❝ if i had known caring would have cost me
this much, i would've saved
myself the trouble. ❞

―

CARINA SQUINTED HER EYES as the bright sun clouded her sight, stepping beside Ahsoka who looked out into the dull sand, "Welcome home, stinky."

"Jabba's palace is on the far side of the Dune Sea. We'd better hurry if we're gonna make it by morning." Anakin placed the backpack before Ahsoka who set the Huttlet into the bag before the blonde leapt down onto the sand.

Carina followed shortly after her husband, planting her feet firmly onto the ground glancing back to see Ahsoka gazing up at R2, "Oh, Artooie, it's just endless tracts of gritty, abrasive sand. I'll clean your servos later. Come on."

Carina chuckled softly, "He's going to be holding you to that."

―

Carina gazed at the large fossil peeking out from the sand, pressing her dry lips firmly together as she slipped her hands into her pockets.

Ahsoka watched Anakin's back, contemplating whether or not to speak before chiming up, "Master Yoda has a saying. 'Old sins cast long shadows.' Do you know what he means by that?"

Anakin glanced back at his padawan, knowing exactly what she was doing as he answered, "He means your past can ruin your future if you allow it. But you forget it was Master Skywalker who said, I don't want to talk about my past."

Carina raised her brows as she watched the Master and apprentice, smiling slightly as Ahsoka groaned out, "Okay, fine. There is so much more we can talk about out here. Like the sand."

The brunette shook her head, "Also not a good topic."

"The desert is merciless. It takes everything from you."

Ahsoka blinked in response as she looked over at Carina who sighed, "Told you." The padawan turned her gaze back at Anakin, "That's a happy thought. It won't take us, Master. Right, Artooie?"

"I wouldn't jinx anything, Ahsoka."

―

Carina watched the two suns begin to set, the sky beginning to darken up as an eerie sensation suddenly plagued the brunette's mind. Voices softly whispering as a chill ran up her spine.

The three Jedi abruptly came to a halt and the Algora girl grit her teeth as Ahsoka spoke up first, "We're not alone."

"I sense it, too. It's the dark side of the Force." Anakin narrowed his eyes at the far distance as Carina quietly muttered, "Dooku."

Anakin gazed down at the two girls, "Whatever it is, it's coming for the Hutt. Time to split up."

Ahsoka knitted her brows together in confusion, "We'll face it together, Master." The blonde male shook his head, "Not this time, Snips. I have a far more important mission for you and Carina."

Carina eyes slightly widened as she intensely watched her husband, "Excuse me? You expect me to leave you to face Dooku alone?"

"Carina―"

"No, absolutely not. He almost killed you last time you went up against him, Anakin." Carina voice became stern, anger visible in her tone. Anakin clenched his hands to keep from reaching for her, "I need you to go with Ahsoka."

"I'll be damned if I let you go alone."

Ahsoka blinked as she darted her attention between the couple. Anakin pursed his lips, "Carina, please."

Carina grit her teeth as Anakin's eyes spoke for themselves, his words shining clear through them. "Anakin—"

"Dooku won't be able to lay a scratch on me. Promise."

Carina was quick to shake her head, "Don't make promises you can't keep." Anakin gave her a soft smile, "I'm making it for a reason, Ina. Trust me."

"The last time you said that we ended up crashing in the middle of nowhere."

"Okay, that's different. Just, please."

Carina began to fumble with her hands, swallowing thickly as she hesitantly nodded despite are her will not to do so, "Alright, what's the plan General."

―

Carina walked alongside Ahsoka, feeling the padawans' stare on her every so often. The brunette let out a sigh as she spoke up, "Is there a thought troubling your mind, Ahsoka?"

The young girl blinked before sputtering out, "I was just wondering— or thinking I guess you could say, but you and Master Skywalker care a lot about each other, right?"

Carina glanced down at her, lips tightly pursed, "I've known Anakin since I was twelve, he's one of my best friends I guess you could say so, yes, I do care about him."

Ahsoka nodded in understanding, "That's nice, seeing two fully trained Jedi create a form of attachment. I've seen multiple Jedi criticize it, discourage it." Carina knitted her brows together in thought, "As long as you don't let it control you. Obi-Wan would say the same."

"Oh yeah, I've noticed you're close to Master Kenobi as well."

Carina slightly smiled, "Obi-Wan is practically my brother, growing up with someone creates that form of bond."

Before Ahsoka could continue her lists of questions, Carina quickly slipped her saber out, igniting the deadly weapon as she planted her feet firmly on the thick sand underneath her.

Ahsoka turned on her green lightsaber just as five larger-than-normal battle droids emerged from the course sand, revealing themselves whilst also holding a weapon of their own. Carina grit her teeth, "Just great."

Carina slashed her saber, clashing it with the pole, the droid using significantly more force. The brunette grunted as she stumbled back, spinning her saber as she breathed heavily.

"What's wrong?" Ahsoka urgently questioned the brunette who audibly swallowed, "I should have listened to Anakin and taken that nap. I'm over tired."

