Aboard Republic Cruiser ResoluteEn route to Teth — Briefing Room, Outer Deck
The low hum of the hyperspace drive resonated through the durasteel walls of the Republic cruiser. Outside the viewport, streaks of starlight stretched across infinity as the Resolute surged toward its next battlefield.
Inside a compact briefing chamber, the air was thick with focus. Anakin Skywalker stood at the command holotable, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed on the shifting blue terrain of Teth's jungle canyons. Beside him, Ahsoka Tano stood with arms crossed, head tilted in concentration.
Across the room, Captain Rex, his helmet clipped to his side, stood shoulder to shoulder with Jason Shan, who leaned lazily against the wall, arms folded and eyes narrowed as he studied the terrain scan.
A weary clone scout lieutenant, armor scuffed from jungle grit, stood at attention before them.
Anakin's voice was clipped, but steady.
"Lieutenant, did the kidnappers see you?"
The scout shook his head. "No, sir. We're the best scouts in the regiment."
"What about the bounty hunters? Are they still down there?"
"I don't think so. We haven't seen them in a while."
Jason rubbed a hand along his jaw. "Too quiet. That's never a good sign."
Anakin leaned in slightly. "Well, what are we up against?"
The lieutenant adjusted the projection controls. The image of the monastery loomed larger—perched like a stone crown atop a jungle-covered spire, its flanks bristling with red threat indicators.
"Looks like at least two droid battalions protecting a monastery." His voice dropped slightly. "It's heavily fortified, sir. You won't be able to land there."
Anakin exhaled through his nose, stepping back. "Good work. Get some rest."
The lieutenant nodded and left quietly. The door hissed shut behind him.
Silence hovered for a beat. In hanger bay a group of clone trooper and Captain Rex stand around Ahsoka as she tells the tale of how the shield generator blew up.
"That sounds like a lot, even for a Jedi." exclaimed on clone
Another clone trooper grinned. "I heard you were surrounded by droids. How did you ever get the shield down?"
Anakin rolled his eyes. Ahsoka stepped forward with barely restrained excitement.
"Okay, so there's a wall behind him with a hole in the middle..."
Jason raised a brow, smirking already.
Ahsoka kept going, animated now. "...so I pull the wall down on top of the droids, destroying them... and saving the General." Laughter rangs out between the clones and Jason.
Rex turned to Anakin. "Is that true, sir?"
Anakin scratched the back of his neck. "Well, most of it."
Jason laughed, pushing off the wall. "She left out the part where you nearly got flattened."
Anakin ignored him and turned to the clones gathering in the ready chamber beyond the glass.
"All right, men, we still got a job to do."
"Yes, sir. You heard the General, move it!" Rex barked.
"All right, back to business," Jason echoed, stepping toward the door.
Anakin looked back at Ahsoka with a faint grin. "Would this be a good time to teach you that a Jedi is humble, my young Padawan?"
She raised her chin, trying not to grin. "Sorry, just trying to keep the boys inspired, is all."
Jason, halfway out the door, called back with a smirk. "It worked."
Tatooine – Outer Dune SeaJabba's Palace – Great Audience Hall
The twin suns of Tatooine hung high in the sky, bathing the harsh desert in waves of heat and dust. A lone Republic shuttle descended through the scorching atmosphere, kicking up spirals of sand as it settled outside the towering gate of Jabba the Hutt's palace.
The ancient fortress loomed like a rotting carcass in the dunes — scarred, timeworn, and teeming with secrets.
Inside the darkened halls, Obi-Wan Kenobi moved through corridors of stone and iron, flanked by Gamorrean guards and watched by a dozen suspicious eyes from every shadowed alcove. The air stank of musk, spice, and fear.
As the heavy doors to the throne room creaked open, Obi-Wan stepped forward with a composed smile, his cloak swirling behind him, boots echoing against the sand-covered floor.
He leaned slightly toward his translator droid, which whirred beside him nervously.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Jabba's in a good mood."
The droid gave a twitch of its photoreceptors, clearly unconvinced, but waddled forward.
Together, they approached the dais where Jabba the Hutt slithered lazily atop his throne. His massive tail curled beneath his corpulent body, and his yellow eyes narrowed at the approaching Jedi.
