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Rescue in Teth
"The feeling and memories of war are something we never forget. When that conflict started, I wondered how many of us would not come back from it alive. To be honest, even I wondered if I would come back alive. The best and worst of our sides were being demonstrated with each fight. The feeling of being a soldier. Member of an elite. These are things that cannot be erased from history. Many began to return in coffin bags after a few weeks of combat. Rookies who had all their lives ahead of them. Deep down, many believed that they died doing their duty in the field, but I had my doubts about that. Geonosis was the beginning of it all. Weeks later, we faced a battle on the brink of defeat at Christophsis. We won both. Although I believed that this would be the time to rest after a fight, our orders said just the opposite. Chancellor Palpatine handed us a mission that would help to turn the flow of the war in our favor: The son of Jabba the Hutt had disappeared. A victim of criminals on Tatooine. Jabba made the request that the Republic help save his son, and Palpatine was willing to accept. The crime lord's bounty hunters found him on the planet Teth, in a monastery. And then I left for my next mission. But what happened, almost ended up hurting us in the war. And it almost cost me my life. "
Our ships entered the atmosphere of the planet. I and a platoon were in a ship with General Skywalker and his new Padawan. You know that feeling you get that something could go wrong? I knew it would, very much so. A daring rescue, but one that could end in tragedy for most of us clones. Our ship couldn't see anything from the outside. Armored, it was supposed to be resistant to any attack. Just not to cannon fire. I put on my helmet, with a clear sense of concern for some. Anakin was watching Ahsoka, who was wearing a hood, and a little worried about the fight. My heart, which had previously simmered for fighting, was now having a mixed feeling about it. We might have a chance to turn the advantage of the war to our favor, but the problem was that many of our reinforcements were still cut off from their respective space routes because of Dookan's advances. Even if we could get help with all of this, things were going to get worse in the midst of it. A communicator was activated, putting Master Kenobi on the transmission.
(Obi-Wan) - Anakin, in every front line, there is a complete disadvantage. I am beginning to feel a certain uneasiness in the face of the fighting that is coming. We need to make sure that all these efforts will not be in vain in the middle of the battles.
(Anakin) - They won't be, Master. We are entering the planet. We guarantee that Jabba's son will be rescued. Our ships are ready to land with the platoons.
(Obi-Wan) - I have a very bad feeling about this. Palpatine has given us very clear orders to rescue Jabba's son at all costs. The Separatists will spare no effort to keep their only bargaining chip against us.
(Anakin) - We will save you, Master. Whatever happens.
(Obi-Wan) - May the Force be with you.
Each ship had its own platoon and commander to guide them through the danger. Many were inexperienced and novices. Forced to enter the war earlier than expected. Incomplete training. I felt sorry for those I lost in all of this. I heard reports of civilians suffering from the war. The poverty. The devastation. Many planets that suffered from this were neutral and peaceful systems. The only thing. The only desire was for peace. Although the war caused the devastation for some, I could see the desire for peace in them. In my brothers. Their fighting spirit was enormous. But deep down, we longed for a solution that would not devastate any more planets or innocents. We were under Rex and Cody's leadership again. The 501st Legion and Attack Battalion 212 were the main teams in all of this. We had several other companies accompanying us on this mission. My helmet was able to hide my emotions. My fear was something that I could not hide. We continued to enter the planet, until shots started to be fired. The Separatists were already waiting for us.
The background to all of this was somewhat uncomfortable for me in some ways. I mean the fact that several ships carrying several of my companions that were coming up behind me started to become victims of a fight that was somewhat cruel. The Clone Wars were known for their rather sharp brutality. My helmet was clamped on my head, and I already began to prepare my rifle for the mission. Apparently, we had to climb the monastery, heading towards the possible hiding place where Dookan had taken Jabba's son. As we came down, we started to disembark, and we could see several Droids with cannons, high up, aiming at all of us. Several tanks had been brought in to help us in this rather unexpected mission. Firing upwards, which was a bit tricky. Many of them were shielded, which made it difficult. Not only difficult, but we had an absurd disadvantage, because their base was so well protected. You can imagine all you want, say that I am making up what I saw, but I assure you, nothing took away the vision I had of the planet: It was something that crossed barriers, in some aspects. To reach our goal, we would have to climb the walls of the base until we reached our target. Each day, each battle became more and more impossible. All that was left was for the worst to happen to the Republic. What we were doing was not even a rescue mission, but a suicide mission. But Palpatine's orders were very clear. If the hyperspace routes were to be opened, we would have to rescue Jabba's son at all costs. Deep down, what I could feel about the Clone Wars was being described in only one word: Fear. But the shivers and pandemonium were not only felt in me, but in all my other colleagues considered to be shiny. Recruits. Mine was in hand, but what I sensed was the dread and chaos of a war raging in the far reaches of the galaxy. Even with my weapon in hand, even with my mind and body telling me this would probably be easy, nothing would come easy. Nothing. In a war, a soldier's first resort was survival. We clones were gifted with intensive training that helped us amidst the hardship and reality that the galaxy was facing. Not only remnants of equality, but as people of great importance in all of this.
