Clouded by the Dark Side

Chapter 52 - Escaping the Separatists

Anakin Skywalker

I've been captured enough times by the Separatists to know how to at least try to break out again. I pull myself up onto the ceiling, quietly waiting until the door to the cell opens again. As soon as it does, I'll make my move. It would be easier if Krell hadn't decided to turn me into his most recent punching bag to try and get information out of me. He's a very kind host. This is the only chance I'm going to get, though, so I'll use it.

Besides, I can't sense Aniya nearby anymore, which means she must have been taken off the ship and sent somewhere else. It's going to be even harder to find her, and in her condition, she's never going to be able to escape on her own. The only way the Republic will be able to find us is if I can get a signal out to them.

Finally, the door suddenly slides open and a droid steps into the cell. I drop down from the ceiling, Force throwing it into the wall and sprinting out the door, pushing the button on the control to lock the door behind me.

Ignoring the pain stabbing through my body from my bruised – if not broken – ribs, I take off down the hall. I can hear the droid guards right around the corner at the end of the hall, and duck back against the wall as they move past. Despite Obi-Wan's insistence, I do, in fact, know how to be discrete.

As soon as they've moved past, I take off running again as silently as I can, keeping in the shadows. I have to keep stopping, catching my balance on the wall. One thing I really hate about electrocution, especially when it's as prolonged as it was this time, is that it makes it a lot harder to move properly, at least at the times I'm struck by occasional dizzy spells. It lasts a long time afterwards, too.

I need to find a way to send a signal back to the Republic without getting myself caught in the process. It's the only way they'll ever be able to find me and possibly Aniya, wherever she is now. No matter what happens, we have to find her, and as soon as possible. Krell may be on this ship for now, but that doesn't mean he won't go to wherever she was sent. And we have to free her before that happens.

I need to get to a communication center of some kind. Reaching out with the Force to give me an indication of where I need to go, I take off down the halls again. It takes much longer than I would have hoped since I have to keep ducking droids patrolling.

Finally, I arrive outside one of the communication centers on the ship. Opening the door with the Force, I dart into the room, letting it slide closed behind me. Several battle droids are working at the controls. "Hey! You aren't supposed to be here!" squawks one of them.

I knock it over with the Force, stealing its blaster to shoot down the others. I don't normally use them, but that doesn't mean that I can't. The Separatists are going to realize what's happening as soon as I start sending the signal to the Republic, so I'll have to be fast. I hurry over to the controls, and dial in the frequency for Ahsoka. She's the most likely to answer immediately.

A hologram of her appears almost immediately. "Master?" she asks in surprise, shock radiating into the Force.

"I don't have long," I warn, "But track my location to the transmission. Aniya's been taken elsewhere already, but I'll try to make it off."

"Tracking it now," she assures, "But be careful, Master."

I can already sense approaching danger. "I need to go," I inform her, disconnecting the call and hastening out the door, heading for the hanger now. Hopefully I'll be able to find something that's actually flyable, without having the entire droid army along with Krell chasing me down.

Alema Syndulla

"Anakin contacted me," Ahsoka declares, hurrying into the room where Qui-Gon and I are searching for the twins. Obi-Wan would be here, too, but he was already sent off on another mission before we heard word that Anakin and Aniya were captured.