The Resolute floated above the planet of Bythal, dwarfed by the circling sun. Obi-Wan and Anakin stood in the hangar bay, finishing the last briefing. "The citizens of Bythal will be fighting beside us, to take back their home-world. Be careful of friendlies!" Anakin began.
"The men and women of this planet are trained to protect themselves, but they do not have the means to push back the Separatists. We will use minimal explosives-so as not to damage their home planet-and push the Separatists out. Once we drive them away, negotiations with the people of Bythal will begin, and hopefully, they will sign a treaty with the Republic," Obi-Wan continued.
"Generals," Admiral Ularen's voice called from somewhere outside the circle. "We are in position. You may disembark when you are ready."
"Let's go!" Anakin called, leading the way to one of the gunships. The clones fell out, and headed toward the ships in an orderly-yet insanely quick-fashion. Obi-Wan stood beside Cody, and headed toward a gunship. (With notably less speed than most of the others in the hangar.)
They entered one of the ships, and it seemed only a moment before the hanger bay doors opened. Cody stayed by the General's side, but kept silent for the time being.
Obi-Wan watched as the doors slid shut, locking them in the ship securely. Red light flickered on above them, allowing Obi-Wan to see the clones lining the sides of the ship. In truth, they did look quite ominous in the darkness, lined up, and staring at him, awaiting any order he may give.
Not a moment later, the ship's engine hummed to life, and it lifted off the metal beneath. Obi-Wan could feel the lurching movement as they left the Resolute behind, heading down to the planet below.
"Remember to check your fire down there!" Cody called.
"Yes-Sir!" The men chorused.
Obi-Wan's gaze swept over them. They all had a blue glow of energy around them; except Cody. Silver and blue energy seemed to move around him like a living thing. The Jedi wondered about this, but it was something for a later time.
As soon as they reached the planet's atmosphere, the gunship began to shake, the movements becoming jarring.
Obi-Wan reached up, grasping the handle above his head. As the movement became violent, the Jedi's expression turned to one of concentration as he focused on trying not to find the jarring movements annoying. At long last, the voice of the pilot came over his comm.
"We've passed through the atmosphere, Sir."
The doors slid open not moment later, and air rushed by them, sounding deafening in its strength. Obi-Wan squinted into the wind. The planet's surface was covered in shining lakes, lush grass, and towering trees. It was beautiful.
It wasn't long before the battle could be seen outside; droid blasters firing, cutting down the villagers who tried in vain to fight back. Cody's expression was grim - though no one would know, underneath the helmet.
The ship reached ground-level, and Obi-Wan gave the order to get out. White armored ants seemed to pour from one gunship after another, to be greeted by cheering villagers. Obi-Wan ignited his light-saber, and charged forward, blocking blaster fire. Across from them, he could see green and blue light-sabers as Ahsoka and Anakin hurried toward the battle as well.
Cody ran beside Obi-Wan, firing at the nearest droids. They fell to the grass in sparking scraps. The yells of his brothers rose above the blaster fire, seeming to come from every direction. Already the droids were being driven back.
The villagers-equipped with crude blasters-joined the clones, falling in line and staying out of the way. Obi-Wan noted that these people were actually trained. There were not many of them, but they fought well. It was a welcomed difference from the usual.
"We need to drive them away from this village so we can speak to the leaders! We need more information!" Obi-Wan called over the noise of battle.
Cody relayed the orders to the others over the comm.
Anakin, Rex, and Ahsoka all moved along opposite them, pushing battle droids back, leaving metal scraps in their wake until they reached Obi-Wan and Cody's position. "I've got twenty-three!" Ahsoka called.
"Thirty-four," Anakin answered. "Thirty-five."
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "I'll never understand how they can turn a battle into a game." He deflected a blaster bolt, and sent it rocketing into a droid's head. It crumpled to the ground in a sparking heap.
