."

Predictably, the guards back off in a hurry.

Finally, the ship flies into view, the ramp down. Obi-Wan and Rex jump on first, Anakin follows, carrying Governor Roshti. The ship flies closer to the balcony, and Theseus leaps off the railing, landing on the end of the ramp before it sails off into the sky.

"Well, that went better than expected," Theseus remarks, brushing himself off. Not that it'll help. He still feels dirty after being in a place like that, and it's going to take some time to fade.

"You mean other than the part of where Obi-Wan got himself captured?" Anakin replies dryly. "How did that happen, anyway?"

"I was trying to rescue the governor," he protests.

Theseus decides not to ask for details. Only Obi-Wan could get caught on something like that. And he's supposed to be the master at stealth.

"Did you find out where the Togrutas are being kept?" Anakin asks.

"They're on Kadavo," Roshti replies.

**w**

Theseus is honestly surprised when there's not an entire force waiting for them when they touch down on Kadavo. But they've barely run down the ramp for the ship when several of the guard towers suddenly spin towards them, and the cannons all open fire. The laser shots explode against the sides of the ship, and moments later the whole thing is going up in flames. If they had been even one second slower, they would've been blown up too.

"So much for our ride home," Ahsoka quips as the flaming debris falls down around him. They run for the door, blaster shots raining down all around them. Artoo rolls after, beeping frantically.

"Now what?" Theseus asks as they skid to a stop next to the door to the facility.

"We find another way in," suggests Obi-Wan.

"We get through the old-fashioned way," Anakin answers simply, pulling out his lightsaber and stabbing it through the thick, locked door blocking their way into the facility.

Just then, the screen on the wall next to them suddenly lights up, to reveal the face of a smirking Zygerrian. "Greetings, Jedi," he spits, "If you do not surrender immediately, all of the slaves will be terminated in your names."

"Perhaps you should allow us inside to discuss the terms for a surrender?" Obi-Wan proposes, ever the negotiator. Theseus rolls his eyes behind his back. As if that's ever going to work. At least it should help them stall for time. Hopefully.

Anakin turns, slashing his lightsaber through the screen before the Zygerrian can even finish responding.

"Hey!" Obi-Wan protests, glaring at him.

"Well, it's good to see you're always ready to negotiate, but I've had enough bargaining with these slavers," Anakin snaps back, completely unfazed.

"They're finally here!" Theseus calls, pointing to the fighters swooping downwards and shooting at the surrounding area. Plo's finally here. But the blasts bounce harmlessly off the guard towers as the ships fly overhead, though they successfully destroy much of the surrounding area.

"I hope you told Master Plo not to destroy this facility before we get off it," Ahsoka calls above the commotion.

"Yeah, all of us and the slaves," Anakin shoots back.

"He should be smart enough to figure that out on his own," Theseus quips.

"We'll need a bigger ship," the Togruta observes, as Anakin finishes cutting the circle in the door and kicks it down. He jumps through the hole, lightsaber activating and taking down the three guards who immediately charge them even before the rest of them manage to get through behind him.

Explosions are shaking the facility as they run through the darkened hallway. "I cannot move the cruiser in for the rescue operation until those enemy canons are destroyed," Plo's voice suddenly crackles through their comms.

"We'll take care of those canons," Anakin calls back immediately, "Just make sure that cruiser gets down here. We're running out of time."

"I'm going to go help my people," Ahsoka decides, turning and sprinting down the hall towards where the Togrutas are being held.

"I'll see if I can buy us some time," Anakin declares, heading back the way they came.

"We should go help Ahsoka," Obi-Wan decides, motioning to Theseus and Rex. The three of them take off after her. She's already reached the locked door at the end of the hall and is working at the controls to try and get it open.

Finally, the door slides open, only to reveal electrified walls surrounding the people, and a large gap in between them and the door. They're doing this intentionally to make it basically impossible for them to escape, aren't they?

She runs forwards, Force leaping across the area and landing on the edge of the platform next to the others. It's strange to see her with so many other Togrutas like this, and honestly, it's a little jarring how well she fits in with all of them. Theseus is so accustomed to seeing many of all different species, but he's never met any Togrutas. The only two he really knows are Ahsoka and Master Shaak Ti.

"Jedi!" the awed exclamations run through the Togrutas as Theseus and Obi-Wan jump over to the platform with them. Rex stays behind in the doorway to cover for them if worst comes to worst.

Theseus does a quick scan of their surroundings. "There's no way we'll be able to shut these off from down here," he observes.

"We'd have to go find the controls to get them turned off," Obi-Wan suggests.

"I don't think we're going to have time for that," Theseus objects, looking around. He can feel the facility trembling from the damage being caused outside.

"Then we need to figure out how we'll get the people up to the landing platform from here," Obi-Wan says.

"I actually have an idea," Ahsoka replies, crouched at the edge.

"You're all clear, Master Plo," Anakin speaks through their comms not long later, "Bring the cruiser down to the landing pad."

"Cancel that order, Master!" she objects over the comm. "There's no way to get the people out of the holding cell and up to the landing platform, but I have an idea. We need to have the cruiser move in underneath the facility. We can escape onto the ship if Admiral Coburn can get in close enough." Good thinking. It should work, as long as they have enough time.

"Now we better prepare the people," Theseus declares, looking around. There's only so close the cruiser will be able to move in, so they're going to have to all climb down on it – which is pretty easy for clones or Jedi, but these are civilians.

