Author's Note: The only thing I own in this chapter is Antellica and the world of Tozuer.
The Lure of the Dark Side: Chronicle 1-The Turning of an Era
Episode IV: The Clone Wars
Chapter 9: Year 3-The Bickering among Comrades
The first three months of the Outer Rim Sieges were spent with Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Antellica Grievous on various worlds. The former handmaiden, Antellica, found it to be the best experience of her life. Danger, suspense, violence and angst filled these months, but she loved it. Her favorite mission in particular was the first they did: the Mission to the Colonies world of Cato Neimoidia. The Trade Federation had stopped all shipping to New Republic worlds. This meant that there were now hundreds of planets without food, supplies, and clothing. The Jedi were to go to the trading companies' headquarters on the Neimoidian world and arrest the federation's Senator, Lott Dod, being that he was the one who issued the order. Once that was done, the Trade Federation would have no choice but to start shipping again.
When the Jedi arrived out of hyperspace outside the planet, it was to discover that obviously the Neimoidians knew of their pending arrival ahead of time; at least a hundred Separatists Warships and star fighters awaited them as they entered real space and immediately opened fire.
Inside their own separate Delta-7 Aethesprite star fighters, the Jedi met the attack with their fleet of clones in ARC-170 star fighters and fifteen Venator-class Star Destroyers.
Taking a little more then an hour, the Republic forces finally broke through the blockade surrounding the planet and entered it.
The oldest of the Neimoidian purse worlds, Cato Neimoidia was near the Neimoidia homeworld, also in the Colonies region. Only the richest of all Neimoidians were allowed to live on this world. Their treasures were protected in vaults located in difficult landscape and protected by B-1 battle droids. The cities of Cato Neimoidia were built on large bridges with its primary terrain being mountains and fields besides that of the cities. This was the only Neimoidian world out of the four – Neimoidia, Deko Neimoidia and Koru Neimoidia being the others – to be ruled by a Royal monarchical government, having Kings and Queens and Counts and Countesses.
Landing in the streets of the capital city of Cato, the clones and Jedi were met with numerous destroyer and battle droids in combat. As they fought through these enemy forces, firing and deflecting bolts of blaster fire as they went, they made their way into the heart of the city where the Trade Federation Headquarters was located.
Upon arriving at the building's entrance, the Jedi's plans of simply cutting their way in through the front doors of durasteel were foiled when a large metal crate suddenly came crashing down atop them and the ground beneath opened into a trap door. The crate, with the Jedi and a few clones trapped inside, landed hard several dozen feet below inside the federation's underground trading factory.
Machines on conveyor belts could be seen boxing up items with Neimoidian workers then loading them onto pushcarts. After which, other workers would take the pushcarts to shuttle trucks, where even more workers could be seen loading the pushcart's items on board.
The round crate of metal the Jedi were trapped in was rolling forward through the factory on the far right hand side. And though it was making an almost un-ignorable amount of noise, none of the workers gave it a second glance as they continued with their work. The constant rolling of the crate caused the occupants inside to roll around along with it, making it an even bumpier ride.
In-between the rolling, Antellica was able to look up briefly and see that the crate was connected to a cord via the ceiling.
This made her thoughtful. If only that cord could be broken somehow...
It wasn't known how much longer the rolling lasted until they came to an abrupt halt outside of the back of factory on a docking bay. To the left of them, the shuttle trucks they'd seen earlier could be seen flying out of the factory and dumping their contents onto the ground. This confusing act was soon followed by a large metal box connected to an equally large industrial machine via pull-cord coming down upon the items, being picked up and loaded onto a flat bed truck that led inside a Star Destroyer several meters ahead.
"Antellica, you're crushing me!" Obi-Wan's muffled yell broke the teenager out of her observation of the area and she quickly got up off him, not even knowing she was on top of him to begin with.
"Ow!" She banged her head on the roof of the crate and fell back down, but this time on one of the clones.
Shrieks of laughter whipped the Jedi and clones around to see a Neimoidian girl, teenager by the looks of her, outside their crate jumping up and down with laughter.
