Anakin stood at the panoramic window, looking outside. They were still in hyperspace, but they were only moments away from arriving at Selvaris. His Master was already sitting in his starfighter in the hangar, ready to take off as soon as they arrived.
The battle began immediately after they dropped out of hyperspace. Nothing could have prepared Anakin for what he was about to see. There was no time to adjust to the new area, no time to have a good look at the enemy before attacking. Anakin realized that none of his earlier training or mental preparation had any effect. He just stood frozen on the bridge, looking out the window, staring at his Master and the clones as they attacked the blockade. Although it was only a single Lucrehulk-class battleship, it was bristling with weapons and a squadron of starfighters immediately launched from its hangar and attacked their own Star Destroyer.
Rex gave the order to send out more of their own fighters to protect their Destroyer and support Obi-Wan and Cody, so they could concentrate on taking the battleship down.
Anakin could do nothing but watch the battle in terror. Yes, he'd fought in a space battle just like this one before, when he was nine. He was even the one who destroyed the battleship. But being out there was different. He didn't remember seeing people being blown up with their ships. Well, when he thought back, he did remember seeing it, but at the time, he hadn't realized what he saw. It was just like a holo movie. He didn't really have time to think about it at the time; he had to survive and destroy the blockade.
But he wasn't out there now. He was in front of a big window which separated him from the battle, but also let him see it in its entirety. He knew the men that died there, were blown up or sucked out into space. Even their helmets couldn't save them, since they only had a limited supply of air. It wasn't going to last until the end of the battle.
Anakin didn't realize what was going on around him, and the clones let him. They didn't have the time to take care of a child. Only a short, sharp pain brought him out of his stupor. His hands flew to his head, a sound of pain escaping his mouth.
"Commander!" the clones at the bridge exclaimed, shocked, not knowing what was wrong with him.
"Master..." Anakin breathed and bolted out of the room. He ran to the hangar, only to see his unconscious Master being pulled out of a badly damaged ship.
"Master! " he shouted and wanted to run to him, but someone held him back.
"Al'verd'ika, don't. You'll only get in the way," the clone who held him said.
"But I have to help him!" Anakin cried, trying to break free.
"You can't help him. Only the medics can," the clone answered. Anakin slumped back, realizing that the clone was right. He looked at him, only now realizing that it was Hawk.
"I'm sorry, Hawk. I-I…" Anakin began, but Hank shook his head.
"I know, it's okay," he said.
"What happened?" Anakin asked as Hawk released him.
"Well, we were about to lose, but General Kenobi somehow flew inside the battleship, probably through their hangar. After a short time, he flew out again and the whole ship exploded. The General's starfighter was hit while fleeing from the explosion and he got caught in it," Hawk explained.
Anakin only nodded. From what he'd seen and heard, he knew that his Master was lucky to be still alive, but he wasn't out of danger yet.
He realized that he didn't know what he should do now. He couldn't help his Master, but his Master was the only important thing right now, wasn't he? A small voice whispered to him that this was selfish. He should be helping the clones, some of which were still out there fighting. He should do what a Jedi and a Commander would do, but he couldn't tell what that was. He didn't know how he could help. He was just a child, just some random boy and a former slave.
"How about we repair the ships which can still be fixed," Hawk suggested and looked around. Many starfighters got damaged in the battle and had returned to the hangar. All starfighters which could still fly were already out there, fighting.
Pilots were standing by their ships, either alone or in groups. Some of them had minor injuries, but nothing serious. Everyone who needed treatment immediately was being treated, so every medic and medical droid was currently busy. The clones helped each other, and it wasn't going to be long before every injured person in the hangar was patched up by one of his brothers.
Anakin nodded. Repairing ships was one thing he knew how to do. They both got to work, silently, but together. They got halfway through the hangar, with some other pilots and mechanics helping, as the last starfighters returned from the battlefield.
They looked up from work and watched as the pilots left their ships and the badly injured got carried away.
Commander Cody walked to Anakin, and saluted. "The battle is won. We lost around half of our men out there, and most of the survivors were injured. Some critically. General Kenobi is one of them," Cody reported, stone-faced.
Anakin nodded. They had won, but no one was cheering or celebrating. There were too many losses to be happy about the victory.
"I'll go check on the General, but from what I heard, they are still trying to save him, so we can't visit him," the Commander added.
"Thank you, Commander. I will stay here and help to repair the damaged starfighters. Or am I needed elsewhere?" Anakin asked, but hoped that he wasn't needed. He didn't know what he should do, or if he even would be strong enough. He only wanted to do something to distract himself, and repairing starfighters was perfect for that.
"I'll take care of everything, al'verd'ika. You'll be a great help here, in the hangar," Cody said and gave Anakin a small smile, before he saluted and left the hangar. Anakin looked at Hawk, who also smiled. Together, they got back to work.
