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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟔
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐓'𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐔𝐄

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Another hour of negotiating terms with Jabba passed before they finally came to an agreement. The trio of Jedi gave the Hutt a respectful goodbye before making their way out of the Palace. Aurora let out a sigh the moment they were out of the dark building, grateful to finally be outside again. But even though she and Obi-Wan hid their emotions about leaving Tatooine well, Laken was another story. She made it very clear that she wanted to be anywhere else but there, and that wouldn't help their cause. Luckily for them, it wasn't long before they boarded their ship. They quickly made their way into the cockpit and took off, heading back to their Jedi cruiser. Little did they know that a familiar enemy was watching them, waiting until they were out of sight to make his next move.

An eternity passed before the Jedi cruiser came into view. That was all it took for Aurora to let out a long breath, one she didn't know she was holding. She knew Obi-Wan was one of the best at negotiations, but that didn't stop the idea of failure from crossing her mind. But she quickly pushed that away as they landed in the docking bay. The Jedi soon exited their ship and were greeted by a battalion of clones.

"Commander, tell Admiral Yularen to get underway. We need to reinforce Anakin," the Kenobi man said the second they set foot in the docking bay.

"Right away, sir," Cody responded before he and Grizz left to fulfill the Jedi's command.

As soon as the clones were out of sight, Aurora, Obi-Wan, and Laken made their way to communications to contact Anakin and Ahsoka. None of them said a word as they walked through the halls toward their destination. They all had different reasons for their silence and none of them were willing to break it. Aurora and Obi-Wan were simply determined to discuss the negotiations with their allies and go to aid them as soon as possible. But Laken had another reason to be silent. A reason she hoped to talk to her Master about when they were alone.

It wasn't much longer until they finally reached their destination. The clones in communications cleared the room as soon as they saw the Jedi. Even though she didn't think they needed to leave, it gave Aurora a strange sense of comfort knowing no one would overheard their communication. After the issue with Slick on Christophsis. She still trusted the clones with every bone in her body, that much hadn't changed. But she wanted to be more cautious about what information she gave away. Not just with the clones, but with everyone.

What felt like an eternity passed before Anakin and Ahsoka appeared on the holotable in front of them. A small sigh passed over Obi-Wan's lips before he began speaking. "Anakin, did you locate Jabba's son?"

"We have him, but it looks like the Separatists are behind his abduction. This smells like Count Dooku to me," the Skywalker boy responded, not bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice.

"I think it's little Stinky you smell," Ahsoka muttered while holding up Jabba's son, causing Laken to let out a small laugh.

After thinking over the information, the Jinn woman had one thought in her head. And it was a thought she knew she couldn't keep to herself. "Dooku is most likely using us to get Jabba to join him."

"Master Jinn," the Tano girl called out. Aurora did her best not to cringe at the name, one that only made her think of her late uncle. Luckily for her, it seemed that Obi-Wan was the only one to notice. But their attention was soon drawn back to Ahsoka when he continued speaking. "We have another problem. This Huttlet is very sick."

"I'm not sure we can get him back to Tatooine alive. This whole rescue may backfire on us," Anakin added before letting out a long sigh, "I still don't think dealing with the Hutts is a good idea."

"Well, we're already in too deep. We can't back out now," Laken said without thinking, earning a small nod in response from Obi-Wan.

"Laken is right, Anakin," the Kenobi man added, completely aware of the somewhat shocked look he was receiving from the Diem girl, "you know they control shipping routes in the Outer Rim. Jabba's cooperation is crucial to the war effort. If you let anything happen to his son, our chances of a treaty with him will disappear."

Not even a second after that passed when the sound of ships flying through the air greeted them. Anakin and Ahsoka instantly looked up while Aurora, Obi-Wan, and Laken watched them in anticipation, the trio wanting to know exactly what was happening. But with the angle the Skywalker boy had R2-D2 at, they were unable to see what they were looking at. All they knew was it wasn't good after hearing Rex order his squadron to get into their defensive positions.

"Anakin?" the Kenobi man called out, drawing the boy in question's attention back to his allies.