My mind turned to the Separatist base, where the tanks landed along with the ships. Rex and Cody had given specific instructions on how to do this mission. Each of our weapons had come with a climbing hook, and the entire platoon began firing them toward the base. A vertical attack. My training never prepared me for this. Never in my entire life. We were risking much more than a rescue. It was something that could end in disaster. Don't call me a pessimist, it was the fact that the odds were against us for this rescue. The Separatists were willing to have the hostage at all costs, but it was still a two-way street. Because even if you have someone valuable in your hands, the advantage can be taken at all costs. And so, the platoons began to move up. Never a battle like this, the clones had to fight. Going up and up, I wondered how many more times this would happen. Sure, we had a duty, and our loyalties were enormous, but I never felt prepared for something like this.
The climb continued, and we walked, as the Separatists fired in our direction as if it were a last stand to ensure victory. The Droids had only the programming to serve Count Dookan, but still, we were people with feelings, unlike them. Continuing the climb, shots were fired from both sides, while many in the platoon tried not to be hit. Anakin Skywalker used his lightsaber, reflecting all the shots that were directed at him in the direction of the droids. Even with the tanks going up, they had some artillery, which slowly seemed to be trying to corner us, or worse. I could see Ahsoka on my side, on top of a tank, using her lightsaber to deflect all the shots in the droids' direction. Although she had the courage and the will to be a Jedi, she seemed to be competing with Anakin to see who was the best in the field, and it seemed that she was managing to demonstrate this.
The thought of duty. The will to serve. The moment of struggle. Boiling in a thousand moments in my mind. A shining one. A novice. Still with a great future ahead. But wrapped in the dark something of a war, where the innocent became victims of a sadistic and brutal game of chess, and the heroes became the unexpected light amidst a history of darkness and gloom. The light of war was the will of man. People's inspiration was those they mirrored themselves in. Was there any chance that someone would be inspired by people who were practically the same as us? Who knows. My thoughts could not be described at the moment because I had to turn my focus to the battle. Any wrong step could mean my death.
Deep down, I expected this mission to be a little easier, but in a war, not everything works that way. Shots continued to be fired, while several clones were shot down with several shots to the suits. To me, the escalation was beginning to last for what seemed like days and days. The Droids were trying very hard to keep us at bay, but still, the artillery seemed to be causing the most trouble on our hands. The rescue was somewhat complicated as we continued to climb. I was firing, trying to hit anything that looked like an enemy, but still, I was having trouble climbing, and at the same time, trying to keep my head intact. Protecting my brothers and companions was something I had always wanted to do. I would shoot not for myself. Not for the Republic. But for my family. The same face. The same blood. It didn't matter. Even though we were clones, we were still a family, above all else. I fired, using my instincts, willing to do whatever it took to get to the top. The artillery was coming in heavy, while the Droids simply seemed to have a rather sharp aim to keep firing non-stop at us. I shot at them and knocked some of them down, but there were always more coming to replace the ones that had fallen. We knew they couldn't hold out forever, so we kept firing in their direction. Our tanks started getting hit, which was complicating the standoff for us. Persevering, we were on our way. Every effort counted for what we were about to face. Any chance of winning this war counted on us. Being under Anakin's command, and having his loyal Padawan at his side, although she was managing to demonstrate abilities that I had only heard about in stories about the Jedi. They were certain abilities that only stories about them were told during my time on Kamino. Going up, I thought about how else the Jedi could excel through battle. The so called protectors of peace, in their position as generals of the Republic army, were demonstrating everything they had to prove themselves capable of executing the rescue mission. The escalation itself was proving more and more complicated, with the artillery focusing all their attack attempts on the tanks, which complicated things even more. I was firing and shooting as best I could, and yet for every one of the old cans that was knocked down, others were coming up to attack again. Suddenly, one of the artillery shots almost knocked Ahsoka off one of the tanks, and I could see General Skywalker's Padawan struggling to balance on top of the tank that was almost on my side.
(Anakin) - Ahsoka! No!
