"So love has blinded you?"
- Padme Amidala
❆ ❆ ❆
A while later, Anakin arrived to the Republic Cruiser and surprisingly he had Master Plo-Koon with him along with his commander Wolffe and some other clones. Because Anakin's trip proved to be worthy, the council decided to let their actions slide just this once, but they were planning on sending Oriel back to Hoth.
"You mustn't send me back there, you need my help. This separatist weapon is extremely deadly and my padawan is a hell of a flyer who can help us take it out. Not to mention that I am able to bring another cruiser down to assist." Oriel tried reasoning with the council.
"No. The cruiser must stay. Without it, the separatist will surely attack again. If General Grievous finds out of your absence then he will be there in the blink of an eye." Master Windu said sternly.
"Master Windu, might I suggest we send different General go to Hoth? Oriel has been there for seven months, there's no wonder she made the foolish decision to follow Anakin's orders." Obi-Wan said, after all he was a member of the council to, therefore he had say in it all.
And Oriel didn't know whether to thank Obi-Wan for his help or be offended that he had called her foolish and once again scolded Anakin's leadership skills.
"Agree, I do. Replace your post, we will. Stay with General Kenobi, you must, for the time being. Destroy this new separatist weapon, help you must." Master Yoda said looking between Obi-Wan and Oriel giving them a warm smile.
"It's settled then. I will assign a new general to Hoth and you will stay at this post for now. Don't make me regret this." Master Windu said sternly.
"I promise you won't, thank you masters!" Oriel exclaimed excitedly and the transmitter was cut off so she was free to wrap her arms around Obi-Wan.
"Did you hear that? I can be with you for a while longer." Oriel exhaled as she hugged him tightly.
"And I'm going to make the most of every second." Obi-Wan breathed back until they heard Boba clear his throat. They both had forgotten the boy was there.
"You guys really like to do that kinda stuff in front of me, don't ya?" Boba asked disgusted.
"Well then surely you're used to it by now." Oriel said, taking Bobas hand and leading him out the room. Not before giving Obi-Wan a kiss goodbye of course.
❆ ❆ ❆
Oriel was sitting amongst some of Anakin's battalion clones with Boba, while he explained the mission she begged to go on. Obi-Wan insisted it was to dangerous and risky but that's what makes the assignment fun.
"Ha, the head clanker. Skywalkers getting pretty ambitious." Oriel overheard one of the clones whisper to his mate.
Anakin finished up his plan of attack and the clones started getting excited, but not nearly as excited as Oriel. She hadn't been on a proper assignment for five months, since the separatist second failed attack on Hoth.
"Alright boys, what're you waiting for? Let's go take down that metal head and his new toy." Oriel said with a smirk jogging off to her Jedi Starfighter.
Once all the clones were ready, and Boba, Anakin, Ahsoka and Master Plo-Koon, they all headed out into space. Anakin had discovered some super secret short cut that would allow them to intercept Grievous' next attack so they could distract him while the republic cruiser made its way to the battle the long way.
"I hope you know what you're doing Oriel." Oriel heard Obi-Wan's voice come through her coms. Obi-Wan stayed on the Republic cruiser, unlike Oriel, he hated flying.
"Well, it's Anakin's plan, not mine. Besides, if I don't, I won't be around to hear you say the 'I told you so.'" Oriel joked.
"That's reassuring." Was all Obi-Wan said in response before she zoomed off into hyperspace.
When the squad emerged from hyperspace, Oriel was met face to face with a nebula.
"You've got to be kidding me." Oriel said almost amused that Anakin truly believes he can navigate his way through a nebula.
"It's fine, smugglers use this route all the time." Anakin assured her, his ship taking the lead.
"Thanks, that makes me feel so much better." Oriel said sarcastically.
"Don't worry Master, I've flown through many nebula's with my dad." Boba said, backing Anakin.
"Of course you have." Oriel said under her breath.
"A nebula can be very unpredictable. I advise caution." Master Plo-Koon said wisely.
"Don't worry about us Master Jedi. We can hold our own, right shadow quadrant?" A clone said confidently. "Copy that Shadow two." A clone replied.
"Does anyone care what the padawan thinks?" Ahsoka asked and Oriel knew exactly how she felt. Except her master, Yoda, was more caring and thoughtful than most, meaning she was heard more than most padawans.
"Of course we care Ahsoka." Oriel said trying to make the girl feel apart of the plan.
"But we're still going through that Nebula." Anakin told them.
"Let's just get this over with." Oriel sighed, following Anakin as they entered the nebula and as soon as she did, she could barely see a thing.
"This soup is thick. Can you see anything?" A clone asked and Oriel could sense he was having second thoughts about diving head first into this.
"Just keep your eyes on my thruster Shadow two." Anakin told the clone and Oriel heard someone banging in the background.