"Jedi fools and clone dogs!" she shrieked. "You dare come here to the heart of the capital city to arrest my father!"
"Your father is Senator Lott Dod?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Obviously Jedi dog." The girl was still laughing. "And look at you now! Trapped in this large metal crate, banging into one another like common dogs."
"And who are you supposed to be?" Antellica asked in distaste. Something not many people knew about her was that, like her sister, she had nothing but disdain for non-Humans.
The Neimoidian girl squinted at her. "Who are you?" she asked. "And why are you with these Jedi dogs? I never knew of there being any female Jedi."
"Well, guess again because there are," Antellica said, her disgust now being heard more then ever. "And I will repeat myself, who are you supposed to be?"
The Neimoidian female gave an arrogant sniff and flipped her blonde wig. "I am Princess/Countess Calasia, daughter of Senator Lott Dod of the Trade Federation and Lady Arabea of the Royal Cato Neimoidia House. You are?"
Antellica smirked. "Antellica Grievous. General Grievous of the Confederacy is my twin sister, maybe you've heard of her?"
Calasia took a step back, in what Antellica registered as fear. "I didn't know Grievous had a sister." She than sniffed and whipped her wig around again. "Never liked her much. Don't get why a girl such as her would dye her beautiful locks of gold black." She gave yet another sniff. "You Jedi dogs and clone fools will stay trapped inside this crate till dark. Than I saw return to set you free, but don't get the idea of escaping. Our Royal guard will escort you to the local jail where you shall rot for all time!"
She shrieked her ridiculous laugh once more before skipping off. The Jedi and clones were now by themselves again.
"How can she be both a Countess and a Princess with a Senator for a father and a Royal Lady for a mother?" Antellica scoffed. "I think she probably just made that title up."
"Very probably," Obi-Wan commented, slowly getting up and squinting at the lock of the crate. "Hmm. It's a laser-print lock. I was hoping it was a mechanical one, that way Anakin could have jimmied it."
"Master, aren't you forgetting our lightsabers?"
Anakin rose and ignited his, but Obi-Wan shook his head. "You can't cut this type of metal Anakin. It's Mandolorian iron."
Anakin laughed. "What're you talking about! Of course you can." He than proceeded to try cutting the metal, but the saber did nothing; the metal remained in tack.
"This must be some type of lightsaber resistant metal," Antellica commented as she continued to watch Anakin struggle.
"Oh it is," Obi-Wan affirmed. "As I said, it's Mandolorian iron. A virtually indestructible metal, impervious even to a lightsaber. I've come across it before when I was on a mission once with Qui-Gon.
"Put that lightsaber away Anakin," he added for his former apprentice was still trying, without any success, to cut the crate. Anakin deactivated his lightsaber with a frustrated scowl.
"Perhaps we could shoot our way out," one of the clones suggested.
"Hmm." Obi-Wan looked thoughtful. "I suppose, but I'm not sure it'd work. I guess you could try though, what harm could it cause?"
Obi-Wan gestured for Anakin and Antellica to follow him to the back of the crate where they crouched. The clones charged up their blasters and stood as much as possible in front of the Jedi before opening fire on the crate lock. Before Obi-Wan could yell for them to "cease-fire", the shoots ricocheted off the crate front and hit the clones squarely in the chest, killing them instantly.
"Magnetically shielded," Antellica said getting up and looking around the crate before glancing down at the clones.
"Should've known." Obi-Wan sighed, also looking down at the clones. Anakin gave a frustrated growl and purposely banged his head against the crate, glaring at the lock.
"I guess we're stuck in here then, until that Princess girl lets us out." The knight grinned. "But once she does, it shouldn't be too hard to escape. We still have our lightsabers so we can simply cut our way through the Royal Guard…and her."
Antellica laughed evilly to which Anakin soon joined in, but Obi-Wan shook his head, looking stern. "I'm not sure I like the idea of you speaking in such a dark way concerning Princess Countess Calasia. She's probably just doing the job her parents gave her."
"If she gets in my way I will cut her down," Anakin said scornfully. "And nothing you say is going to change that. Remember master, I am no longer your Padawan. As such, you can't boss me around anymore." But Anakin was now smiling.
