Battle of Teth

*"Find the renegades who hold Jabba's son, your mission will be, Skywalker.*"

The **Battle of Teth** was an assault during the first year of the Clone Wars that occurred on the planet Teth. The battle came about as the Republic searched for the kidnapped son of Jabba the Hutt, Rotta, who had been taken by the Separatists in a plot to turn the Hutt Cartel against the Jedi. The Republic located the Separatist holdout on Teth that was suspected of holding the Huttlet, leading to a Republic attack that started the battle. The Jedi Anakin and his recently appointed apprentice Ahsoka Tano lead the attack and were successful in both finding and extracting Rotta from the planet.

## Prelude

#### Previous: Battle of Christophsis

In the outbreak of the Clone War, the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems set out to secure resources and alliances within the Outer Rim to gain an advantage in the war efforts. The Hutt Cartel was a leading power in the Outer Rim Territories, making them a valuable ally. Count Dooku orchestrated a plan to kidnap the son of Jabba the Hutt, framing the Jedi for the crime only to then return him to the crime lord and disguise the act as goodwill by the Separatists, buying them favor from the Hutts during the war. After the successful kidnapping, Jabba called out for help across the galaxy. The Galactic Republic raced to find Rotta to buy routes through the Outer Rim.

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker were called upon to conduct the investigation into the kidnapping but were busy fighting on Christophsis. Master Windu and Yoda decided to relieve their war efforts on Christophsis so that they could better focus on the kidnapping. After victory was claimed at Christophsis, Obi-Wan was sent to Tatooine to speak with Jabba the Hutt and negotiate a deal with the crime lord on behalf of the Republic for peace and to allow for them to provide aid in finding Rotta. Upon arriving at Tatooine, Obi-Wan was taken to meet with Jabba where he assured him that the most powerful Jedi Knight was sent to rescue Rotta. Jabba was glad that the Jedi were aiding his search, but had a condition for the Jedi; that he bring the people responsible to Jabba dead or alive. He warned the Jedi that if he should fail, Count Dooku would not. He gave Obi-Wan one planetary rotation to deliver Rotta.

Anakin and his new apprentice Ahsoka Tano went to Teth to locate the young Hutt in response to a division of the 501st on the planet spotted a Separatist presence guarding a monastery, identifying them as the having posed as pirates to conduct the kidnapping of Rotta. Above the planet, Anakin was informed by the clones that he would be unable to land at the monastery where they suspected Rotta was being held, instead he would need to conduct a ground attack. While their Republic ships came in to land on Teth, Ahsoka entertained the clones with tales of her achievements on Christophsis.

## Recount

#### The Climb

Anakin's *Acclamator*-class transgalactic military assault ship rested in orbit of the planet where Anakin constructed his plan of attack on the monastery. He planned to lead his men up the vertical climb of rock on which the monastery had been built, using the strength of the Republic vehicles to survive the climb. Anakin dispatched himself and his forces aboard numerous LAA/i gunships. As they approached the battle site, Obi-Wan hailed his old apprentice to inform him of their new time-frame set by Jabba. He told Anakin that once he was finished negotiating with Jabba he would join his apprentice on Teth. The Confederacy forces spotted the Republic approach, opening fire on the ships. The Republic ships were able to land on the ground near the foot of the rock tower that housed the monastery without losses.

The Republic forces disembarked their ships and charged the Separatists, facing down heavy fire from above. The battle droid sergeant of the battle was knocked off the monastery platform and fell to his demise by a rocket blast from an AT-TE. The Republic forces then began their climb up the rock tower formation. The clones utilized their attachment cables while the Jedi used the natural vines and rock formation to climb, deflecting fire with their lightsabers. The AT-TE's were able to scale the wall with ease, trading heavy fire. The Separatists were able to destroy an AT-TE, causing it to fall and spread damage as it fell. Ahsoka leapt onto an AT-TE, letting it lift her higher and higher. As the AT-TE was eventually knocked off balance, Anakin leapt in to rescue his apprentice, fending off attacking STAPs. Anakin stole the final STAP, steering it up the tower and to the top. Anakin destroyed all the droids at the top of the monastery, eventually caught up with by his forces and Ahsoka. The Republic took control of the monastery exterior and landing platform. Asajj Ventress watched them from above. She sent her droid 4-A7 to lull the Republic into a false sense of security and gain their trust.

##### The Monastery

As the Republic forces entered the monastery they were met by 4-A7 who posed as the humble caretaker of the establishment. He informed them that all prisoners of the droids were kept on the detention level. Anakin and Ahsoka went to find Rotta while Rex and his forces remained outside. They stalked the dungeons where they dispatched several battle droids that waited to ambush them. They found Rotta in his cell. Ahsoka took a liking to the Huttlet, something that pushed Anakin to decide she was to carry him. It was around this time that Dooku visited Jabba's Palace, watching as Obi-Wan Kenobi left Tatooine to reinforce Anakin and Ahsoka on Teth. Dooku spoke with Jabba the Hutt, lying and telling him that he had discovered that it was the Jedi who had kidnapped his son and plotted to destroy Jabba. The crime lord demanded evidence of such an accusation. Dooku promised him that. On Teth, Ahsoka discovered that Rotta was sick. As the Jedi rushed to find Rotta comfort and medicine 4-A7 recorded them with the young Hutt, capturing audio of Anakin expressing his hatred of Hutts. Ventress transmitted the recording to Dooku who used the recording as evidence of his claims to Jabba the Hutt. Dooku then gave his dark acolyte a new mission; to recover Rotta and deliver him to Jabba unharmed.

