The room was cold but it always is on a cruiser. She got up and walked toward the bed at the other side of the dorm. There he was sound asleep she put her hand out as if to touch his face but stopped.
No she could get close but never touch, it was a rule she kept. If he ever found out what could she say. The routine she allowed herself once ever few weeks began, tracing her fingers over where she wished to touch as her mind ran wild. The fantasies of a girl who was becoming a woman but never had the time to be a girl. The ideas flowed from having him just hold her to the night he would make a woman. Silent she stood there for minutes lost in her own imagination going from long adventures to small showers of affection. Fifteen minutes later a small movement of his body woke her from the dream. Anxiously she sat there waiting for him to open his eyes and discover her so close but he didn't and she crept back to her bed. The pleaser of those dreams that poked into her head so much every day came from the moments she stood silent over him. As she layed in bed a smile that in its true form rarely came out ringed across her face. The thoughts of almost being able to touch him in ways she never could gave her feelings of happiness and confusion. These thoughts not for a boy her own age but for a man she worked with every day her master Anakin Skywalker. It was late though and to go over everything she just felt would ruin the time she had on other nights.
A small shake awoke him the ship had come out of hyperspace. Stretching his arms and rubbing his eyes he looked out the window on the ship. A symphony of reds and greens barraged his eyes. He rushed over to the other bed and awoke his apprentice.
"Ahsoka wake up its time "Anakin yelled
"Good morning master. But you have to be wrong we were to jump in two hours before the invasion," Ahsoka said still trying to get five more minutes of sleep.
"Ahsoka were debriefing in three minutes. You'll be there" Anakin yelled sarcastically while walking out the door.
Walking down the corridor the thought of her getting ready shot through his mind. It was quickly put down. With Padme gone his mind had began to wonder.
Ahsoka rushed down the hallway just in time to catch the beginning of the briefing.
"Ah Anakin good to see you decided to get here I thought you got lost," Obi Wan laughed.
"What can I say I'm a busy man." He snickered back.
"Well next time I need something done ill check and see if you have the time." Obi wan sarcastically pointed out.
"But if you need to know why you can't get your beauty sleep the situation has changed. The Prime minister of Gerona was assassinated in a coup, and the remaining factions of the military joined the rebel force"
"Seems simple why I am here?" Anakin asked while wiping the rest of the sleep from his eyes
"You're here because the prime minister was friends with an important senator who wants to make sure his revenge is given a personal touch.
"I'm flattered, but I'm still confused as to why me." Anakin asked
"You know enough, now get prepped I need you ready in thirty minutes the assault on the capital is about to begin."
With that the conversation ended Anakin saw his padawan was ready and signaled her to walk with him to the hanger.
"What's going on with the moved up invasion and secrecy" Ahsoka asked
"Who knows, but more importantly go check and see if the clone officers know about the advance in schedule and are ready to go. When you find out meet in the main hanger" Anakin ordered
"Yes master." Ahsoka replied walking towards the barracks.
Ahsoka was still half asleep as she walked in the clone barracks. A sight she could never quite get used to. Regular troopers as well as the officers were not only ready but it seems had been so for hours. This was always the case, but what else could they do their whole life was about war. Ashoka walked back to the main hanger there was no point in asking. If to prove a point by the time she arrived in the main hanger almost all the gunships were full. She ran over to the last gunship where Anakin awaited.
Their cruiser moved into formation with the other two as the barrage of the outer defenses ended. When the formation was locked groups of close air support fighters left the hanger followed by the gunships. Anakin looked into space until sun hit him in the eyes reminding him of that evening.
The sun setting on Coruscant was peaceful as he stared into the horizon. Looking back into the room he saw her sitting across the room waiting for response.
"Padme what do you want me to do I can't change the universe". Anakin frustratingly let out
Her look told him everything. A look a woman gives when she is at her limit.