"I'll have to call you back, Master. We're under attack. We could use a little help here if you have the time," the Skywalker boy quickly responded.

"We'll get there as soon as we can," Obi-Wan reassured his former Padawan.

"And Ahsoka," Laken said after a short moment of hesitation, "make sure you keep the Huttlet safe."

The Padawans just stared at each other through the hologram, as if having a silent conversation between themselves. It wasn't long after that when the Tano girl sent her friend a small nod. Not even a second after that passed when their communication ended. Obi-Wan didn't hesitate to leave the communication room. He wanted to give the clones the coordinates to where Anakin and Ahsoka were, knowing they needed to get there sooner rather than later.

Laken went to follow the Kenobi man, anxious to reunite with her friend as soon as possible. However, she only made it half a step when Aurora grabbed her wrist, stopping the Diem girl in her tracks. The Padawan let out a shaky breath as she turned to face her Master, only to find the Jinn woman staring down at her with determination in her eyes. Silence filled every inch of the room as they stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. But that ended the second Aurora opened her mouth to speak.

"You've been acting strange ever since we left Tatooine. I was gonna brush it off as nerves, but I have a feeling it's more than that," the Jinn woman said while keeping her eyes glued to the girl standing in front of her, "what's going on in that head of yours, Laken?"

The Diem girl hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much she could tell her Master. She thought she did a good job at hiding her uncertainty, but it was obvious to Aurora. Like she had told Yoda previously, she and her Padawan had a lot in common, including their inability to hide what they were truly feeling. So to ease the tension, Aurora began speaking once again. "How about I let you ask me any question you'd like and I will answer no matter what. Then you tell me what you're thinking. Deal?"

The Jinn girl was surprised when Laken responded with a small nod. But that surprise soon vanished when she asked the one question Aurora thought she wouldn't ask. It turned out that the Diem girl was just looking for a good time to ask the question, and her Master had given her the perfect opportunity. "You have strong Jedi skills and a lot of battle experience. So why didn't you want to lead your own clone battalion?"

Now it was the Jinn woman's turn to hesitate, but it wasn't for as long as her Padawan did. She just needed a moment to gather her thoughts. And after letting out a long breath, Aurora opened her mouth to respond. "It's simple, Laken. I would rather be where I'm needed than the General of a clone battalion. But Master Yoda has assigned us to the 212th with Obi-Wan. He feels it will be safer for us to be part of a battalion during your training."

"That's very noble of you, Master," the Diem girl told the woman beside her.

"Well, I didn't do it to be noble. I just felt I would be more useful helping others instead of trying to lead," Aurora continued her explanation, still surprised by how interested her Padawan was in her story, "it also kept Grizz from being reassigned to some guard position."

"A few other Padawans did tell me he was a defective clone. That's why he was never assigned to a battalion until now."

"He isn't defective, Laken. He's different. Just like the rest of us," the Jinn woman declared in a more serious tone, earning a small nod from Laken. It wasn't long after that when Aurora continued speaking. "Now it's your turn. What have you been thinking about since we left Tatooine?"

The Diem girl hesitated once again before looking away from her Master. What felt like an eternity passed before Laken broke the silence surrounding them. "It's probably nothing. I just...I felt a presence when we were on Tatooine. It felt familiar, and not in a good way. The last time I felt it was when I was four. A man came to talk to my father about an alliance. The Senator is the one who rules my home planet, but he refused the alliance."

"Do you remember the man's name? Or what planet he was from?" Aurora asked, even more interested in her Padawan's answer than she thought she'd be.

"I wish I could say yes, but my father sent my brother and me away after the man said why he came to Easoth. Said it wasn't a conversation for children to hear. But I would definitely know him if I saw him again. He was quite intimidating," Laken responded before letting out another long breath, "you know what, just forget I said anything. I'm probably wrong anyway. I have been before."

"You need to trust your instincts, Laken. They're stronger than you think. Don't ever doubt them," Aurora told the girl in front of her with a smile on her face. After watching Laken return it, the Jinn woman continued speaking. "Whoever this mystery man is is probably the same person who orchestrated the Huttlet's kidnapping. Now let's go find Obi-Wan before he notices we aren't with him."

