The sun remained on the other side of Coruscant when Adrina and Anakin approached the Endurance's landing ramp. Master Windu waited for them on the bridge with Admiral Killian. The Clone Youth Brigade would rendezvous with them in deep space. Despite her mixed feelings about the brigade, Adrina couldn't deny her excitement; it had been far too long since her last youth program. Those missions had always been among her favorites. The outbreak of the war foiled her initiative to teach basic medical skills in Courscant's lower levels. And yet…

"It'll be strange," Adrina remarked absently.

"Having kids aboard a Cruiser?" Anakin chuckled. "Yeah, that'll be strange. But I'm looking forward to it. Educating and inspiring the new generations. Feels good."

"I was just thinking about my father," Adrina admitted.

"Jango Fett? Why?"

Adrina shrugged. "My brother, of course. Well, not really brother, technically, I suppose."

"Bolla, was it? It was in Obi-Wan's report on Kamino."

Adrina raised an eyebrow. "Boba. I'm surprised you read it."

"Ha ha." Anakin rolled his eyes. "Yes, I read it. I usually read reports, thank you very much. What's got you thinking about Boba?"

"I imagine he'd be about the same age as the Clone Youth Brigade, or at least he'd look to be the same age."

"Ah, I see."

Adrina shrugged. "I know the Council has had eyes out for him, but so far we've found nothing. I worry about him. That's all. The galaxy can be a cruel place." Doubtless her father would have trained him to survive, but he was still a child.

"It'd be pretty hard to find one kid in the entire galaxy, even if there wasn't a galactic war going on," Anakin said.

"Yeah, that's what I remind myself," Adrina murmured, adjusting the strap of her bag. The stars twinkled back at her from beyond the viewport as they made their way to the bridge, whether to mock or comfort, she couldn't decide.

"Keep your hopes up. You never know. Maybe you'll get to meet him one day, when this is all over."

"I hope so."

0

"I heard the Jedi were strange but, I didn't think that meant I'd be covered in…goop."

"It's colored gelatin, wimp."

"It's goop. And it's cold."

Adrina ducked her head to disguise her smirk. Gale and Lasher, two of the medics assigned to the Endurance, sat on the exam table in varying states of disorder as she prepared them to be hands-on patients for the Youth Brigade. They'd been skeptical when Adrina had ushered them to their perch, but had complied. They had been less eager when Adrina produced her 'goop'. "Did you not have practical experience during your training? Surely you had something. You have all been far too adept on the job to not have any hands-on experience."

Gale touched the gelatin dripping down the side of his face from his mock head injury. "Not with goop, I can tell you that."

"I see." Adrina slathered a generous portion of her handmade blood simulator onto Gale's neck. "Perhaps for the second round of practicals, you can be passed out with a… How about a broken leg? Nice, neat, no goop."

Lasher punched Gale's shoulder with a grin. "Ignore him, Healer Skywalker. The Kaminoans forgot to grow him a spine."

"Oh, yeah? Well, they forgot to grow you a pair of b-"

An explosion rocked the ship. Gale steadied Adrina as she tumbled into him. Alarms blared. Outside the empty Infirmary, boots pounded across the floor as troopers raced to their stations.

"That can't be good," Lasher muttered.

"Adrina, come in," Mace Windu's voice came over the com link.

"Master Windu, what happened?"

"Meet me outside my quarters, now."

Adrina was already out the door. "On my way." She dashed down the hall, skittering past the Clone Youth Brigade, arriving just as Anakin rounded the corner. Adrina found Windu clutching the body of a trooper, his helmet tossed to the side, blast doors closed behind him.

"He's dead," Windu said, his mouth set in a grim line.

Adrina studied the burnt remnants of Windu's quarters. Anakin raised the admiral on the com. He ended the call with a frown. "Navigation is fine. If navigation wasn't the target, then it looks like you were, Master Windu."

"It appears that way." Windu gently laid his soldier's body on the floor and stood, turning to Adrina. "Take care of our trooper. Skywalker and I will get to the bottom of this."

"Of course, Master Windu," Adrina murmured to his retreating back. She called for back-up.

Gale and Lasher skidded around the corner minutes later, already prepared with a stretcher. Adrina quietly filled them in.

"Who would be bold enough to attack General Windu on a Jedi cruiser?" Gale said as he knelt beside his fallen brother.

"It is a bold move," Lasher agreed. "At least nothing else was damaged."

Adrina pursed her lips. "Yes. But that still means there is an assassin on board. And since this attempt failed, there will be another. Don't forget, we have children on board."

Gale and Lasher fell silent.

"Prepare the body," Adrina instructed. "I'm going to see what I can find out about this."

A second explosion rocked the ship violently, throwing her against the wall. She cursed under her breath. She hit her com link. "Anakin, come in."

Anakin answered after a minute. "Adrina, stand by." The line went silent.

The floor rumbled beneath her feet. "That can't be good," she muttered.

"Adrina," Anakin's grim voice chimed. "Take your men and make for the escape pods. We're going down."

