Cal

I was sleeping peacefully, taking a well deserved nap after a long day of training with Master Plo in duelling. Unfortunately, the afternoon sunlight hit my face and made it hard for my sleep to continue, not to mention the continuous roar of the ships' engines on the other side of the window were being too loud. They work as an alarm.

  My eyes had barely adapted to the sunlight when a repetitive and annoying knock was heard on my door. I sighed knowing pretty well my best mate was about to bust into the room.

"Come in." I sat down and rubbed my eyes with my fingers as the door opened, revealing an excited Caleb. "Hey."

"Dude, you won't believe it." He said as I got up and moved towards the small and dirty mirror that rests on the wall next to the bathroom's door, to fix my hair.

"What?"

"We've been assigned." The tiredness went away and my eyes snapped towards him. He was nodding.

"You serious right now?" He nodded again. "To whom?"

"Depa Billaba." He pointed at himself. "And Allana Naberrie." He pointed at me.

"What?" He chuckled. "I thought I was gonna go with Master Topal." Caleb shrugged. "How do you even know?"

"Well...I overheard them." He sat on the ground. "They we're walking and talking about their new Padawans and a bunch of other stuff, plus, Allana was asking Depa for advice but I didn't hear that because when they started to talk about it, they had already said our names and I ran here."

"Oh."

"Yeah." He sighed as he got up. "You're the luckiest."

"Why?"

"Well, you're gonna work with Naberrie and Skywalker. They're the coolest."

"Master Billaba is pretty cool too, not to mention she was trained by Master Windu."

"True." He walked towards the entrance. "You should get ready, they're probably going to look for us anytime soon." I nodded and when he clicked the door's panel to open it, and it slid to left and right, it revealed two young women standing on the other side. "Oh."

"Caleb." Said Master Billaba.
"Cal." Said Master Naberrie at the same time. "Morning boys."

"Morning Masters." We spoke at the unison too.

"Paying a visit to your friend, Dume?" Asked Depa and he nodded. "Well, come with me, we've got a mission in the Mid Rim."

"Yes Master." He started to walk out. "See you Cal." I waved goodbye as Allana high-fived him after she wished him good luck.

  "How you doing, Kestis?" She asked from the entrance.

"Good Master, how are you?" I answered.

"Good." She smiled. "Think fast." She threw something in the air and I caught it. "That's your new comlink, it's linked to mine and the rest of our team, first requirement: don't lose or break it." I nodded. "Get ready. I'll see you in the hangar in fifteen minutes to introduce you to the 104th, okay?"

"Yes Master." I said enthusiastic making her chuckle.

"I like that energy, you'll need it."

"Really? Why? Where are we going?"

"Felucia." She walked out and the door closed. First assignment as a Padawan and not as a youngling. It sounded amazing. It felt great to finally get a out of these walls and have some action.

  I walked into the bathroom and took a quick shower, when I was done and stepped out, I dressed up with my beige and dark brown robes, placed my boots on and grabbed my belt. I clipped my lightsaber to it and proceeded to walk out of the room towards the hangar to meet with my former Master. As I did so, I clipped the comlink to my glove.

  I arrived in three minutes, with two to spare. I didn't know where to go. I don't know where her cruiser is, so, I looked around and quickly realised Master Naberrie was standing at the entrance of a large ship with a quite grumpy clone by her side, both of them had their arms crossed.

  As soon as our eyes met, she waved me to hurry up and I did, when I arrived, I had to recover my breath.

"Right on time." I said and she chuckled.

"Indeed." She said. "Cal, this is Commander Wolffe, Commander, this is Cal Kestis, my Padawan."

"Hi." He nodded his head.

"Come on." She turned around alongside the Commander and we started to walk into the cruiser. For some reason, it looked bigger than Master Topal's.

"I thought you weren't exactly ready for one ma'am." Commander Wolffe commented and I gulped.

"I wasn't but we'll see how this goes." She walked slower and placed a hand on my shoulder just to offer a kind smile that I returned.

  As we walked towards the bridge's elevator, a bunch of clones were walking through the hangar from one side to another checking their weapons, making sure the ships were alright as well as the artillery. I found it so cool, a lot of action and we weren't even there yet. I really liked how whenever they saw their General, they stopped to salut her.

"Wolffe, go with the pilots and make sure they have enough rockets in the gunships in case we need them, I don't want it to be like in Geonosis." He nodded.

"Right away General." He left and we stepped into the elevator.

"What happened in Geonosis?" I asked.

"Our gunship ran out of rockets and we couldn't take Dooku out."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"And why do we even need rockets for? It's just Felucia, the system is part of the Republic but it's pacifist." I asked.

