The ship surged through the upper atmosphere, the turbulent air giving way to the cold void of space. Anakin wrestled with the controls, the vessel shuddering as it broke free of the planet's gravity well.
"There she is out of the frying pan and into the fire," Anakin said, gesturing to the main viewport.
The sight was chaotic. The Republic cruiser, the Resolute, was engaged in a fierce space battle against three Separatist ships. Blaster fire crisscrossed the blackness, and explosions bloomed like fireworks in the vacuum. The Resolute was taking heavy damage, visible sections of its hull scarred and burning. But the immediate threat was not the capital ships.
"Vultures, ten o'clock high!" Jaden shouted, pointing to a swarm of enemy fighters that peeled away from the battle. The automated Vulture droids moved incredibly fast, their trajectory locking onto the smaller Naboo vessel.
"I see them," Anakin replied, slamming the yoke hard to the left. The ship rolled violently as a stream of red blaster fire flashed past the viewport where the vessel had been a second before.
"Padmé, Ahsoka, how's the rear?" Jaden asked, glancing over his shoulder.
"They're closing fast, Jaden! Five, maybe six of them on our tail," Padmé reported.
"We need cover. If we stay out here, we'll be vaporized," Jaden said, bracing himself as Anakin pushed the ship into a tight, corkscrew maneuver. "Can we make it to the Resolute's docking bay?"
"They don't look like they're doing much better than us, but i guess it's better than dancing with these scrap-piles," Anakin agreed. He manipulated the controls, angling the nose of the ship toward the massive, damaged Republic flagship. The ship accelerated, barreling through the capital ship exchange. The air inside the cockpit crackled as the ship's shields absorbed glancing blows from turbolaser fire.
"Hold on!" Anakin yelled. "We're taking fire from the frigates!"
A strong pulse of energy rocked the ship, momentarily blinding the lights inside the cockpit.
"Shields are holding, but they're straining," Jaden reported, checking the console. The pursuing Vultures broke formation, splitting into two attack groups. The first group accelerated, closing the distance rapidly.
"They're trying to box us in, pin us down for the big guns," Jaden said. He reached for the secondary controls. "I'm taking the forward guns. Give me a clear shot."
Anakin dipped the ship's nose sharply, then pulled up hard, executing an Immelmann turn that sent the pursuing droids flying past. Jaden tracked the nearest Vulture and squeezed the trigger. Two streams of crimson fire erupted from the nose cannons. The energy bolts impacted the droid's central body, causing a small explosion. The wreckage spiraled away.
"One down. Good flying, Anakin," Jaden complimented.
"Just getting warmed up!" Anakin countered, pulling the ship into a roll to avoid a cluster of incoming projectiles. "We're making a run for the Resolute's main hangar now." Anakin stabilized the ship, lining it up with the massive, open hangar bay of the Republic cruiser. The bay doors were visibly buckled and smoking, but the entrance was wide enough.
"Alright, here we go. We're going in hot," Anakin announced.
As they flew toward the hangar, the remaining Vultures opened fire. One volley slammed directly into the ship's rear shields.
"Shields down to forty percent!" Padmé called out, concern etched on her face.
"Not good! We need to get inside!" Jaden replied.
Anakin pushed the thrusters to maximum, but just as the tip of their nose neared the hangar entrance, a coordinated barrage from the three Separatist destroyers targeted the vulnerable area. A massive turbolaser blast slammed into the structural supports around the hangar. The entire bay exploded. Metal shrapnel, secondary explosions, and vaporized debris filled the massive space where their refuge should have been.
"Brace!" Anakin roared, yanking the controls back and to the right in a desperate, last-second evasion maneuver.
The explosion's shockwave battered the ship. The noise was a deafening CRUNCH followed by the alarming shriek of strained metal. The ship was thrown sideways, nearly tumbling out of control.
"Damn it! We almost got inside," Jaden said, breathing heavily.
