Clouded by the Dark Side

Chapter 23 - To Capture A Bounty Hunter

Aniya Skywalker

Minutes later, the door to the bridge is sliding open to reveal nothing but droids. Bane must have already moved on from here, assuming he was here not long ago. But from here we'll be able to find the Jedi Master. Assuming he's still here, that is.

Anakin and I step in first, cutting through a few droids while the clones shoot down the rest.

"Don't shoot!" cries one of the two remaining droids, the one marked as the commander, "I'm not the commander! He's the commander!" It points desperately at the other remaining droid, which is promptly destroyed by Appo. "... I guess I'm the commander now." Two shots later and the last droid is in pieces.

"Okay, that done with. Next, Artoo," I say, turning to the droid. "See if you can find Master Ropal. He should be on board... hopefully."

The droid dutifully plugs himself into a computer port and a moment later, he starts playing a hologram of Bane. "One authentic Jedi holocron and the memory crystal I was after," the bounty hunter is saying gleefully.

"Oh no," worries Ahsoka. "He has both pieces now!"

Anakin spins around to the clones. "Rex, Appo, send a squad, lock down the hanger bay and destroy all the escape pods. Ensure no one gets off this ship!"

"Yes, sir!" Rex salutes and hurries away with a group of the other clones.

"Artoo, you have to find Master Ropal!" Ahsoka urges worriedly. "Hurry!"

Everything is counting on Artoo now. The longer it takes, the more it gives Bane time to escape, with or without the Jedi Master. Only a Jedi can open the holocron, and I find it unlikely that Bane would be able to get Ropal to open it, but it's not impossible. Even so, if Bane does have the holocron, it's not impossible someone else will be able to open it.

"Do you think he's even still here?" Alema asks, watching the droid anxiously.

"We can hope," I reply, "Unless Bane escaped earlier, we've cut off all routes of escape. Unless jumping into space counts."

Anakin gives me an unimpressed look. "Even desperate, I don't think a bounty hunter would do that. Least of all Bane."

I smirk. "That's my point." I can sense danger humming in the Force as the ship suddenly trembles from a not-so-far-off explosion.

Beeping from Anakin's comm pulls us out of our conversation. It's Admiral Yularen. "General Skywalker," he says worriedly, "One of the engines on that frigate has exploded. I caution you avoid the aft section."

"Noted," I drawl. Typical.

"How much damage is there?" my brother queries.

"I suggest immediate evacuation." Sorry, not happening. We've taken greater risks, whatever it is. Besides, if we leave, it will give Bane a chance to escape. The Jedi Order cannot afford that.

"Not until we get what we came here for," Anakin replies, disconnecting the call.

Artoo beeps suddenly.

"He's in the detention area," I translate to the padawans. "Come on, let's go!"

The four of us take the fastest route down, with the rest of the clones trailing behind. Rex has since returned from cutting off the escape routes. When we finally arrive at the level Artoo told us, it's like most such areas are. Long, dimly lit halls with faint red lights and many doors to tiny prison cells lining the halls. I've been in these myself a few too many times for my liking.

The padawans hurry forwards, checking out the cells. Anakin, Appo, and I keep watch behind. I don't think there's anything down here, but there's no way to be sure.