Dancers scattered. Blasters lowered — but not by much.
The protocol droid cleared its throat, translating loudly across the chamber.
"We should not keep the wise and powerful Jabba waiting."
Obi-Wan gave a slight bow, lips curling in practiced diplomacy. "I wouldn't dream of it."
He raised his voice, addressing the throne directly.
"Mighty Jabba, one of our most powerful Jedi is on his way to rescue your son.We will not let you down."
A low rumble built in Jabba's chest — something between a growl and a belch of amusement. He waved a flabby hand toward his majordomo, a pale Twi'lek who slithered to the front, eyes sharp.
"The most gracious Jabba has one more small condition," the majordomo translated, voice slathered in false courtesy. "He demands you bring back the slime who kidnapped his little punky muffin."
Obi-Wan blinked. "'Punky'?"
The majordomo's expression did not change. "Dead or alive."
The room grew colder.
"If you do not succeed, Count Dooku and his droid army will."
There was no mistaking the threat — not just in the words, but in the tension that followed them. Behind Obi-Wan, even the guards had stilled. Jabba's gaze did not waver, yellow eyes unblinking.
Kenobi inclined his head slowly, hiding the calculation in his eyes.
"Understood."
Planet Teth – Upper AtmosphereRepublic LAAT/i Gunship Formation — En Route to the Monastery
The skies of Teth were choked in heavy stormclouds, the clouds boiling like ash over jungle-choked cliffs. As far as the eye could see, green canyons and vertical rock spires jutted toward the sky, shrouded in mist and ancient silence.
A fleet of Republic gunships tore through the cloud cover, their engines screaming as they darted between ridgelines. Inside the lead craft, the atmosphere was tense.
Anakin Skywalker stood near the forward hatch, hand gripping the overhead rail as the transport jostled. Beside him, Ahsoka Tano secured the last of her gear, double-checking the explosive charges. Across the cabin, Jason Shan leaned against the wall, saber clipped to his belt, arms folded, calm but alert.
Around them, rows of clone troopers sat locked and ready, blasters in hand, visors reflecting the dull red glow of the inside lights.
The gunship's holoprojector activated with a soft whir and flash of blue light. General Obi-Wan Kenobi's figure materialized — calm, composed, standing within the marbled shadow of Jabba's palace. His image flickered slightly with the comm interference.
He looked directly at Anakin.
"All right, Anakin, here's the story."
The cabin quieted, the rumble of the engines fading into background.
"Jabba has given us only one planetary rotation..." Kenobi continued, his voice carrying the weight of diplomacy and urgency, "...to get his son back home to Tatooine safe and sound."
Ahsoka leaned forward, whispering to Anakin, "One rotation? That's barely a day."
But Anakin's expression didn't waver. He gave a confident half-smile.
"Won't take us that long, Master."
Obi-Wan's holoform shifted slightly. "Well, take extreme care. We have no idea who's holding Jabba's son."
Jason crossed his arms, his brow furrowing. "Then whoever it is, they've gone to a lot of trouble to make it look like we're the enemy."
The holoprojection flickered again as Kenobi concluded.
"When I've finished negotiations with him, I will join you."
The transmission ended with a soft pulse, and the light died out.
Outside the gunship, the fog thinned just enough for the cliffs to emerge — the monastery now visible in the distance, carved into the side of a vertical canyon wall like a forgotten temple. Defensive turrets blinked red from its balconies. The entire structure was bristling with firepower.
"Alright," Anakin called, turning to the clones. "Buckle in. We're going straight up that wall."
The gunships shifted formation, preparing to drop troops at the base of the vertical climb. Far below, the jungle canopy stretched endlessly, broken only by the narrow ascent leading up to the fortress.
Jason cracked his neck. "Nothing like climbing a cliff while getting shot at to start the morning."
Ahsoka flashed a grin. "You call this morning? I call this ridiculous."
Rex stepped forward, voice level and dry. "Gear check. We hit hard, we hit fast."
The gunships dipped lower, catching the edge of the updrafts. Below them, blaster fire was already rising from enemy emplacements.
And the climb had just begun.