ʙᴏᴜɴᴛʏ ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀs
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We moved through the rough and treacherous terrain of Dathomir. The planet had never seemed darker or more desolate to me than it did now. The shadows of the twisted mountains and trees loomed over us as we walked, reminding me that the Dark Side was present in every corner, lurking, waiting.

The air felt thick, heavy, charged with a dark energy that seemed to sink into my skin with every step. I couldn’t stop feeling uneasy. Ahead of us, the only clue we had to locate Shaak Ti was her faint presence in the Force. It was a weak trail, but I could feel it. I knew she was there, somewhere, and we had to find her before it was too late. I couldn’t let anything happen to her.

Not to her.

Anakin walked beside me, his presence was powerful and reassuring, but it didn’t bring me peace—instead, it stirred a small discomfort within me. Sometimes I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, trying not to betray what I was feeling, but it was useless.

With every step I took beside him, the memories of what I had seen under the influence of the Sith relic assaulted me: it had been an illusion, a mirage created by the Dark Side... but it had felt so real. And in that illusion, I had desired him, I had wanted him for myself, as if his existence belonged to me.

Shame and guilt consumed me in silence. I couldn’t help but flinch every time our hands brushed. The way his fingers came too close to mine as we walked made me shiver, and a soft electric current passed between us.

I tried to focus on Shaak Ti’s trail, to let the connection with the Force guide me, but it was impossible to silence the thoughts piling up in my mind. The Dark Side still whispered in my ear, tempting my control, my judgment, my will. I couldn’t help it—that part of me was still there, thirsty for power.

Obi-Wan walked behind us, dragging Savage Opress with an energy rope that kept him bound. The plan was clear: take Savage to Coruscant, deliver him to justice, and make sure he would never be a threat again.

The Zabrak remained silent, but I could feel his resentment and anger like a poison in the air. Though he was wounded and trapped, he hadn’t given up. I knew that at any moment, he would try to escape or cause more chaos. And for some reason, part of me felt like we hadn’t yet seen everything he was capable of.

"Do you still feel her?" Anakin asked quietly, startling me.

I nodded with a brief clearing of my throat, avoiding direct eye contact. I couldn’t. Not now.

"Yes. She’s close. I don’t know how much longer, but... I feel her. It’s faint, but it’s there."

Anakin didn’t respond, but I noticed how his fingers tightened around the hilt of his lightsaber in alert. I, on the other hand, only felt more pressure, more weight on my shoulders. I couldn’t afford to fail again.

Master Kenobi, keeping his distance, stepped a little closer and glanced between us as if sensing some tension. He didn’t say anything, but his presence made me feel watched and judged, even though I knew he didn’t mean it intentionally. We moved forward in silence, guided by the fragile connection that tied me to my master.

Finally, the landscape opened up, and we reached a landing pad: ships of all kinds, rusted and abandoned, stood like skeletons from a bygone era. My eyes scanned the area, and her presence in the Force hit me. Shaak Ti was here, somewhere. But it couldn’t be that easy.

"They must have her here…"

The urge to run, to burst into those ships to search for her, overwhelmed me. I was about to take the first step when a strong, firm hand closed around my wrist.

"Not so fast," Anakin’s voice sounded like an order. "It’s dangerous." I felt his gaze piercing me as if trying to control me, and he might have succeeded if my nerves hadn’t been so frayed.

I tried to pull away, but his grip remained firm. I growled, wanting to protest, but the look in his eyes stopped me. It was protective, yes, but there was something more. Something I couldn’t quite define, as if he wanted to make sure I didn’t slip from his control. I held my breath instinctively, and instead of feeling safer, I felt trapped.

"Anakin’s right," Obi-Wan interjected, stepping forward. "We can’t just rush in. If the Separatists are here, they’ve likely set a trap. We need to be strategic."

With a sigh, I nodded, but my body remained tense. Everything in me screamed to act, but Obi-Wan’s words made sense. If the Separatists had kidnapped Shaak Ti, they had done so to force us to hand over the relic. That infuriated me, and at the same time, it filled me with anxiety. What if they were torturing her? What if they were putting her through as much pain as Savage had put me through?

"They want the relic in exchange," I muttered, still feeling the annoying presence of the pendant.

"Exactly," Master Kenobi confirmed. "Anakin and I will distract the Separatists. We’ll draw their attention long enough for you to get in and free Shaak Ti."

The idea of separating again made me uneasy, but I knew I had no other choice. My connection with Shaak Ti would allow me to find her faster, but a small pang of anxiety emerged as I realized I’d have to move alone, just as I had in the swamp, where I ended up lured by the Dark Side.

