The gate opened slowly like the maw of a giant beast and light flooded from the opening. A droid shuffled out escorted by several guards. Anakin practically jumped off the bike and ran towards the greeters. In the midst of his panic, he still was focused enough to sense snipers positioned above him. 

  "Where's my Padawan?" he demanded. 

  "This way," the protocol droid began. Then it hesitated as if remembering something and held out its hand. "Your weapon, please."

Anakin surrendered his lightsaber readily and followed the droid into the throne room flanked by heavily armed guards. 

The reek in Jabba's throne room was ten times worse than Rotta's stench. Of course, the Hutt crime lord was ten times larger than his infant son and, he could even admit, ten times uglier. Still, no matter how tiny the slimy, green slug's hands were, he still ruled Tatooine with an iron fist and enjoyed the suffering of others. He shuddered at the thought of what he could be doing to Ahsoka as there was no sign of her or Rotta; his crib in the corner was empty. 

  "Skywalker surrendered his weapon without a fight, my lord," the protocol droid reported. "He asked for his Padawan."

  "Lord Jabba," he spoke in Huttese with a thick Mos Espan accent, "where's my Padawan? Where is your son?" 

The musicians stopped and everyone paused from their drink or gamble or fight or date to stare at the Jedi. Jabba's tiny hands curled into fists that shook with rage. 

  "My son... is where you left his body, you murdering Jedi filth." Disgusting spittle flew from the Hutt's mouth and Anakin was relieved when none of it touched him. 

  "Your son is alive, unless Dooku's MagnaGuards killed him along with my Padawan. She was bringing him–she should have been here by now." He tried to keep his voice calm despite his desperation. 

  Jabba leaned forward. "If you were any other human idiot, I would take your feeble attempt to deceive me as simple stupidity. But you know us, Skywalker, because you were raised here, a shag, a common slave, and so you know you insult me in my grief." 

Before the crime lord had finished speaking, Anakin called his lightsaber into his hand and rushed forward, holding the blue blade against the Hutt's bloated throat. Gasps and shrieks exploded from the crowd and he knew blasters were pointed in his direction, but were not fired in fear of hitting the ginormous body of Jabba.

  Jabba didn't seem threatened, just satisfied. "Ah. So Dooku was right. You killed my son, and now you come to kill me."

  "Mighty Jabba, I came to negotiate." 

  "Then you will still die, shag." That was a given by now. 

  "Somewhere out in the desert, my Padawan is making her way here with Rotta. She's been attacked by MagnaGuards, I know that. I've fought Dooku to get here. Instead of having your heavies make themselves useless here, why don't they get out and look for her?"

  "Another trick, Jedi?" Jabba sneered. "Guards, see if the Jedi's reinforcements are coming. Then kill them." 

Anakin could feel cold perspiration. There was nothing he could do from here. Jabba was fearless and stubborn. Ahsoka's only hope is for Rotta to still be alive when the guards found her. 

  "My lord Jabba!" an excited voice rang out as a Nikto guard burst in. "The Jedi's reinforcements is here with a droid. She's got him!" 

Every head turned towards the entrance as a small figure walked in with R2-D2 at her side. She was disheveled, covered in sand, and leaning against the wall for a moment while holding a bundle in her arms. 

  Anakin stepped back, turning off his lightsaber. "Well done, Snips," he sighed in relief. "You look awful." 

Her injures from before had healed thanks to attention and bacta, but she managed to make a mess of herself all over again. To his eyes, she wasn't wounded, just exhausted and dirty like himself. She merely smiled at him as she handed Rotta off to his father. 

The tension in the room melted as the Huttlet was returned to Jabba. For a moment, Jabba forgot about his court and the Jedi as he held his child close. 

Ahsoka stood next to Anakin. He raised an eyebrow in question and she shook her head. I'm fine. I can stand on my own. 

Finally, Jabba returned his attention to the Jedi. He spoke something in Huttese that made Anakin's blood run cold.

  The protocol droid translated for Ahsoka: "You are to be executed immediately."

  "What?!" Knight and Padawan stood back to back with their lightsabers drawn as Jabba's Nikto guards trained their blasters at them. R2 beeped frantically. 

  "Does this always happen to you?" Ahsoka inquired.

  "Everywhere I go." Then he addressed the crime lord in Huttese, "Okay, I'm the one you have a problem with. Let Ahsoka leave with my Astromech. She saved your son  dozen times since we found him on Teth. She doesn't deserve this."

Ahsoka failed to react to his words as she didn't understand Huttese, but he knew she would protest if she did. Instead, Ahsoka spoke civilly to the protocol droid, much to his surprise. 

  "Tell Lord Jabba that he needs to speak with Senator Amidala. I got a comm message when jamming stopped. General Kenobi said she needed to speak with him urgently about his uncle Ziro. He's been arrested."

While Anakin was relieved that Obi-Wan was safe and that this may be their ticket to life, he still couldn't help the feeling of his blood freeze at his wife's name. The situation was already terrifying enough without bringing the one person Anakin couldn't bear to live without into it, even if it was through hologram and she wasn't actually here. 

