-Chapter 24: Cargo of Doom-
Location: Devaron System, 7:24:3632 ATC
"Overconfidence is the most dangerous form of recklessness."
Of all the things he could foresee, this was not one of them.
His green blade twirling back and forth as he deflected incoming blaster fire, Bolla Ropal was not expecting this attack by the droid army. From a militaristic point of view, it was understandable. He was leading a Republic operation to construct a base of operation on Devaron, in exchange for some goodwill acts that would be of benefit to the local population. But in all of his future-focused endeavours, Bolla had not considered the possibility that the Separatists would attack in the middle of their construction efforts.
But the Force was proving more than insightful today. Something about this attack was off. Perhaps he had not foreseen this assault because it was not about the Republic's work on Devaron… but what?
He stood atop the dam he and his men, the hearty troopers of the 612th Attack Battalion, had constructed to allow a valley to flourish. Bolla had deemed this valley crucial to the future of the Devaronians and had included it as a part of his goodwill initiatives. Down below, his apprentice, Tyzen Xebec, and his very own Clone Commander CC-4572, called "Ganch", were busy battling yet another droid force in the dried up riverbed. It was a battle on two fronts and all Ropal could think was to keep his Padawan safe.
The question of his own safety, however, was up for debate.
The Rodian glanced left and right. B1 and B2 droids were closing in on either side. His men were caught in the middle, a flanking move. He focused on the droids, stretching out a hand and using the Force to splinter a B1 into pieces, sending its remains clattering across the ground. Flicking his blade, he deftly deflected incoming laser bolts, taking down two more droids in the process.
"Hey, Jedi!" Bolla whirled around at the gravelly voice calling out to him. Marching closer with a company of B2 battle droids behind him, a Duros in a trenchcoat and a wide-brimmed hat led them on. Large crimson eyes poked out from beneath the brim of his hat, his body bristled with tech and weaponry, and a long-barreled blaster rifle was aimed right at him. "Head's up!" The Duros shouted, pulling the trigger.
"What?" With a gasp, Bolla made to deflect the deafening round that erupted from the rifle. A sparking shower of projectiles collided with his lightsaber, prompting it to short out as the Rodian Jedi reeled from the blow. "No!"
"Cortosis shot. Shorts out 'sabers. Pricey. And hell on barrels, I'm afraid." The Duros remarked, holding up his weapon which, had subsequently, been blown to smithereens. "A bit clumsy, a bit random. But it gets the job done." Casting his useless weapon aside, the two stared each other down. Bolla glanced at his own short-circuiting weapon, realizing it's uselessness. "Not much of a fighter, are you Master Ropal?" The Duros questioned.
"The Force has many aspects and strengths, bounty hunter." The Rodian replied after a moment, letting his saber hilt fall from his hand.
"Oh, I know all about your strengths, Ropal. You're a scholar. A seer." The Duros mused, withdrawing an object from within his trench coat. "Someone who knows how to open this." The Jedi's eyes grew wide in recognition of the holocron in his possession. The answer suddenly became very clear to him, his foggiest lifting as the horrible and ghastly truth behind this incursion was revealed to him. The crystal hidden in his belt pulsed, seemingly aware of the designated holocron now in close proximity. He could not let them unite.
"Never!" He vowed, summoning the Force to shroud his hands. He would defeat this bounty hunter and reclaim the holocron, return it to Coruscant and then get as far away from it as possible. How a Duros had claimed such a significant artifact was beyond him now. He did not need to know the past, only the future path forward.
"We'll see how long 'never' lasts." The Duros scoffed. "Soldier! Take 'im down!"
Bolla turned at the sound of heavy metal footsteps and voluminous blasterfire, watching in shock as a figure waded through his troops' defensive line. Powerful battle pistols gunned down his Clones on either side and soon Wraith was looming over the Rodian Jedi. He wasted no time, wide strides closing the gap between them as Ropal acted. The Force levitated bits of broken battle droid into the air, unleashed at high velocity as a hailstorm of metal shrapnel rained down upon the super-soldier. Wraith reacted with equal swiftness, guarding himself and suddenly thankful for the coattails of his duster. He felt each thudding impact against his legs, but no damage was done as the thick material around them absorbed the force of the blows.
Bolla made to assault him again, and Wraith bolted when he spied an opening. He closed in on the Rodian and lashed out with a roundhouse kick that clubbed him across the face. He spun, a hook kick slamming into the same side, then another roundhouse drove the toe of his boot into the Jedi's ribs which cracked on impact. Wraith followed up with another hook kick that dizzied Ropal and then spun around to execute one last hook with his left leg. The impact spun Bolla around, his back exposed as Wraith steadied himself and slid back a panel on his left gauntlet.
Another of Sipio's upgrades (and part of his new anti-Jedi arsenal), two large barrels were revealed beneath the armor shell. Twitching his index finger, a single canister exploded out of one and blew open in midair, unleashing a cloud of microfilament needles. Each one was tipped with a neurotoxin that, once imbedded in the flesh, targeted the pain receptors of his enemy. The result were waves of agonizing pain all across the body. Not enough to kill but certainly enough to cripple.
Bolla Ropal cried out in bitter agony as pain surged through him, the near entirety of the back of his body inflamed with a searing pain that not even the Force could quickly numb. He collapsed, struggling to stay alert and cognitive, but his downfall was set in stone. Wraith drew one of his pistols again and adjusted the energy output with a flick of a switch. He took aim and fired, a stun round striking the defeated Ropal and knocking him unconscious.
Mission complete. The Jedi was subdued and in their possession.
He holstered his weapon and knelt by the body, exploring his belt for their prize. "You didn't kill him, did you?" The Duros questioned.
"No." Wraith rumbled shortly, hosting Ropal's unconscious body over his shoulder. "Here." Tossing a glowing object over, the Duros snatched it out of the air and held the kyber memory crystal aloft. He smiled.
All according to plan.
"Command ship to Bane. Republic reinforcements are dropping out of hyperspace; a task force led by a cruiser designated Resolute." A droid suddenly reported over comms. Cad Bane grumbled.
"That cuts our schedule short. Cato must've spilled her guts… I'll have to return that favor." He muttered. Looking to Wraith, he flicked his head towards the Sheathipede shuttle they'd arrived in. "Load him onto the shuttle. We're done here." Turning on heel, Cad led the way back, with droids, Wraith, and Bolla Ropal in tow…
Elsewhere…
Anakin Skywalker would not be stopped.
Loading up his personal cruiser, Resolute, with as much men and equipment as he could in what little turnaround time they had, he had raced to the Devaron System in hot pursuit of Master Bolla Ropal and the bounty hunter that was tracking him. Given the approximate location given by the Jedi Council, the planet of Devaron was Anakin's primary destination.
Sure enough, a small fleet of six Separatist cruisers were in orbit around Devaron. Not only did this confirm his suspicions, but was also proof that the Separatists were behind the Temple heist and were the ones after the kyber memory crystal, hiring a bounty hunter to collect for them.
On orders from Anakin, Resolute engaged the enemy ships. Heedless of the danger that came with being outnumbered, the Venator stormed the Munificents with a hail of turbolaser fire, matching the Knight's ironclad determination. Shredding Separatist vessels left and right, their enemies burned and broke before them, the Resolute proving to be distinctly unstoppable as it sliced through the enemy forces like a hot knife through butter.
As he raced to what he hoped would be a speedy rescue, Anakin's thoughts were subverted by sudden news from Admiral Yularen. "General, we're receiving an urgent transmission from the surface." He quickly moved to the communications array, where a single holocom from a trooper on the ground flickered erratically before him. Blasterfire echoed in the background, the trooper himself firing at enemies unseen. Clearly the droids had made landfall.
"General Skywalker! Our base has been overrun!" The Clone cried out between shots. "There's no possibility of evacuation-ARGH!" An explosion cut him off, smoke and sparks rushing past the image as the trooper shielded himself, flinching reflexively. "They've taken General Ropal and the holocron memory crystal-NGH!" A battle droid charged in, grappling with the trooper before the Clone managed to shove him off and shoot it point-blank in the chest.
"Do you know where they've taken him?" Anakin asked, hoping he was heard over the din.
"Sorry, sir… we tried to stop them, but they left the outpost-" The Clone managed to respond before other droids pounced on him, clawing at his head and blaster. "YEAGH!" His dying shriek filled the small space before his head violently twisted and the communication cut out.
"Wait a sec, there's too much interference…" The comms officer quickly attempted to raise the base again, negative pings coming from the transponder systems. "Blast…" He sighed, turning around. "Transmitter's been destroyed at the source, sir." Anakin grimaced.
They've been here long enough to launch a full-scale assault. I'm too late.
"We have to find out what ship Master Ropal is on." He ordered the crew.
Meanwhile…
In the bowels of one of the Separatist cruisers, Wraith hauled the defeated form of Bolla Ropal through the detention block to a specially designated cell. They had taken great pains to prepare for the incarceration of a Jedi and the cell was rigged up with countless inhibitor-fields, dampeners, and other containment measures to deprive a Jedi of their connection to the Force.