"True, but, our forces caught in an unending battle with the Separatists according to what Skywalker told me. Plus, right now the Separatists have taken a hold of the system. Our forces managed to push them back for our arrival."

"You plan on pushing an air strike?" She smiled.

"Not at first, only in case we succeed and need to blow something up." She shrugged. I smiled and the doors opened. "Welcome to the Triumphant kid." She stepped out and I followed behind her.

"Wow." Allana chuckled as she moved towards the windows. Her cruiser definitely looks bigger and the crew seemed less tense than Master Topal's. It felt cozier and more welcoming for being a metal ship, specially because everyone who looked at me smiled and if they had their helmets on they did friendly salutes.

"Cal." She called me and I walked up to her position. "This is Flynn, my Lieutenant, Flynn this is Kestis."

"Welcome aboard Padawan Kestis."

"Thank you Lieutenant." I commented.

"How long will he be staying with us ma'am?"

"Until his training is over." I looked at her and smiled. "Please have someone set a room specially for him." He nodded and offered me a smile. "Have you entered the coordinates yet?"

"Before your arrival, just like you ordered General. I'm just awaiting your orders."

"Let's get going." He nodded and gave the signal so that we got out of the atmosphere and enter hyperspace. "Okay, listen Cal." I looked up. "I need you to stay close to me, Anakin or Ahsoka at all times. I have very little experience at...this so, please be patient with me and I'll be patient with you." I nodded.

"Is there anything I should know about how you are outside of the Courtyard?" She giggled.

"I'm tougher, more strict, I won't run around chasing you like I do whatever we play when a session is over and I have a shorter patience to be honest." I nodded. "Just do as I say and don't be late to a call, ever, okay? Lives may depend on it. Also, follow your instincts, trust yourself." I nodded again.

"Any recommendations? I haven't exactly been to the battlefield that much."

"Pay attention to your surroundings and here you have your first lessons from me, one: think ahead. Try to be a step ahead of the enemy so that you're not taken by surprise, at least not all the time. Two: don't be predictable, that way they won't be exactly able to analyse your every move to formulate a way to break you. Three, one of the most important ones: use all your senses. Not only your eyes, but your ears, your touch and your sixth sense, the Force. You'll be able to sense and see things through it. You're good at that." I nodded once more.

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

  More or less, twenty minutes later, in which I explored the cruiser, we jumped out of hyperspace. I directed myself towards the hangar, where I assumed the rest were going to arrive, and they did. I frowned when I started hearing the space battle that was going on outside. The...half and a bit of the 104th arrived and settled down on a circle, and awaited for the General and Commander, who showed up in no time.

"Gentlemen." Master Naberrie greeted as she placed her hands behind her back. "Listen up." Every single one of the clones payed close attention to her now and even kneeled to do it better. "Skywalker's troops are doing good on the ground but still requested our help to push the attack, so, the Pack is coming with me, the rest will stay here until I call you if needed."

"Yes General." They said at the unison and started dividing themselves.

"Warthog, are the gunships ready?"

"They have been for the last forty minutes ma'am." He answered.

"Good, you'll take us to the ground while Corvis will help us take down one walker to complete the 501st artillery." The two pilots nodded. "We weren't instructed to but I want you to give out a hand Light Squad, help out the Shadows."

"You got it General." Said one of her skilled air strike troopers.

"Let's go."

"Sir, yes sir." They all yelped at the unison and started moving towards the fighters and to the gunships. "Ready for action Cal?"

"Yup." I breathed in and out. She chuckled.

"Good, come on." We stepped into the gunship and started our way to the ground with the Light Squadron covering our backs as we got to the surface. That didn't take long, in less than I expected, we landed and the doors slid open to reveal Master Skywalker and Padawan Tano alongside the 501st Legion. "Hello everyone." My Master greeted the rest. This is awesome.

"Glad you could join us." Said he. "I see you're not alone." His eyes met mine and I waved. "Hey Kestis."

"Hello Master, Ahsoka." She nodded with a smile.

"How's everything down here so far?" Allana asked as the troopers walked out.

"Rough, thanks for bringing the walker." My Master nodded. "We've made them fall back but we think they've called for reinforcements. My scouts, Casiss' friends, told us where the Separatist base is, we were waiting for you to arrive."

"Okay, guide the way." Anakin nodded and we all started walking through the fluorescent wildlife of Felucia with the surprisingly quiet walkers. In no time, we arrived at the spot where the scouts were and spotted a ship, so we hid behind some rocks, as soon as that happened, Allana pulled out a small pair of binoculars and studied what's far away. "Seems like their reinforcements have arrived."

"Well, Smarty, time to show your Padawan how you operate." I chuckled and she scoffed before turning at me.

