Sparks erupted from one of the plasma manifolds as Jaden rerouted power through an auxiliary system. "Kriff..." he cursed as covered his eyes. He was halfway inside the engine trying to do his best to fix it, but it was rather difficult due to the damage they sustained. Thankfully they had managed to avoid blowing up, thanks to Admiral Novak who had scrambled various repair droids to their ship and had stopped them from painting a pretty picture in the void of space. Unluckily there was very little they could do without the use of a dry dock, and much more advanced tools that even the Defender didn't have. Jaden was used to this kind of situation though and he could make do with what they had and the supplies that Admiral Novak had sent his way.
He had some help as well.
"Have you managed to fix the coolant issue?" Jaden called out to the only other person in the room.
"Almost, just give me a second," Anakin replied as he focused on his work.
Jaden turned his attention back to the open manifold and finished fixing it—this time without blinding himself. He sighed as he pulled himself from out of the engine and slipped back out of the tube. Sitting down on the edge he wiped some of the soot and grease off his face. He still hadn't had the chance to wash off from the coolant leak earlier, he'd just thrown himself straight into repairing the ship.
He was grateful that Anakin seemed to be such a good engineer—something that surprised him greatly. He hadn't spent much time with him, but from what he had seen the Jedi was better than Scout and around the same kind of level he and Velea were. Though that was only in a general sense, people often specialised in their own fields and had different strengths. Scout had computers and spiking, and he had Astrotheoretical Engineering. 'It's still nice not to have to do the work by myself,' he thought to himself as he pushed himself up and walked over to the hyperdrive where Anakin was as knelt down with a hyperspanner in his hand.
"How's it looking?" Jaden asked, eyeing the exposed machinery.
Anakin leaned back from the open panel, wiping grease from his fingers before smacking the casing with his metal hand. The whole unit gave a low hum and lit up. "If this were a normal day, I'd say sell it to the first junk dealer and hope they don't laugh us out the door."
Jaden crossed his arms, a smirk playing at his lips. "And on a not-so-normal day like today?"
"It should get us to where we're going, let's just hope we don't run into anymore trouble," he replied.
"Well that's something," Jaden said, before he crouched beside Anakin, near the open panel, grabbing a hydrospanner from the nearby crate. The machinery's guts were exposed, its wires were tangled, there was coolant leaking in thin green rivulets, and one of the power relays looked like it had been scorched in a lightning storm.
"Pass me that coupling," Anakin said, gesturing with a nod.
Jaden handed it over. "It looks good, but are you sure this thing's not gonna fry us the second we power it up?"
"Nope," Anakin said, deadpan, slotting the part into place. "But it'll be exciting either way."
They worked side by side, both focused on the repairs. Jaden held wires in place while Anakin reconnected power cells to the couplings. Now and then, one of them reached for a tool or tightened a bolt. The only sounds were the click of metal parts and the sound of the system powering up bit by bit.
After a few minutes, Anakin spoke.
"Hey... I wanted to say... thanks."
Jaden didn't look up. "For what?"
Anakin checked one of the connectors, making sure it was tight. "For helping Ahsoka. And for getting us out of there, it wasn't looking so good towards the end there."
Jaden blinked, then shook his head. "Dont mention it, but if I'm honest you should probably thank Padmé. She's the reason I came at all, she was barely five minutes out of the frying pan before diving headfirst into the fire."
Anakin smiled a little. "Yeah. That sounds like her."
"After being imprisoned by Ziro you would've thought she'd need a break, but no, she was on her ship straight to Tattooine. Told me if I didn't help, she'd just go on her own... right into Hutt territory."
Anakin laughed under his breath. "She's been like that since I was a kid. I doubt she'll change."
Jaden chuckled and picked up another cable. "Yeah, I figured."
The last panel was put in place. Anakin tightened the bolt with a slow twist of his hand while Jaden ran a systems check on the nearby console. Power was flowing cleanly through the lines.
A beep came from the nearby wall terminal and Padmé's voice followed. "How's it going down there?"
Jaden pressed the comm. "Engines are online. Just waiting on the hyperdrive."
As he spoke, Anakin reached over and flicked the final switch. The hyperdrive core rumbled, then glowed softly blue.
"Which is now also online," Jaden added, adjusting his words without missing a beat.
Padmé answered, "Good. I'm setting course for Tatooine now."
Jaden nodded even though she couldn't see it. "We'll be up there in a moment."