"Almost doesn't count," Anakin said, fighting the controls to regain stability. "The hangar is gone. We have to find another way aboard."
Thoigh unfortunately for them the situation immediately worsened. The remaining Vulture droids, having witnessed the near-destruction, regrouped and positioned themselves to block the ship's escape vector. The three destroyers formed a loose battle line, preventing any straight run into hyperspace.
"We're getting boxed in, Anakin. We can't get a clear hyperspace jump with them this close," Jaden observed, watching the convergence on the scope. "And the destroyers are targeting us now, we need assistance."
"I'm trying to hail Admiral Yularen," Anakin said, toggling the communication controls with urgent, rapid movements. "Resolute, this is Skywalker! Requesting immediate fighter support and covering fire for extraction! Do you read, Admiral?"
Only static replied.
"Nothing," Anakin said, punching the console in frustration. "The Resolute's main communications must be disabled. They can't hear us, Jaden. We're on our own."
The ship juddered as a near-miss turbolaser blast superheated the space around them. "Okay, plan B," Jaden said, his mind racing. "We need to move. Fast. We have to draw them into a debris field, anything to break their line of sight."
"There is no debris field nearby, Jaden," Anakin countered, his focus fixed on piloting. "We have minutes before the destroyers get a firing lock."
"Then we have to break their formation. Can you use the ship to draw one of the destroyers out of line?" Jaden proposed. "We focus all fire on a single target, create a weak point in the blockade, and jump out."
"That's a suicide run, but I don't see a better option," Anakin admitted. He turned the ship sharply, aiming directly at the center of the Separatist battle line.
Before they could execute the desperate plan, a volley of ion cannons from a nearby destroyer slammed into their side. The ship's lights flickered and died, plunging the cockpit into a chilling near-darkness, illuminated only by the faint, lights of the battle outside.
"Shields are down!" Jaden yelled.
Anakin gritted his teeth, his hands tightening on the controls. "Ahsoka! Padmé! Prepare for evasive maneuvers! This is going to be bumpy!"Anakin wrestled the controls, but the ship was sluggish, its maneuverability degraded by the ion strike.
"Shields are gone, I can't get them back up!" Jaden yelled, while trying to bypass them manually.
Then, the situation became far worse again. From the core of the Separatist formation, a massive cruiser—a Munificent-class Star Frigate—locked onto their small, vessel.
"They have a lock on us, Jaden! That cruiser is firing!" Anakin shouted, his voice strained as he pushed the yoke to the absolute limit, attempting a shallow dive.
A brilliant crimson blast slammed into the ship's hull, starboard side. The noise was a deafening, metallic CLANG, followed by a horrible ripping sound. The entire vessel was thrown violently sideways, alarms blaring throughout the cabin.
"We're losing engines! Engines are failing!" Anakin roared, fighting to keep the ship's nose from tumbling. The engine readouts flickered, then died, replaced by critical failure warnings. "If we lose propulsion entirely, we're done for! We'll be sitting targets for those vultures on our tail!"
Jaden slammed his fist against the console in frustration. He quickly assessed the damage readings that flickered on a small, surviving display. "Damn it! They blew out the main conduit for the portside primary drives. The power flow is cut off." He immediately unbuckled his harness. "I'm heading down to engineering. We can bypass the conduit, but I need to be hands-on with the primary reactor core."
He turned to the young Togruta. "Ahsoka, you're with me."
Ahsoka, who had been bracing herself in the jump seat, nodded, a sharp "Yes!" escaping her lips, though her voice wavered slightly. She quickly unbuckled herself and carefully handed the small, sleeping Rotta to R2-D2, who chirped a nervous reply. "Take care of him, R2."
Jaden didn't wait. He grabbed Ahsoka's arm and pulled her toward the access hatch leading to the lower decks.