"Than why do you still call me 'master'?" Obi-Wan asked with an amused smile.
Anakin shrugged. "Habit I guess."
Obi-Wan laughed. "Well as I've said so many times before, I think you should get used to calling me 'Obi-Wan'."
"Whatever master."
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and than turned to Antellica. "Antellica, are you alright?"
All through Anakin and Obi-Wan's exchange, Antellica had been studying the laser-print lock. She didn't answer Obi-Wan when he asked if she was alright, but continued to look ahead at the lock, the wheels of her mind churning.
"You okay Little Telly?" Anakin placed a hand on her shoulder. Still she said nothing. After a few moments though she surprised them both by saying something they'd never believe her to say in a time like this.
"I really need to chew on a piece of gum right now, what about you?"
"What!"
"How can you be thinking about gum at a time like this?" Anakin asked exasperatedly.
"It will be a while till dark," Obi-Wan said before Antellica could respond. "I don't see why we don't sit down and chew some gum. Do you have any more Antellica?"
"Oh yes, here." She handed him and than Anakin one, who shrugged and took it. Opening her own plastic wrapper, she popped the gum into her mouth, and reached over between the crate bars towards the laser-print lock.
"What are you doing?" both Anakin and Obi-Wan asked, getting up and standing on either side of her.
"I was thinking, usually when a person places their fingerprint on something like this the print stays on so when it's placed on again, it recognizes it."
She said all this while dangling her hands in front of the lock and straightening the clear plastic wrapper with her fingers.
"Yeah, so?" Anakin asked, obviously not getting it. Antellica merely winked before placing the wrapper over the laser-print lock, using it to push on the last fingerprint whom used it.
The lock beeped and the crate opened from the bottom and slid over their heads to the other side. Antellica happily stepped out and turned towards the two stunned Jedi. "I do enjoy being a girl," she chirped.
Her Jedi companions laughed and stepped out to join her.
"Boy, Antellica what would've we done without you?" Obi-Wan asked giving her a pat on the back. Antellica beamed. "You would've stayed in there till that Calasia girl got back. I reckon we should leave the clones behind. Poor guys."
"Yeah," Anakin agreed. "I think we should head for the Royal Palace. That's where I sense Senator Lott Dod."
Obi-Wan nodded. "That's where I sense him as well. Yes, let's go."
Staying unseen, they made their way around the front of the factory and snuck up the street towards the Royal Palace. The fighting was still going on down the street between the clones and Separatists, but the Jedi weren't to join them just yet.
"Wait!" Antellica stopped them behind a speeder. "I think it would be better if Anakin and I went in first," she whispered to Obi-Wan. "Than you can come in with a fleet of clones and arrest the Senator."
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow.
"We're not going to cut through Calasia or anything," she hurriedly said, for it looked that's what Obi-Wan was thinking. "I just thought maybe we could try and negotiate with the Senator to come quietly."
Obi-Wan chuckled. "I thought I was the negotiator."
Antellica simply laughed.
"All right, but here's a better idea," Obi-Wan said. "Why don't I contact Commander Cody and tell him to lead our forces to the Palace?"
"Hmm." Antellica thought this over. "All right. But next mission we go by my plan."
Once the clone commander was informed of the change of plans, the Jedi continued on their way to the Palace.
"I like the idea of us barging right in there," Anakin said as they crouched across the street from the elegant building.
"In any other situation I'd say we should knock, but…" The younger Jedi rolled their eyes and Obi-Wan sighed. "Oh all right. But follow my lead."
"You betcha," Antellica chirped.
Anakin and Antellica followed Obi-Wan out of their hiding spot behind another speeder, to the front of the Palace and up the stairs. After using a Jedi mind trick on the guards, he led them inside. Everyone in the main entrance hall, Neimoidians of both gender, froze at the sight of the Jedi.
"Make way scum," Antellica snarled. "We're Jedi and we mean business."
