Found A New Padawan

Hidden Among The Shadows

So you can probably guess, it's the slave arc. Oh boy. I wasn't entirely sure how I was going to take this arc tbh, all I knew was it was definitely going to be different. Similarly to the Umbara Arc, this arc isn't going to be multiple chaps long, it is gonna be serious though. So I am starting school so updates will be slow. I hope you guys enjoy!

Also, the chapter was beta'd/edited by my friend Gen!

The Nautolan Shadow watched the High Council argue amongst themselves for a bit, talking with Obi-Wan and Anakin about a plan of attack to help the missing colonists. She remembered Anakin, she met him and Master Plo when she got them intel on those Trandoshan hunter scum who took his Padawan Ahsoka. She was glad to see that Ahsoka was alright, having not seen her before now since she was busy with her own missions when the Padawans left the moon Wasskah, a dreadful place other Jedi went to do a thorough search through. Her attention was drawn to the Council as they offered a plan.

"I have to object to this plan!" Thia exclaimed as she stepped forward to the table. "You are putting months of planning at stake. I understand that you want to save the colonists, Master Windu, but you are risking my entire mission by sending them in and hoping for the best!"

"Thia," Mace began, but Thia shook her head.

"No. There has to be another way. For one, as Obi-Wan has already pointed out, they have seen his face when one of the Zygerrians commed D'nar." A lot of damage was done with that karking comm message. "He would be exposed immediately if he went to Zygerria. Anakin shouldn't even be dealing with this, he's still healing from his own past." Over holocall, several members of the Council winced at that, knowing they could have, should have, done better to help Anakin heal from his past. She didn't hold back anything, she had a point to make.

"That may be so, however, we can't just leave the colonists to the Zygerrians," Mace pointed out and Thia crossed her arms.

"I have a contact inside Zygerria," the Nautolan Shadow revealed. By the nature of her job, she had contacts everywhere. "Captain Amelia. She's been a great help navigating their cities and patrols, even done some undercover work. She's managed to get intel on these missing colonists' location," she revealed, which sparked reactions of interest and confusion, some even at the same time.

"She has? How?" Obi-Wan asked, and at his side, Anakin crossed his arms.

"How can we trust this Amelia to be telling the truth?" Anakin demanded, glancing over at Obi-Wan when the man placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Because...she finds slavery just as disgusting as you. She's been at war with her own people trying to stop their empire from growing," she explained, and Anakin nodded slowly at that. "They're located in the Zygerrian mines in the Kadavos System. However, she found that the Governor is on Zygerria itself. With some help, Amelia can rescue the Governor without anyone realizing."

"Can we not rescue the other slaves on Zygerria?" Ikoe asked, and Thia didn't need to be present to hear the group sigh.

"We cannot at this moment. That would require more manpower than we simply have available. I don't like it, Ikoe, but we can't help them," Obi-Wan explained gently and Ikoe scowled at that.

"Padawan Kryze," Thia began, and watched as Ikoe turned to her questioningly. "I know it sucks, but my contact will do what she can to save as many as possible. But don't fear, there are those who despise slavery just as much and do what they can to save as many people as possible," she said and Ikoe nodded slowly at that, a weak smile on her lips.

"Once this war is done, we're going to deal with the Zygerrian slavers once and for all," Shaak Ti promised, earning nods from the rest of the council.