The rush through the ship was a nastyu ordeal. The vessel was lurching and shaking violently under the constant close-range turbolaser fire. Every few steps, they were forced to grab a handhold as the ship shuddered, throwing dust and sparks from stressed joints.
"Hold tight!" Jaden warned, kicking open the door to the primary access corridor.
As they ran, the corridor behind them erupted. A secondary power conduit exploded, spewing a massive spray of sparks and smoke. The force of the blast hit Ahsoka squarely, lifting her off her feet and throwing her toward a reinforced bulkhead. She gasped, but before she could hit the metal wall, Jaden reached out. His left hand locked in a powerful Force grip on her, arresting her momentum a foot before impact. He quickly pulled her to him, steadying her against his side.
"Are you alright, Ahsoka?" Jaden asked, his eyes scanning her for injury.
She nodded sharply, her eyes wide but resolute. "I'm fine. That was a little too close."
"Good. Stay right behind me. We're almost there."
They slammed through the final door into the engine room. The room was a labyrinth of glowing plasma conduits, whirring kinetic turbines, and the massive, inert primary reactor core. Alarm klaxons wailed, and huge red emergency lights flashed. The most critical problem was obvious: a main fiber-optic power coupling had been completely vaporized, leaving a sparking gap in the power flow line.
Jaden moved straight to the damaged console. "Okay, look." He pointed to the console's diagrams. "The main power flow needs to jump this section of destroyed conduit to get back to the portside maneuvering drives. We can do it, but we need to reroute the output of the auxiliary core through a manual injection port."
He began tearing into the access panel with a specialized multi-tool, pulling aside sizzling layers of shielding and insulation. "See this bundle?" Jaden pointed to a thick cluster of wires glowing with residual energy. "This is the auxiliary power feed. We need to feed that directly into the tertiary regulation junction to bypass the primary conduit failure."
Ahsoka looked at the complicated components. "How do we safely connect those? They're still hot, and the magnetic clamp is out."
"We don't connect them conventionally. I need to force the power arc. The auxiliary power has to be manually synchronized and dumped into the junction plate at a specific, micro-second interval to avoid overloading the entire system. It's too fast for me to manage the timing and the physical manipulation simultaneously."
Jaden pointed to a thick auxiliary power cable that was smoking from severed insulation. "I need you to hold this end, Ahsoka. Don't worry, it's low-amperage, it shouldn't hurt too much."
He then pointed to a large, metallic lever on the main reactor control panel. "I will tell you the exact moment to hit that emergency overload shunt. That will force the auxiliary power to arc to the tertiary plate. If you hit it too soon, we fry the drive. Too late, and we're dead in space."
Ahsoka nodded, her fear replaced by fierce concentration. "Tell me when."
Jaden quickly jury-rigged a temporary coupler onto the tertiary regulation junction, a small metal clip designed to receive the arc. He grabbed the bare auxiliary cable, his body absorbing the low residual current.
"Ready, Ahsoka. On my mark," Jaden said, bracing himself. He focused his mind, using his connection to the Force to feel the exact oscillation rate of the power cycle flowing through the auxiliary core. It was a rhythmic, near-invisible hum of energy.
"The cycle hits peak power... now!" Jaden yelled.
Ahsoka didn't hesitate. She threw the heavy metallic lever on the reactor core panel with all her strength.
A blinding blue-white arc of energy leaped from the cable Jaden held to the small coupler on the junction plate. The power surge was intense, the room bathed in a flash of light and a deafening, sustained ZZZZAP.
Jaden held his breath, watching the console. The failure warnings stopped blinking. A series of green lights came on, followed by the deep, resonant thrum of the portside engines roaring back to life.
"Yes! We've got drive!" Jaden shouted, a triumphant smile breaking out on his face.
Ahsoka let out a whoop of excitement, her tension dissolving into pure relief. "We did it!"
The celebration was cut violently short.