Everyone ran to the sidelines of the hall to let them through. There were two guards straight ahead outside the double doors that led into what the Jedi assumed to be the throne room. The guards weren't doing much of a good job guarding however; they were standing in front of the doors shaking in terror, their eyes wide in fear as the Jedi came nearer.
"Where's Senator Dod?" Anakin demanded of them.
The entrance hall came to a stop at the throne room doors and but split off into a fork that led either right or left. The shaking guards pointed down the left hall where two other double doors could be seen.
Nodding in thanks, Obi-Wan led his fellows the way they'd been instructed, but before he could open the doors, Anakin and Antellica both jumped ahead of him and kicked the doors open themselves. A dining hall laid within.
"Senator Lott Dod, in the name of the New Galactic Republic you're under arrest!" Anakin boomed, igniting his lightsaber.
"You have the right to remain silent," Antellica added, also igniting her saber and striking a pose.
It appeared that the occupants inside – Senator Lott Dod, Calasia, Lady Arabea, the King, Queen and Prince – had been enjoying a mid-day meal. At the sight of the Jedi however they either fell out of their seats or let out gasps of fear; Calasia was muttering "Impossible" over and over again. The only Neimoidian who hadn't moved was Lady Arabea. She merely stood, head held high, looking them up and down expressionless. She looked like an older version of her daughter with the exception of the red wig she was wearing.
"So Jedi," she drawled in a deep voice that made her sound like man, "you found a way out of my daughter's ingenious trap."
"That's right and it wasn't all that much of an ingenious trap," Antellica mocked. "A bantha could've thought it up."
Lady Arabea's eyes flashed, but Antellica defiantly ignored her, turning her attention to the Senator. "And now if you please Senator Dod, you'll have to come with us back to Coruscant. We don't want to make a scene out of this so I suggest you come quietly."
Senator Dod was now cowering under the table while the Royal Family was huddled in a corner shaking in terror. Lady Arabea remained standing, unmoved, while Calasia stood next to her looking from her mother to the Jedi and back again with her mouth open.
"How extraordinarily like your sister you are Antellica Grievous," Lady Arabea simply said gazing at her.
"Well that is to be expected isn't it?" Anakin jeered before Antellica could think of a retort. "They are twins after all, but enough of this nonsense. Senator Dod, come from under that table this instant! You are under arrest rather you like it or not."
Senator Dod gave a whimper underneath the table, but Lady Arabea merely smirked. "Why so quiet Obi-Wan Kenobi? Is it merely your job to just stand there while these two brats do all the talking?"
Obi-Wan merely gave her a polite smile and a nod. "You must understand Lady Arabea, we came here to arrest your husband and anyone who gets in our way. There's no reason for any talk. You can either come quietly or we will take you by force."
"By force!" Lady Arabea mocked. "You amuse me dear Jedi!"
BANG!
Antellica whipped around to hear the sound of gunfire coming from the hall and people screaming.
"Ah, excellent! Cody's arrived," she commented and then turned to look at Lady Arabea. She and Anakin shared the same look of triumph.
"You are surrounded Arabea," Anakin smoothly. "There is no escape."
Lady Arabea smirked. "I think not."
Clapping her hands twice, roughly a dozen large and muscular Royal Guards came running in through a back door. Before any of the three Jedi could react, the guards had bond them with rope, picked them up, and carried them out the door they came in through. Outside, the guards placed them on the ground and struck their heads with clubs. All three Jedi fell into unconsciousness.
When Antellica came to, she didn't know how long later, she found herself inside a prison cell by herself. Her head hurt but besides that she was fine. It was a regular sized cell she supposed with a small metal bared window not far from the ceiling behind her. When she got up to look out it, she saw that they were on an island of sorts, for not far behind them was a large river or ocean. Antellica couldn't figure out which since it was nighttime.
BEEP!
Quickly turning, she saw Lady Arabea and her stupid daughter Calasia standing in the entranceway of her cell. The beep, Antellica supposed, was the door opening.
"Trying to think of a way to escape cakesniffer," Calasia sniffed.
Antellica rolled her eyes. "I was simply looking out the window. Is that such a crime?"
SNAP!
