The Varactyl Squadron Commander (A Star Wars: The Clone Wars Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Forty-One

Though she didn't think it was possible, JC felt a volt of electricity shoot through her spinal column, as if the robot had actually felt a shiver of fear at the sound of the roar that echoed through the palace. But what was worse was the red lights flashing in her central computer as she began to identify the beast's species based on sound and calculate the statistics of Molindi's survival against it-

"We don't have all day! Open the damn door!" Anakin squealed in a high-pitched voice on the verge of a temper tantrum. Risk and Champ bolted to action after that and grabbed the door handles, pulling it open and making room for the jedi and the droid to enter. "You miscreants are fortunate that I needed a host, other wise I would've had you fed to my children on a platter..." He muttered under his breath before stepping into the darkness that waited within.

The room wasn't much different from the others they'd been in at the palace: The walls were covered in vines, a mossy carpet textured the floor beneath them and they could hardly see three feet in front of them thanks to the lack of light. But from the way their voices remained stagnant in the air, it didn't take long to figure out the place the plans were hidden was closer to the size of a broom closet than their suite.

Flipping a switch behind her metal scalp, JC's eyes flashed brightly and illuminated the small area.

Sitting in the center of the small room was an old computer. With nothing but a simple screen and a few buttons layered in dust, the droid scanned the device and couldn't calculate the exact age of it. To her dismay, she couldn't find anything even slightly similar to the prehistoric piece of tech. Despite the galaxy remaining at a steady, equal pace technology-wise, the droid was having trouble finding any sign of the blue prints for the CCDs.

The file on Lady Aveline Denitt stated that she'd sent the plans ahead of her capture, and if Not-Anakin was leading them correctly, there should've been more than just a run-down bucket of bolts excuse for a computer.

"W-w-with all due respect, your majesty," JC began hesitantly, not wanting to agitate the entity that had possessed the jedi any further. "I can't find any trace of the plans we've been searching for. M-m-my sensors aren't picking up an of the normal frequencies and-"

The droid was interrupted by a long, annoyed sigh and Anakin walked over to the computer lazily before blowing away at the lighter dust and rubbing the rest away with his hands. Miraculously, the device flickered to life when the jedi began pressing the different keys and an image popped up on the archaic red screen. He beckoned the three others over with a wave of his hand and Risk, Champ, and JC all did as he gestured.

Despite having to stand on the tips of her metallic feet to look over the mens' shoulders, she caught a vague glimpse of what appeared to be the battle droids they'd learned to fear. Satisfied, Anakin pressed one of the buttons once more and a data-chip popped out of the computer that Risk grabbed, examined, then slid into his pocket for safe keeping.

"I told you the thing you desire was here. Only the queens have been taught how to use the ancient archives." Anakin huffed and folded his arms over his chest in disgust. It was strange, but almost as soon as the words left his mouth, the air in the room seemed to shift and the general's demeanor switched once more; his haughty attitude dissipated and was replaced by one of malice, of a threatening, sinister intention. Whoever or whatever had taken hold of the jedi's body had realized something that the other three knew they wouldn't like.

The clones noticed it before JC did and were beginning to slowly step away from their leader. Champs subtly took the droid's hand and started pulling her backwards as well once Anakin turned his gaze over to the stuttering robot. Like a predator stalking its prey with a sadistic gleam in his eye, the Jedi general eyed JC up and down in a way that left her feeling terrified.