Cody moved away from the General, destroying several of the battle droids. More of them came around, coming from the trees. Cody started falling back, only to realize the path to the others had been blocked by more clankers. He scowled, trying to blast his way through. They were surrounding him. Adrenaline rushed through his veins, his heart pounding in the heat of the battle.
They were getting closer, he wasn't holding them back.
A voice echoed in his head; distant. Quiet. But distinct and too familiar. 'I want you to feel afraid.'
No. He wouldn't do it again; he wouldn't feel this.
Something had changed in his mind; his instincts to survive were stronger.
He wouldn't be surrounded.
He wouldn't be overpowered again.
He was sure he yelled - his vocal chords grating as though a cry had come from them. He could feel a hum of Light, like energy in the very air - the battle droids were thrown backwards.
Ahsoka flinched as droids blew past her at a high rate of speed. She'd seen it, but she didn't know she believe what she saw... Her momentary distraction cost her, as a grenade landed only yards away, and exploded. She was thrown from her feet, landing in dew-soaked grass and rolling to a stop. Ahsoka groaned and sat up, unharmed expect a few scrapes and bruises.
She channeled the Force toward the droid that had thrown the grenade at her, throwing it against a tree. Stumbling to her feet, the young Jedi looked around. Anakin was across the clearing from her. He was busy with several commando droids, and he hadn't seen-or at least, he didn't act like he'd seen.
Ahsoka hurried backward, keeping her eyes on the droids, but making her way toward Cody. Did Master Kenobi know this was happening? Finally, she stood a yard away from Cody, still blocking blaster bolts and deflecting them away. "How did..." she blocked, "...you do that?"
Cody ground his teeth together. "I..." He shook his head, taking a step back. He needed to focus. There was a battle still raging around them. The confusion was almost painful.
Ahsoka spared a glance back at him, only to see an echo of confusion around him. He didn't know. That complicated things. "We'll figure it out later! I've got your back!" Ahsoka stayed where she was, blocking droids and slicing any that came close enough.
Cody aimed and fired at another of the droids.
Ahsoka hit her wrist comm and growled, "Master, we could use a little help!"
"Ahsoka! I thought you were supposed to stay close to me!"
"I got side-tracked!"
"I'm a little... busy!" A brief pause. "I'll get there as soon as I can!"
Ahsoka ended the short conversation, and spotted Obi-Wan cutting through the droids and moving toward them.
Cody spat out a curse under his breath. The droids were being pushed back again. He had thought getting back in the fight would end this mess; not make it more complicated.
Obi-Wan sliced through several droids, pounced on another, and let a bolt ricochet off his saber, and into a droid. He took his place to the side of Cody and Ahsoka. "The villagers are forming a perimeter around their village, along with Jesse, Hardcase, Fives, Echo, Waxer, and Boil. Kix went with them to help the wounded!" Obi-Wan stated over the sound of blaster-fire.
It seemed the battle would end soon enough - the droids had seemed caught off guard at their arrival.
Only minutes later, blaster-fire grew silent. Clones scoured the field, shooting any droid that twitched, and pulling sparking scraps to a heap in the center of the field, to be dealt with accordingly. There would be more, certainly, but with the village safe, Obi-Wan and the others could speak with the locals.
Cody holstered the blaster. He started walking - his head throbbing. He pulled his helmet off, pressing a hand against his temple.
Ahsoka trailed along beside him, a look of concern on her face. "Are you all right?"
Obi-Wan frowned in concern, moving along with them as well.
"Yes. I'm sorry, sir." His voice stayed steady, though his eyes shut tightly, and he covered them with a hand, pressing against his eyelids.
"No you're not." Ahsoka begged to differ.
"Cody?" Obi-Wan asked, voice tense.
"Haar'chak! They were getting too close. I was just doing what I was trained for. I don't know what happened."
"Okay... You didn't do anything wrong," Ahsoka started, looking to Obi-Wan. The older Jedi looked at her in confusion. She waved her hand around silently, then pointed to Cody, trying to explain to Obi-Wan exactly what was going on, without actually SAYING it.