Suddenly Antellica found herself on the ground and her right arm in pain. She looked up to see Arabea and Calasia wearing identical smirks and Arabea with a whip in her hand.
"You Jedi scumbag," she snarled and dragged Antellica up by her hair before then kicking her to the ground. "Pathetic."
Arabea whipped Antellica over and over again while Calasia laughed with glee and kicked at her. This brutal torture went on for Antellica didn't know how long. She was just in so much pain and suffering and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She screamed and yelled in agony until her voice went hoarse.
After what seemed like forever, they finally stopped and left cackling madly. Antellica burst into tears and curled into a ball. She felt like a hurting, lonely little girl. She so longed for her sister Arica whom she tried to contact countless times over the past three years through their once special bond. But every time she tried, all she got was Arica's mind blocked to hers. She very much missed Padme as well and her home on Coruscant and just everything from what now seemed to be a past life. But she had agreed to this and there would be no backing out of it now. She wondered where Anakin and Obi-Wan were and hoped that they hadn't been tortured as well. She continued to cry and hug herself, giving what little comfort she could. Suddenly she heard a voice inside her head.
"Antellica?"
For a moment she thought it was Arica, but it wasn't. She burst into even more tears at the thought of her sister surely being able to feel her pain yet ignoring her.
"Antellica?" The voice called again. It was than that she realized it was Anakin. "Antellica, are you all right? Please answer me."
She sniffed before responding. "Oh Anakin, I feel so hurt."
"There, there Antellica. It's okay." And suddenly she felt waves of comfort filling her. "What did they do to you Telly?"
She continued to cry. "They hurt me and whipped me and kicked me and laughed at me."
Antellica felt a surge of anger come from Anakin. "How dare they! Oh little Tellica, it'll be all right. We'll figure a way out of this. I promise. Now go to sleep."
And before Antellica could refuse, she fell into a deep, comforting sleep.
"Get up, you blonde haired fool! Get up!"
That is the sound that woke Antellica up a few hours later. Well, that and the cracking of a whip.
She sighed and looked up. Calasia was standing above her with her signature smirk. The only thing difference was that the alien was now wearing an orange wig, instead of the blonde one.
"Up, you Jedi scum, up!" she cried cracking the whip again. Antellica began to get up, only to be kicked back down again. Calasia let out a shriek of laughter and Antellica sighed starting to get a bit irritated.
"I'm glad you find all this to be amusing but how am I supposed to do as you say if when I try to you stop me?"
"Shut up cakesniffer, and do as I say." She cracked the whip a third time as Antellica got up. Two of the Royal Guards came in, bond her hands and pushed her out the entrance.
"Move it scum," they growled.
"I do know how to walk thank you very much," she snapped. That earned her a push to the ground but Antellica didn't care. She casually got up and smirked at the guards.
"You should know that I am unaffected by all this so ha, ha."
"Shut up cakesniffer and do as you're told," Calasia shrieked, cracking the whip once more.
Antellica was pushed forward once again but choose not to respond which she knew angered Calasia. She may have been sad the night before, but as of this morning that sadness had quickly turned to disgust and rage. She however kept her rage in check.
We'll think of a way out of this, she defiantly thought as she was pushed out of the jail.
Anakin and Obi-Wan were already out there. One look at them told her that they'd been beaten as well.
"Antellica, are you okay?" Obi-Wan asked. Antellica nodded.
"Silence Jedi fools!" Lady Arabea barked. She had just come out of the jail behind them with her husband Senator Dod. He looked much more confident today than he had the day before. Antellica even detected a hint of smugness from him. It disgusted her.
"Well Jedi dogs, who's laughing now?" he said and began to laugh hysterically. He, his wife and daughter than proceeded over to a small speeder and got inside. "We will accompany you up the mountain where you Jedi will all meet your doom," he sneered.
"March!" the Royal guard barked and pushed the three Jedi forward from behind them.
The mountain to which Senator Dod had mentioned was straight ahead of them. Antellica noticed a dirt path up the mountain to which they headed towards.
