Thick mist obscured everything, drastically affecting the visibility of their surroundings. Cassandra suggested they tie themselves together with the rope in the satchel, so they didn't get separated in the forest.

"Cassandra, I can't fight with my lightsaber if I'm tied to you." Anakin reasoned. "Hold my hand and we won't have to worry about getting separated."

"If you say so." She said doubtfully.

Anakin's firm grip engulfed her hand. "Hey, trust me, okay? I know what I'm doing. This isn't the first time I've had to go behind enemy lines to rescue my master."

"So, this is a regular occurrence. Good to know." Her warm contralto carried through the fog like a drop of sunshine in the miserable damp forest.

Unfortunately, a little too loudly.

"Quiet. We're in enemy territory." Anakin hissed in a low voice.

Droids didn't register to Anakin's senses like normal life forms, making their locations difficult to pinpoint. The mist cast a damp fug over everything, making the trek through the forest a miserable endeavor.

Something small and white flew out of the brush slamming into Anakin with a loud warble. "What the kriff?"

Anakin drew his lightsaber and choked when he looked down. A small chunky bird clung to his chest, snuggling into his robes.

Cassandra ambled over; her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "What's that?"

Peeling the bird off, Anakin cradled it in his palms. "A Porg."

Porgs were supposed to live in coastal habits, so what was this one doing here? The bird's sparkling brown eyes glistened as its flat mouth opened to warble.

Cassandra tickled the bird's plush belly with her finger, and it squealed in delight. "It's so cute!"

Anakin sighed and set the Porg carefully on the ground. It flapped its small wings and hopped onto his boot.

Cassandra crouched down to scoop the bird up. "The Porg likes you, isn't that right Porggy?"

The Porg chirped in agreement.

"Don't name it!" Anakin protested. "Porgs aren't pets."

The sorceress scoffed. "Well, we can't leave the poor thing out here by itself and we don't have the time to find its nest."

"We'll leave the Porg here." He declared firmly, putting an end to the argument.

"Really?" Cassandra set the bird down to make a point. The cursed thing waddled over to Anakin and hugged his leg again.

Looking up at the sky, he swore. "Fine! Put the Porg in the satchel."

Anakin draped the satchel's strap over his shoulder and prayed the bird didn't give them away with all its noise. Cassandra's potions clinked as the Porg settled in its makeshift nest, warbling contentedly.

Cassandra adjusted the brim of her fedora with a saucy grin. "I knew you'd seen things my way."

Striding past, Anakin muttered under his breath so she wouldn't hear him. "You're lucky you're so cute."

"Huh? Did you say something?" Cassandra hurried to catch up.

"No. Now, we must tread carefully from now on. The closer we get to the base, the greater odds of encountering a patrol." Anakin studied the holographic map of the closest village controlled by the Separatists. "The plan is for you to act as my back up. I don't want you diving into the thick of battle and getting hurt."

Cassandra sobered immediately, her lips compressing in a thin line. The Jedi was still responsible for her safety. "Understood."

*********************************************************************************************

Taut as strands of durasteel wire, Cassandra and Anakin proceeded through the forest cautiously. True to her word, the sorceress held her tongue even when she stumbled over the occasional rock or tree root hidden in the white mist.

After an hour, they finally reached the edge of the forest and the perpetual fog.

Anakin dropped behind a rock outcropping and Cassandra crouched beside him. The scent of crushed pine needles permeated the air as they knelt on the marshy ground.

The Porg warbled quietly against Anakin's back. He settled the satchel closer to his hip and studied the terrain in front of them.

A vast open plain stretched between Anakin and Cassandra and the saw-edged mountains on the horizon.

Curls of smoke rose from the dome-like shapes of the Separatist camp, barely visible to Anakin from their vantage point. Numerous squadrons of battle droids patrolled the area, forming a moving perimeter around the camp.

Anakin's head sagged wearily. He reflected on the best approach, struggling to form a strategy to cross the plain without being spotted by the droids and gunned down. Every option put Cassandra in incalculable danger.