With time, the hangar got quieter. The clones who had nothing to do left, going to their quarters, the mess hall or some other place with their brothers or alone.
Anakin was working on one of the last damaged starfighters when Rex approached him. He saluted as Anakin looked up. Rex seemed tired. He probably was, like Anakin himself.
"General Kenobi is out of surgery, he is stable and conscious. He asked for you," Rex reported.
"Thank you, Captain," Anakin answered. One part of him wanted to storm right to his Master. But something held him back. It was fear, he realized. Fear of seeing his Master badly hurt. And a little voice told him that his Master had to be disappointed in him, because he didn't do anything to help in the battle, because he wasn't able to protect his Master, no matter that his Master didn't want this in the first place.
"I have to finish this and clean up first," Anakin said and wanted to grab a tool, but Hawk got it first.
"I will do this for you, ad'ika. Go to General Kenobi. You shouldn't avoid him. He will be glad when you visit him, and it will take away your fear," Hawk advised.
Anakin's eyes went wide. He was so shocked that Hawk saw right through him, he didn't even deny that he was afraid.
"How did you know I'm a-"
"Afraid?" Hawk asked, and smiled. "I know this feeling. I think a lot of us know this feeling, when friends or the ones you look up to are injured. Go see him. It will help, I promise you," he said.
Anakin took a deep breath and nodded. "Ok, I will go to him," he decided and left the hangar.
Anakin knocked on the door to the room in which his Master was lying.
"Come in," came from the inside. The door slid open and Anakin stepped in.
Obi-Wan was lying on the bunk. A blanket was pulled all the way to his chest. His right hand and forearm were covered in bandages, and the right side of his face was red.
Anakin swallowed and stepped forward to his Master's side. "Hello Master, how are you?" he asked anxiously.
Obi-Wan looked at his Padawan and smiled. "Hello there, my little Padawan. I'm fine. But you looked troubled," he answered.
"Troubled? Of course I'm troubled. I saw you being dragged out of your starfighter to the medbay. You looked horrible, you looked dead. Then I was in the hangar, waiting for news. Seeing all the damaged ships, I wondered if the pilots were still alive or if only their ships were brought back. It was hours until I got the news that you were stable and that I could visit you. All the time I was asking myself if you would make it. So don't you dare to wonder if I'm troubled and don't say that you're fine, because you're not!" Anakin shouted, all of his worry and fear bursting out of him.
Obi-Wan's eyes widened a bit, then he sighed. "I'm sorry, Padawan. I didn't realize that you would worry so much. But I'm really fine. All of my injuries will heal without problems once I'm in a bacta tank," Obi-Wan assured Anakin.
The Master yawned; he was even too tired to lecture his Padawan about his outburst. He knew that he should do it if he wanted to keep his distance from his Padawan. He hadn't expected Anakin to like him enough to worry as much as he did, but it seemed that he was wrong. And that worried him. They were at war, and the possibility was high that one of them would die. He hoped that would be himself, this time. If they were too close, the death of either one of them would be devastating for the other. But protecting Anakin from grieving over him too much wasn't the only reason he wanted to keep his distance from his Padawan. He wouldn't admit it, but he was also afraid to lose his Padawan like he lost his Master, Qui-Gon. He was afraid to be as close to him as he was to his former Master.
"Why aren't you in the bacta tank if you need it?" his Padawan asked, yanking him out of his thoughts.
"There are men that need the bacta tank more than I do. I have to wait until there's a free tank," Obi-Wan answered patiently.
"Oh," Anakin said and looked at the ground, ashamed that he didn't think of that possibility.
Obi-Wan smiled softly. "Thank you for worrying about me, but don't let it take over you."
Anakin rolled his eyes. His master was lying in bed, badly injured, and still found things to lecture him about.
"I won't let it control me. I'm the only one who controls me," Anakin answered stubbornly and crossed his arms in front of his chest.
His Master chuckled. "I know, my very young Padawan."
But Anakin was still looking at him skeptically, so Obi-Wan decided to praise him a little bit. "You know, I also took a lecture from you and you're right. Spinning is a good trick."
Anakin's eyes went wide. "You… you…" he stuttered.
"Yes, I tried to do what you did at Naboo. It worked well, until the explosion got me. How did you manage to get away back then?"
"Well, I just was faster than the explosion. You're always too slow when you fly," Anakin said, proud of himself, but then looked down. "Sorry, I didn't want to make fun of you getting caught in an explosion."
"It's okay, Padawan, I know. Just think before you speak," Obi-Wan answered tiredly.
"Yes, Master," Anakin said and nodded. "I'll go now, so you can rest."
His Master nodded and closed his eyes, while Anakin left the room.