While the three of them were marched up the mountain Senator Dod and his family rode next to them laughing and jeering. Upon reaching the top an hour or so later, the guards untied them and pushed them forward to the ledge of a cliff. They were several hundred feet into the air Antellica guessed, maybe higher.
"This Jedi, is where you meet your doom," Dod snarled.
"I personally don't see how marching us up to the top of a mountain is having us meet our doom. Ow!"
One of the guards had slapped Obi-Wan in the face, ending his speech.
"Well than Jedi dog, allow us to enlighten you," Lady Arabea said and turned to her daughter. "Calasia, darling if you please."
"Right." She sniffed her nose in the air, causing Antellica to cough in disgust. This earned her a slap in the face. "Well you see Jedi dog, we are currently at the top of Mount Calasia."
"Mount Calasia?" all three Jedi repeated in confusion, earning them all slaps once more.
Calasia sniffed again. "That's right, Mount Calasia. The highest, most beautiful mountain on Cato Neimoidia."
"Well there aren't many mountains here so-" Anakin was cut off by yet another slap.
"I personally own this mountain," Calasia continued smugly. "It was a gift to me for my sixth birthday last year."
Antellica rolled her eyes. "Oh yes. Let's all have a party celebrating that fact," she said sarcastically. Another slap. Antellica was under the impression that the guards were enjoying themselves.
"As I was saying," Calasia continued, placing her hands on her hips. "I own this mountain and the river beneath it." She smirked. "And my friends are oh so longing to meet you." She than surprised the three Jedi by bursting into this weird tune song. Her parents soon joined her.
"Ho ha ho ha, ho ho.
He ha he ha, he he.
Se ah se ah, ho he.
Se ka se ka, he ho."
They continued on like this for a while.
"What is this girl doing?" Anakin asked in disgust. He was slapped again, but continued to talk all the same. "I've never heard someone sing so horribly in my life."
"Quiet Jedi dog," one of the guards snarled.
Anakin's response was spitting on the ground in front of the guard who'd spoken. Antellica laughed but Obi-Wan remained silent. Glancing over at him though she saw that he was wearing a slight smirk. The guard didn't slap Anakin this time, but punched him. Anakin simply laughed as he picked himself back up. By now the Neimoidians had stopped singing. Calasia was smirking at Anakin and gestured toward the river beneath them.
"Have a look Jedi dog. I have just called my friends."
Antellica threw her a filthy look before looking down to where she was gesturing and gasped at what she saw: far beneath them in the river were three Firaxan sharks looking up at them. This slightly surprised her being that these sharks usually resided in the seas of Manaan in the Mid rim. A little way off on the shore of a small swamp lay about five alligators, but they appeared to be resting. A little island appeared between them.
"Yes," Calasia said looking at Antellica with smug pleasure. "They are my pets. Benny, La La, and Simon."
"Imagine that," Obi-Wan commented with dry humor. "Whoever heard of a person having sharks as pets?" Anakin and Antellica both laughed loudly but Calasia looked livid, as well as her mother.
"You think it's funny Jedi fool?" Arabea spat. "Very well, you shall be the first."
She than proceeded to push Obi-Wan off the cliff. Anakin and Antellica screamed after him as he fell and Antellica, being stupid and not thinking, jumped after him. She heard Anakin call after her but really didn't care. Her mind was set on saving Obi-Wan. It wasn't till halfway down that she realized how stupid she was being and regretted it. For one thing she couldn't swim all that well, and for another, two of the sharks happened to be waiting beneath her as she fell. Suddenly she felt a hand grab onto her arm. Looking up briefly, she saw it was Anakin. He did a Force somersault in air, enabling them to land in the water a few meters away from the sharks. He then began to swim with rapid speed and Antellica held onto him for dear life with the sharks hot on their tails. Antellica found it better to look straight ahead and not at the approaching sharks. They were swimming towards the bottom of the mountain across from Mount Calasia. There was a little line of sand that looked to be about a foot into and above the water. When they successfully got there Anakin got up, placed Antellica against the wall, turned and used an extremely powerful Force push on the sharks. They were thrown back about twenty feet. He than whipped around to face her.
"Antellica what did you think you were doing? Jumping off the mountain like that?"
