One thing that was actually nice about the cloak was that it kept out the chill. Bumps prickled on her arms as the two suns set below the horizon and turned the sweltering heat into freezing cold. Couldn't the desert just make up its mind?! 

As they neared Jabba's Palace, Ahsoka's run slowed to a walk. Her calf muscles were stiff from fighting the sinking sand. The sand solidified to rock under her feet as a path formed. The faithful Astromech had managed to keep up with her and Rotta seemed to be recognizing his home as he squirmed with excitement against her back. 

Just from the outside, Jabba's Palace was huge. Not Jedi Temple huge, but large enough. It loomed over them, it's height and color blending in with the towering rocks and ridges. There was no windows and the only entrance was a ginormous gate. She guessed it was the only exit, too. 

As she approached, Ahsoka's eyes searched every rock and corner for an ambush. She tuned into the Force, sending it out like a scanner. She sensed danger from below and felt vibrations in the ground. Ahsoka immediately ignited her green lightsaber and stood ready. R2-D2 beeped worriedly behind her. 

Three metal figures broke through the ground. Each one towered over her and focused their red eyes on the Padawan. They each held a staff that now sparked with purple energy at each end. MagnaGuards, General Grievous' finest. Ahsoka's confidence faltered. There were three of them, and they were designed to kill Jedi. 

Although it wasn't the Jedi way to strike first, Ahsoka thought MagnaGuards could be excused. She swung her blade and crashed with purple energy. It crackled. The other two droids attacked her vulnerable side, forcing her to retreat a few steps. 

R2-D2 tried to help. He charged at one of the MagnaGuards and sent a bolt of electricity. The killer droid simply blocked it with its staff and knocked R2 away like he was just a minor inconvenience. The blue Astromech screeched as he flew over Ahsoka's head.

  "R2!" Anakin would kill her if anything happened to his droid... if these MagnaGuards didn't do the job for him. 

They used her moment of distraction to surround her. Ahsoka blocked two more attacks before swinging at them again in a wide arch to force them back and give her more room. It did little as they pressed their attack all at once. She felt herself step back, then again, and again. 

  Maybe I can hold them off long enough for Anakin to get here, she thought hopefully. Even though it hurt her pride to admit she needed help, she was in way too deep here. Three MagnaGuards could prove a challenge to even a Jedi Knight such as Master Skywalker, let alone a Padawan with barely any training beyond Initiate level. 

Slowly, Jabba's Palace was growing further and further away. Ahsoka gritted her teeth in frustration. She tried stepping back again and to the left as one of the droids attacked her right. Maybe she could face her back towards Jabba's Palace and the droids would be forced to back her towards her goal. 

A Guard thrust its staff at her and she dodged quickly. The electric end barely zapped her arm, but it hurt and startled her enough to take multiple steps backwards. Then her heel met open air and she lost her balance. With nothing but loose sand to help regain her grip, Ahsoka tumbled down the dune, past R2, and hit rock bottom literally. 

Rotta wailed.

  "Ugh, I thought you liked to play in the sand," Ahsoka moaned as she pushed herself up onto her hands and knees. Her white leggings were soiled and she was caked with cold sand. 

Knowing the MagnaGuards will be coming after her any moment, Ahsoka scrambled behind a boulder to hide. It was time for the ambushed to be the ambusher. As quiet as a feline, Ahsoka scaled the boulders to achieve higher ground advantage. 

As she waited with her vulnerable stomach against the cold rock, Ahsoka realized something. The MagnaGuards reminded her of Pong Krell. They used their height, skill, and brute strength against her. She was smaller, inexperienced, and weaker. Pong Krell could always best her in a fight, resulting in horrible injury for her. She couldn't beat them with her own strength. She needed to be smart and outthink them. Maybe, just maybe she could hold out long enough for Anakin to reach her... if he survived his fight with Count Dooku. 

The three MagnaGuards slid down the sand dune with more grace than she did. Their staffs glowed and crackled as they searched the area for her. Luckily, she had one thing those droids would never have: the Force. 

She flipped into the air, switching on her lightsaber as she did so, and came down onto an unsuspecting MagnaGuard. She cut clean through it and it fell to the ground in two halves. Then she faced the remaining two Guards. Now the odds were slightly more in her favor. 

As their weapons clashed, Ahsoka managed to hear over the battle the familiar sounds of a speeder bike. She glanced up briefly to find Anakin zooming towards the Palace.

  "Master, down here! Master!" she screamed as loudly as she could. But it wasn't enough and Anakin flew past. "Ugh! He never listens." She dodged another blow.

She flipped out of the way and found herself backed into a corner. Ahsoka scowled defiantly, baring her predator like teeth at her opponents. 

  "All right, stick tinnies, you're going back to Dooku in pieces."

She charged at one of them and pounced. It crashed onto its back and she stood on its chest and took it's weapon. Then, with a yell, she plunged the electro-staff into the advancing droid's center. It froze in its tracks, sparking and twitching. Ahsoka sliced it to pieces as the other one got up behind her. 

It swung and the metal bar clipped the side of her head. She fell and the droid was on top of her. Ahsoka rolled out of the way and onto her feet again. She blocked two more attacks and dodged another. She was behind the droid now and all her instincts screamed at her to strike now. The Padawan swung as fast as she could, slicing through its middle then she cut off the head and everything was still. 

The adrenaline wore off and Ahsoka collapsed onto her knees and hands. Her head swam and she focused on returning the oxygen to her lungs. Suddenly, she remembered that Anakin was in Jabba's Palace without his son. 

  "Let's get you home," Ahsoka whispered to the Huttlet. Legs shaking, Ahsoka made the long climb up the rocks. Thankfully, the bacta had healed her hands. Her legs ached and she could feel her makeshift harness slipping off her shoulders. Afraid of dropping Rotta, Ahsoka balanced with one hand and used the other to carefully untangle the Huttlet. For the last leg of the climb she used one hand and two trembling legs while balancing Rotta in the other arm. 

When she reached the top, she rolled onto the path and lay on her back, panting and unable to move. Every muscle in her body ached. 

Rotta gurgled as R2-D2 rolled up, whistling urgently.

  "You're right. You're right," Ahsoka told them both. "We gotta help Anakin. I'm getting up."

Her legs felt shook like jelly with each step as she ran. Strangely, there were no guards at the gate, yet it was open. The halls were silent and dark. A horrible feeling sank in her stomach. 

  "Come on, R2!" Ahsoka urged. "I think Anakin might be in trouble."