"Smarty?" I asked.

"Long story short, I basically make everything work because, according to Anakin, I'm a smartass." It was Master Skywalker's turn to chuckle. "Before I speak, any suggestions?" She looked at Anakin.

"Dividing their defences looks like a good strategy." She nodded.

"We can break into three groups. I'll take the left flank, you take the front gate and the Padawans will scale the back wall." Everyone nodded. "We'll meet in the middle." Everyone stood up and Anakin looked at the scouts.

"Okay, scouts, find me a way down there...quiet-like."

"Ready Cal?" Asked Ahsoka to my left and I nodded. She smiled at me before she looked at her Master. "Going through the front gate won't be easy." He turned around to look at her as Allana reached our side too.

"Ah, you two have it tougher going over that wall."

"True." Allana backed him up.

"You two have taught me well, I can handle anything." I smiled. I haven't gotten much but a few teachings from Master Topal and my sessions with Master Naberrie on the Temple. Hopefully I can say the same at the end of the day.

"Don't get cocky." We turned around and started walking away to find a way to go around the Separatist base.

  "Cal!" My Master called me and I turned around.

"Yes?"

"Listen. I know this is our first formal assignment together and it's gonna be tougher than I'd like but just remember earlier, okay?" I nodded. "You'll find that with us, learning is a...hands-on experience rather than theoretical."

"That's better." She smiled. "Plus, like Ahsoka said, what you've taught me has been helping even if it's been small. I can handle myself."

"Good to know." She looked at people behind us. "Sinker, Comet, Boost." She called her troopers and they arrived. "You three, alongside three men of your choice, will go with them." They nodded. "First on field lesson: team work under pressure. Show me what you can do."

"Will do." She nodded.

"You don't have a rank on my battalion yet but you have certain command just because you're a Padawan. You're underneath Snips because she's already a Commander, though. Follow her lead too." I nodded as she pointed at Ahsoka, who I assume is Snips.

"Okay, by the way, I want a nickname too." They chuckled.

"We'll see about that later, it depends on what you do."

"Deal."

"Let's go." Said Ahsoka and we started walking away altogether.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Allana

  My Wolfpack and I started walking through the tall trees that shone with yellow and bluish tones until we got close to the left flank. I made a hand movement to indicate them to stop and moved my hand up trying to communicate with the others.

"Skywalker, kiddos, are you in position?" I asked. I couldn't hear nor see Anakin's thoughts, comments of facial expressions but I could bet he's smiling. Kiddos. The word tastes weird but good. He's probably gonna mock me about it later on.

"Ready and waiting Naberrie." Anakin answered.

"We're in position." Said Ahsoka.

"Waiting for your signal Master." Cal complemented. I nodded.

"Artillery, open fire." I commanded and in within a second, the bright blue blasts rained on top of the base. The explosions were enough signal for them to start moving. "You brought the jetpacks right?"

"Yes ma'am." Answered Wolffe.

"Good, follow me." I jumped and landed on the ceiling. Once my feet were on the ground, I turned my lightsaber on and started deflecting blasts back as my troopers landed behind me. I spotted from the corner of my eye how my Sergeant and more of my mates climbed the back wall, as well as Anakin in the middle of the base. "Come on." I instructed and jumped down.

  Once on the low level, we started helping the 501st and their General destroy the droids and in within five minutes, we were done. I wasn't so hard.

"The outpost is secure." Anakin stablished. "Good job Corporal." I frowned, two faces were nowhere to be found. "Where is Commander Tano?"

"And where's Cal?" I asked too.

"They were covering our flank when we scaled the wall." My eyes met Anakin's and his reflected worry, I could bet mine too.

"Everybody fan out, I want a perimeter sweep now." He ordered and I turned my communicator on.

"Cal, state your location." Silence. "Cal, come in. Kestis, are you with Ahsoka? Are you there? Can you hear me?" No answer, my heart started beating quicker and harder against my rib cage. "Cal, come in." Anakin started his attempt at communicating with Snips receiving the same answer: static.

"Where could they be?" He asked as he looked around, scanning the place with his eyes.

"I don't know." I whispered as I did the same. "Cal come in now?"

"Ahsoka, can you hear me?"

"Cal?"
"Snips?" We called at the same time but none of them answered, instead, the static went off, as if the comlink had been broken. Our eyes met again and a wave of fear washed over me, over us, I could see it and sense it. We need to find them.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Ahsoka

  When I woke up that disgusting lizard-face had my comlink and I was locked in a cage. When he saw me, he destroyed not only mine, but Cal's, claiming that we wont be needing them. I turned to my left and saw Cal incorporating and shaking his head.