Jabba contacted the senator even before his translator droid finished translating. Anakin always suspected his understood Basic. 

The lovely woman he called his wife appeared quickly as though she had been waiting for this call. She nodded respectfully to Jabba. Then only her eyes flitted towards his direction. Her skills as a senator kept her expression neutral though Anakin could read beneath her emotionless composer. She was relieved and she recognized that the situation was a fragile one. She needed to be smart with her words. 

  "Lord Jabba, your uncle Ziro has been arrested after conspiring with Count Dooku to kidnap your son and dispose you, and incriminating the Jedi to sabotage negotiations with the Republic."

  "Prove it."

  "Lord Jabba says to prove it," the protocol droid translated. 

  "You can speak to Ziro now, Lord Jabba, from the custody cell."

Her hologram was replaced by another Hutt, pathetic and small compared to the mighty Jabba. 

  "You better have a good story, Ziro..."

  "Nephew, I wold never harm Rotta! Dooku made me do it! He threatened me. He threatened to kill me–" 

  Jabba didn't buy it. "You should have let him! Because when I get a hold of you, I'll make you understand that Hutt does not betray Hutt. I've seem enough. Put me back to the Senator."

The blubbering Hutt was replaced by the graceful senator again. 

  "Ziro will be dealt with by the Hutt family most severely," the droid informed Padmé. 

  "Perhaps now you will allow the Republic to use your trade routes and hostilities will come to an end."

  Jabba laughed. "Tell the Senator it's a deal. And I want Dooku brought to justice, too."

  The protocol droid translated. 

  "You will not regret this, Lord Jabba." Then the hologram turned to him. "General Skywalker, thank you for your assistance in resolving this."

  "And thank you, Senator." He tried to keep the grin off his face and was failing. "Padawan Tano, Captain Rex, and the 501st were all instrumental in achieving this."

Ahsoka's headtails became more vibrant as Padmé turned her gaze to her and smiled with a grateful nod. Ahsoka returned the gesture a bit more clumsily than the graceful senator. With one last gaze into Anakin's eyes, Padmé Amidala vanished. 

It was that moment that Anakin felt it safe to leave. He beckoned Ahsoka to follow him and walked out of the chamber with the Padawan and Astromech in tow. 

When they exited the dark palace into the open night air, a Gunship was already waiting for them. Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Pong Krell were waiting for them with Commander Cody, Captain Rex, and a handful of other Clones. 

Obi-Wan and Rex stepped forward greet them first. 

  "You're late," his old Master joked. 

  Anakin rolled his eyes with a goodnatured smirk. "Jabba was a little reluctant to let us leave."

  Rex looked at them both up and down. "You look terrible." They were both a mess and reeked of Hutt, but they were alive. 

Skywalker held out his hand and Rex shook it firmly. The feeling of his Captain's strong grip was a comfort. It was a confirmation that Rex was really alive and in front of him, not a mirage. 

  "I'm glad to see you, Captain."

  "Likewise, sir."

  "I'm sorry I didn't return."

  "No problem, sir. It gave General Kenobi something to do, anyway. You know how bored he gets." Anakin chuckled while the other General raised an eyebrow with amusement. Then Rex added more seriously, "I know you would if you could."

  "Bad news for me though?" It wasn't a question. Anakin could read the underlining sorrow.

  "Five men."

   "Five men dead?" Ahsoka asked hopefully. Rex looked down at her. She wasn't wearing that cloak anymore. She was skinny to match her height and she looked as exhausted as the General.

  "Five alive, little 'un. Plus me." 

  "Oh." Her voice was very small. 

  "Give me a report," Anakin requested quietly. "Not the usual official record. I want to hear it all. Names. I want to hear how six of you held a droid army at bay, Rex." 

  "Oh, boring stuff. It's not that important, is it?"

  "It is to me."

  "And me," Ahsoka added. 

Rex nodded. That made all the difference. 

They returned to the Gunship. Cody touched Rex's shoulder, knowing exactly what he just told his General. 

Before boarding, Anakin and Ahsoka bowed to Master Yoda.

  "Well done, Skywalker," the Grand Master began. "And you also, Padawan Tano. Turned the tide of the war in our favor, you did."

  "All in the days work, Master," Anakin responded wearily. Anyone who knew him well could see that his mind was still on the men he had lost. 

  "A heavy price it took, yes," Yoda continued, sensing his thoughts. "But be forgotten, their sacrifice and courage will not. Now rest, you must."

Obi-Wan placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder for comfort and direction. Anakin was grateful for it as he boarded the Republic Gunship with his Master and Ahsoka following. Even in his slow weariness, Anakin was sure to place himself between Ahsoka and Pong Krell, shooting the towering Besalisk a fierce glare that read: "Try it. I dare you."

  Obi-Wan sent Anakin a questioning look. His former Padawan just shook his head and whispered, "Not here. I'll tell you later." 

The Gunship was dim inside as they took off into the air. Anakin felt a smaller body lean against him. He subconsciously held her with his free hand while resting his own head against his raised arm gripping the handhold above. He couldn't sleep yet, but he could finally relax. 

Mission complete.