I stood side by side with my master, Anakin Skywalker, as an incoming transmission came through from Plo Koon.

"Hello, Master Plo." I greeted my old friend.

"Koh-to-ya, little 'roar." Plo returned my greeting.

"How's the hunt for the mystery weapon going?" Anakin asked.

"We've tracked it to the Abregado system. We need reinforcements."

"I'll have to ask the council, Master Plo." I looked up at Anakin in confusion. It wasn't like my master to ask the council for permission to enter a fight. He would enter a fight when he was given a direct order not to. "I was given strict orders to protect our staging area." There was a static buzzing interference coming from Plo's ship. "Master Plo?" The transmission cut out, ending the communication. Anakin turned to start walking to the other side of the ship to contact the council.

"You heard Master Plo." I said as I followed closely by his side. "He needs our support. We have to go help him."

"We have to see what the council decides first. This is an important meeting, Aroara. Remember, be mindful, and speak only when spoken to."

"Yes, Master." Anakin gave me one last hard look before walking through the doors where the holograph of Yoda, Mace Windu, Chancellor Palpatine and Obi-Wan Kenobi projected on the table.

"This mystery weapon has struck in a dozen systems and disappeared without a trace." Mace was saying.

"We cannot afford to lose any more ships, my friends." Chancellor said before turning his attention to Anakin. "Ah, Master Skywalker. Have you had any success in finding General Grievous' secret weapon?"

"Master Plo was here in the Abregado system when we lost contact." Anakin informed the council. "And we had no further contact with General Plo Koon. The absence of distress beacons indicates that his fleet was-" Anakin looked down at me with soft blue eyes trying to choose his words wisely before returning his attention to the council again. "-that his fleet was destroyed like the others. We are about prepare a rescue mission."

"Hasn't Clone Intelligence reported this weapon never leaves any survivors?"

"The Separatists are being unusually tidy." Obi-Wan stated. "They don't want any witnesses."

"Tragic are these losses, but prevent more we must." Yoda said.

"All our battle groups will be reassigned to guard our supply convoys, including yours, Skywalker." Mace said. "I'm afraid we can't risk any more ships with a rescue mission." What?! They were just going to leave Plo out there, defenseless? This was absurd! This was infuriating!

"Wait!" I protested and I immediately felt Anakin's hard stare on me. "Just because there haven't been any survivors before doesn't mean there won't be any time." The council exchanged looks with one another.

"Boldly spoken for one so young." Chancellor said, folding his hands.

"She is learning from Anakin." Obi-Wan reminded him.

"Excuse my Padawan." Anakin growled as I found the courage to look up into his ice cold eyes. I challenged my master by returning the glare but when he looked back at the council, I hung my head knowing that I stepped out of line. "We will deploy as you have instructed, Master." The transmission ended and I turned to walk away but Anakin's harsh tone stopped me. "Aroara!" I turned on my heel to face him, ready to defend myself.

"If anyone could survive, Master Plo could." I declared. "I don't understand why-"

"What you don't understand is Jedi protcol or your place, my young Padawan." The doors behind me opened and Admiral and a clone walked in. "Admiral. We'll split up our ships to maximize our defense area. I'll scout ahead for enemy activity."

"Isn't that risky, with the mystery weapon out there?" Admiral challenged Anakin.

"It might be, but I know you won't argue my orders. Come on, Snips." Anakin past me out the doors and I followed after him.

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"Set those new coordinates, Artoo?" Anakin asked his droid. R2 beeped as he rolled over to the control panel.

"Master, I should tell you why I spoke up before." I said.

"You don't have to explain anything." I looked over at Anakin to see if I could get an expression from his eyes but he was to focused on the path in front of him to look over at me. I sighed and went back to my work as we jumped into hyperspace. R2 beeped behind me, looking for something else to do.

"Artoo, set up the scanner. Modulate for incoming. . . mystery weapons." R2 beeped and began to follow the order but Anakin stopped him.

"No, Artoo, tune the scanners for life-forms, highest sensitivity." I looked at him in confusion.