R2-D2 beeped worriedly, picking up on his unease.

Cassandra tapped Anakin on the shoulder. "I can get us there."

Anakin looked at her hopefully. "By porting?"

"By traveling through the Mirror Dimension." She paused before continuing. "If the Mirror Dimension exists here, at least. I haven't tried going there since we left Earth."

Kriff. Their only hope was a magic technique Cassandra wasn't even confident would work. Anakin sighed. He'd had worse odds.

Cassandra took a deep breath and waved her hands in front of her, a pensive expression on her face as her power surged around her in colorful motes of light.

The air in front of them transformed into a fractured, mirror-like surface. Anakin's muscles bunched up when the spell slid over him like cool water forming a transparent shield around their group.

Dusting off her hands, Cassandra stood. "Glad that worked." Cheered, she looked around at the evidence of her magic. "Welcome to the Mirror Dimension. This place is primarily used for training or to contain dangerous sorcerers. At present we're the only ones here and can travel to the camp without being spotted."

Anakin touched the nearest surface and the energy bent around his hand, repelling him. He'd never witnessed anything like this.

How many lives could the Mirror Dimension save in the war? The Republic could protect their soldiers and minimize casualties. Maybe Cassandra could teach him how to summon the dimension. He filed the information away for further perusal.

Cassandra twisted her fingers and the plain rapidly contracted, the distance to the other side shortening in seconds, causing Anakin momentary disorientation.

R2-D2 beeped inquisitively, lights flashing in alarm.

"I don't know, buddy. This is kriffing insane!" He laughed nervously.

His worry transformed into astonishment when the ground reassembled itself into a set of sloping stairs.

Cassandra started down the earthen staircase without hesitation, clods of dirt and small stones dripping off the edges.

Anakin descended slowly behind her, the treads remarkably solid beneath his soles. "Can you manipulate the earth in the real world too?"

Was it possible for him to be even more in awe of this girl? Cassandra surprised him at every turn in the best possible way.

"Nope. The Mirror Dimension is malleable and has its own set of rules." Cassandra clapped her hands, and they raced forward again straight to the enemy camp's doorstep.

She gasped in horror at the sight greeting them. "Oh, my God!"

The Separatists had set up their tents in the scorched ruins of the Twi'lek settlement they decimated. Anakin spied a blackened child's toy lying under the lip of a piece of broken concrete. Other signs of destruction littered the area. Smashed pottery, charred clothing, a shattered wagon.

Gritting his teeth, Anakin committed every inch of scorched Earth to memory. The Separatists had ruthlessly excised the Ergamot natives. "They didn't stand a chance."

Scenes like these filled Anakin with impotent rage, certain the Republic could do more to combat the destruction of civilian populations. Instead of fruitlessly debating policy, the Senate needed to act. A battalion of clones should have been stationed at each of the Republic's most vulnerable planets to avoid scenarios like this.

Cassandra, just as sad and disgusted wrapped her arm around his, needing simple human contact in the face of such tragedy. She rested her head against his shoulder, her helpless anger drifting over him, stirring up his own. "These people were innocent. How could this have happened?"

Anakin stroked her hair beneath the fedora, his fingers winding around her braid. "I've been asking myself the same question, Cassandra. There's nothing we can do for the Twi'leks now. Our priority is to locate Obi-Wan."

Cassandra looked up at him, tears brimming on her lashes. "I hate that we can't do anything to change what happened."

Clenching his jaw, Anakin wiped her tears away with his knuckles wishing he could do more than stand here and utter platitudes. "The Separatists need to pay for this."

"What can we do?" Cassandra sniffed, her nose red. "There's only two of us."

"Nothing without an army." Anakin cupped her face between his palms and forced a smile he didn't feel. "All we can do is what we came to do on Ergamot."

She matched his equally false smile and slid from his grip. "Finding Obi-Wan it is."

A unit of battle droids marched in front of them behind the mirrored wall. Anakin held his breath, waiting for them to be noticed, but the droids marched around the corner unaware of their presence. "They really can't see us?"

