Author's Note: Hey, guys! Happy New Year to all of you! Before reading this new chapter, I just want to tell you a video that I just saw yesterday and I'm sure it will blow your minds just as it did to me. It's a video called 'CLONE WARS: BATTLE OF THE HEROES' by HELLO THERE. A special thanks to my friend, CJG98 for showing me this. Moreover, this is what we've been waiting for. Clone Wars animation is a masterpiece and I hope you enjoy this awesome fan animation video as well.

I don't own Star Wars: The Clone Wars or its characters, but I only own Nadia Aomori and my other OCs.

Enjoy!

Threads of Destiny

Chapter 32: Citadel Rescue

Trapped behind enemy lines!

Carrying secret information, vital to the Republic's war effort, Jedi Master Even Piell and Captain Tarkin were taken prisoner by the Separatists.

An elite strike team led by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker landed on the planet, Lola Sayu and infiltrated the prison.

The team rescued Master Piell and Tarkin, but they were pursued by the prison's evil commandant, Osi Sobeck.

During the escape, their ship was destroyed.

Now we find them on the run, desperate to escape the trap that is the Citadel.

After finding a temporary refuge in the caves, Master Piell, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, Nadia and their team were looking for a way out while hiding in the caverns below.

"We're clear!"Rex stated.

Ahsoka glanced at Anakin.

"What's our next move?"Ahsoka asked.

"We're going to have to fight our way off this rock."Anakin replied.

"The sooner the better."Nadia commented.

"Contact the Council."Obi-Wan insisted."See when they plan to rescue us."

"I'll handle it."Master Piell replied.

Then a hologram of Mace Windu and Master Yoda then appeared from Artoo.

"Master Piell, it's good to see you alive, my friend."Mace Windu praised.

"Likewise, Master Windu."Master Piell responded."Our escape route has been compromised and there are several squads of droids closing in on us."

"When can we expect your arrival?"Anakin questioned.

"Master Plo is already en route."Mace Windu replied.

"Gunships will arrive to evacuate you and your men. But do not delay, only a small window of opportunity shall we have."Master Yoda declared and showed a map with a location on it."Your rendezvous point will be this island."

"Understood."Master Piell assured.

"May the Force be with you."Mace Windu stated.

Then the holograms of Mace Windu and Master Yoda went off.

"Incoming!"Commander Cody shouted.

Three battle droids showed up, but Rex and the other Clone Troopers quickly took them down.

The five Jedi deactivated their lightsabers.

"No doubt, there's more on the way."Obi-Wan said.

"I wouldn't hang around to find out, Master."Nadia complemented.

Then the group continued making their way out of the caverns.

A while later, the group started running to the other part that showed a large river of flaming lava and they got ambushed by a large battle droid force that came after them.

"They're boxing us in!"Ahsoka warned.

"Lock in your cables!"Anakin replied as he and Obi-Wan locked their cables."Artoo, we need your droids to hold off the enemy as long as possible."

Artoo beeped a response.

"Good, everybody follow me!"Anakin ordered.

Captain Tarkin got on Anakin's back.

"This is sheer madness!"Captain Tarkin complained.

Obi-Wan and Anakin started going down.

Master Piell, Ahsoka and Nadia activated their lightsabers while the Clone Troopers used their blasters to fight the battle droids.

Three of the re-programmed battle droids that were with Artoo stayed behind to fight the Separatist droids for as long as they are able and were swiftly destroyed in the attempt.

"Keep moving!"Obi-Wan shouted.

Master Piell, Ahsoka, Nadia and the Clone Troopers began to descend the cliff down to the lake's shore and flee into a set of gulleys.

However, few of the Clone Troopers fell to their deaths while the rest went down alive.

Artoo flew to the ground safely to join his companions.

"Keep moving!"Anakin ordered."Keeping moving!"

The group went down a tunnel while Anakin and Commander Cody took down one of the droids before joining up with them.

The five Jedi and their companions were now walking in a gully that was next to the lava river.

"What if your Jedi friends are not there when we arrive?"Captain Tarkin questioned.