The droids took a menacing step towards the two, slashing out their weapons as Carina was quick to dodge a hit. R2-D2 pulled out his small electrocutor, hitting the much bigger droid with it only for him to be thrown multiple feet away.

Carina clenched her jaw before narrowing her eyes, "That you're going to regret." the brunette pounced, hitting her saber through one the droids legs, turning on her heel to successfully decapitate him.

The Algora girl held her saber before her as another droid moved to attack her as the other three moved to overwhelm Ahsoka, the girl defending herself before she leaped onto a small rock only to lose her balance and tumble backwards, sliding down the cliff.

Carina's attention was caught by the girls surprised shriek, the droid took advantage of her distraction as it hit her in the groin with its pole, sending a shock on electricity through her as she fell backwards, rolling down the side before landing on the ground with a thump.

The Jedi Knight let out a soft groan, rolling onto her side as she slowly stood back up. Ahsoka pursed her lips in worry as she approached her, "You alright?"

"Just peachy."

Carina took notice of the four droids closing in on them once again and held her golden lit saber before her once again, lips pursed and eyes narrowed as she attempted to fight through her exhaustion.

She glanced up to see Anakin riding a speeder, worry evident on his expression as he zoomed past the two girls, "Master! Over here!" Ahsoka attempted to call out for the blonde but it was no use.

"He never listens." the young padawan groaned as Carina slightly chuckled, "Get used to it." the brunette moved quickly, slashing her saber through another droids chest before plunging the weapon into its mechanical chest. Watching in satisfaction as it broke down.

Ahsoka leapt in the air, doing a flip in the process before slicing straight through the neighboring droid, leaving the robot in two pieces. Carina kicked her leg out, using her strength to send the droid tumbling back before slicing her saber in an X manner, breaking down another droid.

Four out five, one left. Ahsoka took the droids attention, clashing weapons with it as Carina spun around before cutting the droid right in half.

The brunette's shoulders slouched as she turned off her saber, "I'm so sick of droids."

R2 got himself upright once more and let out an offended beep to which Carina corrected herself, "You and 3P0 are the only exception to that."

Ahsoka shut off her weapon as she fell to her knees, blinking slowly as the Algora Jedi approached her, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just, being a Padawan is harder than I thought."

Carina placed a comforting hand on the girls shoulder as she kindly smiled, "Don't worry, we've all been there. C'mon, let's get stinky home."

―

Carina and Ahsoka rushed into Jabba's palace, the young padawan placing her hand on the wall as they took in the sight of Anakin with his saber raised to Jabba's neck.

"Stop!"

The brunette watched all eyes fall on them, the young apprentice adjusted her grip on the baby Huttlet before stepping closer towards Jabba. Carina took her place next to Anakin's side as the two watched the Tano girl hand Jabba his son, to which the Hutt began to exclaim in Huttese with what seemed like great excitement.

Jabba pointed at the three Jedi just as the droid began to translate, "You are to be executed immediately."

Carina blinked, "I beg your pardon?"

"What?"

All of Jabba's bounty hunters aimed their guns as the trio, the Jedi igniting their weapons in response as they all stood back to back. "Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse."

"Not now, Ina."

A call suddenly came in, the droid gazed up at Jabba, "Your Uncle Ziro is contacting us." the call was answered and a holographic image of Padme appeared in the room. Carina's brows shot up ever so slightly upon the sight of her friend.

"Greetings, honorable Jabba. I am Senator Amidala of the Galactic Congress. I have discovered a plot against you by one of your own. Your uncle will admit he conspired with Count Dooku to kidnap your son and frame the Jedi for the crime."

Suddenly, Jabba's uncle came into view and the Hutt's eyes widened before he began yelling in Huttese. Uncle Ziro began to speak to Jabba, pleading eyes as he did so, "It was Count Dooku!"

Jabba yelled at his uncle before Padme's image came up once again, the droid translator faced the Senator before speaking, "Ziro will be dealt with by the Hutt family most severely."

"Perhaps now you will allow the Republic to use your trade routes and hostilities can come to an end."

Jabba began chuckling, speaking happily as Carina merely blinked, obviously not understanding the crime lord before adjusting her grip on her saber. The droid listened to the Hutt intently before translating, "Jabba agrees. A treaty is in order."

Carina let out a soft sigh before shutting off her lightsaber, watching as Padme continued, "You will not regret this, Jabba."

The droid translator watched Jabba speak, "The clone armies may move through Jabba's territories."

Carina took a step forward, "Senator Amidala, always there to rescue the day." Padme turned towards her friend with a smile, "Well, if I don't then who will, General Algora?"

Carina watched her friends hologram disappear before glancing up at her husband who was already gazing down at her.

"Jabba would be most appreciative if you bring Dooku to justice for his crimes against the Hutts."

Anakin tore his eyes off of his wife as he look up at the Hutt, "You can count on it, Jabba."

Carina slipped her saber back into her utility belt, "You know, I think I'll take that nap now."

Smiles graced everyone's lips, overjoyed for their small victory, but the war was far from won.

―

AUTHORS NOTE, and now rolls in ROTS.