Wraith entered as the door opened automatically for him revealing within a small crew of B1 battle droids and an IG-1000 overseer, armed with an electrostaff. The super-soldier hoisted Ropal into the waiting containment field, the Rodian's limbs snapping out into a bound position as electrostatic cuffs kept his arms and legs in place while his body was suspended in the air. The IG-1000 advanced, priming its electrostaff before jamming it into Ropal's torso. The sudden surge of electrical energy violently jolted the Jedi awake, sputtering and jittering as high-voltage energy coursed through him. The IG retreated and the resident B1 officer approached, gripping the Rodian's snout in a firm metallic grip. Wraith watched as Bolla winced. The droids not knowing just how pliant and sensitive organic flesh was.
"You will remain conscious, Master Jedi. The bounty hunter has some questions for you." The B1 stated. It then turned to the crew. "Attach mind-limiters, pain-pulsers, and a full dose of XC-Three-Three." It ordered. Such devices were necessary for combination torture/interrogation sessions. Many organics often required some 'incentive' to spill their secrets, Jedi chief among them. Most Jedi had an indomitable wills and sharply-trained minds that could withstand both persuasion and coercion.
Wraith had learned long ago that just because something was considered 'indomitable' it did not mean it could not be dominated.
He adjusted his optical HUD suite, allowing new biometric scanners to sweep over Bolla Ropal and create a readout of the Jedi's current health and wellness. His mind wandered as information was gathered and he reflected on what had brought him to this moment…
Dooku had told him a long time ago that there was someone else involved in Separatist leadership. Dooku was indeed the face of the movement, but even he had a master who dictated orders and directions. The Count had been incredibly serious when he spoke to him about the subject. "If he ever asks you to do something, you had better do it." He'd said.
At the time, he had not understood his insistence or the gravity of his words. Now he did.
He had not been expecting the call from Darth Sidious. The sudden appearance of the mysterious hooded figure on his commlink had send a chill up his spine. He gave the man every ounce of respect and reverance he was due but the super-soldier could not deny the unease he felt in the back of his mind. Something about Darth Sidious just threw him for a loop. An uncomfortable one. He breathed a sigh of relief when the call had ended, but the dread returned when he realized he had a mission to accomplish.
And now he was here, working under the leadership of a bounty hunter, and not exactly of his own volition. Normally the tasks within his purview were acceptable. A job was a job, to be completed however possible. But this one required an extra dose of dedication. Sidious was a man, Wraith suspected, he did not want to disappoint.
Meanwhile, on the bridge, Cad Bane sat in the commander's chair as he observed the battle statistics pouring in from across the cruiser. He had been given command of this fleet on order from his benefactor, Darth Sidious. It was an odd feeling for the bounty hunter, being in charge of so many military assets as part of a heist job.
Something I can add to the 'been there done that' list. Not necessarily looking for more of this. I don't like being tied down to so many subordinates.
"Uh, sir? The Republic ship has destroyed our escorts and is blocking our escape." One of the bridge crew droids reported from its station. Cad leaned back in his chair and studied the approaching cruiser, turrets blazing, intently.
"Hmm… the Resolute, you say? Whoever is commanding that cruiser is a bold one." He muttered, pondering his own moves. "Move us out of the battle zone and prepare to jump to hyperspace… I have a small favour to ask our Jedi guest." He ordered after a moment.
Aboard Resolute…
The last of the Munificents fell away in a burning wreck, paving a very clear path for Anakin to advance. Devaron was just about in the clear, and he had every intention of-
"General! A Separatist command ship is fleeing the battle." Yularen suddenly reported from the navcon. Anakin hurried over, Ahsoka in tow, and together they watched as a single surviving Munificent broke off from the battle.
"You think they have Master Ropal on board as a prisoner?" Ahsoka asked.
"I'm sure of it." Anakin answered concretely. "Admiral, intercept them before they can jump to hyperspace. I'll ready the troops for boarding." He ordered. Yularen did a double-take.
"Boarding?" He repeated, bewildered. "We have no boarding craft. We were to land on the planet, not to board another ship! You can't be serious." He exclaimed.
"I am, Admiral. Thank you for your opinion." Anakin retorted with a huff. "Now target their hyperdrive, we don't want them getting away!" Ever the military man, Yularen set aside his incredulity and passed orders down. Not without a fair amount of internal disgruntlement, however.
The Resolute chased after the Munificent cruiser, closing to firing distance quite quickly as the gunners targeted the aft section. Multiple cannon rounds slammed into the Munificent's engine-array in quick succession, turbolaser rounds chewing through armorless plating and shredding several of the engines, reducing them to smoldering husks of burnt metal.
Tromping through the detention block of his cruiser, Cad Bane was seemingly ignorant of the battle droid crying out for him from behind. Only a sudden shudder and the dull thud of a distant explosion brought him pause, just long enough for the droid to catch up on ungainly legs. "Sir! Captain! Sir! They've hit our power converters so we can't go into hyperspace!" Bane's eyes narrowed.
"I wonder what the Jedi are planning…" He asked himself. "Initiate repairs, keep me posted." He ordered the droid before stepping aside and entering a cell. Within, Bolla Ropal and his interrogators were waiting. Bane looked to Wraith who stood off to one side, arms crossed. "Is he awake?" Wraith merely nodded. "Good." Reaching into his trench coat, Cad withdrew the holocron he'd stolen from the Temple vault. With hazy eyes, the bound Ropal looked down upon it as well as the bounty hunter holding it. "Now, Jedi, you're going to do me one little favor and then we're square." Bane stated.
"I… will do nothing… for you…" Bolla rasped. The Duros scoffed.
"Figured you'd say that." He nodded to a droid off to the side, manning a control panel. Adjusting a few dials, electric shocks coursed through the Rodian Jedi, causing him to seize up and jolt spastically against his bonds. The devices attached to him as well as the compounds injected into his bloodstream ensured his agony was fivefold the normal amount of pain he would have experienced. As such, Bolla was merciful when the shocking ceased. He sagged against his bonds as Bane drew closer, holding the holocron tantalizingly close as Ropal sucked in ragged shallow breaths. "Now… let's try this again…"
Clone troopers were busy with assault preparations by the time Anakin and Ahsoka arrived. Captain Rex was already waiting for them, alongside troopers Denal, Coric and Oz. "I've rounded up three companies, sir." The Captain reported. "Where are we going?"
"We're going to board a Separatist frigate, rescue Master Ropal and recover an archive holocron." Anakin stated in a matter-of-fact tone as if that was exactly how today would go. With his helmet on, the blank expression it provided masked Rex's confusion.
"We… have no assault craft, sir. Only fighters and the Twilight." He slowly replied. Anakin quirked a brow, shooting a questioning look at Rex as if his hesitation was up for review. "Um… waiting for orders, sir." The Captain quickly said, stiffening his posture.
"And the plan is?" Ahsoka wondered and Anakin show her the same look. "Just curious!" She quickly excused. Anakin rolled his eyes.
Doubts doubts doubts. Why does no one think we can do this? He started looking around the hangar. So much tech and equipment lying around. Surely there was something they could use. Ahsoka's right, how ARE we going to do this…? Transport from hangar to hangar wasn't an option, the enemy would be sealed up tight to ferry off Master Ropal. That left an external assault. If only we could blow open a hole…
Suddenly, he spied three vehicles at the far end of the hangar. A grin arose as he recalled the technical manuals he'd taken so much time to read and memorize during his downtime as a Padawan, driven by a fascination with their inner-workings. That knowledge sprung up anew and a plan quickly formed in his mind.
"I came down to see if I could be of any help, General Skywalker." Yularen said, announcing his presence as he joined the group.
"Actually, you can." Anakin answered, still grinning. "Activate those walkers, Admiral." He tasked, pointing at the three AT-TE units he'd found. Yularen deadpanned.
"You are not thinking of using those to transport the Clones to that frigate."
"Well… they are pressurized…" Ahsoka realized, slowly recognizing the potential as well as her Master's plan.
"And they're equipped with magnetic feet… hmm, good call." Rex agreed as he caught on.
"Master, you're a genius." Ahsoka remarked. Anakin appreciated the praise.
"Those walkers are designed for terrain, not space!" Yularen spluttered. Anakin ignored him.
"Rex, load 'em up." He ordered. "Let's go, Snips!" The two Jedi bolted for the walkers as Rex turned around to face the companies awaiting orders.
"Execute Battalion take AT-TE three-hundred! Carnivore Battalion, walker seven-seven-three! Let's go!" He barked and men scrambled to obey. It was a flurry of activity that rushed past that grimacing Yularen who could only turn to the hangar control centre to aid Anakin in carrying out his, in Yularen's opinion, insane strategy.
"Blasted crazy Jedi…" He muttered, grumbling under his breath.
The droid controlling the shock generator adjusted the output dial yet again, delivering another painful shock that ripped through Bolla Ropal's body. Countless had been wrought upon his tiring form by now and no matter how bad the torture or how sweet the coercion, the Rodian Jedi refused to give in to Cad Bane.
