Skywalker jumped down without waiting for the gunship to fully settle onto the pavement. Sprinting several dozen meters, he reached headquarters, where the other commanders had gathered around the communications station. Obi-Wan and Tur-Mukan were there as well.
"Anakin! You did it!"
"You're a hero, sir!" Rex chimed in, backing up Kenobi. "Infiltrating the enemy's rear lines and destroying the shield projector isn't easy—even for a Jedi."
"How did it go here?"
Anakin could clearly see that most of the clones looked battered, and even Obi-Wan had a couple of holes burned through his robes.
"While I was holding off the droids, your Padawan's unit took its position. When you blew up the shield projector, they struck the enemy's rear guard and eliminated the opposing commander."
"It wasn't easy. We barely managed to find his command AAT among the other vehicles. If not for that servant droid…" the girl said tiredly.
"What do we do now, Master?" Anakin asked. But before the man could respond, one of the clones shouted joyfully:
"Sir! We've established contact with orbit!"
Admiral Yularen's hologram flickered to life before them.
"We've broken the blockade. The Separatist armada is retreating. Reinforcement ships are already in orbit and moving to land."
As if to confirm his words, bombers began roaring overhead, followed by gunships.
"The Order must have sent reinforcements," Rex said, pointing to the four Acclamators descending in the western part of the city—where their rear lines were positioned. Another was setting down on a vacant stretch not far from them. "Now we'll show these clankers where the scrap heap is."
"Perhaps someone else has arrived?" Skywalker said thoughtfully, meaning the Jedi.
Soon enough, his suspicion was confirmed: the Grand Master of the Jedi Order himself stepped onto the platform.
"You're more than timely," Obi-Wan greeted him.
"Hurry we should have," Yoda replied, slowly making his way toward the command post.
Five minutes later, a general council began. Admirals Wullf Yularen and Wurtz joined as holograms, as did Master Windu, along with the commanders of the clone legions and militia brigades. The minutes stretched on in a slow procession…
Looking around, Skywalker realized someone was missing. Slipping away from the meeting, Anakin went in search of his padawan. He needed to talk to her — after all, they hadn't even had a proper chance to get acquainted.
Guided by the Force, the young man quickly found Etain. She stood at the center of a fairly large group of clones, including troopers from Omega Squad, the 501st, and soldiers of the Seventh Corps. The girl was telling a story, and the clones responded with bursts of laughter.
Noticing Anakin, she said something quickly to them. They stepped aside to let her pass.
"I see you've found common ground with them. Even I rarely hear clones laugh and rejoice like that. Usually they're more… reserved."
"I only wanted to raise their morale," Etain explained. "They need to know we faced the same risks they did. That we'll sit beside them and talk with them, learn their names instead of snapping our fingers and calling them 'clone.' No one likes being treated as if they don't matter."
For all her outward seriousness, there were moments when she behaved with striking maturity, as if she understood everything.
"Well… it seems they like you. That's not a bad thing."
"They've lost many of their brothers. Don't you feel their pain?"
"They're soldiers," Anakin said. "It's their job."
"And it's yours too. But you're in pain all the time."
"You know… when someone address me with reverence, I start feeling older than Grand Master Yoda. Call me Anakin. Or at least don't be so formal."
"All right, Master," the girl replied, slightly embarrassed.
Anakin studied her carefully.
"Come on. Let's find out what we're doing next."
Returning to the command post, Skywalker found only Obi-Wan and Yoda there.
"By the way, Etain mentioned some kind of assignment…?" Kenobi perked up.
"Yes. Jabba's son has gone missing…"
"The Hutt? Jabba the Hutt?" Anakin said with open distaste, catching Tur-Mukan's puzzled glance.
"Indeed. Hm-m… However, that task has fallen to another Jedi. Time we could not afford to lose. Knight Vikt has located the missing child. Deliver him to Tatooine he should already be."
"Oh? I see." Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow.
"Prepared to depart for Tatooine you must be. Negotiations with the Hutts to you will be entrusted. Their hyperspace routes the Republic requires."
"I'll leave as soon as I'm ready."
"Skywalker. Master Windu will assist you. The planet must be fully secured."
"We'll take care of it," the young man exhaled in relief.
He had no desire to return to Tatooine.
To return to a place of nothing but desert, sand… and pain.
***
When I opened my eyes, I found myself suspended inside a bacta tank. Opposite me stood Ahsoka and several clone medics.
Snips?
Master!!!
I practically drowned in the wave of joy and happiness radiating from the girl.
How much time has passed?
Twelve hours, Master!
Where are we?
Aboard the Akagi, Master.
All right. Get me out of here. We're heading to Tatooine.
But—!
No arguments. We need to finish the job. After that, we can rest.
All right.
A few minutes later they pulled me from the bacta tank. Half an hour after that—having eaten, showered, and stretched—I listened to Lichtendal's report.