"Keep moving and you won't have to worry about that, Captain Tarkin."Master Piell assured sharply.

Ahsoka and Nadia rolled their eyes at Captain Tarkin in annoyance before the two girls began speaking with Obi-Wan and Anakin.

"Why did Master Piell have to share half the intel with that guy?"Ahsoka asked.

"I don't know why, but I feel like he's not even grateful we rescued him."Nadia retorted bitterly.

"Captain Tarkin feels the Jedi should be relieved from the burden of leading the war effort."Anakin said.

"That's ridiculous."Ahsoka commented.

Nadia nodded in agreement.

"Maybe, but we aren't soldiers."Anakin informed."We're peacekeepers. The Jedi Code often prevents us from going far enough to achieve victory."

"A rather simple point of view."Obi-Wan commented with a smile.

"Either way, he is a good Captain."Anakin admitted.

"You're joking, right?"Nadia scowled in disbelief.

Then the group heard howling causing them to stop walking.

"Did you hear that?"Ahsoka asked.

"Yes."Master Piell replied grimly."We're going to have company."

"Anoobas."Nadia muttered lightly with an irritated look."I hate Anoobas."

The group continued walking to get to their destination as Nadia stood next to Obi-Wan.

"You know, it's not wise to argue with Master Piell."Anakin said and chuckled."It's certainly not a good career move."

"General Skywalker, I stand by my principles no matter what."Captain Tarkin informed."Besides, I needn't worry about my career because I've fallen into favour with Chancellor Palpatine. He shall support me."

"Oh, I happen to know Chancellor Palpatine quite well myself."Anakin stated."And so does Commander Aomori."

"Oh, really?"Captain Tarkin questioned.

"Really."Anakin answered.

Nadia glanced at Anakin with a small frown.

The raven haired girl didn't like the Jedi Knight brag to Captain Tarkin that they knew someone as powerful as Chancellor Palpatine like him.

The first time she met the Chancellor was a few weeks after Master Shaak Ti brought her to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant for the first time and to her surprise, he was actually nice to her.

Unlike Mace Windu and the other emotionless residents of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant who had doubts having her be trained as a Jedi because she was a descendant of Darth Nihilus.

Chancellor Palpatine seemed to be a good man and part of her looked up to him as a grandfather.

Nadia barely remembered her grandfathers.

Her paternal Grandfather Trowa died when she was two years old and her maternal Grandfather Alexander died when her mother was not even married to her father yet.

However, another part of her was telling her to be careful being around Chancellor Palpatine and not trust him at all.

Why?

Was there-

"Let's keep moving."Obi-Wan reminded, making Nadia go out of her thoughts."If we're not at the rendezvous at the exact time, we'll miss our window."

"And become lunch."Nadia added uncomfortably.

Nadia shivered at the repulsive thought in her mind.

They then heard the same howl from before.

"Those creatures are gaining."Fives stated.

"If they've caught our scent, they'll lead the droids right to us."Master Piell warned.

"We're gonna have to deal with them."Anakin said.

"What about using this cave to surprise them?"Ahsoka suggested.

"She's right, if we can get them to pass by we can attack them from behind."Nadia remarked in agreement."But we need a distraction."

"Leave that to me."Anakin assured firmly.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat, earning Anakin's attention.

"And Obi-Wan, of course."Anakin added with a smile.

Nadia shook her head and smirked smugly at the two men.

"Okay, the rest of you, follow me."Master Piell ordered.

Ahsoka, Nadia, Captain Tarkin and the Clone Troopers followed him while Artoo went with Obi-Wan and Anakin.

Afterwards...

The battle droids on flying bikes and the Anoobas were heading to Obi-Wan, Anakin and Artoo's way.

Master Piell, Ahsoka, Nadia and the Clone Troopers were secretly following them.

The two men stopped walking and activated their lightsabers to face their enemies.

Artoo beeped and trampled in fear.

Obi-Wan and Anakin started fighting the Anoobas as Master Piell's group got ambushed by crab droids and another group of STAPs.