At that moment, when I saw Anakin shouting his Padawan's name, I could see that he really cared about his apprentice. Even if it was somewhat reluctant, he cared. One of the most dedicated and daring Jedis on various missions. In that moment, I could see a tightening in the bond between the two. Master and student. Deep down, Anakin cared a lot about the people closest to him, but he always had that teaching of not getting attached to personal feelings and things. Many said that this would influence people's behavior and his personal balance. In periods like these, it was normal to worry about anyone. Although Anakin was a little reluctant about having to train someone to be a Jedi, you could see that he was good at what he did. Granted, they seemed to be challenging each other to show who was the best, but this was what many people wanted to do in a time of war. It seemed like hours and hours on end that we were doing this climbing thing. Some of my brothers had already fallen in combat at the very beginning of it, and we were already a little close to the monastery in Teth. The vertical attack continued full steam ahead, and the Separatists seemed to have faith in what they were doing. Keeping the same attack strategy, always confident in what they were doing. Deep down, demonstrating their worth seemed a little impossible at a time like this. Under the joint command of Rex and Cody, we continued to fight, even though it was impossible to do so. Going up, I shot, even though it seemed like a somewhat suicidal mission, but still, I did what was possible to achieve the success of the mission. One by one, the Droids were being slaughtered, but there were always more coming, but I knew that sooner or later, the reinforcements would run out, turning the tide of battle in our favor. Want to know a little secret? Sometimes war gives us benefits, but it gives us the worst moments ever experienced in the field. The feeling of serving is the death of duty. The death in battle. When you get closer and closer to death, you have a feeling that you have more to do instead of falling into oblivion, bordering on non-existence. When everything for which you have fought, either falls into the history books, or into the legends told by people of poor taste. We don't always receive the proper glory for our deeds. But I am different. I don't do this for glory, fame, or anything. I just want to be someone willing to help a galaxy, shrouded by arduous and tortuous conflict. The meaning of our secret is that our actions define our legacy. But it is up to the individual to figure out how to shape his future. And leave his mark on history.
Our little climb stopped when we saw Anakin arriving at the top of the monastery, and suddenly a silence echoed amidst the gunfire that had now been interrupted. A certain fear could hover over us. Even training does not prepare us for some battles. With each minute, our chances of winning faded into empty hopes. As long as we were at a complete disadvantage because of the hyperspace routes, Dookan had a clear path to subjugate us to his will. Although the war was a two-way street, it was because both sides believed in their own ideals. The Separatists always believed that the Republic was corrupt, and those who followed Dookan, thought they were creating a system free of flaws and personal interests, mixed with ambitions. The Republic, on the other hand, denied all this, although there were certain people with their ambitions and corruptions. The war seemed to be about demonstrating who had the right ideals. But the problem was that having someone like Dookan leading such a movement, many were doing their will like never before. A will that seemed to be damaging planets and taking more victims than ever before. After a few weeks after Geonosis, I had said that many seemed not to care about us. Just replicas and copies of a dead man. But that picture began to change after Christophsis. Many planets allied to the Republic, including the capital Coruscant, began to see the army as saviors, but there were others who were divided and saw us as threats. Receptions that were once negative about us and our way of being were now mixed, and it seemed that this picture might change very soon. Everyone's faith was being placed in the Jedi and the clones. Everything seemed to be changing. The support was slowly beginning to shift in our favor. Suddenly, I could hear the sound of Droids pointing their weapons in the direction up there, and a simple sound of the lightsaber being used against them indicated that Anakin had destroyed all of Dookan's reinforcements. Many of us arrived up there having seen all the Droids destroyed, which gave us a sense of relief in the midst of the fighting. I had a feeling that the worst was over. Now all we had to do was go in and rescue Jabba's son. It was kind of a relief in a whirlwind of this fighting. Deep down, although I believed that all this was over, I still had a certain feeling that things were going to get better for us. I kept telling myself that the answer to solving the blockage of the hyperspace routes lay with the Hutts. But honestly, relying on the Hutt clan syndicate was kind of hard. The criminals who acted were known for not keeping certain words, and I had a feeling that Jabba would do the same thing to us. What was to stop him from betraying us and stabbing us as he saw fit? Trusting someone who was the leader of a criminal organization was kind of hard in my beliefs, but many said in stories that Jabba kept his words when it was of utmost importance. But aspects aside, the war is beginning to show a dirty side that even I didn't think I would be able to witness, much less in training times. The answer lay in Jabba's hands. To ensure a relief and a breather in the fights to come in the Clone Wars, we had to keep our word and rescue his son, safe and sound. I sighed under my helmet, looking at the monastery of Teth, while I felt certain chills in my body, running and running, minute by minute. I could feel certain looks watching me, as if they felt the same way I did. Rex had already come close to me again, as if reading my thoughts, and put his hand on my shoulder.
(Rex) - Thoughts a little difficult?
(Ratchet) - Tell me about it. Deep down, I know we are doing the right thing, but I feel like we are sinking into war, while trying to carry out a rather suicidal rescue mission.
