Chapter 31
(three days later)
Jaina crouched low behind a rocky outcropping, her blue eyes scanning the Separatist supply depot in the valley below.
The harsh Jixuan Desert had taken its toll on the Padawan over the past seventy-two hours, since they'd left the safety of Nabat.
Her skin felt raw and tight, burned by the relentless sun despite the thickness of her white tunic. She licked her chapped lips, wincing at the sting. Sand had worked its way into every crevice of her clothing, chafing unbearably in between her neck, and the collar of her chest-plate armor.
Next to her, Ahsoka looked equally worn, her orange skin ashen from the dust that clung to them both as they awaited the signal that their Masters, the 501st, and the 212th had begun their diversion.
One last Separatist base to go in this Force-forsaken desert.
Jaina leaned her head on her forearm, pressing her palm towards a flushed, blotchy cheek.
Her wrist comlink beeped, with her Master's voice echoing from it a few moments later. "Are you in position, my little one?"
Jaina wiped the sweat off her brow, nodding wearily to herself. "Yes, Master. Ahsoka and I are in position."
"Good. We're ready to begin." Obi-Wan's voice was faint over the comlink, but his steady tone was a familiar comfort, as always. "Wait for our signal. Stay alert."
As her Master's voice faded from the comlink, Jaina felt the full weight of the grueling trek settle upon her shoulders. The constant heat and dryness left her dizzy and dehydrated, her muscles aching from the hike across the dunes.
But she was determined not to let her discomfort show, not when they were so close to their objective. "Copy that, Master," she replied, trying to keep the exhaustion from her voice. "Standing by."
She shifted her position behind the rocky outcropping, wincing as sand ground against her skin once more, continuing to irritate the blisters on her heels.
The vast expanse of the Jixuan Desert stretched before them, endlessly.
Ahsoka sighed. "I am never complaining about Coruscant's rain ever again," she muttered.
Jaina snorted dryly, despite how sore her throat felt. "You say that now," she said. "But I think you're forgetting the puddles that always form, just outside the West Gate."
Ahsoka rolled her eyes, a wry smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Fair enough," she conceded. "But in my defense, you'd think the Jedi Temple would have a solution for their drainage issues."
"Because clearly that's at the top of their priorities," Jaina drawled.
As the two Padawans shared a quiet moment of weary humor, they suddenly heard the faint sound of distant explosions and blaster fire echoing across the desert valley.
Jaina's comlink crackled to life once more. "You're clear to advance. Be careful, my little Padawan. Keep us updated."
"Will do, Master," Jaina promised. She glanced downwards at the Separatist base below, then turned back to Ahsoka, smirking. "Race you to the bottom?"
The two Padawans quickly unclipped the coiled ascension cables from their belt, attaching them securely to nearby rock formations.
After double checking her equipment, Ahsoka immediately launched herself into the air. "See you later, slowpoke!"
"Cheater!" Jaina retorted, as she frantically attached her own cable and leapt off the cliff. The wind whipped through her two braids as she descended—but despite her best efforts, Ahsoka's head start proved too much to overcome.
The Togruta Padawan touched down on the sandy ground below just moments ahead, a triumphant smirk spreading across her face. "It was a nice attempt, J."
Jaina rolled her eyes good-naturedly as she unclipped her cable, trying to hide her own smile. "Yeah, yeah, shut it."
The two Padawans quickly shifted their focus to the mission at hand, their playful banter fading as they surveyed the Separatist base sprawled out before them. The sound of distant explosions echoed across the desert, a reminder of the diversion their Masters were providing.
"We should move quickly," Ahsoka said quietly. "Go go, do your thing."
Jaina nodded in agreement, her blue eyes scanning the area for any signs of droids or other security measures, her mind working swiftly. "Give me a second."
As she surveyed the enemy outpost, her gaze darted between the various structures, taking note of the placement of guard towers, the distribution of droid patrols, and the layout of the buildings around the base.
"Fuel repository," she murmured, pointing towards four large cylindrical structures, her fingers drifting slightly west towards a smaller, adjoining structure. "Therefore, AAT depot and vehicle maintenance…and that right there is probably the hangar bay…"
"…which means that the armory and munitions storage would be on the opposite end, with at least an 850 meter distance away from the fuel…" she turned around, facing another row of structures, with much lower roofs. "…along with the droid barracks…"
Ahsoka nodded, listening intently as Jaina rattled off her deductions. "What about those towers along the perimeter?" She gestured towards a series of dishes and antennas. "They look like sensor arrays."
