Anakin Skywalker's rescue team, which includes Captain Tarkin and the ARC troopers Fives and Echo, makes its careful way through the caves outside the Citadel. They are attempting to make their way to their escape shuttle, currently tended to by R2-D2 and his reprogrammed battle droid squad.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Even Piell and their clone troopers skulk through the access corridors lining the Citadel. They are making their way to the landing pad. A remote probe spots the intruders, and suddenly security doors begin slamming shut. One poor clone trooper isn't fast enough to avoid the grisly fate of getting caught in a door.

Inside the Citadel control room, tactical droid K2-B4 informs warden Osi Sobeck that Count Dooku awaits him on the holographic communicator. Sobeck carefully updates the disappointed Dooku on the state of his Jedi prisoners. Sobeck assures Dooku that he will recapture the prisoners and secure the navigational data of the Nexus Route.

In the canyons, Ahsoka grows leery of Tarkin and his admiration of the Citadel's brutal efficiencies. It doesn't help matters that Anakin can see Tarkin's point. Anakin tells Ahsoka to lead the team while he protects it from behind. Tarkin doesn't trust someone so young to lead them through so treacherous a terrain.

R2-D2 and his battle droids land the escape shuttle at their designated landing pad, arriving earlier than the Jedi. R2-D2 is confronted by K2-B4, who accuses him of being a traitor. Artoo's loyal droids play along, marching the little astromech to the interrogation center.

Ahsoka inadvertently leads her team to a dead end, when they are boxed in and attacked by droids. Anakin leaps into the fray, holding off the attackers while Ahsoka plants explosives on the obstructing wall, blasting their way to freedom.

Obi-Wan, Cody, Even Piell and the rest of their troops escape to the Citadel surface. As they attempt to steal a bank of STAP speeders, they are pinned by laser turrets, crab droids, droidekas and commando droids. Osi Sobeck has predicted their every move.

The captives are marched before Osi Sobeck, who threatens their lives unless he receives the Nexus Route information. When Piell refuses, the warden coldly executes a clone trooper. When word reaches Sobeck that the other team has been located, the warden orders the captives to be taken to interrogation.

R2-D2 and his battle droid team intercept the security detail escorting the captives. Artoo's battle droids pull rank and take custody of the prisoners. When the coast is clear, R2-D2 frees them of their bonds, and they begin to make their way to the shuttle.

Anakin, Ahsoka, Tarkin and the clones make their way into a fuel pipe that will lead them to the docking bay. During the long march to freedom, Tarkin and Anakin discuss the role of the Jedi in the war. Tarkin finds their tactics ineffective -- the Jedi Code often prevents them from doing everything possible to win a conflict. Anakin, surprisingly, agrees with Tarkin's assessment.

Emerging from the fuel pipe, Ahsoka and Anakin must defend themselves against squads of battle droids and crab droids. To cover their escape, Anakin tosses an explosive charge into the fuel line, creating a massive blast that rattles the droids apart.

Osi Sobeck is enraged to learn the prisoners never made it to the interrogation center. Sobeck ignores an incoming call from Count Dooku. He is intensely focused in capturing the escaped prisoners. He orders security bolstered at the airfield, the only possible route of escape.

Obi-Wan and his team arrive at the airfield, but are surrounded by alerted battle droids. A battle erupts, and heavy laser cannons pin the intruders behind storage containers on the airfield.

Just then, Anakin and his team arrive, charging the airfield with blasters blazing and lightsabers swinging. The battle is joined.

In addition to the droid forces and heavy turrets, the Separatists pour on the firepower with battle droid reinforcements riding STAPs.

ARC Trooper Echo spots one of the commando droids manning the turrets lining up a shot on the escape shuttle. Echo charges the turret, but it's too late. The droid shoots the shuttle, and Echo is caught in the blast. Only Echo's charred helmet survives the explosion.

With their only means of escape destroyed, Obi-Wan and Anakin contact the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, requesting extraction. The Council agrees to send in cruisers to fly through the fortified blockades protecting Lola Sayu.

While they await rescue, the Jedi and the surviving clones seek refuge in the hellish caverns beneath the Citadel.