"Ahsoka," Obi-Wan stared at her blankly. He didn't speak desperate sign language.
Rather than talk around Cody, Ahsoka spoke to him, while looking at Obi-Wan. "You somehow managed to channel the Force, Cody. It's fine; everything's fine... right?" Ahsoka clipped her light-sabers to her belt, and held a hand tentatively toward Cody.
Obi-Wan's eyes bulged. That explained why Cody looked different in the Force. The Jedi's mind reeled. This was likely directly caused by what he'd done.
Cody took a deep breath; controlling his anger in the same moment. The anger was only there because of confusion, and neither would make it any easier. "Yes. Everything's fine." The Commander dropped to a crouch, making himself focus on the situation in a different way. A logical approach. Statistics and logic served him well.
Obi-Wan knelt beside him, and Ahsoka dropped to a sitting position. The padawan looked at Obi-Wan, then at Cody. "We can teach you to use it and control it!"
Obi-Wan hadn't thought of that, but now that Ahsoka mentioned it, that was actually the most logical course of action to be taken. "If you'd like..." Obi-Wan resended Ahsoka's statement with his own addition.
"The Council...?" Cody looked between the two Jedi. Would he be sent for reconditioning? What would they do to Ahsoka and Obi-Wan for helping? What if they learned of Fett?
"The Council... doesn't have to know... do they, Master Kenobi?" Ahsoka's eyes shone with something between fear and hope.
Obi-Wan grimaced. His thoughts were running in line with Cody's. His concern was not for himself, nor did he worry if they found out about his dealings with the bounty hunter... but he couldn't risk his friend being sent back to Kamino for reconditioning... or worse. "No. The Council doesn't have to know. It is not their business to know of every Force-sensitive in the galaxy. After all, what we deem 'right' is largely due to our point of view..."
"And my point of view says there's nothing wrong," Ahsoka added. "After all, there shouldn't be any distinction. The Jedi are encouraged to treat all sentient life as equals."
Obi-Wan nodded. "If you agree, Cody, we will teach you the ways of the Force."
Cody looked vaguely skeptical. But he had served under them; he trusted them. Was it right? Why would two Jedi agree to do something that was wrong? It wasn't wrong. The man nodded in agreement, brown eyes sliding closed as though from exhaustion. "Thank you."
"Everything all right?" Anakin's voice interrupted.
"Ah Anakin, you've finally arrived," Obi-Wan stated, almost skeptically.
Ahsoka opened her mouth to say something, but Obi-Wan shook his head at her, and she grinned instead.
"Go ahead to the village. We'll catch up," Obi-Wan ordered.
"All right..." Anakin gave them both a shrug, and turned, heading away.
When Anakin was out of earshot, Obi-Wan looked to Ahsoka. "Anakin is close to Palpatine. It may be best not to inform him until we could be certain he wouldn't tell the Chancellor."
Cody tried not to hear their conversation. Something in his head whispered that it was wrong - that the Chancellor should be told. He pushed it away. "Rex should know, sirs."
Obi-Wan looked doubtful. "He is under Anakin's command."
"Master Kenobi, Rex is a friend. He wouldn't do anything to put Cody in danger," Ahsoka pointed out.
Obi-Wan nodded. "All right. Agreed then." Obi-Wan stood and offered Cody a hand.
Cody took the outstretched hand, standing again. He pulled the helmet back on. "I won't be able to hide it from the other Jedi. If they see me, they'll know."
"Not necessarily..." Ahsoka stated slowly. "I didn't know when you spoke to me last night. I knew there was something different, but I didn't know. If they ask, you can tell them exactly what you told me. It's TRUE... so they wouldn't question you."
"Yes-sir." Cody nodded sharply.
Ahsoka beamed, perhaps a little too excited. Obi-Wan smirked slightly. He'd not done something like this in... well, ever really.
After a short silence, Obi-Wan spoke. "I'll leave you two to find Rex. I have to negotiate with the locals. May the Force be with you..." he smiled and nodded, turning on a heel and heading away.
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