(I reach the Gotham Royal Hotel where a bunch of police cars are stationed beside the entrance. I turn on my Bluetooth communicator)
Me: Obi-Wan, do you read me?
Obi-Wan: (From other end) Read you loud and clear, Archer. What's the problem?
Me: There was a murder at the Gotham Royal Hotel.
Obi-Wan: A murder? Where are you now?
Me: I'm about to head inside. Notify Batman and tell him to meet me in the hotel lobby.
Obi-Wan: Umm, there's no need for that.
Me: No need? Why?
Batman: (From behind) I'm already here.
(I turn around and notice the Dark Knight standing behind me)
Me: How did you even get here so fast?
Batman: I listened in on an emergency call while I was in the vicinity. I got here as soon as I heard the news.
Me: I should've expected much from the Dark Knight. Where do you think the scene is?
Batman: I scanned the building on the way in. The murder scene's located on the penthouse suite.
Me: Got it. Let's get going.
The Jedi of Sugar Rush
Chapter 3: Deflector Shield Demolition, Part 1
In an abandoned building on the planet of Teth, a cloaked figure is contacting her superior via holographic communicator. She is accompanied by several B-2 super droids.
"I have brought Jabba's son to the abandoned monastery. He will be… safe here." She informed her master.
"Good, good. Everything is going as planned." The cloaked male said, satisfied that the Separatists' plan is working.
"Yes, my lord." She said. Once she did, a hologram of another cloaked figure came into view. The cloaked female kneeled in respect.
"Soon, the Jedi will not only be at war with you, Count, but the Hutt clan as well." The New cloaked figure said.
Back in the crystal city, some Clone lookout outposts are confirming that the coast is clear. As Rex finalized the confirmation, Anakin and Ahsoka approached the Clone Captain.
"What's the status, Rex?" Anakin asked.
"Quiet for now, sir. They're gearing up for another assault." Rex informed the Jedi General before noticing the young Padawan. "Who's the youngling?"
"I'm Master Skywalker's Padawan. The name's Ahsoka Tano." Ahsoka introduces herself.
"Sir, I thought you said you'd never have a Padawan." Rex said.
"There's been a mix-up. The youngling isn't with me." Anakin replied.
"Stop calling me that! You're stuck with me, Skyguy." Ahsoka quipped. Hearing the name the youngling gave her master give him made Rex laugh.
"What did you just call me?" Anakin responded. "Don't get snippy with me, little one. You know, I don't even think you're old enough to be a Padawan."
"Well, maybe I'm not, but Master Yoda thinks I am." Ahsoka smirked.
"Well, you're not with Master Yoda now." Anakin replied. "So, if you're ready, you better start proving it. Captain Rex will show you how a little respect can go a long way."
"Uh… right." Captain Rex slightly stammered a bit. "Come on, youngling."
"Padawan." Ahsoka corrected through her teeth as she left with the Clone Captain. Anakin looks towards a nearby building and notices Vanellope and her friends talking with some Clone Troops through the windows.
At the back lines, Ahsoka looked around at the placement of the cannons as well as the troops. She had listened to Rex's lecture about respecting her superiors.
"Have you thought about moving that line back, Captain? They'd have better cover that way." Ahsoka suggested.
"Thanks for the suggestion, but General Skywalker thinks they're fine where they are." Rex replied.
"So... if you're a captain and I'm a Jedi, then, technically, I outrank you, right?" Ahsoka asked.
"In my book, experience outranks everything." Rex answered.
"Well, if experience outranks everything, I guess I better start getting some." Ahsoka replied before noticing something ahead. "What's that?"
Rex looks ahead and sees a red energy shield slowly expanding. "Not good. They've got an energy shield. It's going to make things damn near impossible." Rex said before shifting his focus to Ahsoka. "If you wanted experience, little one, it looks like you're about to get plenty."
As the Separatist army advanced behind the shield, Loathsam's tank stops and he comes out and looks at the progress.
"Hmm..." The Separatist General muttered before he was approached by a small droid. "What is it?" The small droid placed a holographic communicator in-between its antennae as it turned on, revealing a B-1 droid.
"The Clones are pulling back and the lead tanks are now approaching the city center." The battle droid informed the Separatist General.
"Get to those heavy cannons as quickly as you can!" Loathsom barked.
Inside the crystal city, Rex, Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka are devising a strategy. With the energy shield slowly expanding, it's only a matter of time before it reaches the cannons.
"The shield generator is somewhere in this area. They're slowly increasing the diameter and keeping it just ahead of their troops." Obi-Wan deduced.
"Heavy cannons are going to be useless against that." Rex added.
"As they get closer, I suppose we could try to draw them into the buildings. That might level the playing field a bit." Obi-Wan suggested.
"If that shield's going to be such a problem, why don't we just take it out?" Ahsoka asked.
"Easier said than done." Rex replied.
"Well, I, for one… agree with her. Someone has to get to that shield generator and destroy it. That's the key." Anakin said in agreement with Ahsoka's plan.
"Right, then. Maybe you two can tiptoe through the enemy lines and solve this particular problem together." Obi-Wan told them.
"Can do, Master Kenobi." Ahsoka eagerly replied.
"I'll decide what we do." Anakin added.
"If Rex and I can engage them here, you two might have a chance to get through their lines undetected, here." Obi-Wan explained the strategy.
"They won't have much time." Rex replied. "The droids far outnumber us, so our ability to street fight is limited without the use of heavy cannons. They will march forward under the protection of their shield until they are right on top of our cannons, and they'll blow them away."
"We'll figure out a way." Ahsoka said. "Come on, Master, let's go."
"If we survive this, Snips, you and I are going to have a talk." Anakin told her as they left.
"They make... quite a pair, don't they, sir? You think they have a chance?" Rex asked
"They'd better. If they can't turn off that shield generator before it reaches the heavy cannons, there'll be no escape for any of us, especially not for the children Cody and I brought here." Obi-Wan replied with a hint of worry. Should the shield reach the heavy cannons, not only would the Separatists be able to demolish them, but once they find out about the children in the safe house, they'll most likely be kidnapped, just like Jabba's son.
(We reach the penthouse suite, where we find the outline of a body and the entire room a complete mess)
Me: (whistles) I never expected this much damage in a single room. Then again, it is a murder scene.
Batman: Noted. Let's look for any clues.
(We look around the entire room for any clues. So far, no luck until I spot deep scratch marks on the balcony window.)
Me: Batman, over here.
Batman: Hmm, these scratch marks are too deep to be made my human hands.
Me: Yeah, and I doubt a hotel would let animals inside unless they're service animals.
(My Bluetooth goes off)
Me: Archer here.
Fox: (Other end) Archer, we got a problem. Leo and Luna are gone!
Me: What?! I thought I told you to pick them up and take them back to the base!
Fox: We did, but on the way back, another starship came and ambushed us. We tried fighting it off, but it was too strong.
Me: What did the hostile starship look like?
Fox: Falco and I didn't get a good look at it when it flew away, but it looked large and circular.
Me: Notify everyone back at the base. Batman and I are heading back to see if the ship you saw is what I suspect it to be.
Fox: Understood. I'll expect more from you momentarily. McCloud out. (Call ends)
Me: Alright, Batman. Let's head back and investigate the spaceship. You readers may review/fav/follow. Archer out.