"Cal, are you okay?" When his eyes adapted to his surroundings his face reflected fear. "Are you alright?"

"I am, I am...what happened? Where are we?" He answered with more questions.

"I don't know." I looked up and saw a guy hugging his knees. "Hey, what is this place? Who are these pirates?"

"These are Trandoshans. They're going to release us and hunt us down for sport."

"Hunt us down?" Cal and I asked at the same time, then, I groaned.

"What are we going to do?" Asked he.

"Try to calm down and think of a way of surviving this. Meditate, it always helps." He nodded as I closed my eyes and started meditating causing my mind to race and find an answer to everything.

  It had been little time when something creaked and clanked. I opened my eyes abruptly and suddenly the vertigo feeling hit me as the ground disappeared and I fell feeling cold air on my skin. I landed on my feet, like Jedi always do, on sand. We were on an island.

  The ship moved backwards and then, in within seconds, they opened fire, so, Cal and I hid behind some thick bushes that were near by. I frowned angrily as a guy dropped dead after the blasters had gone through his body. These guys are killing innocent people for fun.

"Come on." Cal said and we started running into the jungle with the light of the ship upon us and blaster fire landing closely behind our feet. We hid behind a thick tree and watched the ship leave as we ran far into the jungle until our breath gave out.

  We stood for a minute and looked around as we hid behind the thick tree trunks. Everything was dark with a greenish atmosphere and mist, suddenly, something landed behind us and we turned around in a second. What our eyes found left us in awe.

"You need to come with us." Said a human girl with short, black hair that reached her ears and brown eyes while the turquoise Twi'lek and Cerean boys just looked around keeping guard until they jumped up again and she turned around, inviting us to follow them. Cal was already on his way behind them until I placed a hand on his shoulder. I've learned not to trust anyone through the times in these kind of situations.

"Who are you?" I asked and she stopped her movements. She turned around and I saw half of a braid hanging from behind her left ear.

"We used to be Jedi younglings." She answered and resumed the walk. I was skeptical but removed my hand from my partner's shoulder anyway, then, we followed behind them for goodness knows how long until we reached a very tall and thin tree branch that gave access to a small hiding spot at the top of the tree. While we did so, they told us the story of how they got there.

  "We never stood a chance." Said the Twi'lek. "They attacked us on a training mission."

"We were captured and brought here." Added the girl.

"Why would they take younglings?" Asked Cal before I could.

"Because Jedi Knights are too powerful for them." I frowned.

"I'm Kalifa." The girl introduced herself. "This is O-Mer and Jinx." She introduced her fellow friends too. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ahsoka Tano, he's Cal Kestis." We started to walk deeper into the cave made our of tree branches. "We were captured during the battle of Felucia."

"We're Padawan learners." Said Cal, jumping into the conversation. "What's the situation here?"

"You better sit down." Said Kalifa, my eyes met Cal's and he was frowning as we sat by the fire. "We were taken by those foul lizards for their amusement, to be hunted, killed, and mounted on their walls like trophies."

"We've been stuck here for more rotations than we can count." Said O-Mer. "No one has come for us. I doubt anyone is still looking." His face was sad and I could sense his emotional pain.

"Chew on that Padawans, then rest." Said Jinx dryly from above, he was laying on a crafted bed. "You'll need your strength." He closed his eyes and fell asleep. My eyes met Kalifa's and she nodded, then, she indicated us where to lay down and 'rest'.

  The fire cracked and the owls hooted in the distance. I closed my eyes but I knew very well, I wasn't going to be able to rest until we got out of here.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Anakin

  I was standing with my hands behind my back and eyes closed, to my right, Allana had adopted the same position. We thought that as we combined our minds' strength we could reach farer as we looked for our apprentices, after all, we complement our abilities. Lana tried to hear while I tried to see everything we could reach.

"Generals." Rex called our attention and we opened our eyes, the sunlight blinded me for a brief second. "We've been over the same area a dozen times, no sign of Commander Tano nor Padawan Kestis." Lana let out a shaky breath.

"Not good enough Rex, try again." He nodded and walked away from the outpost. I sighed.

"I've alerted all the forces throughout the Outer Rim and intelligence assets inside the Confederacy. They say that if they're spotted, we shall know." Lana told me after a few seconds in silence.

"Good."

"Ma'am." Wolffe's voice called from behind us and we turned around to face him. "The Council has made contact, your Master is waiting for you in the gunship." She nodded and she invited me to join with a glance. I nodded in response.

  We walked in and Adi confirmed what Allana had told me, plus, that no one had seen them so far. Lans sighed, stressed, annoyed and worried.