"No. Not until we leave the Mirror Dimension." Cassandra confirmed, wiping the last evidence of sorrow from her cheeks. "Once we do, we'll be vulnerable."

Anakin shook his head. "Just promise to not overextend yourself. I'm sure magic uses up a lot of energy."

"My overprotective, Jedi Knight." She smiled genuinely then, a note of fondness in her voice.

Anakin flushed at being called Cassandra's knight. "Obi-Wan will be in one of the tents. We'll search them first."

"First?"

"If we can, we should spy on the Separatists and find out what they're mining." Anakin explained.

"Alright, I'll follow your lead." Cassandra said, her gaze level and serious.

R2-D2 beeped in agreement.

Anakin refused to split up even in the Mirror Dimension. The three of them investigated each tent, the task painstakingly slow. Most of them were empty except for stacks of crates, likely the material being illegally mined.

On one of the crates, the lid sat askew. Cassandra formed a hole so he could slip from the Mirror Dimension and investigate. The air was thick with the chemical smell of blasting agents and smoke.

Anakin lifted the lid and carefully set it aside and peered inside to a heap of blue and gold Stygium crystals. He cursed and grabbed a handful of the crystals for evidence before returning to Cassandra.

She peered at the gems in his palm. "What are those?"

"Stygium crystals are used to make cloaking devices." Anakin placed his stolen bounty into the satchel. "This is bad. If the Separatists have found a large source of Stygium on Ergamot that could tip the tide of the war in their favor."

Cassandra studied the crystals curiously unaware of their priceless value. "I think there's one more tent to check."

"Obi-Wan has to be there. They won't keep him in the mines." Anakin agreed, closing the satchel, and handing it to her.

They barreled into the final tent. Obi-Wan was strapped to a table surrounded by a glowing ray shield. He sported a few cuts, and the left shoulder of his robe was spotted with blood. Aside from the minor injuries, the Jedi appeared unharmed thank the Stars.

His master wasn't alone. A pair of battle droids occupied a corner of the tent, guarding Obi-Wan. Anakin carefully set the satchel with the Porg on the ground.

Reaching for his utility belt, Anakin removed his lightsaber. "On my signal open a door."

Cassandra nodded, determined.

He ignited his lightsaber. A section of mirrored wall dissipated. Anakin shot through and cut the droids down, their spindly bodies collapsing to the ground in a heap.

Obi-Wan stared at him with a resigned expression. "Anakin, what are you doing here? I thought you were assigned protection duty."

"Well, master, my charge wanted to travel to Ergamot. I volunteered to act as a guide." Anakin said glibly, searching for the ray shield's release. He sliced through the pulsing orb, with his lightsaber. "Who am I to argue with a sorceress?"

"Your friend is either brave or foolish." Obi-Wan remarked.

The instant the ray shield faded Anakin cut through the durasteel bonds, freeing the older Jedi.

Cassandra waved at Obi-Wan awkwardly from the other side of the Mirror Dimension. "Nice to meet you, Master Obi-Wan. I'm Cassandra!"

"Hello, there." Obi-Wan said in a flirty tone that raised Anakin's hackles. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Cassandra." He rubbed his wrists. "But can we exchange social pleasantries later? Let's depart before my host discovers I'm missing."

"Host?" Anakin said.

"General Grievous." Obi-Wan answered grimly.

"Grievous is behind this atrocity?" Anakin growled, blood boiling.

The new general of the Separatists was proving to be as much a pain as Count Dooku. Grievous had already killed a handful of Jedi Knights which is why his imprisonment of Obi-Wan was surprising.

Anakin pulled Obi-Wan through to where Cassandra hovered impatiently. She closed the hole the instant they stepped through.

"Alright, let's get the hell out of here." She said and raised her palms skyward to manipulate the Mirror Dimension's power.

Obi-Wan regarded his new surroundings with his usual unflappable calm, running beside Anakin and the sorceress. The Porg popped out of the satchel and chirped happily at Anakin.