Wraith stood by, watching passively. His biometric scanner keeping an active readout of Ropal's brain activity and heartrate. With every jolt, the Rodian's heartrate spiked, pulsing rapidly for the duration of the shock. But his brainwaves remained dangerously low. Wraith began to worry that Bane was pushing the torture too hard. There was every possibility that Bolla Ropal would not last much longer.
"Simply open this little box of yours so I can get the information from this crystal and your suffering will come to an end." Bane proffered as the voltage ceased and Ropal hung forward against his bonds. A few moments of labored breathing followed, the Rodian struggling to stay coherent amidst the pain.
"You will… never get me… to unlock the holocron…" He gradually replied between panting gasps.
"Unfortunately I don't have time to discuss this with you." Bane snarled. "Hit him again! Full power!" He ordered the droid. It complied immediately, dialing up the voltage yet again as the barely-recovered Ropal screeched and rasped as his body went rigid, twitching spasmatically. His biometric readings began to spike drastically to a point where Wraith grew extremely concerned. If Bane wanted Ropal to aid them, this needed to stop.
"That's enough." He rumbled, stepping forward. "He won't last much longer."
"Are you a medical droid?" Bane snapped without looking. Wraith paused, stopping mid-stride as Bane's overly-emotional response took him by surprise. The bounty hunter interpreted silence as an answer. "Then step back and shut up." Beneath his helmet Wraith frowned. "More power!" Bane ordered the droid. The voltage was cranked up to maximum. Bolla's body nearly went stiff from the amount of electricity coursing through him.
"You're going to kill him." Wraith growled. But Bane did not listen.
All of a sudden, the Rodian's body went limp. Wraith's biometrics registered a flatline and the super-soldier huffed in irritation. Bane had killed Bolla Ropal.
"We've lost all his vital signs." The droid manning the console confirmed as much.
"Check." Bane ordered. The IG unit stepped forward and delivered a shock with his electrostaff. Bolla did not react.
"He is no longer functioning." The droid stated.
"Drop him." The B1 one did as told and Bolla's body fell as the containment field was lowered, slamming to the floor without a single motion from the Rodian. Bane nudged his body with a boot. Sure enough, Bolla Ropal was dead.
"You're an idiot." Wraith growled. Bane slowly turned around.
"What did you say?" He asked in a dangerous tone. Unfazed, Wraith advanced, looming over Bane.
"You're an idiot and a fool. I told you he was going to die and you didn't listen." He repeated. The words came out like a hiss from beneath his helmet, the synthesizers struggling to cope with the irritation in his voice. "He would've cooperated, given time."
"In case you haven't felt the ship getting blown apart piece by piece, we don't have time." Bane retorted.
"Then it is your impatience that has cost us." Wraith surmised derisively. Bane grumbled, adjusting the brim of his hat.
"I liked you better when you didn't talk." He huffed. "We'll have to find another Jedi to open this holocron. Next time, I'll try a different method." He decided, making to leave. "Come. We've got a cruiser to deal with yet."
Resolute moved into position over the crippled Munificent, hovering in place as its ventral docking bay slid open. One by one the three AT-TE's manned by Anakin's boarding party were dropped onto the hull of the cruiser, magnetic footpads clamping tightly to the metallic hull as their mass driver cannons opened fire on the cruiser's dorsal turbolaser batteries and the small detachment of battle droids working on the hall. A full firefight soon erupted across the cruiser, the droids fighting back as Vulture starfighters arrived on the scene, converting to biped mode and offering their repeater cannons as a form of heavy infantry unit.
Anakin knew they had to be taken down. Too much sustained fire would be detrimental for the walkers. Together, he and Ahsoka summoned the Force to propell themselves forward, crossing the distance between them and the Vultures with a single leap.
So happy the Force works in a vacuum. Can move just as fast and just as fluidly as I can in atmosphere.
Master and Apprentice were clad in Jedi Order-issued EVA suits. Anakin's was somewhat bulky, tailored to match the color of his robes and fit over them to boot. Ahsoka's was much more form-fitting and all-encompassing, designed to allow her to remain agile and flexible while keeping her safe. As such, both could still move and fight like Jedi, as proven when they cut away the legs of the Vultures with effortless ease. Anakin moved in front, twirling his saber around to deflect incoming shots while Ahsoka destroyed the final Vulture by cleaving it in two.
With their helmets pressurized and sealed, the Clones poured out of the walkers to attack the droids as Captain Rex led the charge.
"Nax! Del! Flank them around the right side, use the antenna as a vantage point! Zeer! Attie! Take Fives and Echo and see if you can skirt their left flank, destroy their cover if you can! Coric, Koho, Denal, you're with me! Let's go get these rust-buckets!" He barked, opening fire with his twin pistols as the droids retaliated in force. Anakin and Ahsoka led the way but the Clones were not about to count themselves out yet. They charged valiantly behind their Commander and General, pushing up hard as crimson bolts streaked past them. Chatter filled Rex's helmet from all sides, received every feed from each trooper as they advanced.
"Droid popper going out!"
"I'm hit! I'm down!"
"Detonator lightin' 'em up!"
"Watch that sniper!"
"Get to that Vulture wreck! We'll use it for cover!"
Like a well-oiled machine, the Clones moved as one. A wave of blue and white crashing into the droids defenders and across the hull of the ship as they put their enemy through a scrap-grinder of pure manpower. Anakin and Ahsoka reached their rendezvous point first; a hatch that would allow them access to the frigate's interior. "Artoo! Pop the lock!" Anakin ordered. Flying in via his leg-mounted thrusters, the astromech warbled an affirmation before landing before the access panel. His probic arm emerged from his chassis, fitting into the socket and quickly found the activation code as easily as picking the lock. Once the hatch was open, the Jedi slipped in as the Clones decimated the last of the droids, not far behind…
Aboard the bridge of the Munificent, Cad Bane and Wraith observed the progress of the Republic via the bridge monitors. The vessel trembled with each impact from the mass driver cannons that were employed and Bane was doing his best to coordinate some resistance to their boarding efforts. His work, however, was being hampered by a communication from Nute Gunray, leader of the Trade Federation. "When Darth Sidious asked me to loan you the federation fleet, he didn't say you were going to war!" The Neimodian babbled. "Bane! You have already lost four of my ships! I hope you can pay for all of them!" He churlishly exclaimed. Bane casually tossed the holocron up and down in his hand,
"One authentic Jedi holocron and the memory crystal I was after." He said, showing them off. "When my benefactor gets this, he will compensate you for your puny fleet." He promised. The bridge shook again, causing Bane to stumble as other droids jolted suddenly. Wraith remained unmoved. "Sounds like the Jedi want it back…" The Duros mused, glancing at the monitor. A B1 approached him.
"Sir, the Jedi are overwhelming our vulture droids! Should we send reinforcements?" It asked.
"No." Bane decided after a moment.
"What are you doing?" Nute demanded.
"Did you say 'no'?" The droid repeated. Bane merely growled, tired of being questioned. "Uh… roger roger…" The droid meekly replied as it returned to its post.
"The Jedi will board this ship and get the holocron back! Transmit the information and close the deal immediately!" Nute pressed.
"I can't, only a Jedi can access the device." Bane replied. Then he caught a glimpse of Anakin and Ahsoka destroying the Vulture squadron, lightsabers flashing colourfully about. "Fortunately there are two Jedi on their way to help me. One more than we need for our purposes." He added.
"You'd better live through this. I want my money Bane!" Nute exclaimed.
"You can count on it." Bane promised, flicking off the holocall. Behind him, Wraith watched stiffly as the Republic made gains across the hull of the cruiser.
"They're using… walkers." He murmured, surprised by their tactic of choice. That's not a standard boarding procedure at all. Leave it to Skywalker to devise something as unorthodox as that. Shame we can't use AAT's the same way.
"Yeah. Fortunately those things can't fit in here." Bane remarked, turning to him. "I need you to move to the lower gun deck, set up a 'welcoming committee' for when the Jedi arrive." He ordered.
"You plan to lure them into a trap." Wraith surmised. Bane smirked.
"Yeah. Something like that." Wraith moved to obey without a word, leaving the bridge as Bane started giving orders. "Wipe all the frigate's memory banks and destroy every record of our mission. Initiate the self-destruct sequence." He snapped to the droids at the helm. "You! Transfer all ship functions to my wrist-con. I want control of doors, gravity generators, everything!" He ordered the resident droid commander.
"Roger roger." It stated in simple reply, moving to do exactly as told.
"The rest of you stay here and defend the bridge." Cad tasked as he moved over to one of the ventilation hatches built into the multi-tiered bridge arrangement. Popping the lid, he slid down the shaft as the cover flipped back into place leaving no trace of his presence. The droids were left alone to let his final command sink in.
"We're defending the bridge alone?" One realized in dismay.
"Against the Jedi?" Another added. "I hate this job…"
"We have navigator programming not combat programming! What was he thinking?" A third exclaimed.
Their bemoaning was cut short by a rush of smoke and a loud BANG from the bridge access door. Breaching charges had dealt with the security measures and the door flew open as Republic forces rushed in. The droids were dispatched in short order, Anakin and Ahsoka cutting through those nearest to the door while Captain Rex and his men destroyed the rest with quick and precise blasts.