"Why would we scan for life-forms to spot an enemy weapon probably just filled with. . . battle. . . droids." I looked out the front window to see a massive large red star and my eyes grew wide with surprise. "The Abregado system. Huh." Anakin smiled up at me. "So it's okay when you don't follow what the council says."

"Doing what the Jedi council says, that's one thing. How we go about doing it, that's another. That's what I'm trying to teach you, my young padawan."

"So you alway meant to come out here for survivors?"

"Lives are in danger, Aroara. We can't just turn our back on them."

"That's what I said back in the briefing room."

"I know, but the way you said it was wrong. Hurry up; switch on the illuminator."

"We haven't got much time before the fleet misses us."

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I growled in frustration and slammed my fists onto the panel in front of me as my canine teeth grew sharper with anger. I felt Anakin's eyes pierce me but I didn't dare look over at him.

"Aroara, you need to have patience." He said. "Calm down."

"But the scanners are practically useless." I protested. "Please tell me you have something on the emergency channel, Artoo."

"Now, Aroara, we might find something you don't want to find."

"I know, Master." I began to calm down at the way he said my name. The way he spoke calmed me down. "But I have to believe."

"How do you know Master Plo, anyway?"

"He's one of my oldest friends. It was Master Plo Koon who introduced me to Ahsoka when I first came to the temple. Ever since then, Ahsoka and I were like sisters. He found me a friend when no one else wanted to even be near me. Now he's lost, so I thought maybe I could find him." R2 beeped behind us. "Incoming transmission, Master. I think someone noticed we're gone." I accepted the call and a holograph of Obi-Wan appeared on the panel between Anakin and me.

"Anakin, where are you?" Obi-Wan questioned him.

"Oh, hello, Master." Anakin greeted his old master. "Uh, we made a quick stop in the Abregado system."

"A rescue mission, I suppose. You had other orders."

"It was my idea, Master Obi-Wan." I jumped in to defend my master.

"Oh, I'm sure. Well, have you found any survivors?"

"No, you were right." Anakin answered. "The Separatists don't want any witnesses."

"All the more reason for you to jejoin the defensive escorts. We need you, Anakin. You're going to miss the rendezvous with the fleet if you don't hurry."

"I know, Master. We're on our way." The transmission ended and I hung my head with defeat. "I'm sorry, Aroara." R2 beeped again. "What is it, Artoo?" Beep, beep.

"Artoo thinks he's got something on the emergency channel." I translated.

"Can he trace it?" R2 beeped excitedly.

"Let's get going."

"Are we still picking up that signal?"

"Yes, but why aren't we finding anybody?"

"I don't know, Aroara. I don't know."

"Is there anyone out there?" I spoke into the emergency channel. "This is Aroara Starrunner. Can anyone hear me? Is there anyone out there? Come in. This is Aroara Starrunner. Is there anyone out there? Come in." I turned to R2. "Artoo, see if you can boost the reception." R2 denied the order and I growled again, canines sharpening. "Ugh!"

"Patience, Aroara. We're trying to boost the power. Hang on."

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"Anakin, the councl is furious." Chancellor said through the holograph on the control panel. "Why have you left your post?"

"I decided we couldn't just give up on Master Plo Koon." Anakin explained.

"A noble gesture, Anakin. But the council feels your daring may put others in danger. Please listen to me, Anakin. Return at once."

"Yes, Excellency." The holograph went out and I hung my head in defeat. I could feel Anakin's eyes graze over my face. Something stirred inside of me and I felt a strong connection with the force at the moment. The Force was trying to tell me something. I concentrated harder on the Force and an image of Master Plo flashed through my mind. My eyes grew wide with surprised. "Time to go, Aroara." I turned to him and looked into his eyes.

"We have to stay." I insisted.

"Aroara, I want to believe Master Plo's alive, but I just-"

"I know he's alive! I can sense it." I grabbed the controls to the ship and made a sharp right.

"Aroara!"

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Minutes of traveling through wreckage in space, I felt the Force growing stronger and stronger as if I was getting closer and closer to something. The floodlight scanned over the wreckage and landed on an escape pod with Master Plo and two clones on top of it.

"There they are!" I exclaimed.

"Ready tow cable." Anakin ordered. I got up and got it ready."