(Rex) - War doesn't always choose its victims, Ratchet. Sometimes the feeling of doing the right thing needs to persist in the hope that we can solve the problems that many cannot solve.
The confident figure of General Skywalker, somewhat suddenly, approached me, staring at me with a somewhat fearful look, but as if he was looking out for our safety, with a certain sense of wanting to settle things, but in his own way.
(Anakin) - Ratchet, right?
(Ratchet) - Yes, General Skywalker.
I said his name, but with a certain fear coursing through my body. The feeling of fighting is something you are afraid of all the time, but the feeling of talking directly to a Jedi, the leader of an entire army, made me nervous inside. I only obeyed Anakin's orders in the first battles on Geonosis and on Christophsis, but the feeling of talking directly to a promising Jedi never came to my mind. The feeling of reporting directly to someone is the feeling of the soldier. The feeling of the being who inhabits a purpose, full of meaning and recognition. Of someone who is part of the history of one of the most recognized and revered Orders in the entire galaxy.
(Anakin) - You are a soldier, but above all, you are someone important, as is everyone in the army. We are guardians of peace, but we never asked to fight a war as leaders.
(Ratchet) - You have been tasked with maintaining order in the galaxy. I was trained for only one purpose, just like my brothers: to fight. To face a confrontation to stop evil from spreading to all ends of the galaxy. I begin to see, day after day, the price that all this takes on people.
(Anakin) - Trust your judgment, Ratchet. Just as I trust my men, who I believe will do the right thing, and help us through difficult times. No matter what they say about being the same, having the same face, you are part of the forces of good. Of the Republic. We all have a purpose, and keeping that faith in that purpose is something that must always be done in difficult times.
(Ratchet) - I keep telling myself that I'm doing the right thing, but to witness so many horrors like this, it's a little hard to see. All these victims. These innocent people who have nothing to do with either side.
(Rex) - Everything has a price. Although there are casualties, in the midst of it all, we have a duty to perform. Protecting people is one of our main goals.
(Ratchet) - I am a soldier, Captain. I fight for duty in the name of the Republic. But above all, I am a person like everyone else.
(Anakin) - No one is saying that you are not, Ratchet. We have a mission to accomplish, and we have to do what we can to stop the advance of Dookan and the Separatists.
(Ratchet) - Look at me. Many of us are novice soldiers, forced into combat too soon. We have lost our lives serving a cause that is right, but still, we are people, wanting to serve the ideal of the Republic. The ideal of everything we are sworn to protect. An ideal that many have doubts to serve.
(Anakin) - We are the heroes here. Above all, beyond our fighting, we have to find a balance between right and wrong. When I became a Jedi, I vowed to do everything possible to keep the peace. I trained hard to improve my skills, but I never imagined having to fight a war on this level.
(Ratchet) - They told me about you. You are The One. The one who will bring balance between the Light and the Dark.
(Anakin) - I try not to touch this subject too much.
I could see Ahsoka Tano's figure in front of me, observing our entire conversation, and approaching, as if to give an opinion on all my thoughts about the war.
(Ahsoka) - Look, I may be a bit new to this business of being a Jedi, but I understand certain subjects.
(Ratchet) - Are you serious?
(Ahsoka) - I am a Padawan, but most of all, I want to believe that I have a purpose.
(Ratchet) - Our purpose, is to fight a war, in which many feel divided by our actions, Ahsoka. Deep down, what I want most is to demonstrate my potential. To protect the lives of my brothers, and to save those who need to be saved. I endured several training sessions, as did several of those who were with me, but still, after several weeks, I believed that I would be ready for this. But to see the reality of something like this, it is somewhat complicated for me.
(Ahsoka) - Ratchet. Listen to me. You have great potential. You have the will to fight for what you believe is the right thing. All of us, Jedis and soldiers, have a goal to fulfill. Deep in your heart, you have to stand firm in your belief and will to fight, but above all, keep faith in your morality. There are some people who will doubt the actions that they say are right and wrong, but not always, war moves in an exact direction, where both sides believe they are right in their ideals. You, Rex, Cody, and everyone else I see, are not just clones. You may have the same face, but you are people, just like all of us. No matter what they say.
(Ratchet) - I have to admit. I was a little surprised to hear all this.
(Anakin) - Wow. Even I didn't imagine that you could be so wise like that, abused.
(Ahsoka) - I may be a Padawan, but at least I know certain things. I think you better not underestimate me next time, Skyfora.
(Anakin) - You better stop calling me that.
(Ahsoka) - Why? The nickname suits you.
