Anakin Skywalker
"You're late," Obi-Wan says as Ahsoka and I walk into the room where him, Qui-Gon, Aniya, and Alema are congregated to prepare for the upcoming battle.
"Sorry, Master," I reply, "Ahsoka and I were busy routing the Seppies near Dorin."
"Of course," Aniya smirks.
"My squadron alone had fifty-five kills," Ahsoka brags.
"Yeah," I turn towards my padawan with a smirk, "But mine had seventy-six."
"Showoff," she huffs before turning away. Aniya laughs at our bickering.
"To be fair," Alema interjects, "We are still much younger than you and haven't even been Padawans for a year yet."
"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves," Obi-Wan interrupts, glancing between us.
"Don't we usually?" chuckles Aniya.
"Hey, it's just a little friendly competition, Master," I argue. "Nothing to worry about."
"What I worry about is the way this war seems to be drawing out with no end in sight," he replies, expression serious again before he turns back to the hologram in front of us.
"Which is why our invasion of Geonosis must be successful," interjects Qui-Gon. I can't believe we're going back there again. Honestly, this is another one of those planets I never want to lay eyes on again. At least my entire family is here. I don't know what I'd do if they weren't. This place holds very bad memories. We went there after Mom died. It was where the war started, where I learned one of the few people I looked up to was a Sith, where – no. Don't go there. That doesn't mean I can stop remembering the blinding, searing agony unlike anything I've ever felt. I left a part of myself here. Literally. I'd like to leave it behind for good, thank you very much. I am so going to enjoy burning this place to the ground.
"Whatever they throw at us, we can handle it," chirps Alema. "Right, Master?"
"Sure thing, Icicle," she grins.
"Never be too overconfident," Qui-Gon cautions, a teasing note in his voice.
Obi-Wan clears his throat. "In case you've all forgotten, we have a battle to be attending to." Right.
"Ahsoka, contact the Outer Rim Command," I instruct, "We're ready for our briefing." No point waiting. The sooner the battle on Geonosis is won, the better.
Moments later, we find ourselves surrounding a hologram with the map of the area. Holograms of Yoda, Windu, Luminara, and Palpatine are standing around it also.
"Our ships are in position, and we are ready to begin our campaign against the Geonosians," Obi-Wan reports.
"And what about Poggle? Any report on his location?" Windu inquires.
"They're already waiting for us."
"It seems he's holed up at the primary droid foundry here," Obi-Wan responds, pointing to the spot on the map. "The factory is protected by a shield generator. We shall attempt a three-pronged attack through their defense lines to a staging area just short of the shield." Three green arrows appear pointing to the destination. "Once we've landed, we shall knock out the shield generator. That is our primary target."
"Isn't it risky committing four generals to one area of the attack?" argues Palpatine, "If something went wrong, we could be dealt a serious blow."
"Whatever it is, we'll come out alive," offers Aniya brightly.
"To ensure that rise again Geonosis does not, capture Poggle we must," insists Yoda.
"Of course," the Chancellor nods, "As always, I shall leave the strategy to you, Master Jedi."
"Our thanks, Chancellor," nods Qui-Gon.
"May the Force be with you," Windu says as all the holograms but Luminara's disappear, and our clone commanders walk into the room. Time to get down to business.
"We all ready, Rex?" I ask as Ahsoka and I board the ship not long later.
"Yes sir," he confirms, "General Kenobi is already underway."
"Well, he's got a head start. We'll have to catch up," I respond as the gunships leave the cruiser. Before I know it, we're surrounded on all sides by the familiar sounds of battle. Explosions rip through the air. Even as we go, I can sense the nearby gunships being taken out one by one as we make our way towards the landing spot. The ship jerks suddenly and starts plunging towards the ground. We're hit, just enough to knock us down but not enough to be deadly. It slams into the ground with a crash, leaving a trail of smoke and flames behind. Well, we will be late again, but that's not my fault.
"Come on!" I call, shoving the door open and jumping out. We'll have to make it the rest of the way on foot. Ahsoka and the clones follow as the bugs start shooting back at us. Leaving the rest of the group, I start pushing forwards, cutting through droids as I go.
Explosions ring around me as the Geonosians continue firing nonstop. I dodge out of the way of a blast from their weapons hits the place I was standing moments before and keep pressing forwards, Ahsoka following. We work our way up to a ledge where the clones can take shelter behind as we stand in front, continuing to deflect the blaster bolts.