Before we could prepare more details of the plan, I noticed a change in the air. A shiver ran down my spine, and my eyes turned to Savage Opress, who was watching us from his position, bound but full of satisfaction.

"And what are we going to do with the cockroach?" I pointed at him with my chin.

Obi-Wan frowned until he turned his head and looked at Savage, sighing wearily. He briefly glanced at the severed limb. "We can tie him to one of the ships. He won’t be able to go far from there."

I was about to respond when I felt a wave of dark emotions beside me.

Anakin.

I felt it before I saw him act, and when I turned, I saw him stride toward Savage with a dangerous fire in his eyes.

"Anakin…" I whispered, but it was too late.

Anakin grabbed Savage by the back of his neck, and I watched as his fingers dug forcefully into the Zabrak’s skin, eliciting a groan from him. Savage growled but didn’t resist. He knew he had no chance at that moment, yet his gaze still carried a shadow of threat. Anakin didn’t flinch. Obi-Wan paused for a moment, surprised by the abruptness. He seemed so bewildered by his padawan’s sudden outburst that for a moment, he did nothing, until he finally reacted.

"Anakin, what the hell are you doing?" he finally asked. But Anakin didn’t respond.

He began dragging Savage toward the nearest ship, ignoring the broken pieces of metal and debris scattered on the ground that made the Zabrak stumble with every step and cut into his legs. The screech of his body scraping against the rusted fragments echoed in the air, and the harrowing sound was almost as uncomfortable as the tension hanging in the air.

I stepped toward them, cautiously examining Anakin’s every move. Savage didn’t deserve compassion, but this was crossing a line. Something wasn’t right. I’d seen Anakin angry before, but this was... different.

"Anakin," I called, trying to sound authoritative so he’d listen to me, and I failed miserably. "Be careful, he’s bleeding even more."

My comment came out almost automatically, an attempt to maintain control over the situation. But as soon as the words left my lips, his reaction made me stop dead in my tracks: Anakin let out a low growl and barely turned his head toward me, his eyes sparking with frustration and anger.

"Why does it matter?" he snapped, not hiding the harshness in his tone. "After what he did to you, do you really care if he bleeds a little more?"

His words left me frozen. In his voice was a feeling I hadn’t heard before.

It was possessive, almost territorial. As if what Savage had done to me was something personal to him.

"This isn’t who we are, Anakin. He’ll face his punishment, but not here, not like this," Obi-Wan spoke, stepping toward us to defuse the situation.

Anakin shook his head, like a child throwing a tantrum, but he didn’t let go of Savage, who was still being dragged like a ragdoll.

"No, you don’t understand, Master," he retorted. "It’s not enough to just take him to Coruscant. Not after what he did."

There was a moment when our eyes met, and I saw something in his that made me take a step back. It was almost the same darkness I had felt in myself when the relic had tempted me. The same desire for control, for power... for possession. But it wasn’t directed at Savage.

It was directed at me.

I tried to take a deep breath, trying to regain control of the situation. We had to leave this cursed planet that only brought out the worst in us, as soon as possible. If I didn’t do something, I feared what might happen next.

"Anakin," I tried to sound as firm as possible. "This is not the moment. We need to focus on what matters. Master Ti needs us. We can’t get distracted now."

For a second, it seemed like my words had reached him, and his face softened. His grip on Savage loosened slightly, and the fire in his eyes dimmed. But then, just when I thought I had calmed him down, Savage let out a dry, malicious laugh.

"Look how she controls you, Skywalker," the zabrak sneered. "Just like everyone else. You play the hero, but in the end... you’re just another pawn of the Jedi."

Oh, no.

Anakin’s reaction was instant. Without thinking, he slammed Savage against one of the abandoned ships with such force that the metal groaned. Savage cried out in pain, but Anakin didn’t let go, his hand still tightly gripping the back of his neck.

"Anakin, stop!" I shouted, rushing forward. I knew if I didn’t intervene, he’d kill him.

"You’re nothing but an animal!," Anakin spat through clenched teeth, his voice was low and dangerous. "And I have no problem ending your miserable life. Maybe I’ll reunite you with your brother after all."

Obi-Wan stepped forward decisively and positioned himself between us and the ship.

"Anakin, enough!" he ordered. "Let him go. Now."

At first, there was a long silence. Then, with a final growl, Anakin released Savage, who collapsed to the ground with a groan. But the anger hadn’t completely disappeared. I could see it in the way his muscles were still tense, in how his dark eyes still simmered with hatred.

I stepped closer to him, feeling the pain in my chest intensify like never before.

"Have you lost your mind? That’s not the Jedi way," I snapped sharply, hoping my words would reach him this time.

Anakin looked at me for a long second. And in that moment, I felt that for a brief instant, there was still something in him that hadn’t been lost. Something that still kept him balanced, even if by a thread.