Master Piell, Ahsoka, Nadia and the Clone Troopers started fighting the crab droids.

"Keep going!"Master Piell ordered."Ahsoka, Nadia and I will take care of the droids!"

Captain Tarkin and the Clone Troopers went away as the Jedi Master and the two Padawans continued fighting the battle droids.

Anakin, Obi-Wan, Captain Tarkin and the Clone Troopers took down the Anoobas and the battle droids on the STAPS.

Master Piell, Ahsoka and Nadia continued fighting the crab droids.

Nadia did a back flip to go on a rock before slashing one of the crab droids in half in a flash.

Ahsoka took down a crab droid by destroying its eyes.

But then one of the Anoobas attacked Master Piell by pinning him to the ground.

"Master Piell!"Ahsoka and Nadia shouted in unison.

The two girls rushed to get to the Jedi Master's rescue.

Nadia used her Force Judgement to wound the Anooba before Ahsoka used the Force to throw it away.

Ahsoka and Nadia went to Master Piell's side and saw he was badly injured.

"We have to get help."Ahsoka suggested.

"No, don't leave yet."Master Piell said weakly."Listen to me carefully, children. The information, I need you two to deliver it back to the Council."

"We should find Anakin and Obi-Wan."Nadia declared."They need to hear this."

"No, you both must listen."Master Piell stated sternly.

Looks of utter guilt appeared on Ahsoka and Nadia's faces.

"But we weren't assigned to the team."Ahsoka admitted.

"We lied just so we could be a part of the mission."Nadia said sadly.

"Whether you two were meant to be on this mission or not, you both are now the most important part of it."Master Piell declared."Remember this and see to it that the information I'm about to give you is revealed to no one, but the Jedi Council."

Ahsoka and Nadia listened carefully for what the dying Jedi Master had to say to them.

Anakin, Obi-Wan and the Clone Troopers took down the last of the battle droids.

"So much for the hunting party."Commander Cody commented.

"There are more squads on their way."Captain Tarkin remarked.

Obi-Wan was at the top of a hill and saw something that made him sad.

"Oh, no."Obi-Wan said sadly.

Ahsoka and Nadia quietly went over to their Jedi Masters and team while the female Torguta carried Master Piell on her shoulder.

Ahsoka then placed Master Piell's dead body on the ground.

"He died honourably."Ahsoka said quietly.

"What about the information?"Anakin asked.

"We have it."Nadia admitted, trying her best not to cry."He told us just before he died."

Then the group wrapped Master Piell's dead body in a white sheet.

"We don't have much time."Obi-Wan insisted."Let's take this moment to honour him, then we must move on, he would have wanted us to complete our mission.""

Anakin and Obi-Wan soon used the Force to gently place Master Piell's body into the burning lava.

The group watched in silence as Master Piell's body disappeared in the boiling lava.

Afterwards...

Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, Nadia and their team arrived to their destination.

"There's the extraction point."Obi-Wan admitted.

Anakin and Commander Cody fired their cables for them to use to get pass the lava.

Rex immediately spotted Sobeck and the battle droids riding on STAPs approaching them.

Sobeck arrived on the scene since he was determined to see his efforts succeed personally.

"Incoming!"Rex warned.

Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, Nadia and the Clone Troopers started fighting them.

Anakin leaped up to slash a battle droid and stealing its STAP.

Sobeck's STAP was shot down by Fives causing him to land on the island

Nadia destroyed a battle droid with her yellow lightsaber before taking its STAP to help Anakin and Obi-Wan take out the remaining battle droids.

Ahsoka became alarmed when she noticed Sobeck strangling Captain Tarkin.

"Captain Tarkin!"Ahsoka called out.

"If I can't have the information, it will die with you!"Sobeck growled.

Sobeck prepared to cast Captain Tarkin into the lava, but Ahsoka killed him before he could do that.

Obi-Wan, Anakin and Nadia rushed forward to check on Ahsoka and Captain Tarkin, but saw their fellow Jedi saved the Captain's life without their help.