Rex and I had a few laughs over General Skywalker's nickname, but it gave me some clarity in the midst of my internal conflict. Padawan Tano's words made me realize that war was not always a guarantee that everyone would come out of it safe. Although Rex had already said this in Christophsis, I could see even more of the reality of what I needed to face. I was a soldier. Same face. But a person like any other. We clones, our actions were for the greater good in the midst of one two-way street after another. I already faced the reality of service in the war as something indispensable. I had to face that I could not save everyone, even with my willingness and willpower. I already looked to my side and saw several of my brothers, as I looked at the pair of Jedi in front of me, and could see the bond they had. I would get into position with my helmet and gun ready for what could be inside the monastery. There could be more reinforcements waiting for us and we wouldn't even know it. But I needed to have confidence in myself, so that I could have a chance at what was about to come. And so we started walking towards the monastery.
The walk passed through some dark corridors, shrouded in certain darkness. The Separatists were doing everything possible to keep us in their hands. Many in the Republic were in the middle of a maneuver, which was slowly cutting us off from our allies. But we needed to do everything possible to ensure the success of the mission. Dookan was not going to overpower us that easily. In various corners of the galaxy, we were separated from several of our armies, which further complicated the battlefield on some planets and sieges. Even I, myself, felt my insecurities coming back and back again. But still, I was moving towards being able to keep what I had of my confidence intact. I turned on the flashlight on my helmet, and Rex did the same, entering the place.
(Ratchet) - Now I understand why the Separatists chose this place to hide. It was the most unlikely place in the world to hide a hostage of great importance.
(Rex) - I don't think that's why. I think they just wanted to have a bargaining chip to turn the tide of the conflict in their favor.
(Ratchet) - But what would they gain from it?
(Rex) - Neither do I.
(Anakin) - Focus on the goal. The rescue is all that matters.
We walked and walked until we reached the end of the monastery, where we found a certain silhouette crawling towards us, as if it was afraid of us. We got closer, and saw what it really was. Very small, with a somewhat wrinkled appearance. A baby, unlike anything I had ever seen.
(Ahsoka) - He's a baby! He's so cute.
(Anakin) - I don't think it's cute at all, to tell you the truth.
A baby. So cute and small. Although he was cute, it brought me back to reality. An innocent becoming a piece in a deadly game between the Republic and the Separatists. Truth be told, my belief in doing the right thing is immense, but the difficulty in accomplishing a mission of this level, I never thought would affect me in this way. The baby we were seeing was the one we had come to rescue. Jabba's son, Rotta. Deep down, I expected his son to be someone a little older, with a certain influence, but a baby, having to witness such horrors in a war. That was a bit difficult to assimilate, even more so in a mission like this. Well, we had what we wanted. Now we just needed to accomplish the second part of the mission in my opinion, which was to take him home to Tatooine and deliver him to Jabba, safe and sound.
(Anakin) - I hate Hutts.
Deep inside, Anakin's reluctance was enormous in all of this. You could see that he had some personal problems in the midst of all that he felt about this mission. I felt as if there was someone hovering over us, in a feeling that even I could not understand or comprehend. Dookan always had his tricks to get what he wanted. A master of manipulation, to be able to create such a large-scale movement was something that demonstrated a certain power in the midst of a very risky situation. Although we were risking a lot at this point, it was worth anything to get what we wanted so badly.
I and a part of the platoon that entered the monastery went outside, keeping guard, hoping that Anakin and Ahsoka would be able to accomplish the mission. All they needed to do was to deliver Rotta to their father, and this would all be over. The hyperspace routes were increasingly under Dookan's control, and the opportunity Jabba was offering us was something unique that many believed was the hope we so desperately needed. Suddenly, I felt a tightness in my neck, as if something was squeezing me from a distance, and suddenly we were brought to our knees out of nowhere. A somewhat mysterious woman approached us, staring at us, while I felt a huge chill, worse than I had been feeling before, consuming me. Asaji Ventress. Count Dookan's expert assassin. One of the most ruthless and brutal warriors trained in the art of the Sith. She is lethal, sadistic, and capable of doing anything possible to ensure the success of her mission. Several of the platoon I was in came face to face with what I could not imagine coming face to face with. Something worse than I had ever seen before. She pointed her lightsaber at each of us, until it stopped at me, in a kind of creepy and bizarre tone, while I saw Ventress giving a kind of sadistic smile on her face.
(Ventress) - Don't be afraid. I am not going to kill you. All I want is to have a little talk with your captain.
(Ratchet) - What do you want with him?
(Ventress) - A little birdie told me about a plan of yours for a small rescue of a Hutt. I want to see if he really has such a hostage.
(Ratchet) - You should know how he is, since it was you Separatists who kidnapped them.
(Ventress) - We are not evil. We are just fighting for a cause that involves corruption in the far reaches of the Republic.