"Artoo, see if you can find Master Ropal." Anakin ordered as his astromech plugged into the central command terminal. A few moments of bypassing security and accessing whatever files were left on the terminal resulted in a hologram recording, which Artoo downloaded and then replayed via his built-in transmitter. Cad Bane's image appeared before the Jedi, taken form his conversation with Nute Gunray.
"…One authentic Jedi holocron and the memory crystal I was after…"
"Oh no! He has both pieces now!" Ahsoka cried in dismay.
"Rex, send a squad to the lower decks. Lock down the hangar bay and destroy all the escape pods. No one gets off this ship." Anakin swiftly ordered.
"Yes sir!" Rex broke off to obey.
"Artooie! You have to find Master Ropal, and hurry!" Ahsoka insisted and the astromech tootled in understanding. Before he could dig much further, the entire ship shuddered quite violently and the lights in the bridge flickered.
"What was that…?" Rex wondered aloud. As if to answer, Anakin's commlink chirped.
"General Skywalker! One of the engines on that frigate has exploded! I caution you to avoid the aft section." Admiral Yularen alerted him.
"How much damage is there?" Anakin asked.
"Enough that I would suggest immediate evacuation." Anakin shook his head.
"Not until we get what we came for."
Elsewhere…
Cad Bane reunited with Wraith on the frigate's gunnery deck where a company of mixed B1 and B2 battle droids were armed and ready for the arrival of the Jedi. The super-soldier was busy priming his weapons suite when the bounty hunter arrived. "Has the hall been secured?"
"I rigged multiple tripwires and pressure plates." Wraith responded as he holstered his fully-loaded slugthrowers.
"Good. That should thin out their Clones." Bane surmised, surveying the area and a planning his own tactics. Wraith rose and strode over to him.
"What do you plan to gain by luring them down here?"
"We need the cooperation of a Jedi to open this holocron, do we not?" Bane replied. "There's two of them, that offers many ways to force their hand." Pondering his suggestion, Wraith called upon his previous encounters with Anakin and Ahsoka. The way they worked in battle always resulted in a mental exercise when it came to figuring them out. They were tricky and not to be underestimated. The super-soldier had no doubt that strength of mind and will was present in them both.
"That won't be easy." He said at length.
"That's why you're going to help me. Our 'mutual acquaintance' stated your battlefield proficiency would be useful against the Jedi." Bane continued. "I've got a plan in mind, all I need is a little helping hand from you. Just do as I say and we'll pull this off slicker than a Rodian schutta's lips." Wraith frowned, not wanting to explore how he came to know such a statement. He also didn't like how the Duros kept his schemes so close to his chest instead of explaining it to him. Wraith hated being kept in the dark when it came to strategy and decided, if that's how bounty hunters operated, he didn't like working with bounty hunters either.
Just one thing after another today…
Bane turned back to the droids. "The rest of you, spread out! While you deal with the Clones I will separate the Jedi and lead one of them away. Under no circumstances are you to break off engaging the Clones. Understood?" His command was greeted with a chorus of 'roger roger' from them all.
Artoo's data dive had pulled up some significant evidence the Jedi made to follow-up on. According to the surviving databanks, one of the cells in the cellblock had been retrofitted for prisoner containment. It seemed very likely that was where Bolla Ropal was being held and Anakin organized a search party and rendezvoused with Rex after his sabotage mission was complete.
Upon arrival they began checking every cell in the block, working their way from end to end as each one of them fanned out to investigate a cell. So far they had turned up nothing. Until…
"Master! I found him!" Ahsoka exclaimed in a broken voice from further down the line. Anakin and his men rushed over, stopping by the entrance and laying eyes on the corpse of Bolla Ropal. He paused, a dead weight sinking his soul deeper into today's mire. I'm too late.
"Rex, have some men take his body back to the Reolute." He ordered quietly. The two Jedi stepped back as the Clones performed the grisly detail, Ahsoka hanging her head in disappointment and sorrow as the dead Rodian was carried past them.
"We… We might not be able to find the holocron in time, Master. But… if it's destroyed with the ship, Nute Gunray won't get it either." She suggested after a moment.
"Maybe. But I'd rather return it to the Archives personally." Anakin replied. The lights flickered abruptly, shorting out as the cellblock was plunged into darkness. A distant boom suggested power of the power couplings had been destroyed by the slowly-destructing frigate.
"Come on, Artooie. Let's track that holocron." Ahsoka insisted. Artoo beeped in agreement and triggered his scanning array while also turning on the spotlight attached to his dome. He warbled a report, leading a way out of the cellblock.
"Artoo says we're close. Stay sharp." Anakin stated as he ignited his lightsaber for extra illumination. Ahsoka could see just fine on her own and did do copy him, walking side by side with Anakin and deftly ducking low and around protruding pipes and hull plating that she could pick out of the dark with her excellent vision.
Rex wasn't having such luck and his head struck a pipe with a resounding clang. "Yow!" He growled, shaking his head as he brushed off the impact. "Switch to nightvision." He ordered his men, lowering the rangefinder attached to his helmet while the rest of the troops lowered electroscopes to improve their visual acuity. They started moving in sequence, tightly bunched together as they swept the darkened corridors.
"Master… something feels wrong…" Ahsoka said aloud, scrunching up her brow as she concentrated on the Force.
"What is it, Snips?" Anakin asked, not slowing his pace.
"It… It feels like we're walking into a trap." She determined. Anakin reached out with his senses, using their Master-Apprentice bond to feel out what she was sensing.
"I sense it too. That might just be the ship exploding periodically." He replied.
"No. This feels more direct-" Ahsoka protested. All of a sudden, the barest hint of a shadow crossed the end of the hall, just faintly catching on the edge of Artoo's spotlight.
"There!" Anakin cried, all danger forgotten as he broke into a run. Everyone else was hot on his tail, following him in a steady chase after the shadow. All of a sudden, as they passed through a bulkhead, the door abruptly slammed shut, two troopers at the very rear offering the barest of surprised shouts before a wet SKRITCH brought silence with it.
The survivors paused, turning to stare horrified at the door that now had liberal amounts of blood coating it's bottom edge. Lumps of flesh and shattered plasteel remnants littered the floor, along with an arm severed at the shoulder, the hand still clutching a blaster tightly.
"The hell was that?" Rex exclaimed.
"Kriff! They got Strype and Maine!" Denal added in dismay, barely recognizing the paint on the severed arm.
"Blast doors aren't supposed to close that quickly…" Rex trailed off, glancing high to investigate the origin-point of the door. Anakin knew that too.
"Someone mangled the release mechanism, cut out the reducers." He determined after a moment.
"Told you we were walking into a trap." Ahsoka muttered. Anakin cast a glance at her, a knowing look in his eyes.
"Let's keep moving. Nothing we can do. That shadow is getting away." He calmly ordered his men, despite regretting his inability to act. Anakin decided to lean more heavily upon the Force, letting it feel out danger where he could not see. They picked up the pace again, following the shadow's last known course right at a T-junction. Anakin suddenly sensed danger again, but not he was not the one on the precipice of it.
One of the men… another trap!
He slid to a halt and everyone else did so, one of the troopers off to the side suddenly tripped on an invisible wire and fell face-first to the floor. But the panel his head struck gave way, supported by nothing, and trooper was suddenly engulfed by the bowels of the ship… his head just happening to wind up between two conduit cables. A burst of high-voltage electricity erupted between the two conductors, frying the Clone's head in the middle and killing him via electrocution. His brothers were quick to haul him out, but they were too late to keep his brain from getting fried.
"Dammit! Kaz too!" Rex grumbled in frustration. "This is really starting to remind me of the report from Barab, General." He said aloud. Anakin raised a brow, having read the report from Ki-Adi Mundi as well.
"You think Wraith is here?" He asked.
"Traps are certainly his handiwork. No droid is that inventive." Rex responded. Anakin frowned.
If this didn't stink of Count Dooku's handiwork already, it sure does now. Bounty hunter did the dirty work, now his best are safeguarding the rest.
"Keep an eye out. Move slowly." He ordered as they left the body and continued the hunt for the shadow figure. The hall was coming to an end, a single entry way opening up to a vast yawning darkness that seemed utterly impenetrable. Not even Artoo's spotlight could pick out any significant details or what waited for them within.
The company approached carefully, creeping inside as Anakin and Ahsoka reached out with the Force. Danger was not present near the entryway. Odd. You'd think that be a real good place for a bomb or two. The Togruta thought.
Suddenly, the lights began to switch on, bright white overtaking the dark and momentarily blinding the Republic as the lower gunnery deck was revealed to them. The power had not failed due to an explosion, but it had been timed and planned to lure them here. The Jedi let their eyes adjust as the Clones removed their nightvision enhancers, discovering a deadly surprise awaiting them.
A company of mixed battle droid units, enough to outnumber them two to one. Wraith stood among them with pistols draw, his optics powering up brightly. Leading them all was a Duros bounty hunter, the one responsible for executing this mess the Jedi were cleaning up.