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After flying through hyperspace for much longer than any of them would've liked, their Jedi cruiser finally arrived just outside of Teth. Obi-Wan, Aurora, and Laken quickly headed toward the ships with their clone battalion. As soon as they were ready, the three Jedi and their clone battalion flew away from their Jedi cruiser and toward the purple planet in front of them.

"Skywalker is in trouble. You know the drill," Obi-Wan announced to his battalion and fellow Jedi.

"Copy that," Aurora responded before they flew faster toward Teth, everyone wanting to find Anakin and Ahsoka as soon as possible.

They barely made it into Teth's atmosphere when they were greeted by enemy ships. The Jinn woman dodged their attacks while Laken fired back, taking out one of the Separatist ships. Aurora couldn't help but let out a victorious shout with her Padawan quickly joining in. But as the battle continued, the Jedi Knight couldn't help but hope that her allies were just as successful as they were. And she couldn't help but wonder just how many she'd lose at the end of this fight.

"Skywalker to Obi-Wan and Aurora. Mark my position. I need a medical ship immediately," Anakin said through the comms, drawing the Jinn woman back to the situation at hand, "do you copy?"

"Anakin, do you read me?! Anakin, come in!" Obi-Wan responded before Aurora even had a chance to reach for the button in front of her. When they didn't receive any word from their allies on the ground, the Kenobi man continued speaking. "They're jamming our transmissions. I hope Anakin is having an easier time than we are."

The Jinn woman quickly evaded another enemy ship before Laken took it out of the fight. It wasn't long after that when Aurora moved their ship to fly beside Obi-Wan's. "Something tells me their luck isn't any better. If anything, it's far worse."

"I'm hit! I can't shake them!" Odd Ball exclaimed, causing an uneasy feeling to form in the pit of Aurora's stomach.

It only took the Jedi a short moment to locate the clone, who was being chased by two Separatist ships. Aurora and Obi-Wan didn't hesitate to fly after their soldier. As they got closer to their ally, Laken tightened her grip around her controls, wanting to be ready for whenever she had to be. It wasn't until they were a few yards behind the enemy ships that the Kenobi man responded to the clone.

"Just relax, Odd Ball. We're right behind you," the redheaded man told him while he and Aurora flew closer to their targets.

Not even a second after that passed when they were finally within reach of their targets. The Diem girl didn't hesitate to fire at the enemy, taking out the ship closest to them. That allowed Obi-Wan to fly even faster through the air. Aurora kept her eyes glued to his ship, watching his every move with anticipation flowing through her veins. But that was soon replaced by relief after watching him take out the enemy ship just one yard away from Odd Ball.

"Thank you, Generals and Commander. I'm sorry I panicked," the clone said, not bothering to hide the slight shakiness of his voice.

"That's alright, Odd Ball," Aurora responded with a small smile on her face, fully aware that Odd Ball wasn't able to see her expression, "it happens to everybody."

As they continued their battle in the air, Laken couldn't help but notice some action happening below them. She stared out the window for a moment longer before deciding to draw everyone's attention to it. "It looks like something's happening on the east side of the palace."

"I see it," Odd Ball announced not long after the Diem girl finished speaking.

"It seems to be a battle. And if there's a battle, Anakin's probably in the middle of it. We'll start looking for him there. All ships, follow me," Obi-Wan declared before flying toward the palace with Aurora, Laken, and their battalion in tow, "Commander Cody and Lieutenant Grizz, prepare the gunships for ground assault."

After hearing the clones' response, Aurora and Obi-Wan headed toward the action on the ground, followed by their entire aerial battalion. It wasn't much longer before the Jinn woman saw a small group of clones getting pinned down by a hoard of droids. They were doing their best to hold their group, but they wouldn't make it much longer without reinforcements. Luckily, their allies arrived just in time.

"Take over, R10. Get us next to Obi-Wan," Aurora called out to her droid, earning a small beep in response. As soon as she knew R10 had control of their ship, the Jinn woman unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and glanced back at her Padawan. "You ready?"