"Calm down. They're well trained kids, they'll know what to do." Said the Master to her apprentice as the blue light of her hologram illuminated the inside of the gunship.

"I can't calm down Master. I can't. Specially when it was his first mission with me and I can't find him." She ran her hands through her face to calm down and take a deep breath, probably to hold and push back her tears too. No one can blame her, this situation is frustrating. I'd probably cry too, but, just like her, I don't enjoy it when people are around and can see me breaking down.

"Breathe, I'm sure they're fine and we'll keep on looking, we won't stop from doing so. I give you my word." Lana nodded.

"Thank you Master Gallia." I spoke, she nodded. "We'll go back as soon as we find them." She frowned.

"About that..." We looked at her. "When the Council asked me to talk to you they also asked me to request you both to come back to Coruscant. Your mission there is finished." I frowned and, from the corner of my eye, I saw how my wife did too.

"What?" Said she with a hint of anger in her voice. "No."
"We're not abandoning them." I stablished at the same time. Gallia frowned once again.

"Your emotions are clouding your judgement young ones."

"I won't leave those kids' fate up to others, none of us will." She told her Master with a strong tone of voice, it sounded challenging, and Gallia didn't like it. I think it's the first time, that I remember, in which they look like they're about to fight because Lana's determination and stubbornness is walking elsewhere from where it's supposed to go, just like with Obi-Wan and I. Acting on instinct is something we share as well, at this point I'm not surprised. In anyway, I agree with Naberrie, so, I nodded firmly.

"It's time to go." Galla said hardly as well. "I expect you to arrive in an hour and a half, both of you." Lana rolled her eyes.

"What if we sweep the near area? We could-"

"No, you're receiving direct orders."

"I'm sorry but right now, I don't give a damn about direct orders. I could-"

"Do not dare disobey me so that I get to your position and drag you here. You're not a kid anymore." A pause. "You're a General and a former Master now, but I thought you had learned your place long ago apprentice." I looked down and at her discreetly. She gulped.

"I'm sorry Master." Gallia's strong and cold gaze softened a bit.

"I'll be waiting for your ships' arrival." The transmission ended and suddenly I remembered how strict Adi Gallia is. Allana groaned annoyed and reclined her weight on the wall.

"Hey." I spoke softly as I approached her, spotting her shoulders moving frenetically, indicating her crying. I embraced her, feeling her sob against my chest. "Shh, shh." I stroked the back of her neck. "We'll find them, I promise. We're not gonna sleep if necessary and they're gonna be fine. We've trained them well."

"I barely have trained him." Said she as her hazel and watery eyes met mine.

"But you have, haven't you?" I smiled at her and she cracked a smirk. "We'll find them." I established and she nodded before she hid her face on my chest again. It took a bit for her to calm down, when she did, she opened the doors of the gunship and ordered her men to get inside as I opened the channel of my comlink. "Rex, call everybody in." A knot tangled my vocal chords and made speaking hurt. "We're leaving."

  I didn't wait for his answer, instead, I hopped on the gunship that would take me to my cruiser and when my Captain arrived, he handed over something to Lana before he walked up to me to hand over Ahsoka's twin lightsabers with a sad and worried expression written all over his features.

  A knot tightened itself in my throat again, harder than the first one, and in my stomach, causing worry to stir inside of me. I looked at Lans from across the closing doors, she was holding her lost Padawan's lightsaber as well, the worry in her eyes reflected mine. I breathed in and out slowly as a poisonous mixture of fear, worry and anguish flooded me. As soon as the doors closed, we started departing Felucia to start our way back to the Capital, feeling deeply an incredible amount of guilt. It felt as if we were leaving them behind and that was consuming us right now.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Cal

  The air around me was cold. I felt myself crawling closer to what was left of heat on the ground as my eyes remained closed, but that didn't last long. Ahsoka started shaking my arm and called my name for me to wake up, when I did, I saw everyone leaving the place and the small bonfire consumed into ashes with streaks of smoke crawling out of it.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"We must leave." Answered Kalifa. "The sun's almost up, which means we clear out." She started walking towards the exit and we followed silently behind her.

"Where do you go?" Asked Ahsoka.

"We keep moving and keep those...disgusting hunters from picking up our scent." She explained. Ahsoka scoffed and I frowned.

"That's your plan?" I asked. It sounded like a good plan but also like an easy and predictable one and my Master told me not to be predictable.

"If you really are Padawans, you would know there's wisdom in experience. We've been here longer. You will learn if you listen, and only...if you listen." I bet that's something Master Naberrie would call 'a new lesson' too. I breathed in, exchanged looks with Tano and we jumped behind our new allies.