It isn't long before the cruiser shows up, and clones fire grappling hooks up to the cruiser, allowing them to climb down onto the cruiser. The Jedi jump down onto the cruiser to catch anyone who falls – most of them make it on their own, but there are a few exceptions. The clones fly up with jetpacks to help out. Rex jumps down last. It takes long enough for everyone to get on board the cruiser, and by the time they are, the facility is already breaking up.

As soon as they're safely away from it, all gunships open fire. Theseus can feel the shift in the Force, as the many presences inside are blinking out of the Force at once, but he can't find it in himself to feel bad for them. They're slavers. They do much, much worse things to people every day and don't even think twice about it. The galaxy will be better off without them.

**w**

They get back to Kiros without any further calamities and accompany Governor Roshti back to his mansion. Everything looks peaceful, but Anakin can only imagine what the people are really going through. They may not have been in captive long, but the experience would have been extremely jarring for anyone.

"What's wrong Governor?" inquires Obi-Wan as he and Anakin approach Roshti, where he's standing next to the balcony railing, overlooking the city. "Shouldn't this be a day of celebration?"

"I wish it were so," he says quietly, "My people have changed, Master Jedi. Something has awakened in them. Something angry." He turns, heading away from the railing.

"The Jedi cannot allow this to happen again," Anakin states firmly. They should have been faster, paid more attention. He became a Jedi years ago with the hopes of abolishing slaver, yet it's not something the Jedi have ever made a move against. So many people were hurt and still will be because the Jedi won't actively take a move against all the slavers in the galaxy.

"No one on the Council would argue with that, my friend," Obi-Wan replies, turning to face him.

"What are we really doing?" he asks, finally daring to voice the one thought that plagues him more than almost everything else. Zygerria ripped open long healed wounds, drawing many old insecurities to the surface which he himself was hardly aware of, and once again he finds himself questioning everything. If the Jedi and the Republic can't stop things like this, then... what good are they?

"All we can," comes the immediate response.

As if that helps anything or anyone. It's not enough, or this would never have happened. It's only been getting worse since the start of the war. More and more, Anakin is seeing how the people aren't helped when they needed it. Yes, the mission might have been a success, but that doesn't change the fact they shouldn't have had the mission in the first place! The Republic keeps failing, and he understands why so many systems joined the Separatists. Maybe if the Sith weren't behind them, maybe if they weren't so evil, it's something Anakin himself would consider. "What good is the Republic if it doesn't possess the strength to protect all the people?"

"Fair point," Obi-Wan concedes, moving to the window. "However, we must take care not to trade one form of oppression for another."

This is why he has such a hard time talking to Obi-Wan. It always feels as though his opinions, his feelings don't matter. "There's a difference between imprisoning slaves and enforcing justice," Anakin replies heatedly. Why is that such an abstract concept that no one can understand? Or is there something wrong with him for thinking this way? He'll probably never know.

**w**

"You are never going to believe this," Theseus announces as he steps into the living room of Anakin and Ahsoka's apartment. He's not even sure he believes it.

"What?" asks Anakin, looking mildly amused.

"Master Obi-Wan just told me, but apparently the Republic and Separatists have agreed to hold peace talks."

"What? I thought that was illegal... Or something!" Ahsoka exclaims.

"Not if both the Senates agree," reminds Anakin.

"Let's hope this time won't end in disaster like last time did," Theseus grumbles as he sits down next to them.

He still can't believe Senator Amidala seriously convinced Ahsoka to help her sneak onto the Separatist capital of all places to meet with her apparently former friend, Mina Bonteri. If they had been caught, well... he'd rather not even think about it. He'd had quite a few words for her when she got back, although hearing about the incident had given both of them a new perspective on the war. An attempt at peace talks had started afterwards, only for it to promptly be destroyed when the Separatists attacked Coruscant, and then later when Mina was assassinated, supposedly by the Republic. Not like it's hard to guess who was really responsible for that.

"Well, I'm counting on Dooku trying to sabotage it like he did before," Ahsoka grumbles.

"I'm sure something will go wrong," Anakin agrees.

"Where are the talks happening?" the Togruta inquires.

"Mandalore," Theseus answers, "And I think Senator Amidala and Senator Organa are two of the Republic Senators planning on going."

Anakin frowns. "It's going to be risky, even with whatever security they take. I doubt I'd have time to go, but... depending on when this meeting is happening... Do you want another trip to Mandalore too, Ahsoka?"

"I'd be fine with that," she chirps. Ahsoka going to Mandalore alone? He immediately thinks back to that incident with Alemc, and before that, his experiences with Death Watch. He knows she can handle herself fine, and that she's a lot more mature than she used to be, but he really doesn't want her to be out there alone. Maybe he's being overprotective, but...

"I'll see if I can get permission from the Council to send you," Anakin replies, "Just don't do anything stupid."

"Don't worry. What 'stupid thing' could I possibly do anyway?"

"Well for one, no more trying to take down corrupt government officials with the help of untrained children."

"Hey, that was a one-time thing!" Theseus protests, "It's not like we're going to be taking down Dooku or something. These are supposed to be peace talks."

"Yes, hopefully they stay that way," agrees Anakin dryly.

"I'm going to ask Master Obi-Wan if I can go too," Theseus decides. That way, if anything goes wrong, at least Ahsoka won't have to face it down alone.

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