"Welcome, Jedi. We've been expecting you." Cad Bane greeted nonchalantly, as he drew his own sidearm. "Kill them!" The Separatists opened fire immediately and the Clones returned fire. Anakin and Ahsoka began deflecting incoming rounds as quickly as they could, thankful they had a heavy trooper with a Z-6 rotary cannon on their side. Cad Bane strode forward, leading the droids and Wraith as he fired rapidly upon Anakin. The Jedi broke rank, surging ahead and closing in for the kill. "Let's make this a bit more interesting." Bane mused, toggling a few switches on his gauntlet. First, magnetizers in his boots activated, clamping him to the ground. "Lock it down!" He cried, his second step to switch off the gravity generators in the area. The Jedi, R2 and the Clones began to float in Zero-G, as did Wraith much to the super-soldier's surprise and consternation.
A little forewarning would not have gone amiss…! He was getting tired of Bane's silent planning but adapted as he had been trained to do. Making good use of the whisper jets in his boots, he rocketed ahead and plowed into the struggling Anakin, bowling him over as Wraith then somersaulted through the open space and began firing upon the floating Clones from below.
"Magnetics! We were trained for this!" Rex ordered sharply. They had just recently made use of their own boot-mounted magnetizers when they assaulted the external hull of the ship and their workings were fresh in the mind of every Clone. Rex quickly found his own solid surface and opened fire with a steady hand. The droids' feet had been magnetized, but a single killing blow was all that was needed to send their pieces floating high.
"Artoo! Turn the gravity generators back on!" Ahsoka ordered, using her low-gravity surroundings to swoop and twirl like a swimmer, moving this way and that to avoid getting hit and to return fire back at the droids. The astromech twittered in affirmation, using his rocket jets to maneuver around the Zero-G environment.
Cad and Wraith began picking off the Clones one by one, the bounty hunter busy dodging Anakin's attempted swings as droids fell apart beneath his blue saber. The heavy trooper raked his weapon across the droid forces, rapid-fire shells sending bits and pieces of droid exploding in every direction. One of which caught the feeder belt for the deck artillery, rupturing the durasteel housing and sending several plasma shells floating into the battle. "Check your fire! Hit one of those shells and this fight is over for all of us!" Rex barked in warning. The Clones let up as the shells floated past, allowing Cad and Wraith to kill several more.
The Jedi had turned to using the droids for leverage, bouncing off each unit they killed as they hopped their way to a clean sweep of the enemy company. Anakin advanced on Cad, landing a flying kick that knocked the bounty hunter head over heels… and sending the holocron flying from within his coat. It was almost in reach. Anakin's eyes widened and stretched out a hand to grasp it…
Seeing his near-success, Wraith broke into a dead sprint across the floor, stowing his blasters and triggering his blades as he launched himself into the air and connected with Anakin before he could grab the holocron. The Jedi's quickly-raised lightsaber sparked against phrik blades as the two somersaulted through the air. At Wraith's command, a voice played from his helmet.
"You will… never get… the holocron…" The broken and edited voice of Bolla Ropal stated. Anakin frowned.
"Dishonouring the dead? What won't you Seps do?" He bit back. "Time to teach you that the good guys always win!" He tried to shove his opponent away, but Wraith triggered his whisper jets and pushed back, strengthening the clash.
"Yes we do." Wraith growled. Capitalizing on Anakin's surprise, he swung his legs around and pushed off the Jedi, knocking him into the grips of two B1 droids. Wraith hovered above, righting himself as he primed his jets to dive back in.
All of a sudden the gravity switched back on, courtesy of R2's efforts.
Everyone floating fell from the air and hit the floor hard, Jedi, droids, bounty hunter, Clones and super-soldier all landing unceremoniously in flopped over positions. Wraith managed to pick himself up first and quickly spotted the holocron on the floor by Cad Bane. He raced over as Anakin slaughtered the two droids that had been holding him and snatched the device off the ground. Cad spotted his efforts and picked himself up in a hurry. "Come on! Let's scram!" He ordered breaking into a run as Wraith followed. Some of the troopers still magnetized to the ceiling opened fire on them, prompting Cad to return fire and destroy their footing. They fell, victims of gravity, saved only by Anakin's quick thinking and use of the Force.
"I'll get him!" Ahsoka cried, breaking into a Force-enhanced sprint as she barrelled past Anakin and made for Wraith and Bane. Anakin watched with widened eyes.
"Ahsoka, wait!" He cried out, lowering the troopers as quickly but as gingerly as he could. "It's a trap!" She did not listen, the Togruta teen booking it after their fleeing adversaries. Anakin made to catch up. "Ahsoka! We'll take them together!" His cry was cut off as the door sealed shut, affirming his worries that this was the enemy's plan all along. Anakin quickly began cutting through the door, sheathing his lightsaber within durasteel as he began to split the locking mechanism keeping the two panels together even as the sound of battle erupted behind him. Clones and droids were firing on one another again… until a stray round struck one of the free-rolling plasma shells and detonated with terrific force.
The unstable area succumbed to the effects of the blast. Clones and droids were thrown off their feet as bits and pieces of ceiling debris rained down, massive chunks of durasteel crushing the droids and threatening to entomb the Republic survivors…
Bolting to the end of the corridor, Cad and Wraith held their position as Ahsoka primed herself for a fight. "You thought you could get away?" She called out as the two faced her.
"You're not much of a challenge, youngling." Bane retorted derisively. "I've got you right where I want you." With quick-draw skills honed over countless encounters, Bane drew his pistol and fired. Ahsoka deftly deflected the bolt back and struck him right in the arm. Bane growled in pain as his shattered wrist-con sizzled and sparked, a blackened hole in the middle of it.
Wraith stepped forward, a hand on Bane's shoulder moving him out of the way as he approached Ahsoka. Seeing the new challenger, Ahsoka made ready to move.
"We didn't finish what you started on Felucia." She remarked, moving to a inverted Form 6 position. Wraith popped his blades, assuming a Thrar'kor stance.
"Let's finish it then." He rumbled. Ahsoka's pupils narrowed as she took stock of her enemies.
Bane shouldn't be too hard. Just have to get past Wraith and get the holocron from him. I can double-back afterwards and meet with Skyguy. Easy!
Bolting ahead, she vaulted over Wraith's wide swing and used his arm to push off and land behind him, hoping to knock a little sense into the wounded Bane and take his holocron without much effort. Instead, she found Bane ready to fight. He landed a high kick that knocked her lightsaber from her grip, rendering her weaponless as he pointed his pistol right between her eyes. With enemies surrounding her, Ahsoka grasped for a solution.
What do I do, what do I do… Oh! That maneuver Scout taught me!
With blinding speed, Ahsoka reached out and grabbed Bane's arm, driving a palm into the joint. The bounty hunter cried out, dropping his weapon. The air rushed from his lungs as Ahsoka drove her opposite elbow into his guts. Grabbing the outstretched arm, Ahsoka summoned the Force and threw Cad over her shoulder, knocking him to the ground and sending the air rushing from his lungs.
The bounty hunter lay groaning for a moment as Ahsoka laid her hands on her hips. "I'm not impressed." She remarked with a sniff.
Under his helmet, Wraith quirked a brow. I am. Just how many Jedi know hand-to-hand skills? And here I thought all they used were lightsabers…
Ahsoka recalled her weapon, flicking the blade on as she moved on Wraith who quickly resumed another battle stance. "Now… where were we-?" Ahsoka stopped, feeling a hand grab her leg. She looked down just in time to see Cad gripping her boot and toggling something on his wrist-con. The Togruta was suddenly flooded with pain as a powerful electroshock ripped through her body, crying out in agony as she blacked out mere second afterwards. She fell limp to the ground as Cad picked himself up, Wraith slowly lowering his guard and retracting his blades.
"Thanks for the distraction." The Duros remarked, taking Ahsoka's lightsaber from her.
"Wasn't my intention." Wraith rumbled.
"I know. But it worked." They now had a comatose Jedi on their hands. Ahsoka was all theirs now. Wraith studied her body as she engaged his biometric scanner. She was alive, just unconscious. Everything else about her was fine. The super-soldier's gaze wandered up and down, studying every inch of her and noticing just how well her EVA suit clung to every curve. In her current position, it just so happened to define the gentle swell of her hips and butt nicely-
Oh no… not again! Keep it together, soldier. Do not have a repeat of Aris! He mentally berated himself.
Amid burning rubble, pieces of durasteel began to move. Summoning the Force, Anakin flung the pieces trapping him free and raised himself to full height. He shook dust from his hair as his blurry vision began to clear up. How long have I been out for…? Ugh, I can taste dust on my mouth. Raising a hand, Anakin wiped his brow and fown grey on the back of his glove. I must be a mess.
"General Skywalker!" He faintly heard Rex calling out for him. He looked around, tracing the sound as to coming from beyond the wall of rubble in front of him. "Can you hear me? Are you alright in there?"
"Yeah, I'm alright!" Anakin hollered back. "Get back to the hangar, find a transport and wait for us as long as you can!" He ordered, shouting loudly and hoping he was heard.
"We're on it sir!" Rex responded. Anakin breathed a sigh of relief.
That's one thing done. Now for the other.