"Rex, what's the word?" I inquire, jumping over the ledge so we can talk, "Can Obi-Wan send support or not?"
"I don't so, sir," he replies, "Cody says General Kenobi never reached the landing site. They think his gunship got shot down." Not good. Not good at all.
"Great," I groan. "The one time I actually ask Obi-Wan for help, he's nowhere to be found!"
"Well, what if something happened to General Kenobi?" Ahsoka asks worriedly, stepping around the mound to take shelter next to me, "He could be injured or –"
"No time for that kind of talk," I interrupt. I can't stop to think about all the possibilities. I can't let myself get distracted right now, or we'll all die here. And then everything will be pointless. He's still alive, whatever it is, and we need to get done with this part of the battle so we can go back and find him. "Any word from Aniya?"
"No, sir," he replies. Just as I was afraid of. I reach through the Force, but they don't seem to be in any danger right now. At least not mortal danger. Qui-Gon is injured, and with a second thought, I think Obi-Wan is too. I try not to think about the possible implications. At least they're still alive. Aniya is worried but seems in perfect condition. I certainly would have felt it, even though the battle, if something happened to her. I can only trust they'll be able to make it out. "Rex, we need to mobilize, now! Get the men together. We're going to rush the guns."
"Yes, sir." Rex stands up and hurried away.
I reactivate my lightsaber. "Ahsoka, you're with me. We need to give Rex cover when we attack."
"Got it, just give the word," Ahsoka replies. She's trying to stay focused, but I can sense her distraction, her concern.
"Hey, I'm worried about him, too, but you have to keep your mind in the here and now, otherwise we'll never be able to help Obi-Wan."
"All here, sir." Rex and several others hurry over to us.
"Ready? Now!" I shout, leaping over the ledge and charging forwards. I throw myself into the Force, as I always do, letting it carry me forwards. The battle moves past in a blur, but I press forwards. We finally come to a stop again, momentarily taking shelter behind another ledge on the rocks. Around the corner is that giant wall we'd seen on the hologram earlier. Great. The exact place I'd promised Ahsoka earlier we wouldn't be going to. So much for that. Well, it is what it is, and we might as well take care of it now that we're here. The droids atop the wall start shooting at us, and we hastily dive for cover along the wall.
"Well, this is another fine mess you've gotten us into," she huffs.
I duck instinctively as an explosion rings out nearby, debris and rocks exploding across the area. The air is thick with smoke. "What? Hey, it's not my fault! You were supposed to study the holomaps!"
"I did!" she retorts, "Remember when I reminded you about the giant wall and you said, 'don't worry Snips, we won't be anywhere near that'?"
I duck again and shield my eyes as debris flies everywhere. "Just get ready to climb!" I order, pointing to the nearby wall. We get up, making our way around the rock formations until the wall is right in front of us.
"So, what's the plan, General?" Rex inquires.
"Just keep us covered, Rex," I reply.
"There's too much laser fire for all of us to make the climb," he observes.
"Ahsoka and I will handle this. Just be ready when that wall comes down," I warn. We stop to double-check our backpacks carrying the bombs for the walls, then take off. The air is dark with smoke, and blackened sand swirls up from the explosions ripping through the ground. I keep running, ducking beneath the blaster bolts, focusing solely on the distance between us and the wall. I glance sideways, just to make sure my padawan is still there – I can never know who will be next to fall on the battlefield – and keep running.
We reach the wall at once, instantly firing grappling hooks which catch onto the rocks atop the wall. Our ascent is only a matter of minutes, but even as we go, I can sense my men dying. We need to move faster. I scramble over the edge of the wall, then turn to help up Ahsoka before reigniting my lightsaber. The droids on the part of the wall right below us spot us instantly and start firing. Our lightsabers swing in unison, deflecting bolts. "How many droids have you shut down so far?" I call after a couple minutes of fighting, hurriedly taking the droids down one by one. The sooner they're down, the sooner we'll get the wall down.
"Twenty-five," she yells back over the noise.
"Ah, you're falling behind. Let's go!" I leap over the edge with Ahsoka right behind, attacking the battle droids in front of us. There's not too many left here, just enough for jumping straight in not to be too dangerous for Ahsoka. As we cut them down, the other battle droids and super battle droids on the top of the wall turn and begin advancing on us, leaving a more open space for the clones to attack them back from down below. Perfect. Just according to plan.
