- CASTLES CRUMBLING (A.S.) -

- 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄 -

i can't find no peace

"YOU'RE KIDDING ME," an exasperated Regina exclaimed. She was standing in front of a holoprojector with Obi-Wan and Anakin on the other side of the transmission. A couple months had passed since her—and Anakin's, from which he had quickly recovered—injury, and she was currently enroute to a particular planet that needed liberation. But, it seemed, the Jedi needed her help more.

"Unfortunately, we're not," Obi-Wan replied gravely. "You're less than half a parsec away from our location and, well, Anakin says you're an expert."

Regina shot her husband an annoyed look. He raised his hands innocently.

"It's not our fault you made it your mission to become an specialist on Geonosian brain worms," he remarked, trying to look amused but not hiding his worry well. Regina rolled her eyes and turned to Kenobi.

"I'll be there shortly," she returned. "I assume they're not in hyperspace?"

Obi-Wan shook his head in response.

"Great," she sighed. "I'll see you when you arrive." The transmission winked out and Regina turned to Dux, who was flying her small craft. Her part of her mission had been a stealth mission with Blue, Breaker, and some others already on the planet. Regina was supposed to bring a surprise attack. Hopefully her troops could last a little longer without her. "Dux, we're making a change of plans. We have to head toward Dantooine." Dux raised his eyes but didn't comment. He simply rerouted.

Suddenly, Regina's private comm blinked on. She excused herself from the cockpit and headed into the hallway.

"Regina," Anakin said, letting his worry show through his voice this time as Obi-Wan was seemingly not present, "how should Ahsoka kill the worms?"

Regina rubbed her forehead, trying to wrack her brain. Leaning against the wall behind her; she shut her eyes, forcing her brain to remember. It had been well over a year since she'd done that research and in that time she had gone over so much other...

"Regina, please. They can't wait for you to get there."

He sounded desperate. Regina shook her head.

"Did you talk to Poggle?"

Poggle the Lesser has been taken captive by the Republic during the Second Battle of Geonosis. He was currently on board Anakin's ship as Skywalker and several other Jedi were taking him to Coruscant to stand trial for his crimes. Apparently Ahsoka, on a different ship, had come across Geonosian brain worms that had infected the troopers on board with her and Barriss Offee. And, since Regina had studied the creatures during her mandatory sessions with Anakin, she was being called in to help. Which she was more than happy to do—just not when her clone's lives were on the line.

"Yes."

That's all he gave her. His voice was ice and it gave her an eerie feeling. She decided not to press him and instead focused on remembering.

Closing her eyes again, she went to the place where all of her memories were stored: her mind palace. This was a technique she'd learned from Quillow. Going to her mind palace brought memories she'd forgotten to mind. It was like her life was stored deep in her brain, and all she had to do was access it.

And this time was no different.

"They're affected by cool temperature. Ahsoka needs to freeze them."