  As we made our way down from the tree, we heard branches cracking below us. Kalifa stopped and asked us all to do the same as she pointed out that someone's coming, and we did before we crawled to the edge of the thick trunk to see without being seen. Thank goodness for the amount of branches that surrounded us.

"Those two came with us." Said Ahsoka in a whisper as we acknowledged the humanoids who walked slowly through the jungle.

"We should help them." I said looking at the Commander and she nodded. We slowly tried to move forward but O-Mer placed his hand on my shoulder while Kalifa placed hers on Ahsoka's, both of them shook their heads.

"No...it's too late." Said she and I frowned.

"Too late? What do you mean too late?" In less than three seconds, the echo of a blaster being fired echoed far behind us and the red blast hit the man who told us who these bad guys are, dropping dead. They guffawed as we moved backwards.

  The hunters started firing at the woman that was left with zero mercy, in a way I've never seen anyone attack a living being before. She ran and avoided the blasts. I needed to help, we had to help. I tried to move again but O-Mer stopped me, placing his finger over his lips to indicate that we should stay silent. I repressed a groan as a blaster fired again and the woman fell with a thud. I closed my eyes knowing that maybe I could've given out a hand, most certainly.

  When I opened them again, my gaze met Ahsoka's, she had an angry look on her face and, honestly, same. We started to move backwards and up again through a different tree branch once we saw the transport of the pirates go away.

"We could've stopped them." Ahsoka stablished and I nodded.

"No, Ahsoka." Said the leader of the group. "We're not saviours here. Here we are survivors." I frowned as I meditated, she...has a point but those people could've been saved. "If they had spotted us, we'd be dead by now." I looked at her.

"I understand what you're saying, I really do, but we'll never get out of here if we just keep hiding." I commented.

"Agreed. We have to act." Ahsoka backed me up. Everyone sat down while we stood.

"There were other Padawans here that once thought as you two do now." Said Jinx.

"Alright, and where are they?"

"They're dead!" Kalifa spit with an angry frown as she stood up and crossed her arms just to look away. I felt sad and bad now, loosing their friends must have been hard. I could never imagine how I'd feel if I lost people who are important to me. I'd probably be destroyed at the point of not being able to move.

"Just because they failed doesn't mean we will." I punched Ahsoka's arm. She frowned and looked at me, asking a silent 'what' with her gaze, I just looked quickly at the three survivors before us. Her frown relaxed. That wound seems to be fresh, even now. It was unfair to say that.

"You don't understand." O-Mer spoke as he looked at the ground. "It's not that we don't want to fight. We're younglings. They have the advantage." I shook my head.

"We can still try." I said and Tano nodded, when our eyes met, she made a head movement, inviting me to follow her and I nodded back.

"Wh- get back here!" Kalifa ordered as we jumped to the next branch to slide down through it. We turned around to face her.

"I can't do that." Said Ahsoka with determination. "I bet he can't either." I nodded in agreement. "I'm pretty sure our Masters would never forgive us for running, hiding and not helping in a situation like this." We turned around to continue our way.

"Do not overestimate your abilities." I gulped. Truth is, I don't know if I have said abilities, I mean, I don't know if I'm as skilled as the Padawan that's standing by my side. I know I'm capable of doing things but my training on the field is almost nothing.

"I'm not." I sighed silently. "Come on Cal." She called and we jumped down as we heard Kalifa telling us not to go.

  We landed quickly on a branch to look around after we had become trapeze artists as we jumped from a branch to another and from tree to tree to gain ground quickly. I sighed. What should we do now?

"Are we supposed to have a plan?" I asked, she chuckled. "Seriously, I bet the ones who were killed didn't have one and I know that were Masters Naberrie and Skywalker in our position, they'd come up with something."

"Your Master would come up with the plan while mine would just jump, but you're right." We frowned as we thought. "What would they do..." She wandered.

"They would complement each other's actions, I've seen them doing that when they train us all together. We could do the same." She looked at me. "One goes up, the other one down."

"I'll go down and call the attention somehow while you ambush whoever comes from above."

"Deal." She scoffed with a smile.

"We really are their apprentices."

"I barely am, to be fair."

"If you continue this way, you'll catch up quickly, trust me." I smiled and she returned the gesture before she sighed. "Alright, here we go." I nodded and she jumped. I spotted her landing and extending her leg to keep her balance in an elegant way, like I've seen my Master do whenever she gave us a duelling lesson and had to jump from a platform to another. "Here, lizard, lizard. Come find me." An engine whirred and I saw him, a big and orange lizard man placing his blaster up and getting ready to attack Ahsoka.

