Star Wars the Clone Wars: Legends Never Die

Chapter 12

Anakin ducks behind a fallen table as blaster fire rings out in the air. He waves a hand to clear the smoke fogging his vision. The lights have all been smashed now, but courtesy to the cannon that's just been fired through the wall, daylight is managing to seep in.

"It's nothing complicated," Lyre had told them with a smile that was too trustworthy when he sent them to some tiny backwater planet, "You just need to visit an old friend and ask that he returns my weapons."

That's how Anakin found himself here- fighting three Twi'lek bounty hunter brothers with faces as ugly as their personalities. The weapons that Lyre wanted back was two tonnes of explosives that could wipe out an area the size of the Senate District on Coruscant. Anakin still doesn't know if by helping Lyre he's committing several crimes or making the galaxy a better place.

He tells himself- for the third time that day- that leaving Padmé on Tatooine in a dingy motel whilst he and Hondo did this 'small favour' for Lyre has been his best idea yet.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," Hondo chuckles, reloading his blaster. He ducks when a blade nearly strikes him in the head, and Anakin rolls his eyes- knowing that igniting his lightsaber is a bad idea but it will get them out of this mess faster.

Padmé wasn't happy to be left behind, but Anakin refused to debate it- probably because he knows she might've won that argument. He promised to collect her quickly, and she had enough credits to get a speeder to visit Lars and Beru. He would've dropped her off right at their moisture farm, but Anakin knew he had enough on his plate without having to deal with family reunions.

Anakin hates spending any amount of time on Tatooine, but he forgets that the memories that Padmé has of his homeworld hugely differ from his own.

After all, it's where they met.

"Jedi! Jedi!" One of the Twi'lek triplets screech when they see the glowing blue blade amongst the smoke and chaos of panicked patrons.

Anakin stalks towards them, eyeing up his opponents. Only armed with blasters- at least, that's all he could see they were armed with- they don't look dangerous, but Anakin knows better than to assume anyone's weaknesses. They have a reputation for a reason.

It's just as well that he doesn't take any shortcuts, as he soon finds himself engaging in hand-to-hand combat, his lightsaber kicked out of his hand when one of them spied an opening.

Anakin kicks one away with a grunt and punches a second. The third grabs onto his neck from behind- dragging them both to the ground. He couldn't practise wrestling when he was sick, so knowing his chances might not be the best, Anakin searches the bar for Hondo.

He spots him perched on a stool, drink in hand. The bartender watches the fight unfold whilst drying a glass- not at all caring that half of their establishment is now nothing more than rubble.

"A little help here?" Anakin shouts to the pirate, managing to dislodge the bounty hunter's grip on his neck. A quick blast of the Force has his attacker flying across the bar and hitting one of the other Twi'leks so they both collapse in a heap.

"You seem to have it covered," Hondo hops down from the stool and finishes his whiskey, "I'll get the explosives."

And with that, he walks away, and Anakin doesn't have time to curse at him before the third brother is swinging a dagger in his face.

Time to wrap this little party up.

He's never been more grateful for Cody teaching him about the ins and outs of using knives in close combat. Anakin hasn't perfected the skill like the Commander has yet, but he knows the basics, and he only catches his prosthetic hand slightly as he disarms the Twi'lek, grabs the fabric of his best and pins him neatly to the wall.