"They'll have to. The scanners are useless." Ahsoka said unenthusiastically.
"This is old fashioned flying." Anakin mused. "You'll have to feel your way through to stay on course."
"Skywalker is right Ahsoka, and you should take his advice too padawan Boba. Clear your minds young ones and you will see the path." Master Plo-Koon told them.
"No need. I knew this would happen so I backed up my navigation system." Boba replied. He was an amazing Jedi, but he is too attached to his old ways of a bounty hunter.
"You knew this would happen and you didn't think it wise to mention it to someone?" Oriel scolded.
"Well I thought if I, a thirteen year old would know, then certainly a Jedi Master and a squad of fully trained clones would." Boba defended but Oriel knew he was boasting.
"It still doesn't hurt to mention it. Besides, I thought you liked to boast?" Oriel asked with a smirk, knowing she was stirring Boba up.
"You to are almost worse Ahsoka and I." Anakin butted in. "All you to ever do is bicker."
"Just like you and Obi-Wan?" She retorted and he shut his mouth.
"So, Skyguy, how did you know about this shortcut?" Ahsoka asked after a moment of silence.
"It's an old smugglers route. The pilots used to talk about it back on Tatooine. They called it the balmorra run." Anakin explained.
"What!?" Boba asked loudly. "You idiot you're going to kill us all!" Boba said angrily but also worriedly.
"Hey! Watch your language young man." Oriel warned. "And what would make you say that?" She asked wondering why he was having a little outburst.
"I think I'm picking up contact." Ahsoka budded in.
"Master Dune, you don't understand, we need to turn around right now." Boba said urgently and due to his urgency, Oriel thought that they probably should. She trusted his judgments, as her master did trust hers.
"Maybe we should –" Oriel started but Anakin cut her off. "No, we can't. Not if we're gonna catch Grievous." By the tone in his voice, that was final.
"Another contact." Ahsoka said getting more worried. "This ones much larger."
"Master Skywalker, Balmorra's the nesting ground of the giant neebry mantas!" Boba told Anakin.
"Another! Another!" Ahsoka shouted and then yelped as a giant neebry mantas appeared through the thick fog.
"Take evasive action!" Anakin ordered and Oriel swerved sharply, just barely missing the humongous creature.
They continued on and they came to an opening in the fog. It was tunnel below made from spinning giant neebry mantas' and it frightened Oriel. This was a type of height Oriel didn't like, especially not with those creatures so near.
"Those gas gulpers are huge." Ahsoka said almost amazed not scared.
"Well those gas gulpers won't be around for much longer." Boba said, readying his guns.
"No Boba! They are not doing any harm to us. If you shoot they'll panic and you'll do more bad than good." Master Plo-Koon told the boy who craved action.
"Sorry Master Plo-Koon." Boba apologised, retracting his cannons.
The group continued to we've their way between the creatures without disturbing them, until one of the clones' wings clipped the monster's.
"I'm hit!" He exclaimed and Oriel saw his ship chug along as it flew with smoke pouring out the left wing.
"Pull it together matchstick!" Anakin encouraged in a demanding manner.
"I'm okay. I got it." The clone said, pulling himself together. Oriel thought they would be fine until she heard a loud roar come from behind her. She turned around and saw a swarm of giant neebry mantas' coming towards them looking quite angry.
"This is the part where we run!" Oriel called and zoomed forward away from the creatures as fast as she could.
"These things will make a meal out of us." Ahsoka whined worriedly. The clones took their squad formations behind the Jedi and they flew quickly through the thick fog and Oriel heard a few grunts form clones running into the creatures, but as far as she knew, there were no casualties yet.
"Oh that one looks angry." Ashoka said scared as one of the creatures approached her ship.
"Nah it's just smiling at ya." Anakin said trying to be funny but now was no time to joke.
"Now can I shoot them?" Boba asked. "No Boba, we are invading their habitat, not the other way around." Oriel said sternly as she heard him sigh. Boba was brought up being the attacker, not being the peacekeeper.
"You must remember, we are keepers of the peace, we only fight when it's necessary." Oriel reminded Boba.
"I'm deeply sorry Master. It's a habit, but that's no excuse." Boba sincerely apologised which made Oriel proud that the boy was genuinely sorry, not saying it because he was forced to.
"Hurry, they will not follow us beyond the nebula." Master Plo-Koon said as the other side of the nebula came into view.
The squad flew out and Oriel felt relived she got out of their without a scratch.
"Let's hope our shortcut paid off." Ahsoka said. "We're not far behind Grievous now." Anakin told her. The four Jedi went into a ramble of what damage had been done and if they had a chance to stop Grievous or not, when a clone interrupted.
"Sir, another contact." A clone called Matchstick informed them. "I thought those things wouldn't follow us?" Ahsoka whined.
"Not following us. Coming out of hyperspace." Matchstick told the Jedi. "It's a ship. It's the Malevolence!"