"Cable loaded, Master." The cable shot out and grabbed the escape pod pulling it in. I went to the back hatch to see the escape pod go through the force field and land with a thud. Master Plo and the two clones slid off the pod and onto the ground. I rushed over to Master Plo's side as Anakin came into the hatch. "Are you okay, Master Plo?" Movement inside the escape pod caught my attention. "There's someone in the pod." Anakin used the Force to pull the lid of the pod and another clone fell out. Anakin ran over to catch him as a medical droid came in.

"Will they be alright?" Anakin set him on the ground and walked over to me and Master Plo.

"The pressure suits offer some protection, but they require a medical frigate for recovery." The medical droid said. "I will stabilize them, sir."

"Your men are safe now." I told Plo.

"Tell me, were they any survivors?" Plo asked Anakin.

"We couldn't find anybody else." Anakin said.

"The hunters must have destroyed the rest."

"I"m sorry, Master Plo." I told him.

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"We tracked the mystery weapon to this system." Plo said as Anakin and I sat back down in the pilot seats. "That was when we found out it was an ion cannon."

"An ion cannon?" I questioned him.

"A weapon that neutralizes all power to our ships, leaving the targets defenseless." The scanners began to beep and I looked over to see a massive vessel heading towards us.

"There's a massive vessel approaching." Anakin said. Plo rushed forward and began to pull down all the levers on the control panel.

"Shut down the power systems before they detect us." Once all power was off, the ship came to a stop and just floated in space. R2 beeped behind us. "The droid!" I got up and ran over to him as he beeped questioningly.

"Sorry, little guy." I muttered as I shut him down and returned to my seat to see a massive ship heading right in front of us. "That is one big cruiser-crusher." The ship flew right past us and just when I thought it didn't detect us, it started to turn back around.

"They're coming back." Anakin exclaimed.

"Are all the systems shut down?" Plo asked.

"Is there a problem, sir?" The three of us turned around and saw the medical droid standing in the doorway.

"We forgot to shut off the medical droid." I stated. We turned back around and started to turn the power back on.

"We've got to get the power back on now." Anakin said.

"Can I be of assistance?" The medical droid asked.

"No, thanks. Just get in the back and take care of the clones."

"That is what I'm programmed for, sir."

"Come on; we've got to get out of here."

"I know. I know." I snapped as I made sure everything was working like it was supposed to. Anakin took control of the ship and flew through the wreckage in the opposite direction of the enemy ship.

"Artoo, program the navi-computer. Be ready to get us out of here."

"You forgot; we turned him off." Plo went back to turn the droid back on.

"Koh-to-ya, droid." Plo greeted him.

"Artoo, program the hyperdrive." I ordered. R2 beeped questioningly. "Anywhere. Hurry!" The scanners began to beep like crazy and I looked down to see a large plasma shield heading in our direction. "Master?" Anakin was concentrating on the path in front of him. We got out the debris field and R2 beeped. "We're clear." Anakin sent us into hyperspace, escaping the energy field.

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"Thanks for getting us out of there in one piece, General Skywalker." I heard a clone say as I knelt down beside R2 to see if he was ok after we landed on the Repbulic ship.

"You have my padawan to thank for that." Anakin said and I stood up and turned to him to see him smiling at me with approval. "She always said you guys would pull through."

"General Plo said someone would come for us. We're glad he was right."

"Skywalker, it is time to give our report to the council." Plo said as he walked off the ship and began to walk to the communication room.

"Right, the council report." Anakin said sarcastically as he followed Plo. R2 beeped as he watched them walk off but I stayed by the droid's side. When Anakin realized that I wasn't following him, he stopped and turned to me. "Come on, Aroara." My eyes grew wide with confusion.

"You want me there?" I questioned him. "I figured, because of before-" Anakin walked over to me till he was about a foot in front of me and looked down at me, his blue eyes soft and caring.

"Aroara, through it all, you never gave up. You did a great job. But if I'm getting in trouble for this, you're going to share some of the blame too." He let out a soft laugh that melted my heart. "So come on. Let's go."

"Right beside you, Master." He turned and I followed closely at his heels.