Chapter 14: Regrets

Skylar's POV

I lost Mason, again! They carried him out but it looks like a different party. Master Kenobi looked worried at me. He asked "Skylar, are you alright?" I replied "No Master Kenobi." I was worried for Mason. I fear for his life. Why does he insist on protecting me? I know he really cares and that he hasn't been with me for a while. And he lost everyone... I should've thought about that. "Skylar?" I broke out of my stupor and said "Yes." Master Kenobi looks at me worriedly "Skylar. I sense your emotions for the general." I said "What about them. I care for his life." He continued "Well you know the Jedi code for attachments." I interrupted him "Yes Master. I know... It just that... Mason still cares for me and... Well I don't know how to act."

Master Kenobi said "Yes well. You may know him the past, but he is different now." I frustratingly said "He changed a little bit, but he is still the same." He replied "Like it or not he's changed. He would do anything for the Republic but now he is trying to destroy everything the Republic stands for. He is just manipulating you." I said nothing. I don't know what to say, Mason had changed but it doesn't seem to be a lot. He put a hand on my shoulder and says "Trust in the force."

Then I heard Dooku say "You obviously love him. I can feel it. Turn over to the darkside and you can be with him. Or you can stay on the light, and be alone." I don't know. The Jedi taught me that the Sith only know destruction but if I come over I can be with Mason. But I would change a lot and Mason might not like it. But if I stay with the Jedi, I can never see or be with him again but I must stay with the Republic. It's the only thing I know. Suddenly Anakin starts scoffing at Dooku "Hard to love someone when your filled with hate." That's true.

They were arguing for a long time before the pirates arrive. The lead pirate said "You three come with us." He pointed to us so we got up and left to the cantina. I looked around and I saw Mason. He was asleep. All his separatist battle uniform was gone and replaced with clothes the pirate had. He had a drink in his hand and multiple pirates were sitting beside him sleeping. We were all attached to electric bindings. Me in the middle and Master Kenobi and Anakin flanking me. Hondo was in the middle drinking. He looks slightly upset. Master Kenobi asked "I take it the Republic didn't arrive with the ransom." Hondo replied slightly agitated "Your Republic obviously doesn't want the Sith Lord." I looked surprised "They didn't show?" He said a bit softly "They did. They did show with a huge army that they thought would be enough to get the better of me! HONDO!" I instantly spoke out "Impossible that can't be right."

He looked at me angrily "Are you calling me a liar!" Anakin said "Isn't that what you do?" That instantly infuriated him as he rants "You reject my hospitality, refuse to wait in your cell, and now, you're going to INSULT ME!" Anakin simply said "I'm just saying." Master Kenobi interrupted him urgently "Anakin." He replied "What? He is a pirate." I looked at Hondo and saying he is angry is putting it lightly. While they continued to argue I tried to sense around Mason's feeling. Unfortunately, it seems he is in a slight dream state... wait no. He is actually drugged. Okay, that explains why he is asleep. Hondo instantly brought back our attention by saying "Unlike you, Mason here is being a very good guest!"

I scoffed "If you consider a good guest getting tortured for information and then drugged. Yeah very good guest." He looked at me, then looked at Mason, before going back to be and said "Well, he couldn't handle his alcohol. Now than, it is now time for some fun." Suddenly, he pulled out a device. The same one when I was getting tortured. I did everything to struggle out. Master Kenobi and Anakin saw my reactions and they started trying to convince Hondo not to do anything. Suddenly an electric shock was administered only to Master Kenobi and Anakin. But none on me. I asked Hondo "Stop. Stop it now.!" He replied "I am sorry but no. These two troublemakers have been extremely rude to me. You on the other hand should be thankful."

I asked confused "Thankful. Thankful for what? Just stop the torture now and answer me." Hondo sighed "Fine." He stopped the shocks allowing Master Kenobi and Anakin to breath. I hurriedly said "Master, Anakin, are you alright?" They responded "Yes, yes thank you Skylar." I smiled at them before returning to Hondo "Now answer my question why should I be thankful." He answered "Simple, it was because of your lover that you were spared." At first I was confused. Lover? Wait, he meant Mason! I asked "Wait, Mason did this." He replied "Yes, at first I want to torture all of you Jedi for your troublemaking. But your dedicated lover well... Convinced me otherwise." I don't know what to think. I know that Master Kenobi said that Mason has changed and he wasn't what he used to be. But Mason is still trying to protect me. I still can't help but feel that this has to be some kind of manipulation but Mason feelings and actions proves otherwise. He still truly loves me no matter what. He would do anything for me. But what did he do to save me?