Obi-Wan smiled. "Looks like you made a new friend."

"That's one way of putting it." He replied dryly, holding the bird back with his hand so it didn't jump out of the bag and hug him again.

"I named it Porggy." Cassandra chimed in.

"Cute." Obi-Wan said.

"I know!"

The Porg wiggled free and clambered up Anakin's arm to settle on his shoulder. Cassandra giggled and Obi-Wan smirked, clearly enjoying himself.

R2-D2 whistled sympathetically.

"At least you're on my side, Artoo." Anakin grumbled, stuffing the bird back in the satchel.

They arrived back at the Falcon swiftly, the experience expedited by Cassandra's clever manipulation of the Mirror Dimension.

Alarms blared when they re-entered the real world. Someone had found the slaughtered droids quicker than he anticipated. Anakin waved his hand and the Falcon's ramp swung down. "I think this calls for a speedy exit."

"A wise decision." Obi-Wan declared, lifting his hood as a squad of battle droids charged into the clearing. The three of them (Anakin didn't count the Porg) and Artoo rushed into the ship's cargo hold.

Anakin raced for the cockpit, leaping behind the controls.

Obi-Wan clambered into the co-pilot's seat. "I trust the ship is intact. No, damage from reckless flying?"

The sound of the droids' blasters firing at the ship echoed dully in the cockpit. Anakin heaved a sigh. His master liked to tease him about his flying skills. "The Falcon is in perfect condition, Obi-Wan. I know what I'm doing."

Cassandra sank into one of the two seats behind them and strapped in. "I hope we can make it."

Obi-Wan assisted him and flipped switches expertly, long sleeves pooling around his slim forearms. "Trust in the Force, my dear."

The Falcon shot into the air like a missile, the rear thrusters incinerating the attacking battle droids on the ground.

"Easier said than done. I'm not a Jedi." She replied, hugging the satchel in her lap.

The Porg popped its head out and warbled loudly. Cassandra lifted the fluffy bird from the bag and held it close.

"You'll see Miss Cassandra." Obi-Wan twisted in his seat to look at her with kind eyes. "Anakin and I have been in worse situations than this." A flash of white teeth appeared in his beard. "And thank you for coming to my aid, it was bravely done."

Blushing, she dismissed his gratitude. "No problem. I like to be useful."

Anakin felt a flash of jealousy, sensing Cassandra's warmth for Obi-Wan. His master was known as a gifted diplomat, and it seemed not even the sorceress was immune from his charm.

Heavy guns fired from the ground, drawing him back to reality.

"Get out of range Anakin." Obi-Wan ordered.

Anakin spun the Falcon in a barrel-roll. Cassandra gulped loudly behind him as he angled the ship up sharply and spun again to avoid another smattering of blaster fire. "Relax, Master. We're almost there."

A wall of dense cloud cover hurtled toward them at breakneck speed. Anakin hit the thrusters at full power, and they broke through the atmosphere into the stars. A squad of enemy speeders arced after the Falcon.

Anakin went into light speed to escape them in the nick of time.

He held the controls in a death grip, his arms shaking with excess adrenaline. That was far too close. Closer than he liked to risk. He took a deep breath and released it.

"We'll head to the Council immediately. I discovered what the Separatists are up to." Obi-Wan began, running a hand over his disheveled hair. "They're mining Stygium. It would have been useful to have evidence to present to the Senate. We'll need their permission to launch a counterstrike on Ergamot."

Looking nauseous from the wild flight, Cassandra shakily handed Anakin the bag. The Porg remained on her lap. "We got evidence. Anakin grabbed a handful of those crystals."

Obi-Wan beamed at Anakin and he clapped him on the back. "Well done, I'm sure you'll be commended for this."

"I doubt it." He said bitterly.

The older Jedi's smile faded, sympathy glinting in his eyes. "Patience, Anakin. The Council is learning to trust you. You are young and it is not easy for them to accept how rapidly you have advanced."