Adrina sucked in a breath. "Copy that. Making for the escape pods." She turned to Gale and Lasher. "You heard him. I'll find Grim and Bashful, you two get to the pods." It was a good thing the Infirmary was empty.

The medics snapped a salute and made a hasty exit with their fallen comrade. Adrina jogged down the hallway towards the trooper's quarters. Grim and Bashful met her halfway. "The alarms woke us," Grim said.

"The ship is going down. Escape pods - now." Adrina turned heel and ran towards the pods, troopers close behind her. Seeing Sergeant Crasher usher his young troops into escape pods gave Adrina a modicum of relief. "Into the pod, men," Adrina ordered, pointing towards the remaining empty pod. Only one pod remained with space. "Sergeant Crasher, I'll be accompanying your cadets in this pod."

Crasher snapped to a salute. "Of course, Healer Skywalker."

Adrina bowed slightly and ducked into the pod. She thumbed the door shut behind her. Four sets of identical eyes turned to Adrina. She gave each squirming cadet a smile. The cadet at the helm scrambled out of the seat to allow Adrina to assume control. He snapped a hasty salute. "At ease, cadets."

"I'm Jax," the cadet who vacated the helm said. He pointed to each of his comrades in turn. "This is Whiplash, Hotshot, and Lucky."

Lucky caught her attention. Something in his eyes…. Adrina sensed an extraordinary amount of guilt and grief from him. Suspicion niggled at her that Lucky was not what he appeared and that, perhaps, he had a role to play in the assassination plot.

"It is a pleasure to meet each of you. I am Healer Adrina Skywalker. Now, let's get out of here."

The pod jerked as it released, but the lurch that came moments later startled the pod's occupants. The pod hurtled through space, navigation and steering inoperable.

"What happened?" Whiplash scrambled from his seat, desperate to peer over Adrina's shoulder at the console.

"The pod simply malfunctioned. Remain calm, cadets," Adrina kept her voice pleasant to soothe the cadets' rising panic. "Mistakes are made when panic sets in."

"But we're lost," Jax said as the pod sputtered to a halt. "Without navigation or steering, we're dead in space. And our life support-"

Adrina held up a hand. "You forget one very important detail, Jax." Jax blinked. Adrina smiled. "They will search for us. We do not leave men behind." Adrina met each set of eyes, finally settling upon Lucky, who flinched under her gaze.

"But…." The cadets glanced at each other. "What do we do in the meantime?"

"We stay calm; that is the most important thing. And while we wait-"

"What was that?" Hotshot interrupted her. They looked out the viewport.

"I heard it, too," Adrina murmured.

"A ship, I think," Jax said.

Adrina stood. She agreed with the cadet's interpretation. "At the ready," she instructed quietly, drawing her lightsaber. Her thumb hovered over the activation button. Her stance widened, rooting herself for battle. It was too early for a rescue ship; the others would only just be missing them. Reaching out with the Force, Adrina searched for the arriving ship. None of the three Force signatures were familiar.

The cadets turned to the back of the pod. Judging by the mechanical whirring, the ship was attaching to the pod and preparing to board. Adrina ushered the cadets behind her, igniting her lightsaber as the doors opened. The teal blade illuminated the dark pod.

The escape pod door opened to reveal a tall red-headed woman and a male Trandoshan holding a blaster at the ready. Bounty hunters. Their timely arrival reeked of collusion.

"Well, well," the willowy and scantily clad woman said. She pushed off the bulkhead and sauntered forward. Adrina held her lightsaber higher in warning. "A Jedi. How...unexpected."

"Careful," Adrina warned.

The woman laughed. She glanced over Adrina's shoulder. "Congratulations, Boba. Job well done."

Adrina gasped. "Boba," she breathed, half turning, but careful to not take her eyes off her opponents. The pieces fell quickly into place.

Oh, no.

"His name isn't Boba," Jax said, stepping forward and placing a protective hand on Lucky's shoulder. "It's Lucky."

The woman chortled. "Lucky? That's a good one."

"Boba," Adrina shook her head. "You tried to kill Mace Windu? You sabotaged the ship? You were willing to murder an entire cruiser full of innocent people, just to get revenge for buir's death?"

Boba's eyes widened.

"Very astute, Jedi," the woman sneered. "Boba, I wasn't expecting you to bring friends."

Adrina recognized the defiant light in Boba's eyes. Perhaps there was still hope. Boba planted his feet. "I didn't have a choice, Aurra!"

Aurra raised her blaster. "Live witnesses. How unfortunate."

Adrina narrowed her eyes and leveled her lightsaber at Aurra's throat. The other bounty hunter pointed his blaster at Adrina. "Choose your actions carefully. It won't take long for Anakin Skywalker and Mace Windu to find us. And I can promise you that neither will be in a good mood."

Aurra laughed. "What, do you really think you can kill me before Bosk here takes out these runts? Besides, the Jedi won't find this pod until it's too late."

The last thing they needed was stray blaster fire in the escape pod. She couldn't risk the cadets' lives or further damage to the pod, and hadn't she just been wishing for a chance to meet her brother? This opportunity was too good to pass up. Adrina deactivated her lightsaber. "Alright, then, Aurra. I'll make you a deal. Take me; leave these cadets alive."

