Obi-Wan had made it clear: stay on Naboo. It was safer there, he had said. For me. For Padmé. For Anakin. But the tension was palpable, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air even after his transmission ended. Trouble was brewing, and Obi-Wan was walking straight into it.

Anakin wasn't having it.

In the dimly lit hangar, I watched him as he worked, determination written in every line of his face. His jaw was tight, his eyes fixed on the ship's console, fingers moving deftly over the controls. Padmé sat in the copilot seat, her arms crossed as she tried to reason with him, her voice calm but firm.

"You're going to get in trouble for this, Ani," she warned, her tone heavy with both concern and exasperation.

Anakin sighed, pausing for a moment as though her words carried weight, but then he shook his head, brushing them aside. "I don't really care," he muttered, the fire in his voice unmistakable. "He's my master, Padmé. I need to save him."

I couldn't help but smile. That was Anakin for you—stubborn, reckless, and loyal to a fault. Stepping closer, I reached out and patted his hand, steadying it where it rested over the yoke. "You're doing the right thing, my friend," I said softly, my voice cutting through the hum of the ship's systems.

He glanced at me then, his blue eyes searching mine, uncertainty flickering there for a brief moment. "You sure?" he asked, his voice quieter now, as if he needed my affirmation to solidify his resolve.

I met his gaze, letting him see the truth in my silvery eyes. "I'm sure," I said, and I nodded for good measure, a reassuring smile on my lips.

For a second, his confidence wavered, his cheeks flushing just slightly before he cleared his throat and turned back to the controls. "Thanks," he murmured, the word barely audible.

I moved away to check on the systems, leaving him to focus. The familiar hum of the engines vibrated under my feet as we powered up. The sleek, silver-chrome ship—a testament to Naboo's elegance and craftsmanship—shimmered faintly in the light of the hangar as it lifted off the platform. The soft whoosh of repulsorlifts filled the air, and within moments, we were airborne, climbing higher and higher into the endless expanse of stars.

The cockpit windows stretched before us, the dark velvet of space glittering with countless pinpricks of light. My hands moved over the controls with practiced ease as Anakin plotted our course, his movements sharp and sure now, the hesitation gone. Beside him, Padmé looked worried, her lips pressed into a thin line, but she said nothing more.

Our destination was clear: Geonosis.

Obi-Wan might have told us to stay put, but how could we? This wasn't just about loyalty or duty—it was about family. As the stars streaked past, stretching into long, white lines, I felt the weight of what lay ahead. The unknown loomed large, but one thing was certain: we wouldn't leave Obi-Wan to face it alone.

The silver ship of Naboo carried us onward, faster and faster, into the heart of danger.

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We reached Geonosis a few hours later, and, let me tell you, it was uglier than anything I'd ever seen—yes, even worse than Tatooine. The air was thick with a reddish haze that seemed to cling to my skin, and the dry, cracked ground stretched endlessly, a barren wasteland beneath a harsh sun. Every step off the ramp felt like walking into a furnace, the wave of heat hitting me like a wall. It wasn't just hot—it was relentless, oppressive, the kind of heat that makes you feel like even your soul is sweating.

Ahead of us loomed the jagged, towering structures of the Geonosian hive, their alien geometry both beautiful and ominous. The spires looked as though they'd been carved by some ancient, unknowable force, rising like skeletal fingers against the dull orange sky.

"We need to be careful," I said, my voice firm as I drew my weapon: a golden sword, its blade shimmering faintly as if it were forged from condensed starlight itself. Its soft glow cast flickering patterns on the dry ground beneath me, a stark contrast to the harsh world around us.

Anakin glanced over and immediately snorted, rolling his eyes with an exasperated smirk. "You with that sword?" he said, his tone dripping with skepticism. "You're going to get cut down immediately here."

I raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. He stepped closer, holding out a weapon of his own—a more practical blade with a hilt that reminded me of a lightsaber, though the blade was crafted from a solid, gleaming material instead of plasma. It was well-worn but sharp, its weight balanced for close combat.

"Take this," he offered, his tone softer this time, though still laced with his usual sarcasm.

I took the blade and inspected it, turning it over in my hands. It was sturdy, efficient, a weapon made for survival rather than elegance. My own golden sword hummed faintly in my other hand, as if displeased by the replacement.

"Thanks, Ani," I said dryly, sliding the starblade back into its sheath for now. "But don't think this means I'm ditching my own."

Padmé, who'd been quietly observing the exchange, let out a small laugh. She looked between us with a bemused expression, her blaster held loosely in her hand. "You two and your swords," she said, shaking her head. "I'm fine with just this, thank you very much."

Anakin grinned at her, his usual cocky charm breaking through for a moment. "Well, you've got the easier job, Senator. Just point and shoot."

Her amused glance turned into a playful glare, but I wasn't paying attention anymore. My focus shifted back to the towering hive structures ahead, the shadows they cast deep and foreboding. Something was stirring out there, just beyond sight, and the golden hum of my sword seemed to echo that warning.

"Let's move," I said, stepping forward, the makeshift sword in my grip. "We don't have time to argue over who's using what weapon. Obi-Wan's waiting for us, and this place isn't going to make it easy."

Anakin and Padmé followed close behind, their banter softening into silence as the looming hive drew closer, its dark halls beckoning us into the unknown.