"Let’s go," he muttered more calmly, but still full of repressed emotions. "Let’s finish this."

And without another word, he started walking ahead, leaving Savage sprawled on the ground, barely conscious.

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The silence of the landing pad was broken by the sound of our cautious footsteps. We moved deeper into the area, surrounded by the skeletons of rusted ships, and the presence of the Dark Side grew heavier with each step.

My connection to Master Ti grew stronger, but so did the anguish in my chest. Anakin continued walking with heavy, quick steps, as if he wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. I could feel the darkness in him, like a mist wrapping dangerously around him. Just then, I noticed Obi-Wan grabbing Anakin by the shoulder. His face was serious as he spoke to him, but there was also concern, as if he knew his padawan’s balance was on the edge of an abyss.

Anakin, however, only shook his head, as if he couldn’t stand being scolded. It suddenly reminded me that he was only seventeen. A teenager, impulsive and rebellious, with intense emotions he still couldn’t fully control. Especially not in a place like Dathomir, where the Dark Side crept through every crack, feeding his worst impulses.

Master Kenobi let out a frustrated sigh, and though his words seemed to hit a wall, he didn’t give up.

"Now isn't the time for this," I heard him say, full of warning. "We need to focus on the mission, Anakin. Or this will end badly."

Anakin didn’t respond. His jaw tightened, but he kept walking, not uttering a word. A shiver ran through me—it was as if he hadn’t managed to shake off the darkness. But I refused to pay him any more attention. We needed to save Master Ti.

As we moved forward, her presence in the Force became incredibly strong, her energy almost tangible. My heart skipped a beat, and I looked toward a massive ship looming a few meters away, more imposing than the others.

"She has to be in there," I pointed out, my voice trembled with anxiety.

Without thinking, I tried to head toward the ship, but before I could take more than two steps, something cold and metallic pressed against my head:

"Don’t think so, sweetheart."

My body froze instantly.

I felt the barrel of the blaster pressed firmly against my temple, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see the guy pointing it at me. He was a weequay with rough skin and cold eyes, his weapon seemed ready to fire. The familiar hum of lightsabers ignited behind me as Obi-Wan and Anakin drew their weapons.

I slowly turned my head and saw more figures emerging from the shadows. Several trandoshans joined the weequay, their massive bodies armed to the teeth, and smaller, agile rodians moved among the rusted ships. We were surrounded.

"Bounty hunters," Master Kenobi assumed, tightening his grip on his lightsaber.

"Really?" I growled. "What? Are those cowards too scared to come themselves?"

The hunter who had me at his mercy let out a guttural laugh, the blaster barrel digging deeper into my skin. I tried not to move too much, though my mind was frantically searching for a way out of this.

"They would. But they’d leave us out of a job, little Jedi," the Weequay mocked, and the nickname sent a chill down my spine, reminding me of Savage. Instinctively, I glanced at Anakin out of the corner of my eye.

Obi-Wan raised a hand calmly, in a gesture of peace, trying to avoid the confrontation that was about to erupt.

"No one has to get hurt," he said, seeking a diplomatic solution. "We can resolve this without violence. Lower your weapons, and we can all leave here in peace."

The weequay pointing the blaster at me let out a deep, mocking laugh. His companions followed with rough chuckles, as if he’d just told the best joke of the day.

"Peace?" the weequay repeated with a crooked smile, loosening his grip on the blaster slightly. "There’s no peace for you, Jedi. Either hand over the relic, or we’ll finish you off... and the togruta."

The mere thought of them harming Master Ti ignited something inside me. The anger I had tried to suppress stirred, intense, threatening to overflow.

"Finish us off? Pff, please..." I scoffed in disdain. "If I’ve survived a sleepwalking Aayla in the middle of the night, believe me, I can survive a bunch of bugs who aren’t even worth being sarlacc food."

The insult was immediate. I felt the blaster barrel press harder against my temple, and before I could react, the Weequay struck me with the weapon. The impact was quick, sharp, and a stabbing pain shot through my skull. I let out an involuntary groan, staggering slightly as my vision blurred for a second.

"Helene!" I heard Anakin exclaim. I could feel his rage like a dark storm in the Force.

Obi-Wan raised both hands this time, trying to stop the inevitable.

"We can resolve this without further violence," he said, quickly glancing at Anakin out of the corner of his eye, trying to calm him before things spiraled out of control. "We don’t want troub—"

"I DO!" Anakin roared, cutting him off. With surprising agility he lunged straight at the weequay holding me captive.

