By My Side

Chapter 6 - To Defeat a Sith Lord

Warning: General lack of regard for one's life; not exactly suicidal thoughts, but sort of. ;-;

~ Amina Gila

Anakin only takes a moment of relief before hastily contacting Obi-Wan with the news. With nothing else needed on Teth, the Republic forces are withdrawing back to safety. Good. He's saved a lot of lives today, but it doesn't change that over a hundred people died for that Huttlet. Only ten people of Torrent Company survived the battle. This was wrong. They shouldn't have sacrificed so many for something like that. He should have done something better.

Even now, the last thing Anakin needs is for Jabba's guards to try killing him and Ahsoka when they get there, and Padme won't have the proof yet unless Anakin gets someone out there sooner to investigate. "You should update the Chancellor," Anakin tells him. "There might be something that can be done from Coruscant. For all we know, one of the Hutts could have been involved."

Obi-Wan looks thoughtful. "Very well," he agrees after a pause that lasts much too long in Anakin's opinion.

The hologram flickers off, and Anakin turns back to the others. "Alright, let's see if we can't get this ship fixed up on the way," he announces. He's going back to Tatooine. Again. The place that holds so many memories, that he never, ever wants to lay eyes on again. At least if he's working, it'll give him something else to focus on.

Dooku is going to have a lot of droid forces waiting for him, more than two fighters. Of that, he is certain. They need the guns working first, and the shields up if possible.

And Dooku is going to be waiting when they get there.

Ahsoka leaves the cockpit with Rotta, and Anakin has hardly been more relieved. He can't stand the smell or feel of the slug, child or not. It's eating at him, reminding him of things he really doesn't want to think about. He doesn't have time to be distracted right now.

The journey is a lot less lonely than it was last time from what he recalls, even if it's largely quiet. The clones that don't settle down to rest help him with the shuttle. The battle took a toll on everyone, and Anakin tries not to think about how he failed so many of them, and now they're going to have to work on rebuilding. It's not a replacement. You can't replace people; he's learned that well. It's a matter of rebuilding trust, experiences, friendships... everything, and now they have to start anew. All because of a Hutt.

He wishes he could leave a message for Padme, but there's not time. He has to wait until he's on the way back to Coruscant.

He finds himself thinking of Ahsoka again, wondering what he's going to do about her. He still doesn't know. He wants to take her, but he can't do it. It feels like he's going to lose her all over again if he doesn't accept her, but all he wants is for her to be happy. Even if it hurts him. No, he can't think about that right now. He can't afford to lose composure in front of his men. He has an image to live up to.

That's when Ahsoka enters, cheerfully announcing that Rotta's fever broke. Admittedly, the only reason Anakin cares is that they have to get him to Tatooine, or the Republic will lose those trading routes, and that will throw off his future knowledge.

The guns and shields have made it to fully operational by the time they exit hyperspace. Maybe they'll actually be able to land properly this time.

Anakin struggles to hold back the surge of emotions nagging at him when he sees the twin suns and dust bowl again. The place where he was nothing. The place where his mother died. Where he killed the Raiders. Where he used the Dark Side. Where he fought – will fight – Dooku. The place where... where... no. No time for those memories.