"What's going on? Nobody warned us about this!" Grivus yelled furiously, feeling a very noticeable blow to the cargo compartment of the Sinister. Well, of course, was it possible, when you already consider yourself the king of the situation and are only prepared to make this fact a reality, to expect that someone thinks differently. And not just think differently, but with all possible and impossible audacity, dare to surround him on all sides and start shooting at him. Yes, what did these Jedi think of themselves? Pathetic minions of a dying Republic, whose end is only a matter of time. This is exactly what Dooku and his almighty master Darth Sidious believe, who certainly knows everything about the plans of the Order and the Senate, since he has direct access to them, and not only through a dense network of agents. Grievous has known about all this for a long time and there is no reason not to believe it, there wasn't, but now...
"This is serious, they really are ion cannons, and not just one, but all four," Obi-Wan said anxiously as their ship flew out of cover in the form of a cloud.
"We need to strike them all at once," suggested Ahsoka. "We need to contact the other three and strike on command."
"Reasonable," agreed Kenobi, "but that's difficult now, because someone impatient fired first and now Grievous knows we're here."
"Yes," Asoka turned to them, smiling for some reason. "I'm also curious who it could be."
Anakin, unable to withstand his mentor's direct gaze from behind Kenobi's back, lowered his head guiltily. However, after a few seconds, he was ashamed of his momentary weakness, and ambition and pride surged through his veins like a violent underwater current. After all, he was an emotional and very uncompromising person by nature, who believed that his opinion should and must be listened to, and he could not stand being shamed. The teenager's face flushed, and raising his gaze, which was no less direct and burning with righteous anger, he looked at Asoka and said loudly and clearly, emphasising every word:
"You know, you're not the only one who can take such unjustified risks and make others worry about you! Sometimes it's good for you too to feel what we all feel at this moment!
Asoka was a little taken aback by such reproaches, but even now she could not help but admit the justice of some of them. True, she was guilty of a similar sin — the desire to be the first to rush into danger, often ahead of her elders and more experienced colleagues. Nevertheless, at that moment, she was the elder, and it was certainly not for the person who had just reproached her to point out her shortcomings. One must remember who is who, even when resentment overpowers other feelings.
"You know what, my dear student," she said calmly, though rather sternly, "you are absolutely right, I often take risks, but rest assured, at this moment I am going to risk only myself. You and your sword will remain completely unharmed. Take my word for it.
Skywalker was silent, catching his breath. He waited for his mentor to start scolding him in return and for another argument to begin, one that had been so familiar to them since childhood. But no, everything had changed, the old situation was gone. Back then, there was peace in the galaxy, but now it was torn apart by war. Back then, they were just children and best friends, but now they were teacher and student, which dictated new rules and imposed new obligations on both of them.
"Forgive me, teacher," he replied as calmly as possible, although the mockery still shone through in his voice. "I hope you understand what you're about to do."
"Excellent, I'm glad everything has been resolved and now you can hear what I plan to do," Asoka began when the conflict had subsided. "So, Now you two will move to Master Plo's ship, which is closest to us, and then I'll get mine as close as possible to the Sinister One so that Grievous will see me. That will distract him and we'll be able to destroy the cruiser.
"And you along with him," Anakin couldn't resist a snide remark, hiding his genuine concern for the Togruta, whom he continued to love despite their recent frequent disagreements.
"From the only cannon he'll have left," added Obi-Wan, agreeing with Anakin.
"You are wrong to think that I am acting rashly," Tano replied without a hint of resentment. "I agree that we will have to take a risk, but not nearly as great as if I stayed with you. I will fire the shot from my ship and eject at the last moment.
"As you say, General Tano," Anakin muttered under his breath. "We'll do as you say."
Ahsoka nodded with satisfaction and informed the communicator that Master Plo should dock their ships so that the two Jedi could transfer to his transport. Left alone, the Togruta began to carry out her plan, carefully checking every movement. She had to position the ship so that Grievous could see it and at the same time stand in such a way that she could disable his last cannon with a single shot. Finally, she managed to find the right position, and Grievous's hideous white mask, with its bright yellow eyes burning with fanatical and inexplicable hatred, was right in front of her eyes, or rather, in front of the windscreen.
"Greetings, General Tin Can," Tano said into the communication device. "I congratulate you, you have won, and as a token of my surrender, accept this modest gift from me.
"Very wise of you, but I'm afraid you're too late," Grivus croaked mockingly. "What do I need with one Jedi when I'm about to get everything that belongs to you? Me and Count Dooku.
"You remembered that old man at just the right moment!" Asoka said, thoroughly amused. "Soon you will all be together, but I'm afraid our property will be of no use to you!
"Don't hope for mercy, you naive little thing..." Grievous began to mock her again, but before he could finish, Ahsoka activated the communication link with the three ships and barked out a command:
"Fire!!!
With that, she pressed the fire button on the control panel, aiming at the right side cannon. Four bright orange bolts shot straight at the cruiser, almost engulfing it in a combined flame.
"Farewell, Sinister, farewell, our little formidable friend," Asoka waved her hand touchingly, sitting in the escape pod.
"Asoka, are you okay?" Kenobi's voice came over the communicator.
"I'm fine, Master," Tano replied carelessly, folding her arms across her chest and tapping her fingers on her palms. "I'm enjoying the show!
"We'll pick you up in a minute, unless you'd rather fly away with Master Windu." Judging by the irony in his voice, Kenobi was glad that everything had worked out. Meanwhile, the Sinister One, or rather, or rather, his pitiful burning remains, with a hum and a roar, plunged somewhere down below, and if you descended parallel to it, you could hear the scrap metal splash into a lake on the nearest planet, the one that was trying with all its might to remain neutral in the Clone Wars.
"Do you think Grievous is in the same situation?" asked Anakin when Ahsoka was already sitting in their ship. She was still visibly shaken, but was beginning to calm down.
"Of course, how could he survive in such a whirlwind?" replied the Togruta with confidence, leaning back in her chair. "The wood might float, but the metal — hardly!
That's true, if you forget to take into account the fact that even a notorious moral monster has someone to come to his aid. Just as the Sinister One is not immediately capable of going down. But these are all just guesses of those who have a tendency to think deeply and dig to the bottom of any situation, and there are few such people, as we know. Asoka, of course, belonged to this minority, but at that moment she was more inclined to think about what a good plan she had come up with, managing to defeat her enemy and protect her student from unnecessary risk. Anakin, seeing his mentor alive and well, was thinking much the same thing, and also a little about how great it would be if next time he came up with something like that himself and saved her. And then Asoka would definitely notice him. And then she might fall in love with him... No, definitely... And then... But he didn't have to wait long for the right moment.
***
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