Shadows of Tomorrow

Chapter 9 - Old Friends

The four of them finally make it to the room where Theseus was captured in the first place, only to run straight into a group of guards. "Stop where you are, Jedi!" shouts a guard as they all aim their blasters at them.

Anakin and Obi-Wan Force-shove them into the walls, knocking them out before they have a chance to shoot.

"Looks like you'll be going first Theseus," Obi-Wan observes as they come to a stop next to the hole in the ceiling. "Unless Dooku does."

"No way, we already learned the hard way letting a Sith lead last time," Anakin reminds.

"Oh, right."

"Cease your pointless chatter unless you want this attempt to fail as well," snaps Dooku.

"Oh dear, I think we may have offended someone," Theseus mocks as he approaches the hole. Gathering the Force around him, he jumps up through the opening. One by one, the others follow.

"Now we need our lightsabers," Obi-Wan remarks, looking around.

"Yeah, and we can't all be dragging each other like this back in there," Anakin shoots back.

"A blaster might work to separate us," muses Theseus.

"But it would risk all the nearby pirates knowing we're here," objects Obi-Wan.

"Don't they like shoot each other all the time?" Anakin reminds, "They won't have time to notice us."

"It appears they already have," Dooku warns suddenly. They turn as a guard steps around the corner and no one has the chance to move out of sight in time. He calls something over his shoulder, and a group of pirates immediately charge, shooting.

Theseus dodges a blaster bolt that would have taken off his head, moving so another one shoots him free of Anakin, then dives aside behind some crates. Another shot blasts Dooku free from the others. He instantly lifts up one of the pirates in a Force-choke, before shoving his blaster aside with the Force as he tries to fire. The shot hits one of the last remaining pirates. The Count throws the pirate he was holding at the others before disappearing down a hall.

Anakin and Obi-Wan knock out the remaining pirates before Anakin hastily picks up a blaster and shoots himself free from Obi-Wan.

"If we don't hurry, Dooku's going to get away," exclaims Theseus worriedly. And they'll have gone through all of this for nothing.

"If we don't hurry, we won't get away," Obi-Wan points out. "That's what we need to focus on first, and we need our lightsabers. If you two wait here, I'll go back in there and retrieve them."

"When you get in trouble, we'll be ready to come to the rescue," Anakin smirks.

"That's reassuring," he retorts. "Now stay out of sight until I return." He disappears back down the hole and Anakin and Theseus duck down behind some nearby crates to wait.

"What if Dooku leaves with our ship?" Theseus asks.

"Then we'll borrow one of Hondo's."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"We'll worry about it then."

It takes a surprisingly short amount of time before Obi-Wan climbs back through the hole with their lightsabers, and they all scramble out onto the roof, before running over to their ship which is thankfully still there and intact. The guards standing outside the front entrance immediately notice the three of them as they leap to the ground next to the shuttle.

Pirates pour out the front entrance, running to surround them immediately, as they ignite their lightsabers. "I guess we won't be friends," Hondo growls, coming forwards. "What chances do you really have, Jedi? Surrender, and we can go back to negotiate!" They were negotiating in the first place? As if on cue, a tank rolls up. "Looks like your forces were destroyed as well, Jedi," Hondo adds.