(Ratchet) - You are pointing your lightsaber in our direction, so I guess that makes you a Sith, just like your master.
(Ventress) - Dookan is doing a favor for all of you who fight for a corrupt Republic. Soon, there will be nothing but chaos and fear ruling the galaxy. The hyperspace routes are already ours, and all that is left is to have our bargaining chip in our hands again.
(Ratchet) - We fight for nobility and to stop people like you and Dookan from corrupting the whole system and order we are sworn to fight for.
Out of nowhere, I felt her hand closing in, squeezing my neck like never before. The breathlessness was clear, but it didn't seem to be under my helmet. Many in the platoon had a very visible fear on their faces.
(Ventress) - You are really stubborn, soldier. Don't you care enough about your life to see that we are doing the right thing?
(Ratchet) - Notion... Of right and wrong I don't lack... But I want to believe that the ideals we swore... Defend... Are the right thing...
A smile could be seen by me on the face of Dookan's assassin. She seemed confident of triumph. But the Sith were not known for being merciful, on the contrary. The Dark Side hovered over anyone capable of being corrupted. And I felt that she could kill me at any moment, as if there was no tomorrow. I felt my eyes closing, about to accept my death, but out of nowhere, I felt the air circulating through my body again, and when I looked up, she had let me go, out of nowhere. At that moment, I understood nothing of why Ventress had done this to me. Nothing. Until she simply walked up to me, her saber off, and looked in my direction.
(Ventress) - At least you understand that things are difficult for both sides. There is no right and wrong at the moment. And your belief seems to be huge, as well as your confidence and courage. I can respect that.
She then started walking towards the monastery, leaving us alive, which made me find her actions even more strange.
(Ventress) - I said I wouldn't kill you, and I kept my word. Just don't make me go back, in case you try anything.
At that moment, Ventress seemed to have become an example of ambiguous morality to me. Trained in the arts of the Dark Side, I never imagined that she would spare soldiers like us. I guess I was lucky to have survived that. I never thought I would come face to face with a Sith, much less the apprentice of the man who started it all. I just wondered if Rex was going to survive what she had planned. And since she didn't tell him anything, I just hope he can survive the actions of Dookan's assassin. For my money, many have their morality in distinction and in doubt in difficult times. For a moment, I seemed to have noticed a difference in the actions of someone who claimed to be the most lethal woman in the galaxy. The platoon was still trying to understand what had happened to them, but I came to believe my luck was more than unbelievable. All I could do was wait and wait, until I got something. Preferably to hope that those inside would be able to get out of this situation unharmed. That is, if they weren't killed first.
Some time passed, and much of the doubt in my mind was why no one was leaving the monastery. Suddenly, we heard what sounded like walking noises coming toward us, and on instinct, we raised our weapons toward the approaching person. Was Ventress coming back to kill us, going back on what she had said about sparing us? Deep down, we were prepared to shoot, until we saw Captain Rex coming towards the exit, which made me a little relieved, which caused us all to put down our guns. I walked towards the Captain, along with two other team members, to see how he was doing.
(Ratchet) - Captain? Everything ok with you?
(Rex) - Everything.
(Ratchet) - We were quite worried about what was going on inside. Ventress appeared out of nowhere, and entered the monastery, but she just spared us. We kept asking what she wanted with you, sir.
(Rex) - I don't remember very well. I remember being grabbed by her, hanging myself, but suddenly, it was all a blur. That woman said she wanted me to do something for her, and that I couldn't refuse.
(Ratchet) - I'm even afraid to see what it was.
Suddenly, one of my brothers came to my side, resting one of his hands on my shoulder, as if he wanted to say something.
-General Skywalker has already made a plan to get the Hutt off the planet safely. They are on their way to a hangar to get a ship, and go straight to Tatooine, to deliver Jabba's son to him.
(Ratchet) - Should we worry? I am feeling a little nervous about this.
(Rex) - I think what Ventress wanted had something to do with the General. But I'm afraid to find out what it might be.
(Ratchet) - All we can do is wait.
I sensed something a little risky in the words I spoke so much, but so we began to follow Rex to where Anakin was going, in an attempt to help the General achieve the escape to Tatooine. I knew I might be walking into some kind of trap, but we needed to do what we could to make the mission successful. Now that we knew that Ventress was behind the attack on Teth, we had a sense that we were facing a certain danger that even I didn't want to admit. To be in the crosshairs of Dookan's most expert assassin was something that froze the being of anyone brave enough. Even though I tried to keep the courage in my body, I still felt that I needed to do whatever possible to be able to fight the battles that were coming very soon. I am a soldier. But even the most trained soldiers have their fears and misgivings about a large-scale war. To have managed to survive was already a miracle for me, but I know that I won't be that lucky twice.
