Author's Note: Hey! I meant to add the other stories yesterday, but I ended up having a late calculus night (send good and hopeful vibes). These chapters are getting fun since I can finally talk about Jana's true inner character. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I just own Jana's edge Lord self and nothin else.
After they had been rescued, the information the Clones as well as Plo Koon and Jana Kinall had observed about The Malevolence proved extremely useful for the Republic. Although many medical ships were being destroyed in the process, they had succeeded in altering a fleet of ships to take on a mission to where they had learned the next attack may be.
For now Jana stood with Anakin and Ahsoka in the Temple while discussing the upcoming mission. They were nearing their assumed time of departure, but nothing on that had been confirmed yet since the ships were being finished up.
"It's sick, what they're doing." Anakin snarled. "I didn't expect the Seperatists to stoop so low as to attack injured Clones, but here we are." He obviously was angry with the situation. It is twisted, but I suppose that is one of the benefits of using droids instead of clones.
"Agreed, Master. But it is Grievous we're talking about. He knows what will draw out the Jedi." Ahsoka added. True, he just wants to add more sabers to his collection, the disgusting man.
"How's your throat doing by the way, Jana? Are the treatments and exercises helping it?" Ahsoka considerately asked. Jana smiled weakly and nodded her head. The exercises were the worst, but she had to admit the teas were quite lovely. They tended to even help her ability to mediate.
"I still can't believe you spoke to Snips before talking to me." Anakin pouted, only somewhat teasing. Aw, poor baby of the Republic had his feelings hurt.
"Well maybe it's cause I'm actually likable and nice to her, Skyguy." Ashoka shot back at him with a cross of her arms. The attitude is strong with this one today. Jana chuckled at the duo's bickering. She remembered when Master Jeng and herself had bickered the same away, always joking around. Her master always knew how to make her laugh.
"Helloooooo? Anybody home?" Ahsoka waved a hand in front of Jana's face, who had been blanked out for a few minutes by now. Jana shook herself out of her daze and blushed slightly.
"Thinking about Master Jeng again?" Anakin asked quietly. He felt concerned for his friend, especially since she was so hooked on this phase of her life. Anakin had a feeling that if she overcame this obstacle she would be deemed a Knight. But if she hesitated for too long she could still be dismissed for lack of growth. Of course, he had not yet learned of her Force talents as well as recent developments.
"I find I always am." She muttered back. Ashoka seemed to be slightly confused, but she wisely didn't say anything. Interesting that Anakin hasn't told her yet. I suppose it's out of respect, though, since Ahsoka and I are also friends.
"You need to find a way to let go, Jana. I don't know how, but I just know you need to. This has taken a toll on your physical health, so I can't imagine what it's done mentally." Jana punched him in the arm for that one. "Ow! Not like bad bad mentally, I'm just concerned is all! Bantha Fodder, that hurt." He rubbed his arm, causing Jana to smirk slightly.
"Good morning, Padawan Tano, General Skywalker. Thank you for keeping an eye on this one while I handled other ordeals with the Council." Master Plo Koon arrived and teased a little. Jana blushed again and stuck her tongue out in a joking manner. Skywalker's the one that needs to be babysat, anyways.
"I believe we are to report to the hanger now to board the Venator. But please, General Skywalker, tell me of what you plan to do with these improved bombers." Jana walked beside her master and exchanged a nervous glance with Ahsoka. Anakin had mentioned his plan before, and neither of the Padawans were fully behind it.
"It's pretty easy- take the bombers and bomb along the whole bridge. Of course, to get there we'll have to move pretty quickly, but I've already mapped it out. We'll be alright." Anakin nonchalantly said. Jana looked to her master and could tell he had thought the same thing she had: too aggressive.
"With all due respect, Skywalker, I'm not sure the head on tactic will prove successful." They we're nearing the hanger. "We tried that last time, and we hardly made it back without your help."
"Right, but again, that was without me." Jana had to fight to not punch the arrogance out of the boy. "But also you were in one ship- taking multiple small bombers gives them too many targets to lock onto, a small but vital advantage."
"You do realize this will endanger many of the Shadow Squadron we are taking, then?" Master Plo Koon asked. Again, Anakin merely brushed it off.
"We'll be fine, Master. Have a little faith in me." And with that the Jedi boarded the ship. Jana once again didn't have a good feeling about the mission, but she did feel at least more prepared for what was going to happen. She knew if they carried out this plan there would be heavy losses, though. She just wished Anakin would see that as well.
Within a half hour they were all boarded and already in hyperspace, and the Jedi remained on the bridge.
"Just outside the Kaliida Nebula, we'll deploy the bombers. Then we'll go through the Nebula and arrive in just a few hours." Anakin informed them casually. Jana wondered how just a few hours worked, she thought it'd be longer. But Anakin had his ways in flying.
"When will we arrive outside the nebula?" Plo Koon inquired.
"Give or take an hour, sir." The pilot informed him.