The ship rocked violently as another heavy turbolaser blast found its mark. The emergency lights in the engine room flickered. Immediately, a nearby plasma cooling conduit ruptured under the strain. A geyser of superheated green plasma erupted, slamming into the opposite bulkhead and spraying burning, dangerous energy across the chamber.
Jaden cursed, grabbing Ahsoka's hand. "We've got a coolant breach! We need to go!"
The explosion of the plasma cooling conduit had filled the engine room with superheated vapor, making the air immediately dangerous. Jaden didn't waste a second. He pulled Ahsoka tightly behind a massive, metallic shield panel just as the corrosive plasma began to sear the opposite side of the room.
"Stay here! That coolant is lethal!" Jaden yelled over the renewed shriek of alarms.
He released Ahsoka, then dropped to his hands and knees, crawling to the floor beneath the freezing coolant. He maneuvered quickly toward a terminal embedded in the far bulkhead—the emergency communication station for the engineering section. He reached the console, slapped the activation panel, and grabbed the microphone. "Anakin! Anakin, do you read?" He shouted in a slight panic. "The port engines are online! We bypassed the conduit, but we've got a massive coolant breach down here. How's the view up there?"
A burst of static cleared, replaced by Anakin's strained voice, punctuated by the whine of blaster bolts. "View? Oh, it's just beautiful up here, Jaden! If you like dodging dozens of blaster fire streams in a wounded ship, that is! You are running late!"
The entire ship lurched violently as Anakin executed a tight evasive corkscrew. "Can we punch through their lines?" Padmé asked. "With the engines back, can we get clear enough to use the hyperdrive?"
"Negative, Padmé! Not yet!" Anakin snapped back. "The Separatists have us surrounded! They're not breaking the line! We'd jump right into the belly of that Munificent cruiser if I tried now. We need clear space for the coordinates, and I can't find a route!"
Anakin cursed under his breath, jamming the yoke forward then pulling it back as two Vulture droids flashed past the viewport, their cannons blazing. The ship was trapped, constantly buffeted by fire, unable to move fast enough to escape the concentrated fire of the heavy destroyers.
Jaden watched the small engine room monitor, which showed the rapidly declining coolant levels. "We've bought ourselves maybe two minutes of thrust, Anakin! The reactor is going to cook itself after that and us along with it!"
Up in the cockpit, Anakin fought the controls, the ship shuddering with every passing shot. The destroyers tightened their circle, their turbolasers tracking the small target perfectly. Anakin could see the beams charging, readying a devastating, synchronized blast. There was no room left. No escape route. Every avenue was covered by enemy fire.
"This is it," Anakin muttered as the familiar, chilling realization of certain doom settled over him. A moment of silence hung in the cockpit, broken only by the relentless whine of the enemy weapons systems charging.
Then, Padmé's voice cut through the tension. "Wait. Anakin, look! A ship is dropping out of hyperspace. Dead ahead!"
Anakin blinked, pushing past his exhaustion to glance at the main scope. His heart sank with weary finality. "More Separatists?" he asked.
"No," Padmé said, and the relief in her voice was so profound it bordered on a laugh. "No, Anakin! It's Republic!"
Dropping out of the bright white tear of a hyperspace jump was a massive Venator-class Star Destroyer. Unlike standard cruisers, this vessel had heavy, modified armor plating running along its spine, and its weapons banks looked larger than any standard issue. It also had a massive plasma canon at the bow of the ship. Anakin recognised it immediately, it was the unofficial flagship of the Republic. A ship that had recently been retrofitted.
*This is Admiral Novak of the Republic Cruiser Defender on an open hail. This is a warning to all Separatist ships in this sector. Disengage and retreat, or be destroyed.*
Anakin slumped in his seat, a massive sigh of relief escaping him. The sudden arrival of reinforcements had broken the chokehold.
"Jaden, did you hear that?" Anakin called down to the engine room.
"Loud and clear!" Jaden replied, a genuine grin spreading across his face.
