Star Wars: The End of Time

Part 7

Anakin bit his lip as Obi-wan laid out the details of the three-pronged attack they would be using on Hypori. It made the most sense for Anakin to lead the air assault , or so he was being told, which he didn't like, being the best pilot in the group, that would herald the incoming detachments led by Obi-wan and Ahsoka.

The problem was that Ahsoka had been given an entire detachment to lead and she had little experience. She would only have Rex by her side to help her and that was disturbing to Anakin. After all, wasn't he her master and responsible for her safety? What would he tell the council if she perished due to his lack of guidance? He fidgeted as Obi-wan continued to explain where he was to be and how things were to go during the fight, as if he already knew how it would be in fact. It was hard to pay attention because the voices in his head were screaming for him to say something about this plan and his lack of faith in it. To voice his protest about what was going to happen on the surface while he was stuck in the air dropping bombs that would do little or no damage. Instead, he continued chewing on his bottom lip and tried to concentrate on the plan that was to unfold above the droid manufacturing facility. "

As you fly assault," Obi-wan said in a calm tone, gesturing to the holographic display with his hand. "Ahsoka will lead her detachment in from this side and I will flank from the other side."

Anakin's eyes flew over the scenario taking in all the factors and making a map inside of his head of where he would be. Determining how the scenario would finally play out. There were so many things wrong with the projection of how the battle would be fought.

"When do I land?" he asked still thinking about how he was going to save them from themselves.

After all it was his mission to keep everyone safe because he was, as they had always said, the hero without fear and the Chosen One. If only they knew what he really was. Knew the fear that lay inside of his heart as he projected calm on the outside. It was there just waiting to spring from his body and consume him. This mission might prove it's chance to be released and the real Anakin Skywalker would then be known to all that he had fooled for so many years.

"There will be a rendezvous point three clicks from the battle," Obi-wan said highlighting a part of the blue coloured map which showed a point outside of the true fighting. "Here you will refuel and restock armament for the second and third pass."

"I'm flying during this whole thing?" Anakin asked the worried tone in his voice rising as he thought of the consequences. He hadn't planned on not being able to be involved in the ground assault in anyway. He wanted to get his hands dirty. It was where he knew he could do the most good. This made Anakin unhappy.

Obi-wan merely shook his head in the affirmative and clicked back through maps to the tactical display and began laying out the plan again.

Anakin rose and started pacing around the map trying to take in all the different perspectives and make a whole picture which he hoped would somehow start to make sense to him. Nervousness always got the best of him in situations where he felt like he couldn't control what was happening and this was one of those times. Obi-wan had engineered this whole plan and it didn't look good to his eyes and somewhere in the pit of his stomach, it didn't feel good either. There had to be another way to take care of this place. There just had to.

"I don't like the plan," Anakin said finally being deadly serious, his voice very low and controlled. If he didn't voice his opinion now, he would never get the chance and he would find himself soaring above Hypori and blasting a factory that was buried underground. It would do no good and those that he held dear in his heart would be underground dying. There would be nothing he could do to stop it.

"Excuse me?" Obi-wan said and looked at his former padawan. His mouth was a tight line as he looked at Anakin and raised his eyebrows disapprovingly. Anakin knew that look. It was the way Obi-wan tried to tell Anakin that they didn't disagree in public.