"Look for a hatch," I tell Ahsoka once all the droids in this area have been destroyed, "We need to put explosives inside the wall."
She takes a few steps over and looks down at something. "Found one!" Except a destroyer droid suddenly flies out of the hole in question, positioning itself in front of her. I move in front of her instantly, having no intention of letting her face it. Except after its shields raise, and it starts firing at me, another destroyer flies out of the other hatch behind me. Ahsoka flips over my head to cover me. We're standing back-to-back, and we have to figure something out fast. We're not going to last forever here. If Ahsoka wasn't there, I would have jumped aside altogether, but that won't work without hurting her.
That's when I sense Rex. He's climbed the wall as well, approaching the one facing Ahsoka from behind. I send a mental thank-you at him though I know he can't feel it. He's doing what he knows I want: rescuing Ahsoka, knowing I can handle this myself. The moment her destroyer falls, I skid forwards, sliding beneath mine. I slice it in half and shove the parts aside, standing up. I'm eternally grateful for the 501st.
A battle droid is rising up out of the hatch again, and I pull off my backpack and toss it down. The stupid droid promptly catches it. Ahsoka throws hers after. Good. The bombs are about to go off, and we need to clear out. Ahsoka and I exchange glances, and I pick up Rex with the Force, throwing him over the edge. I pull Ahsoka to the edge, and we jump off together. The three of us plunge downwards, me in front, as the deafening sound of the bombs going of rips splits the air. The entire wall explodes, a cloud of flames and smoke and debris billowing off it.
I catch myself with the Force, Ahsoka hitting the rocky ground beside me, and reach up to catch Rex. He stops only inches from hitting the ground, and I lower him the rest of the way. The debris start raining down on us, and I raise my hands to catch the remainder of the wall, waiting until the worst has settled before throwing it aside. It crashes to the ground a short distance off. The air is thick with smoke, and I cough against it but pull myself up and offer a hand to Rex, which he accepts, letting me pull him up.
"Next time just tell me to jump," he advises, accepting my hand and letting me pull him up.
"Now what's the fun in that?" I smirk in response.
Aniya Skywalker
I blink a few times when light floods the damaged ship, then jump out. The ship landed hard, but I managed to shield us from the worst of it. We've all survived the crash with minimal injuries. "What's the status?" I ask, glancing around. The area is a complete wreck. Most of the gunships have crashed on the way to the surface, and I'm more than a little worried at the conditions of my brothers and former master.
"We got hit pretty hard," Appo replies, "I think only Kenobi's forces made it through to the landing zone."
"What about Anakin?" I demand, unable to cover the worry creeping into my tone.
"Captain Rex reported they're still in the middle of a firefight. Skywalker's tanks are gone, and they're still trying to contact General Kenobi's forces for support and in the meantime, press on the rendezvous point."
I nod. "Very well. Load the injured onto the tanks. We'll make for that reach. Maybe we'll meet up with Anakin on his way to Obi-Wan's position."
As soon as my orders are underway, we begin moving forward across the sandy surface, only to encounter a line of poles sticking up out of the ground. Alema and I cut them down with our lightsabers, allowing the tanks to pass over.
"General, I left a score to protect the tanks." Appo tells me, walking over to me from the remaining group of clones after having contacted the admiral, "Are you sure this is the shortest way to the landing zone?"
"It is," I confirm. I can feel it in the Force, just up ahead. We turn a corner into a towering, dark structure.
"This place is creepy," Alema mutters. We ignite our lightsabers to illuminate the path in front of us.
The land slants steadily downwards. I reach out with the Force, sensing for anything nearby. A sudden feeling of approaching danger strikes me, and I raise hand, signaling for everyone to stop.
"Wait a minute," murmurs Appo, "I have a wing vibration up ahead." The clones get down on one knee, blaster raised in preparation to fire.
"Incoming!" shouts Alema as a sudden swarm of Geonosians fly around a corner. I swing for the nearest one, slicing through it as they two of them grab one of the clones and flies away with him. They try to grab another, but Alema stabs it.
All at once, a barrage of green blaster fire rings around the corner as they start shooting at us. "We have to move forwards!" I call to them, lightsaber spinning in front of me.
With Alema and I in the lead, deflecting blaster bolts back at the bugs, we push on through the tunnel, the clones and bugs continuing to exchange fire. Green, cannon-like shots blast out of the Geonosians' weapons, much like the ones we had to deal with in the first battle here. Defending against those is almost impossible.