Ahsoka tapped his shoulder awaking him from his memory. In the distance he could see the capital as the gunship entered the inner atmosphere. The capital city was Arid and dry in the middle of a valley where two massive rivers met in the center. From this far up the city looked like a desert paradise. Any illusion was ended though when the Gunship moved closer; the center of the city was located on a small plateau near the river. This area of the city had palaces and luxury hotels anything the mind could ask for. Looking at the city surrounding it was like looking into hell. Slums filled with factories and decrepit buildings. Anakin looked out the window to a part of the slum that had been hit with a cruiser shell. The off target ordnance took out three or four blocks. Anakin pointed the clone commander to the opening. The commander ordered the incoming gunships to land. When the gunships landed in the clearing they were swarmed with injured and hungry refugees. The clone commander turned to Anakin
"Sir what should we do with the refugees". The clone commander asked
"Take the most severely injured to the cruisers and have a platoon of the clones set up a refugee collection point in that industrial complex to the south".
"Yes Sir."
As the commander issued the orders Anakin turned on the general communication radio to hear of the progress.
"Champion two-six this is Champion actual you have orders to evac severely injured civvies to the ship over."
"Champion Actual I copy. Wait I have a problem with one of the civvies".
Anakin walked over to the edge of the transport he saw the gunship leaving the landing zone as it gained altitude he saw a man struggling against other people then.
A Flash, smoke billowed from the gunships' hold. As Anakin watched in horror the plane lost altitude and crashed into the third floor of a residential complex.
Ahsoka didn't know what to think all she saw was burning bodies falling from the wreckage in the side of the building. Anakin ran over to the clone commander and ordered a stop to his earlier command those injured would be on their own for now. Ahsoka then prepared herself as the gunship went in for a landing. When they hit the landing zone blaster rounds hit the side of the transport she jumped out and looked for cover. The master and padawan were led to a small caved in tunnel. The remnants of this underground highway was the clone makeshift HQ. Looking around all Ahsoka could see was a small holo map of the city and a few officers crowded around it. Anakin lead her over to it.
"What's the situation" Anakin barked.
"Sir we're setting up a perimeter around the landing zone, but as we have tried to move in the city artillery from the plateau and anti air hidden from view in the cities rubble is holding us back from getting in heavy armor and reinforcements". The clone answered
"Where is the highest concentration of anti air coming from"? Anakin asked
"Sir most seems to be stationed under a Caved in overpass with a field of view right over the landing zone. They were planning on us using it for easy access in the city center."
"Dam. Alright Ahsoka and I along with two platoons will assault the anti air positions. While I'm gone I want you to set a perimeter, secure it tight so there are no more incidents like earlier. Then send men to meet up with the platoon taking position at the refugee collection point. Have them check and see if the gunships and transports can squeeze in there and reinforce the landing zone. Anakin ordered
"Yes Sir." Replied the clone commanders
Ahsoka followed Anakin out of the makeshift bunker. She was glad they were leaving the second purpose of the bunker was becoming clear. It was to house the badly wounded clones she had watched as they piled in. The smell of burnt flesh and screams of the clones that were getting operated on made her uneasy. Exiting the bunker was a relief as the clone platoons formed on their position. They rushed through the shelling with the clones till they reached a clearing that must have been a square. Ahead she could see the cannon rounds from the Anti Air and the clone attack planes attempting to make strafing runs on it. A clone officer slowly walked across the square looking at the surrounding buildings. It all looked deserted. Walking slowly aiming around at the windows the clone moved forward soon signaling the others to follow. When the other clones began to come up from the embankment a shot rang out. The officer fell to the ground. Other clones in the platoon reacted quickly, with one zeroing in on the shooters' position and another pulling out a light Anti Tank weapon. Looking up the trooper zeroed in and launched the rocket into a third floor building. The explosion rocked the square. In the rubble and debris the silhouette of a man could be seen. A clone medic rushed to the officer and two clones ran to the body of the man. Ahsoka was impressed with the time it took for the troopers to react it felt like a minute, but took less than ten seconds. She looked over as the medic operating on the obviously dead officer took off his helmet. He then stood and saluted his dead comrade. She didn't notice at the time but every clone in both platoons did. After the clone removed the officers' helmet and then walked over to the rubble. He was greeted by the clone first sergeant; the medic handed over the helmet and saluted. The sergeant returned the gesture and accepted the helmet replacing it with his own. Ahsoka then took a chance to look over at Anakin he was as mesmerized in the small ceremony as she. Though it felt wrong she used this time to stare and look over him it. Now she knew no one would notice that her casual glace was longer than it should. Looking back at the clones it seemed the man was still alive. The new first lieutenant had begun to interrogate him over his cries of pain. Anakin walked over to get an assessment of the situation.