I asked Hondo "What did you two agree upon?" Hondo smirked nefariously before saying "Why it is simple. He has offered to give me money and protection in exchange for you." I spluttered out "W-what?!"

Obi-wan's POV

"W-what?!" That was Skylar's only response to Hondo as he claims that general Rommel would protect and pay Hondo in exchange for him to spare Skylar of the torture. I just don't understand. Why would a traitor care so deeply for a Jedi? It doesn't make sense. Why would the general do everything in his power to protect Skylar. I am convinced that this is some kind of manipulation but the extent he is doing it is very long term. His method is a slow methodical pull that can span for years. However, it just takes to long. There is no guarantee that this method would work. Also when he had Skylar's life in his hands, he chose to stun her instead of kill her.

Okay, okay... Let me get things together. Point one: Mason Rommel joined the Coruscant Volunteers to help the fight in Kharthakk.(from Master Adi Gallia) Point two: He distinguished himself in Kharthakk.(from Master Adi Gallia) Point three: Some where along the way, he gets put into Kessel's spice mine prison.(from General Mason Rommel) Point four: Escapes somehow with all other inmates perished.(from Library) Point five: Responsible for invading Ryloth at extraordinary speed. Point six: Captured on Rodia by senator Amidala but escapes.(from Anakin) Point seven: Refuses to torture or kill Knight Skylar Noble.(from own observations)

Okay just what does this mean. Is he a soldier? A criminal? Did he betray the Republic or is someone just controlling him? I was brought back to reality as I felt my body seize up. I screamed a bloodcurdling scream of pain. After what felt like hours though I'm pretty sure it was 5 minutes, the shocking stops. That and the entire power is out. Hondo was pressing his torture device while irritatingly said "Hey who turned off the power? I was having fun." Seeing our chance we immediately went to Hondo and retook our lightsabers from him. Anakin put his lightsaber near his neck, I had mine out as well as Skylar.

She asked me " Should I go get Mason master?" I looked at the sleeping general, but the only problem is the amount of pirates guarding him. "No. There is too many of them." She looked at me disappointed before relenting. Hondo then asked us "What chance do you really have, Jedi? Now let me go, and I might let you live." Once we walked outside, we were met with an entourage of tanks, main guns aimed at us. Hondo then said "Looks like your forces were destroyed, Jedi."

Suddenly, Jar Jar popped out from the tank. He instantly said "Ani! Obi! Mesa have arrived with the spicen. I smiled "Excellent, Jar Jar, assuming the pirates still have count Dooku to trade." After I said that, I saw a ship flying out of the atmosphere. Anakin ended up saying "Well, that answers that question."

Hondo's POV

As I saw my hostage fly away, I cried on the inside. I lost all my good hostages and now I am trapped. Skywalker said "Well Master, at least we still have Mason." Mason... Yes. I can't sell him! He is the only force that can prevent the destruction of my home. I instantly said "No! No! Absolutely not! He is not for sale!"

Kenobi approached me and said "Let's make a deal. Give us Mason, and you'll have all the spice here." I replied back "No." Skylar looked confused and said "This is a good deal. Very generous. Why don't you take it." I answered "I made a deal. And I don't break it for anything. It is only honorable." Skywalker retorted "If we don't make a deal, I'm pretty sure the chancellor would launch an invasion against you." I laughed at him. How stupid could he be. "Then my new friend Mason would protect me."

Kenobi scratched his beard and said "You do know the Separatist never keep their word. Mason will turn his back on you." I snorted. I know the type of people Mason is. He will always keep his promises, no matter what. He could be late, but he will meet his end of the deal. To think the Jedi are this ignorant in that man astonishes me. I then heard Skylar say quietly "Actually master, Mason always kept his promises to me when we were younger." He looked at her sadly "We have no guarantee he is the same as you say he was." Suddenly, everyone heard a blaster bolt, and out approaches Mason with one of my blasters. He looked at the Jedi angrily "New deal. You leave Florrum without the spice and there will be no firefight." I smiled. I knew Mason would save me! Though he is a little late.

Skywalker said "You are in no position to bargain. You have no means of escape, communications, or troops. You're beaten General, just give up." Well, Skywalker made a fairly good point. How are you going to escape this one general? What surprised me was his laughter. "You honestly think you have all the cards, do you? My support is on the way." Skylar questioned him "Support? How? The power is out." He pulls out a small device from his person and... wait, that's mine. How did he? I checked my pockets to where my communicator is and found it empty.