Anakin's hands immediately returned to the controls, pulling the ship into a sharp, stabilizing turn. "Hold tight, everyone! We have a window! Setting a course for the Defender! We're going home." He then expertly guided the damaged ship toward the massive cruiser, taking advantage of the immediate shift in Separatist attention.
...
Aboard the bridge of the Defender, Admiral Nova stood at the command station. "All batteries, target the destroyer closest to the Resolute! Draw their fire and give the flagship room to breathe!" Novak ordered.
"Acknowledged, Admiral! Firing solutions locked on Separatist Destroyer One!" a weapons officer confirmed. A moment later, the deck vibrated as the Defender's turbolasers roared to life, unleashing punishing volleys of blue blaster bolts that slammed into the closest enemy vessel.
"Scramble the fighter squadrons! Get them engaged with those Vulture droids immediately! Clear the space around the Resolute and my port flank!"
"Fighter squadrons engaging Vulture formations, sir!"
Novak shifted his attention to a weapons console. "Weapons Officer, begin charging the Magnetic Plasma Cannon! I want maximum output."
"Charging, Admiral. Plasma conduit stress levels rising."
"Report on Resolute status!" Novak demanded.
"Sir, the Resolute is withdrawing from the primary engagement, hull integrity is critical, but they are holding."
"Sir, incoming enemy fire! We're taking glancing blows on the shields!"
"Ignore it! Our shields will hold!" Novak snapped, his attention unwavering.
A navigation officer turned. "Admiral, a small, heavily damaged Naboo-type ship is approaching off the port bow, trailing the Vulture droids."
Novak leaned forward, glancing at the tactical display. "That Naboo ship has been drawing fire from three destroyers and survived. Direct two turret batteries to the Vultures trailing that vessel now! Give them covering fire!"
"Turrets locking onto Vulture droids... Firing!"
A flash of energy erupted from the Defender, impacting the pursuing droids and causing two of them to explode.
"Hold the hangar doors open for that Naboo ship! Get them inside now!" Novak commanded.
The navigation officer's face tightened. "Admiral, we can't let that ship into the hangerbay, readings suggest they are entering critical engine failure at any minute!"
Novak processed the warning instantly. He couldn't risk the entire ship for one small transport. "Alright. Maneuver the ship into position, I want the Defender to provide a physical shield for that Naboo ship against the main destroyer volley! Do it now!"
The massive Venator cruiser slowly rotated, positioning its most heavily armored flank between the small, crippled transport and the enemy ships.
"Admiral, Magnetic Plasma Cannon charged and primed!" the Weapons Officer announced, the intensity of the blue glow visible even on the bridge.
"Target the Munificent-class capital ship! The one furthest to the right! Fire!"
A blinding, intense blue light erupted at the front of the Defender, concentrating in the massive circular weapon turret. The weapon discharged a terrifyingly large beam of concentrated plasma energy. The enormous blue beam tore through the void of space, plowing directly into the Separatist cruiser. The beam sliced through the destroyer's main hull structure, penetrating deep into the vessel before dissipating.
The Munificent cruiser did not explode, but it immediately began to split. A massive fissure ran along its midsection, buckling the ship and crippling its function instantly.
"Direct hit, Admiral," the Weapons Officer reported.
"Begin charging the cannon again. Target the next ship, the center destroyer!" Novak ordered calmly.
But before the cannon could recharge, the situation changed again. "Admiral, the Separatists are disengaging! They are turning their ships away and initiating retreat! Should we pursue?"
"Negative. Set a course toward the Resolute and scramble all available repair ships and medical teams. They have taken a beating. I want them secured."
"Admiral," the communications officer announced, "The Naboo ship is hailing us. Audio only."
Novak gestured. "Put them through."
The comm system crackled, and a familiar voice came through, filled with relief. "Admiral Novak, it's good to see you again."
Novak's eyebrows rose instantly. "Jaden? Is that... Jaden Shan?"
