"If there is a way out of here, Artooie will find it," Ahsoka remarked confidently as the droid plugged himself into a computer hub.

  "Make it quick" was the Jedi's response. Ahsoka set the backpack on the floor and examined the Huttlet.

  "He's asleep... or unconscious," she added as an afterthought.

  Anakin observed Rotta as well. "He's breathing. That can only be good."

  Ahsoka placed the back of her orange hand against the baby's slimy forehead gently. "But he's burning up. Kids can run fevers, have fits, and be as right as rain in an hour. Well, human children can." She glanced up at the human Jedi Knight for confirmation. "Can't they?"

  Anakin blinked. "Where'd you learn that?"

  "Same way you learned Huttese, probably. Jedi pick up stuff," the girl answered quickly.

  Anakin Skywalker couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or defensive, but he suspected the latter. "You're doing all anyone can, Snips. Don't beat yourself up."

  "If anything happens to him, it'll be my fault."

  "No it won't. What are you trying to prove anyway?"

  "That I'm not too young to be a Padawan."

  "Ahsoka," Anakin sighed. He approached the small girl and placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, but Anakin didn't remove his hand, nor did she seem to want him to. "A very wise Jedi once said that nothing happens by accident. It is the will of the Force that you are at my side." Then he smiled gently. "You're not my Padawan, but in the meantime, I'm just trying to keep you there in one piece."

Ahsoka didn't respond, but she did manage a smile. The Jedi Knight couldn't help but wonder if Pong Krell had neglected to give his Padawan the encouragement that Ahsoka needed to hear.

  Anakin rummaged around in the small satchel attached to his belt. "Snips, when was the last time you drank some fluid?" He offered her his water flask. "Come on. Dehydration makes you confused, and then it kills you."

Somewhat reluctant, Ahsoka took the bottle and sipped some water. Then, with a smirk, she dribbled some liquid into the baby Hutt's mouth. There was no way Anakin was placing that flask near his own lips ever again.

A troubled expression passed over Ahsoka's face as she handed the flask back to him.

  "What?"

  "Rex and his men..."

  "I know. I know," Anakin sighed. "This is one of the worst lessons you'll ever have to learn, Snips. Command means being prepared to get your troops killed."

  "They'd do anything for you," Ahsoka noticed.

  "And I won't let them throw their lives away."

  "Is it better not to get to know them?"

  You mean does it make it easier. "No, it's not. It's shrinking your responsibility, and it's disrespectful. Get to know them, and then you fully understand the price you're asking them to pay."

  Ahsoka frowned. "Master Krell doesn't seem to think so. With any luck, General Kenobi will arrive before they pay the price."

Suddenly, the building shook, accompanied by a loud boom, and both Jedi froze. Anakin had no hard data, but he felt death, pain, and fear ripple harshly through the Force.  Although Ahsoka's expression was concerned, she mercifully did not seem to feel what he felt because of her lack of experience.

  Anakin swallowed thickly. "The droids have broken through. R2, get a move on. We still have an objective to achieve. Ahsoka, are you ready to evacuate?"

In response, the Togruta struggled the heavy backpack straps over her slim shoulders.

  "Evacuate where?"

Before Anakin could respond, R2-D2 beeped in triumph. The faithful little droid projected a hologram of the monastery with a section flashing red.

  "A backdoor landing platform," Ahsoka announced as hope creeped in.

  "That's a great place to land a larty," Anakin added slowly as a plan started to form. "R2, you're the navigator–lead us down there and I'll call for an extraction."

Noticing Ahsoka struggling with the too large straps, Anakin helped her by tightening them, much to Rotta's discomfort.

  "Yes, I know it's too tight," he grumbled. "But you're going to slip out if we have to do any jumping around, aren't you? You're a slippery customer." To Ahsoka, he continued, "Now let's get moving. Those droids will be all over us before we know it."

* * *

R2-D2 rolled towards the exit with the Jedi following, Skywalker defending the rear.

  "Don't you remember what it's like to be a kid?" Ahsoka called over her shoulder, slightly annoyed by Anakin's hatred for Hutts and pointedly using her grammar to remind him that she was technically a kid too.

  "A pain in the neck, you mean?" The older Jedi by only a few years remarked irritably.

  The young Padawan stiffened and growled, "No, being treated as if you're inconvenient, deaf, and stupid by adults who ought to know better."

  "You are such a burden!"

  "Do you hear me, Youngling?!"

  "Are you stupid or just irritating?"

Shivering from a sudden chill, Ahsoka pushed the hurtful memories to the back of her mind and walked just a bit faster.

* * *

  Ouch. That was a real smack around the head, and Anakin couldn't argue with it. It well described his relationship with the Jedi Council. He found himself wondering how long it would take for the numbness and sense of duty to wear off and reality to slam him against the wall, screaming: "Why didn't you save Rex?! Why can't you save anyone who matters?! What's the point in being the Chosen One if you can't save people you care about?!"

  "Anakin, come in."

The young man was jerked out of his dark thoughts by a welcome voice that made his heart beat faster with dared hope.

  Ahsoka froze as she recognized the voice as well. "Who's that?"

  "Anakin, come in."

  Rex is alive. Thank the Force.

  His relief was short lived when the confused Padawan repeated, "Anakin?"

  "We've held the droids, sir." The Jedi Knight frowned at the flat, monotone voice.

  "That's not like Rex," he murmured.

  "What is your location?" Then it all clicked.

  "Ventress," Anakin growled with venom and closed the link.

  "Dooku's assassin?" Ahsoka asked with fearful fascination, her bright blue eyes wide like an innocent convor.

  "She's here to kill the Hutt and blame it on us."

  "And kill us too..."

  Yes, that was given. "We're here solely to get that Huttlet home. Everything else, Snips, will just be detail in the final report."

Anakin's thoughts and battle strategies were a whirlwind in his mind as he numbly followed his astromech droid. Plans were something you wish to happen. In Anakin's experience, you make a plan, execute the plan, expect the pain to go off the rails, and when it does, throw the whole thing in the trash.

  Call in a larty. Transfer the Hutt. Send the larty back to the ship and tell them to stand by with medics. Go back for Rex. Call for an evac. Extract Rex and the other survivors. That's what Anakin wished could happen. With the unwanted, primary mission out of his hands, he could make his men the priority. Should I send Ahsoka back with the Hutt? She'd be safer. Come to that, should I stay with the Hutt at all times, and leave Rex? No, he couldn't do that.

R2 chirped with his usual I-told-you-so attitude. There was a door at the end of the passage, which opened stiffly. Hot, humid air rushed out and smothered the human. Ahsoka inhaled deeply, grateful for fresh air. They ran onto the platform that ended in a sheer drop.

  The young general didn't waste a moment. "Skywalker to 501st air support, anyone receiving? I repeat, Skywalker here, we require evac and a medic–"

  "Skywalker, this is larty three-niner receiving, please give your position."

  "Transmitting the coordinates now."

  "Copy that, sir. On my way. Estimate six standard minutes. Injury?"

  "Negative, but the hostage is sick and will require treatment. Better get someone through the species pharma database." Anakin peered over the edge and studied the swarm of large insects. "And look out for FOD–three-meter flying insects."

  "Already fried a few of them in the drives, sir–they're attracted by the noise and seem to think we are a prospective mate. We've lowered the intake filters to stop them fouling the propulsion units completely."

  "Romance is really dead, then," Anakin joked humorlessly. "Standing by three-niner."