  I got ready but didn't jump right away, I knew it wasn't the time yet. When he fired the gun, Ahsoka moved his hand with the Force to the opposite side so that the fire hit a tree instead of her head, then, she held the dude by the neck only moving her hand and threw him against a rock. Now's when. He growled and as he stood up and I jumped down, kicking him in the process, he shook his head and I climbed to get a hold of his neck and attempt at leaving him breathless until he was knocked out but he quickly held me and threw me away, making me impact Ahsoka and make her fall, alongside myself, causing us to get dirt all over ourselves.

  As we got up, we spotted him going for his blaster, that he dropped when Tano chocked him, but as he chuckled and before he could do anything, he stopped and his hands reached for his neck. Something was chocking him on command. We looked behind him and Kalifa was extending her hand and held her fist tightly. As she tightened her grip, we heard something cracking and I feared it was the dude's neck.

"Kalifa!" Said Ahsoka as she walked up to her while I held the blaster away from lizardo. "Don't kill him out of hatred. It's not the Jedi way." She held the lost youngling's hand and she let go, making the guy fall. In a second or two, he started hooting or something, calling his kind.

"Oh boy." I said under my breath as Jinx and O-Mer rushed to get a hold on the bad guy but he pushed them away quickly. They got up fast from the ground though, and pushed him against the tree trunk with the Force, managing to leave him unconscious. I grabbed his blaster from the ground.

"The others will be coming." Said Kalifa. "Come on." She started to run and we ran behind her until we reached the spot where we had spent the last night. Once there, we stayed in and the day went by.

Now it was night time and the birds twittered right outside as the fire of the bonfire crackled before us.

"I don't understand." Said Ahsoka as she examined the blaster. "Why won't this thing work?" She added as she pulled the trigger repetitively but it didn't fire, not even a stun blast.

"The Trandoshans deactivate the blasters if we take them. That is why none of us have any." Jinx explained, I sighed as my partner threw the blaster across the area, angry and frustrated.

"It's been a long time since the Trandoshans captured another Padawan and brought them here." Kalifa told us, calling our attention and changing the subject. I scoffed.

"Thanks." I said as I crossed my arms and Ahsoka soffed silently too.

"I didn't mean it as an insult. I meant it as a sign, a mistake...on their part." Our gaze met as she spoke. "Guys, your energy, your strength...it's what we've been lacking." She stood up and started pacing around the bonfire. "We were starting to loose hope and forgot who we are." The rest stood up too.

"And who are you?" I asked.

"We are Jedi." When Kalifa said that, every singe one of them had a new air of hope and strength written on their faces. The atmosphere felt different, it felt better. We stood up too.

"Alright." Said Ahsoka. "We need a strategy."

"So, what do you suggest?" Asked Jinx.

"What about a base?" I asked back. "I mean, they must have a compound or something, right?" I crossed my arms and held my chin to think if I had seen any as we ran through the jungle.

"Not that we've seen." Answered O-Mer.

"So where do they come from?" Asked Ahsoka.

"We don't know. We've only witnessed them hunting and in their hover pods." Answered Kalifa.

"If we're going to go on the offensive, we'll need to find out where they live. We'll start covering ground tomorrow." Everyone nodded and we went to bed to charge our energy for tomorrow.

[...]

  When the sun raised, we walked out of our hiding spot and into the jungle once again, then, we directed ourselves to the spot where we arrived.

"We've already covered the beach area and most of the briar on this side of the bay." Jinx said and sat down a bit defeated. Ahsoka scoffed.

"If it was easy to find, you guys would've found it before we got here." Jinx scoffed back as I smiled.

"True enough."

"Maybe we should try more inland?" I suggested.

"It's worth a shot." Said Kalifa.

"Guys." O-Mer, who sat down and reclined his back against a tree trunk called our attention. "I think we're looking in the wrong place." He added looking up, inviting us all to follow his gaze. "That's their fortress."

"Split up!" Said Kalifa and we started running. If they see us they'll kill us in a minute. And they did see us because the firing of their blasters rained upon us in a second.

  I ran with the girls, my Master instructed me to stay close to the team, the main one, so, we ran to the right while the boys made their way to the left.

  We climbed the trees and dodged the blasts but at some point, as I slid through the branch and Ahsoka jumped to the opposite side, I heard a muffed scream and a branch cracking. I turned around to spot Kalifa falling.

"Kalifa!" Yelled Ahsoka as I jumped and extended my hand to grab her and pull her but she fell before I could grab her hand. I saw her falling and looked up. Before I could try to jump and get ahold of the pod, Ahsoka pulled me into the jungle. "We have to go down and lose them, otherwise they'll kill us if we try."

