Love In A Faraway Galaxy-AnakinxOC

Chapter 54-Relocation

Anakin levitated the Zillow Beast into the carrier. Captain Rex activated the ray-shield sealing the creature inside. The clone held the rattling carrier at arm's length, grimacing. "Are you sure this will hold the Zillow Beast, sir?"

A malevolent green eye peered between the slats and narrowed at Anakin. He met the Zillow Beast's hate-filled stare. "It'll hold long enough for us to dump it in the Outer Rim."

"Very good, General." Rex saluted him and carried the carrier up the boarding ramp, the Zillow Beast, screeching away inside its prison.

After seeing Dorme boarded safely on a shuttle, Obi-Wan drifted over. "Well, the excitement is finally over thanks to our sorceress."

Our sorceress? Anakin felt a stab of annoyance at the proprietary reference to his wife. "Cassandra saved many lives with her quick thinking. The casualties would have been a lot worse without her."

Obi-Wan looked around. "Where is she?"

"She wanted to check something out in the Mirror Dimension."

Cassandra hadn't elaborated on her reasons before disappearing into the other plane and he'd been too busy wrangling the Zillow Beast to pepper her with questions.

"You missed your friend Palpatine's holo conference." Obi-Wan said, clapping him on the shoulder. "He blamed the entire incident on the recently deceased Dr. Boll. The Chancellor claimed she brought the Zillow Beast to Coruscant without consent of the Senate and conducted nefarious experiments which set the creature on its rampage."

Anakin wasn't surprised the chancellor blamed Dr. Boll. Palpatine made the best decision under the circumstances. Civilians died in the Zillow Beast's rampage through the district. Lying was necessary to avoid sowing further discontent.

If the public knew that the military was behind the Zillow Beast, there would be riots in the streets. At this juncture in the war, law and order was more important than ever. The Jedi couldn't afford any more bad press, and fingers were certain to be pointed at the Order if the truth came to light.

Many in the Republic blamed the Jedi for the war's continuation. Which was nonsense. The Separatists had started the war by seceding from the government.

Mid-morning sunlight washed over the arcade, revealing the ugly damage to the Senate building and surrounding area; scorched walls and deep furrows in the ground. In the distance, the jagged remains of buildings jutted up toward the sky like bony claws. Local police and rescue workers sifted through the rubble to unearth the dead.

Anakin looked away from the depressing scene to his chronometer and frowned. 'She's been gone too long.' His arms dropped to his sides. "Excuse me, master. I'm going to check on Cassandra."

"Of course." Obi-Wan agreed politely. "I'll finalize preparations for our departure."

Anakin strode around the corner at an easy pace when everything inside urged him to run to Cassandra. A warning cry echoed in his soul that something had gone wrong.

Out of view of the Jedi and clones he scanned the air for the tell-tale ripple of the opening to the Mirror Dimension.

Plunging inside the doorway, the liquid mirror slid over Anakin, his skin breaking out into goosebumps at the sensation. "I'll never get used to that." He muttered, shaking off the creepy feeling crawling over his body.

Shifting the landscape, Anakin searched for Cassandra. He could feel her, a bright shining star in the Force. The landing platform floated slowly above his head and the Senate building sank into the ground as he folded the matter around him. "Cass!" He called, hoping she'd respond.