"Ahsoka, do you copy?" He asked into his wrist comm. He got only feedback in response. She wasn't answering. She's alone with those two… Think happy thoughts, Anakin, she can handle herself in a scrape. Hopefully she can handle those two… A distant explosion jarred him as the ship shuddered beneath his feet. His commlink crackled and Anakin held out hope. "General, there's a power surge heading towards a bridge. If you're there, get out immediately. You must abandon your mission!" Yularen reported. Heaving a sigh, Anakin made to respond.
"I… don't have the holocron memory crystal… and I, uh, seem to have misplaced my Padawan." He tentatively responded.
"The ship is tearing itself apart!" Yularen exclaimed.
"Then move off to a safe distance, Admiral, and await my signal for evacuation." Anakin ordered, terminating the connection. He needed to move, to break that door down. Time was running out and he still had a lot of work ahead of him.
I've been too late to do a lot of things today. Saving my Padawan will NOT be one of them.
Meanwhile…
Ahsoka wrestled with the cuffs around her wrists, attempting to free herself. Giving a tug to test their durability, she was met with a very rude electric shock and she yelped in sudden pain. "Oh I wouldn't do that, those binders have been especially designed for Jedi." Cad stated. He reached out to trail a hand down her lekku but Ahsoka jerked away with a snarl. In response, Cad grabbed her silky bead braid and yanked it off her headdress, slipping it onto his belt next to her lightsaber. "The more you struggle, the greater the shock and the tighter they get." He explained. "Impressed now, youngling?"
"Not really…!" Ahsoka growled.
"Enough." Wraith interrupted, moving forward. He was very unimpressed with Bane's treatment of the Togruta. She is beaten. Enough is enough, she has earned respect as a warrior. "We have her. Skywalker will be on his way." He stated flatly.
"Oh I don't doubt that. He's gonna come running to save his foolish little Padawan." Bane agreed.
"Enjoy this while you can, sleemo." Ahsoka retorted, curling her lip to flash her fangs. A distant explosion marked another portion of the frigate succumbing to the self-destruct protocol. "This burning boat's about to finish us all off." She remarked.
"Mm, we have time." Cad replied. "They say the bond between master and apprentice is strong."
"Meaning my Master will be coming for me any minute." Ahsoka confidently said. Bane reached for his wrist-con.
"Let's see if we can get him here any faster." He mused, toggling a switch. In response a powerful shock ripped into Ahsoka and her scream echoed throughout the room. Wraith even winced.
"What are you doing?" He growled, demanding an answer as Bane lifted his finger off the button and Ahsoka heaved for air as she slumped over, almost falling to the floor.
"Testing a theory." Cad nonchalantly replied. "They say that Jedi Masters can sense everything goin on with their apprentices, including how much pain they feel. I reckon the more pain this little schutta endures… well, it might prompt Skywalker to pick up the pace." He pressed the button again, grinning sickly as Ahsoka screamed in bitter torment. "Enjoy the show, soldier. Not every day you've got a Jedi at your whim like this." Cad called out over the Togruta's cries. Wraith looked to Ahsoka, watching as her eyes watered despite being squeezed tightly shut. Blue bolts rippled across her body, her muscle spasming with each jolt. Wraith looked away, his hands slowly balling into fists.
I would never do such a thing to my enemies… He vowed. I hate the Jedi and all they stand for, but I would give them a quick death when at my mercy. Ahsoka continued to scream and Wraith shut his eyes.
"AAAAAH! MASTER! PLEASE!" She shrieked and Cad chuckled.
Wraith was floored. Something in his mind triggering as a memory reawakened. In his mind's eye he was a boy again, sitting alone in the cold of a dark alleyway. Watching a myriad of colours flash against a brick wall. The same scream, the same feeling of helplessness and everything he'd repressed bubbled back to the surface and suddenly he was there, the night his parents were slaughtered.
"MASTER! PLEASE!"
His mother. Her voice, her words. Manifesting in Ahsoka's cries.
Wraith lashed out with a roar, grabbing Cad Bane and throwing him into the nearest wall. The bounty hunter had no time to recover before Wraith was upon him, his hand tight around the Duros' throat and squeezing tighter and tighter and Bane writhed in his grip. "What're… you… doing-hrk?!" He rasped through his ever-shrinking windpipe. Wraith did not respond, lost in himself for a moment as all his childish wishes for justice and vengeance flooded his limbs and spurred his actions onwards.
And then a calm overtook him. Like an adrenaline rush, the high began to fade and was replaced with a placidity. Only then did Wraith realize he had Bane up against the wall with his hands around his throat. He relaxed his grip, stepping back as his gaze settled on his trembling hands, struggling to come to grips with himself. Bane rasped for air, massaging his neck. "The hell's the matter with you…" He wondered offhand with a cough. Wraith remained silent. Not even he could answer that even if he wanted to. Bane glared. "Get outta here. Go grab Skywalker when he shows up." He gruffly ordered. Wraith did not move, still reeling from the sensations that had overwhelmed him.
He never lost control. Not like that. Not in a very long time…
"Hey!" Cad barked and Wraith slowly lifted his head. "Skywalker. Get him. Now." That seemed to get his attention and the super-soldier began to make his way out, albeit ever so slowly. Bane watched him go, determined to make sure he didn't get attacked from behind. Suddenly his so-called 'reliable assistance' was not so reliable anymore. "What in the Bedlam Spirits was that all about…?" He wondered absentmindedly.
"Guess you… shouldn't shock me… huh?" Ahsoka queried between heaving breaths. Bane rolled his eyes.
"Don't make me do it again." He threatened.
Anakin could indeed sense Ahsoka's pain and distress. While the Force did not reveal what exactly she was enduring, the knoweldge that she was being tortured had sent Anakin to a dark and determined place. His brows knit, his lips pressed into a thin grim line, he ignited his blade and passed through the final door. Ahsoka was not far away now.
Hang in there, Snips. I'm almost there.
Wraith was waiting for him, standing perfectly still between the last doorway and Anakin. The Jedi raised his lightsaber and kept advancing. "Move. Or you won't like where I move you to." He growled. Wraith said nothing. Silent and still like a statue. Regardless of his current state, Anakin was in no mood for games. He raised his hand, a powerful Force push flinging Wraith into the door behind him and pinning them there as Anakin slowly pressed him harder against the metal. "I said, move." Wraith did not fight back, letting Anakin advance as close as he wished. "You will give me my Padawan or I will space you this instant."
I don't doubt it. He could throw me through the walls with the Force and I'd be helpless against it. The super-soldier realized.
"Where is she?!" Anakin demanded angrily. "You're testing my patience."
"I know." Wraith answered.
On cue, the four stun grenades he'd planted above the door went off in sequence. A cacophony of sound and light barraged Anakin's senses. Too clouded by darkness, the Force tried to warn him, but he was not in the mood to listen. As such, Anakin recoiled. Nearly blind and nearly deaf, he stumbled backwards and tried to regain his coherency. For a brief second, he could see the perfect shape of Wraith's fist closing in on his vision. Then pain exploded across his brow, dealing the final blow to his senses. The Jedi reeled back and everything went dark.
When the door opened again, Wraith was dragging Anakin's limp body behind him and promptly left him in the middle of the floor. A pair of B2 battle droids turned priming their weapons just in case. "Not bad." Cad mused as he triggered a ray-shield that kept Ahsoka separated from the rest of them. Not to be deterred, Ahsoka picked herself up and rushed the shield. She drove her shoulder into it, only to be repulsed by its ionic properties and was flung back to the floor with a cry. "You're not a quick learner, are you?" Cad remarked. "Let's hope your Master is." He looked back to Wraith. "Wake him up."
"Why the ray-shield?" The super-soldier questioned.
"You'll see." Bane said simply. Wraith loosed another growl.
Did I mention I'm fed up with being kept in the dark?
Priming the shock-charger in his gauntlet, he knelt and pressed his open hand against Anakin's chest. The sudden jolt awoke the Jedi and Anakin sputtered and groaned as he came to. "We meet again, Jedi." Bane greeted casually as Anakin slowly picked himself up. It took a moment before he could move to a sitting position, but when he did Ahsoka was the first person he locked eyes on. "Let's cut to the chase; if I activate this control the airlock will open and she will be sucked into oblivion." Cad stated, gesturing to his wrist-con. "Do you think you can kill me and then save her before she's pulled out into space? It's a horrible way to die…" Ahsoka gulped nervously, looking to Anakin with pleading eyes. Despite being unable to physically use the Force with these cuffs on, she could still sense things. Emotions, sensations, presences, all were still quite real to her. She was worried because Cad Bane was being very clear and direct, and his presence informed her that he had every intention of fulfilling his threat if Anakin did not comply. Anakin was struggling, he was still cloudy from getting knocked out and the situation they were in was overwhelming him, becoming too much. Wraith… well, he surprised her. He was a bundle of agitation and anger. Why? She didn't rightly know…
Wraith was very much agitated, and with good reason. He did not like Bane's plan, now that it had been revealed. He promised himself that the little contest unfolding between him and Ahsoka was a dedicated matter of deciding the better predator between them. He wished to be the one to claim victory, to get the better of her. And now this bounty hunter was… was…
Toying with her life so recklessly…! After all our duels and fights, for her to be killed off so flippantly by this piece of back-planet scum… If he kills her, I swear by the stars, I'll do far worse than choke him!
