The two Jedi and the remaining 501st entered the yawning opening of the old monastery. The entire place was dark and silent as it has been abandoned for many years. Rex and his men turned on their helmet spot lights, but the light only created shadows in dark corners, perfect for an enemy ambush.

  "Kill all the lights unless we make enemy contact," Rex ordered. "Night-vision visor and infrared." Then he spoke to General Skywalker, who was leading the way. "You can see okay, can't you, sir?"

  "I can sense my way."

  Ahsoka chimed in, "I'm fine. Togrutas have good low-light vision."

Rex took note of that. He needed to know the strengths and weaknesses of the people he worked with, even though it's highly doubtful that he will fight alongside Ahsoka Tano again after this mission.

Everyone stopped when they noticed something moving in the distance. The Clones aimed their blasters as Anakin ignited his lightsaber, bathing the dark monastery in a blue glow. A harmless caretaker droid stepped closer and more into view.

  "Who are you?" Anakin demanded, thrusting the tip of his blade in its face. The droid didn't seem fazed.

  "Merely the humble caretaker, O mighty sir. 4-A7. You have liberated me from those dreadful battle droids. I am most thankful."

  Anakin lowered his lightsaber, but didn't turn it off as he was still suspicious. "Where is the Hutt?"

  "The battle droids kept their prisoners on the detention level. I must warn you it is very dangerous down there, my friend. No place for a servant girl," droid added, zeroing in on Ahsoka.

Through the entire exchange with the caretaker droid, Ahsoka had been silent, listening and watching cautiously. With that comment, however, the droid hit a nerve. Racism was a huge issue in the galaxy, especially for the... more beautiful species, such as the Twi'lek and the Togruta. Countless of Ahsoka's people have been enslaved and the woman have been treated as objects of pleasure instead of people, including Ahsoka. Pong Krell treated her as a thing, as his belonging. And Ahsoka was sick of it.

  "Do servant girls carry these?" She growled, igniting her green lightsaber in the droid's face. "I'm a Jedi. Not someone's object that they can use!" The offended girl would have decapitated the droid if she hadn't felt a calming hand on her shoulder. Reluctantly, Ahsoka turned off her blade and stepped back, remembering that anger leads to the Dark Side.

  "A thousand apologies, young one," the droid apologized. Ahsoka just stiffened and pushed past 4-A7.

* * *

Anakin stared at the Padawan in shock. He and Rex shared a glance, both understanding why she suddenly flipped a switch. What they didn't expect is that Ahsoka had most likely experienced the racism and sexism personally, and it finally dawned on them through her reaction.

Before Ahsoka could take off the droid's head, Anakin placed a hand on her shoulder to remind her that Jedi don't lash out in anger. Ahsoka seemed to have received the message, and she retreated.

  "A thousand apologies, young one."

  Yeah, right, Anakin mentally growled sarcastically. Ahsoka pushed past the droid and stormed off towards the direction of the detention level.

  "Captain, we'll get the Hutt. Stay here and keep your eyes open," Anakin instructed before jogging after the younger Jedi.

  "Copy that, sir," Rex responded. Then he orders his men into position. They had a hard fight ahead of them.

Climbing down the stairs to the detention level was quiet for Anakin. Ahsoka had pulled her hood over her face more and was being uncharacteristically quiet.

  "Sorry."

  "What?" Anakin paused on the stairway. Ahsoka stopped as well and wouldn't meet the older man's eyes.

  "Sorry for letting my anger out in an un-Jedi like way. That droid pushed the wrong button and I overreacted."

  "I understand," Anakin replied gently as they continued down the stairs.  He was a slave before Qui-Gon freed him. Anakin may not understand most of what Ahsoka was going through, but he did understand that part.

  "Just... please don't tell Master Krell about this."

  "I won't." There was silence again, but this time, it was a comfortable silence.

A few minutes later, they found themselves walking through a passageway of cells with Battle Droids on guard.

  "Master Skywalker, you know you're walking us into a trap?" Ahsoka whispered, agitated.

  "I know." Anakin didn't even turn his head when he heard the clanking sound of following Battle Droids.

  "We just passed two more droids." Anakin could feel her growing agitated.

  "I know."

  "Well, I don't like this. Can I just take care of them?"

  "Oh, well, if you feel so strongly about it, go ahead."

There was a moment of silence, which was followed by the snap hiss of a lightsaber. A green light reflected off the slick, grimy walls. The next few seconds was filled with the sound of Battle Droids screaming and parts flying everywhere. He watched with a slight hint of pride at her obvious improvement with her fighting skills.

  "Not bad. You remembered to take out their weapons first."

  "I'm improving on your technique," Ahsoka responded smugly. Anakin continued walking and Ahsoka suddenly appeared at his side without him hearing a footstep. She really can be a silent hunter.

The whole monastery smelled of decay, but there is another, much worse smell that trumped the other. Anakin wrinkled his nose. He knew the stink all too well.

  "I sense our kidnapped Hutt is in here." Anakin stopped in front of a cell door.