Back on Teth, Ventress began her attack on the Republic forces. She sent several C-9979 landing crafts escorted by vulture droids to the monastery. The vulture droids peppered the landing area and courtyard with blaster fire from above, forcing the Republic forces to shelter. The Republic forces defended the inner courtyard, unable to expand out which allowed the Separatists to land their shuttles and disembark battle droid legions. The Republic forces retreated back inside the monastery, surrounded by Separatist forces. Anakin and Ahsoka vanished deeper inside the monastery, using R2-D2 to locate a schematic of the monastery to find a landing platform which could aid their escape. Rex and his men remained by the gates of the monastery to defend as the Separatists broke through the door and made their way inside. The clones were quickly overrun. Rex was thrown aside and injured in the fighting, one of the last men left alive. Ventress ordered her droids to scan the building for Rotta and the Jedi. Rex used the last of his strength to fire and execute the OOM-command droid. Ventress caught Rex in a force choke, interrogating him for the location of Skywalker. He refused to submit the information. Ventress used a mind trick on Rex to get him to contact Anakin and ask him his location. The plot failed, only alerting Skywalker to Ventress' presence. They fled for the landing platform.

##### Obi-Wan vs Ventress

Obi-Wan and his clones arrived above Teth aboard a *Venator*-class star destroyer. He flew down to the planet followed closely by V-19 Torrent starfighters that immediately engaged the vulture droids that guarded the monastery. Ventress ordered her droids to hold off Obi-Wan's attack until she completed her mission of recovering Rotta. She abandoned Rex and went in search of the Jedi. At the landing pad, Anakin tried to hail Obi-Wan and request a medical ship arrive to pick up him and Ahsoka, however their comms were jammed by the Separatists. Anakin tried Rex, successfully reaching him. Rex had been taken prisoner and held at gunpoint alongside a few remaining clones. The chirp of his comm unit alerted the guards, luring them close enough to him that he could grab a blaster and break free, starting an intense fire fight in the courtyard. Anakin called for a retreat with Ahsoka as Ventress arrived with droidekas. From afar, Ahsoka spotted a landing platform on another rock formation that housed a G9 *Rigger*-class light freighter. Anakin leapt onto the back of a flying can-cell that had been disturbed by the blaster fire to fly to the platform. Ahsoka, having not learnt to bond with creatures using the Force was too slow and was caught by Ventress. They dueled briefly before Anakin returned, knocking back Ventress. Ahsoka joined her master aboard the flying insectoid and together they flew across to the freighter.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was able to rescue Odd Ball who had been tailed by a pair of vulture droids he was unable to shake. He was joined by the thankful clone in flying down to the courtyard to aid Captain Rex in his intense fire fight. Just as Rex and his remaining clones were about to be defeated, Obi-Wan leapt into the battle from his starfighter, igniting his saber and cutting down droids. He ran into the monastery in search of Anakin, quickly running into Ventress. She ordered her droids to kill the Jedi, fleeing deeper inside the building where she could trap the Jedi. Obi-Wan took the bait confidently, destroying the droids and chasing after the dark assassin. Outside, Commander Cody had sent the LAA/i ships to provide ground support. He and his troops aided Rex. At the landing platform, Ahsoka spotted 4-A7 who had been loading the craft alongside battle droids. She identified him as a Separatist, destroying him and the droids. After a struggle with the engine, they took off, speeding to the medical bay of the *Venator* to provide aid for the sick Huttlet. As they entered low orbit they spotted that the ship however had been engaged by a *Munificent*-class star frigate. They had to leave the medical support and make straight for Tatooine. Obi-Wan was ambushed by Ventress who struck at him from the shadows. He deflected her every attack, even as she attempted to blind him with her cape. Eventually she impressed him by disarming him. He still dodged her attacks even without his lightsaber, pushing her back long enough to summon his saber back to hand. Obi-Wan lead the duel outside onto the external walkways of the monastery. At the same moment, both Obi-Wan and Ventress sensed that Anakin had left Teth, meaning he was successful in taking Rotta away from the Separatists. Knowing he was victorious, Obi-Wan ordered Ventress to lay down her weapon. Instead, Ventress summoned a vulture droid. She leapt onto the back of the droid starfighter as it flew past, letting it take her away from the Jedi. The Republic secured victory as the Separatist forces retreated lead by Ventress.

## Aftermath

#### Next: Raid on Ziro's Palace / Mission to Jabba's Palace

Aboard the freighter, Ahsoka was able to locate medical supplies that subsided Rotta's illness as they journeyed to Tatooine. Ventress sent word to Dooku, informing him of her failure. Knowing her news was heard by Jabba, she orchestrated the lie that Anakin Skywalker had killed Rotta and was now en route to Tatooine to kill Jabba in his plan to wipe out the Hutt Clan. Dooku volunteered himself to defend Jabba with his MagnaGuards.

## Event Chronology

* Anakin and Ahsoka lead an attack on the monastery.
* The Republic capture the monastery.
* Anakin and Ahsoka locate Rotta the Hutt.
* The Separatists record the Jedi with Rotta, using it as evidence of the Jedi guilt in kidnapping the Huttlet.
* Ventress is tasked with recovering Rotta.
* Anakin and Ahsoka escape Teth.
* Obi-Wan reaches Teth, dueling Ventress and buying time for Anakin's escape.
* Republic victory at the Battle of Teth.