Runaways (a. skywalker)

[3]

Dawn stared at the ceiling she was hanging from with frustration. X and herself had almost managed to get away from Grievous, until one of his droids stunned her with a blaster. She had no idea what they did with X. Eeth Koth, the Jedi Grievous captured, was hanging from the ceiling beside her. He had been tortured far worse than she had. Dawn thought about asking him how they were going to escape, but didn't want to bother the already weak man.

"I haven't seen you before at the temple." Koth spoke, pausing for a moment to catch his breath. "If you are not a Jedi, why did Grievous capture you?"

"Apparently, I'm force-sensitive or something, whatever that means." Dawn replied. The girl would have shrugged if she was not hanging from the ceiling.

"It means that the Force is strong within you. All Jedi have it." Koth explained. "that's not the only reason why he captured you, is it?" Although it was unknown to Dawn, the Jedi could feel that she was hiding something.

"I-" Dawn began to think of an excuse, but realized that a Jedi would probably be able to tell if she was lying. "I-I'm a senator's daughter." she admitted.

"Senator Ezra Xavier, am I right? I had a feeling. I'm well acquainted with your father. You remind me of him." Koth smiled, now understanding what the girl was trying to conceal. "So, you're the runaway that us Jedi have been asked to retrieve."

"I wouldn't call myself a runaway, it's a bit more complicated-" Dawn tried to explain, but stopped when an overwhelming feeling washed over her. Koth furrowed his eyebrows at the girl, as he could sense that all of a sudden she was anxious.

"What's wrong?" he questioned.

"Somebody's coming." Dawn answered, hesitantly.

"How do you know?" Koth asked. He tried to open himself to the Force more, to try to gain an understanding of what the girl meant, but was too weak.

"I can just...feel it." She replied. The Jedi looked at her curiously, before the door of the room they were in slammed open. Grievous marched in, with a line of droids following him.

"I have some good news for you, my prisoners. It seems as if your Jedi friends are on the way to rescue you." The cyborg sneered. "However, I plan to slaughter them before they get a chance. My droids will watch over you, until then." he spoke, before turning around to leave.

"You won't get away with this, Grievous." Koth promised.

"Ah, you Jedi are so full of false hope. Nothing can save you now, General." Grievous snickered. "Teach the Jedi scum a lesson for mouthing off." he ordered his droids, who complied instantly by electrocuting the man. Koth groaned in agony, while Dawn glared at the departing cyborg.

"Mark my words, Grievous. You will regret this." Dawn spoke, with her tone so cold that Koth was thankful the words were not directed towards him.

"You are a fool, child, for thinking that you can intimidate me." As soon as the words had come out of the cyborg's mouth, a droid stepped forwards to electrocute Dawn. Through her pain, she opened her eyes to view the retreating figure of the man she despised so much.

~~~

"We need to catch up to Grievous immediately, if we are to successfully rescue Miss Xavier and Master Koth." Obi-wan stated, after Anakin and himself had informed the Council of their findings.

"Indeed, Master Kenobi. We also received an alarming transmission from Grievous. Master Plo Koon and Commander Wolffe noticed that Master Koth performed a coded message using hand gestures." Mace Windu informed the pair.

"Hoping you could decode it, Master Kenobi, we were." Master Yoda added, as Windu replayed the transmission for Obi-wan and Anakin to see. A holographic image of a droid electrocuting Koth to the floor appeared. Just as Windu had said, Koth managed to lift up his hand and began to execute various hand signals.

"I admit that my skills are rusty.." Obi-wan began, gazing at the transmission intently. "Saleucami system... sector J... 19...0...8...0...5...29." he spoke, slowly recognizing the signals one after another.

"Saleucami... but intelligence reported that Grievous had no ships near that sector." Adi Gallia, another Jedi, pointed out.

"Yes, but so often inaccurate, our intelligence is." Master Yoda replied. It seemed as if the Council could never be sure where Grievous would strike next.

"I shall go." Obi-wan stated. The Jedi Master was more than ready to bring Grievous to justice for his crimes.

"So will I." Anakin added, with determination evident in his expression.

"And I." Adi Gallia spoke. With all three Jedi meaning business, nothing could get in their way.