"At least you're a master, at getting caught."
- Obi-Wan Kenobi
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"Oh Ani, I haven't seen you for months!" Oriel said running up to Anakin, wrapping her arms around him. Oriel giggled a little as she felt him shivering.
"How are you not cold?" Anakin asked rubbing his hand up and down his arm to create some warmth.
"I lived here for seven years, not to mention I come here at least once a year." Oriel said and she looked down to where a small torgruta girl walked up beside Anakin.
"Are you snips?" Oriel asked the girl who groaned in response while Anakin laughed. "What's so funny?" Oriel asked confused.
"My name isn't snips, that's just some stupid nickname my Master gave me. I'm padawan Ahsoka, Anakin is my Master." This news surprised Oriel. Not about the girls name but that Anakin already had a padawan.
"You have a padawan? That was . . . quick." Oriel was a little bit disheartened how it took her five years to get her own padawan but Anakin only two months.
"Yes, and she's quite a special one." Anakin smiled proudly while patting his padawan's shoulder. Ahsoka had her arms crossed tightly around her body while her teeth chattered.
"You should change Ahsoka, I would hate for you to get hypothermia." Oriel told her, worried for the young child's health. After all, Ahsoka only wore a cropped top and some white leggings underneath her skirt.
"Oh no need. We won't be staying long." Ankin told Oriel who totally forgot that Anakin was only there as reinforcements.
"Right." Oriel answered. "How did you get here so fast anyways?" She asked, curious how an entire republic cruiser made its way to the outer rim so fast.
"Well we were already in hyperspace when we got the distress signal and we were only about forty clicks out. Although it wouldn't matter how big the detour was, I will always make time to save a friend." Anakin answered.
"Best we get going then, after all we still have our assignment to complete." He decided and Oriel was sad that he was leaving so soon, but with the ongoing war, that's how things were those days.
"Goodbye then Ani, and it's a pleasure to meet you padawan Ahsoka." Oriel bowed to the two.
"May the force be with you Master Dune." Ahsoka bowed back. "I hope we meet again some time." Then, the two turned and Oriel watched as they boarded their Jedi Starfighters and zoomed out of the hanger, into the snowy landscapes.
"What was that all about?" Boba asked walking to Oriel's side. "Just an old friend. Now lets see how we can be of assistance." Oriel took Boba's hand and led him through the Republic base that was built into one of the snowy mountains. It was well hidden.
Oriel started loading supplies out of the cargo ships that had transported the supplies from Admerial Hilton's cruiser as that ship was too big to land. Boba left after about ten minutes as he got too cold and went to find a change of clothes, but for Oriel, the tingly feeling of the coldness creating goosebumps on her skin was nice. Comforting.
"Take these up to the control room." A clone told Oriel, handing her a heavy crate full of electric boosters and new screens and other stuff like that. "Sure." Oriel answered and started her journey through the small tunnels carved into the icy rock.
Oriel let the force guide her there as she had no idea where she was going and she ended up at a door that needed a code to open. Oriel didn't know the code but she felt presences of others inside so she decided to just knock.
The white door slid open do reveal a medium sized room with enemy scanners and different war plans. In the middle of the room there was a large, glowing, round table that some people that looked like the leaders of the place were standing around.
There was a woman standing at the table with her back facing Oriel but something about her seemed so familiar. Her orange hair that matched Oriel's was tied into a low bun that had pieces fraying out, and she wore a grey suit fit for a commander.
The women tuned around, revealing her face and Oriel felt as if light from the heavens above was placed in her view. Charmaine, her mother, was standing in front of Oriel and was matching her, above happiness emotion.
Oriel dropped the crate, not caring about if there was fragile things in there or not, and wrapped her arms around her mother so tightly.
They pulled away after an eternity and her mother looked her daughter up and down, admiring at the beautifulness that she had created.
"You look even more beautiful than the last time I saw you." Charmaine said squeezing Oriel's cheeks as if she was a toddler.
"Mum!" Oriel whined pulling her hands away from her cheeks. "I'm thirty not three."
"I'm sorry baby. I just forget that sometimes since I missed most of your childhood." Charmaine said sadly. If she got to relive the moment where the Jedi came and took her child away, she would've taken Oriel as far away as possible and raised her child in a safe environment away from the war and the republic.
"I know. But it was for the better. Look at me now, I'm a Jedi Knight with my own padawan and I'm a general." Oriel boasted, placing her hands on her hips in a proud manner.
"That's what scares me. I die every time you tell me stories of your adventures. I died today watching you fight the blockade above the clouds." Charmaine rubbed Oriel's cheek.
"What are you doing here anyways?" Oriel said getting back to business.
"I joined the Republic." Charmaine stated as if it was obvious. "There was a war literally on my doorstep so I thought, if I'm going to be this close to the danger, I might as well be of use. Now look at me, I'm a commander." Charmaine said, mocking her daughter by placing her hands on her hips as Oriel had done earlier.
"Well I'm glad I got assigned here. But I'm afraid during my stay, I'm not going to have much time to chat." Oriel said picking up the crate and placing it on the bench. "I must get going now. I must report back to the council." She said turning to leave.
"Stay safe, and be careful. And put something warmer on, you don't want to catch a cold!" Her mother told her as she walked out the door laughing a little bit as Charmaine was trying to mother a thirty year old woman.
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"We eliminated the Federation Ship, causing the Separatist Cruisers to retreat and all the battle droids to disable. I'm happy to say the battle of Hoth has been won." Oriel said, standing in front of the holographic Jedi Council.
"Excellent work General Dune. I didn't expect anything less of you." Obi-Wan praised her and it warmed her heart.
"Indeed." Master Yoda agreed. "But, although this battle was won, guarantee Hoth's safety, it does not." Oriel had a slight feeling that she knew where this was leading.