The walk continued, and I sensed danger getting closer and closer. It was me and a platoon of six more men, under Rex's command at that moment. We knew that another attack could happen at any moment, but we needed to move forward to the General's aid at all costs. The mission would be accomplished. I don't know how many times I have said this to myself. I have even lost count of how many times I have risked myself so that I could perform daring acts for the good of the Republic. I know that I am a novice, but I am willing to do anything to ensure a successful mission. Our weapons were at the ready, amidst the chaos that had unleashed in Teth, which increased our concern that we might suffer an attack at any moment.
(Rex) - Transmission from General Skywalker approaching.
At that moment, Rex activated his holo-communicator, to bring us up to speed on the situation we might be in at the moment. Every second was counting so that we could get the Hutt's support.
(Anakin) - Rex, I have just made contact with Obi-Wan. He will send reinforcements to help us escape to Tatooine. In the meantime, Ventress may be coordinating a counterattack to decimate our troops. So stay tuned.
(Rex) - We are on our way to meet the Torrent Company. We will reinforce the defenses, and so-
Suddenly, an explosion could be heard a few kilometers away from where we were, which increased our concern about the rescue in a profound way.
(Rex) - It seems that the meeting point is under attack. Let's go!
We started running in the direction of the explosion to see what had happened, but by now, it was somewhat predictable. As I ran, I could see a certain ship flying low over the monastery, which gave me a spark of confidence in my body. The weather began to turn against us, and it seemed that it would only get worse.
Arriving at the site of the explosion, a battle had already begun between the Torrent Company platoon and the Droids, who had come as reinforcements from Ventress. Both sides were engaged in an explosive crossfire, and we simply raised our weapons and started shooting in their direction. There were more Super Droids than normal Droids anyway, but still, we had to fight. Hold out as long as possible until we could get reinforcements from Kenobi. I had a rifle in my hands, and I set about shooting in every possible way. Rex used his pistols to knock down the old cans that came in front of us, but for every one knocked down, more reinforcements came, and they began to overwhelm us. Our AT-TE, which had a certain advantage over us, started getting shot at from all sides, which made us realize that the artillery would soon be unavailable. The bad thing really was that the complexity of it all was getting harder and harder to deal with. Shooting and yet facing a fight that seemed to be an unprecedented disadvantage, at a pace that was somewhat absurd, but above all, unpredictable.
The AT-TE exploded, which took out the artillery. Firing, I could see a clone who had taken the gun from one of the Droids, and started shooting in their direction, until it ran out of ammunition. He then bravely ran and tried to take down the Super Droid in front of him, using the gun he had in his hand to take him down. This was not very successful. I could see the Super Droid grabbing him by one arm, and I could feel in his veins the fear that seemed to be being transmitted by him at that moment. And there was simply no more. A single shot, through his chest, that ended a life that had much ahead of it. Certain parts of the war we never forget. They never leave our minds. Our being. It is like a memory repressed in the darkness, trying to crawl and find its way so that it can torment you when you even imagine it. The feeling of a duty is the sacrifice we make for another's cause. For a greater purpose. To serve the Republic is something that not always, one could have a sense of and fair and unfair. But what we did, we did for good. For better or for worse. The memories of war can be repressed, almost in a small compartment, placed in the midst of what could be compared to a Droid database, but finding a way to surface all the time. That was the feeling I was getting, as Captain Rex's words echoed in my head again: "War does not always come with a guarantee. No soldier is given the promise of safety."
We ended up trapped. Even though we struggled to hold the Droids off, we were surrounded. By raising our hands, we were surrendering, but the problem was that these Droids seemed to have a certain notion that Republic soldiers should be exterminated at all times. It was a deep feeling that these junks had been reprogrammed to take all orders from Dookan, or anyone at their behest. The two-way street. More than visible. More than just clear. It was slowly fading away, in a blur, as we accepted what seemed to be our final destination. And in the moment that followed, a bombardment. Several Droids were destroyed out of nowhere, one after the other. Looking up, we could see Kenobi's reinforcements approaching from the planet's orbit, with several fighter planes flying overhead. Saved by cavalry. Another stroke of luck. Hard to believe I managed to survive, somewhat miraculously. With the sign that things were finally in our favor again, we took out our weapons and started shooting, about to turn the tide of the game. But the problem was that we knew that Anakin and Ahsoka had not yet left the planet, and were trying to find a way to escape the battle, as fast as possible. They had to try to escape in one of the cruisers flying overhead, otherwise they would become an easy target to be shot down. The Droids began to fire, but reinforcements began to descend from the cruisers, and the crossfire intensified all the time, with both sides trying to overwhelm each other with what they had.
