When Stars Align

Chapter 6 - Umbara

"You don't trust the men who are laying down their lives for a Republic that hasn't even granted them freedom?" He's furious, if he's being honest, but Krell is a Jedi Master.

"My command is effective because I do it by the book," Krell replies, towering over Anakin. It makes him feel small and wrong and – this is familiar. He doesn't want to be here. It's making his skin crawl, but he stands firm, glaring back, because this is for Rex. "And that includes protocol, something you and your master are severely lacking in."

"Sometimes, the lives we save are more important than a win," Anakin answers, but Krell's already turning away towards Rex, ordering him to have the platoons ready to move out.

***

Krell is either stupid, insane, or trying to get everyone killed. That much is clear. The least he can do is not snap and growl at everybody.

Anakin has seen this attitude before. It's familiar to him, and Anakin hates what it reminds him of. It's wrong. This is Krell. He's a Jedi Master. He's not evil. He's not a bad person if he's a Jedi. He's... But that doesn't change how he's talking to the clones. It's wrong.

They've been walking for hours now, literally, and they're all exhausted.

Krell refuses to let them take a break.

He's going to get them killed. How can he not care? Jedi can be cold, yes, but not – this is the first Anakin's seen it this bad.

Not entirely unlike how Barriss killed a clone without thinking about it even a moment. She just did it, like he wasn't a living person with a family the same way all civilians are. She was thirteen and she was panicking, so Anakin can understand it, but he can't – not this. The hurt and anger boiling inside him aren't something he can just let go of.

He won't even address Rex by his name, and Rex does well at hiding how upset and hurt he is by it, but Anakin can still sense it. The most he can offer is a silent, steady presence beside him.

Anakin feels helpless as everyone marches to their doom. It reminds him of not so long ago, when he was captured on Felucia by Trandoshans. The constant fear and helplessness of being hunted, of living in constant fear and tension without any weapons or anything to defend himself with, without any hope of getting off-world – that's what this reminds him of.

It feels the same.

Similar.

So similar.

There was nothing he could do for one of the padawans who died. He tried, but there was nothing...

Just like so many of his men.

Just like Echo at the Citadel when Anakin could do nothing but stand there and watch as one of his best friends blew up. Like so many people did on Tatooine.

People.

Not droids. Not slaves. Not – they're people. They deserve to be treated like it.

"Sir, we're ready to bring our forward platoons in for a surgical strike on the city's defenses," Rex says, stepping up to Krell.

"There won't be any need, Captain," he replies.

"Sir?" Rex asks, confused, and Anakin stares. He has a bad feeling about this.

"All platoons will execute a forward assault along the main route to the city," Krell answers.

That's when Anakin steps forwards, because a padawan he may be, but these are his friends, and this is such a stupid plan. "My master's plan was to divide our forces," Anakin interjects, "Engaging them on a full-front assault is too dangerous."