"Besides, isn't negotiation the Jedi way?" Bane continued. Anakin glanced around the room. His eyes flicked from Ahsoka to Bane, then to Wraith, then back to Ahsoka. He exhaled slowly. The trap had been masterfully planned and he was caught dead centre of it.
"What do you want?" He quietly asked.
"This holocron carries information I've been paid to collect." Bane stated, holding out his stolen prize. "I can't unlock it, but you can." So that's what he wants. For me to do what Bolla Ropal did not. "The last Jedi who had it wouldn't open it. I'm sure you've found his corpse by now… I hope you don't make the same mistake." Bane added. Anakin stayed silent. He knew his duty, he knew what needed to be done… that didn't mean it was what he wanted to be done. "We're running out of time. Hurry it up Jedi! The holocron or your Padawan?" Cad pressed.
It was times like this when Anakin wished being the Chosen One meant ensuring the stars aligned and everything went his way. He wished the Council had coached him through his power. Maybe he could kill Bane and save Ahsoka in one fell swoop, if only he'd been trained to do so. He could be powerful, he could save everyone, be the hero everyone claimed he was. The praise, the adoration he'd receive…
But that's not what a Jedi is. A Jedi sometimes means rolling over and showing your belly to the enemy… if it means the greater good is saved. What is the greater good? Do we really need the holocron? Can't we just make a new list of future younglings? Do I really have to sacrifice one in the name of many…
"No, Master! Don't do it!" Ahsoka insisted. Anakin closed his eyes and sighed. The Chosen One would do everything the Jedi expected him to do. Live and die by the Code, serve the Force his whole life… be something Anakin knew he could never be.
Because Anakin saved those closest to him. The Jedi failed his mother. Failed him. That failure stopped with him.
"I can't let you die, Ahsoka." He said.
"Master! No!" Ahsoka begged him.
"We'll deal with the holocron later." Anakin decided, moving to a kneeling position. Wraith watched silently, impressed by Anakin's choice. For the Jedi that always got the impossible mission completed, it seemed like he was taking a very different route this time.
It occurred to him just how much he was willing to put on the line for Ahsoka's sake.
"How touching." Bane scoffed. He set the holocron down in front of him. "Whatever you're gonna do, do it now." Closing his eyes, Anakin began to meditate. Opening a holocron was something only a Jedi could accomplish, requiring a combination of their presence in the Force commingling with the holocron's presence. Two became one, the holocron an extension of the Jedi's will and mind. Without the Force, it was just a box. With the Force, however, it was like a living entity.
The holocron levitated off the ground, parts and pieces turning and separating as the data display system within was revealed. It was like an empty data terminal, requiring a data card to function properly. Cad stepped forward. "Now… I'll combine this holocron with the data memory crystal I took from your dead Jedi friend." He offered the small green shard to the holocron's core, watching it float into place within the device. Once it was comfortably nestled within, Anakin allowed it to close. It's shape had been reconfigured somewhat, taking the form of an active holocron with data ready to be accessed. Bane took hold of it again. "My employers will be most pleased…" He mused. Wraith looked on silently.
All this for that… What a day.
Suddenly, the Jedi's lightsabers where whipped from their storage places by unseen hands, Anakin's use of the Force proving powerful as he did not even need to make a motion to summon them. Anakin caught both and snapped them on, blades glowing brightly as he attacked the nearest B2 droid. Cad wasted no time either, triggering the airlock release.
Wraith had drawn his pistols to fight Anakin, only to stop suddenly as the ray-shield flickered and the airlock begin to open. He watched Ahsoka lunge for the nearest edge, something to hold on to to prevent from getting sucked out into space. Anakin threw a droid chassis into the controls, the ray-shield dropping entirely as the vacuum of space began to pull on them all. Wraith lost his footing, falling to the floor as he drew one of his knives and dug in for dear life. Cad Bane, on the other hand, activated his jet boots and launched himself out the entry door, shutting it behind him.
Bastard! Wraith growled internally. Precious little meant anything to the bounty hunter, no life was too great to be wasted in the name of his ploys.
But the super-soldier had another, more pressing, problem. The vacuum was unrelenting and it was pulling his knife out of the floor. He could cling to his weapon all he wanted, but it would do him little good if it could not remain wedged in the floor. Just great… and the ship is about to go up in flames too. What a helluva day. He had next to no time to consider the possibilities of what could be done. His knife was slipping from the floor more and more and there was nothing to cling to.
Then another solution presented itself. It was crazy, but it could possibly work.
With his free hand he slapped the side of his helmet, toggling a concealed panel that resulted in a serious of hisses as multiple section seals locked tightly around his head. A new emergency procedure, courtesy of Doctor Sipio, that his previous helmet had been lacking. ENVIRONMENT SEALED his HUD informed him, and Wraith plucked his knife from the floor.
He was spaced instantly, physical forces propelling him out of the airlock as he whipped past Anakin and Ahsoka as they clung for dear life. Wraith found himself in the void of space, not a single sound to be heard, only his own breathing as it filled his helmet. His HUD updated as his flight continued, revealing the reality of his situation. He had enough oxygen to last just long enough to be rescued. But with any luck, he'd find a safe port before that happened.
As he rocketed away from the frigate, he was able to take stock of the damage. It was barely recognizable. Sections of hull were coming apart and fires raged from top to bottom. It was a mess. So much for re-entering through one of the holes. He grumbled.
Triggering his whisper jets, he righted himself and brought his flight to a halt, allowing him to float in space as he assessed his surroundings. He glanced up, seeing the Republic Cruiser Resolute pulling away from the burning wreck. Right now, it was his only option. Leave it to the enemy to be a safe haven. He muttered. Double-checking his stats, his jets had plenty of fuel left to use. And the perk about space was that an object set in motion would remain in motion until stopped. As such, he could maintain a singular flight pattern with controlled bursts and metre out the use of his fuel. It's a long shot, but it's worth a try.
Triggering his jets again, Wraith made for the Resolute.
Anakin's arms were tiring, his fingers felt like they were being pulled apart as he struggled to keep a grip on the ledge that was the only thing between him and getting spaced. Ahsoka was faring just as poorly, they needed to escape this.
In a final desperate bid, Anakin slapped around for the control panel, sensing out the control button. He found it, and the ping that resounded was the most blessed sound he'd ever heard. He managed to catch Ahsoka at the last minute, holding out his arm for her to grab on to as the airlock doors closed and sealed. The two Jedi fell to the ground, breathing sighs of relief and collectively thanking the Force that neither of them had died.
They took their time getting up, Anakin using Ahsoka's lightsaber to cut her cuffs to pieces. "Thank you, Master. But… the holocron…"
"Just because he has access to it, doesn't mean he's spilled it's secrets yet." Anakin assured her as she accepted her lightsaber back.
"I'm sorry I forced you to make that choice. I didn't listen to you… again. And now I've gone and jeopardized the fate of the whole Order." She glumly apologized. It's all my fault. Again. Anakin's gentle hand on her shoulder drew her gaze upwards.
"If we had the time, I'd tell you about all the times I got caught up in my own success." He said. "Right now, we need to get off this tub. Wraith's gone so we don't have to worry about him anymore." They started moving, Ahsoka casting a glance back out the airlock.
"There's no way he could've survived that… could he?" She wondered. Anakin exhaled.
"I don't know, Snips." He answered genuinely. The ship shuddered three times in quick succession. They could both hear the ruptures and detonations coming from deep within the hull. "But that's not what I'm concerned about right now." He added as they broke into sprints. Anakin raised his commlink. "Rex, I hope you found us a ride off this bucket!" He shouted urgently.
"Yes, General! We've got to leave now, the reactor's going to blow! We cannot wait!" The Captain replied.
"We'll have to. I'm going after that bounty hunter!" Anakin replied. Ahsoka's hooked her head in disbelief. Had she heard that right?
"Wait, what?!" She exclaimed, sliding to a halt in the middle of a 4-way junction as Anakin kept running. "Master! Stop! This is the way to the hangar! We must get off the ship, now!" She called after him. Anakin stopped and turned.
"I can't let Bane get away!" He responded.
"Patience!… Master." Ahsoka exclaimed, taking a moment to gather her composure. "Patience. Like I said before, if it's destroyed with the ship, they won't be able to get their hands on it." Anakin gave that some thought.
Obi-Wan would've said something far more highbrow to correct me. You're using logic. You're making sense. I like it, Ahsoka. You've come a long way since Christophsis. I didn't think I'd see the day my own Padawan would correct me.
"You're right." He relented, turning around and joining her as they made their way to the hangar.
Meanwhile…
Lurking around a corridor, Bane sought his own escape from the degrading frigate. The mission had been costly to the Separatists, especially to Sidious now that he'd lost the super-soldier. But it was all expendable, or so he'd been told. Everything he'd been given was in the name of completing this job. And it was almost done. He knew he was running out of time and options, but a solution presented itself in the form of the Sheathipede shuttle in the hangar. The only obstacle to his escape was the fact that Clones and droids were fighting for possession of it right now.