(Ratchet) - You can come with everything!
I shouted, as I shot at them, and one by one, they began to be shot down, but they didn't give up the points, still shooting at our men at all costs. Rex seemed to be trying to do the impossible to protect the platoon, while I was shooting in a certain way, taking out every single one that looked like an enemy.
The crossfire increased again, and I could see the pile of bodies piling up, on either side. As the attacks continued, I could no longer see the presence of the ship that might be taking Anakin and Ahsoka to Tatooine, so I assumed they had managed to leave the planet's orbit. And where would Kenobi be this time? He could probably be facing Ventress somewhere in the monastery, but the situation could be getting more complicated by the moment. Many continued to fall, while we tried to hold back the tide of fighting, trying to flank the Droid army so that the wave of enemies would stop coming. Looking to the sides, it seemed that they kept coming. The soldiers kept falling, but we still managed to take out the junk that was trying to kill one of us. We were facing a bit of a tricky situation. The shooting continued, as we sensed things getting worse and worse in numbers. We might be evenly matched, but luck could always change in some parts.
The battle between the cruisers in orbit around the planet, while it was clear that both sides in the ships were on equal terms, aiming for nothing less than ultimate victory, was slowly consuming everything around, while my concern was slowly diminishing to a point where my optimism seemed to be recovering. We had the offensive power in hand now, and yet, we could lose, should anything happen. Simply losing myself in my thoughts, I returned fire at the Droids that had been closing in on us, as the fighters faced each other, amidst the burning skies that enveloped Teth like never before. The platoons of the 501st and 212th joined up, and went on the attack, and began to corner the junk that was trying to kill us. Crossfire again enveloped the entire monastery, as we tried to stay alive in the midst of all the battle. Kenobi was still around on the planet. But every minute, we were, in a way, locked in battle again. Rex was trying to hold it together as best he could, while we were moving forward on every possible front. At one point, we were in an unprecedented stalemate, as we pulled the Separatists with all our might to a point of retreat, but they were still trying to get as many soldiers with them as possible before it all went downhill. What you could see in the skies were the explosions of ships and fighters that joined the fight, as if the natural color of it became something incandescent, which slowly enveloped everything around it, and completely changed the shape and atmosphere it had.
As I turned my mind to the battle ahead, I could see a certain fighter, kind of different, leaving the planet, which made me a little nervous. I could see the battle unfolding at all costs on Teth, and yet it made me a little optimistic to see how well we had managed to hold out all this time. Jabba's son had left the planet's orbit, which meant that Ventress' mission had failed, and that Dookan had suffered a huge defeat. So, in other words, it seemed that the assassin was the one who left the planet. But still, the machines seemed to have the will to keep fighting. Although they were still on the planet, we would continue the fight full steam ahead. We needed to finish off the remaining Separatist presence on the planet. What worried me at this point was the use of innocents as bargaining chips in the midst of a lawless galaxy. We swore to protect them with our lives, but still, some of our influence did not reach certain points, taken over by corruption and crime. What good are our efforts if we cannot protect those who should be protected by us? Even if we do our duty, we will be putting others in danger. Our efforts should be enough to protect those who need our help, but the war has been diverting our reach and resources from the start. What do we do when the weight of our decisions hits us with everything? Will we hide? Or will we stay and face the consequences of an act or countless acts that we claim are for the greater good? One thing is certain. No matter what we do, there will always be problems that we cannot solve. Letting other people pay for our mistakes is something that can linger in the minds of many for a long time. But I do whatever it takes to get what I want. I fight for safety, and I fight for the good. The good of an innocent. The life of a person. Of any being in the galaxy. But that above all, there has to be hope in the Republic. The answer to the question I ask so much in my mind, I feel I have found it. What motivates me to do what I do? Only one word. Hope...
"A few hours later, the rest of the Droid Army was destroyed, symbolizing a huge victory at the hands of the Republic. After a while, we found out that Anakin succeeded in his mission to return Rotta to his father's hands, safe and sound. But most of all, many found out that Jabba's uncle Ziro set up this whole plan with Dookan so that he could take control of the Hutt syndicate, so that the Separatists could get the advantage they so desperately wanted over the hyperspace routes. Much of the revelation of this conspiracy, would not have been uncovered had it not been for the efforts of Senator Padmé Amidala, who risked everything she had to uncover the truth. I have to admit, she deserves much of the credit for helping us through a difficult time. After these events unfolded, Jabba gave us access to the routes he controlled, which gave us a great achievement. The Hutts were now our allies, but most of all, we got a relief from the fight against Dookan, and those who served him. Sometimes, allies, can come in countless forms, both expected, and unexpected... "