Anakin closed the main casing and double-checked the seal. The repairs were done. The room felt warmer now with all systems running, and since the coolant system had taken a lot of damage during the battle. Thankfully it would take them where they needed to go and hopefully be enough for the return journey. Then a moment later the ship shuddered gently. A second later, the stars outside the maintenance viewport stretched, as the ship jumped to hyperspace. Both men turned to look at the hyperdrive. It was rumbling and shaking slightly, but no sparks, no flickering.
They stared for a few seconds longer, then exhaled at the same time. "Alright," Anakin said, rubbing his neck. "Let's go."
They left the engineering bay and made their way through the hallway, stepping over a loose grate and passing a set of closed storage doors. The lighting flickered once, then held steady. Everything on the ship felt stable again. They climbed the short steps to the upper deck and entered the cockpit. Padmé sat in the pilot's chair, one hand resting on the controls. Ahsoka was seated behind her, watching the stars streak past in hyperspace. She turned when they walked in.
"Where's Stinky?" Anakin asked.
Ahsoka smiled. "I put him to bed. He's doing a lot better now. Thanks to Master Jaden."
Jaden raised an eyebrow and let out a soft laugh. "I'm not a master Ahsoka. Just Jaden's fine."
Ahsoka blinked. "Oh sorry... Jaden."
Jaden smiled at her. "Don't worry about it," he replied.
Padmé glanced back from the pilot's chair as Jaden and Anakin settled into the seats behind her. "So," Padmé said, her hands light on the controls as she adjusted the navicomputer, "we make planetfall on Tatooine in about four hours. Jabba's palace is our target. We deliver Rotta, show him the evidence from Ziro's compound, and clear the Jedi's name. Sound like a plan?"
Anakin crossed his arms and leaned back, his mechanical hand drumming fingers on his bicep. "Simple as that, huh? Walk up to the biggest slug in the galaxy, hand over his kid, and say 'oops, not us, blame the Seppies'? Jabba's not exactly known for his forgiving nature. One wrong word, and we're bantha fodder."
Ahsoka shot him a look. "But we have proof now that Dooku tried to frame us. Jabba has to listen. Rotta's his son, that's gotta be some leverage right?" She said earnestly.
Jaden sat beside Anakin, his gaze fixed on the hyperspace streaks, his mind turning over the pieces. "Leverage cuts both ways. Jabba's no fool. If he smells weakness, he might keep Rotta and demand concessions from the Republic anyway. Padmé, you lead the talk. You're the senator here, I'm sure you're used to dealing with his types."
Padmé nodded. "I'll handle Jabba. He's dealt with Naboo before, and fairly if you can believe it. But you're right about the risks. The Separatists know we're coming. Ventress or Dooku could have ships waiting in ambush."
Anakin grinned, though it didn't reach his eyes, his hand flexing as if itching for the yoke. "Let them come. I can outfly any of those rust buckets the clankers use. Easy."
Ahsoka rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "Easy? Master, the last 'easy' plan ended with us pinned in a monastery. Rotta is still the priority here, we can't risk his life for anything."
"In the end it doesn't matter we can't do much more from here," Padmè said. "We have to hope we get to Jabba before the Separatists spring whatever trap they've got planned."
Anakin nodded slowly. "If we stay low in the atmosphere after entry, we might dodge any ships waiting in orbit and avoid their sensors."
Jaden stood up from his seat. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. I'll be in the crew quarters. Gonna take the chance to clear my head."
Jaden headed for the door and made his way down the corridor, past the hold where Rotta's loud snores could be heard. He slipped into the small cabin he had claimed during their brief stay. The door sealed with a quiet hiss, and he knelt in the center of the room. He closed his eyes and reached out, letting the Force flow through him like a river finding its course. Objects around the cabin responded; tools from the crate lifting first, then the bunk's folded panel, a loose data chit from the table, a spare power cell, his cloak draped over the chair.
All rising into the air around him, a dozen in total orbiting in a slow swirl. Satele had shown him this method when he had first began training in the force, explaining how it built control over multiple influences at once, strengthening the mind's grip on them. He started simple, guiding them in a circle, feeling the weight and substancee of each one, the way they tugged at his focus like threads in a loom.
After a few minutes, he pushed further, sending the objects into random directions. Sweat beaded on his forehead, trickling down his temple as he held the pattern, his breaths deepening to maintain the balance. The Force responded to his will, but resistance built, each shift demanding more concentration. He kept at it, adjusting mid-motion when a tool veered too close to the wall, redirecting the tool before it tangled with the bunk panel.
