Chapter Text
Chapter 1: Old Family Ties
Chapter 1: Old Family Ties
Obi-Wan hurried after his two padawans, Anakin and Ahsoka, who had tracked the distress signal to old ruins and moved ahead without waiting for their clone support. He had clearly instructed them not to approach any unknown dangers on their own, especially at the start of the mission. Now, despite his warnings, he found himself moving quickly through the tangled, overgrown landscape, concern sharpening every step. The snap of branches and the damp scent of moss heightened Obi-Wan’s sense of urgency and vigilance.
“Anakin! Ahsoka!” Obi-Wan called as they stopped outside the ruins. Anakin turned, a self-assured smirk on his face. “Is something wrong, Master? Can't keep up with us young ones?” he quipped. Ahsoka joined in with a playful tone, “Master, do be gentle on him. Our wise Master Kenobi isn't as quick on his feet these days.” Obi-Wan shot them an annoyed look, then chuckled, shaking his head. “You two will be the death of me.” He moved to the entrance. “Stay close. The signal's likely a separatist trap. We should inform Cody and Rex in case we need back-up.”
All three walked to the ruin's entrance and went inside, alert. The ruin was a sorrowful reminder of its former glory. Stone walls had faded murals hinting at forgotten tales of heroism and ancient power. Ceiling collapses sent eerie echoes into the void, suggesting lost grandeur and underlying menace. As they approached the signal, Obi-Wan stumbled on debris, quickly regaining balance, unease on his face. "I have a bad feeling about this." He scanned the massive, empty space with a few stone columns. Anakin started to reply, but battle droids filled the room and surrounded them. All three Jedi ignited lightsabers, deflecting blaster fire as they engaged the droids.
Ahsoka deflects a blaster shot and takes down a droid, but another three take its place. “There are too many of them, masters—we can’t take them all down!” Backing into Obi-Wan and Anakin, the three are now back-to-back, deflecting blaster shots. Anakin spots a pillar that looks about to topple over. “Cover me. I have a plan.” As Anakin uses the Force to knock the stone pillar over, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka hold off the army of battle droids. The droids are crushed under the stone pillar as it topples onto them. “Well, Master, it's pretty clear someone was expecting us,” Anakin says, kicking a droid’s head. “Certainly. We must move further in with caution,” Obi-Wan adds, igniting his lightsaber.
Ahsoka knelt beside the wreckage of a commander battle droid and carefully examined it. She lifted a small device from the debris. "Found the source of the distress signal," she declared, showing the beacon to Anakin and Obi-Wan. Anakin took the device from her, studied it for a moment, and decided it was no longer useful, crushing it under his heel. Afterward, the trio used their communicators to contact Captain Rex and Commander Cody before heading toward the passageway where the battle droids had appeared. With their lightsabers lit, the three Jedi led the way into the pitch-black corridors, using the glowing blades to illuminate their path.
They attempted to navigate the labyrinthine passageways, but kept ending up in walking circles. Ahsoka, glancing anxiously at the scattered debris, stopped and pressed her hand against a wall. "Master, we need a better plan than this. We've passed the same pile of debris three times already!" she exclaimed, frustration clear in her voice. Anakin ran his hand along the ancient stone wall and shrugged. "I know, Snips. Maybe we should just start knocking down walls. It’d be faster." As they came to a junction, Obi-Wan halted mid-step, holding up a hand for silence, his expression turning serious. He closed his eyes, reaching out with the Force. "Wait, Anakin—do you sense that? There’s something dark… familiar." Obi-Wan met Anakin’s gaze. "It’s Count Dooku. If he’s here, he won’t be alone—and neither should we."’Her eyes darted around the rubble-strewn corridor, her hand inching toward her lightsaber. A sudden gust of cold air swept through the hallway, carrying with it a faint scent of smoke and a metallic hint. The trio froze, senses heightened. Anakin nodded, signaling for silence, and they moved forward, every step cautious. As they rounded a corner, Obi-Wan raised a hand to halt them.
In the dim light, several local villagers lay sprawled across the floor, their simple clothes scorched and torn, the walls behind them marked with deep blaster burns—evidence of a recent and ruthless fight. Ahsoka’s breath caught in her throat. “They never stood a chance…” Obi-Wan knelt next to one of the fallen, his expression heavy with sorrow. “Dooku’s already been through here. He shows no mercy, not even to the innocent.” Anakin’s jaw tightened, his anger barely contained. “Then we can’t let him get away with this. Let’s end it.” With grim resolve, they pressed on, following the trail of devastation deeper within the heart of the temple, where darkness—and Dooku—awaited.
The trio stepped carefully over the bodies, ensuring they did not disturb the fallen villagers. As they continued down the corridor, distant mechanical noises reached their ears—evidence of separatist activity ahead. Approaching an opening, they saw a massive ravine crowded with separatist droids. In the center of the ravine, Dooku stood flanked by Ventress and Grievous. Dooku turned, his cold gaze fixed on Ventress and Grievous as he spoke, "Track the Jedi. They are close. They took out the droids guarding the entrance." He turns away again, looking back at his plans. “And I want Kenobi alive, I have plans for him back on Serreno, someone has to pay for what happened on Naboo.” Dooku dismisses them with a simple hand gesture, declaring the briefing over.
“Master, what happened on Naboo?” Ahsoka asked, curiosity in her eyes. She’s heard stories of Master Obi-Wan defeating a Sith lord on Naboo after his late master, Qui-Gon Jinn, died at the hands of said Sith. “I’ll tell you later; now is not the time. We must leave before they notice us; we are severely outnumbered without the clones.” Obi-Wan hurriedly gestured for both his padawans to leave. They turned back the way they had come, toward the passage where the deceased villagers were. “Jedi! Get them!” a battle droid unit announced, raising its blasters to fire.
Anakin immediately reacted, using the Force to slam the battle droids into a wall, clearing a temporary path. But the noise had already drawn Dooku’s attention to their location. The clones still hadn’t arrived, leaving the trio stranded. Realizing the danger, they quickly scanned their surroundings for another escape route, knowing they must find a way out before Dooku could capture them...