"My thanks, Padawan Tano."Captain Tarkin thanked as he stood up from the ground and looked at Anakin."I see you've trained her well."

Captain Tarkin then walked away as Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka and Nadia watched him go.

"The rescue ship should be here by now."Obi-Wan said.

"So should the rest of the Separatist Army."Anakin added.

Then Plo Koon arrived inside a gunship to carry the fugitives out.

"I believe you've worn out your welcome."Plo Koon clarified.

A group of crab droids suddenly appeared, making the four Jedi activate their lightsabers to block their attacks while the Clone Troopers used their blasters to fight them off.

The gunship then flew out from Lola Sayu's atmosphere and headed into space.

"Admiral Coburn, we have the survivors."Plo Koon said in his comlink."Recall all fighters."

"Yes, General Plo."Admiral Coburn replied."I will also have our fleet prepare to jump to lightspeed."

Once safely aboard a Venator-class Star Destroyer, the rescue force retreated immediately.

"We're all ready, Admiral Coburn."Plo Koon assured.

Then the Jedi ships jumped into hyperspace away from the Separatist forces.

In Coruscant...

The Jedi and their team arrived to the Jedi Temple, where they were greeted by Mace Windu, Yoda and other clone troopers.

Though the mission was successful, the situation takes an abrupt turn back on Coruscant.

"Of Master Piell's loss, we are sorry to hear."Master Yoda said.

"He will be missed."Mace Windu admitted.

"Because of his great sacrifice, we now have the Nexus Route coordinates."Plo Koon commented.

"Captain Tarkin and Ahsoka and Nadia have each memorised half."Obi-Wan remarked.

"Debrief the three of them, we must."Master Yoda responded.

"With all due respect, Master Yoda, I was instructed by Chancellor Palpatine to bring the information directly to him for debriefing."Captain Tarkin requested.

Nadia frowned at Captain Tarkin.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, Captain Tarkin."Nadia spoke up sternly."But the information that me and Ahsoka were given by Master Piell can't be given to Chancellor Palpatine."

"We promised Master Piell that we would deliver it only to the Council and that's what we will do."Ahsoka stated.

"Hmm...personally meet with Chancellor Palpatine, I will."Master Yoda declared."Decide what is best to do, we shall."

Ahsoka and Nadia began to walk away as Anakin spoke with Plo Koon.

"Master Plo, there's something Obi-Wan and I want to ask you."Anakin said with a hint of suspicion."Did you assign Ahsoka and Nadia to the mission?"

Ahsoka and Nadia quietly looked down, but Plo Koon's expression remained the same.

"It appears I did, Anakin."Plo Koon replied.

Looks of relief appeared on Ahsoka and Nadia upon hearing Master Plo Koon claim that he assigned them to join the mission in the first place.

Then Master Plo Koon walked away, accompanied by Ahsoka.

Nadia made her way to Obi-Wan as Captain Tarkin and Anakin shook hands with each other.

"A job well done, General Skywalker."Captain Tarkin informed."I wish more Jedi had the military sensibilities of you and your friends. Perhaps I can inform Chancellor Palpatine of your and Commander Aomori's valour."

Then Captain Tarkin walked away, making Nadia look at him in suspicion as she stood with Obi-Wan and Anakin.

"I'm not sure what to think of your new ally."Obi-Wan said.

"Me too, Master Skywalker."Nadia admitted with a frown."I don't trust him one bit."

"Well, I think we need people like him, me and our friends."Anakin suggested, surprising Obi-Wan and Nadia."This is a war. If we aren't willing to do whatever it takes to win, we risk losing everything we swore to protect to Darth Sidious and the Sith."

Nadia simply shrugged before folding her arms.

"Yeah."Nadia responded simply."You have a point there."

"Unfortunately, war tends to distort our point of view."Obi-Wan complemented."If we sacrifice our Code, even for victory, we may lose that which is most important and that's our honour."

Then Captain Tarkin and two of the Clone Troopers took off in a speeder while the three Jedi looked on in silence.

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter

See you all later!