A determined look instantly appeared on Laken's face as she grabbed her own lightsaber. "Whenever you are."

Not even a second after that passed when R10 and R4 began firing at the droids. The Jedi only waited for another moment before opening the hatches and jumping to the ground. Aurora and Laken seemed to move in sync as they deflected the droids' attacks. The duo stayed back to back as they sent the shots back to where they came, taking out the droids that sent them. Their actions allowed Obi-Wan to leap over them and slice the enemy group of droids in front of them. The Jedi continued to work together to take out the droids while the remaining three clones joined the battle.

What felt like an eternity passed when Cody and Grizz appeared above them with a dozen gunships full of reinforcements. And just like they did during the Battle of Geonosis, the clones repelled from the ship and joined the battle, providing aid to their allies on the ground. It wasn't long after that when two more gunships flew above them and fired at their enemy, taking out a large group of Separatist droids. The Jedi continued to redirect the droid's attacks as they inched closer and closer to Rex, who was attacking their enemy from behind a fallen ship. As soon as they were close enough to the Captain, the Kenobi man asked the question they were all wondering.

"Where's Skywalker?"

"Best guess is he's still in the castle, sir," Rex responded without taking his eyes off the enemy droids.

"Keep the droids occupied. We'll go find him," Obi-Wan said before turning his attention toward Aurora and Laken, "let's go."

No one hesitated as they sprinted away from the battle and into the palace. The Kenobi man led the way as they ran through the halls in search of their allies. They made sure to take the ones that looked as though they had seen better days, knowing wherever Anakin went destruction usually followed during battle. It wasn't long before they came to a very large room, which seemed to be a command center in another life. But what caught the Jedi's attention the most was a woman standing on the other side of the room. Two super battle droids stood beside her while she kept her back to them. Aurora wasn't sure what she was doing, but she knew exactly who she was.

"Master Kenobi," Ventress greeted after unsheathing her lightsabers and turning to face the Jedi, "always chasing after Skywalker. How predictable."

"Anakin leaves quite a mess. Which always leads me to you, Ventress," Obi-Wan responded as he, Aurora, and Laken prepared their own lightsabers for battle.

"Take them!" the Sith acolyte ordered, causing the super battle droids to aim their basters at the three Jedi.

The droids soon fired without hesitation at their enemy, forcing Aurora, Obi-Wan, and Laken to block their attacks. Ventress watched with a proud smile on her face before sprinting into the next room. A wave of annoyance washed over the Jinn woman after watching the acolyte escape. It wasn't long after that when she called out to the Kenobi man. "Laken and I will handle the droids. You go after Ventress. We'll find you when we're finished here."

Obi-Wan hesitated for a moment, which surprised Aurora. She never thought he'd waste a second in capturing Ventress, but here he was glancing over at her with uncertainty in his eyes. And it seemed Laken noticed as well by the hint of confusion radiating off her. But before any of them could say a word, the Kenobi man sent Aurora a small nod. After blocking a few of the shots aimed at him, Obi-Wan jumped over the droids and ran after Ventress. As soon as he was out of sight, Aurora turned her full attention back to the droids in front of her.

Despite the super battle droids firing faster than before, the Master and her Padawan were able to block their attacks. At least, that was what Aurora thought. What she didn't expect was to hear Laken scream in pain. That was all it took for the Jinn woman to glance over to find the Diem girl on the ground. The determination within Aurora did nothing but grow as she turned back around to face the droids. Her grip around her lightsaber tightened before she charged at her enemy. The Jinn woman blocked their shots faster than she ever had before. She waited until she was a few feet away before leaping into the air and slicing both of the droids in two.

Aurora was breathing heavily as she stared at the destroyed droids. That only lasted for a second longer when she turned her attention back to Laken. The young girl was still lying on the ground but she was breathing, which made a wave of relief wash over Aurora. She quickly sheathed her lightsaber before rushing toward her Padawan. The Jinn woman fell to the floor beside Laken and carefully turned her onto her back. Chills ran throughout her entire body when she saw a burn mark on her leg. Upon further inspection, Aurora saw that it was just a graze. It was a bad one, but it could've been much worse. But what really caught the Jedi's attention was the gash on Laken's head, making the Jinn woman realize her Padawan hit her head when she fell.