"It's me, Admiral," Jaden confirmed.
"What in the stars are you doing in this neck of the woods? Last I heard you were out in the Unknown Regions doing... well, whatever it is you do out there."
Jaden's voice was dry. "Yeah, well, considering the shit show I just got pulled into, I wish I was. Admiral, we've taken some severe engine damage, and our shields are toast. We need a repair crew. Could you spare some engineering teams?"
Novak nodded curtly, already gesturing to a nearby engineering officer who sprinted away to execute the order. "They're on their way. I hope you can come aboard soon for a chat, Jaden; it's been far too long."
"Not sure about that, I'm afraid," Jaden replied. "We're on a pretty time-sensitive mission. We need to leave as soon as the hyperdrive is back online and stable."
Novak understood. "I understand. Keep safe, Jaden. It was good to hear your voice."
"You too, Admiral."
_____________________________________
Ventress stumbled through the thick jungle, her steps barely balanced as she almost fell over numerous times. She held her scorched side, where Jaden's purple blade had grazed her ribs, the pain was constant, though it managed to fuel her through the rage she felt at it. The fall from the hangar platform had wrenched her body, compounding her injuries. She caught herself on the thick trunk of a jungle tree, leaning heavily against the rough bark, breathing in short, shallow gasps.
The pain in her left shoulder was a separate agony; the impact of the fall had dislocated it. Ventress pushed off the tree, turning her back to the trunk. She positioned her left shoulder against the hard wood, clenched her jaw, and delivered a powerful shove of her own weight into the tree. The joint snapped back into place with a grinding sound. A raw scream tore from her throat, quickly muffled as she bit down hard on the pain.
She forced herself to move, limping and leaning, pulling her battered body through the dense foliage. She trudged for a long time, the sounds of battle fading far behind her, until he Separatist field base finally pierced the trees.
A pair of B1 battle droids stood near the entrance.
"Commander Ventress? Are you okay?" one droid asked, tilting its head.
Ventress let out a guttural growl. She raised her hand and delivered a Force push that crushed both droids into the nearby barricade.
"Sorry for asking," the surviving droid chassis sputtered before falling silent.
Ventress ignored the debris and stormed toward the communications terminal inside the makeshift command center. She slammed her hand down on the console, initiating a secure channel. The holographic image of Count Dooku shimmered into existence.
"Report, Ventress," Dooku commanded.
"My apologies, Master. The situation has changed," she informed him, struggling to keep the strain from her voice. "The Jedi have escaped with the Hutt's son. They were rescued by an unforeseen asset."
Dooku's expression did not change, but his eyes narrowed slightly. "And the two agents I sent to assist you?"
"Kern and Ror are dead, Master. I witnessed their demise."
Dooku paused, the silence stretching long. "A considerable failure, Ventress. How did they die?"
Ventress hesitated for a brief second. "Jaden Shan arrived. He engaged and killed both of them."
The name struck Dooku with visible force. His composure fractured. He rose slightly from his seat in the hologram. "Jaden Shan?" Dooku repeated, his voice dangerously low. "This changes everything. If Shan has become involved in this operation, the situation is far more dangerous than I believed."
He issued a sharp, immediate order. "Take a vessel and meet me on Tatooine immediately. Do not delay. This conspiracy is now compromised at the highest level."
"Yes, Master."
Dooku fixed her with a hard, unforgiving stare before terminating the call. "Your failure will be addressed at a later date, Ventress."
The hologram vanished, leaving Ventress alone. She let out a frustrated snarl, her fingers flexing into claws. She stumbled to her feet and pointed at a nearby functional communications unit. "Prep my shuttle for immediate take-off. Now!" she ordered the droid unit.
(AN: So it seems like we've got a happy ending boys, it looked pretty touch and go there for a moment, but I managed not to kill any of the supporting cast. Ngl I might still. I don't need Ahsoka, not when I have Shaak Tii. Anyway enjoy.)
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