"Grievous." Oriel said through gritted teeth at the thought of the disgusting droid, hungry for war.
"They're headed for the medical base just as Master Kenobi said." Ahsoka pointed out. "The transports!" She exclaimed as a marvellous circular energy blast was released from the Malevolence and headed straight for the evacuation ships, stripping them of all their power and flying abilities.
"We've got droids incoming." Oriel warned as a swarm of vulture droids approached them, firing immediately, Oriel doing the same.
"Boba, just like we discussed." Oriel told Boba. They had come up with this super cool duo fighting routine and it worked quite well.
The two circled each other, each taking in turns of being in front and behind. By doing this, they were never in the one position meaning the droids didn't have a clear shot on them and they had someone to watch both their backs.
"Get those fighters off us!" Anakin told Ahsoka, as she was in control of the shooting. "I'm trying but your fancy flying is making it difficult." She retorted.
Unlike Oriel and Boba, Anakin and Ahsoka weren't so in sync. Ahsoka took after Anakin to much, both of them trying to show their worth, but it turning into a fight of who's better.
"Um guys! You see that too right?" Boba asked as Oriel just saw an energy blast from the Malevolence headed their way.
"Everybody pull up!" Oriel shouted hurriedly. Her ship rocked slightly at the high speed and different angle she was flying at.
"Steady." Anakin said as Oriel held her breath in anticipation of whether she was going to make it or not.
Just then, Oriel watched as Matchstick's ship burst into flames, not being able to stand the pressure. It fell down, crashing into another clones' ship as it went.
Everyone else seemed to have made it away from the energy blast okay.
"Shadow squadron, new target. We're taking out that iron cannon." Anakin instructed and he made the right move. They would not be much use if that cannon was around much longer.
"You guy's go, I'll take out these other droids." Oriel said and she spilt away from the group, taking down multiple vulture droids as she went.
Oriel looked down at her scanner as it started beeping. Something big was coming out of hyper space. It was Obi-Wan and the Republic fleet.
"Good job shadow squadron, we can take it from here." Obi-Wan greeted.
"Watch out we got an energy blast incoming!" Anakin yelled the minute he destroyed the iron cannon. They must've got lucky and had a final blast and it was coming straight for Oriel.
"Oriel pull up!" Anakin yelled but the energy blast was much closer than it was the last time.
Oriel pushed forwards her controls as much as she could while her ship shook violently.
"JC bump up the speed!" She yelled at her droid who beeped in response saying 'you've reach the max speed.'
"I'm gonna make it! I'm gonna make it!" Oriel said trying to convince herself but she saw the energy blast not even a click away.
"Obi-Wan I-" but the line cut off as Obi-Wan stood on the bridge of his republic cruiser. He had just witnessed the circular blast of energy speed towards Oriel's tiny starfighter that was trying to out run it but even he knew it was useless.
Obi-Wan watched in horror as her ship stopped dead and started to fall into the darkness of outer space. He heard Oriel try to say something but her voice was cut short when her power went out.
"Oriel?" Obi-Wan asked his dead com line. "Oriel!" He shouted but he knew she wouldn't be able to answer.
That's when he saw blasts coming from Grievous' ship aimed right at Oriel who was helplessly stuck in her fighter.
"Aim your fire for their blasters! Now!" Obi-Wan demanded and the clones obeyed, starting their attack. He watched suspensefully as Oriels ship was getting rained fire on.
Thank god those droids can't aim. Obi-Wan thought otherwise she would be toast.
But he spoke to soon.
Oriels ship started spinning out of control as the right wing was blasted into tiny parts and smoke started pouring out.
"Why aren't the other republic cruisers firing? Fire all guns now!" He shouted when he realised they weren't giving it their all to save Oriel.
Obi-Wan dug his finger nails into his palms, making them bleed, as he thought of the worst. Obi-Wan wouldn't be able to live with himself if he knew that her death was his fault. He knew this attack was a bad idea from the start, he should've never have let them go through with it.
"Don't worry General, we got him." A clone pulled him away from the unbearable thought of loosing Oriel. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't realised they had won.
With Grievous' prime weapon gone, they had to retreat, and Obi-Wan almost cried out of happiness.
"Don't worry Master Kenobi. I'll tow her back to ya." Obi-Wan heard Oriel's padawan, Boba, tell him. He wasn't fond of the boy but Oriel like him dearly so she had begged him to play nice and he would do anything for that girl, so he agreed.
( Authors Notes)
I love Ahsoka and Anakin's relationship! And I'm trying to make it obvious that Boba isn't like fully committed to being a Jedi, hence why he doesn't do all things the 'Jedi way'. Because I believe if he really had become a Jedi at such an old age, he would have a habit of doing things his way, which is why they like to train Jedi from such a young age in the first place.