Time slipped away unnoticed as he lost himself in the exercise. His muscles tensed, shirt sticking to his back with perspiration, but he pressed on, the dozen objects dancing in orbit around him. Eventually, fatigue crept in; a power cell wobbled and dropped with a clunk, followed by the data chit fluttering to the deck. Jaden exhaled sharply, letting the rest settle gently, his chest heaving as he opened his eyes. Two hours had passed. He rose slowly, stretching his limbs to shake off the stiffness, the mental strain lingering and giving him a rough headache.
He activated his lightsaber next, the blade igniting with a snap-hiss, its purple glow filling the small space. He moved through the forms, starting with Shii-Cho's broad sweeps to loosen his body, then transitioning to Makashi, each motion flowing into the next without pause. He shifted to Soresu, the defensive form suiting his mood, imagining blaster bolts raining down as he traced small circles with the blade, the air vibeating with each turn.
The door intercom chimed softly, pulling him from the flow. Jaden deactivated the saber with a flick, clipping it to his belt. "Enter."
Ahsoka walked in slightly hesitantly, her hands clasped in front of her as she glanced around the cabin. She looked awkward, her lekku shifting slightly as she met his eyes. "Do you have a minute?"
Jaden smiled, gesturing to the bunk. "Of course, what do you need?"
Ahsoka sat on the edge, her fingers twisting together for a moment before she looked up. She did not say anything right away, her cheeks flushing a light red. "Are you... working on your lightsaber forms?"
Jaden nodded, leaning against the wall opposite her. "Yeah. Since I never grew up at the Temple, I only really started practicing a year ago. I am still not very competent. In terms of skill, I am pretty much a Padawan."
Ahsoka shook her head, her expression turning encouraging as she leaned forward. "That is impressive. You managed to get so good in such a short time. We spend years learning the fundamentals at the Temple. Most younglings take months just to handle the basic forms without tripping over their own feet."
Jaden chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thank you. I do not mind the compliment, but I am sure you were not here to compliment me on my forms."
Ahsoka agreed awkwardly, her gaze dropping to her hands again. She took a breath, struggling to find the words. "I... I wanted to say I am very grateful that you saved me on Teth. I thought I was going to die, if it wasn't for you I would've, and... I do not know how to thank you for that. But It means everything."
Jaden sensed the turbulent feelings inside her, a mix of relief and lingering fear swirling like a storm she could not quite calm. "Ahsoka, have a seat properly. I want to talk to you for a moment."
Ahsoka sat down on the bunk, her posture stiff as she perched on the edge, her hands folded in her lap. She shifted her weight slightly, her lekku twitching in that way Jaden had come to recognize as discomfort, her eyes flicking to the floor before meeting his again. Jaden looked at her with slight concern. "Ahsoka, are you okay?" He asked.
She blinked, shock flashing across her features, her mouth opening slightly as if the question caught her off guard. "What do you mean?" She replied.
Jaden tilted his head. "I mean exactly what I said."
Ahsoka frowned, her fingers twisting the edge of her skirt. She glanced away, then back at him. "I... I am fine. Why would you ask that?"
Jaden leaned closer, resting his elbows on his knees, his gaze never leaving hers. "Ahsoka, you lost your arm and nearly died back on Teth. That is not something people just move on from, and it is not healthy to internalize such a traumatic event. Keeping it bottled up... it eats at you."
Ahsoka's eyes widened a fraction, her cheeks flushing deeper as she looked down at her arm, flexing the fingers experimentally. She forced a smile, but it did not reach her eyes, her voice coming out too quickly. "I am fine, really. I knew such things could happen when I became a Padawan. I was prepared for it. Losses like that... they are part of the job. The war does not care if you are ready or not."
Jaden saw the lie in the way her shoulders tensed, the subtle tremor in her lekku, the way her words rang hollow even to her own ears. He did not want to push too hard; Jedi, especially young ones like her, often struggled when it came to voicing how they felt, trained to bury emotions under layers of meditation and detachment. He just nodded, giving her space. "If you want to talk about what happened, or anything else, I am here. At least for now."
Ahsoka met his eyes again, gratitude flickering there amid the awkwardness, but she shook her head gently. "Thank you. But I am honestly fine. I just... wanted to come in here and thank you again. For everything."
Jaden smiled warmly at her. "You are welcome."
Ahsoka stood giving a small bow of her head before turning to the door. It hissed open, and she stepped out, the panel sealing behind her with a soft click.
Jaden sighed as she left, he hoped she'd get some help, it never ended well when people as young as her internalised something so traumatic. Even now Aubrie, Zule and Scout had nightmares about Jabiim, and occasionally so did he. It wasn't something he thought he'd ever really move on from, but then again there were many things he felt like that about.