He didn't sound angry, just worried and a little shocked, but Antellica wasn't even looking at him. Her gaze was on Obi-Wan, whom was being chased by all three sharks now. It looked like he was heading towards the small island that was now a far way north west of them. He was almost there, but the sharks were practically upon him.
"Anakin do something!" she screamed for he was just standing there watching. "Use the Force or something! Don't just stand there!"
Anakin shook himself, as if in a trance and sent a Force push over at the three sharks. Since they were pretty far off it didn't work as effective as it should have, but it did knock them back a few feet. That was all Obi-Wan needed. By the time he got on the island the sharks could no longer reach him. In the distance, Antellica saw the older Jedi waving at them. They waved back as he than sat down in the grass beneath a small tree. His sudden yelp of surprise caught Antellica's attention and she franticly turned to Anakin. "What is it? What's wrong with him?"
Anakin squinted over towards him. "It looks like he's being tangled by some type of plant."
"Oh no the alligators!" Antellica suddenly screamed.
And indeed the five alligators whom had moments ago been sleeping were now swimming towards the struggling Obi-Wan, licking their chumps.
"Those alligators will be able to climb onto the island and get to Obi-Wan!" Antellica yelled, even more frantic. "We have to do something!"
"I know, I know." Anakin looked more then worried. "Oh Obi-Wan."
Suddenly, a loud humming roar surrounded them and both young Jedi looked all around for the source of the noise. Antellica looked up into the sky and gasped excitedly. Dozens of clone troopers were approaching in the sky with their jet-packs fired up. Commander Cody was leading them.
"Anakin, look! It's Cody!"
Anakin looked up as well and smiled as they both began to jump up and down, calling out to him. The clone commander flew over to them with a few others.
"Hurry! Climb onto our backs, but be careful not to touch the jet-packs!"
They did so and flew over to the little island where Obi-Wan was being choked and strangled by the plant creature. Both Jedi jumped beside him and in no time Antellica had whipped out her pocketknife. She began to cut at the plant to find that it only tied tighter. She was now beyond frantic as Obi-Wan was now turning a deathly pale color due to the lack of oxygen. When she looked around herself, she saw the clones firing at the sharks and Anakin kicking at the alligators that had made their way onto the small beach. Once they were a few feet away, Anakin used a Force push to knock them back about twenty feet. He than turned back to Obi-Wan and Antellica.
"I can't cut these plants with my knife," Antellica said to him. "If only I had my lightsaber..."
"No worries." He whipped out a butcher knife that was nicely concealed inside his vest, causing Antellica to jump back in astoundment. "Where did you get that?"
"Out of the fresher last night," he said as he began to cut. "I begged and begged the guard outside my door to let me use the fresher. Eventually they finally did. Actually, I was going to use that time to look around for a way to escape but no, since her holiness Calasia insisted that the guard come with me I didn't get too. Anyway, this knife was lying on top of the toilet so I pocketed it. I figured it may come in useful and I was right, wasn't I?"
Glancing back at Obi-Wan, she saw that he was now free of the deadly plants. "Oh Obi-Wan!" she cried throwing herself at him.
He seemed a bit taken aback but hugged her all the same. "I'm all right Antellica."
"I was so worried."
"We both were," Anakin added.
Obi-Wan eyed the butcher knife in Anakin's hand and smirked. "A Jedi's one and only weapon is supposed to be a lightsaber, Anakin, not a butcher knife."
Anakin looked beyond shocked and a bit pissed off. "I just saved your neck and this is your way of thanking me by complaining."
"I wasn't complaining, I was simply pointing out-"
"You ungrateful-" Anakin started, but Antellica cut him off.
"Gentleman, gentleman! Thank you. Enough."
Commander Cody and the other clones flew them to the shore outside the jail where a few Republic gunships were parked. Some other troopers flew down with Senator Dod, Lady Arabea, Calasia, and the Royal Guards, who all looked to have reached defeat. The troopers informed the Jedi that the three, along with their security forces, had tried to escape, but that they'd gotten the criminals before they could go too far. The Royals plus their guards were arrested and the Jedi would've taken them back to Coruscant if they hadn't been sent on another mission.
