Hello everyone! I am back yet again and I am hard-pressed at editing the final chapters because after break ends I will not be available for quite a long while. In any case, on for the story!

Anakins and Obi-wans situations were quite dire. While they were stable to an extent, if they did not receive proper medical care, both would be lost certainly. They were back in space, zooming to the nearest civilized system for treatment. However, unforeseen obstacles were about to reveal themselves.

Captain Rex had unclasped his helmet for a breather in the medical wing of the ship. Ahsoka and Padme were sitting in chairs opposite the clone, hoping to be let into the rooms soon to see their beloved Jedi. Rex cleared his throat, "Well, everything should be over soon once we get to Pylif. I just hope that nothing's going to go wrong yet. A mission truly isn't a mission without a climax, you know. I'd bet that a Separatist fleet will randomly attack us within few minutes with our luck!"

A clone burst into the ward and shouted desperately, "Our scanners have detected a Separatist fleet has just arrived in the system!" Captain Rex stared incredulously before he laughed sharply.

"I do believe I might have jinxed us!" he said and latched his helmet on again, fingering his pistol. Ahsoka giggled before sobering. She hadn't planned or thought of battling and therefore the entire ship was unprepared.

"Padme! You stay here and keep the Jedi safe. Comm the Temple if you can and ask for help. You know where to get help, I trust. Come on Rex," Ahsoka ordered and sprinted toward the bridge. Rex nodded to Padme and then followed his commander.

An explosion rocked the ship as Ahsoka ducked down corridors, taking the fastest route to the bridge. Rex was lagging far behind, but mostly because of his armor and his late start. Ahsoka finally slowed as she slid into the bridge. "Status and damage report!" she ordered a clone sitting toward the far end of the room.

"No damage as of yet. The shields are strong against the simple weapons they have used but they probably have figured this out by now. We are almost to the Pylif system. Only three Separatist cruisers. They seem to not have been present in many battles for they are in prime condition, unlike our ship," the clone explained readily. Ahsoka considered the situation carefully.

"Is the system valuable to the Republic and us?" Ahsoka wondered aloud. The clone was shaking his head vigorously.

"It is a very important system. This is the closest medical base for the Republic. It also is the prime place for many Jedi training sessions because it has almost all terrains on its surface – rendering it crucial," the clone reasoned.

Ahsoka sighed and turned to Rex. "It seems then, we have no choice. We must hold the Separatists off from the planet. Ready the ships and raise all shields," Ahsoka set her jaw. She was sacrificing her master and Obi-wan for this planet. She must win.

Padme put down her comm and scowled at the wall. The Jedi Council was infuriating sometimes. They had tried to lecture her about proper procedure and how she had betrayed the Jedi but she told them to shut up. Uncharacteristic, but they were about to let her husband die, after all. Padme had convinced the Jedi to send reinforcements to aid them against the Separatists. Now all they had to do was hold on until help arrived.

As one, the fighters rose into space with Ahsoka's in the middle. She determinedly led the clones to battle – to death – and hoped that she could defend the planet and her charges without costing the lives of her clones. "We'll focus on one cruiser at a time," she commed to her troops. They all confirmed and then the true fighting began.

Anakin Skywalker was aware. Aware of little but the pure agony that was pulsing through his head, and on down his body. He felt his muscles contract as he became more aware of the pain, and he wanted to fall into the black void once again. As echoing words in his troubled mind, he heard Obi-wan's voice, advising, dooming, him again. "Even stars die," he remembered. Then the pain that he was feeling become fear rather and he fought his eyes open, forcing himself to remain awake.

Anakin's vision flickered in and out and he couldn't tell one shape from another. As his eyes adjusted to the light and being open, he recognized Padme, his lovely angel, sitting across from him. "How is this possible?" he asked, or wanted to ask, but his parched throat wouldn't let the words out. He was supposed to be dead, he knew, for logically the Jedi wouldn't have searched quick enough to find him in time.

Padme hadn't seen his struggle and was reading her Holopad. Her eyes were darting across the screen, and he suspected she wasn't processing a thing. "Padme…." He tried to say. This time his voice worked, though it could barely be discerned. Padme's head jerked to the side and her wide, terrified eyes met his. He hadn't any idea why she was so scared, but he figured he ought to worry too.

Padme dropped the Holopad and moved as closely as possible to him – without touching. "Anakin, it's good that you have awoken. That means your body is on the mend," the ship rocked from a distant explosion and Padme hesitated before ploughing on. "We rescued you, Ahsoka and I, in your favorite cruiser. We are at the system Pylif and the Separatists are attacking."

Anakin couldn't reply but he understood one thing; it seemed yet still he was in a life or death situation. Padme glanced at the two glasses of water at his bedside and instantly Anakin knew what he had to do. Once again, only he could save everyone on the planet and on the ship. Padme picked up the dropped Holopad and Anakin seized his brief chance. He switched the glasses of water then he settled back like nothing happened. Padme handed him the one closest to his bedside and he drank, greedily.

Padme then also drank from hers, just as swiftly. Anakin felt a twinge of guilt, but he batted it away. If Padme had any idea what he was going to do, she would murder him…..

Anakin: ~dances outside wearing a tutu and pineapples duck taped to his head~

Ahsoka: ~walks outside~ ~stares~

Ahsoka: ~walks inside~ not today.

THE END