The bounty hunter, caught off guard by the outburst, immediately released me, turning the blaster to aim at the young Jedi. But Anakin was faster. With a flick of his wrist, he swung his blue lightsaber, deflecting the shot with ease, as if it were a natural reflex. The laser bolt ricocheted toward one of the abandoned ships, leaving a smoking burn on the rusted hull.

As chaos erupted, the rest of the bounty hunters began drawing their weapons, the sound of blasters powering up echoing in the air. My heart skipped a beat. It was time. I felt the hum of my own lightsaber as it ignited, the familiar purple glow illuminating the surroundings.

The blaster fire began to fly around us, the sound of battle erupting like thunder. Master Kenobi drew his lightsaber with precision, deflecting the shots coming toward him and Anakin.

"Helene, find Master Ti!" he shouted at me, skillfully blocking a shot aimed at his head. Meanwhile, Anakin had already thrown himself headfirst into the fight.

"Don’t let anyone leave with the pendant!" one of the Trandoshans roared.

Shots rained in all directions, whistling dangerously close. I felt the heat of each energy flash pass by me as I blocked the ones I could, but there were too many bounty hunters. In the distance, I saw Anakin dealing with several of them, but something about his posture made me frown.

He wasn’t just handling his own attackers—he was also taking care of mine. Every time a shot came too close to me, his lightsaber flashed to deflect it. Did he not realize I could defend myself perfectly well on my own?

A wave of frustration rose within me, one I hadn’t felt since we last saw each other at the Temple. It almost made me smile to think that things might return to normal, but I quickly snapped back to reality:

"Focus on your own!" I shouted at him, spinning on my heels to deflect a shot coming my way. Without waiting for a response, I took advantage of a brief moment of calm to leap onto the wing of a nearby ship.

The rusted ships were a perfect maze for using Form IV, Ataru, and my feet moved with precision across the metal surfaces. I jumped from wing to wing, using the heights to my advantage. From above, I could see our enemies more clearly, and with every shot they fired at me, my purple lightsaber moved with agility, sending the energy back toward them.

I felt the wind swirl around me as I leaped between the roofs of the abandoned ships, my body responding fluidly to the adrenaline coursing through my veins. The blaster bolts ricocheted off my lightsaber and crashed into the ground or the ships themselves. Then, like a magnet, my attention shifted to one ship in particular.

There, in front of me, Master Ti’s presence became unbearably intense, pulling me, guiding me.

My heart pounded in my chest as I landed nimbly in front of the massive abandoned ship.

There was no doubt. Shaak Ti was inside.

My feet almost flew as I entered the dark interior of the ship, ignoring the echoes of the battle fading behind me. I navigated the rusted hallways, dodging hanging cables and debris that crunched under my boots. With every step, Master Ti’s energy grew stronger. My pulse quickened, and a mix of excitement and anguish washed over me. What had they done to her?

Then I saw her.

Master Ti’s silhouette lay on the ground, motionless. Her hands and feet were bound with energy ropes that glowed faintly in the dim light. A knot formed in my stomach as horror flooded me. My poor master had been reduced to this while I refused to let go of the cursed pendant, all for the sake of feeling a little more power and saving Anakin from a false threat.

I let out a cry, unable to control the wave of emotions that surged through me.

"Master Ti!"

I ran toward her, desperate, my fingers trembling as I cut the bindings with my lightsaber. Her body remained still, still trapped in exhaustion and unconsciousness. Without wasting a second, I placed a hand on her chest and closed my eyes, focusing on transferring some of my energy to her through the Force.

I felt the warmth flow into her, as if my own vitality merged with hers, reviving her little by little.

A faint movement under my fingers told me she had awakened. Slowly, her eyes opened, but something was wrong. My own excitement clouded my judgment, making me overlook details I normally wouldn’t have missed. Like the gag still tied around her mouth, which I left there, not thinking twice.

"Oh, Master!" I started whining like a child. "You have no idea what’s happened! You scared us half to death! Anakin is furious, Obi-Wan almost lost his patience... Oh, I have to catch you up! Did you know I turned Sith? Some idiot no one’s ever heard of tricked me..."

As I rambled on, Shaak Ti looked at me, but not with relief or gratitude. Her eyes were filled with horror, a pure, raw emotion I didn’t understand at first. I laughed nervously, thinking she was in shock from everything I was telling her.

"I know, I know," I said with a smile. "It’s been crazy. Can you imagine how awful I’d look with yellow eyes? I’d look like a Hutt slug, ugh."

Suddenly, Master Ti began to stir, her eyes moving desperately, and the Force around her intensified with a clear and dangerous warning. The energy she radiated hit me like a wave, shaking me.

I frowned, confused.

"What’s wro...?" I started to say, turning around instinctively.

I didn’t get to see what or who hit me, but the impact was brutal. A sharp pain exploded in my face, and everything went dark.