"Good, then I would like Ahsoka and Jana to go get ready for this and meet us in the hanger in half an hour while Master Skywalker and I further discuss this plan." Is he gonna yell at him or something? I mean I don't like the plan, either. Jana found her Master's tone curious but of course abided. She wanted to talk to Ashoka, anyways.
"So, Jana," Ahsoka began as they walked to their quarters, "Skyguy told me he's known you for a while." Jana nodded and smiled a little. "Did you meet during training?" She nodded again.
"Anakin is the golden child of the Jedi and Republic." She grinned at telling Ahsoka this, hoping she would call him that since he hated it so much. "But with good reason. We'd see each other briefly and got along well as younglings. But he's older." Jana cleared her throat a touch. This is the best my throat has been thus far... I'll have to thank Blades.
Ahsoka laughed at the name for her master, already knowing by Jana's tone of voice that he hated being called that.
"That seems like a good one!" The two girls walked into their quarters. Jana had already prepared mostly for the mission and sat on the bottom bunk. She supposed this "time to get ready" had been to just get rid of them briefly.
Ahsoka went to the bathroom and was getting ready however she needed, and the room was comfortably quiet for a while. After a bit Ahsoka came out and seemed hesitant. Jana sensed unease.
"What troubles you?" She asked to Ahsoka's surprise. She'd never had a fellow Padawan sense her emotions.
"Jana have you ever... doubted your master? Not as in your master's actions, because I'm sure everyone does that. But have you ever doubted their assignment to you?" Ah, she still has doubts. Or perhaps she's guilty about previously feeling doubtful of him. Jana sighed and patted the other side of the mattress for Ahsoka to sit.
"Ashoka, it's not always normal. But I have myself, yes." She moved to sit criss cross with her back to the wall so she could look at Ahsoka directly. "My previous master and I were very close. When I lost her on Geonosis... I felt like no other replacement could do." Jana checked to make sure Anakin had filled her in after the confusion of the mention of the situation on Coruscant. This time Ahsoka looked at her sympathetically. So he has told her now.
"When the council assigned me Plo Koon, I had many doubts." Jana coughed lightly to the side. "I mean how trustworthy could he be? Male. So tall. Always serious." Ahsoka laughed at Jana's jokes. "But in the end I always put my faith in the Council. I always say yes. I never do what Anakin does." Because I am not the Golden Child and would get in SO much trouble. "Sometimes I said yes to bad extents, compromising my morals. But with my masters it has always worked out. And it will with you, too." She placed a reassuring hand on Ashoka's shoulder. I'm not sure saying yes to these missions has helped majority, though. The 200 Jedi that said yes to Geonosis died for what? For Obi-Wan and Anakin and a senator? And on the last mission it almost seemed like they wanted us dead. Or perhaps just wanted survivors.
"Thank you, Jana. I really appreciate it." She smiled back. "And... I'm sorry about Master Jeng. Anakin told me how much she meant to you." Jana sighed at the mention of her master and nodded. This was her next priority in working on herself: she needed to put the pain of that name behind her. She looked at Ahsoka and dipped her head again.
"Well, we have twenty more minutes or so. What should we do?" Ahsoka asked. Jana straightened up and entered her meditation position. Ashoka nodded and followed suit, knowing Jana wanted to help her with mediating on a ship.
Overall the session went well, though Jana could feel Ahsoka's focus slip through every now and then. In the end the girls were laughing about one thing or another and made it to the bridge on time.
"Well, seems like you two had a good time while we were gone." Jana smirked slyly at him and joined her master, making Anakin suspicious. "Please tell me you guys did something productive."
"Sure we did, Golden Boy." Anakin blinked at the name and then glared at Jana.
"Jana! You keep talking to her and not to me? And you told her that name?" Jana burst out into giggles with Ahsoka, and Master Plo Koon couldn't keep his chuckle in.
"I can't believe you, traitor." He rolled his eyes at his friend.
"We also mediated! Jana helped me a lot, but I still have a lot of room for improvement." Ahsoka reported to him. Anakin sighed and smiled a little.
"Well at least it wasn't all just embarrassing me. This is why I sent you to Jana in the first place, though. She's a far better meditator than me." Jana blushed at his words and looked at her feet. So that's why he sent her to me. He didn't know how to answer her question. She knew how hard it must have been for him to admit that.
"We should be outside the Nebula shortly. Tag, gather your men and I'll brief everyone on the official plan." Anakin said. Jana looked nervously up to Plo Koon who sighed and shook his head slightly at her. So he's going through with it. Regardless of her opinion she stood at attention with the Clones and looked to Anakin for further instruction. When Ahsoka looked at her she recalled Jana's words in their quarters. I always say yes...
The briefing was simple: go through the nebula, come out of it, bomb the ship, destroy the weapon as well as Grievous. This was a prime example of easier said than done, of course. Afterwards the Jedi and men were rushed to their individual ships, Jana feeling awkwardly nostalgic when getting in her altered Y-Wing. The last time she had been in a solo ship, well... The aftermath hadn't been good. Stop. I have to stop thinking this way. Jana shook it off. She had to do what had to be done.