"Yeah, that's an IO-12, long-range array. So that's probably the communications hub," Jaina squinted, focusing on the tall structures Ahsoka had pointed out. She compared them mentally to similar installations they'd encountered on previous missions. "Which is connected to the Command Center…"
Her eyes trailed along the network of power conduits—all leading from the hangar, the armory, and the Command Center, to a small building tucked away in the opposite corner of the compound.
"There," Jaina murmured. "That's likely the Reactor. And those smaller structures flanking it are probably the auxiliary power units."
She squinted, trying to make out more details through the dusty air. The building was smaller than the others, with thick walls and what looked like reinforced duracrete, and motion-activated ray-shields.
Ahsoka followed her gaze, her blue eyes narrowing. "Makes sense," she said quietly. "If we can take that out, we'd get the gates open for our Masters, and we'd cripple their entire operation. But we'll need to be careful, there are probably all sorts of security protocols in place."
Jaina nodded, her mind already racing. "Right," she murmured, then activated her comlink, trying to reach their Masters.
The device crackled with static before Obi-Wan's voice came through, faint but steady. "Jaina? What's your status?"
"We've located the reactor, Master," Jaina replied quietly. "It's in a secure building on the east side of the base. We're about to make our approach."
Obi-Wan's voice crackled through the comlink again, barely audible over the sound of distant explosions and blasterfire. "Good work, Padawan. Remember, your primary objective is to open the main gates. Do NOT engage the enemy until our forces are inside. You'll need reinforcements."
"Understood, Master," Jaina said. "We'll be careful."
As they surveyed the different structures inside the base, Ahsoka's brow furrowed. "J, look over there," she whispered, pointing towards a small opening near the base of the reactor structure. "It looks like a maintenance hatch. If we can get to it without being seen, we might have a way in."
Jaina followed Ahsoka's gaze, spotting the potential entry point. She bit her lip. "It's risky, but I suppose it might be our best shot," she admitted. "How do you think we should approach it?"
"I have an idea." Ahsoka's eyes lit up. "Follow me." With a small smirk, the Togruta Padawan began to crawl towards a nearby pile of scrap metal.
Jaina hesitated for a moment before following suit, keeping her body low to the ground as she slithered through the sand. The metal was hot to the touch, warmed by the relentless desert sun.
"We can use these scrap crates as cover," Ahsoka whispered, lifting a large supply crate with the Force to avoid touching it with her hands. "If we're careful, the patrols will mistake us for junk. My Master and I have done this before."
"All right," Jaina nodded. "Lead the way."
They slowly crouched towards the reactor building, pausing whenever a patrol droid passed nearby but for the most part, it seemed their Masters' diversion had worked, and diverted most of the Separatist reserve forces.
As they reached the maintenance hatch, Jaina's eyes scanned over the screen and keypad, her fingers trying out a few buttons. "It's a triple encryption," she muttered. "It'll take me at least eight minutes to bypass."
"Eight minutes is too long." Ahsoka smirked. "Besides, I have a better idea." She ignited her lightsaber, and sliced the panel beneath the console open, exposing the wiring.
Jaina's eyes widened. "Ahsoka—"
The Togruta Padawan flashed another smirk before beginning to rewire the circuits, her fingers flying nimbly over the exposed cables. "Keep an eye out, would you?"
"I hope you know what you're doing," Jaina grumbled, turning back around to watch for the droids.
"Relax," Ahsoka joked, keeping her tone light even as her hands carefully manipulated the wiring inside the panel. "This isn't my first time doing this. Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"
"Do you really want me to get into that?" Jaina deadpanned, her heart racing as she scanned their surroundings. The harsh desert sun continued to beat down on them, making sweat bead on her forehead.
Her comlink beeped once more, before Obi-Wan's voice came through a second time. "Jaina? Status ?"
Jaina sighed, her voice tinged with equal parts exasperation, and amusement. "Master, you're micromanaging," she quipped dryly. "It's barely been five minutes."
"I prefer to call it strategically overseeing," Obi-Wan retorted. "Which is well within my rights and duties, as General."
Jaina couldn't help but roll her eyes at her Master's quip, a fond smile spreading across her face despite her best efforts to maintain a serious demeanor. She opened her mouth to respond, but Ahsoka cut her off with a quiet hiss.
"Heads up, we've got company," the Togruta Padawan whispered urgently, her blue eyes fixed on something in the distance.
Jaina's head snapped around, her hand instinctively moving to her lightsaber hilt.
Two B1 battle droids approached their position, their metallic feet clanking against the hard-packed sand. "Did you hear something?" one of the droids squeaked.
"Negative," the other replied, its head swiveling from side to side. "Must be your circuits overheating again."