He just hoped maybe one day he could.
...
Padmé's voice crackled over the comms from the cockpit. "Jaden, get up here now. We're in trouble."
Jaden opened his eyes from his meditation, his heart kicking up as he scrambled to his feet. "On my way." He bolted from his cabin, his feet pounding the deck as he sprinted down the corridor
He burst into the cockpit, the door hissing open just as Anakin slid into the pilot's seat and Ahsoka strapped into the operations harness. Padmé was already buckled in beside Anakin, her hands flying over the navigation controls. Jaden dropped into the co-pilot's chair, yanking the straps across his chest with one hand while clipping in the other. "Strap in tight," Anakin said over his shoulder. "This could get rough."
"What's going on?" Jaden asked, his eyes locking on the sensor display where a blip blinked red, closing fast from astern.
Anakin didn't look up, his focus on the readouts. "Something appeared on sensors about a minute ago. It's gaining on us fast."
Jaden pulled up the tactical overlay, the blip resolving into a vector line that intersected theirs in under two minutes. "Any idea what it is?"
"Whatever it is, it's big," Anakin replied. "Very big. Bigger than a standard cruiser, from the signature."
Padmé leaned forward, her fingers tapping the nav console to cross-reference Republic ship profiles. "Shouldn't we be able to outrun something that big? This ship has a class 1 hyperdrive."
Anakin shook his head, his mechanical hand gripping the yoke harder. "Normally, yes. But with the damage it sustained on Teth, it's doing a poor job of moving through the hyperspace currents. The motivator's damaged, every nudge throws us off vector, and it's bleeding speed."
Jaden scanned the power grid, diverting auxiliary cells to the drive. "How long until interception? Will we make it to Tatooine?"
Anakin glanced at the chrono overlay. "Just about. We'll have about thirty seconds with them on our tails before we hit the exit point. Enough time for them to annihilate us."
"Shit," Jaden muttered.
"Master, they're getting closer," Ahsoka said from the sensor station, as she tracked the blip's approach. The range ticked down: 45 seconds to weapons lock.
"I'm rerouting power to the aft shields," Jaden said, his fingers blurring over the console, shunting energy from non-essentials to the rear deflectors. "Taking weapons offline I doubt we will get to use them anyway."
Anakin confirmed with a nod, his eyes fixed on the tunnel ahead. "Good call, we need shields at full back there."
"But we won't be able to fight back," Ahsoka said, her hands clenching the armrests.
Anakin chuckled. "Trust me Snips we won't be fighting back either way. Just focus on the sensors and let me know when they're close."
Ahsoka swallowed and nodded, her gaze glued to the display. "They're getting into weapons range in twenty seconds."
"Are they in visual range?" Jaden asked, leaning over to the secondary viewport controls.
Ahsoka tapped a command, and the forward display shifted, overlaying a magnified feed from the rear sensors. The hyperspace streaks parted like a veil, revealing the pursuer; a massive Subjugator-class cruiser, but swollen to nightmarish proportions, its dreadnought hull stretched longer than any standard model, riddled with turbolaser batteries and ion cannons. Massive circular superweapons flanked each side, their barrels wide enough to swallow a corvette whole.
Padmé covered her mouth with her hand in shock, her eyes widening as the scale sank in.
"What in the Force is that?" Anakin muttered, his knuckles whitening on the yoke as he banked slightly.
"Kriff," Jaden spat.
"Time," Anakin shouted a little more panicked than before.
"Five seconds," Ahsoka replied.
"Brace for impact," Anakin said, taking full control of the ship. Maneuvering in hyperspace was one of the most dangerous things you could do, you could throw yourself out of the lanes into a shadow mass that shredded your hull, or clip a hyperspace wave that pummeled your drive into meltdown, ripping the ship apart from the inside. Anakin knew the risks better than most and knew he could manoeuvre it.
"I hope you're as good a pilot as they say," Jaden said as he monitored the shields.
Anakin's eyes narrowed on the display. "I'm better."
The first turbolaser volley lanced out, red bolts streaking through hyperspace like comets, missing the ship by meters as Anakin jinked left, the ship groaning under the forces. Alarms wailed but he held the ship together, dipping the nose and spiraling through a tight corkscrew that avoided the barrage, the beams sizzling past into the tunnel where they dissipated.
"Ten seconds to exit!" Ahsoka shouted.
Another volley hammered the shields, the impact rocking the cockpit, consoles flickering as energy bled off. Anakin pulled up hard, the ship shuddering as it fought the currents, the exit point blooming ahead like a light at tunnel's end.
