"Let's trade," Ventress called impatiently. She could sense him, she knew he was here. She held the tip of her lightsaber a hand's breadth away from the child's throat. The girl stopped squirming and Ventress could feel her boot crushing the air from her lungs. "Special two-for-one offer—your Padawan and your droid for the Huttlet. Can't say fairer than that."

Suddenly, a buzzing blur rushed at her, knocking Ventress to the platform. Her lightsaber flew through the air, nearly taking the Youngling's head off. Now in the clear, the tiny Jedi rolled out of the way, then stopped on her hands and knees, taking back the air that was stolen from her in deep gasps.

The humming thing that had collided into her was a huge bug. Riding that bug was Anakin Skywalker, smirking smugly down at her. He ignited his blue lightsaber as if challenging her. Ventress scowled, keeping her remaining blade at ready though fully knowing she couldn't use it and risk killing her quarry. And it infuriated her that Skywalker knew that, too.

  "You catch on quick. Now I would like my Padawan back, please." Reaching a hand towards the child, he yelled, "Jump!"

  "Like I have a choice!" Ahsoka yelped, latching onto his arm as he pulled her off of the platform into open air. The Astromech droid used its rocket boosters to fly after them.

Ventress clipped her lightsabers to her belt coolly, masking her helpless rage.

A Battle Droid approached her almost cautiously. "Count Dooku demands a report on your mission. Should I tell him they got away, or what?"

Silently, the assassin stretched out her hand towards the nagging droid and pulled him off the platform with the Force.

  "Whhhyyyyyyy?" It screamed as it fell.

* * *

He didn't mean to say "my Padawan," and he was embarrassed that he did. He hoped quick-witted Ahsoka would let him live it down.

But his embarrassment was quickly forgotten.

Ahsoka struggled to climb onto the bug behind him using the strength of his artificial arm alone. She weighed very little, so Anakin had no trouble pulling her up to help her sit on the insect in front of him where he could make sure she wouldn't fall. As he was pulling her up, the wind from the bug's speed blew her hood off. With both her arms occupied, she had no choice but to let her hood hang free, exposing her face and headtails.

There was no doubt in his mind. Those scars were not from carelessness or the battlefield. They were too numerous, too hidden, too severe.

Ahsoka's bright blue eyes widened as they met his own. She knew Krell's secret was blown.

Anakin decided to say nothing about it, at least for now. He needed to compartmentalize. One problem at a time. Right now, he need to focus on controlling their ride.

The bug was resisting with all its willpower. If Anakin wasn't holding onto Ahsoka, the creature would have thrown her off, then himself, by now. Anakin worried he was abusing the Force and the connection he had with it and the connection the flying insect had with it, but he didn't know any other way to keep them on course and avoid crashing.

  "When we get close enough to soil ground, Snips, jump and run."

  "You think it's that dangerous?" Ahsoka inquired about their carnivorous ride.

  "It's an ornithopter with the mind of a womp rat, and we caught it luring it with a mating call, so work it out for yourself."

  "I thought you were supposed to be good with animals."

  "Whatever gave you that idea? I'm good with machines. I can get anything to fly, but I pushed my luck with this thing."

When they closed in on the platform, Anakin sent the fly down gently with a nudging Force push, then struggled to keep it under control for Ahsoka to jump off and run clear. With Rotta still on his back, the Jedi Knight tumbled off and the fly instantly zoomed away, free from Anakin's hold. Ahsoka ran back to him and helped him up. She still hadn't bothered, or more likely forgotten, to raise her hood.

  "Are you all right, Snips?" He was inquiring about her duel with Ventress. She fought well for a young Padawan, but Anakin watched the entire thing as he waited for the opportune moment holding his breath with his heart pounding.

  "Fine. My chest hurts a bit, probably bruised, but I'm fine. You?"

  "A little tired, I'll admit, but okay. How's Stinky?"

Ahsoka circled around him to check.

  "Breathing, albeit with some difficulty. Maybe there's something on the ship that can help with that."

  "Get on board and start prepping the engines, assuming it has engines," Anakin added as he examined the rust bucket of a ship up and down.

Anakin removed the heavy backpack from his aching shoulders and began transferring the Huttlet to R2. As he was taking care of that, Ahsoka approached the ship. A familiar droid appeared on the ramp. It was packing the ship.

  "Hey, you're that caretaker droid. I wondered what happened to you," she called with a slight, irritated frown.

  4A-7 was startled. "Oh, uh, young one— I mean, soon to be Jedi Knight. I had to get away from that terrible..."

At that moment, about four battle droids popped into view.

  "Okay, everything's loaded! Let's get out of... here."

  "Why you tin-plated traitor," Ahsoka growled, igniting her green saber.

  "Blast her!" 4A-7 screamed as it tried to find safety on the ship. The four battle droids fired at the teen, but was quickly hacked to pieces.

  "She's at it again," Skywalker remarked to R2-D2 rather fondly. "Let's go."

Soon, only the caretaker droid was left. Ahsoka mercifully paused with her green blade in the droids face. Despite her size and age, she looked very fierce now, another reminder that her people were predators.

  "Don't you dare," 4A-7 seemed to sneer. Ahsoka lopped off its head and it rolled down the ramp repeating slowly, "Don't you daaaare..." till it stopped at Anakin's feet. He only smiled and followed Ahsoka on board.

The meteor-pocked panel on the hatch read Twilight.

  "The old crate's fading fast by the looks of it."

R2-D2 rolled up beside him with the Huttlet and whistled mournfully. Anakin patted his dome.

  "Defeatist. We've fixed worse. Hey, Snips, I'll show you how to hotwire a ship. Essential Jedi training they tend to omit at the Temple."

His trusty Astromech rolled up to a socket plug and began to make what repairs he could. Anakin noticed he didn't have the child anymore. Then Ahsoka walked in with Rotta in her arms. The edges of her ripped, dirty cloak were damp, and Rotta himself looked cleaner than Anakin had ever seen him.

  "I gave him a quick rinse from my water bottle," she explained. "Hopefully, it makes him feel more comfortable."

  "Good thinking."

Ahsoka had the makings of a good Jedi, and she was going to butt more than a few heads with the Jedi Council. He'd bet on it. Maybe those were one in the same thing. He thought of Rex and his remaining troops.

  Hang in there, Rex.

R2-D2 worked his mechanical magic and got the bucket of bolts known as the Twilight into the air in one piece. Force willing, it will stay that way so they could rescue the remaining 501st.