  "Ugh. I smell him, too," Ahsoka remarked, covering her sensitive nose in disgust. The nasty smell was probably ten times worse for the young Torguta than for Anakin because her sense of smell was stronger.

  "Stand back."

Ahsoka drew her lightsaber and stood off to the side in case of an ambush. The Jedi Knight opened the door easily, using the Force with one hand and leaving his other hand open if there were any guards for him to take down. The cell was empty except for a tiny, moving lump in the middle of the floor.

The Huttlet was screaming and rolling on the cold floor, his cries echoing off the cell walls. Anakin's jaw dropped.

  "He's a lot younger than I thought he'd be."

  "Oh, he's just a baby!" Ahsoka's expression was part pity, part dismay.  "I was expecting him to be older."

  "Yeah, and then we wouldn't be able to lift him. Come on. Let's get him out of here."

To Anakin's annoyance, the Huttlet began screaming itself into a frenzy. Ahsoka tried to soothe the baby, but her expression proved that she was totally lost on what to do.

  "It's okay, Rotta, you're going home. You're going home to Daddy. Come on, Rotta, stop crying... Skyguy, do you know Huttese?"

Anakin groaned. He does, but he hoped to never use that language ever again.

  "Rotta," Anakin began quietly. "Rotta, pedunkee, da bunk dunk. Sala. Sala."

The Huttlet gulped down his sobs and just silently squirmed on the dirty floor.

  "Wow. I don't know if he understood you, or you just stunned him into silence, but he's calmed down."

Anakin's comm repeatedly beeped and flashed red. The Jedi answered it while Ahsoka kept Rotta occupied on the floor.

  "General Skywalker, the castle is secure, and it's nearly midday," Rex informed him.

  "Thanks, Rex. We got Jabba's son. Any sign of General Kenobi yet?"

  "No, sir. I'll send Coric back to make sure the droids don't get any ideas. Can't risk any accidents with the kid." 

  "Good point, Captain." Mentally, he measured the Huttlet with a practiced eye. "Ask Coric to fetch a backpack, too. Rotta's heavy cargo."

  "Copy that, sir," Rex responded before signing off.

The two Jedi waited patiently for the Clone to appear, Anakin guarding the door while Ahsoka kept Rotta busy.

  "You okay, Skyguy?" Ahsoka asked, noticing Anakin's expression. "You look worried. You know I only call you that to get you to lighten up, don't you?"

  "Yeah..."

  "You worried that this has been too easy?"

  "Not with half of my men lying dead, no. Not easy."

  "Sorry," Ahsoka responded, now fully understanding his thoughts.

The sound of thudding boots echoed down the passage, growing louder and louder with each passing second. Coric skidded to a halt before the cell opening. His face was hidden behind his helmet, but Coric's head jerk showed Anakin that he had his filters open and he was reacting to Cotta's unpleasant aroma. He smirked.

  "Permission to speak freely?" Coric stretched his arm out to hand the backpack to Ahsoka while keeping his distance from the smelly slug. "That kriffing Hutt is honking, sir. His dad must need a decomposing nerf as an air freshener. Can we stow him in the cargo bay?"

  "My sentiments entirely, Sergeant. Let's go."

  "Awwwww," Ahsoka joked good-naturedly as she heaved the laden backpack onto her tiny shoulders, then adjusting the burden. "He probably thinks we stink, too."

  "I bet you wish you had a helmet with filters right now, ma'am..." Coric played off of her joke while adjusting the breather unit of his helmet. Then he continued seriously, "The captain's got a larty on standby, sir. You got everything you need?"

  "Yes, let's get out of here before I change my mind about the Hutt."

He lead the other two towards the exit, scanning every alcove for a trap. Despite what he told Ahsoka about this not being easy, Anakin did expect a bit more effort from the Separatists. The hyperspace lanes Jabba is offering is vital to winning the war. Anakin thought that the enemy would have put up more of a fight to make sure they didn't earn them. Maybe an attack once they're airborne? Something goes wrong at the last second?

  I just don't get it.

  "Skyguy..." He heard Ahsoka call in a soft voice. He didn't even turn around.

  "Don't tell me, the Hutt's thrown up on you."

  "No, but I think something's wrong," At her words, Anakin slowed his pace and fingered the hilt of his lightsaber, preparing for something that the Togruta could detect, and he couldn't.

  "How wrong?" He emphasized seriously. "Can you sense something?"

  "I think I know why he was screaming. And then why he went quiet."

  "What? Spit it out, Snips!" Anakin demanded impatiently, still on edge.

  "I think he's ill. Really ill."

Ahsoka moved the backpack from her back to her chest so the Knight could examine him. The Huttlet was a pale shade of green. Huge eyes glassy and drooping, tongue lolling and struggling to breathe. Anakin placed a hand on the baby's head to feel its temperature. Too warm. Rotta was definitely ill. Now they faced the high probability of returning Jabba his son in a body bag.

So this is Dooku's trap.