The two Padawans exchanged a quick glance, both tensing as they prepared for potential combat.
"Call you back, Master," Jaina whispered, shutting off her comm and pressing herself flat against the ground, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to make herself as small as possible. She could feel the rough sand scraping against her skin, the heat of the desert sun bearing down on her back.
She glanced at Ahsoka, who had also flattened herself against the ground, her lekku twitching slightly with tension as the footsteps grew closer.
"What's the plan?" Jaina muttered.
Ahsoka's eyes narrowed in concentration, then suddenly widened.
"Don't worry," she mouthed, before slowly raising her hand. With a subtle gesture, she used the Force to lift a small piece of scrap metal from a nearby pile, sending it clattering to the ground several meters away
"What was that?!" The first droid squeaked once more, as both of them turned towards the source of the noise.
"Eh, probably just the wind," the second responded. "Let's check it out anyway."
The two droids turned and began to head towards the distant pile of scrap metal, Ahsoka immediately returning to the wiring. "Almost done…"
"You think they'd notice if we just cut a hole in the door?" Jaina asked dryly.
Ahsoka snickered, her hands working faster as she connected two more wires. "And risk setting off the alarm? Not a chance." After a few more seconds, she let out a satisfied whistle as the door slid open. "There! I rerouted the power to make the door reset."
Jaina hurried inside, grimacing at the stifling smell of oil and metal. Her eyes darted around, taking in the dimly lit interior filled with large equipment, blinking control panels, and data readouts—displaying the base's power levels.
As they crept deeper into the facility, the distant sounds of battle grew fainter, replaced by the low hum of machinery and the occasional hiss of steam from nearby pipes.
Ahsoka's fingers brushed against her lightsaber, the sound of mechanical footsteps echoing from a nearby corridor. "Droids," she mouthed to Jaina.
The two Padawans pressed themselves in between a large set of pipes, barely daring to breathe as a patrol of both B1s and super battle droids clanked past their hiding spot.
Jaina's eyes scanned over the squad of five super battle droids, and seven battle droids. She silently held up ten then two fingers.
"Did you hear about the new upgrades?" one B1 chattered to its more stoic B2 companion.
"Negative," the SBD droned. "Elaborate."
"They say we're getting improved targeting systems!" the droid squeaked. "Maybe then we'll actually hit something!"
"Unlikely," the SBD replied gruffly. "Hardware limitations are—"
—Jaina yelped as a jet of hot steam abruptly shot out from a pipe next to her knee, her hand immediately reaching to clamp over her own mouth.
Ahsoka's eyes widened, her gaze darting between Jaina and the approaching droids. Without missing a beat, she reached out with the Force, subtly turning the pressure valve to reduce the steam flow.
Jaina's heart raced as she pressed herself further against the wall, praying the droids hadn't heard.
The metallic clanking of droid feet began to grow louder, heading in their direction. "Did you hear that?" one of the B1 droids asked.
"Affirmative," the hulking super battle droid replied, its red photoreceptors scanning the area. "Initiating search protocol."
Frustration flashed across Ahsoka's face as she looked at Jaina, mouthing 'What now?'
Jaina's mind raced, her eyes darting around the cramped space. There was no time for stealth now- they needed to act fast, or risk more lives with each second the 212th and the 501st continued their diversionary assaults.
With a stiff nod to Ahsoka, Jaina unclipped her lightsaber from her belt. "I'll cover you," she whispered. "Just worry about planting the charges."
Ahsoka nodded back, her own hand moving to the small pack of thermal detonators at her hip.
The droids' metallic footsteps grew closer, echoing off the pipes and machinery around them. Jaina took a deep breath, centering herself in the Force as she prepared to face the oncoming threat. She ignited her lightsaber, the blue blade humming to life and casting an eerie glow in the dim reactor room.
As the first droid rounded the corner, Jaina sprang into action. She leapt forward, her lightsaber arcing through the air in a blue streak as she slashed for the first B2's neck.
The head clattered to the floor before its body had registered the attack.
"Hey!" It's B1 partner exclaimed. "What's goi—"
Its words were cut short as Jaina's blade sliced through its torso.
The remaining SBDs reacted quickly, raising their arms to fire.
"Ahsoka!" Jaina hissed. "Hurry!" The blaster bolts ricocheted off her swiftly moving blade as she deflected the shots, her usual Soresu movements clipped and tight as she covered them both.
Behind her, she could hear Ahsoka working quickly, the soft beeps of the charges being armed barely audible over the chaos of the fight, as the Togruta Padawan carefully affixed the thermal detonators to strategic locations within the reactor's power core.
