When Stars Align

Chapter 3 - Master and Padawan

Author's Note: Anakin dealing with the war, or trying to at least. :')

~ Amina Gila

Padme had given him Artoo as a present. In exchange for the japor snippet she's still wearing, she'd said, and Anakin would've hugged her if it hadn't felt quite so weird. She's so nice. She's amazing, too, and he likes her. She said Artoo could help Anakin more than her.

It was on Anakin's first flying mission – he was out with Obi-Wan and the boys – and he got shot down. With Artoo, and now, they have no idea where the droid is.

Devastated doesn't quite begin to cover it. Artoo flew with him, and he's been everywhere with Anakin, helping him and just... and it feel so stupid, because he's a droid, and Anakin loses his vode all the time. But still, it hurts. He thought Artoo was the one he'd never lose.

Anakin and Obi-Wan go back to the site with a new astromech – which is not taking Artoo's place, thank you very much – but he might be helpful – in search of Artoo.

The Trandoshan scrapper is, well, being unhelpful to say the least, and Anakin is certain he's lying.

That doesn't automatically mean he's Separatist or anything, but there's still a chance.

It's not a risk Anakin wants to take. Not that they have the luxury.

The Trandoshan lets them into the back, saying that he might have an old one, though Anakin has his doubts. "I don't see anything," Anakin says as he scans the shelves. Just junk, and no signs of Artoo.

Until he hears the distant beeping, and sprints forwards to the hatch up ahead. "Arthree, can you get this hatch open? I think he might be back here."

The droid plugs himself into a port, getting to work, though either he has no idea what he's doing, or he's trying to be intentionally aggravating.

It's working, too. Obi-Wan looks even more annoyed than Anakin feels.

Danger flares, and Anakin whips back from where he was starting to cut a hole in the door – Arthree is taking way too long – only to see a duo of assassin droids standing. "Master, look out!" he yells a millisecond before everything explodes into chaos.

Anakin hasn't fought these things before, but they're deadly. And terrifying.

They jump up the shelves, out of reach, and they shoot fast enough that he's too focused on trying not to get shot to do anything to get them down. It's a couple minutes later before Anakin yanks one down with the Force, beheading it.

Obi-Wan flings the other into a pile of crates, and Anakin jumps at it, bisecting it.

"I think Arthree's defective," Anakin supplies, panting a little.

Obi-Wan glares at the droid, stalking forward towards the now-open hatch.

A prickle of unease runs down Anakin's spine. His master is often angry, but it's rarely at Anakin. Besides, he's Obi-Wan. He shouldn't be afraid. It's stupid, but he can't help it. Anyone angry makes him uncomfortable.

"If you didn't have a lightsaber, you'd be a dead man," the Trandoshan snarls, standing in the doorway.

"Where's our droid?" his master demands, shoving his lightsaber to the lizard's neck. The Trandoshan is lying to them; of that, Anakin is certain. He's still scared, though. He's still – he's awful, but Anakin doesn't want anyone to end up dead. "What did you do to it?"

"I told you, I don't have any astromech droids!" he snaps back. "You're wasting your time, Jedi! Look at this mess you've made. You owe me!"

Anakin steps forwards, only because he's half certain his master is a millisecond short of stabbing the man – probably he's a criminal anyway, but that doesn't make it their choice to end his life. Artoo isn't here, or at least not in sight, and Anakin doesn't want to let him go, but he doesn't know what else to do.