The monastery's great doors groaned open under the combined push of clones and Jedi. Inside, the air was damp and heavy, thick with the stench of mildew and old stone. Moss crept along the walls, and shattered statues lined the hall like broken guardians. The faint hum of droid machinery echoed deeper within, carried by the dripping of rainwater through cracked ceilings.
Obi-Wan led the way, his blue saber blazing like a beacon in the gloom. Kaelen walked at his side, purple blade casting a ghostly glow over the ancient carvings. Behind them, Anakin strode with restless confidence, Ahsoka close on his heels, her green saber twitching impatiently in her hands. Clones fanned out cautiously, blasters raised.
The silence didn't last.
Droids emerged from shadowed alcoves, rifles blazing. The Jedi sprang into motion, blades flashing. Obi-Wan deflected with calm precision, every movement efficient. Kaelen mirrored him, though his strikes carried more fire, his saber snapping forward with speed that made clones pause mid-shot.
"Steady, Kaelen," Obi-Wan cautioned.
"I am steady," Kaelen replied, though his next strike sent a super battle droid crashing into the wall in pieces.
On the opposite flank, Anakin and Ahsoka moved like storm and spark—Anakin plowing through with raw power, Ahsoka darting nimbly between foes.
"Master, they're barely slowing us down," she said with a grin.
"That's because they're hiding something," Anakin replied grimly.
They pressed deeper. The resistance grew weaker, more scattered. It wasn't defense—it was delay. Kaelen felt it too, a hum of wrongness in the Force. His precognition prickled, warning of danger ahead.
"Master," he whispered to Obi-Wan, "they're leading us somewhere."
Obi-Wan nodded slightly. "I know. Question is—where?"
At last, they reached a vaulted chamber at the monastery's heart. The stench hit them first, foul and suffocating. Crates were stacked in rows, and atop one lay a small cage. Inside, a young Huttlet whimpered pitifully, its tiny green body slick with sweat, its eyes half-shut from fever.
Ahsoka wrinkled her nose. "What is that smell?"
Anakin approached the cage, frowning. "That… is Jabba's son."
The Huttlet burped weakly, then let out a thin wail. Ahsoka's face twisted in disgust. "You've got to be kidding me. This is what we came all this way for?"
Kaelen moved closer, his expression caught between sympathy and unease. The creature was small, helpless—yet its presence was heavy. He reached out with the Force and felt the fever burning in its body, its tiny heartbeat fluttering. "He's sick," Kaelen murmured. "If we don't move fast, he won't make it."
"Then we'd better not waste time," Anakin said, deactivating his saber. "Ahsoka, grab him."
"Me?" she squeaked, recoiling. "Why me?"
Anakin smirked. "You're the one who called him 'cute.'"
"I did not—" she started, but the Huttlet burped again, louder this time, and Ahsoka groaned. "Fine. But you're carrying him next time." She lifted the small Huttlet into her arms with obvious distaste.
The clones exchanged smirks. Kaelen said nothing, though his lips twitched faintly. Even in the middle of war, the sight of a Padawan wrinkling her nose at a slimy Huttlet was oddly grounding.
But the moment didn't last.
Rex's comm crackled. "General Skywalker, we've got movement outside. A whole battalion of droids converging on the monastery!"
Anakin cursed under his breath. "Of course they are."
Obi-Wan's expression hardened. "It's a trap. They wanted us to take the bait."
Kaelen gripped his saber tighter, the hum of danger in the Force spiking. "Then what now?"
Anakin's eyes gleamed with defiance. "Now? We fight our way out."
Ahsoka adjusted the squirming Huttlet in her arms. "And babysit while we do it."
Kaelen stepped forward, voice sharp. "Split the clones between us. Master Kenobi, you hold the droids back. Skywalker and I will clear the route—"
Obi-Wan cut him off. "That's not your call, Padawan."
Kaelen flushed. "But if we don't move now, they'll box us in!"
Anakin smirked. "Looks like Kenobi's Padawan has some fight in him."
Obi-Wan shot him a look, then turned back to Kaelen. "You're not wrong. But remember—strategy first, impulse second."
Kaelen bowed his head, swallowing his frustration. "Yes, Master."
The monastery erupted into chaos.
Droids stormed the halls, their blasters filling the chamber with a storm of red bolts. The clones formed a defensive perimeter, blasters blazing in return. Obi-Wan stood at the center, his blue blade a shield, guiding his men with calm commands.
Anakin and Ahsoka darted through the melee, carving a path toward the exit. The Huttlet squealed in Ahsoka's arms, nearly slipping from her grip as she spun to deflect a shot.
"Ugh, he's heavier than he looks!" she shouted.
"Focus!" Anakin barked.
Kaelen leapt into the fray, his purple blade cutting down a squad of droids with sweeping precision. His precognition lit his path—he blocked bolts before they fired, moved before droids turned to face him. Clones cheered as he cleared their flanks.
But he pressed too far. A super battle droid swung its massive arm, slamming into his side. Kaelen grunted, knocked back against a pillar. His saber flickered dangerously close to his face.
"Kaelen!" Obi-Wan shouted.
The boy snarled, forcing himself up. His blade flashed in a sudden surge of strength, cutting the droid in half. His chest heaved, but his eyes burned with defiance. "I'm fine," he gasped.
Obi-Wan blocked another volley, his jaw tight. Just like Anakin, he thought grimly.
At last, the Jedi forced the droids back enough to secure the exit. Rex rallied the clones, herding them into formation. Anakin led the push, Ahsoka clutching the Huttlet like a reluctant nursemaid. Obi-Wan brought up the rear, Kaelen at his side, both blades flashing in perfect counterpoint.
As they burst into the storm outside, Anakin shouted over the rain, "We'll take Rotta to Tatooine. Jabba needs to see his son alive!"
Obi-Wan nodded grimly. "I'll remain here to stall their pursuit. Ventress is close—I can feel her."
Kaelen's eyes widened. "You're staying? Alone?"
"Not alone," Obi-Wan said firmly, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You'll go with Anakin. Protect the Huttlet. Protect Ahsoka. That's your mission."
Kaelen's throat tightened. He wanted to argue, wanted to prove himself at his Master's side. But Obi-Wan's gaze brooked no debate. Slowly, Kaelen bowed his head. "Yes, Master."
Obi-Wan gave a faint smile, one of trust, before turning back toward the monastery. His blue saber flared as he disappeared into the storm.
Kaelen clenched his fists, the fire in his chest burning hotter than ever. He would not fail.