"Intruder alert!" The super battle droid's mechanized voice boomed through the facility. "All units converge on reactor control!"
Jaina gritted her teeth, knowing they were quickly running out of time. She reached out with the Force, grabbing a nearby pipe and yanking it free. Steam hissed out, momentarily obscuring the droid's vision.
Taking advantage of the distraction, the little Padawan lunged forward, her lightsaber piercing through the droid's armored chest. As it fell with a resounding clang, she turned back to Ahsoka. "How much longer?!"
Ahsoka activated the last charge, her fingers moving swiftly over the detonator. "Done! Let's get out of here!"
Jaina's heart raced as she glanced at Ahsoka, both acutely aware that time was running out.
The two Padawans shared a quick nod before sprinting to the nearest staircase towards the roof, leaving behind the beeping detonators, and the doomed reactor core behind them.
Their feet pounded against the metal steps as they sprinted up the stairs, the sound echoing off the walls.
Jaina gripped her lightsaber tightly, mentally counting down. "A, how many seconds did you set the bombs to—"
A deafening blast shook the entire building, Jaina stumbling slightly as the entire structure rocked. She caught herself on the railing, scowling. "Seriously?! You couldn't have given us more time to—"
"I know, I know!" Ahsoka retorted, grabbing her friend's arm and hauling her up the last few steps as the heat from the explosion continued to rise.
They burst onto the roof, panting heavily as the hot desert air hit them once more.
Jaina's eyes widened as she saw three Separatist vulture droids approaching from the skies, their engines roaring. "A, we need to get out of here!"
As she and Ahsoka ran across the roof, her wrist comlink beeped once more. "We're through the gates, en route to you now, " her Master's clipped voice echoed through the device. "Jaina, I thought I told you not to— "
"—bit busy, Master, call you back—"
"Padawan, don't you dare—!"
Jaina leapt sideways, ducking behind a large exhaust duct as blasterfire from the vulture droids rained down on the roof. The heat from the explosion below radiated through the metal beneath their feet.
Ahsoka dove behind a stack of supply crates nearby, her lightsaber ignited and ready. "We need to find a way to get rid of those guys, fast!"
Jaina nodded, her blue eyes scanning their surroundings for any possible escape route. The desert wind whipped her curly bangs around her face, stinging her eyes as she peered out from behind her cover.
Her eyes narrowed on a stack of munitions crates on the ground.
Jaina extended a hand, focusing on the Force to levitate one off the ground. She whipped her head back towards Ahsoka. "Do you still have a detonator left?"
Ahsoka's eyes lit up with understanding, a mischievous grin spreading across her face as she quickly reached for her belt. "One left!" she called back, her voice barely audible over the roar of the approaching vulture droids as they circled around for another pass.
Jaina's heart raced as she concentrated on keeping the heavy crate aloft. "I swear, A, you better not miss." With a grunt of exertion, she used the Force to hurl the munitions crate towards the approaching vulture droids.
Ahsoka's eyes narrowed as she watched the crate sail through the air. "Now!" she shouted, throwing the detonator.
The small explosive device spun through the air, a blur of metal and blinking lights, striking the crate just as it reached the closest vulture droid.
The resulting explosion was deafening—a ball of flame and shrapnel that took out the lead vulture droid, and severely damaged its wing-mates, veering them off course and hurtling towards the ground.
The shockwave sent both Padwans stumbling back, their ears ringing.
Ahsoka glanced over at Jaina, her expression a mix of surprise and exhilaration. "Well, that was a bit more than I expected."
"You think?" Jaina retorted, her heart still racing as she pushed herself up off the ground. She scanned the sky, searching for any further signs of danger. Eventually, her cheeks dimpled into a grin. "Can't argue with results though, can we?"
"I guess not…" Ahsoka admitted with a slight smirk, sheathing her lightsaber.
Eventually, her own comlink beeped. "Good aim, Snips."
Ahsoka chuckled at the familiar nickname as she switched on the comlink. "Thanks, Master," she replied, smirking. "I learned from the best."
There was a brief shuffle on the other end of the line, with Obi-Wan's voice eventually commandeering the comlink. "Ahsoka, could you please inform my Padawan that her Master would prefer it if her comlink were switched on at the moment."
Jaina paused at the sound of her Master's voice. Her ears heated up as she quickly switched on her own comlink. "Oops. Sorry about that, Master."
"Sorry for what?" Obi-Wan asked dryly. "The unauthorized comm silence? Or the unauthorized demolitions work?"
"Both?" Jaina muttered sheepishly, avoiding Ahsoka's amused snicker. "Although in my defense…it's not my fault that vulture droids are incredibly susceptible to fire."