'Because my quick advancement threatens their egos.' Anakin did not think like a traditional Jedi. If the Council was wrong, he challenged them. When he saw a problem, he spoke out which often put him at odds with the Order.

If Anakin were on the Council, he would change things by helping people, not just politicians and the wealthy whose only concern about the war was their financial investments. He wouldn't let the Clones be sacrificed as cannon fodder like their lives had no value.

Every person's life mattered, not just the ones a select few deemed important.

Anakin's gaze met Cassandra's, wondering if he shared these thoughts how she'd respond. Her compassion was evident. When he wept over his mother, she held him like a friend.

Cassandra risked her life to save Obi-Wan, a man she didn't know because he was important to Anakin. He had learned more about her on this mission than their previous weeks together.

Cassandra Pierce was a series of contradictions: confident and self-conscious, both sweet and fiery. The more time he spent in her company, the more Anakin willingly fell under her spell.

The coordinates for Coruscant lit up on the screen, drawing him from his reverie. Anakin jumped the Falcon out of hyperspeed and the city-planet came into view.

Descending into the bustling Capitol, Anakin flew into the thick cluster of traffic. The setting sun glinted off the polished copper domes of the Jedi Temple to the North.

They rescued Obi-Wan, but the mission still felt like a failure after witnessing the scarred ruination of the Twi'lek settlement.

Bitterness coated Anakin's throat as they landed and made their way to the Council chamber. Only Yoda and Master Windu were present, the other Masters scattered to the four corners of the galaxy.

Obi-Wan began the debriefing, by going over his initial discovery of the Separatists' activity and his subsequent capture by an ill-timed patrol.

Anakin and Cassandra took turns sharing how they used the Mirror Dimension to infiltrate the enemy camp and rescue Obi-Wan. He offered Master Windu the satchel with the Styigum crystals. "Based on the shipping crates we discovered, the mountains on the planet must be rich deposits." His fist shook at his side. "The Twi'leks didn't stand a chance against the invaders. We should have had someone stationed there."

Windu tilted his head, glaring at Anakin. "The Republic Army is spread thin. We stationed our battalions at the most populus planets."

"Hmm." Yoda sighed sadly. "Blocked our vision, the dark side has. Foreseen this we should have."

"Yes, you should have." Anakin replied coldly.

Cassandra frowned in obvious agreement. The Porg chirped in alarm, flapping its wings desperately to get to Anakin. She let it go and the bird alighted on his shoulder.

Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Anakin, the Order is doing its best. Understand that in war we cannot save everybody."

"Too attached you are, young Skywalker." Yoda warned. "Learn to let go and trust in the Force."

Anakin had heard this same lecture countless times. He wasn't interested in hearing it again. "Forgive me, Master. I spoke out of turn." He said flatly.

"We will bring this evidence before the Senate and then devise a plan on how to handle Ergamot." Windu said emotionlessly. "Return to your quarters, Anakin. You have done well to lift the veil on the Separatists' ambitions."

"Remain, Obi-Wan. Speak with you, I will." Yoda said.

Outside the Council Chamber, Anakin moved to the bank of windows and stared out at the city lights. Cassandra stood beside him, not speaking. Her mere presence offered him solace.

Anakin took her hand, lacing her fingers with his. "I don't know that we made any difference."

"Well, pissing off the Council definitely didn't help. I know if I talked to Master Wong like that, I'd be cleaning up chicken shit in the yard for the rest of my life." Cassandra attempted to inject levity into the moment. "You got off easy."

Anakin knew he'd been out of line. Maybe Cassandra had a point. Lashing out like a child wouldn't get the Council to take him seriously. Like it or not, as a Jedi he had to deal with them.

He took a deep breath and faced her. "Let's go home."

She heaved a tired sigh the Porg echoed. "Sounds like a plan. I'm beat."

A/N: This chapter was long. I hope you liked it. Please comment so I know how I'm doing! I'm pulling the threads together bit by bit. I definitely think this chapter was better written than the previous ones so that makes me happy.