The Mandalorian Jedi

Chapter Thirteen

I had nothing to do but wait, Master Windu was caught up in meetings with the Jedi Council, which meant Master Plo-Koon was as well so the sensible option was to spend time with Norah. We had always been friends but not as close as I was with Anakin or Obi-Wan and I was glad at the opportunity to get to know her better. We trained together, teaching each other different techniques that the other didn't know and in all honesty it was great fun apart from the fact that she seemed flustered all the time which I couldn't get my head around but I put it aside, along with all the strange looks she gave me whenever I demonstrated something or the way she flushed whenever she corrected how I was standing or holding my sabers. I didn't know how to recognize that sort of thing, I probably don't even now.

We were eating lunch together, exchanging stories from our many adventures over the years when someone came running over, a youngling, telling me that Master Windu was asking for me. I nodded to him and then signaled Norah to come with me. He was with Chancellor Palpatine and a group of other Jedi, and we walked in just as Obi-Wan started talking, 
"I have tracked the bounty hunter, Jango Fett, to Geonosis, to the droid factories. The Trade Federation is taking delivery of a droid army and it has become clear that Viceroy Gunray is behind the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala. Several guilds have pledged their allegiance to Count Dooku-" He was cut off as something caused him to draw his lightsaber and he backed off the hologram as a destroyer rolled on, shooting at him. The transmission was cut off. My Master sighed and Master Yoda turned to him, "More happening on Geonosis I feel than we thought." Master Windu nodded and turned back to where Anakin and Padme where now shown. He ordered them to stay put, that we would deal with Count Dooku. He ended the transmition and I turned to him,
"Master he won't stay put, neither will she. I could bet my lightsabers that they are about to head to Geonosis."
"I know my young padawan, that is why you will be travelling to Geonosis right now and try to intercept them before they do something truly idiotic." I nodded and bowed, backing out of the room alongside Norah and left them to discuss whatever they had to discuss. 

"Rhea, stay safe. I wouldn't want you to die before you get your head around how to actually fight with one lightsaber." I grinned and patted her arm,
"Don't worry, I've gotten him out of strife plenty of times. What could possibly go wrong?"
"Yes, what could go wrong when you sneak into a droid factory under the control of Count Dooku that is full of angry Geonosians?" I smirked at her and brushed past her, saying over my shoulder,
"Don't worry Nor, I'll save a few angry Geonosians for you to stick your lightsaber through. We can't have you missing out." She smiled at that, although it was tight and full of worry.

It wasn't long before I was in the starfighter I had taken with me on many a mission in recent years, R3 whirring and clicking from where he was sat. I would have preferred R2 to be with me but he was Anakin's droid so it wasn't often that I got to take him with me anywhere. He didn't have the personality of R2 but then again, most droids didn't. Anyway I was in hyperspace quickly enough and sat back, this could get incredibly boring especially in such a small ship with no one to talk to except an astromech who only spoke about protocols and things I didn't bother listening to. I probably wasn't going to make it in time to stop Anakin but I could definitely get him out of whatever situation he got himself into. Change that to probably. I let my mind drift, shifting into a meditative state that I had learned early on helped me clear my mind after a nightmare or before a fight and kriff knows how large this fight was going to be. The only problem was that by clearing my mind it made way for other... less pleasant memories to get through and I would rather not hear the screams of my parents. It loosened my control on that carefree, sarcastic person I had forced myself to become. Mace was the only person I had let that mask slip with not that I'd had a choice, turns out breaking down in the middle of a fight is a good enough excuse to go into my mind and calm me down which of course led him to seeing the other things. That incident had taught me to control what I let people see if they were forced to enter my mind but that conversation had been less than comfortable.

I eventually drifted to sleep and only awoke when a low beeping told me we had arrived at our destination. I switched the controls back to me, guiding the ship down onto the planet below. I found a secluded nook and told R3 to wait but if he saw something coming he was to fly the ship away so as to try and not give away the fact that I was hear. He beeped rapidly which I took as a yes and I jumped down in front of something that looked like it could be an exhaust vent. It was good enough for me and I stepped into it, trying not to think about what else it could be but apparently I was right because I found a ship from Naboo nestled at the bottom, presumably the ship Anakin and Padme had taken there. Gods knows how long it had been there but I found a hallway with a few dead Geonosians which I took as a good sign. 

The droid factory lay ahead, past a door that was wide open and from what I could see it was relatively empty but from the look of the place, even more Geonosians, I assumed a fight had taken place here not long ago. I was careful though, jumping as silently as I could onto the conveyors and avoiding anything that looked remotely alive. It looked like I was having a much easier time at this than Anakin and Padme had which I probably should not have found as amusing as I did.

I managed to find a vaguely stable spot and let my senses reach out, searching for the souls I knew so well, it was an ability that had taken me years to master but now it came with not so much as a drop of sweat. I let the force guide me through doors and hallways, avoiding any living presence that wasn't them and hoping like hell that there were no droids on patrol here because they were much harder to sense when I was distracted tracking down a soul. It took me far longer than expected and what I saw when I arrived, outside an arena no less, well it shouldn't have surprised me but it did and all I could think was that Ani must have changed his flirting techniques because, kriffing hell.

Okay so the first battle of Geonosis is coming. I am planning for it to take place over two chapters and then we can move onto the Clone Wars which I think I am going to do one arc per season so it should be about seven chapters and maybe a few fillers thrown in or something. Thank you for all the support, it means the world and I can't wait to show you the rest of Rhea's story, it is gonna be a ride and I have so much planned Xx