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Well, we didn't find Obi-Wan. Instead, the Geonosians found us.

Now, Anakin and I were in the thick of it, battling swarms of bug-like warriors on a conveyor belt that seemed determined to grind us into oblivion. The heat from the molten metal below was oppressive, waves of it licking at our faces as we ducked and dodged around mechanical arms and incoming Geonosian strikes.

"You really think this is what Obi-Wan would've wanted?!" Anakin shouted, frustration lacing his voice as his lightsaber hummed through the air, narrowly missing a Geonosian who dived out of reach.

I ducked under a jagged spear and snarled back, "Just fight, you fluff!"

He groaned, but I didn't have time to relish his reaction. A Geonosian came at me, its serrated wing flaring as it aimed to shove me off the edge. I spun and swung my blade in a clean arc, slicing through the delicate membrane. It shrieked, flailing wildly before tumbling into the abyss below.

Glancing up, I spotted a crane looming overhead, its long arm creaking as it swung above the conveyor system. That'll do. Without hesitation, I leaped onto the crane, using my sword to hack at its connecting cables. Sparks flew as the structure groaned in protest, and with a final cut, the crane's head came crashing down.

It smashed into the conveyor belt, gears shrieking as the entire thing came to a grinding halt.

"Now get off!" I shouted to Anakin, extending my free hand as golden energy swirled around my fingers. A blast of my magic enveloped him, lifting him clear of the chaos and depositing him on a sturdy ledge nearby.

The conveyor trembled violently beneath me, the impact of the crane causing a chain reaction as pieces of machinery tumbled into the molten abyss below.

"Nyx!" Anakin called out, his voice tinged with panic as the entire structure gave way.

I didn't respond, focusing instead on timing my escape. Just as the platform beneath me collapsed, I leaped, pushing off with every ounce of strength I had. I landed on the ledge beside Anakin, rolling into a crouch before springing to my feet.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his blue eyes scanning me with genuine concern, his lightsaber still humming faintly at his side.

I huffed, brushing some dust off my shoulder. "Yes, yes, I'm fine. We need to find Padmé."

Together, we turned to scan the sprawling factory floor below, the chaotic clash of machines and Geonosians making it nearly impossible to focus. I searched for any sign of her white clothing, but there was nothing. A sigh escaped my lips as I closed my eyes, reaching out with my magic. The factory faded from my senses as I sought her familiar energy amidst the chaos.

There she was.

"She's being attacked," I muttered, locking onto her presence. Opening my eyes, I turned sharply from the ledge, ready to head for her location.

"Blast it, Nyx!" Anakin yelled as I moved without hesitation. "Can you stop doing that? You're gonna give me a heart attack!"

I smirked but didn't look back. I leaped down with practiced ease, navigating the factory floor as Anakin scrambled after me, a bit less graceful but no less determined.

We didn't have time to argue. Padmé needed us, and I wasn't about to let her face those Geonosian raiders alone.

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In the end, we didn't make it far. We were caught—bound, shackled, and surrounded by chittering Geonosians, their sharp wings buzzing faintly in the stale air of the hive. The ropes around my wrists were tight, rough fibers cutting into my skin as the guards prodded us forward.

The Geonosians muttered amongst themselves in their guttural, clicking language, and though I understood every word, I didn't bother paying them much attention. That is, until one of them jabbed me sharply in the shoulder with a crude spear.

"You shouldn't have come here, outsiders," the guard clicked, his voice low and menacing.

I sneered at him, the corner of my lip curling as I leaned slightly toward him. "And you shouldn't have captured our friend, fish breath," I shot back in their own language, letting the words roll off my tongue with the sharp precision of a native speaker.

The reaction was instant. Anakin and Padmé both startled beside me, their eyes widening as they stared at me like I'd grown a second head.

"You know their language?" Padmé asked, her tone more amused than surprised, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite the situation.

I smirked, relishing the moment as much as the bindings would allow. "I know the language of all creatures," I said simply, my tone cool and matter-of-fact, as if it were the most natural thing in the galaxy.

The Geonosian guard hissed, clearly unamused, and clicked a command to the others. They grumbled in reply, their wings buzzing louder as they shoved us toward a large, makeshift carriage crafted from dark, gnarled wood and metal scraps.

They shoved me in first, forcing me onto a narrow bench before seating Padmé and Anakin on either side of me. The confinement was almost laughable, the three of us crammed awkwardly together in a space clearly not designed for humans.

Anakin, of course, couldn't let it go. He kept glaring at me, his blue eyes practically boring holes into the side of my head.

"What?" I asked, turning to meet his gaze with a raised brow.

"You didn't tell me you could speak their language," he said, his tone somewhere between accusing and frustrated.

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "It never came up because I didn't know we were going to Geonosis." I shifted slightly, trying to ease the discomfort of the ropes cutting into my wrists. "Now focus on getting us out of here, you bothersome Jedi."

Padmé stifled a laugh on my other side, and Anakin huffed in response, leaning back against the rough wood of the carriage with a frown.

The Geonosians pulled the carriage forward, their voices growing quieter as the dark corridors of the hive closed in around us. My mind was already working through a dozen different ways to break free, but for now, I waited, watching, listening.

One thing was certain: this wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.