"But-"

"You can't take them right now, we don't have the advantage. Follow my lead. We'll go in and down to find her, then, we'll go somewhere else. Trust me." I nodded. "Come on." We ran again and jumped through the tree branches. Moments later, we spotted her and the Trandoshan walking through the branch of the tree that's bellow us. "I'll distract him, you get her out of there." I nodded.

  I did my 'monkey move' while Ahsoka waited by the large trunk and jumped down in a matter of seconds, kicking the guy's face and then placed herself in front of Kalifa. I assumed, it wasn't the time yet. The guy fired once and missed, then, when he fired again, Ahsoka moved his blaster with the Force and he fired somewhere else. I jumped down and grabbed Kalifa's arm, threw it over my shoulders and jumped to get to the spot we were at first. The guy fired again as we ran. I stopped when I heard my partner grunt. I turned around and faced Kalifa in a second. "Stay here."

"And you two?"

"We'll be fine and right back, just wait here." I ran back and spotted him grabbing her by the ankle as Tano tried to get off his grip, succeeding at the end. As she walked backwards, I moved and prepared myself to jump. When he tried to attack her, I jumped down and grunted as I grabbed the guy by the neck. Ahsoka kicked his stomach and I hit the sides of his face to stun him before he grabbed me by the head and pulled me down, making me collide against the ground roughly.

"Cal!" I heard Ahsoka calling as I stood up and the guy tackled me. I managed to push him away. We fell but someone grabbed my forearm and pulled me up as he fell onto pointy thorns that were below us.

"Thanks." I said once my feet were on the ground again.

"Likewise." She smiled and I smiled back. "Where's Kalifa?"

"Left her right above us." She nodded and we jumped to move through the branch a little bit forward to find her sitting over a cleared area. Once we had reached her side, each one of us grabbed ons of her arms and threw it over our shoulders, she grunted.

"Careful." Ahsoka told our friend.

"It's okay." Said she. "I can make it." Few steps forward, a red blast went through her chest.

"Kalifa!" Ahsoka and I said at the same time. We managed to pull her backwards and hide behind a thick trunk as the blasts kept on coming towards us. We reclined her against the trunk carefully and slowly.

"There's no escape!" Yelled the dude that attacked us. "I'll hunt you down!"

"Okay, okay, okay." I said as I analysed our options trying to think as my Master would. "We have to move now, they can't get to us now, the bush is too thick." Kalifa held my forearm making my eyes look at her instead of the space around us.

"Please...leave me."

"We won't." Ahsoka answered for me.

"You have to." She gasped. "Please...take...care of the-"

"We'll take care of the others. You have my word." I said.

"I know you will." She smiled and little by little, second by second, her eyes gave up and closed as her smile faded and her body relaxed. I grabbed her by the shoulder before she could fall and pushed backwards so that she was more comfortable even if she couldn't feel comfort anymore. My head fell forward and Ahsoka's hand found my shoulder.

"I'll kill you! You killed my son! I'll kill you!" The guy continued as we stood up. "You can't hide from me!" He snarled and screamed as we ran away from our friend's body and the blasters kept on being fired against the ghost of where we stood beside her.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Allana

  We had been in the Communication Centre the entire day trying to figure out where they could've been taken because we know for a fact that they wouldn't have left willingly.

Unfortunately, there was nothing. Not a sign, not a clue, nothing. I walked from left to right as I bit my nails, my eyes not leaving the hologram of our galaxy while Anakin's head fell forward, tired. When I heard the door opening, I saw Master Plo walking in. I breathed in as I crossed my arms and stopped walking to look directly at the hologram again.

"What's each one of your Padawan's strength?" Master Plo asked us once he had reached our side.

"Ahsoka's fearless." Ani answered. "I don't doubt Cal is as well." I nodded.

"He is." I added.

"Being fearless can also be a weakness." I closed my eyes. "Are they worthy apprentices?"

"No one has their kind of determination." I answered. "I haven't been Kestis' Master for too long but I know how determined he is. Both of them are in absolutely everything they do." My eyes met Anakin's before they met Plo's.

"Except you two."

"We'll find them." My husband established and I nodded.

"This may not be within your power." I frowned and sighed a bit annoyed. I hate riddles, I've always had.

"Whatever you're trying to say, Master Plo, please, just say it." I spoke quickly. I wasn't the only one who wanted the cut the chit-chat to get to the point. I sensed Anakin's agreement and support.

"I am suggesting that perhaps, if you have trained them well, despite the short time, they shall take care of themselves and each other, and find a way back...to you." He walked out and the room submerged itself into darkness, that was being pushed away by the dim light of the holo-projector as our hands found each other's over the control panel, holding each other and trying to give the comfort we needed in such a stressful moment. 

  We're in for a long night.