ARAMINTA, anakin skywalker

[ 013 ] assassins don't like pirates

"This one," he said, confidently. Araminta shrugged dramatically and held out a hand. Obi-wan hit the button to the cell, which slid open to reveal two ragged looking men sitting inside, who glanced up at the pair in the doorway.

"Huh," Araminta said, pointedly. The prisoners exclaimed something in an unfamiliar language, getting to their feet sharply, their stances noticeably aggressive.

"Don't bother. You're not the prisoner I'm looking for," Obi-wan told them, before closing the door in their face, cutting off any sound inside. Araminta gave him a grin when the Jedi turned away. "What?" he snapped

"Nothing," she said with a shrug, strolling a bit further before gently kicking at another door. "This one."

Obi-wan stepped to her side. "And what's the criteria? An echo?" he asked, snidely.

Araminta sneered at him. "Just open it."

He relented and opened the door, which revealed an empty cell with a single chair. Araminta tensed, hand resting loosely against the knife at her hip as they stepped inside together, her shoulder pressed against Obi-wan's as she covered his back. Araminta let out a sharp breath, hearing something, eyes flicking up to see the shadow above them. Obi-wan brandished his sabre but not before Araminta had thrown her knife as the assailant pounced at them.

"Watch it!" Anakin snapped, stopping the blade with the Force.

Araminta's eyes widened, before her face relaxed. "Oh, it's you," she sighed.

"This is how you thank us for rescuing you? Pounce from the ceiling?" Obi-wan chimed in, deactivating his lightsaber.

Anakin rolled his eyes as he handed the knife back to Araminta, who gladly resheathed it. "Kind of difficult without a... lightsaber," Anakin trailed off as he noticed the extra at Obi-wan's hip. "Thanks," he chirped, accepting the weapon.

"Did you manage to locate Dooku before landing in jail?" Obi-wan asked seriously.

"Well, I know he's on board," Anakin told them as Obi-wan began to exit the cell, forcing the other two to fall into step with him. "Might have been able to do something about it if I'd had my weapon."

"It was important for you to arrive without it so your capture would be convincing," Obi-wan told him firmly.

"Oh, they were convinced all right," Anakin snipped. "But how come I'm the one getting caught all the time? It doesn't look good." Araminta snickered at him as they fell into single file, Obi-wan leading the charge with the assassin in the middle and Anakin trailing behind.

"When you're a Jedi Master, you can make the plan," Obi-wan said without glancing over his shoulder.

"That's just it," Anakin contested, hands on his hips. "How can I become a Jedi Master if I'm always getting caught?"

Obi-wan responded, "At least you're a master– at getting caught."

"Very funny," Anakin deadpanned.

"How was your fake-out?" Araminta asked, referring to the battle Anakin had had to falsify to be captured. The man gave her an annoyed sort of look.

"Embarrassing," he admitted, dramatically. Araminta grinned into her hand, knowing he could only see the back of her head as they walked, but didn't doubt he could predict her reaction after so long.

"Maybe next time Araminta could get caught," Obi-wan proposed.

"Then who would save your ass?" Araminta said pointedly, before slowing down abruptly, Anakin almost running into her, foot scuffing at her heel. She shoved him back a bit, before Obi-wan realised they had stopped, turning around curiously.