"Lieutenant what seems to be the problem with this man"? Asked Anakin
"Sir this rebel is close to dying were trying to extract as much information before that happens". The trooper responded
"Are you getting anything reliable"?
"No sir he is delirious and were running low on the meds he needs to go painlessly."
Anakin thought to himself
"If we don't have the meds put the man out of his misery" Anakin said
The lieutenant aimed his rifle and pulled the trigger.
Ahsoka heard the shot ring out. She saw as the rest of the clones had moved from cover where she was to form around Anakin. They began to move forward to the anti aircraft position again. While walking thoughts ran through Ahsoka's mind, how could he order that clone to kill him. She had to get an answer but not now they were coming up on the guns. Anakin a clone scout and she slowly crept around the dung in encampment. There were four anti air guns a control station and, two well place Gatling lasers to guard the whole perimeter. That didn't include the guards and numerous patrols.
Anakin knew what he was going to do it was stupid, but he was going to do it. He signaled the others to follow him back to the camp. When the clones assembled Anakin laid out the assault plan.
"Listen up, here's your orders. First platoon is going to stage a frontal assault on the enemy position as a diversion. Second platoon will then assault the enemy position from its flank and spearhead into the camp. When the main defensive guns are disabled both platoons will rush and overwhelm the enemy. It's a simple plan so it'll be hard to mess up now get in position we'll begin in five minutes." Anakin ordered
Anakin looked as all his men stacked up for the assault. 3, 2, 1 it began, first platoon opened up on the guns and got a quick response. The patrols around Anakin began to engage first platoon. He gave the order Second platoon and Ahsoka began running at the south end of the encampment. Hitting the dirt barricade two clones threw thermal detonators into the first Gatling cannon. Ahsoka ran jumped over the barricade and with her light saber cut through the two operators of the second gun. Anakin with the rest of second platoon rushed the anti air guns. He ran up into the control room and killed the two men inside and called for the clones with the demo charges to plant them inside. He rushed out of the room and killed 4 rebels trying a counter attack. Once he saw the charges were set in the control room he ordered everyone to make a full retreat from the encampment. Picking off the last few stragglers first and second platoon regrouped. Anakin picked an empty building and the clones dragged themselves and their wounded into it. Ahsoka tending to one of the lightly wounded looked over and saw the medic administering the same drugs he would of gave to the dying man to a clone who was also morality wounded. Anakin walked over to Ahsoka
"Ahsoka, I need you to go recon the Anti air with me and make sure it's destroyed. Then we need to recon the elevator to the plateau and make sure we can use it". Anakin said
"Yes Master" Ahsoka responded
Arriving at the wreckage of the anti air guns they both looked pleasantly surprised at the effect of their work. Republic gunships and heavy transports still taking light fire had begun to unload at the landing zone. Moving on further into the city it became clear the people had been living in squalor the stores all seemed they had been empty for months if ever stocked at all. Bodies that had no blaster marks but seemed starved were everywhere. Ahsoka walked closer to Anakin in these parts being close to him made it somehow easier to get through. They arrived at the elevator. Anakin pulled out a pair of binoculars and zoomed in checking for rebels. Ahsoka wanted to check herself.
"Anakin what do you see?" she asked
Anakin didn't answer the question
"Who do you think you are? I asked a question." Ahsoka said while nudging her master.
