The hangar bay of the Command Venator Resolute was a flurry of activity. On top of the usual maintenance and traffic of the 501st clone troopers, a brand-new spectacle had made a recent addition. Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and a retinue of 30 clone troopers including the leader of the 501st, Captain Rex, were currently preparing for the Mandalorian ST-70 to dock, surrounding the area where it was designated to land. His padawan, Ahsoka Tano was also present, standing behind Anakin with her hands on her hips.
Anakin Skywalker himself stood with his arms crossed, one finger tapping impatiently as he watched the tablet a nearby clone was holding showing the progress of the ST-70. And, despite all of his training as a Jedi and experience as a commanding officer, Anakin was anxious. This anxiety did not originate from a fear of the approaching ship, rather it was due to the gravity of the mission he had been given and the way it seemed to be progressing. One given by Mace Windu of the Jedi Council himself.
Find and save Jedi Master Echuu Shen-Jon and his Padawan Naat Reath from their stranded position on Krant. The Jedi Master had been deployed to Krant to chase down the Confederate General Sev’Rance Tann and stop her from utilising the powerful technology she had stolen. Unfortunately, however, there had been little to no contact from either of the Jedi ever since they had arrived at Krant. That was, until Republic Intelligence unearthed a new bounty on the market. One for both of the missing Jedi.
When this information was revealed, the Jedi Council of course made it a top priority to save the Jedi that were now revealed to still be alive. After all, while the Order could at least acknowledge the loss of a Jedi Knight, Jedi Masters were incredibly valuable resources. And, if world got out that a Jedi Master was killed by mere bounty hunters, morale would plummet.
As for why Anakin was chosen, it was simply because he was the closest, being on Bothawui when he got the call to go to Krant. From what he could tell there was possibly several situations the hunted Jedi could have been in, with the worst case being them under a Separatist blockade, and the best being them alright and instantly contacting Anakin as soon as he was in range.
Currently, Anakin would say that this was somewhere in the middle. For there was no Separatist blockade, in fact there was no Separatist presence for a couple of systems. However, Shen-Jon had not contacted him. And finally, also being the reason, he was anxious, a Mandalorian ship, registered to a known group of bounty hunters, leaving Krant. And from what he had read, this group was not one to give up so easily.
His jaw tightened as the ship finally floated into view, guided by both the tractor beam deployed by the Resolute and its own correctional thrusters. His troops also noticed the oncoming ship, getting into their final positions and preparing to fire if necessary.
As the ship landed, the hangar bay pointed towards Anakin, the tension in the air was so palpable that you could cut through it with a knife. Anakin’s grip on his arms tightened as the door slowly lowered itself open, accompanied by the sound of clones switching safeties off. When the door had finally opened, only pitch black could be seen inside, the interior lights being shut off.
Anakin’s jaw tightened and he prepared to grab the lightsaber at his side at a moment’s notice as the sound of a singular pair footsteps upon metal echoed from within the ST-70. Slowly, a hooded figure, clad in purple clothing, stepped out into the light of the Venator’s hangar, her metal covered arms raised. What really caught Anakin’s attention however was the lightsaber visibly placed on her belt.
“Who are you?” He asked, now slightly confused and cautious as he eyed the saber.
The woman remained silent for a second as though considering something before replying, “I am Jedi Padawan Kandria.”
Anakin blinked in shock at this, however his eyes narrowed in suspicion as he thought about it more critically, “A Jedi Padawan? Where is you master then? And why are you currently flying a Mandalorian ship?”
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The woman’s strange purple eyes shifted across all of the clones in front of her before replying, “That is…complicated.”
Anakin’s eyes narrowed even further and he rested his hand on the lightsaber at his own belt, “Then you better start explaining.”
----------------------------------------
Kandria’s head shifted slightly to look back into the ship before switching back to looking at Anakin. The movement was so slight that Anakin probably wouldn’t have seen it if he wasn’t watching for it.