Aurra pursed her lips.

"Yeah, Aurra," Boba said, stepping between the two women. "Don't kill them. They didn't do anything."

"Why should I?" Aurra ignored Boba. "You're nobody. I gain nothing."

Adrina's smile widened. "I am Healer Adrina Skywalker."

A slow smile stretched across Aurra's lips at the mention of Adrina's last name. "Skywalker, eh?" She tossed her blaster against her shoulder. "Alright. I'll take that deal. But I get the lightsaber. You won't be needing it, after all."

Adrina handed the weapon to Sing.

"Lead the way, Boba." Aurra impatiently waved Adrina through the portal with her blaster. Adrina raised an eyebrow. "Why the hurry, Aurra?"

Aurra sneered and turned with a toss of her red hair. Boba nudged her back. Adrina exhaled and stepped through the portal into the waiting ship. She glanced behind her at the angry, betrayed faces of the cadets, all glaring at Boba, and gave them a reassuring smile.

"Who's this?" A gravelly voice demanded. Adrina sighed internally. A Klatoonian. Wonderful.

"This, Castas," Aurra gestured to Adrina with flourish, "Is Adrina Skywalker. She will fetch a hefty ransom from the Separatists."

"Skywalker?" Castas frowned. He eyed Adrina's chest. "Thought Skywalker was a man."

"That would be my brother," Adrina supplied, making a show of giving him a disdainful once over. She sniffed and turned up her nose at him.

"Hmph."

"Relax, Castas," Aurra purred. "She'll be worth the effort. Besides, she's a healer - practically harmless, especially without her lightsaber. Boba, bind her hands and toss her in the hold." She strode towards the cockpit, the Trandoshan following close behind.

"Come on," Boba mumbled. He led her towards the hold. Exposed paneling by the ladder to the cockpit caught her attention. She filed the information away for later use.

When they were out of earshot of his companions, Boba asked, "You're my sister, aren't you?" He tightened the restraints on Adrina's wrists and led her by the arm to the cargo hold.

"Yes, Boba, I am." Adrina inclined her head. "I did not think you would know about me."

"I don't," Boba said crisply. "Not really. Father only mentioned you once."

"By accident, I'm sure."

Boba frowned. "Aren't you… upset about that?"

Adrina shrugged. "I made my peace with it."

"Sit down," Boba instructed, pointing to the empty spot between two crates. Adrina complied. "Wait," Boba paused as he was tying her ankles together. He looked up with a frown. "You knew who I was. When Aurra said my name, you weren't surprised."

Adrina chuckled. "Oh, I was surprised. But you are correct. Obi-Wan Kenobi told me about you after…" She swallowed hard. "I had hoped to meet you one day." She looked around and held up her bound hands. "I had just hoped it would be under….different circumstances."

"You didn't look for me." Boba's tone accused her. "You're my family. You should have looked."

"I did, Boba," Adrina said. "Believe me, I did. And until this morning, I still was. You are difficult to find, especially in the middle of a war."

Boba huffed and finished binding her. "Why did you offer yourself up?"

"How else was I going to be able to talk to you? Besides, Aurra Sing would not have hesitated to kill those cadets; I could not allow that to happen." She tilted her head and added gently, "Nor, I suspect, could you."

"But… But we're going to ransom you to the Separatists. There won't be a rescue. You're going to die." His concern gave her hope that he was not yet beyond help.

Adrina merely smiled. "I am right where I need to be."

Boba eyed her warily. "You can't take the three of them."

Adrina laughed softly. "Oh, I have no intention of fighting the three of them." Not all at once, at least.

Boba straightened. Anger swept over him. "Hey!" He jerked away. "You knew Windu killed our father."

Adrina nodded.

"And you let him live!"

Adrina opened her mouth to answer the questions burning in Boba's eyes, the questions she had been waiting for him to ask, when Aurra barged into the cargo hold. "What are you doing, Boba?" Aurra demanded. "Gag her. No talking."

"What are you afraid of, Aurra?" Adrina tilted her head. "I'm tied up; what can my words do to hurt you" Adrina clucked her tongue. "I did not realize you were so fragile."

Adrina's head snapped to the side when Aurra's fist connected with her cheek. "You'll fill his head with Jedi lies," Aurra hissed. Adrina scoffed, but remained silent. Aurra stuffed a swath of once-white cloth into Adrina's mouth and made a tight knot. "Come, Boba. Don't ever speak to her again."

The gag muffled Adrina's sigh. She could sense the anger and hatred in Boba, but his confusion and hurt ran just as deeply. He was only a boy, lost in a cruel and unforgiving world, who had found comfort in the arms of people just as lost and angry as he was.

Adrina needed time alone with Boba. She needed to persuade him off his self-destructive path. Her stinging cheek made it clear that Aurra was not going to allow that to happen.

Adrina shifted, settling into a more comfortable position. She closed her eyes to meditate. If she was going to kidnap her brother from three bounty hunters, she would need a clear head and a solid plan.