Aurora tried her best to bring Laken around from her unconscious state, but all her efforts failed. It wasn't long after that when she heard the sound of a lightsaber igniting in the distance, reminding the Jedi Knight of the situation at hand. Aurora was soon torn by her mission and the young girl lying in front of her. Her head was telling her to focus on the mission, knowing that Jedi were not supposed to form attachments to anything or anyone. But her heart was telling her to get Laken the help she needed no matter what the Council would say. It didn't take her long to make her decision. After letting out a shaky breath, Aurora brought her communicator to her mouth.

"R10. I need a pick up," the Jinn woman said, earning a quick response from her loyal droid. It wasn't long after that when Aurora spoke into her communicator once more. "Aurora to Obi-Wan. Laken got hit and is unconscious. I'm taking her back to the Jedi cruiser to get her medical assistance. Will you be okay?"

Aurora didn't receive a response at first, which made her a bit nervous. She had no idea if it was because Obi-Wan was shocked by her choice of putting Laken above the mission or if he was locked in battle and needed assistance. But after what felt like an eternity passed, she finally received a response from the Kenobi man. "Copy that. You take care of your Padawan. I can handle Ventress."

The Jinn woman was surprised when another wave of relief washed over her after hearing his response. It was as if she was waiting for some sort of confirmation that she was making the right choice. And for some reason, Obi-Wan's response was the confirmation she needed. Aurora didn't waste another second as she carefully picked up Laken, making sure to avoid her injury while keeping her head and legs supported. Once she had a good grasp on her Padawan, the Jinn woman headed back in the direction they came from.

It didn't take long for her to reach the entrance, only to be greeted by the battle between the clones and droids. Her eyes scanned her surroundings before she spotted Grizz with Cody and Rex. She was happy to see that he was okay, but that happiness soon faded when she saw where R10 was. She was very grateful for her droid coming back for them, but her ship was hidden in the only place the Separatist droids wouldn't see it. And it was going to take Aurora getting across the battlefield to get there. But she was determined to get her Padawan the help she needed. So after letting out a shaky breath, the Jinn woman spoke into her communicator once again.

"Aurora to Grizz," she called out, causing the clone she trusted with her life to duck behind the ship to listen to what she had to say, "Laken's been hit. I need to get her to the Jedi cruiser. Can you provide cover for me?"

Not even a second after that passed when Grizz looked over to where Aurora hid in the shadows. She watched as he said something to Rex and Cody before their attention landed on her as well. They seemed to have a silent conversation with each other before the lieutenant finally responded. "We got you covered, Aurora."

A small smile appeared on the Jedi's lips as she tightened her grip around her Padawan. As soon as she received the signal from Grizz, Aurora sprinted into the battlefield. She used her senses to avoid the shots from the droids as she ran. She jumped and spun out of the way, making sure Laken was protected as she went. The Jinn woman just needed to make it another ten feet before she had the ship for cover. She waited there until receiving the all-clear from Grizz, causing her to run out from her cover. Luckily for her, there was a lot less action between her and her ship. It didn't take long for her to reach R10, who had the hatch open and ready for them to jump in.

After making sure Laken was secured, Aurora got into the pilot's seat and closed the hatch. She wasted no time in grabbing the controls and flying away from the palace. Adrenaline rushed through her veins as she flew as fast as she could toward the Jedi cruiser's location. The clouds didn't bother Aurora as much as they should've. If anything, she was grateful for them to provide her cover. But that feeling soon faded when she broke through the clouds and saw the scene in front of her. Just like back at the palace, a battle was happening in the sky. Droids and clones chased each other as they flew through the air, taking each other out when able to. And what made matters worse was the deflector shield around the Jedi cruiser.

A shaky sigh passed over Aurora's lips as she evaded the Separatist's attacks. Once she steadied her ship, she pressed a button on the panel in front of her. "Jedi cruiser, this is General Jinn. I have an injured Padawan in need of medical attention."