“…I do not know where my master is, I do not know where I am, and I took this ship from Mandalorians that tried to kill me. Me and my master were involved in a battle on board a Rakatan ship when I was caught in the activating technology. I woke up on this planet and I was promptly attacked by Mandalorians. We managed to fend them off and commandeer their ship when you found us.” She explained.
Her explanation seemed valid. After all, Anakin had read up about the Rakatans and knew about how powerful their technology was. And he highly doubted that someone who had managed to kill a Jedi and take their lightsaber would be stupid enough to wear it so openly. He also did not think that one of the two Sith in the entire galaxy was aboard the ship and had willingly allowed themselves to be captured.
“Wait, what do you mean we?” Ahsoka suddenly asked from behind Anakin, drawing the attention of both him and Kandria, “I thought you didn’t know where your master was.”
Kandria froze in place as Anakin turned to look at her accusingly, before she sighed reluctantly, “That is true. You see, I have… a request to make.”
Anakin glared at her, “Request?”
Kandria nodded and turned her head to look into the shadowy depths of the ST-70’s hanger, “You see, I wasn’t the only one caught in the Rakatan technology. And, chances are I would be dead at the hands of those bounty hunters without him.”
Anakin’s eyes widened and he unclipped his lightsaber as he sensed a dark presence suddenly appear within the ship. A new set of footsteps appeared, however seemed ever more sinister than Kandria’s. Slowly, a new figure appeared, a black cloak over him with a full face mask on his face. The man held his armoured hands out to the sides, his head held high as though he was greeting a cheering crowd.
“Good evening, you filthy little Republic lackeys,” He declared, confusing even the clone troopers a bit as a few glanced at each other, “Sith Acolyte Vancil, at your service.”
Anakin ignited his lightsaber.
Vancil grinned as all of the troops around him and the Jedi suddenly became incredibly alert. It was a bit confusing however, that they only became alert when he said he was a Sith Acolyte and not the second he revealed himself. His outfit was essentially the normal uniform for a Sith, and should have been recognised instantly.
He didn’t falter however and even chuckled as Kandria desperately held out her hands to both this ‘Jedi General’ and himself as she looked between them frantically, “Hold on now, let’s just remain calm folks.”
“Remain calm?” The togruta girl said accusingly, “You are telling us to remain calm in the face of a Sith Lord?”
“Sith Acolyte missy. I’m no lord.” He corrected.
“So, you must be the apprentice then.” The man he assumed to be Anakin said.
This confused Vancil slightly, “Ummmm, yeah?” He said, slightly confused, “What do you mean ‘the’ apprentice?”
Anakin scowled at Vancil, “Don’t play dumb, Sith. Surrender yourself now and perhaps the Jedi Council will show mercy.”
Vancil laughed mockingly, “The only reason I’m not kicking your ass right now, Jedi, is because I agreed to let this one negotiate for me.”
“Then shut your trap and let me talk.” Kandria in turn scowled at him, eliciting a small chuckle before he waved dismissively for her to continue.
Kandria glared at him for a while before turning to face the other Jedi fully, holding both her hands towards them placatingly, “Look, he’s the only reason I’m alive right now. I promised I would see him safely back to Imperial space. He is of no danger to the war effort as a singular Sith and so there is little reason to deny me this request.
This time, Anakin was the one to look confused, “Imperial Space? A singular Sith not being dangerous? What are you talking about?”
Vancil could sense Kandria’s trepidation as Anakin said this, “…The Sith Empire? The one we’ve been fighting for over a decade.”
The togruta was the one to speak up next, “The Sith Empire has been destroyed for over a millennium.”
Vancil stared holes into the togruta, his brain still catching up to the gravity of what she had just said. He worked his jaw behind his mask, his mind blanking on every tangible thought he was trying to formulate. Something was starting to click however. Something that had been bothering him since he had woken up.
He had sensed it in the force at first, and even seen it with the strange technology. He had been in denial however. Denial at the imbalance in the force. Denial at even the severe changes he had observed in the Republic simply by the troops that surrounded him and the ship they were in.
But now, that someone had said what he had secretly suspected, he had absolutely no way to deny it outright.
This galaxy was not his. And he had no idea how to get back.