Disclaimer: Disney owns Star Wars, not me. All the characters and places (except for my OC Analise) belong to them.
"aaaa"-talking out loud."aaaa" (bold and italics)-talking through a holo or com. 'aaaaa'-inner thoughts. aaaaa-talking through a Bond. "aaaa" (bold)-another language.
AN: Thank you for all the reviews:) Satine will be making her appearance in Crossing Battlefields which follow the Clone Wars TV series. First Fight is just the movie and I already have an idea about how Satine will fit into this new world:)
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Chapter Seven
Waiting was always the worst. Even Jedi Masters could get bored and the three Masters gathered in one of the Temple's many war rooms were most certainly tired of waiting. They were bored.
It was a boredom that was tense though. A boredom where they all sat, balanced on the edge of a knife. Waiting, waiting, waiting for the result. Any result good or bad that would end the boredom. End the waiting.
Mace stood, stone-faced in front of the receiver as he awaited word from the scouts they had sent ahead to search for possible locations of Rotta. He had been careful to select the best scouts the GAR had to offer which was no easy task. All the scouts were outstanding.
Yoda and Qui-Gon stood off to one side. Qui-Gon silently brooding. His requests to be out in the field, fighting alongside his children were rejected again and again. Yoda had hinted that if the Grey Master wanted to return to the field, he could do so on a diplomatic basis, taking the Grand Master's own place. It was never spoken, not a word that Qui-Gon's heart kept him on a leash now. The once bold and daring Jedi could no longer afford to be the warrior of years past.
Yoda leaned on his gimer stick, staring at the receiver as if he could use the Force to reach through space and pull an answer from the clones. Old he may be, wiser in some aspects; but still a being he was. This waiting was weighing him down.
The last they had heard from Christophsis wasn't promising. They needed help and now. Yet a move they could not make until they had gotten the scouts' report.
As if by wishing, the receiver came to life. A flickering blue holo of a scout hovered in the center.
"Yes Commander?"
"We found out that Jabba hired bounty hunters to help track down his son as well as requesting help from the Jedi and the Republic. We were able to follow the bounty hunters to the planet Teth. They went into an abandoned B'omarr monastery and haven't come out since. We believe that it must be where Jabba's son is being held. It's too heavily fortified for us to breach ourselves. We'll need help."
"Commander, stay out of sight and await further orders."
"Will do General." The trooper faded away and Mace turned to face Qui-Gon and Yoda.
"At least we know where Rotta is most likely."
"Yes, but you heard the scouts. They can't break through themselves. They need the twins, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka."
"Still on Christophsis they are. Unusual problem it is Obi-Wan subduing the droid army. Need help they do."
"I'm on it." Mace turned back to the receiver, jabbing the buttons that would connect him to the main holo center for the GAR on Coruscant. "Get me Admiral Wertz," He ordered the clone that appeared. "I need three of his cruisers to be ready to go Christophsis and aid the battle there."
"Right away General!"
"I'll go with them." Qui-Gon stood to his full height, his feet poised to carry him out of the hall.
"Go you cannot Qui-Gon. Most upset Che would be."
"But surely..."
"Yoda is right old friend." Mace gave Qui-Gon a sad smile. "It is not just because of your health, you abhor war and always have." When Qui-Gon went to protest Mace held up a hand. "All Jedi abhor war yes, but with your connection to the Living Force it is stronger."
"Analise has stronger connection than I."
"Healither than her father Analise is."
"My children need me! They are all on that planet, fighting against battle droids that outnumber them ten-to-one. They need me!"
"Not all your children off planet are. Forget you do your daughter-in-law."
"Yes," Mace agreed. "You'll be of more help here working with Padme, helping her and the FoJ." Qui-Gon's eyes blazed, he was ready to fight. It was Yoda who stepped forward.
"Go with the troops I will. Help my grandchildren I shall." He gently whacked Qui-Gon with his gimer stick. "Stay here and worry not. This is my order and the Force's will."
In the face of such a command, all Qui-Gon do was sag his shoulders and nod. All he could was pray that his children, all of them would soon be safely home again.
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There was nothing Ahsoka disliked more than waiting.
A good chunk of war was waiting.
Waiting and waiting and waiting for something to happen.
Anakin had seized their only pair of electrobinoculars and was watching the glittering pink shield as it moved closer and closer. Ahsoka had perched herself on a piece of rubble, the pack full of charges carefully on her back. She had pretty much pleaded with Anakin to be given charge of them.
"So what's the plan?" She couldn't take it anymore. The waiting was getting to her.
"I thought you were the one with a plan?" Anakin smirked at her over his shoulder.
"No, I'm the one with enthusiasm. You're the one with experience...Which I'm looking forward to learning from."
"Did you just call me old?"
"Maybe?" Ahsoka smirked. It felt like old time, she and Anakin teasing each other.
"I will so get you back later for that Snips, but for now we need to focus. We need to get past that shield and get behind the tanks all without them seeing us. It's a tall order."
"Why don't we go around and outflank them?" Ahsoka squinted her eyes as she took in the slow, but steadily marching line.
"Good idea, but it would take too long."
"Go right up the middle?"
"There's way we can do that unless we become droids..." Anakin's voice trailed off. Actually...It was a pretty good idea. They just needed some way to stay hidden.
He trained the electrobinoculars onto the ground and smiled as he found what he was looking for. A piece of overturned scrap metal. Just the right size for a Knight and a Padawan to hide under and use to sneak right into the middle of an advancing droid army.
"Alright I give up. I'll let you do all the planning." Anakin frowned. His baby sister sounded almost defeated. She should never sound like that. She should always be positive and upbeat. She should be...
He shook his head. "Well the waiting is over. I have a plan. Let's get going Ahsoka." He gave her an uneasy smile. "Time for your first battle."