"Master Yoda is right. Revenge is a common attitude for the Separatist alliance. They will be back and next time they will have double the troops." Master Kit-Fisto said.
"Stay, you must. Watch over, protect the Republic base. Originate from Hoth, our battle plans do. Lost, without the republic base on Hoth, we would be." Oriel sighed hearing this, but a slight happiness settled in her, from the fact that she would be able to stay with her mother a while longer.
"Exactly how much longer will my stay be extended." Oriel asked, rolling back and forth on her heels.
"We can not say exactly, but at least a few months. We need to be sure the Separatists will not return, and we need to be prepared if they do." Master Windu told her as heart dropped a little. Oriel knew that, by the tone in Master Windu's voice, her stay would most likely be longer than a few months.
"We will contact you when your presence is no longer needed, but for now, get comfortable and stay alert." Master Aayla told her sorrily, feeling Oriel's disappointment.
"And stay safe." Obi-Wan added while Oriel felt the urge to slap her forehead.
"Aren't I always?" She said instead, trying to play it off. "Well from what Anakin told me, if he showed up a second later, you would've been toast." Obi-Wan said giving her the 'This isn't a joke.' Look.
"Well then I think she's learned her lesson, Master Kenobi." Master Windu said looking between the two suspiciously while Oriel gulped nervously.
"New to this war, Oriel is. Being of guidance, Master Kenobi is trying to be." Master Yoda said, defending his old padawan and Obi-Wan.
"If that is all. I must get going. This place needs to be cleaned up after the battle." Oriel said and bowed her masters goodbye.
Oriel sighed deeply when the hologram was cut off. She leaned her elbows on the holo-table and rubbed her forehead that was full of thoughts. Thoughts of Obi-Wan, thoughts of the war, thoughts of her mother and thoughts of how long the upcoming months would be.
"Are you alright Master?" Boba appeared in the doorway to the transmission room. He now wore a fluffy sheep's wool jacket along with insulated pants and snow boots.
"Yes, it's just this war. It's too complicated for my liking." Oriel said walking up to the boy. "I'm afraid our stay has been extended for quite a long time. So get comfortable." Oriel patted his head and made her way down the hall.
"Urgh, but I hate the cold." Boba whined, following Oriel. "You'll get used to it. Just as I have."
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*Seven Months Later*
"Happy Birthday Boba!" Oriel chimed, lifting Boba up and spinning him around.
"Thankyou Master." Boba thanked as Oriel passed him a small present. "It's not much but I thought it might cheer you up."
Boba ripped open the brown paper wrapping and his eyes lit up at the sight of books about combat and all the different types of ships and speeders.
"It certainly does cheer me up. But do you know what would really cheer me up?" Boba asked, setting his books beside him. "Getting off this giant snow cone."
"I know it's been hard for you Boba, but you did want this." Oriel reasoned. "No I didn't, I wanted to be on the front lines, destroying Separatists." Boba said, flopping down on his rickety bed, looking up at the grey ceiling.
"You have. We've been in two battles since we've been here and you seemed to have fun then." Oriel said, feeling the boys boredom and longing to leave the planet.
During their stay, the council's predictions had been right. The Separatists came back and it was a hard and a long battle, but they won in the end. Unfortunately the council insisted they stayed longer and Oriel was starting to worry they had forgotten about the two.
"Exactly, two battles in seven months!" Oriel knew Boba was right, but it was her duty to be the optimistic one. Then a flashing light blinked from her belt, someone was trying to get through to her.
"I'm sorry Boba, but I have to go." Oriel ran out his room and down the hall to where the transmission room was. She took the blinking chip from her belt and stuck it into the holo-table and Anakin and Ahsoka popped up, Oriel hadn't spoken directly to them since they left seven months ago.
"Oriel! Oh thank the stars." Anakin sounded very relieved to see Oriel. "I need your help."
Now Oriel was intrigued, she would do anything to get reassigned. "What seems to be the problem General Skywalker?" She asked, playing it cool.
"I need you to meet me at these coordinates." He ordered and some numbers flashed over the screen.
"Anakin, these will take me all the way to the Abregado System." Oriel exclaimed and she sensed Boba with his ear pressed up against the door.
"I know, I'm sorry but I'm desperate. Master Plo-Koon's Republic Cruiser was shot down and he's alive, I know it. But I need to find him before the council finds out." This made more sense now.
"So this isn't requested by the council?" Oriel asked already knowing the answer. "Look, I know you know, but I could really use some help and if the council finds out, Obi-Wan's gonna kick my ass when I get to the rendezvous point. . . Please?" Anakin begged, but Oriel had already made up her mind hearing the words 'Obi' and 'Wan'.
"Alright, I'll be there in an hour. You better be worth my time Skywalker." Oriel shut the hologram off and opened the door which made Boba land on his face.
"What have I told you about eavesdropping?" Oriel asked but Boba just groaned in response, rubbing his sore head. "Come on, you've already been filled in haven't you?" Oriel asked, walking swiftly down the hall towards her hangar.
They reached the hangar where their Jedi Starfighters have sat for seven months, untouched.
"What about clothes master?" Boba asked. "Don't worry about that, I've had a bag packed for me and you for a while now in case we ever needed to leave in a hurry like we do now. Now get in your cockpit and put it on autopilot with the coordinates I send you." Oriel instructed and he did as he was told.
They flew in stealth mode past Admerial Hilton's Republic Cruiser that had been orbiting the planet for a long time, but she had a feeling they would be spotted either way. So the Master and her padawan jumped to hyperspace the minute their ships clicked into their hyperspace docks.
(Authors Notes)
So this chapter and a couple other are going to be sort of following the story line of the episodes 'Rising Melovolent' and the rest connecting the story of that Separatist weapon thingy.