"I think I'm the chose one and your higher up who are you." Anakin sarcastically whispered while handing over the binoculars.
"I'm less arrogant than the boy next to me" Ahsoka joked
"A Boy! I can't even get teenager. Ashoka I'm hurt. Anakin quipped back
They both laughed as she clicked on the zoom to look closer at the elevator. It was clear except for a few patrols further down the street sneaking on would be easy. Ahsoka looked at Anakin they had the same thought. A quick nod was all that was needed to start the slow creeping advance toward the elevator. Making it to the elevator and finding it working was a surprise. They activated the lift and began to transverse to the top of the plateau. Arriving it was deserted not a soul in sight the mortars that had been firing earlier were silent. The two sneaked through the enclave heading to the prime ministers former residence. Nearing the palace they got their answer of where the people went bodies of noble men and women began to appear. The gates of the palace were choked with bodies. These weren't like the ones earlier they all had blaster holes in them. Entering the main building Ashoka followed Anakin down towards the basement. They found the prime minister the rebels didn't even move his body from where they broadcasted his execution. Ahsoka walked over to Anakin.
"Anakin I think we should check the star port there's nothing here." Almost pleading to leave
Anakin walked over to Ahsoka and looked into her eyes
"Ahsoka are you ok?" Anakin asked looking deep into her eyes. She couldn't take it she didn't know what to say. Ahsoka wanted to let it all out tell him everything how she felt about everything that happened today to the fact that she was in love with him. She said the only thing she could.
"I'm uneasy from all the bodies' master, but it's nothing that will affect me once we leave". Ahsoka said trying to look away from his gaze.
"Snips your gonna be ok. Your right we need to leave." Anakin told her with a sincere smile on his face.
Walking out Ahsoka felt somewhat at ease Anakin had called her by her pet name. He hadn't done that in months and a small smile went across her face. Heading back outside any since of happiness was wiped away at the sight of the dozens if not hundreds of bodies. Anakin made sure Ahsoka stayed close. On the way to the star port Anakin noticed a small clone recon unit had made it up the plateau. Anakin walked over.
"Trooper what's the current situation" Anakin asked walking up.
"Oh, Commander Skywalker I've been looking for you. General Konobe needs to speak with you. There's a transport at the star port that can take you to the Cruiser."
Anakin thanked the clones then signaled Ahsoka to follow him to the star port. Arriving at the gunship she realized how long they had been out. The sun was setting it felt like five minutes ago they landed. Sitting in the hold with Anakin the fatigue from the day set in and she began to dose off. Anakin looked over at his padawan seeing she was asleep he walked over to the slide openings of the gunship to look outside at the setting sun. His mind wandered back to his thoughts earlier in the day.
"Anakin we've tried to make this work, and no matter how many times we try it still falls apart," Padme pleaded
Anakin looked across the room. No point, this whole conversation had no point he thought.
"Look you've made your decision already, if you think all "I'V" done isn't enough then fine ill go. This is over."
"Anakin we tried there's so much going on that would ruin us. The fact that you can't even see me most of the time, The Code all these things make this impossible."
"No, No! don't try and pin this on me. I didn't ruin this; all I have ever done is love you unconditionally. You never had to kill for me or almost die to save me. I do these things on a weekly basis and write it off as necessary. You know why you can't look at me anymore you just won't say it. I tried to do the right thing but you still look at me like an animal." Anakin yelled while walking out the room. Padme stood there knowing he was right.
He looked back around and saw Ahsoka sound asleep. He felt bad, she was just like him before the war he didn't want it to change her. Seeing all the death and destruction of war had scarred him. He was begging to think it was going to do the same to her. While thinking to himself the gunship landed in the hanger awaking Ahsoka. Her eyes opened and she smiled at the sight of him. It gave him a felling he hadn't had in years. The thought though strange he presumed it to be admiration for his padawan. Getting on his feet Anakin walked to the main corridor.
Ashoka Walked behind Anakin till they reached the bridge of the ship. Obi Wan was waiting