As it turned out, things had ended more or less favorably. Puck had led the squad to the crash site of the shuttle, and reinforcements arrived twenty minutes later. Rotta was sent to the Akagi under the supervision of a doctor, O'Connor, and Lucky, while Puck took charge of the search for us.
When Jabba's patrol ships began protesting, our usually composed aristocrat Cerri lost his temper and threatened orbital bombardment. I imagine everyone was somewhat stunned by that declaration—and by the time they recovered, we were already in orbit, beyond Tatooine's immediate space.
Puck had prudently retrieved Vos's body; it now rested in cold storage. Ahsoka had gathered up the lightsabers as well—including the Sith blade. Well, or what was left of it.
After hearing the report, I ordered preparations for departure. Only twelve hours remained before the deadline Jabba had set. But first, I needed a moment to collect my thoughts.
I felt surprisingly well—aside from some lingering weakness and occasional double vision. Apparently being shoved into bacta almost immediately, where I'd floated for over eleven hours, had made all the difference. Ahsoka explained that this was recommended in one of the Healing Halls' lessons. Otherwise, things might have ended far worse.
Even so, I had nearly died. The effects of the lightning were literally etched into my body: I had acquired an impressive collection of scars—or burns, depending on how one chose to describe them. Strangely, they weren't painful. To the touch, they felt like ordinary skin, no discomfort at all.
With a snort, I studied myself in the mirror.
Yeah… what a face.
Still, next time I'll spit on secrecy and call upon every resource I can to survive. The sensations I had endured—and the fact that Ahsoka had been forced to restart my stopped heart…
No. I absolutely did not want to repeat that experience. Only the Force knew what long-term consequences it might bring. And even now, I should probably visit the Jedi Temple—see to my body and my nerves. All of us should…
An hour later, we were already aboard the CR90 corvette—the last one we had left. Ahsoka and the others flatly refused to travel on anything else. At first they had even suggested the Acclamator, but I cut that idea off immediately, explaining that it would be excessive.
So, it was time to complete the mission.
The Corellian frigate landed fifty meters from Jabba's palace. Four squadrons of starfighters escorted us in flight, and once in atmosphere, two Gozanti cruisers and several additional fighters joined us.
It was early morning on the planet. One of the Brothers already blazed in the sky, while the second still hid below the horizon.
Descending the frigate's ramp, we headed toward the gates. I walked in front. Behind me came Ahsoka, carrying Rotta in her arms—the little Hutt cooed happily, recognizing his home. Bringing up the rear were Puck and Lucky, bristling with weapons and looking thoroughly intimidating.
It had taken considerable effort to convince them not to bring a full regiment of clones with armored support down to the surface. And they were ready to do exactly that.
Damn, it's nice when people value you. Means what I've done wasn't in vain.
At the gates, we were met by Jabba's majordomo and steward—Bib Fortuna. The pale-skinned Twi'lek bowed deeply.
"My lord Jabba awaits you."
"Lead the way," I muttered.
With a sweep of his hand, he proceeded into the palace. We followed.
Along the way we passed at least fifty mercenaries—mostly Gamorreans, though there were others: Mandalorians, Trandoshans, Nikto… Well, and countless servants. When they saw Rotta in the Togruta's arms, they exhaled in relief and began whispering excitedly.
Upon reaching the vast audience chamber, we proceeded to the center of the room and stopped before the massive slab that served as Jabba's improvised throne. The Hutt himself reclined upon it, his large eyes studying us intently.
I inclined my head slightly.
"Great Jabba Desilijic Tiure. I, Jedi Knight Mikore Vikt, have come to return your son."
At my signal, Ahsoka stepped forward and extended Rotta toward Jabba. The little Hutt squealed happily at the sight of his father.
"Little Rotta! You are found! I worried for you, my child!" Jabba exclaimed, carefully taking the infant into his arms.
"Furthermore, we have learned who was behind your son's kidnapping," I continued, not giving Jabba time to recover. He snapped his fingers, and Rotta was passed to one of the slave girls.
"Who dared commit such villainy?"
"It was Count Dooku. However, he did not act alone. He was aided by a Hutt… by the name of Ziro. Your own uncle."
Jabba frowned.
"Proof."
"Ask him yourself," I replied, silently praying to the Force that Shaak Ti would not delay.
Jabba nodded to his droid, which activated a spherical long-range comlink positioned to the left of the Hutt's dais.
"My lord, your uncle Ziro is on the line," the protocol droid announced.
But instead of Ziro, a hologram of Master Shaak Ti appeared before us.
"Greetings, esteemed Jabba. I am Master Shaak Ti of the Jedi Order. Your uncle Ziro was arrested by us several hours ago on suspicion of organizing your son's kidnapping. During a search, we uncovered irrefutable evidence of his guilt—a holorecording of a conversation with Count Dooku, preserved in the memory of an IG-86 guard droid."
A recording of the conversation appeared before us…