This is ridiculous. The space is too small, and we can't fight properly crammed up in here. Especially when it's so dark. And speaking of the dark... "Appo!" I call. "Turn the lights on. It'll blind them." And we can make quick work of them and run.
The lights turn on at once, and I don't even wait until my eyes adjust to the sudden lighting before acting. I throw my hands upwards, using the Force to rip down a good portion of the ceiling. It crashes down atop the bugs where they're pouring in through the doors.
We move forwards, quickly destroying the remainder that weren't already crushed.
Alema and I stop at the edge of the wall. Looking down, I catch sight of Anakin and Ahsoka and their troops rapidly making their way towards us.
"Aniya, do you read me?" Anakin's voice crackles through my commlink as I stand on the wall in the place where we're attacking. Flames, the remains of the ongoing battle, are dwindling around me. Alema edges closer to me.
"We're here, Anakin," I call into my comm, "We took a slight detour that put us out of communications for a time."
"This has been a day for detours," agrees Anakin.
"It has, hasn't it?" I reply, eyeing the structure in the distance, "But at least now I can see the landing zone. It doesn't look good."
Danger is rippling through the Force. We need to get over there. Our masters are in danger. As we continue heading that direction, I see a group of clone fighters come in to stop the advance of the Geonosians.
"Master Kenobi! Master Jinn!" I hear Ahsoka exclaim ahead of me. She stops and kneels next to these crates, deactivating her lightsaber. Obi-Wan reaches up to rest a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Qui-Gon is seated next to him, leaning up against the crates. Relief floods me when I see them safe. I'd been worried the situation was a lot worse here.
"Late, as usual," calls Qui-Gon as we arrive.
"Well, what happened to you?" asks Anakin.
"I might ask you the same question," responds Obi-Wan with a smirk.
"Why are the only people injured here the masters?" wonders Alema.
"Because they're getting soft in their old age," I grin and Anakin snorts. Obi-Wan gives us both a glare that I'm pretty sure isn't fake. Qui-Gon ignores the comment altogether.
As soon as the other clone commanders have arrived, we turn on a hologram of the city so we can continue our planning. "Our combined forces should be strong enough to destroy the shield generator," declares Qui-Gon, inspecting the map.
"Anakin, you'll need to take a small squad through the shield, as close as you can get to their gun emplacements. From there, you'll be able to temporarily jam their scanners so they are unable to target the incoming tanks," Obi-Wan decides, "Aniya can go with you. Once the tanks knock out the shield, Qui-Gon can bring the rest of the troops in with the gunships."
"Consider it done, Master," Anakin grins smugly.
***
"So, Master, what was your total?" questions Ahsoka running up as Anakin helps Obi-Wan to the gunship.
"Not now, Ahsoka," he groans, making me laugh.
"Come on! Are you afraid you lost this time?" she smirks.
"Fine," he huffs, "Fifty-five, that's my count. And you?"
"Sixty, looks like I won," decides Ahsoka triumphantly.
"Yeah, but I called in the air strike. Tie!" Anakin argues.
"You're impossible," she groans.
"I beat both of you," I interject cheerfully, "Sixty-one. Plus, I'm the one who got the idea to pull down the ceiling." Actually, that's not true. I remembered what Dooku did on Geonosis before when fighting us. I hastily push the memory out of mind. Best to fill the aftermath of battle with the usual banter.
Alema huffs. She doesn't say her number, so she must have lost. Like it's much of a surprise. She was fighting in pitch blackness, and I had to mostly rely on the Force, which she doesn't and never will have nearly as strong a connection to.
"I'll never understand how you can simplify these battles into some kind of game," Obi-Wan groans as we finally arrive at the ship, and he gets on board next to Qui-Gon.
"Well, take care of yourselves."
"I expect to see both of you back here by the time we've destroyed the main factory," Anakin tells them.
"We shall do our best," responds Obi-Wan.
"Sixty-five, Anakin," Qui-Gon suddenly speaks up.
"I'm sorry?!" Anakin exclaims in confusion as I burst out laughing, realizing what he's saying.
"My total is sixty-five. So, what do I win?"
Obi-Wan smirks while Anakin glances between the two. "... my everlasting respect, Master Qui-Gon."
"... I didn't have it already?"
"Apparently not," I offer.
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