While on the way to their next assignment on Asation, Obi-Wan turned to Antellica on the bridge of the Venator-class Star Destroyer Vigilance, chuckling. "You know that was a bit foolish of you to jump after me off that mountain Antellica."
Anakin laughed causing Antellica to blush. "I wasn't really thinking I guess," she said, addressing the floor. "I guess I thought I could save you somehow."
Obi-Wan smiled. "Well I thank you nonetheless, but next time try to use a little more common sense."
"So I get the impression that you wouldn't have done the same for me?" she playfully snapped. "If it'd been me falling off the mountain you wouldn't have jumped after me?"
Anakin snorted and Obi-Wan looked slightly uncomfortable. "I would've used common sense and-"
"So totally predictable," Antellica said cutting him off once again with a playful snap. She left the bridge in a huff while Anakin laughed and Obi-Wan called after her," Now wait a minute Antellica…"
Antellica did not speak to Obi-Wan the rest of the way to Asation. She did, however, get over her playful anger at him when the Governor of the planet suddenly grabbed Obi-Wan while they were in his court negotiating the refugees he had captive. The native fish-like creature, a Gree, threatened that he'd blast them all to bits if they didn't get off his planet. Anakin said they'd gladly leave, but for him to release Obi-Wan first. The Governor changed his mind and wanted to kill Obi-Wan anyway. Antellica than stepped forward, lightsaber raised and sliced one of the governor's six tentacles off. He fell to the ground screaming in his native tongue, but it wasn't until Antellica threatened to slice off one of his other tentacles did he finally agree to surrender the captive refugees he had as prisoners. Afterwards, Anakin patted her on the back and told her "Well done." Antellica beamed.
"Well done!" Obi-Wan repeated in exasperation. "Well done! That was extremely reckless of you to slice that governor's tentacle off without reason Antellica. And you Anakin," he turned to his former Padawan, "should not be encouraging violence."
Anakin just rolled his eyes, but Antellica snapped – for real this time – , "You are so ungrateful! You should be thanking me on bent knee, not lecturing me."
"It's not the Jedi way to act so harshly," Obi-Wan said, continuing to argue his point.
"Obi-Wan, just shut up." Anakin had been laughing the entire time they'd been snipping at each other.
Antellica refused to speak to Obi-Wan until their next mission on Tozuer when the Jedi Master had fallen into a ditch in a dragon's cavern. She and Anakin sliced up the fire-breathing creature while Commander Cody and some clones rescued Obi-Wan out of the ditch. He came out of it lecturing Anakin and Antellica about killing the poor dragon, which was an unarmed creature.
"An unarmed creature!" Anakin roared. "So what were those claws and teeth it had, decorations!"
Obi-Wan began saying that they were acting reckless when Antellica hotly cut him off with fury. "Maybe if you'd stop getting yourself in these situations we wouldn't have to act rash fully."
"A lightsaber is not a play thing you simply slice things with," Obi-Wan said loudly with a note of anger in his voice.
"Be careful Obi-Wan," Antellica spat at him. "Anger is a path to the dark side."
Obi-Wan seemed to calm down a bit. "I only meant-"
Antellica swore loudly and stalked off with an equally angry Anakin.
The two of them spent the rest of the day enjoying themselves by openingly, and quite loudly, trashing Obi-Wan as they headed on foot to the Vast Castle of Tozuer. Obi-Wan who'd been behind them all the while, angrily snatched their lightsabers from them and called them reckless children.
When they got to the castle entrance they came face to face with four snarling bull-watch-dogs. Obi-Wan Force pushed them out of the way and turned to Anakin and Antellica. "That's what you do to unarmed animals and people. You don't slaughter them. You only kill or wound unless you have too."
"Well in case you haven't noticed Obi-Wan, I can't simply Force push things out of the way," Antellica reminded in a heated tone.
"Yes, but still-"
"Drop it," Anakin said loudly, bringing the argument to an end. Obi-Wan for once shut his mouth as they made their way inside the Vast Castle and completed their mission.