The Shadows Star: Book 2

45: Run

"C-1! I have someone for you to meet!" Sombra shouted as she hurried through the ship.

C-1 emerged from a side room, tray in hand, and began scolding her immediately.

"Young miss, you must sit down! How many times must I ask you to rest?"

Sombra laughed and rolled her eyes. "C, I'm perfectly fine now. You said so yourself. Please, I want you to meet 3PO. He's a protocol droid Anakin built. He'll be joining us on our journey, and I thought you two might get along."

"Hello, I am C-3PO, Human-cyborg relations. It's a pleasure to meet the droid who raised Miss Sombra so well. I have always..." Threepio began to ramble.

"Yes, well," Sombra interrupted, "I'm sure C-1 can help you with some repairs, and R2 can keep you both company. I'm going to help fly." She spun on her heel and began walking away as 3PO continued his rant.

"Young miss," C-1 called after her, "Please try and rest, for my sake at least. I'm not sure how much more stress my circuits can take."

Sombra stopped and slumped her shoulders, completely resigned. She turned back, took the tray from his hands, and said, "I'll rest, I promise. Thanks for the hot chocolate, C-1. You're the best." She kissed his cheek and walked toward the cockpit. C-1 chuckled and reached to touch his cheek.

"She is a bit odd for a human, isn't she? She treats you as if you were human yourself. She treats me like that as well. Odd," Threepio remarked before walking off.

In the cockpit, Sombra sat between Padmé and Anakin, handing them each a mug and a piece of bread. "So what's the plan when we get there? Infiltrate and extract?"

"We're arriving now. We could always resort to some aggressive negotiations," Anakin suggested.

Padmé let out a long sigh. "No, no, no. Absolutely not! I am walking in there as a Senator from Naboo. I will peacefully resolve this, and you two will not do anything reckless." She turned to both of them.

Sombra began to protest, "Maé, I just don't..."

"Sombra, you owe me one."

Sombra sat up and laughed, "Wait, you're using that now? On this?"

"Yes, I am."

Anakin looked at the two in confusion. "I am so lost..."

Sombra leaned back, smirking. "I owe her a favor, anything she wants. I just thought she'd use it for something more dramatic or humiliating."

Anakin laughed. "You two really ought to be sisters with the way you act."

As they exited hyperspace, the red and orange desert planet sprawled before them. As the ship descended toward the dusty expanse of Geonosis, the banter gradually gave way to a tense silence and the hum of the engines became more pronounced.

Sombra, seated in the cockpit, exchanged a knowing glance with Anakin. The playful camaraderie of moments ago now seemed like a distant memory, replaced by the gravity of their mission. Padmé, sensing the shift in the air, took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on the approaching landscape.

C-1, standing in the doorway, observed the Jedi and senator with a mixture of concern and duty. His photoreceptors flickered as he assessed their collective resolve. Sombra, catching his gaze, offered a reassuring nod, silently acknowledging the unspoken understanding between them.

The ship descended through the planet's atmosphere, and the orange hues of Geonosis filled the viewports. The columns of steam rose like spectral sentinels, a stark contrast to the barren landscape. Sombra leaned over to Anakin and pointed. "See those columns of steam straight ahead? They're exhaust vents of some type. Land there."

Her hand rested on the hilt of her lightsaber, a familiar weight that grounded her in the moment.

"Look, whatever happens out there, follow my lead. I'm not interested in getting into a war here. As a member of the Senate, maybe I can find a diplomatic solution to this mess."

Sombra stood and sent Padmé a lazy salute before making her way toward the exit. "Don't worry, milady. I've given up trying to argue with you."

As the ship glided down gracefully, settling in the designated area, the trio readied themselves. The cockpit door slid open, ushering in the arid air of Geonosis. Their descent into the cavern  a chill that crept up Sombra's spine, leaving an invisible trail of ice in its wake.

Anakin, sensing the unease, reached back and gently squeezed Sombra's hand. "You feel that too, don't you?"

Sombra nodded. "Mmhmm... but I can't quite figure it out. There's something, or someone, here."

As they pressed forward, the cavern seemed to come alive with an intensifying sense of unease. The dimly lit surroundings played tricks on their senses, with shadows dancing along the walls and strange echoes resonating through the passageways.

Suddenly, Sombra instinctively pulled Padmé between herself and Anakin, her lightsabers ignited in one swift motion. 

"Ani, take Maé and run..." 

A low growl emanated as the walls began to shift. Her sabers illuminated the grotesque sight of large insect-like creatures covering the walls. 

"Run!" she screamed.

The dark, labyrinthine tunnels of Geonosis reverberated with the harsh buzzing of wings as Anakin swiftly took off with Padmé. Sombra, lightsabers ablaze, skillfully carved her way through the swarm of bugs in pursuit. Her breath quickened as she executed precise slashes and stabs amidst the chaotic onslaught.

Just as she saw the glow of Anakin's lightsaber, the doorway between them abruptly closed, leaving her isolated. Panic surged within her as his fists pounded against the sealed door, and his voice called her name.

"Ani! Keep her safe!" she urgently yelled out, the echoes of her plea resonating through the tunnels.

Bathed in the eerie glow of her lightsabers, moved with swift precision. Geonosians lunged at her from the shadows, their insectoid figures illuminated by the humming blades of her weapons. The acrid scent of the tunnel mixed with the vile metallic tang of spilled Geonosian blood.

With every desperate swing, she dispatched the attackers, her combat skills honed through years of rigorous Jedi training. The luminous arcs of her lightsabers painted streaks of orange and green in the darkness as she danced through the relentless assault. Her golden eyes glinted with focus and determination.

However, amid the intense battle, a sudden disturbance rippled through the Force, disrupting her concentration. Anakin's panic and pain reverberated through their shared connection, a palpable force that sent shivers down her spine. She stumbled, and the rhythm of her combat momentarily shattered.

The Geonosians seized the opportunity, swarming her with renewed aggression. She fought back, but the connection to Anakin pulled at her like an invisible force, demanding her attention. Her lightsabers moved with less precision, and they exploited her momentary vulnerability.

Amidst the chaos, a stun blast struck her from behind. The sudden surge of electricity coursed through her body, and her limbs grew heavy. Her vision blurred, the once vibrant lightsabers now a distorted haze. The sound of battle became distant echoes as consciousness slipped away.

Through the haze, she could vaguely hear the chittering of the bugs, their insectoid language a discordant melody. An ominous sense of dread gripped her as she realized the severity of the situation.

As her strength waned, the tunnel's shadows closed in around her, and the glow of her  lightsabers dimmed to darkness.

The Force, once a guiding ally in her battles, now whispered silent prayers as she drifted into the abyss of unconsciousness, leaving the dark tunnels of Geonosis to the mercy of shadows and unseen dangers.