Star Wars the Clone Wars: The Third Generation Meets the Past

Citadel Rescue Pt. 3

On the landing platform, a droid picked up the fugitives' location. "Sir, the anoobas have located the fugitives along the northern shore," a battle droid said to Sobeck. "Squad, come with me! I will deal with this personally," Sobeck ordered to a few of his troops. They got on a few of the speeder bikes and went off to find the prisoners.

The clones were still trying to shoot down the remainder of the droids and anoobas with the help of Tarkin, Anakin, and Obi-Wan. When the last of the enemy scouts had been eviscerated, Cody said, "So much for the hunting party." "There are more squads on their way," Tarkin informed. Obi-Wan, who was standing near the edge of the cliff, sensed Rey and Ahsoka approaching and turned to see them with tear-stained faces and carrying a lifeless body. Master Piell. "Oh, no," he sighed. He gave them a sad look and walked back down the slope to reach them.

Anakin and the others ran towards the girls and surrounded them with worried or shocked expressions on their faces. Anakin took Piell out of their arms and laid the dead Jedi gently on the ground. "He died honorably," Ahsoka said sadly. Anakin turned to her and asked, "What about the information?" "I-We have it..." Ahsoka gestured to Rey and herself. Then she turned to Tarkin and said, "All of it." "He told us just before he died," Rey added. They lowered their heads in grief.

***

They all stood near the cliff's edge in a semi-circle around Piell's wrapped-up body, Anakin and Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan turned to the others and said, "We don't have much time. Let's take this moment to honor him, then we must move on. He would've wanted us to complete our mission." Rey noticed that Obi-Wan was on the brink of tears, and she's never seen him cry before. It was saddening to her. Then, Anakin and Obi-Wan outstretched their hands and used the Force to levitate Piell's body and send it over the cliff and into the lava below.

They watched as it burned and went over the magma fall. The thought in all their minds was the same. It could be heard from the Netherworld as they all thought the same thing, May the Force be with you, Master Piell.

The Republic fleet had, at last, reached Lola Sayu. Then, the cruisers opened up to let starships fly out. "There have not been battles like these since the days of the Old Republic," Master Tiin said over the com-link. "Indeed. Good hunting," Plo replied in one of the gunships. He ended the transmission and Finn said, "I sure hope Rey's still alive." "She is. I would know if she weren't," Kylo replied. Poe raised his eyebrow. "Really? And how's that?" he asked incredulously. Kylo simply answered, "We're connected."

On the surface of the planet, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and the others were nearing the rendezvous point. As they came to a stop near the edge of the ground where the lava flowed, Obi-Wan spotted the extraction point and announced it to the others. Anakin and Cody quickly run past everyone to get to the ledge and fired cables. The cables attached themselves to a couple of tall rocks on the island and the Jedi and the clone attached their end of the cables to the rocky ledge. Then, Tarkin and Fives crawled across the wires to the other side.

When they were finally across, Fives noticed Sobeck and a handful of droids closing in on them on speeder bikes. "Incoming!" he yelled to the others. Anakin, Rey, Obi-Wan, and the others that were still with them turned around and saw what Fives was talking about. Ahsoka and Rex were crawling across the cables, as Sobeck smirked to himself and said, "Well, look what I've found."

Meanwhile, the Separatist dreadnoughts were firing on the Republic cruisers, while starfighters from both sides fought to destroy each other. "There are too many droid fighters. We need more time to break through the blockade," Saesee Tiin said over the com-link. "We're out of time. We need to break through that blockade now," Plo said as the gunship swerved and moved, trying to avoid the gunfire. "Very well. Wing commanders, form up. We're going in," Tiin ordered his troops.