How did he know I had a communicator on me during emergencies? That device can only last a few minutes but it can make long range communications because it is directly linked to the holonet. If Mason made communications from the device, then help is on the way. Skywalker said "From that device. There is no way you could of sent a signal from that." He raised his eyebrows and responded "Try me." Suddenly, I saw a Separatist ship entering my atmosphere with multiple droid fighters patrolling the sky. Four of them landed on my compound pointed at the Jedi and their ship.

Obi-wan's POV

Once I saw that Separatist ship approach the compound, I started getting a bad feeling in my gut. General Rommel actually managed to contact a separatist ship during capture and turned the tables on us. I now have to come up with a plan to escape from a separatist ship now with the Senator Binks, three clones, Anakin, Skylar, and possibly the pirates. A shuttle landed with a cadre of B1 battle droids. The battle droids surrounded us on all sides while one of the droids reported "Roger reporting for duty sir."

The general momentarily shivered before saying "Roger, I'm changing your name to Pike." The droid said "Why?" He answered "Because skinny exoskeleton and pointed head resembles the weapon." The droid retorted "But sir that doesn't make any sense." They kept arguing about the droid's name. Apparently, the general hates the droid Roger, Roger responses. The General stopped the droid and turned his attention to us. "Anyways. My offer still stands, so what is it going to be?" I looked around and there was absolutely nothing in my favour. He has all the cards. I relented and said "I accept your offer. Anakin, release him."

My padawan looked at me in shock "But master, we can't just give in to his demands!" I replied "Anakin! The General has more troops, he can easily capture all of us, and a senator is here! We have no choice."

Skylar's POV

As Master Kenobi and Anakin argued I just looked at Mason. His face was cold, unforgiving, unmerciful. But his eyes show pain, anger, and self pity. I tried to approach him but the droids noticed and aimed their blasters on me. I raised my hands to show I mean no harm. Mason now looks at me. He still has his cold look but he loosen up a bit. I lowered my hands and said "Mason. I want to... Thank you." He looked at me confused "Thank me? For what?" I continued "You could of captured us. You could've used all of us as a bargaining tool against the Republic or tortured all of us for information, but you refused, thus I am thankful." He looks at me "I think there is a but somewhere." I nodded my head in confirmation "But you still serve the Separatist. They butchered entire planets under their tyrannical rule. You aren't like them. You're kind, caring, loving, and you fight against people like them. But now you are fighting for the same people you hate." I lowered my head away from him.

He cupped my face with his hands "I know. But it's the only way." I raised my head and said harshly "Only way for what!? The way you're going, it's going to cause your..." No! No! No! No! There is no possible way he could be thinking. I finished my sentence "Death. You want to die. But why?" He shook his head no. "No. Not to die. I have some unfinished business with the Republic." I stood still "Then I have to stop you. I can not allow you to spread Separatist tyranny throughout the galaxy." He sighed "I know... I know. He put his hands on my shoulder but I shook them loose. He continued "Skylar, listen. All I want from you is to live. I just want you to survive this war." I shook my head "Mason. It doesn't have to be this way. You could defect back to the Republic. Your home... Our home. You don't have to be fighting to get back home anymore. You could come with me and you could just rest. The rest you obviously deserve. Just let me help you and you can be free of pain, sadness, pity, and fighting."

He rubbed his scarred back before replying "Where I could be hunted down again and become a slave. No! Never again. Skylar, you must understand that my enemies are in the Republic. If they find out I came back, then they could find you and... I won't forgive myself if you get involved and I lose you like... Like my boys in Vorkuta. I can never go back unless I fight for it. I'm sorry but I must fight. If necessary for years." He then whispered "If necessary... alone." He instantly saluted "We shall meet again Knight Noble. I hope we don't meet on the battlefield but I feel that it would be inevitable." With that, I slowly walked back to the Twilight where everyone was preparing to leave. I stood behind Master Kenobi and Anakin, arms resting on the chair. Anakin asked me "What was that about?" I responded in silence before finally saying "I failed to convince Mason to come back home Master." Master Kenobi looked at me sadly and said "I am sorry Skylar, but the Mason you know has changed. And not for the better." I lowered my head in shame "You are right master. Mason has changed severely and it made him a mess."

Mason. I promise you that I will bring you home and you will get the justice you deserve. The rest you deserve. Just let me help you. Please.