Star Wars the Clone Wars: Legends Never Die

Chapter 8

A/N: Hello everyone! I haven't been very vocal in this story, but I want to apologise for not getting this chapter up quicker due to work getting particularly busy. As a consequence, this chapter is shorter than my previous ones. I hope to have the next chapter out sooner!

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The crowd parts at the tap of heels- the Host striding through the facility with a look of pure rage across her normally serene face. "I said she would not be harmed."

"It was a mistake, Your Greatness." The Queen steps forwards to protect her engineers and scientists from the Host's anger. "The Jedi is quite alright."

The Host shakes her head, protectiveness overpowering her rationality, "Where is she? I need to see her for myself."

The Queen knows better than to dispute such a request. She gestures to her faithful Commander with a clawed hand, "Escort her Greatness to Tano's room." She pauses, her mandrils twitching in thought. "We must prepare for the next drill."

"Boss," Kari says, pointing to the empty case where the engine of the N-1 starfighter should be.

Anakin frowns, realigning with reality for what feels like the hundredth time since they landed on Bandil. "Do you think it came off when it crashed?"

The ship's old, but it crashed recently, judging by the amount of sand that's collected inside the cockpit. There's no body left behind, not even a uniform or helmet. The consoles have all been ripped out too.

She shakes her head, trying and failing to get the words out. Anakin tries to be patient- he really does- but he's exhausted and they haven't found any leads yet. He pats Kari on the shoulder, "I'll be back in a moment."

Padmé and Fox are waiting by the speeders, sharing a canteen of water. Anakin assumes their casualness is only due to the frequency of their interaction on Coruscant. Fox probably sees Padmé more than he does.

His wife smiles at him, "Any luck?"

"It's just a crashed starfighter." Anakin takes the canteen as it's offered, gulping down the lukewarm water. There's sweat all around his neck, and his hair is sticking to his forehead from the humidity. "Could've come from anywhere."

"Boss!" He turns at Kari's call with a sigh. She walks over to them, carrying what appears to be a generator.

Anakin frowns, taking the device which is no bigger than his toolbox. He recognises the components, but only because they're a minuscule version of what's used in generators he's seen on starships. "This is for a tractor beam."

"A tractor beam?" Padmé peers at the device, touching it with her fingertips. "But it's tiny. What could it possibly attract?"

Anakin frowns, turning the device over in his hands, "It looks custom made. If I can take it apart, then I might be able to find out who made it, and for what purpose."

Fox snorts, climbing onto the seat behind Kari as she revs the speeder bike, "I think that thing's a little small to suck up the Commander's ship, General."

"I'll call one of the leading aerospace engineers on Naboo." Padmé offers, "Maybe they'll be able to tell us why one of our starfighters is a long way from home and sporting a tractor beam generator." She sighs, "I hope we can get some answers."

Anakin does too.

He boards the second speeder bike. They may as well head back to Coruscant, given there isn't any sign of Ahsoka's ship on this planet. As he's waiting for Padmé to climb onto the back, he hears the distinct beep of Fox's commlink. The Commander slips off his helmet, lifting his wrist, "Fox here."