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ASTALDO GAPED AT master Freia, the blue and yellow energy of his double-edged lightsaber lighting up his face from below.

'The Zillo Beast?' he repeated, and the Jedi Knight nodded, running her hand over the metal plate in front of the Senate Building once more.

Freia remembered the day when the serpent-like creature escaped and rampaged through the city like it was yesterday. There had been no stopping it, it destroyed everything on its path, leaving the Jedi with no other choice to kill the last remaining Zillo Beast by using a powerful toxin.

It went against everything Freia stood for, the creature never should have been brought to Coruscant in the first place. She thought the carcass had been shot into space, but then how did its scales end up as a protection for the Senate Building?

Only two words came to her mind: Chancellor Palpatine. He had been strangely interested in the Zillo Beast. This had to be his doing, but she had to keep her priorities straight. There were other things to worry about; the whole Senate was held hostage at the moment, they had to find a way in.

Aramis took a step back, observing the metal plates from a distance. He recognized it now as well; the distinctive colours, the way the plates laid over each other. . .

'How do we get through it then?' Estel wondered, kicking the plate in front of him in annoyance. Their lightsabers were useless against it.

'We need to find the weak spot,' Aramis said. 'The Beast was huge, but not that gigantic to cover the whole building.' He gestured for Astaldo to come closer, but before he could suggest to Freia and Estel they should each cover half of the building, a speeder shot towards them over the courtyard.

The thudded sound of the engine traveled through the air, growing in volume, and the Jedi Knights and padawan readied themselves for a possible confrontation until they realized the speeder carried Master Yoda and Windu. The vehicle landed in front of them and the Masters jumped out, immediately assessing the situation.

Master Windu folded his hands behind his back and his dark eyes exchanged an unreadable look with the Grand Master.

'More difficult than expected, this might be,' Yoda said, voicing both of their thoughts.

Windu hummed in agreement, and Aramis repeated his theory about a weak spot.

'Right, you might be. Into two groups, split, we will,' Yoda answered after a few seconds of contemplation. The Grand Master joined Aramis and Astaldo while Windu joined Freia and Estel. The first group quickly disappeared into the distance, covering the ground as fast as they could while their eyes shot over the building.

Windu and Estel jumped into action too, but a thought shot through Freia's mind. 'Wait,' she said, the gears inside her mind spinning wildly. They didn't expect the weak spot near the main entrance of the Senate Building, but maybe that was the exact reason why it would be there.

'What is it?' Estel wondered when Freia sprinted a few meters away from the building. She always saw better at a distance. Her eyes traveled upwards, scanning for a flaw in the plates, but till her disappointment she didn't spot anything.

'Nothing,' she answered, her dissatisfaction shining through by her tone. However, as she tore away her eyes from the top of the building, a feeling flowed through her body like a wave of cool water and she focussed her attention back on the plate far above them. It looked the same as the others, but she could sense it wasn't. She smiled and pointed in its general direction.

'There,' she said. 'A weak spot.' 

✧✧

DOWNCAST, JAIRA STEPPED OUT OF her starfighter.

Mechanics walked towards her ship to fix the damage caused by the space battle, and Jaira stared at their backs as they worked on the ship.

She couldn't bring herself to return to Obi-Wan on the bridge, not yet. Eerie's fearful scream still echoed in her ears and the tight feeling of guilt squeezed her chest together. She couldn't breathe, what if Eerie hadn't survived the crash landing on the planet's surface? It would be her fault if her best friend died.

'Are you alright?' A clone trooper asked, but Jaira shook her head. She sank on the floor and wrapped her arms around her pulled up legs, her eyes wide and her face as pale as the white suit of the trooper.

The trooper hesitated for a moment but then sat down next to her. He took of his helmet and placed it in front of his feet, the orange highlights on it meaning he was a commander.

Jaira glanced at him, his dark hair was crew short and wrinkles decorated his tanned face, indicating he was from an older line of clones. A thin scar ran above his left eyebrow, a remembrance from a previous battle. He smiled in empathy when he caught her eyes.

'You Jedi are tough,' he started. 'The best of the best. I'm sure your friend is alright, and I bet she wouldn't want you to sulk around. I know I would want my men to continue their mission if I get separated from them.'

Jaira huffed but she couldn't help to smile faintly. 'Kenobi took me off the mission. I couldn't continue it even if I wanted it.'

The clone commander shrugged. 'You are a padawan, right?'

Jaira nodded.

'Making mistakes is part of the learning process. Apologize to General Kenobi, let this serve as a lesson, not a punishment. I am sure he will be forgiving if you show you understand why he relieved you of your command.'

Jaira turned her attention back to the mechanics, overthinking the commander's words, but he was right. She stood up, dusted off her robes and smiled in gratitude at him.

'Thank you --,' she paused, realizing she didn't know his name.

'Cody,' the commander said, answering her unspoken question.

Jaira held out her hand and he shook it after rising back to his feet as well.

'Thank you, commander Cody,' she said, and Cody inclined his head. He put his helmet back on while she set course towards the bridge and just as she entered it, she saw their fleet breaking through the blockade around Ilum.

The leadership of the Seperatists exploded and the planet's gravity pulled it downwards. The other ships of the blockade tried to hold their line but without someone in command, they were destined to lose.

'Let's finish it,' Obi-Wan ordered through the com, and his and Master Bluelv's Star Destroyers joined the battle. The Seperatists didn't stood a chance and some of the smaller ships fled, jumping into hyperspace.

Ilum belonged to the Jedi Order once again, but none of them realized it had been just a diversion to cover up what the Seperatists had really wanted.

A Jedi Master and a padawan in their captivity. . .

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A/N:

not to worry, I haven't abandoned this story. ((:

I'm kind of sad I seem to lose more readers every chapter (not only with this story but also with my other apply fictions) but I need to remind myself I mostly write for myself. so that's what I'll do.

anyway, for those who are still with me, I hope you liked this chapter!

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