"Three... two..." Ahsoka counted.
The ship fired again but Anakin rolled inverted again, the beams grazing the hull and shearing off a sensor array in a shower of sparks. The stars snapped back into focus as they dropped from hyperspace, Tatooine filling the viewport.
"We're clear," Padmé breathed, her hand unclenching from the armrest.
However the Subjugator-class dreadnought dropped out of hyperspace behind them, its massive hull eclipsing the stars as it opened fire. Turbolaser bolts streaked past the viewport, red lances that lit the cockpit. Anakin rolled the ship again, the maneuver throwing them against their harnesses, but the beams grazed the hull once more.
Anakin throttled forward, making a beeline for the atmosphere, the ship shuddering as it dove. "I need more power to the engines!"
Jaden's fingers flew over the auxiliary controls, rerouting every spare watt from life support and non-essentials. "Giving you all I can, I'm dropping shields to compensate!"
Ahsoka's eyes widened at the sensor readout. "Fighters on intercept course, twelve Vultures closing I. fast!"
"That's all we need," Jaden commented sarcastically.
"I'm giving you everything," Jaden said, slamming the final switch. "Engines at max!"
Anakin fired them full throttle, the ship shooting toward the planet like a missile. The Vultures pursued, their laser cannons spitting red bolts that flew across the hull, but the Naboo cruiser's speed pulled them ahead.
"The fighters can't keep up," Ahsoka said happily, laughing in relief as the droids fell behind.
Padmé leaned back in her seat, exhaling slowly, her shoulders relaxing for the first time since the chase began. "We made it."
Anakin grinned, easing the yoke. "See? Told you I was a good pilot."
"Yeah, yeah," Jaden said, but he couldn't help the relief washing over him, a grin tugging at his lips as he wiped sweat from his brow.
Ahsoka's laugh cut off abruptly. "Something weird's happening."
Anakin stopped grinning, his hands tightening on the controls. "What is it?"
"All the fighters are retreating," Ahsoka replied, her voice pitching up in confusion. "They're not chasing us anymore, they're breaking off completely."
Padmé frowned. "Maybe they realize it's useless. We'll make the palace before they can reach us."
Anakin's brow furrowed. "Not like Separatists to give up so easily."
"The ship's coming about," Ahsoka said, her fingers hovering over the console.
She tapped a command, bringing up the visual feed. The Providence filled the rear viewport the circular superweapons on each flank charging with crackling purple energy that built in intensity, arcs jumping between the rings like chained lightning.
"That's not good," Jaden said with slight concern.
Anakin pushed the throttle harder, racing toward the planet's upper atmosphere, the dunes growing larger below. "Come on, come on—"
The dreadnought fired. A massive circular pulse of energy erupted from the cannons, a rippling wave of purple ion distortion that hurtled toward them at incredible speeds, closing the gap in heartbeats.
Anakin banked right sharply, the ship groaning under the strain, but the wave caught them broadside. The ion pulse slammed into the hull, systems dying instantly.
"Controls are gone," Anakin said, moving quickly from switch to switch. Nothing responded. The yoke was loose in his hands. No resistance. No power.
"I'm locked out too," Jaden said. He pressed a sequence on his side panel. Nothing. He slammed his hand against the casing. The impact echoed through the silent cockpit. "We're dead across the board."
Outside the viewport they were still moving, but unfortunately for them it was because they were well within the gravity well of the planet. "We're too close," Padmé said in a panic. "We're being pulled in."
The ship began to vibrate. The sound returned, not from the engines, but from the air outside. They had entered the upper atmosphere. The hull rattled. Heat built across the exterior. Thin trails of flame streaked past the windows. Pieces of outer plating started to peel away. A chunk of the wing assembly tore free and spun off into the clouds.
"Stabilizers are gone," Anakin called out. His hands moved over every panel. "We've got nothing. No engines. No sensors. No shields."
Ahsoka pulled the safety straps over her shoulders. She fumbled with the latch for a moment, then locked it into place. She held the straps with both hands. Her knuckles were white. Her feet braced against the floor. Padmé reached behind her seat. She pulled the crash harness out of the wall panel. She fastened it without speaking. Her eyes were fixed ahead.
Jaden moved toward the viewport. He stepped carefully, keeping his balance.
"Hold on everyone," he said. "HOLD ON!"
(AN: So their journey to Tattooine was eventful and they managed to see the separatist prototype ship before its time. The fight in hyperspace, tbh I'm not sure if that can actually happen, I'm pretty sure it can but who knows. I'm just going to say it can. Anyway hope you enjoyed it.)
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