"Stand by," a clone responded while the Jinn woman continued to fly around to avoid being shot down by the enemy. What felt like an eternity of flying around the Jedi cruiser passed when the clone's voice came over the speaker once again. "General Jinn, General Skywalker, we think we can lift the shields on the lower rear hanger."

A hit of surprise flowed through Aurora when she heard Anakin's name, but she quickly shook it off. She was just glad that their mission of retrieving the Huttelet was successful. "On my way."

The Jinn woman's hands tightened around her steering wheel as she turned and dove toward the hanger. It just came into view when an enemy ship crashed into it, engulfing it in flames. Shock flowed through Aurora's veins as she swerved out of the way to avoid the explosion. A small wave of defeat washed over the Jinn woman as she stared at the flames. The feeling only grew when she heard Laken let out a groan. When she looked back at her Padawan, Aurora saw her writhing around in her seat. But she was soon snapped out of her daze when Anakin's voice greeted her ears.

"Anakin to Aurora, do you copy?"

"I copy. What's your plan now?"

"Ahsoka and I are gonna have to take this bucket of bolts all the way to Tatooine," Anakin responded, giving Aurora an idea that she hoped she wouldn't regret later, "why are you in the air and not on the ground with Obi-Wan?"

"Laken needs medical attention. I was hoping to get it on the cruiser," the Jinn woman responded as she followed the rusty old ship the Skywalker boy was currently flying, "she isn't too bad, but she'll have to hold on until Coruscant. I just hope I don't get an earful when I get there."

"Good luck, Jinn."

"You too, Skywalker."

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Aurora leaned against the wall in the hallway right outside the medical wing of the Jedi Temple. She tried to be patient as she waited for Laken to finish getting treated, but she was getting restless. It had only been a few hours since she returned but it felt like an eternity. She received a lecture from Mace Windu about leaving the mission, especially since it was for the good of one person. If the Jinn woman were being honest, she tuned out most of what he said. Even though she knew her mission was important, she didn't regret bringing Laken back to the Temple to receive medical attention. She would do it again in a heartbeat, and not just for her Padawan. There are many people that Aurora would risk her rank to save. But that was exactly what the Jedi Council frowned upon. The Jedi weren't supposed to form attachments after all.

The silence surrounding Aurora was soon interrupted by footsteps. When she looked toward the source of the sound, she found Obi-Wan approaching her. The Jinn woman immediately pushed herself off the wall and stood to her full height as she watched him. Her eyes stayed glued to him until he stood directly in front of her. The two of them studied each other in silence, as if making sure the other was okay. That continued until Aurora finally broke it.

"I'm glad you're alive," the Jinn woman said with a hint of relief in her voice, "I'm sorry for leaving you without backup on Teth. You shouldn't have had to deal with Ventress on your own. But I couldn't leave Laken like that."

"There's no need to apologize, Aurora. As I said, I've dealt with Ventress many times before," Obi-Wan told her without an ounce of hesitation, earning a small smile from the woman in front of him, "but I'm sure Master Windu had a few words about your decision."

Aurora couldn't help but scoff at his words before responding. "He had more than a few words. I'm sure he's having some regrets about making me a Jedi Knight. Luckily Master Yoda stepped in before it went too far."

"That's good," the Kenobi man said before hesitating a moment, which made Aurora's smile slightly falter. It wasn't long after that when he continued speaking. "Just be careful. It is frowned upon for Jedi to form attachments."

"I understand that. I might not agree with it, but I understand it. This wasn't an attachment issue. I just knew it would look bad if I lost my Padawan on our first real mission," the Jinn woman explained. Her words earned her a nod in response from the man in front of her before turning to leave.

There was a small part of her that didn't agree with the words she just said, but she would need to learn to if she was going to make it as a Jedi. She needed to force herself not to get close to Laken. She didn't get assigned a Padawan to make friends, she was simply her teacher. But as she watched Obi-Wan walk away and thought about Laken in the medical wing, Aurora knew keeping herself from forming attachments would be harder than she originally thought.

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