His holocom chirped and the image of Nute Gunray appeared as he switched it on. "Bane? Did the Jedi cooperate with you?" The Neimodian asked.
"With some encouragement." Bane replied. "I have access to the holocron and all the information its memory contains." He revealed. "I only have to get off the ship."
"Maybe you should transmit it to me now, then I could send another ship for you." Gunray offered. Bane snorted.
What kind of brain-dead gundark do you think I am? I know a backstab when I see one. "No thanks, Viceroy. I have a plan for my own escape." He replied, shutting down the comm. He knew the Sheathipede was his only way out, the question now was how to board without being seen…
"Hold it right there!" A voice from behind ordered. Bane slowly raised his hands and turned, knowing a Clone when he heard one. Two troopers, Koho and Denal, had him a gunpoint.
"You're not going anywhere, bounty hunter." Denal stated firmly. Bane's only response was to narrow his eyes…
Rex and his men were safely aboard the shuttle, blasting the remaining droids prolonging the firefight to pieces, by the time Anakin and Ahsoka arrived in the hangar. A brief commotion drew their attention up as they sprinted for the craft. The trooper known as Denal had Cad Bane backed up against the hangar railing and a sudden point-blank shot to the chest sent the bounty hunter careening over the side and crashing into a pile of crates at the bottom.
They didn't have time for a good look, but it sure seemed like Cad Bane had just been killed.
"Come on! Come on!" Rex cried, the Jedi hopping aboard as the Sheathipede began to liftoff. It hovered high for a moment, Anakin reaching the end of the gantry to help a wounded Denal aboard. The trooper clutched at his arm, obviously killing Bane had not come without a struggle.
"Trooper? Denal, did you get the holocron?" Anakin asked.
"No sir." Denal rasped.
"I'll get it, Master!" Ahsoka offered, ready to jump.
"No time. Rex, get us out of here!" Anakin quickly ordered. The Sheathipede sealed up and took flight, exiting the hangar in record time. A blast ripped through the hangar, jarring everyone standing as the shuttle exited amid the blast.
"Well, looks like the holocron was destroyed." Ahsoka surmised. "But at least the Separatists didn't get it."
"Hmm." Anakin said nothing, merely grunting as he focused his senses. Something felt… off. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it…
The shuttle arrived on the Resolute just as the Separatist frigate was blown in two, it's spine snapping as multiple successive detonations ripped it apart. The survivors made landfall in the Resolute's hangar bay, their ship coming to a final rest.
"How many of made it off this time?" Del wondered.
"Just us and whoever left with the walkers." Coric answered as the two Clones pulled off their helmets. "Hey, Denal." Coric clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Great work frying that bounty hunter."
"Yeah, let's get some grub. You hungry?" Del asked Attie.
"I'll catch up." His brother answered, taking a seat again as he took a moment to breathe. Rex did too.
Ahsoka exhaled softly as she disembarked in step with Anakin. It felt good to be back in familiar territory, without enemies to worry about. "So? What now?"
"Now we get the injured to the medical bay." Anakin answered. "And then we report what happened to the Council. Joy of joys." He remarked sarcastically. Ahsoka understood why.
Their mission was not a total success and the blame for that weighed heavily on her shoulders. "Master? I'm sorry I let that mercenary get the upper hand." She apologized.
"It wasn't your fault, Ahsoka. It was mine, start to finish." Anakin replied. The troopers exited behind them, moving in single file. "It's alright, Snips. The Council will never admit it, but we all make mistakes." She smiled at that, feeling a bit more refreshed. Anakin moved off. Admiral Yularen was waiting for him.
"So, did you manage to recover the holocron? Or capture the bounty hunter?" He asked.
"Um… no, and… no." Anakin confessed. Yularen raised a brow.
"I see." He murmured, sounding unimpressed. "So the mission was your usual version of success then."
"If by 'success' you mean 'I won', then yes." Anakin replied chipperly. Yularen could only grumble under his breath as he made to leave.
Of all the Jedi, why did I have to be paired with Skywalker?
The hangar doors had yet to be closed. And that was a good thing. He was running low on everything.
The only device to not be on the verge of conking out was the power cell in his cloaking device. Wraith was incredibly grateful for that as he slipped unnoticed through the double panel doors and into the interior of the Venator. It had been hard going to catch up with the cruiser as it moved out of the frigate's blast radius, but it did eventually stop while Wraith maintained an even speed. Now he was here, crawling aboard the enemy vessel, looking for a way to escape.
He landed in an open space and quickly passed through one of the shielded docking bays. A series of V-19 Torrents were parked, fueled and ready for an assault on Devaron that had never come to pass. He nodded to himself as his helmet unsealed and fresh atmosphere (albeit recycled) was allowed through his intakes.
They'll do. Let's see if I can give myself a cash course…
"General! I think there's something you need to see!" Rex called out from within the shuttle. Anakin jogged over, stepping inside as Rex gestured to a back corner. There was something on the ground, a stain easily distinguishable from the flat durasteel. He knelt for a closer look. "Blood, sir." Rex elaborated. "And it's not from any of us." True enough, human and Togruta blood was red in color…
This stuff was green.
Suddenly it all clicked. The feeling from earlier, the Force was trying to tell him something. An old Temple biology class came to mind, denoting the different colours of blood found in various species. "Duros have green blood…" he breathed.
Meanwhile, ready to do some good for a change, Ahsoka pursued the injured Denal. "Hey! Trooper! Are you alright?" She asked. He said nothing, still trudging onwards while clutching his wounded arm. "Must've been hit in the head." She muttered. She gave chase, sprinting ahead to get around in front of him. "Wait! You're injured! That might be serious." She forcefully grabbed his arm to examine the cut, and for some reason felt a wave of anxious fear sweep over the trooper. She pushed down her questions and studied his arm… only to be dumbstruck by shock as his torn bodyglove sleeve revealed blue skin and a cut oozing green blood. "You're no Clone!" She gasped. Looking up into the blank expression on his helmeted face, Ahsoka realized that this was not Denal at all.
This was Cad Bane in disguise!
She faintly heard her Master cry her name, the world suddenly becoming hazy as Cad grabbed her by the shoulders and drove his knee into her gut. The wind rushed from her lungs and Ahsoka doubled over, clutching her abdomen in agony as Cad Bane attempted his escape. "Stop him!" Anakin cried out. "Someone stop him!" He had to move and quick if he wanted to catch him, but a little distraction might slow him down long enough.
Suddenly, up ahead, a pair of crewmen fell dead as crimson blaster bolts took them down. The air shimmered and Wraith made his presence known. Now Anakin was doubly-shocked. Both of their seemingly-dead enemies survived! Why can't the dead stay dead?!
Wraith snapped up his right arm, the panel of his gauntlet pulled back as he twitched his index finger and fired a micromissile aimed at the third V-19 in the row. The fully-armed snubfighter detonated in a spectacular fireball, the explosion throwing Anakin to the floor as distance between him and Bane grew. Without a word, the super-soldier mounted the V-19 he'd been priming as Cad Bane hopped into another and began fiddling with the controls. He got it up and running in no time, following Wraith's ship out of the hangar as Anakin picked himself up.
"Admiral! Lockdown the hyperspace rings! Hurry!" He barked into his comm. The order came too little too late, both Bane and Wraith able to trigger two separate rings for them to use.
"What could possibly have happened since I last spoke with you?" Yularen asked, sounding more than a little perturbed.
"It's Bane and Wraith! Lock those rings! Now!" Anakin shouted. The Republic tried, but they were too late. The unlikely allies quickly input their own separate sets of coordinates and, using their hyperspace rings, propelled their snubfighters into hyperspace with the flick of a switch.
Anakin watched them go, a fury building in his heart. He hated wasting effort for nothing, and today had been the biggest waste so far. All that work, all those lives, all their efforts… only to see their quarry make a clean getaway. Now I really have to tell this to the Council… great.
Safe in hyperspace, Wraith was not expecting a sudden call. "Slick moves back there, soldier. Seems like your reputation is all its cracked up to be after all." Cad Bane remarked. Wraith offered an unseen glower.
"No thanks to you." He rumbled. "My work here is done. I've gotten you to safety."
"Indeed it is and indeed you have." Bane agreed. "Pleasure doing business with you." He proffered in closing, signing off moments after. Wraith was only too happy to be done with the bounty hunter, loosing a heavy exhale as he pressed his bulk into the seat. Today had been incredibly trying, even for him. Wraith decided he wasn't a big fan of taking special assignments from Darth Sidious or working alongside honourless bounty hunters. This should have been a military operation from the getgo. With proper tactics and training implemented, instead of running off the heartless and carefree whims of a random mercenary.
He felt like this had done nothing to further the Separatist cause. He'd been reduced to an errand boy and it had left him emotionally drained. There was no thrill, no pride to be taken. Just fulfilling the will of a Dark Lord of the Sith. He cast a glance out the cockpit at the streaks of hyperspace, idly wondering where Bane was off to.
If we ever meet again… it'll be too damn soon.