The first while in the Nebula wasn't too difficult to navigate. In fact, it helped Jana to warm back up piloting solo, and she was bringing up the tail so she couldn't be embarrassed by her rusty flying. She actually started to enjoy it. That was, until they hit Bamorra Run. Kriff, Annie. You should have planned this safer! Jana stared in shock at the Neebrays flying with them, anxiety brimming inside her. Over the coms she heard distress from all of the pilots of the party. Suddenly navigating had become extremely hazardous and stressful.
"Jana, you doing alright back there? You're awful quiet." Anakin asked and some of the Shadow Squadron chuckled at his joke despite the situation.
"Tight fit!" She yelped as she had to tilt at a vertical 180* to fit between two of the creatures.
"Stay calm, Padawan. You are in control." Her Master reminded her, and she forced herself to breathe calmly. They were having to try to get through the nebula as well. Ahead, she saw the Clones also having to tilt to different angles to avoid the Neebarays. One in particular seemed to be getting close to the fins- she squinted her eyes to see it was the one called Matchstick.
"Matchstick! Watch your left flank. You got one gaining on you." Jana warned, and the Clone tried to maneuver away. Unfortunately the Neebaray's fin hit one of his stabilizers, and Matchstick struggled to regain control of his Y-Wing.
"Ahsoka!" Jana called out next in a warning tone when she noticed her young friend fly too close to one. Anakin's Padawan dove down and around one of the Shadow Squadron's ships, barely avoiding one another. Ugh, Anakin. Not everyone is as good of a pilot as you!
"Matchstick, you alright, bud?" Anakin asked over the coms as the smoke continued to pile out of the stabilizer.
"Coulda been worse, sir! I'm just fine to keep going. Can't turn around, anyways." The Clone Pilot laughed nervously.
"Do you need to land on the medic ship when we arrive? Your ship doesn't seem to be fairing as well as you say, Matchstick." Jana called him out on the bullshit. She didn't want to lose these men in the nebula if she could help it, especially with what she knew was to come.
"I'll be okay, Commander Kinall. Don't you worry about me." He refused to budge on the matter. Jana sighed but continued to move. This is going to get messy. Just a few more paces and they would be in front of The Malevolence most likely, and she was sure it would be nothing short of a Dog Fight.
"Alright, men. We're about to be right in front of their noses if our timing is right, and they won't be unaware for long. Remember, bomb the bridge as much as you can. Grievous is part of the target." Anakin reminded as he sped up. Jana and the others followed him until they came out of the nebula- and there it was. The Malevolence.
"Alright, men! You heard him! Go, go, go!" Unfortunately The Malevolence had already locked on to them, her ion cannons charged and ready to be fired. Jana's eyes widened as she as well as Plo Koon made the realization.
"It's going to fire! Scatter!" Plo Koon pulled up as high as he could go while Jana felt her stomach drop in a sharp dive. Half of the fleet, to her dismay, didn't scatter in time. Two seconds in and many of them had already been lost to the disabling cannon. Those men will die if we don't get rid of that ion cannon now! Jana looked back at the weapon to see it recharging already, this time aimed at the medical station. The yelling in the coms hurt her ears, but she hardly noticed the pain as her brain processed the new situation.
"Master! You need a new plan! Anytime now!" Ahsoka yelled as she dodged some fire from turrets on the ship. In the background Jana's heart fell at the sounds of men's dying screams. Somewhere up ahead Matchstick's stabilizer gave out, and he spun out to his death. Druk! I should have ordered him to land. They, as Jedi, were failing their men. Perhaps that's why we are peace keepers, not warriors.
"I'm working on it, okay?! We don't have enough bombers left to destroy the bridge AND take out the ion cannon. Follow my lead and focus all fire on the cannon. Come on!" Anakin thought fast, and Jana quickly fell in line with the other remaining ships.
Once they had dropped the bombs, Jana felt a wave of relief. She knew at that point the medical center was safe as she watched the cannon overloaded itself. Peering at it through her shield she saw the hyperdrive also take heavy damage. She felt a bit of triumph; the Seperatists wouldn't be able to get too far away.
Still, the ship retreated back into Seperatist territory at the sight of new Republican ships entering the system. A smart move on Grievous's part, though it benefited the Republic none. Jana stopped trying to follow the flaming ship and instead tailed the other Y-wings on board the medical station. Her anxiety didn't completely leave her until she had landed safely.
"Nice flying, Jana! You took quite a dive earlier." Ahsoka bounced up to her with a smile, and Jana gave her a quick dip of the head with a solemn look. It then donned on the other Padawan just how many men had returned versus originally departed.
Looking at Anakin, Jana knew he wasn't taking the losses well. He may be reckless, but he connected with most of the men- that's what made him such a reliable leader. His crest fallen face hurt her heart. Jana felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see her master, who nodded at her with permission to go to her friend's aid.
The rest of the night that the medical station celebrated, Jana tried to take care of and comfort her old friend. Jedi were capable of being warriors, yes. But they were a type of empath and thus took a toll from the war. Problem more so being, the war had only just begun.